Chapter 20



Zelda looked around.

"He's not here," she mused. "He's close though. . . ." Then she felt it. Link was in danger! He was. . . in the Gerudo Fortress? Why was he there? Zelda sprinted to the bridge to Gerudo Valley. She was dismayed to see that it was broken.

"Green Ivy!" she cried, shooting the little green vines across the gasping chasm. Zelda took a deep breath, and swung across.

"Who are you?" asked a fat, balding man standing before a tent.

"Zelda," she replied. "Have you seen a young man come by here, about a head taller then me, green tunic, green pants, big sword?"

"Sure, he went into the Gerudo Fortress about an hour ago to rescue my men."

"Your men?"

"My carpenters."

"I see. What were your-- Never mind. I'll see if I can help him, then."

"No offence, but what are you going to do? Can you even lift a sword?" Zelda frowned at the man. She slipped on the Silver Gauntlets. She grabbed his middle, and lifted him above her head.

"That answer your question, tough guy?"

"Ye-yeah! P-Please put me down..... Ma'am, please!" Zelda set him down gently.

"Never let appearances fool you," she told him.

Zelda entered the Gerudo grounds. She could see women patroling. One of them spotted her.

"Freeze!" the Gerudo ordered. She ran at Zelda, spear drawn. Zelda flashed her member card. The Gerudo stopped short.

"What have we here? A rookie, eh? So Nabooru's been recruting, has she? Go on, then, rookie."

Zelda hid in a dark corner.

"Transform," she whispered, becoming Shiek. She slipped through the shadows, stunning Gerudos when she had to. She had to find Link, and set him free.

Someone came around the corner, arrows glinting in the candlelight. Zelda leaped up to the wooden rafter above her. The person with the bow came underneath her. Zelda dropped down.

"AH!" came the muffled shout. "Shiek? Is that you? Get off me, you oaf!" Link struggled to get out from underneath her. Zelda lept off.

"I thought you were a Gerudo," she admitted. Link chuckled.

"Yes, I can see how you could make that mistake. Listen, we need to be quiet. Watch my back. I've got to save the rest of these carpenters."

"Alright, Link."

Zelda slunk silently through the shadows, staying hidden as Link approched a locked cell. There was another fat man in the cage, dressed very similarly to the carpenter Zelda had seen outside. A Gerudo swordswoman left out of nowhere, attacking Link. Link drew his sword, knocking the swords from her hands.

"I don't want to hurt you," he told her, his sword at her throat. "Tell me where the last one is."

Zelda sprinted off to where the woman had told Link to go. It had to be a trap. She heard the carpenter's joyous acclaimation of freedom, before she found the next set of cells.

"Hold on," she told the carpenter. She grabbed an arrow out of the quiver on her back. She twisted it in the lock, and heard a clicking sound. The lock came open.

"Get out of here now," she ordered the carpenter, "before one of them finds you!"

"Good skill," said a voice behind her. Zelda turned. A Gerudo swordwoman wass standing behind her. "Not bad. You didn't have to wait for the key like your little friend. Here, take a members pass." She threw one at her.

Zelda caught the pass.

"Your friend is safe, by the way. I guess there are some men beyond the Great Ganondorf who are worthwhile." She grinned. "If it interests you, I'll be in my room." The Gerudo blew a flirtatious kiss, and disappeared out the door.

Link came charging in.

"I'm coming--- Shiek? Agian?"

"Head on to the Spirit Temple, Link. I'll be waiting for you."

"Taking one of the Gerudos on their offer?" Link asked in a teasing voice. Zelda surpressed a laugh. She tossed a Deku nut at his feet, and the Silver Gauntlet. She hid in the rafters.

"What's this?" Link asked, picking the Gauntlet up. "Alright, my friend, I'm on my way. What a wierd guy."







Zelda stepped in first, her sword drawn.

"My what brave souls," said an annoying, familiar voice. "Shall we teach them a lesson, Koume?"

"I think we should, Kotake! Go faithful minion, destroy them!"

The great iron man stood, axes in hand.

"Draw it's attention," Link whispered softly. "I'll get it from behind."

"Why me?" Zelda asked, sighing.

"Because you are better at dodging, Shiek."

Zelda ran at the monster. It lifted up the huge axe. Zelda did a back flip, barely avoiding getting smashed. Link hit it from behind, and the helmet fell off. The great monster stumbled. The armour disappeared. Link raisedd his sword to hit again.

"Link, stop!" Zelda cried. Link froze. Nabooru stared up at him.

"Where am I?" she wondered aloud. Nabooru stood, and looked them both over.

"Look, Kotake, those kids have broken out controle," said the agrivating voice of the witch.

"Well, Koume, I think we had better just take her back."

"Nabooru, run!" Zelda yelled, srawing her sword. A beam came at Nabooru. Zelda used her sword to redirect the beam. A second beam came, and Link used his Mirror Shield to redirect the beam. The two witches screamed, envelopped in their own dark abysse.

The blue portal opened up near Link.

"Where's Nabooru gone?" he asked. Zelda lookedd around. She was gone.

"I don't know, Link. Hopefully back to her people. Go on. I'll see you later."



Zelda opened her eyes in the Sacred Realm.

"Nabooru?" she asked in disbelief.

"Funny, isn't? After all these years, trapped, doing his evil works, I am now one of the chosen ones, a Sage. . . . You did good kid, even if you didn't give me the gloves. Trully worthy of being a Gerudo." Zelda smiled.

"Does the boy know your secret? That you are not Shiek?" Zelda's smile faded.

"No. I want to tell him, but. . . ."

"Now is not the time?" Zelda nodded. "Do not worry, Zelda, the time will come. After all, I have been freed, and I never thought that day would come."

"Thank you, Nabooru."

"My pleasure, kid. You know, it's too bad that Shiek isn''t real. . . He's hot."

"Nabooru!" Zelda felt her face flush. Nabooru laughed.

"Just playing with you, kiddo. Seriously, though, I must let you go. I give you the ability to See the Truth when in Shiek form, and the ability to walk through the air for just a few steps as Zelda. Good luck, kiddo. Put Ganondorf into his place! Play this melody to get to the Shadow Temple. You've almost done it! Fight with all your might!"

"I will!"



Zelda found herself standing at the Temple Entrance. Link stood next to her.

"Shiek, I am bursting with excitement," he told her. "I found out something amazing!"

"What?" she asked.

"Zelda is alive!" he told her. "She's alive! She didn't die when she tried to take my Sword. Now all I have to do is find her!"

She stared at him in disbelief. Had he figured it out? No, he couldn't of, or her would say something.

"Then, are you going to look for her?" she asked quietly. Link crocked his head.

"Not yet. But once Ganondorf is defeated, then I will find her. Shiek, I think I love Zelda," he told her. "I haven't had a day go by since I met her when I haven't thought of her. Shiek, I want so badly to find her! I must!"

"I know, Link," she whispered softly. Sand blew up around them, and Zelda took the opportunity to sneak away. Her heart felt like it would break. Still, it was not the time. . . .

"Zelda!" came a voice deep within her head. She frowned. That was Impa's voice.

"Zelda," Impa's voice repeated, "you must come to the Village. Use the Nocturne of Shadows to get here quickly! Hurry! IT is loose!"