"Zelda… I thought you were in the castle…what are you doing here? And why are you in disguise?" Link asked. Something was wrong. He knew this person. He was originally Zelda in disguise as a Sheikah boy… but why did Zelda go to this form? Unless, this wasn't Zelda at all, but an imposter sent to kill both he and the princess? Link's head was filled to the brim with these questions.
The blonde sighed. "Link. I have an explanation. I am not Zelda. The boy you remember from your adventure, Sheik. That is who I truly am."
Link shook his head. "No, you're lying… You're the reason Zelda is sick…"
"Link, this is not the time to point fingers at those who-"
"You're lying!" The hero yelled as he leapt forward, catching the Sheikah off guard. The two boys struggled against one another, Link attempting to see his true identity and Sheik trying to pry the headstrong boy off. The battle ending up on the ground, allowing Link to hold the ninja-like warrior down. The Sheikah struggled in the hero's grasp.
"Tell me who you really are or I'll kill you!!!" Link yelled. He was furious that some imposter had attempted to act as Zelda in her time of need. The man was prevented Link from getting to the rose every second. Link wanted only to see the face of the man who angered him so.
"Get… OFF!" The Sheikah grunted as Link received a blow to the stomach by the other's knee. Link flopped the side, leaning against a wall. Sheik was able to sit up, and both males panted after the battle. Finally, the Sheikah regained his breath, and turned to the other.
"Link, let me ex-"
"Hyyah!" The hero yelled as he jumped at the Sheikah again. Luckily, it was expected a 2nd time. Sheik dodged Link's punch just as the hero's fist missed the bridge of his nose. Sheik swung around, catching Link by the back of the neck and slamming his face into the ground. He grabbed Link's wrists, forcing them into the boy's tailbone. Link's cheek was now pressed firmly to the dirt below him. Both boys breathed the damp air in, angered by the other.
"Hero, you are a determined, I will grant you that. But you are headstrong and immature." Sheik said angrily. Link muttered a curse, causing Sheik to tighten his grip. "Foolish boy, you forget I have the upper hand."
"Now then, you have a choice. Ether listen to the truth that I speak, or be ignorant and be the cause of Zelda's death." Sheik said slowly. Instantly, Link was silent and still. "I thought so."
Slowly, the Sheikah rose himself off the warrior and sat next to him. Link rose to a sitting position, rubbing the back of his neck. He eyed the Sheikah with a look of distaste on his face.
"How do I know I really can trust you?"
Sheik sighed. "For two reasons."
He reached up, taking the cloth from his face. Behind, an abnormally pale male man stared at Link with red eyes. He looked just as Link had pictured him, a somewhat long face and oval chin, his nose only a tinge large. Sheik then reached up with a 2nd hand, unrolling the cloth and taking guard on his right hand off. Link saw the unmistakable mark of the Triforce, the mark a bit brighter on the same triangle as Zelda's, the Triforce of Wisdom.
Link blinked at his hand. "H-how… you're not Zelda, yet you…"
"It seems impossible that a Sheikah have the Triforce, I know. But there is a reason. It happened late last night, actually…"
"I'm going to bed, Goodnight Impa."
"Farewell Princess. Sleep well."
Zelda smiled at her handmaid and entered the doorway, closing and locking it behind her. She then turned, about to remove her garments and go into her nightdress, when she caught herself. She gasped, and then laughed at herself. She had looked into a mirror. The Princess walked toward the glass, looking at herself. She looked at her eyes, mostly, the deep blue floating in a white sea. Suddenly, something changed in them. Shocked, Zelda went closer to the glass, looking at the blue pools. They changed green, then brown, and finally turned a dark red. Zelda gasped, at lost for words. The glass began to ripple. Her heart began to ache and her right hand pulsed intensely. The princess's head became light and she dropped forward, but strong arms caught her. She looked up at a blond haired, blurred image.
"L-Link? No… You're… me…" The princess said as she could see once again. Sheik held her protectively.
"Zelda… are you alright?" Sheik asked as the woman began to stand up, she held her head.
"Oh… don't worry about me… But, how did you get here?"
"I don't actually know…" Sheik sighed. He looked back at the mirror suspiciously.
