Chapter 29: The Four Sword Hero

Friday 12-30, 2pm
Status: On the train back to the Eastern Abbey

Snow, snow, snow. The entire landscape was a blanket of white, buried under a generous foot and a half of snow. Link's eyes glazed over, the white all blending together. She wasn't really paying attention at all to what was outside, but looking out the window was better than staring into space with a dead look in her eyes and probably scaring Zelda and the other passengers.

Zelda had already noticed how quiet the Sheikah agent was. Link excused it away, saying she was feeling a little sick from her adventure in the snow two days before. That was a lie, but she couldn't tell Zelda the real reason.

Just thinking about it made her fidget. She couldn't wrap her mind around it. Part of her wondered if it'd just been a particularly vivid dream. She wasn't really sure why she would dream about that, though. Oh, but it didn't make any sense in reality, either!

She let herself go over the events of last night once more...

Link had finally been able to fall asleep. She woke up, though, when Vaati moved her head off of his shoulder. Half-asleep, she let him prop her up against the headboard, sighing happily. Vaati was a good friend, really, even if he wouldn't admit it. He'd come all the way out there to cheer her up, and now he was even trying to not wake her up. Maybe she'd tease him later about that. For now, sleep was pulling her slowly under.

Something touched her forehead, brushing her bangs away and tracing the small scar above her eyebrow. Was that... Vaati? Her half-conscious mind focused on the cold tips of his fingers on her skin. Then she felt his hand curl under hers, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand. Okay, this was getting weird. Vaati was the only person in the room, but she couldn't imagine why he'd be holding her hand and touching her face so... gently. Link struggled against the desire to open her eyes. That would make things extremely awkward. If she just continued to pretend to be asleep, he'd leave soon enough, and she'd just act like she didn't know anything about it.

So, Link kept her breathing steady, even as Vaati's fingers touched her cheek and his hand tightened around hers, making her heart skip. Her heartbeat was so loud in her ears, she was afraid he could hear it. Any moment. Any moment, this weird dream—it had to be a dream, right?—would pass. She heard him take a breath, closer than she expected. Was he... going to...?

And then he kissed her, warm lips pressed against hers very gently. Her heart leaped into her throat. She didn't know how she was able to keep her eyes closed and her breathing natural. Maybe it was the shock, pure shock, that kept her from reacting and blowing her cover.

The kiss was brief. Vaati pulled away quickly, his hands also jerking back. "Din..." he breathed. "I'm an idiot. Why did I—"

She felt the bed move, probably Vaati moving away. Then there was a whispering sound, like wind whistling through a gap in a window. It was vaguely familiar; hadn't she heard that sound earlier when he'd teleported to her room? Link opened her eyes a crack. When it seemed as though the Mage had left, she opened her eyes fully. The room was empty except for her.

Pressing her fingers to her lips, Link willed her heart to stop racing. Had that really just happened...?

Link pressed her forehead to the cold glass of the window. It probably hadn't been a dream. It felt too real. She knew what a kiss felt like. Soft yet firm, and warm...

"Are we there yet?" she moaned. Thinking about it made her all sorts of confused, so she'd just try to forget about it and focus on something else.

Zelda checked the time on her Slate and nodded. "There are about fifteen minutes left. I'm glad they were able to get the trains running today. I just hope it doesn't snow anymore..." She looked out at the white world passing by.

"Well, at least we got enough gems before the storm hit," Link replied. She and Zelda had discussed it and decided that they could probably finish the restoration of the Four Sword at the Abbey. Their original plan had been to go to one more location just to be sure, but the storm had forced them to change plans. Hopefully, Zelda could draw out enough Force Gems at the Abbey. And then...

Then Link would split into four, wouldn't she? She wondered if that hurt. Maybe it would just be like the shocks from before—forceful, but not painful. Admittedly, she was curious to see copies of herself. And after talking with Vaati, she didn't feel quite so anxious about being the Hero. Whatever Hyrule needed her for, she would be there, with Vaati by her side.

Her thoughts flashed back to Vaati's hand holding hers. How was she supposed to pretend like she knew nothing about it if her mind immediately went back to what had happened every time she thought about him?!

Link took a deep breath. She was a professional Sheikah spy. Just like she'd pretended to be asleep last night, she would continue to pretend to be oblivious. No matter how nervous and confused she might be inwardly, she would act one hundred percent normal around Vaati. Otherwise, things could get really complicated.

