Chapter 6

Link wasn't ready for what lay beyond the forest. Parched grass crunched beneath their boots, and everywhere the ground was broken in the same pattern of fissures that had appeared in the village. The air itself burned with the heat of the sun, and there was an unpleasant smell carried on the breeze. It faded quickly, but it was unquestionably similar to the stench that flooded his nightmare the other day. Link's mouth fell open as he tried to process the transformation.

"The forest's magic protects it from some of the destruction. I am not sure if it will last." Without a backward glance Sheik brushed past him, limping slightly. His words were clipped and harsh.

"So what, is this how we are now?" Link closed the gap between them and cut straight into Sheik's path. He was tired of the silence, of feeling like he'd insulted him somehow when in the past day all he'd done was sacrifice safety, home, and peace of mind to help him. "What did I do? Why are you angry?"

Sheik' expression was one of genuine surprise. He halted, favoring the leg that still troubled him, and his red eyes burned with an unreadable emotion. For the thousandth time Link wished he would ditch the stupid cowl—it was unfair that Sheik could read every thought and passing feeling on his open face, while he was left guessing blindly what his friend was thinking.

"Link…I am not angry at you. I…" He looked away, gazing out over the ruined field. "It is difficult, being around you once more."

"Then why did you ask me to come with you?" Link hissed through gritted teeth. "I've done everything you asked me to do. I nearly died in the forest. I swore I wouldn't fight again and I've broken that promise to myself because you insisted I was the only one who could fix this." He gestured vaguely at the field, the smoky mountains in the distance, the thirsty ground and too bright sky.

Sheik met his gaze once more.

"It kills me that I must be the one to steal you away from that life. I assure you, I would not have asked if I knew there was another way. I had wished that if we met again, it would be in friendship rather than war. Instead I have…I have broken you. And that is something I have to live with. That is why it is difficult, being around you once more. And I—" he paused, looking suddenly embarrassed. "I did not appreciate that fairy calling me your Sheikah."

Dumbfounded, Link took a step backward and the heel of his boot made a thunk sound against the root of one of the trees that shrouded the entrance to the Kokiri village. As he watched his friend blush scarlet, he was struck by how little he knew of him. After all, barely a day ago he still believed Sheik to be merely a disguise Zelda had used to protect herself from Ganon.

"Why did that bother you?"

Sheik sighed and looked very much like he regretted saying anything.

"My people served Hyrule for hundreds of years. We were loyal servants to the crown, guardians of sacred knowledge, and proud warriors who upheld an ancient vow to a dying goddess. Even in death we are eternally bound to the royal family. We were proud of our legacy, but that oath was both our honor and our curse. I was born to protect the princess, and I gladly embrace that duty. But I have never been free. I…am not my own. The words of that fairy were an unpleasant reminder."

Before Link could think of a reply, Sheik shook his head.

"It is not your fault, Hero." He said quietly. "It is not your burden." And with that he pushed gently past Link and headed up the dusty, cracked road towards Castle Town.

As the sun reached its zenith in the bright sky and slipped past into afternoon and evening and the darkening violet of twilight, they realized they had misjudged how long it would take to reach the town.

When the call of the guard's horn sounded they continued on their path, vigilant and wary. Sheik kept an arrow strung on his bow, and Link held a tight grip on the hilt of his sword, and together they walked in silence, two lone shadows beneath a growing moon. It wasn't long after the sun had slipped fully below the horizon that they heard the sound of rattling bones.

"I hear one." Link whispered, drawing his sword from its sheath and reaching behind him to grab the wooden shield that Navi made him buy. He'd never liked Kokiri shields, but it was better than nothing. Wordlessly Sheik nodded his head to their left, a glimmering arrow pointed toward a space on the ground where the earth was stirring. Nearby Link could hear the clack clack of exposed bone as another Stalchild stumbled blindly toward them. With his sword and shield raised he shifted so that he was back to back with Sheik, and waited for the creature to approach.

