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Disclaimer: I don't. Own Zelda, that is.
OH!! I almost forgot! A friend of mine on FF.net writes anime, and she's really good! Now, no one has really checked out her stuff! It makes me wanna cry, cuz she's my buddie! If you're interested, and you betta be, then go and find Chibi Planeteria. Thanx!!!
Onwards to the story!!
This chapter is dedicated to Kat Reverie who is a loyal reader who checks out all my stuff and keeps on reviewing for me. Thank you so much! (Work on your next chapter, please!) Be sure to go and read what she has posted on FF.net as well. She's another great authoress!
Okay, now onwards to the story!! OH! Wait, italics in this chapter will mean that Rae is in the delusions. Single apostrophe means thoughts. This only applies to this chapter, though. ONLY THIS CHAPTER.
Read on! Hurry, before I think of anything else to add!!
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Anju watched nervously as Rae stood over Link's bed. The girl had returned only moments ago, after being gone for a couple hours. She held a small violet disc in one palm, and wore a slightly melancholy look on her face. The thing that disturbed Anju the most was the strange scarlet sheen that was over the girl's eyes. It was chillingly like that of a Sheikah's eyes. Creepy.
"What are you doing?" Anju asked.
"I don't know." Was the even reply. Rae leaned forward momentarily and rested one palm on Link's forehead. He was sweating bullets, but he did not move. Rae sighed. "Anjuwhatever happens, just don't be alarmed, alright?"
"Oh" Anju stepped back. Now what was going on? She must be left out on almost everything...
Rae closed her eyes, one hand still on Link's forehead. Anju waitedand waitedand waited. "Uh, Rae?" There was no reply. Upon closer inspection, Anju realized that the girl appeared to be asleep. "Rae?"
Yesdefinitely asleep.
~*~*~*~
~
Rae gasped, gagging as she came into a field of a rotting wasteland. An ugly withering tree was still standing, shrivelled and dying. Where was Link? What was he doing in such an awful place? "Link?"
He is mine
Rae spun, looking for the creature. As an after thought, she flicked on the lens of truth. The awful scenery vanished to be replaced by a dark abyss. She was standing on nothing, breathing nothing, surrounded by nothing. "Where's Link?"
He has drawn even deeper into the darknesshe has given himself to me
"You must have said something to him!"
Of course I didbut he believed me
Rae growled in frustration, staring out into the darkness. 'Look for the truth...through the shadows' A light suddenly appeared in her vision, and Rae turned to see Link, a curled up in a small little ball. She ran to him. "Link!" She knelt at his side. "Link! It's Rae-look at me."
The Hylian slowly turned his head to her. "Rae? Why are you here?" He pushed her away with one arm. "I'm a dark thingdon't stay here."
"No, Link, you are not."
"But he-"
Rae shook her head. "Noyou just interpreted it wrong." She took the young man by the shoulders. "The darkness is a part of you."
"That's practically the same thing."
"No, it's not!" Rae insisted. "Listen to me, Link! We all have our good sides and our bad sides. You need the darkness inside of you! You need it in order to exist, to stay sane!" She shook him lightly. "Don't let it overpower you! Don't resist! Accept it as part of yourself."
Link blinked lazily. "A partno." He curled away from her. "No"
"Blast it all!" Rae flipped Link over. "You have to understand me! Accept that there is darkness in you!"
"No"
Rae shook her head. "Yes! You need a dark side! It keeps you in balance! It's what enables you to fight! To kill!"
"Too much killing"
"Link, you have never killed an innocent." Rae gentled her voice and motions. Urgency was not going to get through to the Hylian. "Every life that you have taken, you take in order to restore peace to the world. You cleanse your soul and even out the pain with the numbers of lives you save. Accept it!"
Link pushed her away. "No"
She growled. The stubborn git. "Link." She said softly. "I would never steer you wrong. Never." There was no response, and she continued. "Just-just trust me. Just trust me Link, believe."
Link made no motion to believe her.
You see? He has given into mehe is mine!
"No" Link murmured again. "Itrust you" There was a flash of light, and Rae felt herself thrown out of the delusion.
~
Back in her real body, she rocked backwards on her heels. Anju was at her side in a moment. "Are you alright? What happened?" Her light hazel eyes glowed in worry.
Rae gasped, one hand drifting to her chest. She suddenly had trouble breathing, and she felt slightly light-headed. Link groaned and shifted on the bed. Anju checked on him.
"He's waking up." She reported in amazement. "What did you just do?'
Rae shook her head, taking in a gulp of air. What was this? A side effect? She staggered to Sheik's bedside. The Sheikah was drawing in air through gritted teeth, much like she was. Pale strands of golden locks were slicked back by sweat, and a thin purple line was winding its way up his jaw. Rae ran a finger along the mark, and he shivered. There was no time left, she knew. She had to help him. Now.
