Chapter 18: The Darkness Within
Leaving the forest was the hardest thing Link could think of doing. Saria had given him Purlo's bow and bid him take the treasures in the temple and that he sleep in the safety of the Deku Tree's protection. After a dreamless sleep, Link left with several rupees in his pockets and a heavy heart.
Oren and Darmani had been killed, and he was unsure about Nabooru. The closest path to the forest was the one that led to Zora's Domain, Oren's former home. He decided to start there, hoping for a lead.
As he made for the path, the air got decidedly chilly, forcing him to rub his arms for warmth. Snow began to flurry down onto his head and body as he climbed over a tall fence to continue forward.
When he reached the largest waterfall in Hyrule, there were words engraved into a tablet on the ground. "Only members of the royal family are permitted beyond this point."
Link stood in the spray of the waterfall, chilled to the bone as he tried to think. He pulled out the ocarina again and played the song that he'd heard Zelda playing when they were younger, a decidedly royal tune.
As if in response to the notes he played, the waterfall parted, revealing a doorway into the Domain. Link reared back and made the jump with ease, following the long stone entryway into a room that was colder than he'd ever believed possible.
Though he'd never seen Zora's Domain, he had to believe that it had never looked like this. The entire room, including its own waterfall, was covered in a thick sheet of ice. His footsteps echoed through the large room, but there were no other signs of life.
Link headed up the long stairway, hoping that someone was still upstairs, but he stopped short. A great, large Zora was trapped, encased within a thick sheet of ice. Below him, Zoras were frozen, stuck in place, trapped in the position they were in before the ice had frozen over them.
He banged frantically against the solid surface before noticing a small hole off to the side. Link tossed off his gloves and started to pull off his shirt when a hiss of air reached his ears. He spun around to see a figure standing up, as though they'd fallen from somewhere. It was a Hylian garbed in a skintight suit in shades of blue with designs over the front white section. There were ornaments, ribbons, bandages, and belts adorned with several small knives that Link believed were called Kunai's.
"What are you doing?" the figure asked in a muffled voice. Their mouth was covered by a white piece of fabric, as was the top of their head, revealing only a long, thin yellow braid with a sharp point on the back. Their hair covered part of the red eyes that pierced into Link.
"Goddesses!" Link muttered in shock. "What are you doing?"
The red eyes flickered from Link to the ice. "You'll die. It's not wise for the Hero of Hyrule to kill himself with a foolish errand." Bandage-bound fingers grabbed at one of the many kunai's at their belt. They knelt down and banged the point into the ice. "It's solid. It took me long enough to get the Princess out."
Link's eyes widened. "Princess Zelda?"
The mysterious figure narrowed their eyes. "Princess Ruto. She is the Sage of Water that you seek."
Link's hand went to his sword instinctively. "How do you know I'm looking for the Sages?"
The figure pointed to the large eye design on their outfit. "I'm Sheik, of the Sheikah. We're the Goddesses' chosen people. I was sent a vision by the Goddesses and came here to call on the Princess. However, when I arrived, everything was frozen. I managed to create a hole to get Ruto, and one more that leads to Lake Hylia, where the Water Temple is."
Link looked back at the trapped Zoras, hoping that the new Sage could free them. "Let's go then."
Sheik watched him with amused eyes. "Do you think you're going to get to the bottom of a lake in those clothes, Hero? You're not invincible. Certainly not to drowning."
Scoffing, Link raised his hands. "Well? What's your suggestion?"
"Put these on. It's armor made by the Zoras for Hylians. You'll feel the effects of water far less. It'll allow you to hold your breath longer, survive in a more frigged water temperature, and you won't be crushed by increasing water pressure."
He looked on the ornamental stand in the corner to see that the armor was already laid out for him. Suspiciously, Link went up to it and held up a blue tunic with chainmail underneath. Sheik turned away and faced the stairs, allowing Link to change.
As he donned the first piece of armor, he hissed pain. The shirt dug into his neck, leaving him bleeding.
"That's meant to happen," Sheik said without looking.
Link rolled his eyes and felt the other pieces dig into his skin. He covered his hand with his usual glove and stood beside Sheik. "This is uncomfortable. Let's go."
Sheik laughed. "Try a bodysuit. Then you'll really feel uncomfortable."
"Why are you wearing that then?" Link asked as he followed Sheik.
"Oh, I'm not uncomfortable. You would be though."
