Chapter Eleven


Small hands whose size belied their great strength caressed his neck, clasping a delicate-looking silver chain about his throat. A gentle kiss over the clasp sealed the magic between them, and Dark Link sighed as if a great weight had lifted from his shoulders.

Curious, he lifted the small, swirling orb on the chain, watching as inky blackness bled into the once pristine white. The magic within it swirled, the white glowing softly enough not to pain him. The image of a Sheikah Eye appeared in the center for a brief moment before it was obscured by the dancing magic once again.

"So, what it is?"

With a soft laugh and a gentle smile, for his shadow was a small thing then, like that of a normal Hylian shortly after the noon meal, Sheik wrapped his bandaged hands around Dark Link's larger ones, placing his head on the other's shoulder.

"It's a filter of sorts, if you will. I created it for you. The negative energy you receive from the Hero- that's the darkness you see here- will be siphoned into it, so that you can cleanse it a little at a time- with my help- as you ought to, rather than trying to do it all at once." Sheik's fingers traced over the orb, the raw energy trapped inside following his touch.

"It will also help you if your own emotions become too much to handle. I love you, Dark Link, and I want nothing more than to protect you." Sheik guided the orb gently back down to his chest, where it rested over his tunic near his heart.

Dark Link pulled Sheik into his arms, holding him close. "Thank you, Sheik. I'll wear my treasure always."

"Let it be so." Said Sheik, closing his eyes contentedly.


Evening found Dark Link and Link slinking back through the halls of the Zoras' Domain. Dark Link had pulled the shadows around them, not trusting himself to refrain from harming those who had imprisoned him. They exited near the mouth of the waterfall, once a little trickle from the Zora throne room, and now a wonder in its own right.

Link's breath caught as he took in the beauty of the place at night, softly glowing from the light of the many stars above and the crystals below. It was a truly magical place, and Link was in awe.

"So those are the stars." He murmured reverently. Dark Link smiled, pleased that Link could enjoy such a sight. Something tugged at the back of his mind, guilt, perhaps, but he ignored it.

"We should go," he said suddenly. "The princess probably doesn't know about. . . about Sheik, and he would want us to- to warn her." It was difficult for him to say, because admitting it made it somehow more real. Link took his shadow's hand comfortingly.

"If you want to get to the castle by morning, I can show you a short cut." Said a new voice behind them. Dark Link and Link whipped about, to see Ralis standing just inside the stone wall, under the light of a crystal. Dark Link's eyes narrowed in suspicion, and he pulled Link protectively behind him.

Ralis looked hurt, but he made no move to come closer. "There's an old tunnel that leads from our lands to the castle. It will shave three days off your journey. I'll show you where it is."

Link placed a hand on his shadow's arm and stepped past him, towards Ralis. Dark Link moved as if to protest, but he fell back, thinking better of it. Link gave Ralis a formal bow.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Prince Ralis. We would be very grateful for your assistance." He said, straightening. Ralis knelt before him so they were eye level, his expression pained.

"Link," His tone was odd, longing, loving, and heartbroken. "There is no need to bow to me. We were like brothers, you and I. I visited you at the village whenever I could. When I realized what they had done I-"

"Enough!" Dark Link snarled suddenly, his expression fierce. "Enough of that, stop right now." Link looked between the two, feeling that there was something they weren't telling him, but neither gave him a chance to ask.

Gaining control of himself, Ralis stood and held out a small bundle to Dark Link. "Food and rupees for your journey, and Link's violet tunic, repaired by our weavers. The cloth the items are wrapped in will keep them from getting wet." He said as Dark Link opened it, checking every item carefully before accepting it grudgingly, passing it to the lesser shadows. To Link, he held out a pair of blue gloves.

"You'll need to cover your birthmark while you're in the city. It's too dangerous if someone should see. There's a violet pair to match your tunic too." Link slipped them on, admiring the feel of them against his skin, like water woven into cloth. Ralis smiled, remembering the look of wonder on young Link's face when he'd first given him a blue tunic eight years prior. "The blue tunic will protect you while you're in the water. It allows you to breathe like a Zora, so you'll never drown."

"Thank you." Said Link, bowing again despite Ralis' words to the contrary.

"Are you going to show us this path or not?" Dark Link snapped irritably, a touch of jealously in his voice.

"Of course." said Ralis, moving towards the falls. He looked back to see the pair peering uneasily towards the edge. "Come, you won't be harmed." He urged softly.

Ignoring Dark Link's grasping hand trying to pull him back, Link bravely stepped towards Ralis. A grin spread across his face and his eyes shone as Ralis took his hand and together they ran forward and jumped, plunging headfirst out of sight towards the water below.

