Isa: This authors note goes out to Sadden Soul. Thank you so much for taking the time to review and read this fic. Your like the only one who reads it. So I especailly thank you very much. I'm glad you like my betrayal (sp?) of Dark Link. I lurv him! I update this story mainly because of you. Thank you so much for everything!
Chapter Eight: In Which Identities are Revealed
Finally, Sheik stepped onto the hard soil of Death Mountain Crater. A pool of hot lava gurgled below and a long, rickety rope bridge stretched from one end of the chasm to the other. The heat was over whealming! Sweat drenched Sheik's tight blue tunic and pants, and a Kessee flew overhead. Link merely stood with his arms crossed looking sullen. A distraught look in his eyes.
"Should we cross?" Sheik asked, and Link turned slowly to him. A sharp tingle of fear and cold raced up Sheik's spine as he did so, and he was even more uncomfortable then he had been before. All of the long trip Link had been acting strange, ever since that battle on the trail. If it were anybody else Sheik might have thought that he'd snapped from the pressure and gruesome sights of war, but Link wasn't just anybody. He had seen many things that a person should not have seen, young or old, and it was a wonder to some that the Hero had not gone insane.
Until now, thought Sheik bitterly remembering the Gruedos. Link uncrossed his arms and gazed into the boiling pool of red liquid.
"I suppose it's safe enough." he said finally, gazing at the rope bridge.
"You 'suppose'?" Sheik repeated, "you never suppose, you guess." Now the Sheikah's eyes were open that this was not the Link of the Triforce that he knew. Link never used fancy language or very high vocabulary for that matter. He never used words like suppose.
The imposter Link shrugged. "Then I guess we'll cross," he said flatly and stood behind Sheik, "you go first."
"Afraid?" Sheik inquired, narrowing his eyes steadily.
Dark Link drew his lips into a thin line. The Sheikah suspects, he thought to himself, well, he'll never guess.
"Fine, I'll go first." Link said coldly and stepped onto the rope bridge and placed his hands along the sides for balance. The bridge swayed and creaked under his weight and only swayed more as Shiek got on. Dark Link glanced behind him and the boy stared frightfully at the ground. Dark Link sneered, when the time came he would enjoy doing away with him.
And he would do it with the power of the Master Sword.
The two continued on and Sheik cringed every time the bridge would sway. Bubbles would grow and burst in the crater below and ooze out steaming liquid. Sheik tried to ignore the heat, but it was difficult. He wished that he had a heat resisting tunic as Link had, which surprised him that he hadn't put it on yet. Link still wore the same old green tunic, and it didn't appear to be so much as damp! while Sheik's shirt was soaked.
I don't know how he does it, Sheik sighed and shook his head. Link glanced over his shoulder.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"No." Sheik replied firmly.
"Certain?"
"Positive."
A smile crossed Link's lips, a smile that was not his own usual welcoming smile, but a sinister and evil one. It made Sheik shiver.
"Pity," Link muttered, "only fools are positive."
Sheik narrowed his eyes and felt for his dagger that was tucked away in his belt.
"All right you!" he shouted over the ragging lava bursts, "I know you're not really Link, so who are you? and what do you want?"
The figure laughed, and Sheik tightened his grip on the hilt of the dagger, ready to draw it and use it if necessary.
"You're quite clever for a novice," he mocked and turned to face Sheik, his eyes burning with the flame of vengeance and insanity, "took you awhile, but then again I suppose it would have. True I am not really Link of the Triforce of Courage, but I can pass off as him. Obviously." The grin on his face grew wider and Sheik took a step back.
"You know I always wondered why you keep you're face hidden like that, what are you hiding? Since even Link can't figure it out, your identity is unknown to me as well, but I know you're not really Sheikah, as you appear to be."
Sheik's eyes widened and Dark Link drew the Master Sword out of it's sheath. He ran his hand over the smooth hilt and long blade. He smiled, feeling the power beneath it's surface gave him great joy.
"I can see now why Link treasures this sword so much," Dark Link continued, "so much power in such a simple thing. I wonder what capabilities it has... I guess I'll just have to find out on you."
Dark Link lunged forward and aimed for Sheik's chest area, but Sheik had blocked it with his dagger, and switched quickly to his sword. Dark Link swung under and over, attempting to knock Sheik off balance. He succeeded.
Sheik fell to the ground, his elbow sliding through the wood in the bridge, but he rolled away just in time as Dark Link stabbed downward.
Sheik began to circled him, although there wasn't much room to maneuver, and he would have to finish his attacker off quickly. The wood was beginning to break under the pressure. Dark Link sensed Sheik's attack as he tried to slice his side, and he brought his sword downward with his back hand to block.
Metal scrapped on metal as Sheik put all of his strength to force Dark Link's weapon downward, his whole focus on this one attack. Dark Link took advantage of this and brought his leg upward, kicking Sheik in the shines. Sheik cried out in pain and let his guard down, and Dark Link struck several times, slicing Sheik's side and chest.
He yelped and fell to the ground once again, his sword slipping from his hands and plunging into the lava below. It sizzled and steamed as the boiling rock ate the sharp metal alive. Dark Link laughed again.
"What an amateur," he sneered, bringing the Master Sword level with Sheik's throat, the sword itself glowing a bright orange, "where did you learn to sword fight? In the Fairy Forest?"
"Don't mock me," Sheik warned boldly, "for sword fighting may be my weakness, but I am strong in other areas."
"I'm sure," Dark Link sneered, "fair well young Sheikah, I'll be obliged to tell Link about your fate." The firey sword barreled down on Sheik, but was stopped dead in it's tracks as a blue crystal barrier protected him.
