Chapter 9: Spirit of the Hero

Whiteness. Link's eyes opened to whiteness. He looked around in an attempt to get his bearings but in every direction all he could see was blank whiteness. In panic he looked down at himself when he noticed that he was surrounded by a very dense white fog. [Wherever I am, it's just foggy. Hopefully, it's not the afterlife.] He let out a breath as he muttered to himself, "Now what?"

As soon as he spoke the air suddenly became charged, the tension as thick as the fog. Link's every instinct told him he just alerted someone, or something, of his presence there. A voice rang out from the fog, but to Link's befuddled senses, it seemed to come from all directions. "Who are you? How did you invade this sacred place?" The voice was feminine, and strangely familiar, but all the same Link moved to draw his sword.

His hand grasped at air. For a moment Link was stunned, his sword was gone! The Gold Gauntlets and Pegasus boots were also missing. He couldn't even find his bag with any of other weapons or gear. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as he felt someone's eyes fall upon him. He heard a sharp intake of breath and the female voice spoke from behind him. "Link?"

Slowly he turned and noticed the fog had started to thin. Before him stood a woman, at best guess she was around his age, nineteen. Her long blond hair fell past her waist with the end pulled into a braid. Her garb was a mix of regal elements and functional armor. Her eyes a dark blue, stared at him as he stared at the mark on the back of her hand. On the back of her right hand, she bore a Triforce Emblem. His eyes met hers as he responded with, "Princess Zelda?"

A smile broke across her features and Link was glad he didn't try to say anything else. He had completely lost his train of thought. His moment was completely shattered by her next words. "You always were so formal around me." He scowled, unable to hide his emotions at the unexpectedness of the comment. [She would recognize me. Or should I say, she would recognize his new body.] Her expression grew puzzled, then surprised. "I...I sensed that. You are upset. But it is not what I said; it is what my words reminded you of." She shook her head. "I don't understand. Impa said forming an empathic bond took time and we just met-"

"Really? We've only just met for the first time?" Link's tone was harsh and full of sarcasm. His own ire surprised him. But then he noticed her hurt expression, and in a heartbeat his anger dissipated. He instantly felt ashamed. [What am I doing? I just met the Princess of my kingdom and all I can do is snap at her?] He sighed and looked away from her when she spoke again, "I see. You doubt yourself. Not your ability, but you sense of self." He turned to face her and gave a slight start when he saw that she stood right before him. He didn't even hear her walk closer.

Zelda gave him a small knowing smile. "This place isn't real. It's a form of...spiritual refuge. The Spirit Maiden and the Chosen Hero can come here while they are unconscious...although I've never heard of them being able to meet here." She locked eyes with him, and Link felt like he was unable to move as she continued. "All the past incarnations of the Hero fought against the evil that threatened Hyrule, but for many different reasons. One fought for his home, even though he was beaten, betrayed, and imprisoned by those he called his friends and family. But all the same he took up the mantle of hero to defend his home. Another didn't fight for his home, kingdom, or even its people. He simply wanted to protect the one who was dearest to him. He faced a foreign land and innumerable dangers just to save that one person." Link shook his head, his thoughts were all over the place. "There was one was nearly driven insane by 3 day cycle that repeated countless times. While another had to save his world from a darkness that had almost consumed Hyrule, just so he could save his friends. Each of them, yourself included were raised and trained differently. They each met different people and forged different bonds. Even if you were the same person reborn, you would be raised differently and become your own person."

She raised her chin and spoke with a regal certainty that left no doubt to her words. "The Chosen Hero of the Goddess, the one who inherits the soul of her mortal champion. May his soul guide you, and may you share his unbreakable resolve. Let his experiences and training hone your instincts so that his skill may enhance your own."

She reached up to place her hand on his shoulder, but sighed as her hand passed through him. He chuckled at the failed attempt, which ruined the seriousness of their conversation. He gave her a small grin, a grin which she returned before she turned back to the topic at hand.

"You fear that you are not your own person, simply a puppet controlled by the spirit of a long dead champion. The spirit is meant to aid you, and make you stronger." She paused and shook her head. "You receive the fighting instincts of the previous heroes, instincts that awaken when you reach the point of being able to make use of them. I, on the other hand, receive some of the memories and experiences of the previous spirit maidens. Your honed instincts are to give you the courage to keep moving, while my additional knowledge and experiences are to help make me wiser. It is hard to tell if the inherited spirits are the reason why we are chosen to bear the Triforce, or if bearing the Triforce brings forth those traits from the inherited spirits."

Link took a deep breath. He felt like a knot is his gut was undone, however some tension still remained. It was not as though he doubted Zelda. It didn't matter how much be believed, no one is able to completely remove their doubts, at least not at a moment's notice. However he could work through the rest on his own. He opened his eyes and gave Zelda a crooked smile. "Thank you...That, helped." Zelda spun around and stepped away before she turned back and gave Link a curtsy. Link couldn't stop his grin from widening as they both knew that formally, he should be bowing to her.

"In any case, do you have any idea how I ended up here? The last thing I remember is getting knocked out by a Zora ambush..."

Zelda's eyes widened, "Wait, what!?" Link laughed as he explained.

-x-x-x-x-

Link awoke in a cell. Despite the fact that he was shackled, unarmed, and imprisoned against his will; he felt free. He was his own person. With a slow stretch to ease his sore muscles and see how much range of motion he was granted he sat up. The cell appeared to be carved into a bluish rock and the only illumination came from an orb that glowed the other side of the bars. He had a simple toilet with what appeared to be stream that continuously flowed below the hole.

[Alas, too small to fit in. Although I'm not sure I want to find out where it leads...]

