Author's Note: So this is coming up a bit later than I had wanted (I finished writing this chapter at 3:00pm CST) but the fanfic website seemed to be having an issue because it wouldn't allow me to upload my document until now at 7:30. Anyways, the problem seemed to have been fixed, and here we are with another chapter locked and loaded.

Hope you ladies and gents enjoy!

-Written In Bold


Chapter Seven

"So, you were unable to track down any more helpful information last night?" Master Koshia's voice came through on the small speaker located on the Sheikah Slate.

"They vanished without a trace, Master Koshia," Link answered in a long sigh. "And now that the King knows I was involved in the altercation, this whole operation is barely hanging in the balance… I couldn't just lie."

"I understand," Master Koshia sighed. "But I urge you to be more cautious than ever. Especially in the keeping of the Slate. The King and his son may resort to anger at every turn, but when they realize that won't get them what they want, they will seek to manipulate you in any way they can."

"Trust me, Master, they have tried time and time again. It is an honest miracle I am still permitted to research the texts."

"On that topic, do you really believe they are hiding information from you, or do you think it is a bluff?"

"Its hard to say," Link answered. "I wouldn't be surprised, but I also find it very unlikely that they would know exactly what to hide in order to inhibit my progress."

"That is unless the remainder of the Sacred Texts are as unenlightening as the ones you have access to now," Master Koshia suggested.

"That may be true," Link responded despondently.

"But, do not lose faith. The Three will show us the way in due time."

"Of course, Master. Thank you."

"It is not I you must thank… thank the Three. But, on another matter, I have sent our most capable Shadow Warriors to assist you in your vigilance. They will of course remain completely unseen but rest a little easier knowing you are not alone."

Link turned his ears to the side when he heard the large temple door creak open slightly, and the pattering of small feet, signaling the arrival of the visitor he awaited.

"Thank you Master. I will continue in good faith. May the Shadows guide you."

"And may they watch over you, Master Link," Master Koshia responded. With a tap of his finger, the Sheikah Slate deactivated, and Link latched it to his belt before silently leaping down from the rafter beam he was resting upon and prepared to greet Zelda, however when his eyes met hers, he knew something was amiss. She seemed… scared, despite her efforts to hide it.

"Is everything alright, Princess?" he asked calmly.

"I… Yes. Everything is fine," she stammered as she cautiously inched forward, her arms crossed over her chest. Link could clearly see something was not fine but decided that perhaps it was not his place to encroach or pry, so he left it be in hopes of distracting her from whatever it was that worried her.

"Well, don't be afraid let me know if you need anything… I have a few more memories in mind, if you would like to view them. They're nothing special, but I am fond of them."

Zelda swallowed, and pensively rubbed her arm before finally nodding and began to walk over to him and sat down in their usual spot. She was acting very strange, Link noted again, given her shy body language and trepid speech, but with time she relaxed into the chair a little and waited patiently for Link to navigate through the multitudes of functions on the Sheikah Slate.

"I hope I didn't upset your family too much," he commented quietly without glancing over.

"Well, you know how they are," she sighed miserably. "One minute they're shouting and ready to hit something or someone… then the next minute they're…" She trailed off, but as Link shot her a worried frown, she shook her head and exhaled. "They're just very unpleasant to be around is all."

"I understand the feeling," he grumbled in a lighter humor. "But with any luck, and the will of the Three, I will find what I'm looking for and then be out of everyone's hair."

"Will you leave then?" she asked in an urgency that surprised him.

"That depends on the nature of what I find," Link responded carefully, confused as to what her tone of voice entailed. Was it fear? Relief? Irritation? Longing even? With that thought in mind he began to wonder if he should doubt the way he had been carrying himself as of late. Perhaps his presence had been more a nuisance to the Princess on account of her family than he initially thought.

However, that didn't explain why she still chose to visit every night… There was something very suspicious going on for sure.

