Ok so blah blah blah this took forever whatever. I've been having trouble uploading this chapter, so I'll just cut this short cause I'm frustrated and exhusted. So if you really wanna ask me something just drop by my inbox or whatever. Anyway, let's get started.
Chapter 25: Unexpected Allies
"Midna, where are we going?" Lana asked breathlessly, jogging to keep up with the Twili imp's fast pace. Midna glided across the open fields with purpose, her manner more serious than it usually was as she led the white sorceress to an unknown destination.
The Twilight Princess had a ghost of a smile on her face as she glanced back towards her ally. "I'm honestly not sure myself…" she admitted. "I guess he could be just about anywhere."
"Who?"
"You'll see…" Midna said vaguely, still refusing to explain exactly what or who they were looking for.
"Well, all the same, we shouldn't go too far," Lana frowned. "After all, we still have to meet up with Agitha after she finds the princess. Speaking of which, why do need her anyway?"
"Always so full of questions, aren't we?" the Twilight Princess giggled. "Why don't you try going with the flow instead of always wondering about everything? It makes life much more interesting."
Lana sighed in slight annoyance as she continued to follow Midna, putting away the rest of her many pressing questions for now. She certainly trusted the Twilight Princess after all they had been through together, but she still couldn't help but question her rather odd motives, especially at a time like this. For all they knew, Cia could be having her way with both Link and Hyrule at that very moment and there was no time to waste. Especially not on what seemed to be an aimless wild goose chase for something the Twili imp refused to divulge.
While the white sorceress wondered what their ultimate goal was, the Twilight Princess knew full well what she was looking for. Or rather who she was looking for. Her first instinct was to be nervous as she considered the reunion that was about to take place, but instead she placed her worries aside for resolve and ambiguity instead. Had the situation been less serious, she would have definitely been more excited than anxious, but as her thoughts of the future Hyrule and dread of the present combined, she couldn't help but be apprehensive. She knew well that the only reason they were on this hunt in the first place was so they could find some help in getting back to the present. In all actuality, there was relatively little personal about it, but for Midna, at least, this would still be very personal. There was no way it couldn't be.
After about an hour of directionless traveling, Midna suddenly stopped in her tracks as she heard a familiar high-pitched tune ring out across the field from nearby. Likewise, Lana stopped short a few feet behind the Twilight Princess, though she didn't recognize the airy trill like her companion did. "What was that?" the white sorceress asked in confusion.
"It's what we're looking for," Midna replied simply, a small grin on her face as she glided forward, even faster than before. Knowing that she still wasn't getting any answers, Lana simply followed as she had been doing this entire time, hoping that everything would finally become clear soon.
The Twilight Princess's breath caught in her throat as she hovered to the top of the hill before them, looking down into the small valley below to see a sight that filled her heart with warmth and cold all at once. Likewise, as Lana came to stand atop the hill, she let out a shocked gasp upon noticing the figure standing quite a distance away from them.
He had yet to notice their arrival as he cheerfully greeted the elegant, sturdy mare that had just ran to meet his call. Lana felt her heart clench as she glanced over him, his dark golden hair, faded green clothes, handsome face. She had seen that face so many times before while watching the flow of time, out of both her own curiosity and Cia's obsession. But to actually meet him face to face… she never thought she'd get the chance.
"Midna…" Lana said, her voice but a soft whisper. "That's…"
"I know," Midna said, just as gently. Her eyes never left him, even if he had yet to see her. Despite the fact that she had been the one to part them in the first place, she had always secretly been dreaming of this day, when they would finally reunite at long last. But even now, when he was right in front of her, it took all of the courage she had in her to finally push herself towards him.
"Link," the Twilight Princess called, though her shaking voice was nowhere near loud enough for him to hear her from so far away. So she tried again, trying her best to push confidence in to her voice, despite the fact that she had very little at the moment. "Link!"
The Hero of Twilight finally glanced away from his loyal steed upon hearing his name, though he froze up upon seeing the Twilight Princess slowly gliding towards him. Midna herself stopped as she noticed his completely stunned expression. His jaw was dropped and his dark blue eyes were wide as he took in the sight of her, but his expression conveyed little emotion other than shock. Even as she discreetly descended the hill after Midna, Lana could practically sense the awkward tension between the former companions, though she did notice that the hero's sights were set on nothing else but the Twili imp before him. However, when the silence finally did cease, the hero himself was the one to break it.
"M-Midna…?" he asked in clear disbelief, still unable to rip his eyes away from her. The Twilight Princess bit back the sob she had been holding in as she heard him say her name again, knowing that the last time he had said it had been in a desperate plea to get her to stay.