Sheik dove into a small hole in the ice that Link had initially missed. There was a tunnel, and Sheik swam ahead, pushing their way through until a light showed the end.
Link realized the power of the armor. He wasn't sure how Sheik made the long swim, but he could almost feel air in his lungs, the cold no longer bothering him as it had before. When he emerged for a breath, it almost hurt.
Sheik pointed to the center of the lake. "In there you will find your temple. I'm going to find the Princess. She was in the western waterfall when I left."
Sheik disappeared under the water again, and Link shook his head, unsure of what was actually occurring. All he knew was that he needed to get to the temple.
It was a deep dive, but he made it with ease. The gate below was locked, but he noticed the small lever off to the side and pushed it up, lifting the gate. He swam inside and followed the small tunnel of water until he emerged in a surprising room of air.
He pulled the sharp pieced of his armor from his throat and found breathing to be much easier, though his ears immediately pricked up at the sounds of a monster in the temple. He took out his sword and was almost immediately met by a Tektite. Stepping back, Link swing the Master Sword for the first time at a foe. He took off three of the Tektite's legs in one swing, stabbing it in its red eye a moment later. The sword was perfect in his hands, and he spun it around playfully, testing the balance.
Continuing through the water, Link tried to find the Sage's Chamber. It was much more difficult than finding Purlo. He continued through the temple, dispatching several Tektites and water foes along the way.
He finally found a door that led to a large room with a floor filled with water, sloshy to the step. An echoing noise rippled across the water and Link raced forward.
Sheik was in the center, facing off against a dark shadow. With every blow, Sheik pushed Princess Ruto away, trying keep the shadow at bay. To Link's surprise, Sheik didn't fight with the knives at their belt. Instead, the figure moved lithely, and struck out with calculated movements from their hands and feet, spinning away, rolling, and making the entire fight look like a professional performance.
Despite best efforts, Sheik missed blocking a hit from the shadow and was thrown across the water. The shadow turned to Ruto and she summoned a shield of water, though it wasn't enough. The shadow reached inside and grabbed hold of her fin while Sheik struggled to their feet.
Link rushed forward, ungracefully throwing himself into the shadow, causing it to drop the Princess. Sheik scrambled to Ruto and kept her safely away from the shadow. Link drew his sword and watched as the shadow turned into a mirror image of himself, though with piercing red eyes.
With a thrust of his sword, Link began to assault the Dark version of himself. Dark Link screamed out, and in a rage, sent Link flying back as he clipped him in the chin with his shield. Link pulled out his own, realizing this wouldn't be as easy as the Tektites.
The two clashed again, sword on sword. Each blow was matched, met with almost predicted insights into their next move. Link took a hit to his arm and could feel the blood dripping, turning the water beneath his feet red. Dark Link stumbled back, black blood mixing into the water as well.
Link spun his sword around, wondering how he was meant to beat himself. He glanced at Ruto and Sheik, an idea forming in his mind. Sheik seemed more than capable of finding the Sages. The Goddesses were never wrong. His destiny was meant to end now.
Dark Link charged forward, and Link made no move to defend himself. He could hear Sheik call out his name, but everything turned fuzzy as the sword buried itself in Link's stomach. Almost instantly, Dark Link dropped his sword as well and fell to the ground. Sheik raced forward, stabbing Dark Link again with their Kunai, and the shadow disappeared, the light returning to the room.
Ruto and Sheik knelt beside Link, who could barely keep his eyes open.
"Find the other Sages," he asked as blood came from his mouth. The water beneath him was red.
"Find a fairy!" Sheik called to Ruto. The Zora took off, searching the room. Sheik lifted Link into their lap and bent their head down against Link's chest. "Goddesses, hear my plea: look favorably upon your chosen hero, and grant unto him your eternal protection as he seeks to seal the darkness' blight upon this land and continues to do your will. The time of the hero is not over, so I pray."
Sheik looked at Link with a fire in their eyes. "Did the Goddesses grant you courage, or stupidity?"
A bright light emerged from Sheik's hand and Link could feel a great warmth where he'd been stabbed. A fairy also flew around his head before flying through his chest and he was invigorated with new life.
He sat up and lifted his shirt. The wound had almost entirely healed.
Sheik sat beside Link, exhausted. "Don't do that again. You're the Chosen Hero. You cannot sacrifice yourself because it will help you beat a Shadow. I am not the one who was destined to save Hyrule, so don't forget that!"
