Here's chapter 9 of "The Legend of Sheik"
Enjoy!
"You did it, Princess!" Impa shouted.
Zelda hadn't even opened her eyes yet to see exactly what her magic spell looked like. She had been practicing for only two days, and she knew her determination would get what she wanted done, and get it done quickly.
"You've mastered Nayru's Love!" Impa said excitedly. Zelda was surrounded by a faint blue crystal. "This is the ultimate protection. It'll protect you from practically everything!"
"Even extreme heat?" Zelda asked glancing over to Sheik who was training with his father.
"Yes, even extreme heat." Impa said smiling.
Zelda was ecstatic, she knew this spell would help her and Sheik enter the Death Mountain crater again, and this time be able to avoid injury.
"Thank you, Impa for helping me train." Zelda said with a smile. Zelda threw her hands up in the air and shattered the blue crystal around her, ending the magic spell.
"I think that's enough for today." Enco said as he approached Zelda and Impa. "I say we head on back to the cave."
The group nodded in agree and quickly returned to the cave.
Back in Sheik's room, Zelda smiled and rushed in. "Are you ready to head back to the mountain crater?" She asked.
Sheik gave a slight smile and pulled out his harp. Zelda focused her energy and created a warp point with Farore's wind. "We're all set, Sheik! Let's go!" Sheik nodded and plucked the notes of the nocturne of Shadow and the two were swept away from the cave.
As they reappeared in the graveyard, they heard a loud commotion. The loud words were startling, and the two kids ducked behind the fence on top of the ledge which overlooked the Kakariko graveyard.
"Please, Dark Lord… Have mercy!" These were the pleading words of Dampé . Sheik and Zelda looked over the ledge down towards the graveyard and Zelda gasped in horror.
"Princess, in the stone. Now!" Sheik demanded. Zelda nodded and gripped the Gerudo Amber, with a bright flash of light she vanished and the stone dropped to the ground. Sheik knelt down and picked it up and remained crouched as he watched the unsettling scene before him.
A man with dark tan skin, fire-red hair, clad in black amour, and mounting a black stallion stood in front of Dampé, who was cowering in fear.
"Don't play dumb with me, peasant." The man yelled.
Sheik, that's Ganondorf. Zelda's voice echoed. Sheik continued to watch as Ganondorf accosted Dampé.
"I dun' know what you're talking about." Dampé yelled.
"I know you are aware of Zelda's whereabouts." Ganondorf shouted to the grave keeper who continued to remain silent. "Well, where is she?"
"Your highness…" Dampé shouted, "I dun' know where she is, I have never even met the Princess."
"You dare lie to me?" Ganondorf shouted, he dismounted his horse and approached Dampé who began to back away. "I'm beginning to feel her presence. And I know she's been here."
"She hasn't, my lord…" Dampé lied.
"How dare you defy me, peasant." Ganondorf screamed. He extended his left hand and powerful dark energy began to emit from his palm. Dampé was slowly lifted into the air, his screams ignored by Ganondorf.
"I'll ask you one last time. Where. Is. The. Princess?" Ganondorf growled.
"I'll never tell you, you disgrace of a man." Were Dampé's last word. In a fit of anger Ganondorf screamed and clenched his fists and the sound of bones cracking could be heard as Dampé's neck was twisted and broke. Dampé's body fell to the ground motionless. Ganondorf scoffed at the grave keeper, mounted his horse and promptly left the grave.
After a few moments of silence Sheik leapt from the edge and ran to Dampé's body. In a flash of light Zelda emerged from the stone and crouched next to Dampé.
"Princess, can you heal him? Can you save him?" Sheik asked in desperation.
Zelda knelt down beside Dampé's lifeless body and checked for a pulse. Tears began to fill her eyes.
"No," her cold words echoed through the graveyard, and Sheik's heart fell. "I cannot bring anyone back from the dead."
The two stood over the grave keeper's body, until Zelda broke the silence again.
"He was protecting me," Zelda cried. "He sacrificed himself, so that I could stay safe."
"We should have a burial for him." Sheik said. Zelda nodded.
"We'll burry him with his belongings." Zelda stated as she turned to walk into his small shack.
Sheik surveyed the graveyard, looking for a decent place to bury Dampé. He noticed a small area against the other side of the wall. Zelda returned with two shovels, a diary, and small contraption.
"He doesn't have much." Zelda said sadly.
"He may not have many physical belongings, but he did have courage. He did have compassion." Sheik said solemnly. Sheik lead Zelda to the small patch of land to bury Dampé. The two dug a hole big enough for the grave keeper, and Sheik placed him in.