She spent the rest of the train ride and the trek from the station to the Abbey mentally composing herself, preparing exactly how she would act when she saw Vaati. The sidewalks were buried in snow, so they had to walk on the roads, which were only slightly plowed. Link carried Zelda's bag for her like the gentleman she was, though it made it difficult to walk with any kind of speed without slipping in the slushy snow. By the time they entered through the main doors, Link was exhausted, and she'd almost forgotten about her plans on how to act around Vaati, so focused on not falling flat on her face as she'd been.

Father Gaepora greeted them at the door. "Welcome back to the Abbey. I am glad to see you both made it safely." He looked at the Four Sword slung over Link's shoulder. "I heard that the sword is near completion?"

"Yep. All the rust is gone, and the handle even looks new. We just need one last batch of Force Gems."

"That is certainly good news," Father Gaepora smiled. He paused, before asking, "Have you sensed anything from the sword?"

She knew what he was getting at—had the sword given any clues as to whether she was the Hero or not? Link straightened, not letting the question bother her. "We'll find out the truth today. Do you know where Impa is? I need to talk to her real quick before we work on the sword."

"Ah, I believe I last saw her speaking with Mr. Enlil in the library."

Link cringed inwardly. Oh well, she'd have to face him sooner or later; it was just sooner this time. She thanked the priest and quickly went to her room to drop off her things, then trotted down to the library. She crept slowly through the rows of shelves. Let's see, if she were being completely normal, she might try to surprise Vaati.

She caught a glimpse of his violet hair through the gaps in the shelves. The sight of him made butterflies dance in her stomach but she ignored the feeling. Perfect—he was facing away from her. Link tiptoed around the corner, trying to keep herself out of Impa's line of sight as well. The Sheikah was speaking quietly, but Link didn't pay attention to what she was saying. Just a few feet...

"And Link strikes again!" she whispered loudly, purposely alerting Vaati. He jerked his head towards her just as she lunged forward, her hand whipping out and her finger pressed against his jugular. They both stood frozen for a second, and then Link flicked her hand in mimicry of slicing his throat. "Dead again, Vaati!"

She saw his eyes dart around like he was trying to look anywhere but her face. Then he muttered, "Can't you greet me in a normal way for once?"

"But that would be boring!" she replied with a grin. Vaati was acting fairly normal, aside from some nervousness. That was good—it made it easier for her to pretend if he acted like nothing was out of the ordinary, too.

She turned to Impa, who had been watching without comment, and bowed her head slightly. "Zelda and I are back. I let Father Gaepora know that the sword is almost finished."

Impa nodded. "Do you have anything to report on your trip?"

"Not much. I saw two Yiga spies, but I made sure they didn't see us with the sword, so they wouldn't know anything conclusive about what we were doing."

"And the sword? Do you believe the shocks you experienced mean anything?"

Link looked over at Vaati, then smiled. "Oh, I don't know. It might've been telling me not to touch it. Who knows?"

"I believe," Impa stated, "it is time to find out, once and for all." She gestured towards the Four Sword hanging from Link's shoulder. "I will tell the others; you two, go to the Sanctuary and wait there."

The Sheikah departed, leaving Link and Vaati alone in awkward silence. The blonde quickly cleared her throat and elbowed her friend. "You heard her! Let's go!"

She led the way down the stairs and through the secret passage to the underground cavern. Vaati was quiet, only replying every so often when Link's chatter called for a reply. She glanced back at him once, only to see him quickly look away, avoiding her gaze.

Honestly, she desperately wanted to ask him about it, but that would mean admitting she'd been awake the whole time, and that would only make things worse. It was kind of strange when she really thought about it—she was confused about why he'd suddenly kissed her, but it wasn't like she was upset about it. She was more concerned about the intensely awkward tension flaring up between them. Link glanced back once more. The Vaati walking behind her now, avoiding her eye—she didn't want to see that. But there was nothing she could do about it except act as though nothing had happened.

In the Sanctuary, Link pulled the Four Sword out of its bag and sheath, looking it over. Even in the dim lighting, the gem in its hilt sparkled and the blade gleamed. She rolled it in her hand. It felt perfectly balanced in her grip, capable of quick but powerful strikes. Experimentally, she swung it back and forth. She'd never had a sword feel as though it was custom made for her, but the Four Sword seemed like a natural extension of her arm.

"Stop showing off," Vaati called. Link turned; her roommate was watching her with a serious expression. His eyes were locked on the sword in her left hand.