The failed attack sent a wave of pain through Dark Link's arms and chest and he cried out and fumbled back. Sheik rose chanting, the crystal barrier still glowing bright around his body, "Goddess of courage, Oracle of Secrets, grant me the power of Feora's Wind!"
His hands reached up, and a green mist swirled around the Sheikah, then he pointed his hands forward and the green mist hurtled towards Dark Link, the furious wind breaking the the bridge to shreds. Dark Link yelled as he slipped through the wood and held on for his life.
Sheik made his way steadily toward him, Dark Link glared up at him, fire burning in his eyes.
"That was impossible! How could you cast Feora's Wind? The only ones who posses that magic is-" his eyes widened, Sheik smiled.
"Until just a few moments ago I didn't know your identity etheir, and I still don't, but since you've already guessed who I am, the truth might as well be revealed.'' Sheik pulled his white bandana down off his face, blue eyes twinkling, he took off his hat, and long blond hair fell into place behind his back.
Princess Zelda stood before Dark Link, in Sheikah clothing.
"How? how?" Dark Link fumbled for words and Zelda reached down and grabbed him by the shirt collar and yanked him up onto the bridge. She clenched her hands into a fist and jabbed at his jaw and nose. Then she stripped off Link's shield and sword sheath and Master Sword from his clutches. She magically stripped him Link's tunic, and hat, and and left him standing there in a white undershirt. She also took away his Golden Gantlets, and sack of Link's weapons.
"Let that be a lesson to you!" Zelda screamed, "you mess with one of my friends, you mess with everyone! Especially me! Now is there anything you would like to say before I end you're pathetic life?" She pointed the Master Sword at his chest.
Dark Link laughed, and Zelda thrusted the blade forward, Dark Link disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, his laughs fading in the background. Zelda looked around her but there was no sign of the imposter, or whether or not she had truly killed him.
"Hey!" a small high pitched voice called from above, "Listen!" Zelda quickly pinned up her hair and wrapped the bandana around her mouth and nose. She slipped her hat back on just as Navi the fairy swooped down and hovered by her ear.
"Sheik! Link's in trouble, he's trapped somewhere in the Black Tower we have to help him!" she shouted. Sheik gathered Link's things and placed them all in a sack he had secretly, yet magically conjured up.
"And save him we shall!" he cried and raced upward along the bridge forgetting his fear of falling through.
Link pushed with all of his strength up on the loose trap door that blocked their way to the topside of Dongongo's Cavern, it was difficult, seeing as he did not have the power of his gloves to back him up. He pulled himself up onto the hard musty ground and rolled over onto his back panting heavily.
"I am so getting sick of this." he muttered. Nabooru climbed out and stood beside him, glaring towards the top of the mountain that only lay a few miles ahead of them. The rope bridge leading up to the Black Tower stood out against the bright colored sky, like a dark beacon. As she stared closer the Greudo's eyes widened. A boy, no more then Link's age sped across the bridge, some pieces falling behind him.
"Link! look!" Nabooru pointed and Link blinked.
"Sheik? what's he doing here?" Link squinted to get a better view. He spied a big sack hanging over his shoulder, a blue tip with wings and a bright diamond stuck out.
"He's got my sword!" Link shouted and sped down the slope, "and I bet my other weapons too! Hurry up Nabooru!''
Nabooru shook her head in dismay but followed Link down the slope. They ran along side the lava's edge, Nabooru's legs pumping to keep up with Link.
"Sheik! Sheik!" Link called, still running and waving his arms frantically, "Sheik!"
The boy on the rope bridge reached the other side and turned to the calling of his name. His eyes widened with joy and relief as he saw Link and his companion.
"Thank Din, your all right!" Sheik yelled over the bubbling lava, "I thought I had lost you back there!"
"Same here!" Link shouted back, "but that doesn't matter now."
"Oh, Link! I have all your weapons for you, and your rightful clothes!" Sheik said holding up his sack. Link smiled.
"I knew it! and I'm glad too, black just isn't my thing."
"I agree," Nabooru spoke up, "in that attire you look just like that killer."
"I do not think we will be seeing him again," Sheik sighed, and set the sack down in the dirt, "I took care of him, at least I hope so."
Link nodded firmly then gazed up at Sheik.
"Sheik! throw me my hookshot! Then Nabooru and I can get over there to you!" Sheik nodded and opened the bag. A faint sound of clanking metal could be herd as he shuffled around in it's contents.
"That's it! That's it!" Navi cried circling a strange handle with a chain and spear head attached to it. Sheik pick it up and turned it over in his hands. Link raised his own and prepared to catch it as Sheik chugged it towards him.
When the weapon had landed safely in his hands, Link unwove the chain and glanced at Nabooru.
"Ok, listen. Grab onto me, and hold on tight, this'll be fun." Link slipped his hand through the handle and Nabooru slipped her hands around his waist. Sheik squelched slightly. Link aimed towards the rope bridge and flicked his wrist so that the spear head shot forward and latched onto the ropes. Instantly Nabooru and Link were pulled off their feet and hurtled towards the bridge. When they were safely on, Link quickly unlatched the hookshot and wove the chain back in. He and Nabooru ran quickly to the other side for safety, just as the last of the boards fell through.
"Well, there's no use in coming back that way." Link muttered.
"Well deal with that latter, right now we have Ganondorf to take care of!" Nabooru shouted sharply, "now hurry up and change, arm yourself or whatever you have to do, but we need to move on."