After what seemed like ages of trying to think of something sensible to say, Midna all too soon found her silent emotional state give way to blatant panic. Before she could stop herself, her tears finally began to come forth, her small frame wracked with sobs as she finally spoke. "Link…" she began, her tone slow and resigned at first. "My little wolf…"
Still trying to make sense of the unfolding situation, the hero opened his mouth to speak, but Midna was quick to stop him before he could, her own overflowing emotions getting the better of her. "Link, I… I need you to know, before anything else, that I am so, so sorry." A tight cry finally escaped her, tears practically pouring down her face as she watched confusion fill his features, which hadn't changed at all despite the months they had been apart. However, as she thought of the dark future that Lana revealed that he might possibly have, she knew, above all else, that she had to set things straight between them. So she continued. "I'm so sorry for the huge mistake I made. Leaving you was the worst thing I could have ever done and not a day goes by that I wish I could just go back in time and keep myself from breaking that damn mirror in the first place. To tell you the truth, I'm just… incomplete without you, Link. You were my best friend I took that for granted. I thought that breaking the mirror would be the best thing for both of us, but now I know that it wasn't; it isn't and it will never be. I don't expect you to forgive me for what I've done, but I expect you to know that I haven't stopped thinking about you, I haven't stopped remembering everything we went through together, and I haven't stopped hoping that I would see you again, because… because…" The Twilight Princess finally trailed off, her lengthy speech finally slowing from its mile a minute pace as her grief and regret overwhelmed her. Her eyes were so blurred by tears that she couldn't even see the hero begin to solemnly approach her. "Because… I missed you… Goddesses, I missed you so much. I know you probably hate me for everything I've put you through, and I know I'll never forgive myself for any of this, but… but I… I just…"
Just as Midna trailed off into incoherent sobs, she suddenly drew in a startled breath as Link folded her small frame into a gentle, comforting embrace. It certainly surprised the Twilight Princess, as the two of them had never really hugged before, but she accepted it nonetheless as she continued to pour her emotions out and listened to his words of comfort. "Midna," he began, his voice soft and soothing, a stark contrast to the savage fierceness she knew it could carry. "I… I missed you too… More than you could possibly know. These past few months have felt like years without you, and while I don't know why you're here or how you got here… none of that matters. What matters is… I forgive you…"
"W-what?" Midna asked, her voice rough and fragile from crying.
"I said I forgive you," the hero repeated as he pulled away from her a bit, a small, yet warm smile on his face. "After everything we went through, I don't think there's any way I could stay mad at you for too long."
Though her eyes were still wet with tears, the Twilight Princess let out a chuckle at this as she gave him a light, playful punch on the arm. "I guess some things never change," she said with a relieved smirk. "You're still the same little wolf I know and love."
Having watched this entire touching reunion from a short distance, Lana couldn't help but smile softly to herself, glad that she had been able to keep her promise to Midna. But even so, she refrained from butting into the conversation between the two companions as they began to catch up with each other.
"So… It's not that I'm not incredibly happy to see you again, Midna, but… how'd you get back to Hyrule?" Link asked, slightly bewildered. "And why are you an imp again? I thought the curse was lifted."
"It's a long story…" Midna said, crossing her arms as her usual playful manner returned. "And honestly, I'd like to wait until Zelda gets here to tell it."
"Z-Zelda's coming?" the hero asked, suddenly caught off guard. The Twilight Princess noticed this as she smirked at her companion broadly, ready to poke fun at him as always.
"Yep. And honestly, I was sort of expecting you to be with her, especially considering the way you two kept gawking at each other before I left."
"O-oh, well… I mean…" Link stumbled awkwardly, his face alight with sudden embarrassment. "The princess and I… We've hung out a little since then, but don't take it the wrong way; there isn't anything like that going on between us."
"Aw, well that's a shame then," Midna deadpanned. "You two would make a pretty cute couple. Yeah, the princess and her loyal wolf!"
The hero shot the Twili imp an unamused glare as she giggled at his expense. "Midna…" he said in exasperation.
"Come on, Link, you know I'm just kidding," she laughed mirthfully. "But there is someone very important I'd like you to meet. This is Lana. She's a good friend of mine." The Twilight Princess glided aside as she turned to the white sorceress, who was still standing a few feet away, observing the scene. Lana was admittedly surprised as she was suddenly brought into the conversation, but she stepped forward nonetheless, trying her best to suppress how nervous she was in front of the legendary Hero of Twilight.
"Nice to meet you, Lana," Link greeted with a friendly grin, extending a hand out for her to shake. The white sorceress met it hesitantly, feeling the steady rush of warmth building up in her cheeks as she nodded a bit breathlessly.
"I-it's an honor to meet you too, h-hero," she said rather meekly, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart. She knew it was shameful, but she couldn't deny that she shared at least some of the black witch's admiration for the heroes of the past, even if she was much better at controlling it than her other half.
"Oh, you don't have to call me that," the hero said humbly. "No one does. Well… except Zelda."
"Speaking of Zelda," Midna said as she glanced to the wide field to the east, spotting two familiar figures steadily approaching them. "Here she comes. Looks like that kid can actually get things done if you ask her firmly enough."
Even while she was still quite a distance away, Agitha cheerfully called out to her allies the moment she saw them from afar. "Miss Lana! Miss Kitty! I'm back! And I brought the princess!"
Indeed, the princess of Hyrule followed not too far behind the insect princess, her expression awash with confusion as she tried to understand why a young girl had come to find her in the name of the Twilight Princess herself. But as she glanced up from her young companion to see the Twili imp floating in the distance, her usual stoic, calm demeanor instantly shattered into one of great surprise. "Midna?!" Zelda gasped, immediately picking up the skit of her heavy royal gown so she could run to meet the Twilight Princess. Agitha skipped cheerfully after her, glad to reunite with her two allies once more.
"Good to see you again too, Zelda," Midna laughed casually, giving the princess a broad smirk of greeting as she arrived before her.
"Midna… how… how is this possible?" Zelda asked a bit breathlessly, quickly resuming her regal posture after her show of rather elated surprise. "The Mirror of Twilight is shattered. By all accounts our kingdoms have been severed from one another."
"Tell me something I don't know," the Twilight Princess remarked sarcastically. "Don't worry; I'll explain everything, I promise. But first, I think there are a few introductions we need to get out of the way, right, Lana?"
