Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda
Chapter 12
Time Leaves Some Things Untouched
It was a very odd feeling to have horribly conflicting emotions bubbling in your being and know that not one of them were your own. The shadow's light seemed to be having problems again. Or so the shadow assumed.
But the shadow knew that his counterpart in the light world was not near enough to a dark object for the connection to be clear enough to see, so the shadow pushed his light's thoughts from his mind and surveyed the Palace wall spreading tall and wide before him.
He knew that he wanted to be on the other side. He could feel the great power pushing at its confines. So he walked up to the wall, stood in its great shadow, and focused. Focused all of his energy on seeing himself on the far side.
He didn't know if it would work – no, scratch that - he did know that it would work, he just didn't understand how. How he had gained these certain dark powers that he was sure not even his light possessed. But he wasn't complaining. For when he next opened his glowing red eyes the vast and dull landscape of this twilit world had vanished and been replaced with a dark corridor, lit only by glowing blue lines etched into the walls.
He was inside the Palace and one step closer to the power he had sensed.
But the shadow wasn't satisfied yet. He moved swiftly and silently down the hall, down many halls until he could feel the light power so intensely he knew that he was in the right place. Just on the other side of that door, he thought, but hesitated from entering.
There were voices. Muffled by the walls but present nonetheless. Opening the door and walking in would give away his presence, and that was something the shadow was sure he did not yet want to do.
So instead he called upon his own brand of magic. Within moments he had slipped through time and space and had landed in the darkest corner of the room. Its two inhabitants did not notice his arrival and the shadow kept it that way. Slinking back out of sight, but remaining within earshot. He had a feeling he would only gain from hearing this conversation.
"You lost to him once, what makes you think he won't beat you again?" said a shadowy creature, obviously female. Her pale blue-gray skin was adorned with rich black clothing and her fiery red hair fell brightly around her face. Her voice, however, was scathing, and her raised eyebrow only emphasized her contempt.
"Because this time, I'm not looking to best him in battle," said the man in a deep growl of a voice. The shadow knew immediately that this was the source of the power he had been seeking. The man had red hair as well and dark skin, but the two were very obviously of different decent.
The female laughed. "Try telling that to the Hero. I'm sure he's looking forward to the chance to kick your ass again."
The shadow saw fury flash through the man's eyes. But he seemed to control it before saying, "And if he tries I destroy this Palace and everyone in it."
"Because you can do that," said the woman, her tone made her disbelief obvious.
The man laughed softly. "Denial doesn't become you. If you truly didn't believe my power, you wouldn't be a hostage in your own kingdom."
The expression in the woman's eyes was murderous. "Fine," she spat, "So you have some grand power that will let you destroy my castle at will. You'll never defeat Link. You'll never get the Triforce. So why bother?"
He laughed again. "Your closed-mindedness is what got you into this situation in the first place. I don't want the other pieces of the Triforce. I don't need them. I just need them out of the way. The so-called Hero and the Princess are pawns. Just like you are. They will reconnect our two worlds and come here thinking they can defeat me. But like you they will fall victim to their chivalry, choosing to save a few measly Twili rather than stopping me. After I use the Mirror to get back to Hyrule, I will destroy it, trapping the only people with any hope of defeating me here in the Twilight Realm leaving me free to take my rightful place on the throne."
"You do know that you just revealed to me your entire plan, right?"
He glared at her. "And if you do anything about it I will destroy this Palace and all that inhabit it."
It was the woman's turn to glare. "Link will never let that happen. He will defeat you. He's got the freakin' Triforce of Courage. He couldn't give up even if he wanted to."
The man laughed deeply, the sound reverberating off the walls of the dark throne room they were in. "We'll just have to see about that."
Silence fell, leaving the shadow alone with his thoughts.
There were others with powers similar to this man, he had learned, with the power of the Triforce. And these others were coming to defeat this man. This man with the power the shadow coveted. The woman talked of defeating as a way to transfer this power.