"I see," the Princess responded cautiously. "Well I think you should get out of here as soon as possible… It would be better that way." And with that said, Link merely nodded in response before returning to the Slate. He didn't understand why, but for some reason that statement stung… a lot. Was she beginning to change her mind about him? Was he about to lose his one ally within the castle? Of the nights they had spent hours conversing and sharing memories, she had never sounded eager to be rid of him.

Was this brought on by what he said early that day, or had her family put her up to this? Or both?

Whatever the case may have been, it was safe to say he decided to very carefully select his words. He of course still had a job to do, which would ensure that he would remain obstinate in his dwelling within the castle regardless of what anyone thought of him, but he had rather hoped that Zelda would stay on his side. He was just beginning to enjoy the feeling of mutuality and understanding between them. He could even fathom going as far as calling her a friend, were he feeling so bold… but now…

Maybe he had read the situation incorrectly. Perhaps he had been a fool.

"Found it," he said as he handed the Sheikah Slate to Zelda, who took it in one hand carefully. "Of course, you don't have to watch it if you aren't up to it. There's only one memory insist on you seeing, but that can wait."

"No, I want to," she rushed to say, sounding much more like the Zelda he had come to know over the past few nights, which eased his worries only slightly. "Thank you."

"It's a much older memory," Link commented as she prepared to delve into it. "It was from the first time I visited Death Mountain and had the honor of joining the Goron Champion and the other clan members in a fun dip in the hot springs they have not far from the village."

"You've met Rudania before!?" she beamed.

"I have," Link answered, "as well as Ruta of the Zora."

"Have you had the chance to met any of the other pilots of the Divine Beasts?"

"Unfortunately, no," he answered. "Just Rudania and Ruta. The other races… well, they aren't as keen on us Sheikah-raised, seeing that they are allies with Hyrule."

"Oh." Zelda trailed off again, but after a firm nod she held the Sheikah Slate back up and activated it as she closed her eyes. And so, in the meantime, Link occupied himself in thought, only occasionally looked over to the woman beside him, although he kept his glances to a bear minimum for a very particular reason he felt embarrassed for even noticing.

Link of course knew that normal Hylian women typically had no issue with showing their cleavage, especially those among the ranks of the more… lucrative business dealers, but he had never seen Zelda display herself like that, much less expected her to. However, if he were being honest ―to his great shame― it was on more than one occasion he had to steel his eyes, chastise his weak will, and ignore the openness of her dress.

It was a much easier task to do when he was talking with her but sitting there in silence with nothing but his own mind to occupy him proved it to be much harder to pull off than before.

He understood it simply wasn't right, and not to mention that it would without a doubt affect his subconscious mind and muddy the clarity that was required to focus on his work, just as Master Koshia used to lecture him on back in Kakariko. Oh, how long his teacher would berate him on this matter were he to see what went on in his head now. Link always knew his mental fortitude was the weakest facet of his being, so very often falling prey to anger and lust. It was abysmal, but all he could ever do was bottle it up and hide any exterior signs of his ill musings, and slowly let them pass away with considerable meditation.

Which was what he was trying to do know.

Luckily, it was a short memory detailing the endless array of jokes and full-bellied laughter from the massive Goron Champion and his cohorts. It was a simple time, but Link enjoyed every second of it, and not to mention that he had found a fast friend in the beady-eyed Rudania who had the innocent, but a bit painful disposition of clapping him on the back, or giving him what he called a "Brother's Hug," which he swore could be used as an attack used to suffocate people… Still, the Gorons never meant any harm by it.

"Well, Rudania is quite the character," Zelda laughed, considerably more at ease than she was before.

"That he is," Link smiled. "If you ever meet him, be prepared for a hug day one."

"Really?" she giggled. "Goodness, now I'm scared. But eager, of course. If only I could get the chance."

"You never know, Princess," Link said reassuringly. "You are a young woman with a long life ahead of her. I'm sure once you're older you will get the chance to see the world."

Unless I can't prevent its end before then, he thought gloomily, but did not share the idea.

"Oh… I don't know about that," she sighed, almost instantly slipping back into her bereft mood she had shown upon her entry. "Dimitri might ruin that chance for me yet."

"How so?" Link asked in opposition.

