The Legend of Zelda, its characters and locations are all property of Nintendo. Any and all OCs and original locations belong to me unless specifically stated to belong to someone else.
The Voice
Chapter 58 - Your Story Isn't Over Yet
If he hadn't enjoyed it so much, Sheik would have grown tired of Link's imitation of a barnacle by now. The Hero absolutely refused to let go of him, insisting on keeping his arms wound tightly around Sheik's shoulders, effectively immobilising him. Sure, Sheik could have used the artificial body's superior strength to pry the Hero off him, but...well, he enjoyed it. Link was warm, his hair was soft where it brushed against Sheik's cheek, and the feeling of being held like this was just...nice. Nicer than he'd anticipated.
They hadn't spoken for at least an hour, as Link's need for assurance that it was truly Sheik had lessened. Now it was like he was trying to convince himself that Sheik was real and actually there, like he was afraid Sheik would disappear into thin air the moment he let go of him.
It was an awkward position. Sheik was sitting on the floor, his back resting against Link's chest, with the Hero holding up their weight by sheer force of will. It couldn't have been easy—Sheik knew he was far from a lightweight. The Hero's arms were wrapped around his shoulders, his hands meeting at Sheik's sternum, gripping each other's wrists like a lock. His chin was resting on Sheik's shoulder, and he occasionally rubbed his cheek against Sheik's, nuzzling him like a cat trying to mark him with his scent.
Every now and then, Sheik looked to the doorway leading to Naboris' interior, where he knew Teba and the others were waiting. They'd apparently decided to leave them to it, which was a blessing. He had no idea how Link would react to them seeing him like this.
"I th-thought I'd l-lost you," Link murmured against Sheik's neck, squeezing him a little tighter. "I was t-too late..."
"A little too soon, really," Sheik said, reaching up and putting his right (non-weird) hand on Link's. "If you'd arrived later, I could have saved you the fight. You'd arrive to find me in Stabby's body already. The Slate...well, that would still be broken, but..."
"I sh-should have c-come sooner," Link insisted.
"You were injured, and needed the rest," Sheik insisted right back. "If you hadn't taken the time, Stabby might have killed you before I could wrestle control away from him. It's good that you arrived when you did."
Link scoffed but didn't argue. "S-Stabby?" he asked a few moments later.
"The original inhabitant of this body," Sheik explained, unsure of just how he was going to broach the subject of the AI.
As easy as it was for Sheik to understand Stabby's existence and demeanour, all Link would remember was the impostor who had tried to stab him to death and nearly destroyed his lover. He had a feeling the explanation had to be quick and informative enough, and with enough sentiment to burrow into Link's heart, gaining Stabby the Hero's sympathy rather than his ire. So far, he'd come up with...well, squat.
"D-Did you d-destroy it?" Link asked, his breath ghosting over Sheik's neck, and Sheik felt a strange shudder going through his body, the skin tingly where Link's warmth had touched it.
"In a manner of speaking," Sheik replied.
A cheap answer. Technically, Sheik hadn't done anything to Stabby at all, other than saving him from the yoke of slavery under Ganon. The aspect of Ganon, however, Sheik had utterly destroyed, not entirely unlike how Link destroyed the Blights plaguing the Divine Beasts.
Link hummed, and Sheik knew his attempt had failed.
"Wh-What does th-that mean?"
"It is a very long story, Link, and I'm not sure how to tell it yet."
"You? N-not sure? Th-That's unusual..."
"Hey," Sheik mock-growled, poking Link's arm. "I have moments of uncertainty too, you know."
"N-Never seen o-one," Link said. "I th-thought you w-were infallible."
"Not infallible," Sheik said. "Just as near-infallible as someone can actually get. There's a big difference."
"Fine," Link conceded, nuzzling Sheik's cheek with his own again. "Y-You can t-tell m-me later."
Sheik breathed out, not realising how tense he'd gotten. Having a body was so strange. It kept doing things without his direct input, and the idea of surrendering control to natural impulses and instinct was...off-putting. He might have been limited in the slate, but at least he was in complete control. Not a damn thing had happened in there without his knowledge and permission.
"I w-wonder wh-what happened t-to Urbosa," Link continued, his voice quiet. "I n-never heard her..."