"I should get to bed… my head hurts terribly…" Sheik looked at the woman as she spoke. Suddenly, she let out a gasp. Sheik's head swung around to look at the mirror. It had turned a black color and a sludge-like substance began to flow out.
"Zelda! Stay back I'll-"
Sheik was cut short as the oily blackness slammed into his face. He flew backwards and landed with a thud by the wall next to Zelda. She looked at him in worry, distracting herself. The substance grabbed the princess, pinning her to the wall.
"Zelda!" Sheik yelled as the matter surrounded everything but her face. Suddenly, some of the blackness flew toward Sheik. It hit his mouth and wrists, pinning the Sheikah to the ground. Sheik looked up at Zelda's now motionless body, helplessly watching as her form began to glow, shuddered, then went pale. The blackness then tightened itself until Sheik lost his breath and the scene around him disappeared as his mind faded away.
Link looked in wonder at Sheik after he finished telling his tale. "B-but… how did you and Zelda…?"
"About 9 hours later, I woke to find Zelda in the situation you have seen her in now. I attempted to wake her, though I failed miserably. I then disguised my voice as a soldier's to yell for help and to contact you. Zelda would have wanted that. I then escaped out the window and waited outside the entire day until I heard of your and Impa's conversation. Knowing the position of the grave, I knew I had to help you. I went to the town, transforming my body into that of a small dog that I knew you would not suspect."
"You mean… You licked my face?!" Link yelled. Sheik grimaced.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Hero of Time." He sighed, and then continued. "Now then, if you believe me, I suggest we find this rose."
Sheik rose to his feet and Link scrambled to follow. Link watched the Sheikah as he walked towards the pillar of stone. He cocked his head to look at Link and beckoned to him. The hero nodded and walked towards the pillar. He put his arms and his entire weight against it, pushing it. Nothing happened. Link felt something brush against his leg and he looked back to see Sheik had joined him and was attempted to move the stone as well. Sadly, the pillar remained still.
"Enough." Sheik said as the two let go and looked at the stone. He brought his hand to his still-visible chin, rubbing the tip in deep thought.
"Link, did Impa not say 'you need the Sheikah blood to continue'?"
"Something along those lines." Link said as he put his arms behind his head in a relaxed position. Sheik was silent as he stared at stone.
"Do you have your sword?"
"Of course." Link said as he found the sheath and took the blade out. It was a basic soldier's blade, with the Royal Family Symbol etched on the black handle. It was a bit heavier then his master sword, but it got the job done. Sheik reached for it as Link flipped it in the air and caught the blade in his hand. Sheik took the handle and scanned the blade. He put his fingertips against it, and ran his fore and middle fingers down until the flesh was cut and blood slowly seeped out.
"What in Din's name are you doing?!"
Sheik ignored the boy as he handed the sword back, less talented then Link had, and held his bloodied hand forward. He closed his eyes and began chanting a language Link couldn't understand. His fingers began to bleed nonstop into a small tunnel secretly placed in the ground. The hero arched and eyebrow as he turned to look at the stone, but his expression dropped when he saw a red-substance pour up the stone. It began to fill the Sheikah eye until, finally, the eye was a crimson color.
With a rumbling, the door began to rise. Though Link watched, Sheik remained still, enclosed with only his chanting. Finally, with a bang, the stone disappeared completely from sight. Sheik opened his eyes and tore off excess bandages from his arm and began wrapping his wounds. Link had walked forward, now standing in the once-blocked doorway.
"It looks empty…" Link muttered. He heard a whooshing sound through the air and saw a dagger embed itself into the wall mere inches from his nose. Link made a small sound as he looked at his dull reflection on the knife as it slowly turned to a cloud and faded away. Link instantly backed up, taking his shield off and holding his-still wielded sword forward. Sheik, taking a small dagger from his side, got into a battle stance. After a moment of silence and staring at the blackness, a voice rang out.
"Who has attempted to embezzle that which belongs only to the Sheikah of Kakariko Village? Speak, warriors that thrive in the dawn."
Sheik and Link looked at each other questioningly, though Link was the first to step forward. Though he stood forward so boldly, Sheik could clearly see his face reflected that of nervousness.