"You know how he is," she replied solemnly. "He's always set on making everyone else miserable."

"But its not like you're going to be in the castle forever," Link explained. "Someday you'll get married and move to your husband's estate. Surely you'll get the chance to travel then." Apparently, that was most definitely not the right thing to say, as the moment the words passed his lips she frowned and looked away without an answer.

Now he was hopelessly confused. It was like there was a switch in her brain that went from her happy and normal self, to this suddenly distant and downtrodden demeanor… There was something really troubling her mind… but what?

"I apologize if I've spoken wrong," Link said quietly. "I meant no offense."

Zelda didn't respond at first, but after she swallowed again, and took a deep breath, she returned to him completely masked in a new emotion and manner. She had gone and flipped the switch again, and that worried him even more. That was when she did something that really confused and made him incredibly uncomfortable.

"No, you said nothing wrong," she said with a forced smile and light laugh as her hand came to rest on his thigh far too high up than he would have ever felt comfortable with. "I'm just being silly is all."

"I see," he murmured as he shifted away ever so slightly as a sign for her to move her hand away to a more respectable spot. He was certain it was done on accident, or maybe it was normal among his kin to act like this and he was just unaware of it, which he could easily forgive, but that wasn't the issue. The issue was with how his heartbeat leapt with nervous excitement when she did it. Luckily, her hand pulled away before that, and once again the switch on Zelda's emotions was flipped and she awkwardly scooted away to give them room.

"So, how goes your research?" she asked sheepishly, promptly changing the subject.

"Slow," he answered. "I still haven't found anything useful, although it would help if I could have access to everything."

"How do you mean?" Zelda asked.

"Well, you father has stated on multiple occasions that if I want access to the remainder of the Sacred Texts, I would need to trade the Sheikah Slate to him. I simply cannot allow that."

"Why is it exactly you can't give up the Sheikah Slate?" Something about her tone threw Link off a little. It was hard to explain really, but for the first time since he had met her, he had the inkling of a feeling that he needed to be a little more cautious with the information he gave… She had been acting odd since she arrived, no doubt because of her family.

"Put plainly, Princess, I don't trust them."

"Do you trust me?" At that, Link was stumped. Beforehand he would have said yes without much thought, but again his mind kept coming back to how odd she had been acting, her unusual tone, and line of questioning. Master Koshia had warned him about how the King and Prince would seek to manipulate him… he was mortified to think they got Zelda tangled up in this whole mess.

"Well, I certainly trust you more than I trust them."

Once again, no doubt to his hesitation and roundabout answer, Zelda frowned disappointedly before stealing a glance to the far side of the room where she stopped to think for an extended amount of time. Her fingers interlaced with one another above the Sheikah Slate in her lap as she rubbed her thumbs together as if she was contemplating something very important. This silence continued on for some time but just as Link opened his mouth to speak she relayed what was going on in her head.

"I… I might know where it is hidden… if it is hidden, that is."

"Really?" Link gaped.

"I think," she stammered nervously. "I could… I might be able to get it to you… but I'm worried I will be caught."

"And I wouldn't ask you to do it," Link said reassuringly, admittedly taken aback by her proposition. "I would hate to risk your wellbeing just to help me, but if you could tell me where it is… I of course would never steal it, but if I could just take pictures of the pages… I would be in your debt forever."

Zelda took a few deep breathes, visibly trembling from the thought. He knew he was asking for too much. He was asking her to betray her family for him. He was asking her to risk their vengeful anger. Perhaps she did deserve his trust far more than he thought, just for even offering this crucial piece of information. Now he was beginning to regret doubting her.

"Princess," Link began again in a calm tone. "I won't make you tell me. I know it's a lot to ask for you to go behind you father's back, and I would hate to be the cause of anymore strain between you two. If you do this, I will fully support your decision, but if not… I will support you all the same. This is your choice alone." Zelda continued to wring her hands together anxiously, denoting the inner turmoil she was is, so he decided that it was finally time to show her… It was finally time to show her perhaps the most important memory he possessed.