"Y-yes," Lana nodded, feeling more at ease with meeting the Princess of Light than she had the hero. "Your highness, my name is Lana. Midna and Agitha have been traveling with me and my allies for quite some time."
"Then we are well met, Lana," Zelda said with a reserved, polite smile as the white sorceress bowed in reverence. "Midna is a dear friend of mine. Though, I was somewhat surprised to be summoned to meet her by such a young… interesting child as Agitha here."
"I showed Princess Zelda my prized phasmid pair!" Agitha announced proudly. "And I gave her that necklace, just like you wanted, Miss Kitty."
"Heh, yeah, sorry about that," Midna said to Zelda, rolling her eyes the young girl. "But anyway, princess, I'm sure you remember Link, right?"
"Yes…" the princess's manner grew somewhat anxious, perhaps even bashful as she glanced towards Link, who had scarcely been able to take his eyes off of her since her arrival. "Hero… I am pleased to see you again. It has been quite a while since we last met."
"I… um, yes," the hero nodded tersely, always finding himself at a loss for words in the presences of the radiant princess. "It… it has been a while, hasn't it?"
Link's anxious expression soon turned to an aggravated glare as he heard Midna's teasing chuckle beside him, knowing that she was probably getting a good laugh over watching stumble over his words. Thankfully though, Lana soon cut in, knowing that there was an important matter that still had to be dealt with. "I'm sure you both are wondering why you're here. And honestly, I'm not so sure about the answer myself. Why did you need them to meet us, Midna?"
"Ah, looks like you're finally about to get some 'much-needed' answers, Lana," Midna said, floating casually. "And all you had to do was be a little patient. So, here goes. I think it be best to start with a fun fact: Lana here is actually a sorceress from the future. Pretty neat, huh?"
Link and Zelda were both quite surprised to hear this information as they both looked to white sorceress to learn more. "Um, yes," Lana admitted a bit sheepishly. "I'm actually one half of the Guardian of Time, the destined watcher of the Triforce. My other half, the black witch Cia, split off from me and started a great war in the Hyrule of my time, a war that's still going on."
"Now, here's the awkward part," Midna cut in, looking towards the hero. "Especially for you, Link. You see, Cia's not only bent on conquering Hyrule, and not only was she the one who invaded this Hyrule and cursed me into an imp again. But… she's also ridiculously obsessed with every hero Hyrule's ever had, including you."
"Wait…" Link interrupted, trying to make sense of this explanation, which actually made him rather uncomfortable. "So this Cia woman… is in… love with me? Did I hear that right?"
"Didn't you hear what I just said, little wolf?" the Twilight Princess asked caustically. "Not just you. Every hero, but especially the one in her time. So much so that she managed to capture him, probably just so she can force him into her bed, the dirty slu-"
"Midna!" Lana warned, already fully prepared to keep Agitha from hearing Midna curse once more. The Twilight Princess heaved a sigh of annoyance as the white sorceress continued for her. "Anyway… We were separated from our other allies after Cia captured our hero. Since I recruited both Midna and Agitha from this era, it only made sense that we ended up here. But as for the rest of our allies… well, they could be scattered across the sands of time for all we know."
"Which is why we need your help," Midna said to both the hero and the princess. "Apparently, the only way we can get back to the future Hyrule and put Cia in her place is with the Master Sword. And as we all know, there's only one person who can use it, am I right, Link?"
"Oh…" Lana muttered in realization, the pieces of Midna's mysterious plan finally all fitting into place. She honestly wasn't sure why she hadn't thought of the idea herself, considering the Hero of Twilight was the only candidate in this age suitable for wielding the sacred blade, even if it wasn't currently in his possession.
"I guess…" Link said with a confused frown. "But Midna, after you left, I put the Master Sword back in the Sacred Grove."
"I figured as much," Midna crossed her arms, though there was no signs of impatience in her tone. "Which is why I wanted to talk to you, Zelda."
"About what?" the princess asked curiously.
"Well, normally I wouldn't care about something as childish as asking for permission for anything, but considering I genuinely respect you, I figured it would only be appropriate," the Twili imp started both brazenly and awkwardly. "So… since you're the one who told us to go get the sword in the first place, would you mind if we went and got it again? Just to get us back to the future?"
"Oh, well, I am not sure if such a thing is really under my jurisdiction…" Zelda said with a frown. "But I suppose there would be no issue with such a thing. After all, it is for a noble cause and the Master Sword shall be safe in the hands of the honorable hero of the land once more."
Midna could scarcely contain her amused laughter as she looked over at Link, whose eyes were wide and cheeks were red as he heard the princess's compliment of him. Of course, before it could really amount to anything, Agitha burst into the conversation, only really understating about half of what the adults were conversing about, though that hardly quelled her excitement.
"So, we're going to the forest to find the fancy sword?" the insect princess chirped happily. "Hooray! There are so many diverse and interesting insects that live in the woods! I can't wait to meet them all!"
"Ugh, ignore her," Midna scoffed to Link and Zelda. "She's a bit off her rocker, though I gotta admit, she's a pretty competent fighter."
"So what happens after we get the Master Sword?" Link asked.
"I'll explain once we get there," Lana affirmed, more than ready to depart to get this new mission underway. "But for now, we should get going. I doubt we have much time to wait."
"But of course," Zelda agreed. "After all, if the Hyrule of any age, past, present, or future is in danger, than it is my sworn duty as its ruler to ensure its salvation."