"M-my name is Link. I'm the messenger of the royal family, a-and I have come t-"
"Messenger of the Royal Family? If you are of Hyrulian blood, you have no purpose here. Only those of a strict Sheikah blood may pass into this sacred passage."
"No! You see, we were sent here by a Sheikah. Impa sent us here. She couldn't come though because-"
"Impa? The founder of the Kakariko village, I believe. I would imagine she would be dead, with all the foolishness she reflects."
Then… you know her?"
"Of course. Did she not tell you that her father was the one guarding his own grave?"
"W-what?" Link stammered. Suddenly, a cyan light began to shine though the darkness, it the doorway. Link and Sheik stared in marvel as the light began to turn into a figure, which slowly turned to an airy looking body of a tall, slender man. His body was completely pearly white, and if one stood close enough, he could be seen though. His close we surprisingly neat, having a dark vest over a light shirt with the mark of the Sheikah on the left side. On his left arm and over his shoulder, he wore a dark fur pelt for a sleeve. His eyes were clear and without pupils, and his entire body covered in deep gashes, most likely claw marks of an animal.
"I am the spirit of Imshah, The once leader of the Sheikah."
He paused, waiting for the boys to speak. Link merely continued to stand straight, trying to think of what to do. He almost jumped ten feet when Sheik suddenly bent to one knee, bowing to the spirit.
"Sir, I truly am sorry to disturb you, but Princess Zelda has developed a strange illness. Impa told us of a rose that may help her."
"The Tialo Rose? Yes, The plant grows just past my grave."
"Well, thank you, we'll just get it and leave it go…" Link said as he took a step but was interrupted as something halted him. Link looked down to see Sheik had grabbed his sword sheath. Giving a questioning look, he returned his gaze to the spirit, though almost yelled when he saw that Imshah stood in front of him, holding a dagger to his neck.
"I am sorry, but simply because you claim to have met my daughter does not mean you have. But… because you claim my daughter favors you, I will give you a choice. Leave, or treat me to a contest. If either of you can touch the back of my neck, you win. If you don't, I will kill you. I do know you will try gallantly, but you will not succeed. Only those of my bloodline will be able to beat me."
"What?! Impa didn't tell me that!" Link yelled. As he spoke, Imshah swung his arm. Link was suddenly pulled downwards, landing with a thump. He opened his eyes to then look at Imshah raising the knife in the air to stab the now-laying Hylian. Link was suddenly pushed and rolled out of the way. He felt a weight on his shoulder and looked to see Sheik was holding his shoulder, closely watching Imshah.
"What are doing?!" Link yelled. Again, his body was flung to the side as Imshah jumped toward them. Sheik and Link now sat up, near a wall.
"Saving your life, idiot."
"He's a ghost! He can't hurt us!" Link yelled as Sheik pulled his body back, now hitting the wall. How ever, it wasn't far enough. Link gasped in pain as the dagger sliced the side of his leg, cutting his leggings. It was fatal, but it was enough to sting.
"Now do you see my meaning?! How can you say such things, have you never been injured by a Poe?" Sheik yelled. Link struggled from the Sheikah's grip.
"If he can me… I can hurt… him!" Link pulled out and jumped to his feet, grabbing his sword from the ground beside him in one swift motion. He lunged forward towards Imshah, he sword going straight for the man's chest. His sword went though the cloth, but as did his hand, arm and finally his entire self out the other side. Link landed on his face with a sound thud. He groaned, and looked to the side. The spirit simply turned around, looking at the hero on the ground.
"He is already deceased, you can't hurt the departed!" Sheik yelled.
"You could have told me earlier!" Link yelled as he rose to his feet. He glared at the blank faced spirit, his sword and shield drawn. He thought for a moment, and then returned his sword to his sheath and his shield to his back.
"What are you doing?!" Sheik yelled, but the Hylian ignored him. He bent to the ground, one knee touching the ground with his knuckles pushed against the dirt. He closed his eyes, waiting.
"Do you surrender? It is too late for that."
The spirit, with blade in hand, swung to stab the hero. In a flash, he was gone. The spirit looked in surprise until he felt the warm tinge of living blood on the back of his neck. He glanced back to see the Hylian with three fingers going through the back of the spirit's neck.
Imshah paused then smiled. "It seems you have won, Hylian. I congratulate you."