"If you will permit me," he asked, "I have one last memory I would like to show you before you make your decision. It's very important to me, but I have to warn you… it isn't pretty."

"What is it about?" she asked timidly.

"It is about how I came upon the sword on my back. The sword I was destined to wield." Zelda considered his request for a moment, but finally nodded her consent and allowed him to sift through the memories stored on the Sheikah Slate until it stopped upon a picture of a lively green wood, and a sword resting in a stone pedestal. She remained silent as he handed the Slate back, offering her a reassuring smile before she plunged into the memory he was certain would either win her to his side completely, or scare her away forever.

He recalled the events of his great trial in his own mind like it was yesterday…


Countless times he had wondered through the endless clouds of billowing mist in Lost Woods, and countless times he had found himself back exactly where he had started by the last torch that burned valiantly in the gloomy dark. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he gazed upon the great dead trees that appeared as if their trunks opened up in to terrible mouths just threatening to swallow him whole, but he remained resolute and tried again.

He chose a different path this time and decided that anytime the mist sought to consume him, he would turn on his heel and sprint back, then chose a different path to follow. Left, right, right again, and then left he went, and each time he was pursued by the mist he turned back and selected a new path and pressed on. The sounds that echoed across the air were enough to put him on edge. There was no wind, but he swore countless times he heard a jingling noise, then the snapping of branches and the rustling of leaves, and through the whole ordeal he could feel countless eyes resting upon him…

He knew he was not alone.

Luckily, after nearly a half hour of trying his new tactic, he was relieved to find that it had paid off, for he at last stood at the entrance of a rocky ravine with a grassy path down the center of it. With a deep breath, he set back into a slow and cautious pace, keeping his eyes sharp and keen on the cliffs above in case any would try to attack him from the high ground. However, as he progressed, no attack came and before long he found himself in an environment starkly different than the one before. Creepy trees and ominous dark clouds of mist were soon replaced by welcoming green flora, warm beaming sunlight through the canopy above, and a feeling of tranquility.

And then he saw it.

He offered a heartfelt prayer to the goddesses for seeing to his safety, and then plunged further into the green forest until he stood before the legendary Master Sword, whose purple hilt and cross guard stood true and pure through the test of time, and whose blade shone ever clear in its immaculate glory. Further beyond that there also stood a massive ancient guardian tree, which he amusedly thought seemed to bear the face of a wise old man fast asleep, but he was certain it was just his imagination. This whole forest seemed keen on growing trees with faces, so he merely brushed the thought aside and wasted no time to complete his quest by gripping onto the Sword that awaited him. Naturally he had no idea what to expect, but he knew there would indeed be a test of both his strength, courage, and mental resilience, and as he had anticipated, the moment his fingers wrapped around the Master Swords hilt, just beginning to pull it from its pedestal, a great burning sensation racked his heart, and it felt as if every ounce of air in his lungs was drawn from his body until at last his vision went black.

For a while he was fully aware of himself in the darkness, but eventually a sharp blue and purple light dawn on the horizon of nothingness and before him arose a slender figure of ancient design. Her eyes lacked both pupils and iris's and matched the color of her light blue shimmering skin, but still they betrayed the expressions written on her face. He knew not what the being was, but all that he could assume that it was some form of artificial intelligence created by the goddesses.

"Welcome, Chosen One," the being greeted him. "You have come here to prove your worth to the Master Sword, have you not?"

"Yes…" he answered, his mouth agape.

"Many trials you will face; trials that I have granted to your mentors in revelations, on the orders of Hylia, for they will create the battle grounds in which you will test yourself upon. You will find that each level will in increasing difficulty, but in time, should you conquer the struggles within, you will prove yourself worthy to carry the burden of the Sword of Evil's Bane. I must ask, are you ready?"

"You have spoken to the Monks of the Korniz'Val?" he asked.

"Revelations from Hylia, Chosen One," she corrected. "Already they have bound their minds and spirits to a far-off place… a place of which you will go now and face the trials they have prepared. I wish you luck, Chosen One."

