Chapter 37: Temple of Spirit

"Zelda," Maiku said as he stood alongside her looking out to the Haunted Wasteland.

"What is it?" she replied and turned to him, "Is anything wrong?"

"No…" he turned his head away, closing his eyes, "… It's just that… I want you to leave the melody teaching to me."

"What do you mean?" she put her hand on his shoulder, "Do you not trust me?"

"It's not that…" he turned his head back to her, "…. I think Link will be in serious trouble around the Gerudo Valley. I recall that I was teaching the Gerudos how to fight without mercy while I was at the Fortress last. They were also boosting their security around the Valley; therefore, those women will surely kill him the first chance they get."

"I see your point, Maiku."

"So can you teach me the Requiem of Spirit?" he asked, taking out his Ocarina


"Sure." She took her golden harp from out of her satchel and played the first notes of the Requiem of Spirit, "Can you play that?"

"Sure…" he made a mouth hole appear in the mask as he did before and placed the mouthpiece to his lips, copying the notes and playing the rest of the song in the mournful tone of the Ocarina.

"That Ocarina… What is it called?" she asked as she placed the harp back into its satchel, "I have never heard such a sad sound."

"It is called the Ankoku Ocarina." He replied calmly, "It can sound beautiful at times… it just depends how much heart I put into it." He gently placed the Ocarina into a side pack, "Hey… have you been to Zora's Domain before?"

"No." she hung her head down, "No… that's not true. I went one time, that was eight years ago."

"You want to pay your condolences to the souls of the dead Zoras?" he asked seriously, "It's about time I visit that place again anyway."

She stared straight into his eyes, "You… visit the ruins of Zora's Domain?"

"Yeah, I thought I told you that I was married to Ruto."


"Yes, you told me that."

"Well… I was once a Zora after you sent me on that quest to receive the Spiritual Stones."

"How?"

"I don't know exactly, and I also feel as though I'm not really supposed to be in Hyrule… or anywhere else for that matter. Never mind…. Forget about it."

"Stop trying to pull away to tell me about your past. I'm interested to hear it."

"I'll tell you when all this is over, I promise."

"Truly?"

"Yes." He looked toward the graveyard and saw a pillar of light, "Well, see you." He dashed off towards the graveyard, leaving Zelda alone until another time.

*                                  *                                  *

Link landed on the stone slab outside of the Shadow Temple, "That Shadow Beast seemed to be too easy." Navi remarked, "And that thing got to you in the town? Are you weak or something?"

"Navi…." Link started but was interrupted by the sound of Maiku's voice

"Well done Link…" he said, "…. But you still have room for improvement… next time I will not weaken the enemy before you come in, I only needed Bongo Bongo's power so I absorbed it."

"So then what are you doing here?"

"I came here to teach you the song that will lead you the Spirit Temple... The Requiem of Spirit."

"Hey wait, Maiku. Why isn't Sheik teaching me the song like he has been doing since the beginning?"

"Sheik let me."

"Why would he let you?"

"You'd better watch it, Link…" he narrowed his eyes and turned away, "You are lucky I decided to help you by giving you the Lens of Truth back there, plus I weakened Bongo Bongo for you. Or would you rather me go on Ganondorf's side again?"

"N-no…" he replied, "I was just curious of why Sheik would let you teach me the song."

"Better have…" he said under his breath and brought out his Ankoku Ocarina, "Now pay attention." He turned towards Link and once again formed a mouth hole in the mask and placed the mouth piece to his lips, playing the Requiem of Spirit.

Link followed the notes and played it himself.

"Well done." He turned away from Link, "See you at the Desert Colossus beyond the Haunted Wasteland. That song I taught you will teleport you into the desert…" He leapt over the fence and ran out the graveyard, pressed his back against the outer wall, and closed his eyes. A sleek and smooth tentacle snaked itself out of his hand and started to wrap itself around his arm. He opened his eyes, "What? A tentacle that I didn't even send out?" He stared hard at it, noticing that is was moving around on its own accord, "Is my body becoming more in tune to the mask now? It's reacting to something, but what?" He forced his body to retract the tentacle and succeeded, "What is happening to me? My body is changing at a faster rate than before, but why?" I'd better get into the Spirit Temple before Link does… he thought to himself; …His ability to travel through Time will prove as a detriment to me and Ganondorf… I must get those Gauntlets that are on the Sand Goddess's right hand. He walked forward and vanished.

*                                  *                                  *

He reappeared in front of the Spirit Temple, finding it in the same condition that it had been when he first stepped into it seven years ago. He withdrew a tentacle from his hand and sent it flying towards the Sand Goddess's right hand, it attached and he retracted it, sending himself flying onto the stone carved "hand". He found an obvious enough treasure chest on his left side and opened it, finding the Silver Gauntlets. He glanced down to the temple entrance and noticed a patch of green and white entering, "When he finds out that both entrances are blocked, he'll definitely come out…"

Sure enough Link did emerge from the temple, Maiku smiled under the mask and leapt down, startling him when he landed. "Maiku!" Link yelled out, almost drawing the Master Sword from its scabbard, "You were already here?"

