Link and Ruto were finishing up in the Water temple. They had covered every inch of the structure, from top to bottom. Not a single Shellblade, nor a Blue Tekitite, not even the tiniest Skulltulla. Only one room remained- The Illusory room, where Link had done battle with his inner demons years ago. Link and Ruto entered. The door slammed shut behind them. Ruto spun. "Locked! Oh, great... Just the room for this to happen, too." The room was filled with ankle-high water, a dead tree in the middle, the only sign of land as far as the eye could see. Link tensed, drawing the Biggoron's sword from its scabbard. Ruto prepared to fight, but she had no idea what they were dealing with. As it turns out, neither did Link.

Zelda was on shore, eating breakfast, when she heard something. It sounded like words... They were words, Link's words, though she could only ever understand one of them: "Zelda! " She dashed off to find Sando. As they turned to leave, Malon called out, "Get Link back here alive! Please!" In a short time they were both underwater, diving deep into the temple. After a brief scramble onto the dry stone of the first level and a leap to the main chamber, Sando called to Zelda, "Which way to the illusion chamber?" "This way, I think!" They took the passage to the east. A door opened invitingly. Cries of utter torment met their ears; The Zora princess was stuttering in horror, mentioning something about a 'Jabu Jabu'. Link was heard mournfully whispering names. "Malon... Zelda... Ruto...I'm so... Sorry... Goddesses... forgive me...I let you... all down..."

Sando moved to the doorstep, gazing in. "A lake, here?" He couldn't see either of the two friends within, so he stepped forward. He immediately regretted it. The door slid shut behind him, locking firmly. He turned to try and force the doors, cut the bars, anything. It refused to budge. He turned to contemplate his surroundings, and found himself in one of his worst nightmares. Surrounded by people, partygoers, family of Song. A tall, angry Mesou stepped forth, holding an object he thought destroyed. The mask of the Fierce Deity. A wicked smile on his face, he donned the mask, basking in the power. Holding his sword above his head, he brought it down towards Sando's head. Sando sidestepped desperately, raising his sword in a block. His sword's blade was sheared off at the handle. The deity swung again, his blast catching Sando in the chest, hurling him against the wall of people. They parted, and he found himself lying atop Song. Her eyes pierced his soul to the core. Her voice accused him, tore at his heart, robbed him of every joy he had ever felt. A racking sob tore from his lips. He couldn't move, couldn't think, could barely breathe.
He could only scream.

The door opened for Zelda next. Hearing Sando's voice added to the chaos, she prepared for the worst. Hoping her training would see her through, she walked into the room. The earth lurched violently. Her vision swam. She was back in the courtyard, half a year ago, witnessing Malon and Link's first kiss. Tears came to Zelda's eyes. It hurt, cut so deeply, to be back here. The scene replayed itself. She tried to run forward, but there was an invisible wall in the way. She tried to go backwards and discovered the same means blocked her escape. Zelda screamed in frustration and agony, pounding frantically on the floor. Then she remembered Sando's words. They echoed in her mind, Love will come again. The pain will dull. All it takes is time. She found she could open her eyes again. The pain had lessened, lost some of its edge. But the scene around her splintered.

She was in complete darkness. Then, a cloud shifted and the moon shone down on Hyrule field. She stood upon the world she had seen only in her dreams. The world that Ganon sought to create. Hyrule castle town and Kakariko village were wreathed in flames. Death Mountain sprayed lava high into the air. Zora's domain was frozen over, a glacier. The Kokiri forest, withered and dying. Lon-Lon ranch, a blasted wreck. Lake Hylia was empty. All this ruin brought her to her knees, but when she opened her eyes, these horrors paled by comparison. Bodies. Corpses. On every side, all around. Not just any corpses. Link and Malon, together in a final embrace, united by the spear that pierced them both. Sando, dead upon his own sword. Ruto, Nabooru, Saria, Impa, Darunia, her father, all dead, all gone, all killed horribly... and there were thousands more bodies on this vast plain! People of every race, creed, age... slaughtered senselessly! A footstep behind Zelda made her turn, terrified beyond reason. Ganondorf Dragmire stood behind her. Her horror reached a new crescendo when she knew she was next. She stumbled backwards, falling over the bodies, not having time to consider what she was touching, or feeling. She had lost hope when her hand bumped an object she couldn't see. She felt around, closing her hand on it, and lifting it. Suddenly, she realized what it was. Zelda held Link's Lens of Truth. He must have dropped it.