Before he even had the chance to ask anymore questions, the being vanished in a flurry of blue light, and upon the dark horizon, a blinding whiteness impeded his vision. For a moment he shielded his eyes with his hands, but when he heard the familiar sound of grass gently swaying in the breeze, he opened them, surprised to find himself in an open field with a few lively oak trees, and surrounding the woods rose massive walls of Sheikah design, confining him to the area. He also noticed he had been stripped of his equipment, and all he had to wield was the Sheikah Slate on his hip. Instinctively, he searched the inventory system within it, but alas, everything he carried within it had also been taken away.

A low growling noise quickly caught his attention, however, so he abandoned his search for weapons, and began to sneak forward in a low crouch. Just on the other side of the open field there sat a gangly group of odd creatures, whose leathery skin were in a wide array of red, blue, and black colors. Their teeth were grotesque and snagged, their ears were long and hideous, and their three fingered claws were menacing. The only creature he could have ever compared to them were from the descriptions of Bokoblins he had read about and studied the fossils of. They were of course an extinct species, but now upon closer inspection of their stature and bearings, he had little doubts in his mind about what they were.

He prayed he would not have to face some of the other horrid creatures he had read about… Moblins… Lizalfos… or Hylia prevent Lynels ―which he knew were heavily documented upon for their fearsome appearances, and even fiercer temperaments. Then again, they would make an excellent challenge to face.

After a considerable amount of time he finally decided that he had prowled around the enemy's camp long enough, and so he pulled the Sheikah Slate from his belt, quickly sifting over to the Bomb icon selected it. With his free hand he lobed over into the very center of the camp, and pulled the trigger, resulting in a massive explosion that sent the Bokoblins flying head over heel in strangled screeches and pig-nosed grunts. Only a few more remained, and so he swiftly scooped up the weapons they had dropped, which was nothing more than a few wooden spears and clubs, shrunk them into his inventory system, and finished off the remaining dazed Bokoblins.

As soon as they were all dead, a loud ringing noise struck his ear, and he turned his attention to the center of the field, where there lay a circular pattern on the ground, resembling the strange alloy used in the construction of all Sheikah Technology. It was a travel gate, he realized after a moment, and so feeling confident in his success, he stepped onto the portal where he was transported to yet another arena to do battle.

If only he had known that what followed would be hours upon hours of endless monster slaying.

The second level, as the being had promised, was a tad more difficult than the first, sporting more than just Bokoblins, but also strange globules of animate creatures that often tried to consume him in their sticky and gooey bodies, to which he answered with a mouthful of Sheikah Bombs. It served the nasty little things right.

And of course, it only got worse from there. As soon as he would finish clearing one area, a travel gate would open, which led him to the next. And with each progressing level It seemed his worst fears had come true, for not only did he have to fight Moblins and Lizalfos, but he had to do battle with droves of flying Keese, which were a horrendous breed of cave bats, massive creatures made of rocks and boulders, terrifying Lynels that had more than once sent him flying into the air with their massive hooves, Guardian Striders, Skywatchers, Turrets, Scouts… every single thing he could imagine he would loath to fight, he ended of slaying. He fought them all in treacherous environments as well. Sometimes he battled in volcanic regions, or massive bodies of water which offered him little ground to stand upon, and in worse cases he suffered through bitter cold environments, where the snow would come up to his calves, making it difficult to stave of towering Moblins and massive ice-formed Taluses.

However, with each trial conquered and piece of gear he acquired and mastered, he felt rather proud of his accomplishments, and it filled him with a new sense of determination, pushing him to ignore the countless cuts, burns, and bruises that littered his body. With each trial he faced, he discovered new and better ways to conduct strategy, when it was better to attack or relent, or when he needed to burst in sporting everything he had, or sneak past and silently dispatch his enemies one by one discreetly. He had never felt so challenged, and yet never so alive.

Even the Lynels, which were an absolute nightmare to deal with, offered their own set of knowledge once he determined the best way to defeat them, which typically involved pelting them in the face with arrows, then leaping onto their back and hacking away with every ounce of strength and speed he could muster. It was a bloody affair, but after countless levels and countless enemies, he was transported to a final location kept locked away in a massive domed Sheikah structure, whose floor stretched endlessly to a dark void below, where not even the soft blue light cast by the Sheikah lanterns above could not light its depths.