"I agree," Link said with firm resolve. "We'll do whatever we can to help you all."
"Thanks, little wolf," Midna smiled warmly, still overjoyed to be with her original hero once again, especially after thinking she would never get this chance again. "I knew I could count on you."
The trek through the treacherous Gerudo Desert had been a hard one, though nowhere near as difficult as it could have been thanks to Impa's special Sheikah abilities. Thanks to her enhanced vision, she had been able to guide herself, Ruto, and Darunia through the desert's illusions, though the dry heat had been doing little for the Zora princess. Fortunately though, they had stocked up on water before entering the desert, and the Goron patriarch was more than happy to give his share to Ruto, considering she needed it much more than he did. The trio hadn't conversed much during their journey, considering that focus was imperative if they wanted to survive the harsh conditions, but also because the Sheikah guardian was still largely seething with anger for the hero, something both of her allies could clearly tell through her sour expression alone. Though Ruto and Darunia were both concerned for Link's wellbeing, Impa could hardly care less at the moment; her sole desire was to return to the Hyrule of the present, but not before finding Zelda and ensuring her safety first. As far as she was concerned, everything else, including the hero, could wait.
After what seemed like ages of brutal sandstorms and tricky illusions, the group finally cleared out of the desert wasteland and into the outer reaches of the desert, where the Gerudo tribe's sacred Spirit Temple rested. The structure towered over the desert sand, and the sun's convenient position provided the trio some much needed shade, especially as Ruto rehydrated herself in the oasis not too far from the temple's entrance.
"So the Hero of Time will be coming here… when exactly?" Impa asked her allies as her and Darunia sat near the oasis as Ruto happily splashed about.
"Anytime now, I guess," Darunia shrugged, making sure to stay clear of the water, since Gorons sunk, quite literally, like rocks. "He's probably right behind us, if he's able to get through that crazy maze back there at all."
"Oh, don't doubt my hero, Darunia!" Ruto called from the water. "He's more than capable of making his way through a mere desert if he was able to overcome the treacherous traps of the Water Temple! And besides," the Zora Princess let out a blissful sigh as she rested the upper half of her body against the rocky shore of the pool. "I just can't wait to see him again… It's been too terribly long."
"Are you both certain he'll even agree to help us?" Impa asked, her mind still focused on their overall goal above all else. "After all, he is in the middle of a very important mission. He might not want to take a break from it if the safety of the Hyrule of this age is at stake."
"Aw, don't worry, Sister Impa!" Darunia assured with a hearty grin. "Brother Link will be more than happy to help! He's not the kind to turn a blind eye to anyone in need. Heck, he practically saved the entire Goron tribe when he was a kid, without expecting any sort of reward! Of course, I gave him one, but still, he's as selfless as they come."
"He's a prince," Ruto sighed with a dreamy smile. "An absolute prince. Not literally, of course, but he will be once the two of us get married!"
Impa merely rolled her eyes as this, already growing tired of waiting for this supposed lauded hero to arrive. Her patience for heroes in general was incredibly thin, especially considering the stupid stunt the Link of the present had pulled that had gotten them all into this mess in the first place.
The trio rested near the oasis for another hour or so, until a sudden bright, cheery voice broke over the winds of the desert wasteland adjacent to the temple. "Hey! Listen!" All three of them instant recognized this voice as that of the Hero of Time's companion fairy, Navi, who had lent her aid during the battle of Death Mountain. And of course, her appearance here and now could only be a sign of the hero's long-awaited arrival.
The group continued to lay low as they watched the hero cross the small stretch of desert leading to the desert from afar. They waited a moment or two before pursuing him from a safe distance, not wanting to tactlessly surprise him. Even despite the distance between them though, Impa noted that the Hero of Time actually bore quite a semblance to the Link of the present. His tunic, while more simplistic, was nearly the same shade of green, his form tall, yet well built, his hair sunshine gold, messy and dusted with sand from his trek through the desert wasteland.
After exchanging collective nods, the trio prepared to approach the hero, though someone else had already beat them to the punch. Though Impa, Ruto, and Darunia hadn't noticed, there was a lone figure standing atop the stone spire in front of the temple, and it was only after the hero had passed under it that this figure leapt from their high perch, surprising everyone. The trio quickly took cover behind a nearby pillar for the moment, and as Impa seized up this stranger's appearance, she couldn't help but raise a suspicious eyebrow. Despite their apparently masculine figure, the stranger's Sheikah garments and conspicuous face coverings were quite familiar. It was only as the hero called out the stranger's name in greeting that the Sheikah guardian's suspicions were confirmed.
"Sheik!" the hero exclaimed with a friendly smile, stepping forward to meet his occasional guide.
"'Sheik', huh?" Impa muttered to herself, smirking knowingly. She didn't even have to guess to know who was under the supposed young Sheikah "man's" mask; instead, she simply let out a small chuckle of the irony of it all. History, it seemed, truly did have a way of repeating itself.
Sheik met the hero's approach, his expression calm and neutral as he spoke in a smooth male voice, though he wasn't fooling the Sheikah guardian like he was the hero. "Past, present, future…" he began vaguely, garnishing the Hero of Time's confusion. "The Master Sword is a ship with which you can sail upstream and downstream through time's river… The port for that ship is in the Temple of Time."
"Impa, did you hear that?" Ruto asked with a gasp of realization. "If that's true, then I'll bet anything that the Master Sword will be able to get us back to your time!"