So what if the shadow chose sides? Just for a little while. Just long enough to defeat this dark man and carry out his plans in his stead. If this Hero character was a 'chivalrous' as they said it should be easy enough to gain his trust…
The shadow smiled, a plan forming in his mind as he slipped through the shadows and back through the wall. So this man claimed he had a way of destroying the Palace? The shadow slunk off, determined to find out what it was.
xXx
Sheik had to hand it to Link, his ability at ignoring the awkwardness of a situation was incredible. He managed to get up and greet the smaller teen with no less than a pleasant 'Good Morning' and a smile when he awoke without flushing even the lightest shade of pink. Sheik, on the other hand, barely managed a reply and was sure his face went through at least seven shades of red before the pair finished a light breakfast and set out for their trek through the Lost Woods.
"I've only been here once before," said Link as they walked through the first barrier of trees and into the thicket beyond. The rays of the morning sun seemed to diminish completely as they entered the forest, the light becoming silvery as if it had been replaced with the shine of the moon. "But I think I remember the way."
"You think?" questioned Sheik. He meant it to come out playfully, friendly, but in Sheik's current state it came out as more of a very misleading, scared squeak. It wasn't the prospect of wandering the Lost Woods that scared him at all. It was other more… physical things… Sheik hadn't realized his eyes had been on Link until the older teen turned around and the Sheikah quickly looked away, choosing to study the trunks of the trees of the Woods instead. Some were so tall and so great around that he vaguely wondered if these were the same trees that his Link had wandered through back in their time.
When he finally managed a quick glance up at Link he saw that the green-clad boy was smiling good-naturedly. It made Sheik feel even worse. Both because of the fact that Link was taking this so well when he had every right not to and the fact that a small part – no quite a large part – of Sheik's mind (and body) really wanted to feel that smile against his own lips. Sheik blushed deeper and looked away again.
Link laughed softly and Sheik wondered what exactly it was directed towards but didn't ask, or look up as Link said, "I guess it's not really about remembering the way. Last time I just sort of ran on instinct… and followed the music of the forest." He paused for a moment as if listening for something, before saying, "Come on, this way." And he set off towards the heart of the Woods.
Sheik couldn't help but notice, once again, the similarities between this Link and his. His Link had always listened his way through the forest as well, seemingly guided by some tune that only he could hear. Sheik had always made it through by following and memorization.
It would seem the case was no different here.
And it would seem that these thoughts were not helpful to his confused mind at all. Sheik brought a hand to his temple and massaged it as he trotted off after Link, hoping that that would somehow stave off the headache that was sure to soon plague his muddled mind.
It didn't help one bit.
xXx
"Can't you hear it?" said Link excitedly, "It's getting louder."
Sheik strained his ears, but heard nothing. The only noise filling their trek for… however long they had been going for (Sheik had lost track) was the soft patter of their footsteps in the grass and the incoherent blur of thoughts clashing in his mind. Actually, those had been getting louder but he was pretty sure those were not what Link was talking about.
"What's getting louder?" asked Sheik, trying very hard to keep his voice even.
"That song," said Link, "I heard it last time I was in these Woods. It gets louder as we get closer to the end." He stopped and turned towards Sheik. Sheik, who had been resolutely not looking at Link, nearly walked right into him. "I wish you could hear it. Something about it just seems… magical."
Sheik almost smiled when the Hero said that. It just sounded so childlike… so adorable, his mind supplied. And Sheik was back to blushing.
"Why don't you sing it to me," Sheik managed to suggest without his voice cracking.
Link frowned. "I don't know… I don't think I can. It seems like something you just have to know."
It was Sheik's turn to frown. He didn't really understand that, but he didn't question Link. He wasn't sure if his voice would cooperate much longer. Instead, he hung back as Link turned and began walking again, following a few steps behind.
The next time Link stopped, it was so abrupt that Sheik did walk into him. If his blush had managed to dissipate at all during the time they had walked, it was definitely back in full force now. When Sheik finally recovered, he sidled around Link to see what made the other boy stop and nearly gasped aloud at what he saw.
"Skull Kid," whispered Sheik.
"You know him?" asked Link.
"You know him?" repeated Sheik.
"I know you," said the Skull Kid in a high-pitch, childlike voice. Its glowing, orange eyes moved steadily between the two of them as it spoke. "You played with me not too long ago," it said to Link. "And you," it looked to Sheik, "You followed that fairy boy into the forest all those years ago. You thought I couldn't see you, but I could!"
The Skull laughed and disappeared. Its laughter still echoed all around. Behind where the Kid once stood was a solid wooden wall and Sheik had a sinking feeling that on the other side of that was where they needed to be.