Dark Link stifled a panicked scream, calling the shadows to him and passing in a blink to the shore at the bottom of the falls, watching Link plummet to what he was certain would be the boy's end.

Link and Ralis hit the water with a tremendous splash, Dark Link waiting white-knuckled on the shore for almost a minute before the pair emerged, laughing, from the water. Ralis wrapped an arm around Link's waist, bringing the grinning boy to the shore.

Dark Link was not amused. He was, in fact, absolutely furious. "LINK!" He yelled, startling the nearby Zora, who all looked on in interest. "What in the shadows did you think you were doing? You! Can't! Swim! Were you trying to get yourself killed?" He stormed up to the boy, grabbing his shoulders in a tight grip and shaking him roughly. "What if you hit your head, or that Zora was lying? Did you forget he tried to kill me a few hours ago?"

Ralis strode forward to pull them apart, but abruptly Dark Link fell to his knees, pulling Link close as he cried into the blue-clad shoulder. "I couldn't bear it if something happened to you." He whispered brokenly.

"I'm sorry Shadow." Link mumbled, wrapping his arms around Dark Link. "I didn't think you would- I mean, I just don't think Prince Ralis would do anything to hurt me. I know you wouldn't, I trust you, and I trust him too. I can't really explain why." He had a faraway look in his eyes, like one who could almost recall a very fond memory.

It took another minute for Dark Link to control himself. When he did he released Link and stood, glaring at their audience. "What are you looking at?" He snapped, causing them all to swim off.

Ralis, though still unhappy, led them from the domain and along a path beside the river. Turning into a hidden bend, they reached a place where part of the river split off from the rest, heading down a dark tunnel.

"This way," he said, gesturing to the fast-moving current. Dark Link eyed him distrustfully, and bent to lift Link into his arms, unwilling to let the Zora take him. Ensuring Link had a secure grip, he eased himself into the water after Ralis, and allowed the current to carry them into the tunnel.

There was a sound and pressure like being sucked through a tube, and within a minute they emerged into Hyrule field. Ralis directed them past the steps leading up to the grass, and instead brought them to the outer wall of the moat surrounding Castle Town.

"You won't be able to enter the castle at night, but I can get you into the town." He dove down and pulled out a loose bar from one of the gates, slipping through. Link had to let go of Dark Link to follow, glad that he wore the blue tunic as Dark Link somehow managed to get stuck under the glow of one of the Zora's crystals and they had to pull him free (Dark Link glared at him for laughing, but that only made Link laugh harder).

Ralis swam around to the other side of the moat, near one of the four bridges that allowed entry into the town. "I must return home now," he whispered, "but you can scale the wall here and make it to the other side if you're careful. Good luck."

"Thank you Ralis!" Link called after the retreating Zora in a whisper. Dark Link humphed. Pulling the shadows around them to obscure them from the sight of the guards (a useless exercise, they soon found, since the guards at the top of the wall were asleep) , Dark Link quickly climbed the wall and dropped down on the other side, setting Link down.

Out of the warm water now, Link shivered. Noticing this, Dark Link frowned and pulled him close to keep him warm, urging him down the dark street they'd descended into in search of an inn.

"Hey there cutie, what'cha doin' with a lil'un out this time a night?" A buxom blond Hylian woman in a barely-there red dress asked from the dimly-lit doorway of a run-down looking building. Dark Link pulled Link closer protectively.

"None of your business!" He snapped irately. She clucked her tongue, stepping towards them. Link looked on, frankly bewildered.

"Come now honey, I could give ya a much better time-"

Dark Link threw out an arm, the shadows keeping her from coming any closer to them. Piercing ruby eyes glared at her, a sneer planted across his pale, sunless face. "Don't you dare insinuate such a thing about him again. And honey, I don't swing your way." Grabbing Link's hand, he pulled him away from the frightened woman, still frozen in place. Link thought it best not to question him.

Finding a small, nearly-hidden tavern in a shadier part of the town, Dark Link led them inside. The bar room was smokey and dimly-lit, its inhabitants either seated around scarred wooden tables playing cards or tipsy at the bar. Dark Link kept Link close to him.

"We need a room for the night." They'd found rupees in the river along the way, but even if they hadn't, Dark Link would have created the illusion of them with the lesser shadows to ensure them a room. Link, however, wouldn't have been pleased with that move, chivalrous little hero that he was.

In the midst of Dark Link's haggling with the inn's owner ("Fifty rupees for this dump? That's cheating!") Link slipped over to one of the many card tables.