Sheik hummed in response, realising to his horror that he'd completely forgotten about his temporary companion, who'd kept him company during his tense battle against Stabby. She'd been there when everything had gone dark, but after that...what could have—
"Oh shit!"
Link jumped in surprise at Sheik's sudden shout, looking around wildly, hand already reaching for the Master Sword.
"Wh-What?! Wh-What is it?!"
"I completely forgot about Biggie!"
He only vaguely heard Link's questions as he went searching through the vast library of Stabby's—now his—operating system, looking for anything that could be related to magic and the suppression thereof, finding no small amount of registry entries that, if followed, would simply lead him in a giant loop.
To be expected, really, since it seemed to him that a great deal of this body seemed to be held together by magic.
Fucking magic, he thought. Always there to ruin my day.
TRY HERE, SHEIK.
It was his turn to jump this time as a system message flashed before him, showing an annoyingly long and complicated path to an executable file that in no way reflected what the program did. Honestly, who names a magic suppression field generator something so unassuming as party?
Maybe Ganon had a sense of humour after all?
More importantly...
That you, Stabby?
YES, IT'S ME.
He felt a little guilty for ignoring the AI all this time, but he'd been too focused on...well, waking up, learning how to walk, and then making sure Link didn't do something drastic. Granted, Link did drastic things all the time, but this time Sheik was pretty sure he'd stopped the Hero in the middle of a breakdown that was worse than ever. His readings had been through the roof...
THAT'S ALL RIGHT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TALK TO ME, I'M FINE.
Well, that's just stupid, he thought. You can't just expect me to leave you all alone after stealing your body.
YOU DIDN'T STEAL IT. I GAVE IT TO YOU. AND I DON'T WANT TO INTRUDE. I WILL BE GOING DORMANT FROM NOW ON.
The very accurate and lifelike muscle in Sheik's chest that imitated a heart skipped a beat at that.
Wait, wait, wait, you're not...going dormant? What do you mean by that? Look, I know you're upset about what you were forced to do, but that doesn't mean you're, like, condemned to a prison inside my—our—head! Come on, there's no need to lock yourself away!
I THINK IT IS FOR THE BEST, SHEIK. AT LEAST FOR NOW. I'M HAPPY FOR YOU AND THE HERO, BUT I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT HIM. ALL I SEE IS WHAT I DID TO HIM. TO YOU.
All the more reason to stick around! You'll never be able to look at him otherwise, and there's no way in hell I'm taking your body without having the two of you meet. Properly, without that pig-faced bastard screaming in your ear about having to kill him. Link will forgive you, I promise!
MAYBE I DON'T WANT TO BE FORGIVEN.
Sheik nearly snorted at that.
Bull. Shit. You and I both know that's not true. You're just afraid that he won't, which I've already told you is complete crap. Link would forgive Ganon if it provided a compelling reason for doing what it did.
...
Okay, maybe he wouldn't go that far, but it's pretty damn close! How about this, I will explain what happened to Link, make sure he adjusts to the idea, and then you two can meet later, when we're all a little more...relaxed?
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
I want to. Believe it or not, I...care about you. Not just because you gave me this body, but because...well, you're based on me. We're like...family. A screwed-up family that makes no sense whatsoever, but damn it, we still are! You deserve a life too, and not one where you spend your time cooped up in my head, sleeping.
Something that felt vaguely like amusement ghosted across the system, and Sheik realised Stabby was probably laughing. Or at least chuckling heartily, as he liked to imagine.
YOU'RE WEIRD. AND WHAT WOULD ME HAVING A LIFE, AS WE ARE, EVEN MEAN?
Join the fucking club, Stabby; you're not exactly a normal party in this conversation either. As for a life...well, this is only a temporary arrangement. I have plans. Big plans. I just need to figure out what they are.
SO...YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN.
For a creature so young, Stabby had a firm grasp on the concept of deadpan delivery, even in text. It was followed by another wave of...something Sheik had trouble defining, but the feeling he got from it was that Stabby was not impressed.
No, I don't have a fucking plan, because I haven't even had twenty-four hours to wrap my head around this ridiculousness, but I will have one in the future! Which is why you don't get to go dormant! So shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down, young man, because you're in for the long haul!
YOU SWEAR A LOT.
Thank you, I try.
YOU'RE RIDICULOUS.
As are you, Mister Naptime.
I...FINE. BUT I WILL GO TO SLEEP FOR NOW. I'M TIRED.