He'd fought them hundreds of times. The fight was more familiar than with the Wolfos, a repetitive slash of sword through bone and blocking the pitiful swipe of clawed fingers as the Stalchild flailed and broke and died. How many had he taken down before? A thousand? Ten thousand? Link thrust his sword into an empty eyesocket, kicked at the knees of shaky legs, pressed hard with his boot to crush sternum and ribs. The sound of earth shifting, the giggling of the Stalchildren, and the swing of metal as it struck bone again and again filled the night air. He lost track of where Sheik was, but he could hear the shlinck of well-aimed arrows not far away.

"Link." The Sheikah's voice called from somewhere to his left. "We're near the river."

"So?" He knocked the skull off of a Stalchild and laughed as it tripped over the uneven ground.

"They do not like water." An arrow pierced the skeleton's spine and it stopped moving. Sheik appeared beside him, another arrow already strung.

Ignoring him, Link moved forward, striking here and cutting there, taking down the creatures before they had a chance to attack. Nothing mattered but blade and bone, bone and blade. The glide of his sword through the night air, the scorching heat of the day giving way to cold. His breath rose visibly in the moonlight, steady and measured.

"LINK."

This stopped him. Narrowly avoiding the flailing swing of a Stalchild's claws, Link shoved it away impatiently with his shield.

"What?"

"River. Come."

Sheik didn't wait for him to answer but instead slung his bow over his shoulder, pulled his dagger from his belt and stalked westward into the night.

Confused, Link followed him, swinging his sword halfheartedly at Stalchildren when they came near. He'd thought they had settled their differences earlier in the day, but he could practically feel the anger radiating off of the Sheikah as he moved quietly in the direction of the river. The closer they came to the water, the fewer Stalchildren emerged from the ground.

When he reached the river Sheik was kneeling at its edge and filling his canteen with fresh water.

"You're angry again." Link sheathed his sword and joined his friend, checking a large stone for wetness before sitting on it. His muscles ached from fighting, but it was a good kind of ache.

"I am not angry. I am concerned. There was no need to waste your energy like that. We could have easily made for the river but you kept fighting as if you were trapped in battle and forced to defend yourself or die. Those night walkers are hardly worth the effort."

The Sheikah was so serious, his voice filled with such urgency, that Link couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm fine. It was fun."

Sheik blinked up at him, puzzled.

"…Fun?"

"Yes, fun. Don't you enjoy yourself when you fight?"

"I…" Sheik trailed off, struggling to answer. "Fighting is a way of life. I have trained most of my life. But I suppose it can be…satisfying?"

"There you go." Link grinned at him. For the first time in ages he felt truly alive. The rush of adrenaline from cutting down the Stalchildren was familiar and exhilarating, transporting him back to his youth, before he had faced the demons of the Shadow Temple, the living dead, and Ganon himself. His muscles hummed with the release of nervous energy he hadn't even known was there. Rolling the tension out of his neck and shoulders, Link re-sheathed his sword and discarded the leather belt on the cool grass. With a grunt he pushed himself up off the rock and approached the river, tugging his shirt over his head.

"What are you doing?" Sheik asked.

Link pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it behind him. The cold air felt bracing and wonderful on his overheated skin. As he tugged his boots off he was vaguely aware of the Sheikah watching him, no doubt wondering why in Din's name he was disrobing in the middle of the icy night. He kept his pants more for Sheik's sake than his, though he also wasn't confident the river was as safe as it was years ago.

He sat down at the edge of the riverbank and without hesitation slipped into the water, holding tight to the brittle roots of grass that poked through uneven earth. He found that he could easily reach the bottom now, and the river's flow was not as strong as it was when he last swam in it. Link tried not to think about the implications of that change, choosing instead to savor the moment. The water was even colder than the air. He dunked his head below the surface briefly and emerged laughing with joy.