"Hey! Come back!" yelled Link, "We need to get through!"
"I only let friends through," said the Skull Kid and suddenly, it reappeared back in front of them. "Friends don't leave and then not come back." The Skull Kid looked directly at Link when he said that, the wide brim of his straw hat pulled down low over his eyes, and Link blushed.
"I'm sorry," said Link, looking down.
The Skull Kid made a "hrumphing" noise. "Maybe we can be friends again. But only if you play my favorite song for me." And with that he disappeared again.
Link turned to Sheik, looking lost. Sheik just stared blankly, mind reeling. So this really was the same Skull Kid that his Link met in the Lost Woods when he was still a child. That was just after Sheik had been assigned to watch him, to keep him safe. Sheik had been there when he played for the Skull Kid… He had been there when Link learned it.
"I know the song," said Sheik abruptly, cutting off Link – he hadn't even realized the other teen had been talking.
"But I thought you said you couldn't hear the song of the Woods?" questioned Link, taking Sheik's outburst in stride, "That has to be his favorite song. He plays it on that trumpet thing of his. But I don't know… I can hear it, but I don't think I'd be able to play it. It's like I know it… but I don't," Link ended unhelpfully and pulled from somewhere inside of his green tunic a horseshoe shaped flute device. He blew a few very off notes before dropping it from his lips and shaking his head.
"That's because it's not just any song," explained Sheik, "It was the song of a Sage, back in my time. It must have special properties." Sheik was really just speculating on that last part, but it made sense, didn't it? It was the song of the Sage of the forest, adopted by the Woods that made it its own. "It's called Saria's Song."
Link looked a little puzzled for a moment. "Would it be weird if I said that sounded right?"
Sheik shook his head. He remembered how his Link had used the song to communicate directly with the Sage herself. It wasn't just a song. And that was probably why it could only be played if the notes were passed on from Saria herself. Or one that Saria happened to trust completely and happened to be the one chosen by the Goddesses to hold the Triforce of Courage. Fortunately Sheik had known both.
"I can play it," said Sheik, "But I need an instrument." Link held out his flute but Sheik shook his head. He couldn't play that, he didn't know how. What he needed was…
The Skull Kid's laugh echoed once again through the forest and both Sheik and Link looked wildly around to pinpoint the source. They didn't see the Kid. But what they did see confused Link and made Sheik's face light up in pure joy.
"Is that… a lyre?" asked Link.
Sheik walked slowly over to the instrument that had appeared where the Skull Kid had been previously standing and picked it up gingerly. It had been years – a century, at least – since he had last played his. He didn't even know what had become of it since he, well, died. But he did know that he sorely missed this little piece of his past, but hadn't thought, given the circumstances of his resurrection, that it would have been appropriate to bother bringing that up. Hobbies, no matter how beloved, took a back seat to war and stopping evil forces.
He turned back to Link. "Yes it is."
"And you can play it?" asked Link and Sheik nodded. "That is so cool." Sheik felt himself blush once again.
"Impa taught me," muttered Sheik, "I was never as good as her…"
"But your standards of good and bad are way exaggerated compared to normal people's," said Link, "I bet you're amazing." Sheik blushed deeper and wondered how Link could manage to be so nice after Sheik was so horrible…
That's probably why you're in love with him, said a voice in the back of the Sheikah's mind that rang so jarringly clear that Sheik nearly dropped the precious instrument. This was definitely not the time to be thinking such things. Especially after what had happened the previous night.
"Well, come on," said Link excitedly, "Play it."
Sheik felt more than a little shaky from both Link's comments and those from his own mind, but he forced himself to stabilize long enough to place his fingers on the cords in that oh-so-familiar positioning and play.
The song – Saria's Song – came naturally to him. He could almost hear his Link's ocarina in his head as played, creating a beautifully mesmerizing duet that Sheik felt could probably suck him back into the past if he played long enough. That is, until he realized something was different. Still just as beautiful, but different.
Sheik hadn't realized that his eyes had slipped closed until he opened them to see that Link's eyes were closed as well. His flute was at his lips and he was playing… Saria's Song.
When he reached the final chord, Link opened his eyes and stared down at his instrument as if dumbfounded by its sound. "You picked that up fast."
Link smiled. "You're a good teacher."