"What are you playing?" The four men paused, looking down at the small boy in the shimmering blue tunic and matching gloves, his sky-blue eyes looking on with curiosity.

"It's called Goddesses, lad. Ever heard of it?" One gruff-looking man finally answered.

"No, I can't say I have. Will you show me?" Link stood on tiptoe, as he was so small he couldn't see over the table.

"It's a bettin' game, boy. Ya can't bet, ya don't play." Grunted another.

"I have rupees." Link laid a yellow on the table. He didn't honestly know which was which. There was no need for such things in the Dark Realm. The mens' eyes grew large, and one moved aside to give him space to sit.

The gruff man explained. "We got here three card types, Din, Nayru, and Farore. Each turn you lay down three cards, always three, and call your strength. The strength represents what the majority of your cards are, or at least, what you say they are, since you can lie. You call Power if most are Din, Wisdom for Nayru, Courage for Farore, and Destruction if you've laid all three."

Link visibly jerked. "I understand the rest, but why Destruction?"

One man, this one hidden by a cloak, snickered. "Cause that's what happens to Hyrule every time the Three get together, that's why boy!" The others burst into laughter. "What are they teaching kids these days?"

Drawn by the ruckus, Dark Link finished his business quickly and collected Link (and his rupee) from the table. Hustling him up the stairs to the room at the end of the hall, Dark Link shut and bolted the door, leaning against it with his eyes shut.

"Why did they call it Destruction, Shadow?" Link asked softly.

"Because they don't know any better. They can't see the Truth." Dark Link answered tiredly, turning to face his young light. "Go to bed, Link. I'm going to scope out the palace. In the meantime stay here, and please stay out of trouble." Dissolving into a transparent wisp of shadow, Dark Link left the room unseen.

Still troubled, Link pulled off his damp blue tunic, reaching to the shadows for his dry violet. Heading towards the bed, he paused, spotting a book similar to the one Sheik had given him, A History of Hyrule. Curious, Link flipped open to the middle of the book and started to read.

. . . A century or more passed before Courage and Wisdom appeared again. Together, they cast dark magic which summoned Power once more from the Dark Realm. . .

Link slammed the book shut, shaking his head fiercely. No. No. NO!


". . . Look at him. Vaati never meant to hurt you. I never meant to hurt you."

Sheik watched as Dark Link's eyes slipped closed, black smoke pouring from his dying form. Sheik knew he should be angry, and he was, but not at Dark Link.

Kneeling by his child-sized lover, Sheik ran his bandaged fingers gently through the limp black hair. "Oh Dark Link," he whispered, his voice pained, saddened, but full of care and love for the shadow that meant more to him than his own life. "If only there were a way I could protect you from this." Holding him bridal style, he lifted Dark Link into his arms, vanishing from the top of the tower and reappearing in the Dark Realm.

He laid Dark Link tenderly by their campfire, the space unchanged in the time they'd been away from it. Shadows wrapped around him, returning him to his preferred adult form Sheik placed a soft kiss on his temple before he stood, preparing to return to Hyrule.

"Please. . ." Ruby red eyes stared pleadingly up at him. "Help Vaati. . ." The eyes closed again.

Bloody eyes flashed a jealous ruby. "Oh, I'll help him all right." Whispered a voice both Sheik's and not.

A flash and he was back at the battlefield, his eyes blood again. The Four Heroes were embroiled in a battle with Ganon once more, the princess captured, but otherwise unharmed. Gufuu was nowhere to be seen on the heights of the tower.

Flashing to a lower level Sheik finally spotted him, a deflated black blob of a being lying still on one of the lowest towers. Appearing next to him, Sheik sneered at the being beneath his mask. He could see the creature within the demon, the little Minish who lost control of the power within himself. The Minish boy was not evil, not in the way in the demon was.

But that didn't stop Sheik's vengeance.


Well there you are, a bit more information regarding the events of Four Swords as told by me, and the truth of Dark Link's necklace. There's more to this last scene, but I decided to hold off on the rest of it. It's funny, I had this whole outline, but scenes tend to be longer than I think they will, so I'm behind my outline. Oh well.

Thank you to the Chapter Ten reviewers Kick-Aft (good point. Though you can read Link's emotions in the manga pretty well I think.), Sergeant Dreamer (Vio is quite forgiving. He's the Hero, after all!), princess-of-all-saiyins, FourSwordsAddict (Wow, it seems Chapter Ten was stronger than I thought! Well you're getting lots of Sheik flashbacks. . .), and darkwolflink1 (And there's the explanation for the orb. The Zora did give it to him. He was hurt when they met in the lake, so they patched him up and dressed him in the blue tunic while they fixed his violet one).

R and R please!