"Eh, that all just sounded like a bunch of poetic nonsense to me," Darunia said gruffly, shaking his head in confusion. Regardless of whether it was true or not, Impa quieted them both as Sheik continued to address the hero.
"To restore the Desert Colossus and enter the Spirit Temple, you must travel back through time's flow."
"So… I guess we're heading back to the Temple of Time then?" the hero asked his fairy with a hint of exasperation in his tone.
"Honestly, it feels like we live there by now!" Navi exclaimed, crossing her arms as she rested on her companion's shoulder.
"Allow me to make it easier for you then," Sheik said as he pulled out a golden harp, one that Impa only found even more irony in. "Listen to this Requiem of Spirit. This melody will lead a child back to the desert…"
Deciding that they had waited long enough, Ruto and Darunia prepared to emerge from their hiding spot, though Impa was quick to stop them, a small part of her wanting to watch history unfold right before her very eyes. The young Sheikah poised his harp as he began to play a sorrowful, morose melody, one that rung out across the desert sands. The Hero of Time was quick to follow along on his own instrument, which Impa recognized from the history books as the magical Ocarina of Time itself. Together, the hero and the Sheikah preformed a duet that was fluid in both harmony and melody, a special kind of magic flowing through its hollow notes.
"There is a darkness plaguing these lands that only you can vanquish, Link," Sheik said as the pair finished the Requiem of Spirit. "I wish you luck in your quest through the Spirit Temple."
"Let me guess," the hero said with a small, sardonic smirk. "You're going to run off again without really saying much else, right Sheik?"
The young Sheikah let out a small amused laugh at this. "Finally catching on, are we, hero?"
"Well, it does seem to be a bad habit of yours," Link pointed out, crossing his arms as Navi chuckled brightly.
"In time, perhaps you shall understand why," Sheik said mysteriously. "But for now, we both have important affairs we must attend to. So until then, I-"
A sudden crash interrupted the young Sheikah, immediately catching the attention of both young men. Acting on impulsive instinct, Sheik swirled around, a knife already in his hand as he stood before the Hero of Time protectively. Link himself as a bit more rational about the situation, especially as he looked past the young Sheikah to see the Zora princess lying on top of the Goron patriarch as they had just fallen out from behind their hiding spot. Impa was still concealed however, as she face palmed in annoyance, knowing that in trying to be discreet, they had been anything but.
"Ruto? Darunia?" Link frowned in confusion as he moved out from behind Sheik, who slowly lowered his knife upon seeing the two sages.
"O-oh! Hello, Link!" Ruto laughed a bit awkwardly, pulling herself off the ground as she shot a glare Darunia's way for causing their fall. "How have you been, darling?"
"I've been… good, I guess," the hero shrugged, still clearly bewildered. "What are you guys doing all the way out here in the desert?"
"Yeah!" Navi chimed, just as confused. "I thought you both were helping clear out the monsters around Lake Hylia!"
"Well… uh, we were there…" Darunia began, not entirely sure of how to explain their current predicament. "And we got rid of them… And then, we… sorta ended up in the future. Waaaay into the future."
"So far into the future that we ended up fighting for the cause of Hyrule in a war against an absolutely insane, nonsensically gaudy witch," Ruto informed with a hint of disdain for Cia in her tone. "But Impa can probably do a better job telling you about all that."
"Impa is here as well?" Sheik asked, seeming to ease up a bit from his earlier intensity.
"In a way…" the Sheikah guardian spoke up as she emerged from her hiding spot, instantly catching the hero and the young Sheikah off guard.
"Who…? You… you're not really Impa… are you?" Link asked, noticing how drastically different this Impa looked from the one he was familiar with, the Sage of Shadows herself.
"Well, I am Impa," she replied with an amused smirk. "Just not the one you apparently know, young hero."
"Oh, right!" Navi quipped in, flittering into the air in excitement. "Link, this is who I was telling you about! The Impa from the future! And she was accompanied by a Sheik from the future too!"
"What?!" Sheik asked, crossing his arms as he gave the Sheikah guardian a skeptical look of disbelief.
"Speaking of which, where is your Sheik?" Navi asked Impa. "She did come with you, didn't she?"
"She?" Link frowned, glancing towards the Sheik standing right next to him, who was undoubtedly male.
"Ah, yes…" Impa said, meeting Sheik's caustic glance with a relaxed, knowing grin. "Well, that's a rather long story. But to be concise, let's just say she's not here."
"Hold on a minute," the hero cut in, trying to make sense of what was unfolding. "So if you're from the future, and some huge war is going on the future, then what are you doing here?"
"We came to find you of course, dear!" Ruto chirped happily as she romantically draped her arm over the hero's shoulder. Link smiled awkwardly yet good-naturedly as he gently removed it.
"We are in dire need of your aid, Hero of Time," Impa said with due respect to the legendary hero. "While we were facing off against the black witch and her forces, she used her magic to scatter us and the rest of our allies across the flow of time. The three of us ended up here, but now we have no way to get back to our time. But considering you have been said to use the Master Sword as a vessel for time travel, perhaps you could aid us by lending its strength to get us back to the present."
"Well, I'd love to help, but I can only use the Master Sword to travel back in time seven years and forward to now from then," Link explained with a frown. "I don't know if it could help anyone travel hundreds of years into the future."