Sheik wanted to point out the fact that he did no teaching whatsoever, but at that moment the Skull Kid appeared again with a bell-like laugh. "That was it," it said happily, "You know Saria's Song. We can be friends again. I'll let you through now. But this time, make sure you some back and play with me." With that he disappeared again and along with him went the wall… and the lyre.
"We promise!" Link yelled happily, looking up at the trees, before turning his gaze back down to the Sheikah. The Sheikah that was now fighting back tears.
"Sheik, what's wrong?" asked Link far more nicely than he should have considering how horrible Sheik had been the night before. "Oh…" said Link, realizing that Sheik's hands were now empty.
It was stupid, Sheik knew, but he liked having something that connected back to his old life. Sure he had the sword, but he had never actually had it back in his old life. And then there were the Links and their similarities, but at the moment those were just causing headaches and heartaches. But the lyre had been nice and simple and calming and now it was gone. And suddenly those pleasant adjectives no longer had a place in his chaotic life.
Sheik felt a warm presence on his shoulder and knew immediately that it was Link's hand. He felt himself blush deeply, but at least it had the effect of stopping all thoughts in their tracks. "It'll be okay Sheik," he said soothingly, "I can always make you a new one. I got pretty good at that sort of thing back in Ordon."
Link sounded very genuine and had a hard time deciding if this made things better… or worse.
xXx
"Uh, Link," said Sheik, "Are you sure we're in the right place?"
The duo had just emerged from the maze that made up the Lost Woods and were standing in front of a doorway. Not a doorway that fronted a Temple or a Dungeon. Not even a doorway that opened into a house. Just a set of stone double doors standing alone, above a small clearing.
"This is definitely it," said Link confidently and Sheik eyed him skeptically for a moment, before remembering that he was supposed to be embarrassed. He blushed and looked away as Link explained. "You probably won't believe me," he began and then paused, thinking, "Actually, considering what you've been through, this is practically normal. Anyway, through those doors is the Temple of Time."
Sheik worked up the courage to stare skeptically at the other teen again.
"It really is!" exclaimed Link, "When you go through those doors, it's like stepping into another world… or time. I don't know how it happens… I just know that there is a Temple in there."
Sheik had stopped listening at the word time. His mind raced. Strange things happened inside this Temple, he knew that. For his Link, time sped up… and reversed. Could the same thing be happening now in the ruins, wondered Sheik. Could this be the portal back to his time, back to his Link?
Sheik felt his heart skip a beat and his mind freeze. But not for the reasons he had thought it would. But for a single thought that had the audacity to flit through his mind. If I find my Link, what will become of this Link… and me?
"Ready to go, Sheik?" asked Link.
Suddenly the Sheikah wasn't so sure if he was.
xXx
Sheik couldn't help but gasp as he stepped through the stone doors. It looked as if he were walking straight into a reflection on a still water's surface and felt as if he were stepping from one moving platform to another, except that the water didn't wet him and the platforms were moving at very, very different speeds. The overall effect was extremely disorienting.
But not nearly as disorienting as being suddenly pitched back into the world where he once died. The exact spot and maybe even the exact time – or close to it, anyway.
"So is it exactly like you remember it?" asked Link, obviously getting over the disorientation far faster than the Sheikah. Although he had considerably less baggage connected to this place than Sheik. Sheik thought it was only fair that he be given more time to cope.
When Sheik was finally able to, he nodded and staggered a few steps forward. Not sure if he should let the images of his final moments in this Temple flood his mind like they seemed begging to do, or not. Not seemed like the better choice at the moment considering the thinness of line he walked between reality and memory at the moment. The flashback certainly was not going to help the disorientation at all.
But it seemed that there were some things Sheik had no control over.
"Did you see that?" Sheik asked suddenly alert. He pointed toward the archway at the far side of the main room of the Temple. The one he was sure led to the Master Sword's pedestal.
"See what?" asked Link tentatively.
Sheik didn't answer, and instead ran forward, eyes scanning. He was sure he had seen it, that flash of blue. That glittering ball of light disappearing through the archway, just as he had seen it – her – disappear so many times behind his Link's back.
He stepped into the next room and paused in awe. It was exactly as he remembered it. A round room with high windows, all looking down on a single pedestal… a pedestal that was empty. Suddenly the thoughts of the fairy were pushed to the side as Link joined him in the archway.