"Dampé was a strong courageous man." Zelda said as Sheik threw the dirt onto Dampé's body. "He died protecting me. He died protecting Hyrule. He will be missed." Sheik finished shoveling the dirt and the two stood silently in front of Dampé's new grave.
The silence was suddenly broken by a familiar voice.
"Well, thanks young'uns!"
Sheik and Zelda shot their heads up and opened their eyes, and both screamed. Dampé was floating above his grave with a small halo placed over his head.
"Don't y'all fear." Dampé said with a smile, "I'm restin' in peace now! And it's all thanks to y'all!" Dampé said. The grave keeper gave a chuckle then dove back into the ground. Sheik and Zelda exchanged confused looks then turned their attention back to the grave.
Dampé shot back out of the grave, but this time with his dairy in his hand. "Princess," he said "I hope you don't mind writing something in this diary for me."
"Of course, what is it?" Zelda asked.
"Well, I appreciate you young'un's burying me with my possesions, but I don't need 'em anymore. I want to give my favorite contraption, my stretching, shrinking device to someone as noble as y'all. Will you write in my diary 'Whoever reads this, please enter my grave. I will let you have my stretching, shrinking keepsake. I'm waiting for you.'" Zelda wrote as the grave keeper wished. "Thank you, your highness! Go ahead and place it in my shack, I'm sure whoever needs to see it will read it."
Sheik and Zelda exchanged confused looks again, but nodded in response to Dampé's request.
"Now, since I'm gonna spend eternity here, I may as well spruce the place up! I've got my shovels! So I may as well build a nice little tomb!" Dampé continued muttering to himself as he descended back into his grave.
Zelda placed Dampé's diary in his shack and the two left the graveyard.
"What an interesting day this turned out to be." Zelda stated, Sheik nodded in agreement. Once again the two ventured out towards Death Mountain, scaling the rocky cliff side, until they finally reached the crater. Sheik looked to Zelda who nodded. Zelda extended her hands and a bright blue ball of light hovered to above Zelda and Sheik, the ball descended and as it rose back in the air the two were surrounded by a light blue crystal.
"This should protect us now." Zelda said confidently. Sheik and Zelda walked into the crater, they could still feel the heat from the crater, but it was much less intense.
"This is much better," Sheik said with a smile as the two continued to walk through the crater down towards the silver tile. The two approached the small suspension bridge. Zelda teleported across the small gap, and Sheik leaped. They smiled at each other as the intense heat of the molten magma barely fazed them.
"There it is!" Sheik said excitedly and darted over to the silver tile and crouched on the ground next to it examining the notes etched onto the side. "The Bolero of Fire." Sheik muttered. "This one is a short, 6-bar piece in triple time." Sheik pulled out his harp and began to pluck the strings.
"Princess. As I said before, I want to dedicate this song to our friendship. I would have died trying to obtain this song had it not been for you stepping in and saving me." Sheik said with a smile as he finished playing.
"Thank you, Sheik." Zelda responded. The two listened as the song echoed through the crater. "Should we go back home and search for another song tomorrow?"
Sheik nodded and Zelda placed her hand on Sheik's shoulder and the two vanished in a swirl of green light only to appear moments later in Sheik's bedroom.
"Congratulations on obtaining another song," Impa said. She stood in Sheik's doorway with her arms folded. Sheik and Zelda exchanged terrifying looks, they had been caught... again.
"Impa… I'm—" Zelda was interrupted.
"Princess, you're almost 16 years old. And you're right; you cannot stay in this cave forever." Impa stated. "I've trained you well and you now have a strong command over your magical abilities, and Sheik's abilities rival mine." Impa shot Sheik a small smile. "You both have my blessing to continue your exploration of Hyrule. Just promise me, you'll both keep each other safe."
"I promise." Zelda said with a smile as she wrapped Impa in a hug.
"We heard news of Ganondorf's presence in Kakariko village this afternoon. I'm planning on leaving the cave often and watching the village." Impa stated. Impa turned to leave the room, but stopped to speak again. "The next place I suggest looking for another song would be Lake Hylia. The legend of the temples mention a temple located under a vast lake. Lake Hylia is the largest body of water in all the land. Good luck." With that Impa left Sheik and Zelda alone.
"Sheik! We're getting close. We've already got the Requiem, the Nocturne, and the Bolero!"
"All we have left is the Minuet, the Serenade, and the Prelude." Sheik said happily. "Thank you for all your help, Princess."
Zelda nodded and turned to exit Sheik's room.
"Good night, Sheik." Zelda said.
"Good night, Princess."
This chapter is kinda short, but luckily, it's not over yet! Stay tuned for Chapter 10!
Thanks everyone for reading!
Shadow-38