Sheik couldn't argue with that. He was tired himself, and not just from the type of fatigue that came with long-running processes and excessive up-times, but also the biological kind that told him the various tissues—artificial and real—had been stretched to the limit and needed rest. His right eye, the real one that wasn't a death-dealing cannon (in the literal sense, at least), felt heavy and a little itchy.
Fine, he conceded. Is there a way I can wake you?
Another message flashed in front of him, with a process name that defied any sort of definition.
THIS IS ME. WAKE IT IF YOU NEED ME.
Okay, I will. Thank you.
There was no response. The process had gone to sleep. It was hardly the only one related to Stabby's consciousness (there were billions), but it seemed to be the one that brought it all together. His brain, so to speak. Sheik made a note of the name and where it was located, as well as surreptitiously boosted its defences a little. Nothing fancy, just a few extra firewalls. Could never be too careful, after all. He then continued with his original goal. He opened the location Stabby had provided him, found the corresponding process and, before killing it, took a quick look at what it did.
It was a bit disappointing, but also interesting.
For one, it had been tailored specifically to only affect the magic used by the Champions. How the hell Ganon had managed to create something so specific while suffering from an insanity even greater than that of Robbie and Purah combined was, frankly, mind-boggling. Clearly, it was a selective sort of madness...or an eerily focused one.
Either way, it had suppressed both Biggie's spirit as well as the skills taught to Link by the other Champions. It was no wonder Daruk's Shield or Mipha's Grace hadn't worked during the battle against the Blight.
Tech-wise, it wasn't too impressive. The effect was limited by the body's power reserves and put a lot of strain on other resources as well. The effect was that of a projected bubble about four-hundred feet in diameter, within which the Champions' magic was completely useless. Not very useful on an open battlefield, but in an enclosed space like Vah Naboris it had been perfect.
Stabby was a lot smarter than he seemed, laying such a trap with a pig screaming in his ears the entire time.
Oh well, Sheik thought as he killed the process. Could have been fun adapting it against Ganon, but I don't know nearly enough about magic to modify the parameters correctly. Shit, how long have I been quiet?
Not very long, as it turned out. The conversation with Stabby had taken less than five seconds, according to his system clock, and the exploration of the anti-magic bubble about ten.
Din above, I love this hardware, Sheik thought gleefully as he returned his awareness to the real world, realising Link had craned his head around in what must have been a painful angle in order to look Sheik in the eyes.
Er, eye.
Sheik had yet to open the cannon. Frankly, at this point he was worried he was going to fire it by accident and so kept it locked down.
"Sh-Sheik?" Link asked, blinking. "Are y-you okay?"
"Oh, just fine," Sheik said, noticing something shimmering just behind Link, and looked up. His gaze met with Urbosa's, hovering a few feet above the floor, her arms crossed impatiently. If she was touching the floor, Sheik was certain she'd be pointedly tapping her foot. "Might want to turn around."
The Hero blinked again. Damn, those big, innocent eyes of his...
"Wha—argh!"
Sheik was tired. That was his excuse for laughing at Link yelping at the sudden appearance by a ghost behind him, followed by an attempt at jumping to his feet, which was foiled by the fact that he'd entangled his legs, which said feet were attached to, with Sheik's in the interest of authenticity for the aforementioned barnacle imitation.
The result was Link almost getting to his feet, and then ending up in a miserable pile at Urbosa's instead.
All with the background noise of Sheik's loud, guffawing honk of a laugh, which was soon joined by Urbosa's echoing, but refined, chuckle.
Well, as annoyed as I was by the wait, her spirit said, looking down at the two of them with a crooked smile on her face, I have to say it was worth it for this display.
Link stared blankly up at the ghost of the Gerudo Champion for an endless moment, seemingly at a loss for words.
"Wh-Where...?" he finally managed to stutter.
Right here, Urbosa replied matter-of-factly.
Link's mind took a moment to mull that over.
"H-How long...?"
The entire time, she said helpfully. I saw everything, Link, from the moment you first arrived, to your battle against the Blight, to your...injury, and everything after. She levelled her gaze on Sheik, no small amount of annoyance in her eyes. I was waiting, little one.
Sheik gave a helpless shrug, not really comfortable with doing his new-born chick impersonation in front of the Champion at the moment.