"It could," Sheik affirmed, his manner still somewhat harsh and stoic. "But I would be wary about offering my assistance to this cause if I were you, hero. I trust Darunia and Princess Ruto, but if I am to be completely honest, then you come across as rather suspicious, 'Impa'…"
"You're one to talk, 'Sheik'," Impa nodded, still smirking at the young Sheikah, much to his aggravation. "And I'm not asking you do to this for me, Hero of Time. I'm asking you to help the Hyrule of the future. Certainly someof us can understand a motivation like that, right Sheik?"
Sheik took in a sharp breath upon being addressed so directly, the ire in his crimson eyes turning to surprise as he realized that Impa was indeed onto him. He said nothing though, lest he give himself away to Link as he took a small, subtle step back, though he had decided to accompany the hero to ensure his safety in this sudden turn of events.
"So, you'll help us out, right Brother?" Darunia asked with a hopeful expression.
"I'll try," the hero said tenatively "But… I'm not sure where to start with something like this."
"Well, Sheik said so himself," Navi pointed out. "The Temple of Time is the port for the Master Sword to sail through time. Why don't we try going there first?"
"Then that's convenient," Link said with a small laugh. "We were heading there anyway."
"You have my immense thanks, Hero of Time," Impa said with sincere gratitude, already liking how much more humble this Link was when compared to the one of her own time. "The Hyrule of the past, present, and future is in your debt."
Link simply smiled and shook his head, not feeling quite worthy of such high praise. "I'm just doing my job. And like it or not, my job is protecting Hyrule, no matter what threat its under and no matter what time it's in."
"According to my calculations, my first master is very close, as is Hylia's incarnation," Fi confirmed to Proxi and Sheik as the group traveled together through the forest known as Faron Woods. The Sheikah warrior was hardly listening to the sword spirit's report, as she was largely lost in her own thoughts and worries. She could hardly bare to think about what Cia might be doing to Link at that very moment, and yet she could think of nothing else. She didn't think that the black witch would be able to force the hero to become enamored with her, but then again, she had thought that she would able to capture him in the first place. Yet even so, Link's will was strong, even stronger than his stubborn ego. Sheik knew that the hero wouldn't allow himself to be swayed so easily, especially by a woman who wanted him for nothing more than her own perverse, lewd desires. But even if Link did manage to resist Cia, the Sheikah warrior feared that the black witch wouldn't be patient with him forever. There was a good chance that if Cia didn't get what she wanted from him, then she very well might just count him as loss and kill him after all, getting rid of one of the largest obstacles in her way to conquering Hyrule.
Sheik was broken out of her musings as she heard Proxi say something to Fi, though she still didn't understand the fairy's archaic language. She wished she did though, as she would certainly ask Proxi all about the details of Link's capture, as she had been the only one with him when it happened. But for now, she could only guess as to what the fairy had said as the sword spirit offered a terse response.
"I am certain my master will assist us in our cause," Fi stated confidently. "His soul is generous and kind and even during our initial mission together, he scarcely refused to those in need, regardless of who they were."
Sheik almost spoke up upon hearing this, ready to note just how similar the Hero of the Sky's good nature sounded to that of her own hero's. However, before she could, a sudden wild shriek broke through the natural calm of the woods, a noise that all three of them recognized as the cries of attacking monsters.
"I am detecting a horde of bokoblins immediately ahead," Fi stated. "I recommend proceeding with caution."
The Sheikah warrior simply nodded, already grabbing two of her kunais as she gracefully leapt up into the trees. Fi and Proxi followed, flying after Sheik as she jumped from tree to tree swiftly and silently, hoping to have the element of surprise on her side on the invading creatures. However, as the monsters came into view below her, so too did two figures who were already fending them off.
Sheik suppressed a gasp as she looked upon who she knew had to be the Hero of the Skies, based on his appearance alone. While he wasn't exactly a dead ringer for the Link of her time, he looked fairly similar in features, build, and light blue eyes, though the style of his tunic was a bit different and his hair was of a more sandy blond shade. But even still, he stood strong with his sword and shield in hand, opposing the group of monsters as he bravely defended the young woman behind him. Sheik was taken aback quite a bit as she realized this girl bore a decent semblance to herself, or at least how she looked as a princess as opposed to that moment. She had long golden hair and deep blue eyes, and despite the simple, folksy pink dress she wore, the Sheikah warrior's crimson eyes widened even more as she remembered what Fi had said. Despite her humble, yes still lovely appearance, this girl was certainly the reincarnation of the goddess Hylia, and as such, she was the princess's ancient ancestor.
Speaking in but a whisper in the trees, Proxi posed a question to Fi, which she was quick to answer as she focused her blank gaze on the hero. "Yes. That is my former master…" she confirmed, though a small hint of emotion actually seemed to leak into her usually stoic tone.
"We should help them," Sheik finally said, also unable to look away from the hero as he skillfully took on the bokoblins, even if he was greatly outnumbered.
"I would advise against that at the current time," Fi said succinctly even as Sheik prepared to leap out of the trees. "It would be much more effective and sufficient to engage my master in conversation once he has dispatched this immediate danger."
The Sheikah warrior let out an impatient sigh as she continued to watch the unfolding battle. Her desire to aid the hero and the girl only grew, however, as she watched one of the bokoblins land a heavy blow to the hero's side with its serrated knife. The girl gasped in horror as she watched him collapse to his knees, though he still tried to fight back against the marauding creatures even though blood was already pouring from the wound. And yet, just as the violent monsters began to converge on the couple, a sudden shadow jumped down from the trees right over their heads, standing between them and the monsters as they prepared to fight the growling beasts.