His bed was made of some kind of spongy coral like material that looked like it grew straight out of the rock. Overall, nothing to help him break free or defend himself if he needed it. On top of it all his green tunic, chainmail, weapons and leather armor was all missing. At least they left him with his white tunic and tan breaches.

[I end up in with just these clothes more often than I am comfortable with…] His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening and what sounded to be the middle of an argument.

"Sir! We have yet to get confirmation of their intentions!"

"I have been informing his royal highness of this young man's impending arrival every day for the past week. Him traveling with a companion was unexpected, yes, but we knew he was coming."

"B-but Captain Mikau, we've received no orders to-"

"Very well. I hereby order you to place them under my custody. Since they are now my responsibility, I will also relieve you of the keys to their cells and order you to the barracks to await further instruction."

The voices drew closer to his cell. Link slid over to the edge of his bed and sat there with his hands folded in his lap. "Y-yes sir. Right away. Sir."

Link hear what he assumed was the lower rank Zora walk away, followed by the sound of a heavy door get slammed shut. After a brief pause Link hear a heavy sigh. A Zora he assumed was Mikau walked in front of his cell and began to open the gate. Link stared at the Zora a bit confused. As far as he was aware, Zora's cloths matched their skin tones. Yet this Zora wore brown boots and a navy blue kilt. What was even stranger was sword strapped to his back. He was under the impression that Zoras used weapons that were repurposed from fishing tools. After the Zora opened the cell he stepped in and bowed to Link.

"Greetings Link, I apologize for the manor of which you were brought here. We have been recently attacked by bandits and have been a little overly hostile to anyone who isn't a Zora. For now you can call me Mikau. Although around others you should probably refer to me as, 'Royal Guard Captain Mikau'."

Link cocked an eyebrow at the Zora as he held his shackles up. [He knows who I am at least, and appears ready to vouch for me. Is he a friend of Anvy's?]

He inserted a red coral looking key into Link's shackles and unlocked them. Then he turned and walked to the entrance to the cell. "Thanks, I-" Mikau held up a hand to hush Link as he looked around outside the cell. Apparently satisfied he walked back towards Link. Puzzled Link watched at Mikau reached up to his gills near his face. Suddenly Link was blinded by a bright flash of light. Link blinked rapidly to clear his vision. His jaw dropped as he noticed who stood before him. "Levio?"

"Bzzzzzt, wrong. The name is Anvy." A Hylian man stood before him, dressed in a tunic the exact same color as the kilt he wore as a Zora. In his right hand he held a mask which bore the likeness of the Zora Mikau. However, Anvy's face bore an exact likeness to Levio. [Brothers? Farore's have mercy the could be twins!] Anvy bowed in a slightly mocking fashion and then gestured to the mask.

"Mikau is an old friend who met a terrible fate. His body was turned into a mask, and his soul sealed within. By wearing his mask you transform, very painfully I may add, into a near exact likeness of Mikau. You stay in control, but you tend to act and talk like him." Very gently Anvy placed the mask within his own pouch.

"In any event, the reason why I wear Mikau's mask is because King Zora has never been completely tolerant of my presence. Unfortunately despite my best attempts, Mikau is also falling from the King's graces. Although that more has to do with Princess Ruto's growing infatuation with him, and the King is very protective of his daughter. Luckily Mikau never gets stuck somewhere alone with Ruto so she has yet to act on those feelings." Link put his hand to his head and sat down.

"So you mean to tell me, that you are impersonating a guard-"

"Mikau was a Guard Captain of the Zoran Royal Family long before I showed up." Link gave Anvy an annoyed glare, who responded with a simple shrug.

"You are already not on the King's 'good list' yet you then take the place of a royal guard, and ALLOW for the princess to start falling for you!?"

"Hey! I'm not happy about that either! It was hard enough convincing Ashei I would never cheat on her!" Link's glare could have chilled Death Mountain. "You. Are courting. Your liaison to the Resistance?"

Anvy nodded slowly. Link pinched the bridge of his nose and took a long deep breath. "Do you have ANY good news for me?"

"Well Lord Jabu-Jabu is currently blessing a Zora's Tunic for you so that we can merge it with your current tunic. I also noticed when reviewing your weapons you don't have a bow, strange but since I planned on giving you the Sacred Bow that works rather out nicely. I also am responsible for teaching you Ice Arrows and Nayru's Love."

Link grunted in acceptance of the news. "What about Byrne?" Anvy looked at Link puzzled for a few moments before he realized who Link spoke of. "Oh! Your friend, who is he anyways?"

Link shrugged impartially. "I tailed some Bulblins and Bullbos that were heading south east. They spotted him so I intervened. He knows some magic and can hold his own rather well, but I'm not fully sure what to think of him yet. He seems...angry." Link shook his head. "Something drives him. Until we know what, I want to keep an eye on him. He could be a great help, but if he is just out for blood..."

"Then it could turn into a problem for us. Risky to keep him close, but he could be a valuable asset and it is too early to tell if you need to cut him loose. Alright, that makes sense. I'll go see if I can appeal to Queen Rutela to help King Zora see reason. Hopefully you'll be let out soon and we can have Ashei 'train you' while under my supervision. I already have a plan on how to teach you the ice magic."

"That sounds good. Oh! By the way, what do you know about empathic bonds and spiritual refuges?"

Anvy gave Link a confused look before he gave a slow response. "That's...an awfully random yet strangely specific question. Why do you want to know?"

"Because while I was unconscious I somehow entered a spiritual refuge and apparently formed an empathic bond with Princess Zelda."

"Y-you did...WHAT!?"

AN:

So! Zelda's interactions with Link. Overdone? To obvious who I ship in the Legend of Zelda universe? Well~...ok yeah i have nothing to say.