Being careful to remain perfectly balanced to avoid falling into the void below, he began to trek up the flights of floating stairs ahead of him until he stood before an enclosure akin to the podiums that the Monks often meditated upon when visiting the shrines they had created. Beyond the crystal blue energy barrier that protected the podium there rested seven Sheikah Monks and the Master Sword, which was still lodged into its pedestal. He had never met, nor knew the name of these seven mysterious Monks, but it was obvious they knew him for upon his entry after deactivating the barrier around them, they rose to their feet and bowed, which he mirrored respectfully.

"You have done well," the head Sheikah Monk spoke, her face concealed by the Shroud of Truth, which was a linen that the Monks often draped over their faces to block their vision and help them concentrate on meditating. "The depth of your heroism is beyond question." With a motion of her hand, she gestured to the Monks on each side of her and continued. "We are the ones who prepared this trial, following a revelation from the goddess Hylia. To the one who has overcome the Trial of the Sword… you have proven your hand worthy of the legendary Master Sword. Now that the hero has gained the power necessary to combat the calamity, our sacred duty has been fulfilled." The Monk then sat back down and crossed her legs as the other six had done, resuming her prayers. "Chosen hero… with the Master Sword now boasting its true splendor… protect the kingdom of Hyrule for now and for always…"

He wanted to ask more questions, but it was nearly sacrilegious to speak to a Monk while in prayer, for it was seen and believed that there was no greater calling for them and should never be taken for granted. And so, without another word, he once again gripped onto the hilt of the Master Sword, only this time when he sought to pull it free, it lifted in his hand as if it weighed no more than a mere feather in his hand. The sensation was exhilarating to say the least, and so in silent triumph he held the sword skyward and marveled at its wonderous blue glow.

He closed his eyes as a rush of adrenaline and excitement coursed through his entire body, and he fought to contain his composure and not burst into a beaming smile and great hurrah. He had finally done it! After all the countless years of training day and night… after all the studying and meditating and self-discovery and testing, he had at last freed the sword destined for him to wield against the Evil.

After the sensation had slowly drifted away, he opened his eyes again, but was surprised to find that he was no longer in the strange Sheikah structure, but in the tranquil forest that he had first found the Master Sword in. Once again, he marveled in the Master Swords splendor before twirling it in his hand, absolutely pleased with its perfect balance and weightlessness. He could not recall a time that something had ever felt so right in his hands. It was as if every inch of the blade had molded exactly to his grip and offered him the perfect length to effectively fight any enemy that would seek to harm him.

Perfection was the only word he could use to describe the weapon in his hand…

With a sigh of relief, he sheathed the Master Sword in the new scabbard that had magically appeared on his back, and turned on his heel to return home and report to Master Koshia, but just as he took one step of the dais the Swords pedestal rested upon, he swore he heard a deep voice float upon the breeze, stirring the ancient tree's leaves above, and whispered in his ear.

"Go now in peace, Chosen One."

Link snapped around but found that there was no one there… he was still utterly alone. However, what struck him as odd was that he could have sworn the placid face that marked the ancient tree at the forest's center was smiling just a little more than before…

It was odd, but he shrugged it off and continued on his way with a revitalized determination, and a hopeful heart.


Zelda returned from the vision rather abruptly, her eyes wide with wonder, and looked over to Link, her mouth slightly agape as if she were waiting for an explanation. He found her surprise to be rather amusing at first, and so he absentmindedly smiled, which she furrowed her eyebrows in hopeless confusion to before finally clearing her throat and recomposed herself. That was when he noticed yet another change in her demeanor, however, he rather liked this new demeanor, for it showed of an undeniably determined look in her hazel eyes. And so, when she spoke he held onto every word with an eager anticipation.

"I will help you get the remaining Sacred Texts," she declared plainly. Link sighed with relief at this news… it had worked. He had convinced her of the truth in his cause.

He was winning her to his side.