"W-who… who are you?!" the girl exclaimed, clearly startled at this stranger's sudden appearance.
"Don't worry," Sheik said, not glancing back as she tore her knives through several bokoblins at once. "I'm a friend."
The hero and the girl exchanged a glance at this, both of them admittedly surprised as they watched the Sheikah warrior take out the horde of bokoblins with impressive speed using her small kunais alone. By the time she was done, the girl had helped the hero to his feet so they could both meet their savior properly.
"That was amazing!" the hero exclaimed in awe as the Sheikah warrior turned to face him. "I don't know who you are, but thanks for helping us. It's been a while since I've fought any monsters, so I guess I'm a little rusty."
Though the hero let out a small, depreciative laugh at this, Sheik kept her scarlet gaze intently focused on him, her heart aching as she noticed the physical similarities he shared to her own hero up close. "It was no trouble, hero," she said simply, wondering why neither Proxi nor Fi had joined her yet.
"Who are you anyway?" the girl asked with a bewildered frown. "And where did you come from?" She gasped, however as she noticed the familiar symbol on the warrior's chest plate. "Are you a Sheikah?"
"Y-yes," Sheik said hesitantly, knowing that wasn't entirely true. But still, she knew it would be easier for now to maintain her disguise, to avoid arousing confusion. "I am a warrior of the Sheikah tribe. You can call me Sheik."
"Wow!" the girl exclaimed with an interested smile. "Link, if Sheik is a Sheikah, then she's from the same tribe as Impa was! Did you know her?" she asked the Sheikah warrior.
"Oh… well, in a way…" Sheik said vaguely, knowing that the girl couldn't have possibly been talking about the Impa from her time.
"We both owe Impa a lot," the hero said with a thoughtful smile. "She saved Zelda's life," he nodded to the girl beside him.
"Well, so did you, Link," the girl, Zelda, Sheik realized, laughed playfully. The Sheikah warrior did her best to put away her hidden awe over the fact that she shared a name with Hylia's incarnation, especially as she watched her press close to the hero, which he gladly accepted by wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
"Well, yeah," Link laughed a bit bashfully. "But like I keep telling you: I would have done that even if it hadn't been my destiny."
Zelda's warm smile only grew, especially as her hero gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. Sheik's eyes widened somewhat at this, unable to look at the two of them without seeing herself and her own Link sharing similar sentiments, even though they never had before.
Upon noticing that Sheik was distracted, Fi decided to make her appearance, with Proxi trailing not too far behind. The sword spirit had already anticipated her former master's surprise at seeing her again, though she stopped short as he happened to glance up and notice her hovering about a foot behind the Sheikah warrior.
"F-Fi…" Link said, his voice but a stunned whisper as he moved away from both the girl and the Sheikah warrior to meet his former companion.
"Greetings, Master Link…" Fi spoke, a strange hint of warmth in her otherwise cold tone. She opened her mouth to say something more, but she apparently decided against it as she met her master's awed, wide-eyed gaze instead.
"How… how are you here?" the hero asked somewhat breathlessly. "I mean—not that I'm not happy to see you or anything like that. I really am! I missed you a lot, and it's so great to see you again and this is really crazy and I-" He cut himself off with an awkward chuckle as he realized he was basically rambling at this point, overcome with several emotions, but largely just joy. "It's just… I thought you said you were going to sleep inside the Master Sword… forever..."
"I realize that my sudden reappearance might be rather disconcerting to you, Master," Fi said rather comfortingly. "And to you as well, your grace." Zelda nodded with a concerned frown, knowing just as well as Link did that Fi should have been eternally resting inside of the blade of evil's bane. "And so I shall try to explain the situation in the most simplistic of ways, with the aid of my ally, Sheik."
"Y-yes," Sheik spoke up, still rather distracted by the hero. "Perhaps it would be best to get the most vital piece of information out of the way first. I am not actually of this time period; I hail from the very distant future, and I was only sent to this era by the power of an evil witch that seeks to conquer the Hyrule of my time."
"Hyrule?" Link asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"Oh that's such a beautiful word!" Zelda exclaimed with a delighted smile. "What does it mean?"
"O-oh… well…" Sheik stammered, remembering what Fi had said about Hyrule not being founded in this time period. Thankfully though, the sword spirit came to her rescue.
"Hyrule is the name that will eventually be given to this land," Fi explained succinctly, not even giving the couple any time to marvel at this information before moving on. "The black witch Cia has incited a war in the land and in her conquest, she has captured the hero of the era."
"Wait," Link cut in, trying his best to keep up everything. "There's another hero in the future?"
"Yes," Fi confirmed. "In fact, he was the one to reawaken me not too long ago. The witch had sent her monsters to this era, or more specifically, to Skyloft, in the hopes of subduing it as well. The hero of the future came to this time and aided the knights in repelling her forces, which included the revived Ghirahim."
"So that was the aura of immense darkness I felt the other day!" Zelda exclaimed in realization. "Regardless of how that witch managed to bring him back, Ghirahim must have tried to bring back Demise again!"
"But Demise is gone," the hero said dismissively, though it was clear he was slightly confused. "I defeated him about six months ago, remember?"
"Master, this was not the Demise you know," Fi stated eloquently. "It was the Imprisoned, summoned through the Gate of Souls, the harbinger of monsters opened by Cia. But fear not; my new master successfully managed to vanquish it and defeat Ghirahim, successfully ensuring the safety of this era."