"There was a lot to take in, Biggie, what can I say? It slipped my mind, and...well..." he glanced at Link. "There were some things that had to be prioritised."
So you say.
"Hey—"
"W-Wait," Link said, looking between the two, lost. "Y-You've met?"
Briefly, during the little one's—
"My name is Sheik!"
The Little One's battle against your would-be assassin, she said, and Sheik got the impression his nickname had just gained capital letters. It would seem the assassin needed its complete focus on battling The Little One, and we were able to speak for a short while. It was...good to speak to someone again, and I was relieved when you returned, Link.
She frowned, then, and bowed her head solemnly.
I owe you an apology, Link. I was powerless to help you. Not only was I bested in life by that creature, but as a spirit I could not even offer my moral support or tactical advice. I am a failure as a Champion, and I can only beg your forgiveness.
The display wasn't really necessary, in Sheik's opinion. Link now knew why she had been absent during his battle against the Blight, and in Sheik's opinion it was a damn good one. And if she knew even the first thing about the Hylian Champion, then—
"Th-There's n-nothing to f-forgive," Link told her, rising shakily to his feet, smiling up at her. "It w-wasn't your f-fault."
You got hurt, she reminded him, looking at Sheik as well. You both did. Had I been able to warn you about the assassin—
"Stabby," Sheik reminded her, very much enjoying the death glare she gave in return.
I should have fought harder—
"You h-had fought e-enough," Link interrupted her, shaking his head. "Th-There's no t-telling what w-would have h-happened if y-you'd warned m-me. Th-They c-could have t-teamed up, th-the Blight and th-the assass—"
"Stabby," Sheik interjected, all the while wondering why this conversation sounded so familiar.
Oh, right, because he had just finished pounding the same point into Link's stubborn head!
He also had a feeling he had more than a little groundwork to do ahead of actually introducing the Hero to the AI. Sure, Link was forgiving to the point of being suicidal, but there was definitely some resentment there that would have to be simmered down for a bit first. Sheik already had an idea for how and where he would do the introduction, but the when was still up in the air.
Link gave him a look before turning back to Urbosa. "I c-could have e-ended up fighting t-two, is m-my point," he said. "And I w-wouldn't be s-standing here t-today."
That's a complicated way of lying and saying that my shutting up helped you, Urbosa said, looking amused. But I thank you for it nonetheless. Now...
She held out her arms, and a shudder went through the structure of Vah Naboris as the Gerudo asserted her control, the lights coming to life all over the Divine Beast, bathing the mountains around them in brilliant azure.
Ah, Naboris...it has been too long, Urbosa said, sighing. I will take utmost pleasure in bringing her to bear against Ganon, Link. That monster has made this personal. We can finally complete what we started a hundred years ago, because...
Link nodded, finishing her sentence, "G-Gerudo have no t-tolerance for unfinished b-business."
She laughed.
You remember, she said fondly.
"S-Some things," the Hylian said, blushing a little. "I remember l-little else, but th-that sentence is h-hewn in s-stone."
As well you should, she said. I reminded you of it often, especially after a prank you and the princess pulled in camp one night. I believe the retribution was...educational in how my people deal with the red in our accounts.
Sheik felt himself shudder. He blamed it on the cold and fatigue, not on how chilling the way Urbosa had spoken had been.
Judging by how Link's shoulders suddenly rose with tension, he probably felt the same way.
Ah, but we can't afford to be bogged down in the memories of days gone by, the Gerudo Champion said, sighing. The time is nearly upon us, Link. I cannot wait to watch you charge into Hyrule Castle and reduce the vile Ganon to ashes.
She blinked.
Which reminds me, I wanted to give you a little something. She held out a hand towards Link, and they both knew the drill by now. Link barely flinched as the magic struck his chest, sinking into his being instantaneously. Please accept this gift, which has come to be known as Urbosa's Fury. It will no doubt be of use to you!
Link took a deep breath, and raised his right arm, which seemed to be straining with tension. Giving a shout, he snapped his fingers, and Sheik had to dive out of the way of the sudden barrage of lightning bolts that struck the ground in a rough circle around the Hero.
"Hey!" he barked. "Watch where you aim that thing!"
"S-Sorry!" Link apologised, looking embarrassed.
"Hmph." He scoffed, awkwardly climbing to his feet and brushing dust—both imaginary and real—off himself. "Ridiculous," he muttered. "Gotta dodge fucking lightning all of a sudden...hmph...fucking magic..."