She put it to her eye, and the carnival of horrors on the other side vanished. She was back in the illusory room. The entire scene collapsed around her as the mystic lens knifed through the chimera like butter. Her terrified friends, curled into a fetal position, were each under the watch of a shadowy creature. One of the creatures stood before her as well, perplexed expression on its fanged face. Her hand went to her belt, drawing out a throwing spike. In a second, the beast toppled backwards in a keening moan, spike standing out of its forehead. The other creatures turned from their victims, baring their fangs, extending their claws. Zelda raised her hands in a guard stance, ready for them to come and meet their maker. The first came in a blur. Slashing claws and snapping fangs threatened her at every turn. Dodging at lightning speed, reflexes honed by the skills of a man faster even than this monstrosity, she brought her right fist crashing into the beast's chest, bringing her left in high, hitting the thing's fanged jaw. She spun, twisting, for the coup de grace, her right foot smashing home into its neck. Zelda was rewarded with a loud snap of breaking bones as the creature slumped to the floor, dead.

As it fell, Ruto began to stir, the deception dying with the monstrosity. Zelda raced to her side as the phantasms closed in, intent on keeping Zelda alone in this fight. The Zora princess was soon on her feet, flexing her muscles and extending her fin-blades. The pair fought back to back, warding off blows from the creatures, whatever they were. The Zora battled with marked efficiency, countering claw with blade, eventually driving the point of her spiny fin into the creature's chest. The beast slid backwards off the short blade, crumpling to the floor, dead. Link's artifice ruined. The hero got to his feet, sword in hand. The last beast tried to flee, but, hemmed in on three sides, it met its end on the point of Biggoron's blade.

Zelda called out to the weary warriors. "Is everyone alright? ""Not really, not after that..." Link said, leaning on his sword. "I've been better... Lots better....", Ruto replied. "How about you, Sando?" Silence. Nothing. "Sando?" Zelda spoke into the empty air. He hadn't stood, hadn't spoken. He wasn't even moving. Zelda raced to his side, turning him on his back. His eyes were unfocused, staring off into nowhere. He wasn't breathing. His face was pale. "Goddesses..." Zelda whispered. She felt his neck for a pulse. Nothing. She put her ear on his chest. Nothing. She wetted her finger in the water beside her, and placed a finger in front of his lips. No subtle intake of breath. He was gone. There was no flicker of life to save.

Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. Link took off his cap, holding it over his heart. The pain on his features was evident. Ruto was crying too. He and Ruto had called this man down here for help, and Sando sacrificed everything to save them. Zelda finally broke, lowering her face to his chest and sobbing uncontrollably, her long golden hair slipping out of her disguise. He was the one who had given her the will to combat the beasts, reawakened her strength, but more importantly, had helped shield her from the illusions in the first place! Sando had saved them all, and he was the one fate claimed?

Link did the only thing he could to salute a fallen warrior. He pulled out his ocarina, playing an ancient, mournful tune, the Call of the Fallen. Zelda spoke the words of the funeral hymn softly, already missing him dearly, her tears soaking his clothes.

Where have you gone, friend?
Where do you lie?
Why must I stay here,
and you must die?


Why did you choose

The path set by fate,

And now, you, we lose

My friends, we're too late.

We say our goodbye now,

At the parting of ways.

We'll see you again

At the end of our days.

True friends you have know,

To rest you've been lain,

We must move on,

And you shall remain.

Zelda had hardly known him, and he had tried to hard to help her... She mourned so deeply, she could almost see his rare smile, hear his voice... Keep this tune close to your heart. Her eyes opened in a flash. It was wild hope, foolish hope, but a hope nonetheless. She snatched Link's ocarina, the Ocarina of Time. She brought it to her lips, slowly. Her eyes closed in concentration. She uttered prayer to Nayru, for compassion, and Farore, for life. She played the tune Sando had taught her. The song of Healing somehow did not echo in the chamber, it's pure tone and timbre complete in every way. The song finished, and for a long time, no sound was heard. Everyone was holding their breath.

Sando didn't stir. He didn't move. Or breathe. Zelda dropped the Ocarina into the shallow water, collapsing once more onto the Sheikah's still form, her cheek pressed against his chest where his still heart lay. She was silent. Her prayer had not been heard. She closed her eyes, crying softly, at the death of her Sheikan protector.

Tha-Thump.
She thought she heard something.
Tha-Thump.
There it was again...
Tha-Thump, Tha-Thump.
His heart was beating. His chest rose and fell as he drew breath again. His eyes flickered. "Z-Zelda?" She lifted her tear-stained face from his chest, looked him in the eye, and locked him in a tight hug. "Sando! I thought I lost you! We killed the creatures, but you weren't... breathing, and... and..." Tears of joy crept down her cheeks now, and she held him all the tighter. "Thank the goddesses you're alive!" Sando smiled, wincing slightly. "I'll be ok... so long as... you let me.... breathe!"