Link nodded, as if he'd been scolded by a parent, and stared at Sheik. "Who are you?" he asked again.
Ruto was the one who answered. "This is Sheik! He saved me from under the ice and helped me escape from Ganondorf's minions. My mother always said I should marry a hero willing to risk his life for mine. It seems you'd both fit that bill."
Link couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at Sheik. He? No. Link could see that despite the attempt to remain androgynous, Sheik was most definitely a female. Her hand was still on Link's stomach, and he could see her small hands, somehow familiar, though they'd been bandaged up. He knew Sheik, either from a past life, or simply the past.
Sheik shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ruto. You'll find I'm not made of husband material. Link?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye. Yes, he definitely knew Sheik from somewhere.
"I… uh… might be dead by the end of this all. No promises, but I'm flattered."
Ruto's head jerked back, offended by the double rejection. "You're both intolerable! Take me wherever it is you want me."
Sheik offered Link her hand as she pulled him up. He held on a moment too long, truing to spot a familiar face beneath the hair, mask, and red eyes, but Sheik picked up her pace and headed into the next room.
The three continued on for some time, avoiding traps and easily dispensable water foes until they reached a large door.
Entering the room, the door slammed shut behind them and locked with a loud click. The water in this room was a deep blue, rippling as if it was breathing on its own.
A large tentacle reached out from the water and encircled Sheik. She fought to free herself, but the tentacle tossed her across the room into a wall of spikes. Link called out and began to run for her, but the tentacle splashed down in front of him, blocking his way. He took out his shield and stayed between the water tentacle and Princess Ruto.
A small nucleus appeared near the top of the tentacle, and it slammed down, splashing Link and Ruto. Link thrust his sword into the tentacle and it made an animalistic howl, despite its liquid form. Link glanced at Sheik again. She was pulling herself up, despite the blood at her back. He wanted to dive into the water and slash at the nucleus, but Sheik's words of caution came back, and he stayed near Ruto.
Until the tentacle took hold of him and dragged him under the water anyway.
He slid the tunic up so it pinched his throat and he felt immediate relief from the water, though the water constricting around him still threatened to draw all the air from his lungs.
Fumbling for the Master Sword, Link struggled to keep his eyes on the nucleus. He jabbed at it several times before the sword connected and it released him. He swam up to the surface, taking a large gasp of air before he saw the tentacle charge towards him, a large wave following. It slammed into him and crushed him against the wall, creating black spots in his vision for a moment. The tentacle came at him again, but he felt a hand grab at the front of his shirt, and another wrap under his arm.
He turned to see Sheik limply pulling him from the water. The tentacle rushed at them, the nucleus coming fast and hard. Link raised his shield and threw himself in front of Sheik. His arm felt like it had broken from the impact, but he raised his sword and tore the nucleus from the tentacle until it was impaled on his sword. It screeched, and he rammed it against the spiked wall repeatedly until it burst into a puddle of water. The tentacle dropped back into the water, and the deep blue began to disappear until the water was colored normally again.
Link was on his hands and knees, soaking wet, and in pain. He glanced over at Ruto and saw that Sheik had gone back to protect her.
"Don't fall yet, Hero," said a new voice.
Oren appeared in front of him, and went to brush the wet hair from Link's eyes, before remembering that she could not.
"You've done well, Link. It was this that killed me and absorbed my physical body. Now, let me sleep knowing that you, the Water Temple, and Hyrule will be safe."
Link nodded, still winded. He reached for his ocarina, but Oren held out her hand. "I can do this one."
Sheik stepped aside and made her way to Link's side as Oren stood in front of Princess Ruto. There was a blinding blue light and suddenly, Oren was gone. Ruto opened her eyes and smiled.
"It looks like you're both off the hook. I can't get married now. Apparently, I'm the Sage of Water. But I'll still keep my eye on you both. Now go on. You've got Hyrule to save. I'll free the Zoras and keep this temple safe."
A/N: Thanks to Zelda Wiki, my 20 odd years of thinking that Morpha was a tentacle with an eyeball has been dispelled. It's a nucleus. I feel inadequate now and am unsure how I passed any science classes in high school. I've been ignoring Navi for years, so if she says what it is… well… that's what you get for ignoring her. If you ever thought it was an eyeball too, please let me know I wasn't alone in my failure.