"Oh, come on! It's like how your magic is for you—it just feels so natural and fulfilling!" Link pouted. She swung the sword up in a wide arc, reaching high as though she wanted to touch the cavern ceiling. "Sometimes using a sword feels more like dancing than practicing with a killing tool." She pivoted and brought her arm down. "I'd much rather be a dancer than a fighter, but I guess it doesn't hurt to know how to do both." Link straightened, letting her arm hang at her side. "What would you rather do with your magic, Vaati?"

The Mage crossed his arms, turning his gaze to the murals behind the pedestal. "Zelda asked me a similar question once," he said quietly. "What was the reason I wanted magic. I think I just wanted to prove everyone wrong—that magic was possible, and that I wasn't evil like the Wind Mage. I was going to find ways to use magic that the whole world would be impressed with. But... I don't think I care about impressing the world anymore." Vaati's gaze wandered to Link's face before glancing away again. "I don't know yet what I want to do. For now, I'm just using it to help you." He added after a moment, stammering slightly, "Y-you as in the Sheikah and everyone, not you specifically."

Link chuckled. "I think helping others is a good reason to use your magic. Zelda's right—you've changed a lot for the better! The old Vaati wouldn't lift a finger to help anyone else. I'm so proud of you!" She received a withering glare, but she could tell he wasn't actually angry.

Voices echoed down from the stairs by the Sanctuary entrance. Link and Vaati turned expectantly. After a moment, Impa, Father Gaepora, Zelda, and Aveil came into sight. Sheik, still in a wheelchair, wasn't able to get down to the Sanctuary. Link felt a slight pang of disappointment that not everyone could be gathered together.

"Already practicing?" Aveil called out, noticing the Four Sword in Link's hand.

She lifted the sword and pointed it at the Gerudo. "Just testing it a little." Then she lowered it and grabbed the sheath, sliding it into the leather holder. "I'm ready when you are."

Zelda walked up to the pedestal, Link a few feet behind her, while everyone else took their place by the cavern wall. The Sheikah agent held her breath as Zelda brought her hands together. This time, she knelt on the ground, head bowed as she mouthed the words of the spell. Long moments passed, and Link began to wonder if there was something wrong. No gems were appearing anywhere.

She was about to speak when Zelda reached out a hand and touched the stone pedestal in front of her. There was a dim glow from the slit where the Four Sword used to rest. Then, one by one, the largest Force Gems Link had seen yet appeared on the ground surrounding the pedestal. Each was the size of her fist, glimmering in blue, purple, green, and red.

Zelda stood and turned to Link. The expression on her face was solemn, though her blue eyes remained soft. "All that remains is you, Link," she said. "Please, return the Four Sword to the pedestal and restore it to its full power."

She wasn't as scared as she'd thought she would be. Link removed the Four Sword from its sheath calmly. She had the feeling that her life was about to change drastically, but it didn't worry her. Taking slow steps, Link approached the pedestal. Maybe the emotion she was feeling was bittersweetness. She raised the blade above the pedestal, both hands gripping the hilt. Her life would change, but the same people would remain by her side. And with those people near her, there was nothing she could not accomplish. Link slid the Four Sword down into the stone pedestal.

The Force Gems on the ground sparkled and glowed brightly, illuminating the Four Sword. Its gem gleamed in response. The cavern, usually shrouded in shadow, was bright. Then, slowly, the Force Gems faded away, and then the Four Sword, too, dimmed to normal. The gem in its hilt continued to sparkle.

Link slowly reached out and let her fingers touch the green gem. There was no shock this time, but the gem reacted, changing to red and then back to green.

"...Is it completed?" Father Gaepora called out in a hushed tone.

"Only one way to find out," Link replied. She grabbed the handle and pulled.

The moment its blade left the pedestal, a shock went through her whole body, threatening to topple her. But she'd been expecting it. Link braced herself against the unknown force, lifting the sword up in front of her. It felt like something was trying to push her from side to side. She focused on the sword in her hands. The gem flashed blue, purple, red, and then finally green. As the gem returned to normal once more, the shock disappeared.

Link took a deep, deep breath, and then looked to her left.

Staring back at her were three copies of herself—except they didn't have blonde hair. The one next to her had blue hair and was wearing an expression of surprise, the middle one had purple hair and was grinning, while the last one had red hair with a rather serious look.

"Well!" said the one with purple hair, grinning even wider. "There's your answer!"