"So you're awake."

The Hero of Time jerked upright and instantly regretted the sudden movement when his body screamed out to him. Closing his eyes he carefully lay back once more and inhaled deeply. It smelled of fire and forest….and blood.

Link shivered involuntarily and automatically he reached for his sword knowing even before he extending his hand that it wasn't there.

"Why didn't you kill me?" He whispered, licking cracked lips that tasted of sweat and blood. "Why didn't you finish me off?"

"I tried." The voice held a quiet sort of laughter. "That blow should have killed you…but it didn't." Now the Sheiken's (for Link had recognized the voice from the beginning) voice held a sharp note of curiosity.

"What?" Link's voice cracked and he coughed dryly, unable to continue.

"I've heard the old teachings but to see it for myself…" The young man trailed off and in the following silence Link found time to gain his voice back.

"Teachings?" He croaked, and he opened eyes of amazing blue, dulled by fatigue and sorrow. Those deep scarlet eyes held his gaze for a moment and then Sheik lifted the Master Sword from its sheath.

Link recognized it and also his blood upon it. Despite himself the young hero smiled in a way that was neither pleasant nor natural. Instead it was a twisted mockery of one in which his lips forced themselves into the vague shape of something he'd once taught them. Sheik, however was apparently too caught up in thought to notice.

Long moments drifted by for one in a pained haze and for the other in a thoughtful dream. After an indistinct passage of time had passed Sheik awoke from his musing with a start to find the warrior, Link, unconscious once again. The Sheiken frowned a frown directed more to himself than to his wounded wanderer as if debating something of great importance. The moment of uncertainty was soon resolved as Sheik sighed and disappeared only to return with the now unsoiled Master Sword, which he laid upon the young man's breast.

"We shall see yet, dear traveler. Who are you?" But of course, only silence answered.

"What? Another one?" Impa's hands, of their own accord, began to restlessly slide themselves along her dagger's blade. An old habit of hers left over from bygone battles lost in time's fading memories.

The soldier knelt before her, head bowed with grief and fatigue. His heaving chest was splattered with the blood of his comrades. Tears ran unchecked down his grimy face and dripped silently down to the embrace of the castle's worn old stones.

"Yes, 'm Lady. I'm greatly sorrowed to bring you the news." His voice was ragged and it wavered unsteadily as if shaken from within. "But…but." He broke off and fumbled with a dirty cloth, using it to smear away the tears, which continued to fall. "Took 'em, the beast did." He sobbed. "Took 'em with claws 'n teeth. Never seen naught like it. Arrows 'n blades would just break upon it's hide. It ate up whole lit torches 'n swallowed 'em whole just like the rest of my comrades."

Impa offered a clean kerchief, which the soldier took with trembling hands. "But did you see it close up? Did you get close enough to see it?" The soldier shook his head and blew his nose loudly.

"T'was too dark and it ate up the fire before we could see it. Ate up everyone in my party. The only one left I am. The only one left."