"This statue's one-eyed gaze pierces into your mind..."
Our Time Has Come
They'll understand us. They can't understand us. Our thoughts are with you.
What are you?
We're not making any progress!
There is a mysterious power in these notes. No one cares about a relic like us! We overheard this!
Just keep going~ just keep going! The goddess's chosen guardians.
Do!
Draw us into the infinite darkness that absorbs even time. Tee hee hee hee! Only 0:00 remaining!
Never be allowed to threaten the world again. Sometimes enemies are friends!
Oh oh oh! Do you think they'll come with us?
... contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm...
Oh my!
We must protect this beautiful land of Hyrule. Please come with us!
The power of the soul.
We are the spirits: watching, listening, whispering. You and I will surely meet again someday.
Something... The strength of the Triforce of Power enabled him to become a mighty, evil king, but his dark ambitions were not satisfied.
It's incredibly boring!
We are the last residents of this poor village... We are the people of the sky...
...sure ...oh!
...A mysterious rod was handed down from the people of the sky...
Look for the eye of truth...
We're guiding them, but they cannot follow.
Boing-oing!
There must be someone who can understand us.
... transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters. Here lies the souls of those who swore fealty to the Royal Family of Hyrule... They swore allegiance to the King of Hyrule.
It's a secret!
If we would seek the sacred triangle, listen well...
Who can understand the plight of the fallen?
We've been waiting. Survivor! How we have fallen.
We can only guide those who wish to know. We owe it all to you, kid! Doesn't that make us a part of the shadows too? Hee hee hee! We are a being of this age.
Let's go! We found it! How about it? Do it and wait. The legend came true. That's what we heard.
Action! We crave action! Be what is hidden in the darkness. Patience.
But we're only 400 years old!
WE couldn't leave anything behind... there was so much to do.
We've done fine work! Let us see! The nature of the task given to our tribe. We're counting on you! Watch over our spirits in their eternal slumber. Please!
Once every 100 years, a special child is born unto our people.
A childish mind will turn to noble ambition.
We want to go!
The one who holds the Triforce of Courage...
They want to know! Will you help us? Can't they?
Someone must stay behind... Let us be!
Many thought we had died out! Passed down through time. Times have changed! Our voices are not heard! We gather and wait. Heed out actions! They won't move. It's become an awful place...
They can't!
We really messed up...
Go!
Will we do it? We are going to cry... we cannot be seen, heard, nor can we speak. We cannot do anything. No longer part of this world.
Helpless.
/\ /\ /\
Our people rest below the ground, quiet and watchful. They gather useful information even in death. The all-seeing eye of the Sheikah sees all whether in the past, present, or future. Time is meaningless to the shadow.
Their time has come and gone; and while their mortal forms are at rest it is only beginning. The story of the dead is carried in all the images of our people. What you see here now is nothing more than a tomb, the grave for the sleeping souls as they rest.
There exists now an artifact with which you can heed my words. An enchanted face carved with the emblem of our people. If you wear this face you can learn new information from the souls of those long past. The creation of this terrible face was something unforeseen by our kind. But even the wise are not all knowing. While we lament the methods with which this face was created we cannot look away from the great power that the artifact holds.
The knowledge we will impart to you will hold a great and terrible power if not used with the utmost care. The secrets of the land lie in the power of the three. Be it the power of the three goddesses or the three evils. The power of the three the ability to alter the course of the world.
My people have placed their hope with the light and trust that they will bring about the true golden era. But should they fail there are far too many willing and waiting to lead us to our demise. We cannot allow all that is good to perish into the darkness. So our people have endeavored to continue to watch from the shadows even in death. We, the Sheikah, have performed this sacred duty since time immemorial. We watch over the great light of the Triforce and stand as the fist gate between the darkness and the light. We are the shadow born of darkness and light. We are condemned to the shadows for all eternity, craving the light and life that we seek to protect while bordering on madness as we dance with the darkness.
Our people were once part of the great power of three. Three tribes worked harmoniously to form the Sheikah. One for each of the goddess of the Triforce.
The people now known as the Gerudo were once a proud people that served the mighty goddess Din. They sought to protect the realm with their great strength.
The people now known as the Twili were once a great people who embraced the darkness as they worked in the name of Nayru to bring light to the world.
The people now known as the Protectors of the Royal Family were once courageous warriors who sought to elevate the light where the darkness could not reach.
These three tribes made up what is collectively known as the Sheikah. But the human heart is easily lead astray. It wanders from the path, weaving side to side. Hundreds of thousands of our people have wandered lost in the great plains of the heart. But by doing so have made a wide path for others to follow. Their colors are the deepest and most vibrant, even though their palette might be limited.
They are the children of the shadows. Outcasts of the light and dark. They belong nowhere. They desert their most basic desires to laugh, to cry, to live. From the beginning they have been forsaken by all, and yet risk everything to protect those who have forsaken them. Under the endless sky they are the ones who have the power to help the realm survive and thrive or lead to its utter and terrible destruction.
Now go forth my children. The legends will speak for themselves For we are the people of the shadows. While my kind are no longer part of this world, we do not let death stand in our path. There is no sadness as we let our bodies decay. We are not gone from this world. For we are the shadows. As long as there is light and there is darkness, the shadows will always exist. We have chosen our duty to protect this land from the pull of darkness.
So do not cry my child.
We are the Sheikah.
We cannot cry.
~ { 0 } ~
We are the remainders of
All who have walked upon this land
In the Shadows for all time
/\
Dear Readers,
Thank you to all who have patiently waited for me to reupload Chapter 36. Originally this was the epilogue that explained key themes, but was removed for updating. As of now "From the Shadows" is well and truly complete. I had recently begun musing about writing again when I received a message about the missing epilogue. I have since lost the original but will attempt to recreate it to satiate any lingering questions. As such please feel free to message me and I'll be sure to incorporate them into the the 37th chapter.
Thank you for your interest in these stories from the Shadows of Hyrule,
Marquard