Sheik turned to him and asked, "Is it the same?"
"Is what the same?" asked Link, sounding confused.
Sheik blinked as realization dawned on him. He should have realized it sooner; he knew this Link had a Master Sword. But, of course, it wasn't just any Master Sword, it was the Master Sword. The same one that had been used by his Link all those years ago…
Sheik was so caught up in his reeling mind that he hadn't realized that Link, seemingly taking his mental lapse in stride, had walked forward. He stood over the pedestal for a moment before drawing the Master Sword from the sheath on his back and holding it over his head like he was planning on plunging it straight down. Right back into the pedestal from whence it came…
"Stop!" yelled Sheik, suddenly back to reality.
Link looked up, startled, sword hovering a little over the stone. He looked confused. "What's wrong, Sheik?"
Sheik looked at him, incredulous. Did he not understand the amount of magic in this place? This wasn't the Temple to be doing things so carelessly in. "Do you know what happens when you return the Master Sword to its pedestal?" asked Sheik.
"Yes…" said Link, "… Do you?"
"It sets time back by seven years!" Sheik nearly yelled, "It could mess up the flow of – of everything that's happened in that time!" Not to mention that the Sheikah had no idea what would happen to himself as he had not been alive seven years prior to the current time. And that was not something he particularly had any desire to find out.
Link looked at him and blinked. "… I'm pretty sure it doesn't. Do that, I mean." Sheik raised a skeptical eyebrow but Link just said. "Here, let me show you."
Link plunged the Master Sword the rest of the way downward, as Sheik watched helplessly from the entryway. He cringed involuntarily, closing his eyes, ready for his being to be ripped from this world and sent back to wherever his soul had been hiding seven years ago.
But that didn't happen. In fact, Sheik felt no pain at all. No ripping into shreds of nonexistence-ness. Just a flash of light, so brilliant, Sheik could see it behind his closed eyelids.
Sheik opened his eyes to see Link pulling the Sword out of the stone and waving it to gesture behind him. Sheik didn't need the gesture to see what he meant. Where before there had been nothing in the room besides the two teens and the pedestal, there was now a brilliant blue staircase that led from the floor to a high stained glass window that seemed to shimmer out of existence and into a doorway to… well Sheik didn't quite know where. This, as far as his knowledge went, hadn't existed back in his own time.
"Oh," said Sheik lamely and Link grinned.
"You should have a little more faith in people," said Link. "Or just worry less. Or maybe a combination of both." Link blushed as he finished, as if realizing that his words could apply to more than Sheik's disbelief about the Master Sword's power.
Sheik, who was already blushing, couldn't help but think, Don't I know it, Link. And he really didn't have any idea which Link that thought was directed to.
xXx
It wasn't like Sheik to forget things. But the inexplicable creation of the odd blue staircase had almost pushed all thoughts of the fairy he was sure he had seen from his mind. That is, until he was sure he saw it again.
Sheik and Link mounted the staircase together and walked into the next room, a large atrium of a place centered on a huge stone bell. Sheik felt his eyes widen in awe and could almost feel Link's eyes on him, grinning as he watched the smaller teen take in this new addition to the place from his memories. "Has this always been here?" asked Sheik in wonder.
Link just shrugged and started to say something about the approach they should take to finding the Mirror Piece in this Temple. "It's like a maze, this place, really," Sheik heard Link say before something else caught his attention.
There was a tinkling noise, like silver bells in a soft breeze, and Sheik turned his head sharply towards it. And there it was again. There she was. Floating in an open doorway across the room. "Navi?" questioned Sheik under his breath.
He didn't know if the fairy heard him. He didn't even know if it really existed or his eyes were playing tricks on him. But, real or not, he saw the little ball of blue light bounce as if to nod, before darting off through the door.
"Did you say something?" Sheik heard Link ask, but he didn't answer the other boy for at that moment he took off running. He couldn't let that fairy out of his sight. If Navi was here, did that mean Link was, as well? His Link? It had been years, they should both, by normal standards, be dead… but something about this place told Sheik that maybe, just maybe, that wasn't true.
Sheik heard Link yell something and heard the chink of the other boy's weapons as he took off too. But Sheik was far faster than Link. He caught just the beginnings of a curse before he was through the door and out of the room.