She placed a hand on his forehead and concentrated on the violet disc in her hand. It was harder this time, trying to get through to Sheik's mind. He was trained in mental defences; she had to push to get in.
~
She was in that same strange field again. This time, everything was a golden, perfect paradise. Rae was almost tempted to sit and enjoy it. Almost. There was somethingartificial about it. It was too perfect.
"Sheik?" She called, despite its ineffectiveness the previous time.
"R...Ra" A weak warble sounded in her ears.
Rae spun, looking at the tree. At its base, there was a dark figure, almost completely shrouded in shadow. It was strange, considering that the field was alight with the sun. She rushed over to it. "Sheik?"
An empty face looked up at her. Looking into lifeless eyes, Rae shuddered and flicked on the Lens of Truth. Her surroundings suddenly flipped, and Sheik was a blazing light in the midst of a murky universe. Vivid crimson eyes gazed up at her, and all she could see was painand want.
"Sheik, you have to come back with me." She said.
He shook his head. "No. The shadow beasthe will not let me go" He pushed at her with one hand, the touch lingering. "Leave this placedo not let it consume you too"
Rae sighed. "Stop fighting against it, Sheik."
He gazed at her with sorrowful eyes. "How can you ask me to do such a thing? I will not concede to the creature!"
Rae rested one hand on the young man's shoulder. He winced slightly, and she drew away. Even here, in the shadow's realm, he bore the dark violet mark. "Do you remember when I asked you about you and your sister, and you explained to me the Sheikah?"
"Yes." The reply was so faint, that she had to lean in to hear him.
"You said that the shadow lives in each of us. That we have to accept it. That we do not let it control us. What are you doing?"
Sheik closed his eyes for a long time, and she felt a well of fear open in her heart. "Sheik?" Why was he so still? "Sheik!"
He is the last of the Sheikah! You took the woman away from me! I will not let you have him!
Rae was sent flying backwards at the force of the voice. The shadow beast had been slack in letting her rescue people, but he wanted Sheik for his own. "NO! You cannot have him!"
He WILL be mine! Leave this place!
"NO!" Rae stood against the mental force of the attack, bracing herself on a ground of nothingness. "It is his choice! Not yours!"
He chose his path a long while agoyou are already too late LEAVE!
Rae shook her head, yelling in Sheik's direction. "Dammit all, Sheik! Accept the darkness as your own! I didn't drag my ass in here just to lose you!"
At her voice, he opened his eyes again and smiled. "You never cease to amaze me." He stood, pain gone from his person. "Thank you."
NO!
~
Rae's head snapped back as the hallucination flung her out of Sheik's mind. They gasped in unison, and Rae collapsed on the bed. Anju was helping her sit in a chair as she sucked in a ragged breath. She clutched at the collar of her shirt and struggled to take in oxygen. On the bed, Sheik was doing the same. It was another few minutes before they could even talk.
"'Your eyes" He whispered, one hand rising. "You have seenthe truth" His voice was filled with pride, something that Rae had not expected from him. She nodded. He then noticed the spectacles resting on the top of her head. "The Lens of Truth"
"Do you remember?" She asked him abruptly. "All those years ago?"
Sheik's eyes widened, realisation dawning on him. "Yesnow I know why you were so familiar" He chuckled lightly. "To think that I could forget you" He gave an impish, half-grin. "The clumsy little girl that you were."
"Hey!" Rae protested. "You weren't all that nimble yourself, Mr. Almost-choked-by-a-dead-hand."
"I was ten!"
They laughed lightly. For now it was all better. Everything was fine.
They didn't think of what was yet to come.
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Dear gods, did any of you actually think that I was going to kill off Sheik?????? He's only my FAVORITE character!!!! Geez.
Sheik: You had me worried there for a minute
Me: Sorry about that. *Hugs him*
Sheik: ^____^
Yup, just a short little thing that I felt like making into it's own chap. Sorrydarkness and shadow is just so fun to write. Next chapter will be getting back to the 'save the land' thing. I promise. I just needed to go and save the two heroesand add a little Sheik scene. That's all.
OOH! I have decided to hold a MINI CONTEST! You see, I want to find out if you readers out there are as clever at making connections as you are at being faithful reviewers!
Ever since Sheik and Rae first met, Sheik had a sneaky suspicion that he knew her from somewhere. There is one particular thing that I put in the story that would make sure that he would think he knew her from his past. Can you locate the one thing that might have set his memory off? If you do, then I will give you a personal appearance in one of my next chapters. If you are a girl, then you will be a Gerudo. If you are a guy, then I will make you a buff carpenter or something. If the latter of the two happens, don't worry. Your description will be a whole lot more better than the dudes in the game. Gods, they were ugly!
Let's see if you can find it! I will have this contest open for ONE WEEK!! After Tuesday, November 26, I will no longer take answerseven if they are right. Sorry.
OracleVortex
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