"Yes, I was here." He took out the Silver Gauntlets, "Here, these will help you enter the temple."

"What about you?" he asked, taking the Gauntlets, "What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry about me, Hero of Time; I'm sure we'll meet again."

"So you're leaving Hyrule or what?"

Maiku shook his head and walked into the temple, "No, I'll be around the temple, I'm sure I'll see you somewhere..."

"Yeah, see you."

*                                              *                                              *

After an hour of exploring the temple, finding the mirror shield and plunging head long into battle with Ganondorf's surrogate mother Twinrova, Link withdrew his sword from the old witches' body, watching as she bled to death. He stopped when Maiku's voice filled his ears, "You have done well, Hero of Time."

Link turned around to see Maiku standing in the center of the platform, "Maiku, what are doing here?"

"What am I doing here? I am here to claim your piece of the Triforce."

"My what?"

"Don't act so stupid with me, Link. You have a Triforce in your hand, give it to me."

"I'm serious! I don't know what you are talking about!"

"Very well then… If you will not give it to me willingly, then I guess I have no choice but to use force to get it." He drew his sword, "C'mon!"

"Maiku, think about what you are saying!" he equipped his shield and defended himself from Maiku's strike, "Don't do this! You've lost yourself to the darkness seven years ago but I thought you had changed. But now I know it was only a plan of deception…. But please, I don't want to fight you!"

"Don't act like such a weakling, Hylian. Fight me, damn you!" Maiku stopped but still had his sword at the ready

"I don't understand you, Maiku. You urge on violence and hatred, I know you really can't be evil and filled with hatred. In your heart I know that you know of a thing called love. You held back seven years ago from killing me, I believe you can do it again. Think of your love for Ruto and fight the darkness within you!"

"SHUT UP!!!!" he yelled, his voice more of a roar than anything else, "You don't know anything about me or any of the times I have faced!!! You were in suspended animation for those long seven years, filled with false memories of a long and happy childhood with your Kokiri friends, including Saria." He narrowed his eyes, "Yes, you had a peaceful slumber for seven years while I faced carnage, death, misery, enmity, betrayal and even more hardships than you ever will!!! You will never know loss of love or humanity… you only lost your mother, I lost everything that it means to be human. The form you see before you is only a chrysalis to something less human than I." He pointed his sword at Link, barely thrusting it into his throat, "I'd kill you at this moment but I actually prefer an actual sword fight rather than killing on the spot. So c'mon, fight!"

"I guess…. I have no choice." He drew the Master Sword from its scabbard, "Fine. I will fight you, Maiku. I must help you realize what it means to die."

"You think this is a game? Fine then, I will add my own rules to this duel." He put one hand to his forehead and his body began to glow in a blood red aura; the platform suddenly began to glow red and then became engulfed in a blinding red light. Red fire energy surrounded the platform and towered twenty feet into the air.

"What did you do?" Link said, uncovering his eyes

"I modified the ceremonial platform to be used as a fighting arena; the energy surrounding us has the potential to kill who ever touches it."

Navi flew out of Link's hood cap, "Link, watch out! I have no idea what Maiku's weaknesses are, if I can get close enough I will scan him for weaknesses."

"Right!" Link replied and dashed at Maiku. Just as he was about to slash, Maiku grasped his shield and tossed him aside like a rag doll. He rolled on the ground and nearly into the energy, stopping at the ledge. He pushed himself up after he let out a sharp grunt; when he was back up, he ran at him again, keeping his blade at the ready and slashed.

Maiku's sword made contact with his. The Master Sword started to spark under the pressure of the more superior Demon Edge of Maiku, and then Link felt himself being kicked on the stomach by a hard spiked boot and toppled backwards. He caught himself before he hit the ground again.

"You are destined to save Hyrule when even you can't save yourself?" Maiku remarked, slashing Link's chest with a series of six quick swipes causing his to scream out in agony, "Yes, scream, Link. Feel the pain of battle! It will all be over soon…." He raised the sword high above his head and began to thrust down. Before it pierced Link's chest, a chain wrapped itself around the blade and flung it away.

"Not so fast Maiku!!" Sheik said as she withdrew the chain into her outfit, "You can't kill him, I won't let you!"

Maiku glared at her angrily, "And just what are you going to do about it, Sheikah?" He turned his body completely towards her, "You will die first!"

Three needles emerged from her outfit pocket, "Use these of course."

"With hair pins? C'mon, you gotta be original than that."

She closed her eyes, "These needles are tipped with a toxin that will cause gradual death depending on how many are used."

"You fool." Claws emerged from his fingertips, causing his black blood to drip onto the rock floor, "You can never understand my intentions. My intentions are deeper than Ganondorf's… much deeper." He felt a single needle prick his arm; he glanced down and laughed, "You honestly think that this will kill me?" He glanced down to Link and noticed he was gone; he glanced back over to Sheik and noticed that he was slumped under her arm. "Stop!!"