Navi, it seemed, was waiting for him, floating loftily in the next passageway. "Wait!" Sheik yelled as he skidded down the corridor, but the fairy was off again, flying far and fast and keeping her distance. But that didn't stop Sheik. He had no idea where he was going in this strange annex to the Temple he once knew, but didn't particular care. All his thoughts were focused on the little glowing light he had to catch. Or at least catch up to.
For a while Sheik could hear Link's shouts behind him, but eventually those faded. He'd deal with the other boy later because for the moment it was just easier to forget about any and all feelings he associated with this Link. Most just led to heartache and headaches as he overthought them with worry.
Sheik ignored the burning in his body and the sharpness in his chest as fatigue threatened to overcome him. Sure he was in good shape, but he had no idea how long he had been running for… or where he even was for that matter. All the white vaulted rooms looked eerily alike to the Sheikah Warrior and each marble doorway melded in his mind with the next. The only accent was the glimmer of blue light that flashed out the room as soon as he entered.
He was so intent on catching the fairy that he failed to notice the deepening of the steady thrum, like an extra heartbeat, pulsating out from the black spot on his chest. Sheik was nearing the Mirror Shard and whatever darkness lay in wait. And he was oblivious to it all.
xXx
"Navi?" Sheik called out quietly as he entered the next room, "L-Link?" He hadn't meant to stutter, but he could feel that he was nearing his destination – whatever that was. There were no doors out of this room other than the one he came in and there was energy here greater than anywhere else he felt in the Temple thus far. If there were mystical energies at work, Sheik was sure this room was the heart.
Sheik took a few tentative steps into the room and heard the stone door close behind him, as they so often did, with a resounding thud. Sheik didn't know why this time, out of all times, that sound of finality made his heart skip a beat or two. He gulped and continued further into the room.
The room differed greatly from other parts of the Temple. Sure it was large and round, but a layer of water that came up to Sheik's shins covered the floor in its entirety and a film of fog hovered thickly over the pool, marring his vision. The only thing the Sheikah could make out – and scarcely at that – through the condensing swirls of mist was a lone tree situated on an island in the center of the room. Its withered and dead exterior sent chills down Sheik's spine.
But that didn't stop him from wading through the shallow water towards it. "Link?" called Sheik again, louder this time. This time, he was answered. Sheik froze, not too far from the island and tree, as he heard the rustle of clothing and the soft – but oh-so-familiar – chink of weapons. The noise most definitely came from just behind the tree.
Sheik felt his heart hammer in his chest. Could this really be him? thought Sheik excitement and nerves and guilt all warring within him. "Link?" repeated Sheik as he broke out of his stupor and ran forward, splashing loudly out of the water and up onto the island. He couldn't help as his breath caught in his throat. His Link was behind this tree, he was sure of it.
Sheik gripped the trunk in both hands and peered around the tree to see… nothing. Sheik's heart fell, but he had already decided not to give up hope yet, when a laugh reverberated through the room. It echoed off the walls, but Sheik was easily able to pinpoint the source as behind him. It was a laugh he recognized, the laugh of a carefree boy waltzing through the woods with his fairy, a laugh that he loved. One that sent such thrills through his body that he didn't even notice the off-kilter lilt to it. The deeper, rumbling undertones.
The ones that would have told him that this was not his Link.
Sheik whirled at the sound of the laugh, saying "Link" but cut off as he found himself staring into two red eyes.
"Not quite," said the person before him. Sheik felt his eyes widen as he took in the dark visage of his Link. He looked to be a shadow come to life. Liquid ebony with glowing ruby eyes and a sword that seemed to be made of the darkness itself unsheathed and poised for action.
A million things raced through Sheik's mind all at once. He suddenly recognized the setting – not because he had been here, but because he had heard his Link and Navi discussing it after their ventures in the water Temple (Sheik had been unable to follow the Hero there due to his inability to breathe under water – Zora's Tunics were harder to come by than the Hero made it seem). This was Dark Link, or at least some twisted Twilight version of him. But he seemed every bit as vindictive as ever. But these thoughts were overpowered easily by another: How could I have been so stupid?
Sheik's original Link wasn't back and all he had gotten from his hopes was a blade shoved to his throat by a murderous doppelganger.
But this wasn't exactly the time to berate himself.