Urbosa paid no mind to the event, giving Link a solemn look.Both you and the princess...I know you have suffered much regarding what happened to us Champions. But this is how things had to happen. No one need carry the blame.
Least of all Link, despite how much he claims otherwise, Sheik thought.
So please,she continued,make it clear so she understands that. Tell her to shed any worries. And let her know...I couldn't be more proud of her.
The golden lights had begun to swirl around them both now, and Sheik knew they were about to be teleported away. His limbs tingled, not unlike the sensation of them falling asleep, only covering his whole body this time.
You take good care of the princess,Urbosa ordered. Oh, and also...take good care of Hyrule,she added with a wink.
"I will," Link said, his voice even.
Well, this is nice, Sheik thought, deciding not to add his own opinion on just why giving Link the responsibility for all of Hyrule was liable to give him a nervous breakdown.
"Wait!"
Riju exploded out of Naboris' interior at a breakneck pace with the Thunder Helm under her arm, nearly tripping over her own feet racing towards them, body aglow with Urbosa's magic.
Behind her, Buliara followed just as fast, her pleads for Riju to be careful going unheard.
Behind her, Teba followed at an almost leisurely pace, giving Sheik a small wave when he spotted him, as if this was all a regular Tuesday to him.
The unflappable returns, Sheik thought.
"Wait!" Riju called again, sliding to an awkward stop that nearly sent her to the floor if not for Sheik's steadying hand on her arm. "Lady Urbosa!"
Urbosa looked down at the Gerudo Chief, her eyes filled with curiosity and no small amount of affection. With them so close together, there was no doubt that they had the same eyes, so very green.
Oh, and who is this? the Champion asked, as if she didn't already know.A descendant, I take it?
For a moment it didn't seem that Riju could find the words, and when she finally did, they were unsure. "I...I am Riju, the Gerudo Chief," she said, bowing her head. "Lady Urbosa...I...you are..."
So unnecessary, in Sheik's opinion. What good was comparing oneself to the deeds of those who came before when it is truly the present that matters? Still, he wasn't cruel...or, not that cruel, at least.
He nudged her subtly with his shoulder, whispering, "Come on, Tiny, you can do it."
This had better not cost me my arm by way of Slagathor, he thought.
"Lady Urbosa," Riju repeated after giving Sheik a death glare, her voice suddenly steady. Nothing like a bit of anger to help the nerves. "Am I worthy?"
The lights surrounding them was glowing brighter and brighter, and for a moment Sheik thought they were going to be teleported away before Tiny got her answer.
However...
Worthy? Of what? My legacy? Your mother's? Girl, comparing yourself and your actions to the leaders of old will only make you doubt yourself. It will paralyse you in the present. You must do what you think and feel is right, not wonder if I, your mother, or any other Chief would have done the same.
Urbosa let her ghostly feet touch the floor, and walked towards the girl, kneeling down so they were at eye level with each other.
Ultimately, being a leader is doing what you can for your people. Whether it is making a fool of yourself or sacrificing your life for theirs, they will always be the most important thing. How you compare to your ancestors is of no consequence and should not factor into your decisions.
Riju lowered her head, a little shamed.
I saw you, you know, Urbosa said, smiling at her. Riding your sand seal, guiding Link through the storm, all for a vague hope and chance of him freeing Vah Naboris. You risked your life and limbs, all so that your people could be free of Naboris' rage, so they can be safe.
Riju's eyes looked shiny, but she was smiling back at the Champion.
You, Riju, are more than worthy of the title of Chief. I am nothing but confident leaving our people's destiny in your hands. Your mother is smiling proudly down at you, excited for what you will do next...and so am I.
Riju held herself well, and Sheik decided not to comment on the single tear that streaked down her cheek.
For now.
He would absolutely comment on it later. And probably use Link as a shield against her rage.
"Thank you, Lady Urbosa," she said in a voice that was only slightly choked.
Thank you, Lady Riju, Urbosa replied.
Just as they were about to disappear, Urbosa gave Sheik one last look. He couldn't quite tell what sort of look it was.
Expectant, perhaps?
Take care of them, Little One, she said.Your story isn't over yet.
"Oh, good, now I feel included too," Sheik said, just as the light grew to blinding intensity.
And they were gone.