Link was lost in the sheer intensity of it all—the cold water and the energy still burning in his blood. The horror of the past couple of days flew from his mind, replaced by something that was less conscious thought and more pure sensation. He'd experienced this before when he was fighting for Hyrule and Termina, the carnal passion and vitality of victory. And yes they were just Stalchildren and hardly a challenge, but the high overwhelmed him nonetheless.

"Link…"

The cautious voice surprised him; he'd forgotten about Sheik. Swimming leisurely back towards the river bank, he held onto the edge and smiled up at his friend.

"You okay?"

Sheik's wide eyes were beautiful in the glow of moonlight. The earlier confusion had given way to something more like curiosity, but there was that same tension in his posture once more. He was uneasy, but why? Was he still worried about the fight earlier?

"Don't worry, Sheik. We're safe. The Stalchildren never come near the river. I used to swim here all the time when I was a kid. Seriously, we're fine."

Sheik tilted his head, studying Link with an intensity that made him feel suddenly warm despite the cold air. Then icy wind blew over the river and the ragged fabric of his cowl was disturbed, the cloth slipping down over his nose. With a gasp Sheik turned, a hand automatically coming up to cover his face as he re-adjusted. The spell was broken. He rose from the edge of the river.

"Do you mind taking the first watch?"

"No, I'm not tired. Are you okay?"

Sheik bowed his head slightly.

"I am fine, Hero. Wake me when you would like to sleep."

Link didn't sleep. Eventually the high from the earlier fight calmed but he was not tired. Somewhat weary, definitely sore, but wide awake. He leaned against the rock beside the river and stared out over the moonlit field, thinking about the events of the past day and wondering what tomorrow would bring. It was difficult to comprehend that just two nights ago he was sitting on the stage in the Milk Bar tuning his guitar. Sorrow rose with the memory of talking to Romani. Would he ever see her and Cremia again?

Far across the field the dark silhouette of Hyrule's Lon Lon Ranch rose against the night sky. Somewhere within those walls Epona was probably asleep in her stable, safe from the freezing cold. And Malon…

Unless she'd been experiencing memories from the reality where they had known each other, Malon wouldn't recognize him if he visited the ranch. He tried to imagine her incomprehension and confusion, what she would say if he showed up and played Epona's song—the song that she had taught him so long ago. From his satchel he pulled the the simple blue instrument that had caused so much trouble and chaos, and turned it over and over in his hands. He hadn't played it in years. Raising it to his lips he closed his eyes and pressed his fingers over the ceramic holes, but held he held breath.

He couldn't.

A Stalchild ambled mindless in the distance and clawed at the empty air. Somewhere a bird called out. Link carefully wrapped the Ocarina back in its cloth and reclosed his satchel, pulling the cords tight. Earlier he had been caught up in the thrill of fighting, but now that the rush was ebbing away he just felt hollow. When he was living in Termina the fact that he'd left a Hyrule that no longer remembered him seemed irrelevant. But now that he was back, surrounded by lands where he knew every inch and twig and stone and crevice, it was finally sinking in. This was his home, but he didn't belong. Not anymore.

His mind wandered into the early hours of morning and he watched dawn break over the eastern mountain range that divided the field from Gerudo Valley and the desert beyond. Beside him Sheik stirred, mumbling in his sleep. Despite his height he looked small and fragile curled up in the grass, shivering slightly with the still cold winds that brushed the field. Link thought back to what he'd said earlier about being bound to the royal family in life and death. In some ways that was his lot as well. But it was different. He couldn't change destiny, but at least he'd been able to make his own life in Termina—something Sheik would never experience in his service to Princess Zelda.

It hurt to know that if he visited Malon she wouldn't recognize him. Nobody would, except for the sages. And yet what must it be like for Sheik? By the nature of his culture and his life's duty he was born to be unknown, walking in the shadows. Guarding the Princess and the kingdom, but never a part of it himself.

It was a bittersweet comfort, he realized, to have a companion in loneliness.