"You're not my light," said the shadowy creature before him. The one that had taken Sheik's momentary bewilderment to trap him against the dying tree with the dark copy of the Master Sword resting against his neck. It seemed that Sheik's presence instead of Link's had surprised him. And the Sheikah was planning on using that to his advantage.
"I thought your light killed you," said Sheik knowing full well that the comment would make the creature mad and continuing the sentence anyway. He needed to keep him distracted for just a bit longer… "When you failed at the Water Temple."
Dark Link growled and pressed harder with the sword. Sheik felt it cut shallowly into the skin of his throat, through the fabric of his cowl, but didn't flinch. He just glared levelly at the shadow and then…
Sheik thrust upward with the dagger he had loosed from his bandages. He felt the blade connect with the shadow's body, cutting through fabric and skin until the shadow roared and disappeared, the dagger fell to the ground, covered in black blood that ran in a line down to the water.
Sheik sucked in air as he unsheathed his sword. He knew Dark Link was much too powerful to be defeated that quickly. He gripped the hilt in both hands and tensed, waiting for some indication of attack.
He heard the splash as the creature reappeared in the water, and ducked moments before the blade came whizzing past where his head had been. Sheik turned and swung up his sword to block the shadow's next downward slash. The clash of metal on metal resounded through the room. Dark Link drew back and Sheik took the opportunity to take the offensive, slashing hard and fast at the creature.
But Dark Link was faster… and stronger… He parried each blow with such force that the Sheikah's arms quivered from the exertion of holding his ground. Soon his offensive was turned back around. Sheik barely had time to register one attack before he had to throw up his sword to block another. He was being forced backward into the water as each blow drained more and more of his energy.
His mind raced. He remembered his Link talking about this enemy as one of the hardest trials he had ever faced in a Temple. Dark Link was made to outmatch the Hero and the Hero was the best swordsman around. Sheik didn't know what he could do. He ran through possibility after possibility in his mind while his body worked tirelessly to fend off this monster's rain of blows. But he came up with nothing.
Sheik didn't know how long he had been going for when he finally slipped. Literally. He fell backwards into the water, dropping his sword as he threw his hands back to catch himself and wincing to steel himself for the final blow he knew was inevitably to come.
But it didn't come as expected. Instead Sheik heard a splash as Dark Link fell to his knees. And he had a fleeting hope that maybe his Link really had come to save him after all. The hope passed no more than a moment after it occurred as Link saw the dark creature's devilish grin and felt its fingers close around his throat.
Sheik gagged as his airways were cut off and was powerless against the monster as he pushed him back, towards the water. He immediately realized where this was going and struggled as much as his fatigued body would allow. It wasn't nearly enough.
Dark Link laughed and this time Sheik could clearly hear the difference between it and Link's. Not that it mattered anymore. "First time drowning?" growled the dark monster sadistically before plunging Sheik's shoulders and then head back down into the water.
Sheik was powerless to resist. Black already edged at his vision. It was all he could do to close his eyes and think, I'm sorry, before the darkness took over.
xXx
"Am I dead?" asked Sheik bluntly. He was way past finesse.
This didn't look like the last time he was dead. Everything was white and bright and blinding. He couldn't see if anyone else was there with him, but he knew, somehow, that he was not alone.
"I don't think so," said a voice that Sheik knew very well. Very, very well. He turned circles, trying to pinpoint the source, but couldn't see the other boy anywhere.
"Link," said Sheik, sounding far more desperate than he meant to, yet sounding every bit as desperate as he felt, "Where are you?"
He heard the tinkle of a fairy. "I am here, Sheik."
"I can't see you," said Sheik, no longer trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.
"But I can see you," said Link.
"Why?"
Link paused for a moment, as if thinking. "I don't know. I think that is just the way things work. The living cannot see the dead, but the dead can see the living. And I have already told you, you are not dead."
Sheik distinctly remembered the feeling of asphyxiation. The sensation of water rushing into his nose and mouth and into his lungs and blurring his vision until he closed his eyes and the blackness overcame him. It hadn't been pleasant, but it had been considerably less painful than his first death.
"You are not dead, Sheik," repeated Link and Sheik wondered if the other boy was privy to his every thought. Link made a noncommittal noise.