"New master?" Link asked with a downcast expression. "But Fi, I thought I was-"
"You are," the sword spirit said, focusing her gaze on him intently. "I consider all bearers of the Spirit of the Hero to be my master, regardless of the era they hail from."
"Going back to the matter at hand…" Sheik cut in, more than eager to return to the present. "When Cia captured our hero, she separated us from our other allies by sending us back to this time. And so it is that we must ask you for your aid, Hero of the Skies, in helping us return to the present."
"Me?" the hero asked with a frown. "But how can I help?"
"The flow of time has been sealed off by the witch's power," Fi began efficiently. "The only thing that can break that seal is the Master Sword. And, as you know, Master, you are the only one capable of possessing its sacred might."
"But… the Master Sword can't travel through time…" Zelda shook her head. "Can it?"
"Indeed it can," the sword spirit affirmed. "You grace, you blessed it with the ability to transcend time's flow eons ago."
"I guess I didn't get that memory…" the girl said, giving the hero a sly, joking grin.
"We'll be happy to do whatever we can to help, Sheik," Link said with a kind smile. "After all, we owe you one for saving us from those monsters earlier."
"You have my thanks, hero," Sheik nodded, breathing out a sigh of relief. "I am in your debt."
"Oh, you don't have to call me that," the hero said good-naturedly. "You can just call me Link. It is my name after all."
Sheik was glad that her pained expression was covered as Link merely laughed playfully as him and Zelda linked arms. "I don't think so…" she muttered to herself rather morosely, her heart still unable to chase away the grief and regret simply looking at the Hero of the Skies gave her. She knew he wasn't the same as her own Link, far from it in fact based on his humble personality. But still, they were both heroes, and by all accounts, they both bore the same soul and spirit within them. It was as though the Sheikah warrior was so close to her own hero, yet still so far away all at once.
It was for that very reason that Sheik lingered a ways behind Link and Zelda as Fi lead the way to the Master Sword's resting place, the Sealed Temple. The Sheikah warrior couldn't help but watch the couple rather wistfully, finding herself grow a bit jealous with each flirtatious smile they shared, each gentle touch passed between them, each brief, romantic kiss they exchanged. She had never gotten to experience such things with her own hero, but the thought of doing so now filled her with a burning desire and a chilling fear that she would never get the chance to. In fact, for all she knew, Cia could be doing all of those things and more with Link at that very moment, and though Sheik didn't want to even entertain the thought, there was a chance, however small, that he was accepting it all openly and willingly. And she knew that if that really was true, then her soul would certainly shatter, for, as she was quickly coming to realize, she could not survive without him by her side.
And yet, as sorrowful as watching the hero and the girl interact made the Sheikah warrior, she couldn't help but be the slightest bit intrigued by their unique bond. Which was why Sheik decided to engage Zelda in conversation about it as Link went on ahead to catch up with his former companion after being apart for the past several months.
"So… you two seem to be awfully close, don't you?" Sheik asked, forcing her tone to be aloof and casual.
"We are," Zelda nodded with a smile. "You know, Link's not just my chosen hero… He's also been my best friend, for as long as either of us can remember. I've always sort of had a little bit of a crush on him, but I only decided to make my feelings known to him after, well… after both of us nearly died. And you know what?"
"What?" the Sheikah warrior asked.
"He's always felt the same way…" the girl said with a blissful smile as she looked towards her beloved hero. Sheik was silent upon hearing this, a small part of her wondering if such a relationship could ever transpire between her and her own hero, even if they didn't have the same lengthy, time-tested history. "He risked life and limb, just to save me…" Zelda continued, glancing down thoughtfully. "And if I ever had to, I wouldn't even ask myself twice about doing the same for him…"
"Why?" Sheik asked, even if she truly did know the answer deep down. After all, that very seem feeling was what was essentially pushing her forward now, driving her to find a way back to the present so she could be with him again.
"Because…" the girl said, still smiling softly. "When you're in love with someone, you'll go to any lengths for them. No matter what you have to do or where you have to go."
Sheik ruminated on this poetic advice for a moment as Zelda cheerfully continued on to hold hands with Link once more, both of them kissing as they reunited. The Sheikah warrior could hardly deny the feelings she had for her own hero anymore, and she knew that it had very well been her own error in concealing them that had lead him to act so recklessly and thoughtlessly before. But she knew now that she could no longer afford to keep it all within her. Instead, she would do as her very ancestor had advised. She would go to whatever length she had to in order to find him, to free him, to love him. She would gladly throw herself into the black witch's line of fire, despite her fears, and fight for him, especially after he had fought so hard for her. And, despite all of the harsh words and bitter feelings that had once been between them, she would not rest until he was safe and free by her side once more. No matter what she had to do or where she had to go.
So yeah, this chapter was sorta all over the place, but oh well. It was fun writing all of the different Links and Zeldas, and it will be even more fun writing them all interacting with each other in the few chapters! But for next time, I think we'll drop in on Link and Cia and see whats going down between them (something steamy, I imagine hehe) Anyway, before I go I just HAVE to talk about Breath of the Wild. It looks SO good and I simply cannot wait to get my hands on it next year! I am so excited about exploring every inch of the new Hyrule in all its beautiful glory (and burning it all to the ground while Link's in his boxers because that's a thing you can do in that game and I love it) But for now, I'll leave you all with a non-HW question for once: What are your thoughts on Breath of the Wild? Let me know in the REVIEWS! Until next time!