She simply shook her head and threw down a Deku Nut for the traditional Sheikah disappearing act.

"Damn it."

*                                  *                                  *

Link awoke in the Temple of Light with an orange medallion in his hands, "Link…." He heard Sheik say, "It looks like you'll be okay."

He looked down and saw that he had a new tunic and chain mail on, "Sheik… did you…?" he started but couldn't seem to fit the rest of the words together.

"If you are wondering if I saved you, the answer is yes."

"Maiku has… become evil again."

"Link…" she said as she kneeled beside him, "…. Maiku was always evil. Not once when he was in the Shadow Temple, was he actually willing to join you."

"Where is he now?"

"Who knows? He is probably on his way back to Ganon's Tower right now. The important thing is that you are alive."

"Sheik…"

"You have overcome many hardships and awakened six Sages. And now you have a final challenge, a showdown with Ganondorf, the King of Evil.... and Maiku, the demon of darkness. Before that... I have things I want to tell only to you. Please listen."

"What is it?"

"Another unknown legend of the Triforce passed down by the shadow folk, the Sheikahs....

If you would seek the sacred triangle, listen well... The resting place of the sacred triangle, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that

reflects what is in the heart... the heart of one who enters it. If an evil heart, the Realm will become full of evil; if pure, the Realm will become a paradise. The Triforce...the sacred triangle... it is a balance that weighs the three forces of Power, Wisdom and Courage. If the heart of the one who holds the sacred triangle has all three forces in balance, that one will gain the True Force to govern all. But, if that one's heart is not in balance, the Triforce will separate into three parts: Power, Wisdom and Courage. Only one part will remain for the one who touched the Triforce...the part representing the force that one most believes in. If that one seeks the True Force, that one must acquire the two lost parts. Those two parts will be held within others chosen by destiny, who will bear the Triforce mark on the backs of their hands."

"So that means… what now?"

"Seven years ago, Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, used the door you opened in the Temple of Time and entered the Sacred Realm. But when he laid his hands on the Triforce, the legend came true. The Triforce separated into three parts. Only the Triforce of Power remained in Ganondorf's hand. The strength of the Triforce of Power enabled him to become a mighty, evil

king, but his dark ambitions were not satisfied. To gain complete mastery of the world, Ganondorf started looking for those

chosen by destiny to hold the two other Triforce parts. The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is..."

"Let me guess… Me?"

"Yes you, Link!"

"And the other, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom... is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all..." She held up her hand and the crest of the Triforce of Courage appeared on the back of her hand, a blinding golden light emerged from her hand, when the light faded Zelda was standing before him in a full on gown made of the finest slik, "It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda. I apologize for meeting you in disguise, but it was necessary to hide from the King of Evil. Please forgive me. But I appeared that Maiku knew of my disguise. Anyway, on that day, seven years ago, Ganondorf attacked Hyrule Castle. I saw you as I was escaping from the castle with my attendant, Impa. I thought I should entrust the Ocarina to you... I thought that would be our best chance... As long as you had the Ocarina in your possession, I thought Ganondorf could never enter the Sacred Realm, but... something I could never expect happened... After you opened the door of time, the Master Sword sealed you away in the Sacred Realm... Your spirit remained in the Sacred Realm...and then the Triforce fell into Ganondorf's hands. He went on to invade the Sacred Realm... Ganondorf had become the Evil King, and the Sacred Realm became a world of evil. All of this is an unfortunate coincidence."

"But why did disguise yourself as a Sheikah?"

"I passed myself off as a Sheikah and hoped that you would return. I waited for seven years... And...now you are back. The dark age ruled by Ganondorf the Evil King and Maiku will end! The six Sages will open the sealed door and lure Ganondorf   and Maiku back into the Sacred Realm. I will then seal the door to the Sacred Realm from this world. Thus, Ganondorf the Evil King and Maiku will vanish from Hyrule. Link... In order to do this, I need your courage again. Please protect me while I do my part."

"All right, I will."

"Here is a weapon that can penetrate the Evil King's defenses... The power given to the chosen ones... The sacred Arrow of Light!!!" she took out a yellow jewel from her dress and gave it to him, "This jewel will bestow the power of Light onto your arrows. I trust you will use them when the time comes."

Link turned his attention to his side pack as he placed the precious jewel into it, but darted his head towards Zelda as she screamed out his name.

"Link!!! Help me!!" she screamed out as she felt a dagger's blade touch her smooth neck, she glanced back, "You!! Maiku! Let me go!!"

"Never, princess…" she grasped her arm tightly; his claws dug into her flesh, causing it to draw blood, "Link. Come to Ganondorf's Tower if you want to put an end to all of this. We'll be waiting for you." His body let out a blinding light as they both vanished, Zelda's screams echoed through the air.

"Damn." Link said as he unshielded his eyes.