"I guess that answers that question," said Sheik aloud, knowing that it would not make a difference. But he couldn't help but wish that Link had had that ability in life too. Maybe they would have had some time together before…
He was cut off as the Hero gulped and said, "… you died."
Sheik looked down glumly. "If you had been able to, would things have been different?"
Link didn't answer at first. And when he did, it was not what Sheik was expecting. "I had always wanted you to be happy, Sheik. From the day we officially met after my time in this Temple. I knew you were different."
"But then I died," said Sheik, back to bluntness. He was getting rather good at discussing his own shortcomings.
"Your death was not a shortcoming on your part," argued Link, who then sighed. "After everything in Hyrule was put back to normal – time reset and all that – I went to Termina. I never believed Zelda about you really being her in disguise. She was always such a bad liar. It was clear immediately that going back in time wouldn't reset everything. You would still be gone. The Goddesses had seen to that."
Sheik said nothing, but vaguely wondered how this connected to Termina. It was just like Link to start a story and not finish it.
"I'm getting there," said Link, but Sheik could hear the smile in his voice. "Termina needed a Hero and that's what I'm good at. I saved them from an evil plight, but that's not why I'm telling you this."
"Then why are you?" asked Sheik.
"I met Kafei while I was there." Sheik felt himself go rigid, but said nothing. Link continued. "He was surprised I recognized him as a Sheikah. I told him I knew because of you and he told me about your past."
Sheik bit his lip, guilt threatening to flood through him.
"Don't feel guilty," said Link, "He commended you on your bravery. I told him that was one of the things I loved about you. He told me that you would have wanted me to be happy."
Sheik felt a slight pang in his heart, but knew his kin's words to be true. He wanted nothing more than for his Link to be happy.
"And I was happy, Sheik. But now I have a favor to ask you."
"What is it?"
"I want you to be happy. You deserve it, and Link does too." Sheik knew that this Link wasn't talking about himself. He pondered over the words for a moment. It sounded almost as if this Link was giving Sheik and the other Link his… blessing.
"That's one way of putting it," said Link, the smile clear in his voice. "Goodbye, Sheik."
"Wait, don't go," Sheik wanted to call, but at the same time, with some of the guilt lifted off of his conscience, going back didn't seem too bad, after all.
xXx
Sheik spluttered and coughed, sitting up and opening his eyes, the hold around his neck gone. He wasn't exactly sure what had just happened, but knew now was not the time to figure it out. He looked around, sure that Dark Link wouldn't give up his prey that easily, to see Link and the demon locked in an intense battle.
The metal clashed and clanged loudly through the room, but not nearly as loudly as Link (the present one's) shouts. "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY BOYFRIEND!" he roared at the shadow creature, raining down a myriad of blows that the shadow barely had time to block. And when Dark Link slipped, it was all over.
With a furious yell, Link brought his sword down and stabbed the monster through the chest. Its red eyes widened momentarily, before it vanished into a puff of smoke and this time, Sheik knew it was gone for good. The effects on the room vanished with it, the water and fog, draining away and the island fading from view. All that was left was the Mirror Shard, lying flat and ominous in the center of the round room.
But Sheik wasn't looking at the Mirror Piece, he was staring at Link. And when the other teen noticed he turned a distinct shade of red and asked, "Did you, um, hear that?"
Sheik pushed himself to his feet and nodded slowly as he approached the Hero. Link sheathed his sword and looked down. "I- uh – didn't, I mean, I just kind of said that – not that - "
Link cut off as Sheik grabbed a fistful of his tunic and yanked until their faces were even. He didn't stop to think as he crushed his lips to the other boy's, fingers twisting in the fabric, though itching to be twisting through his hair. But he decided to start small. If forcing yourself upon the man you recently spurned, yet who still saved your life, was starting small.
It probably wasn't, but it was the best Sheik could do.
This is definitely my favorite chapter so far. I hope you guys liked all the cameos - Dark Link (who is not the shadow, by the way), Skull Kid, Navi, and OoT Link. Plus, Shink just got real! (That sounded so cool in my head... not so much in writing...). Anyway, let the Shiek/Link-ness begin! The whole Temple of Time thing with Dark Link was actually planned from the beginning. It was one of the first scenes I thought of. I rather like it, and I hope you guys do too. So let me know... Please? Reviews are awesome, and I love hearing from my fantastic readers :)
