Quick A/N: Working to show more mental confusion with Zelda so I will have some thoughts in normal italics and the more repressed, closed off, cynical thinking from living as Sheik in bold italics. Both are her, just showing the conflict between herself a little clearer hopefully.

Thanks and enjoy!


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Chapter 9: The Heat of Battle

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Sheik's POV—


I'll admit it, I stared with open amazement for a few minutes; I have heard stories, but never, even during the late nights I stayed up and my imagination ran wild, did I even consider fighting a dragon to be this…awe-inspiring. Well, not me fighting a dragon, but watching it is more than enough for me.


Link's POV—


The excitement that had settled over me as I walked to the final door that led to where Volvagia was supposedly being held quickly vanished as the door swung to the side and my vision was wrapped completely by a large blast of fire. There was no chance for me to move or protect myself and so I was forced to wait as the flames moved to surround me, the flames ripping across my exposed arms and face; the heat and dryness of the air tearing at my lungs as I took a final breath. The pain registered for only a few short seconds before my world was encased in darkness.

My eyes flutter open after a minute of respite and slow breathing to help my heart return to its normal pace. Must not be dead if my heart is still beating, so that must be a good thing, unless your heart still beats after you have died… I push myself up off the ground from where I have been laying and try to look around, not succeeding since I cannot even see the end of my nose. After spinning a few times to see if there is any light visible, a soft glow appears right behind me, slowly growing brighter as it circles from around my waist up near my head.

The brightness had grown slowly enough to allow my eyes to adjust enough to clearly see the fairy that had circled around me. She came to rest right in front of my face and, with a mischievous smile, kissed my lightly on the forehead. Warmth flowed from my head down through my body as I felt life return to my body. It is an amazing feeling to experience when you have been dead without knowing it and then life begins to flow through you again; showing you just how dead you were and how great it is to be alive.

My heart starts beating stronger, and the darkness surrounding me slowly fades to show where I had been standing only minutes before. The door was still open but a few feet into the room a thick cloud of smoke hung in the air making it nearly impossible to see much in the room. Situating my shield and pulling out my sword, I step into the room, Volvagia may have gotten the drop on me, but I don't have an option to turn back now. The farther I get into the room, the more it is like wading through the smoke rather than walking through it because of how thick it is.


Sheik's POV—


I was proud of myself, when I woke up from my vision, that I did not scream, or wake up screaming. If I had, Gwyn would have either attacked me, or the lamp that was on the floor near her. I haven't decided which would seem more threatening to her, the loudest thing, or the shadowy something looming over her…though I'll admit; I didn't take the situation so lightly when my eyes first opened earlier this morning.

The top of the sun had already crested the horizon and the sky was a very light pink and blue. Birds were already singing and my mind was swirling like a leaf falling from a tree and the first few thoughts through my head were terrifying. Does this mean Link is dead? Maybe it was all I was supposed to see? Should I go see if he is okay or am I supposed to just wait? If I do go, will that make it to where he is not doing what he needs to by fighting in the Temple alone?

My thoughts had worked me into emotional turmoil and I was not okay with that. The past couple days have been way too emotionally charged for me, my mind is not working clearly or logically right now. I took a few deep breaths and worked to calm my mind. Me freaking out without knowing how he is doing will not help either of us. After a few moments, I had regained a semblance of clarity of mind and was sitting cross-legged on the floor watching as the sun slowly moved across its normal path. The only thing that I can do and not feel bad about doing too much or not enough is to teleport up there, make sure he is safe and then come back, Gwyn will probably be asleep a bit longer, and that will help me not worry as much about Li—the Hero. Not that I'm worried whether the Hero is okay or not…because that is not really important, just if he is alive or not, because…he is the one that has to make it through the Temples, not Gwyn or I. If he is dead, then Hyrule is lost. Yeah, that is why I'm worried… …right? Yes.

I shake my head, deciding the why isn't important right now, as I stand up and begin getting ready for going to the mountain once more, being careful to stay quiet enough to keep from waking Gwyn. *It was at this point that I had noticed how close she was to the lamp and began to ponder whom she would take as the bigger threat, me making noise or the lamp stretching over her.* Lightly chuckling, I focus on where I had last seen the Hero of Time in the vision that startled me awake and teleported there.

The door was still left wide open, I had arrived just to the side of it (thankfully), so I didn't have to worry too much about being blindsided with no warning like the Hero was. I move cautiously into the doorway and look in, or try to at least. The visibility in the room is hindered a few feet into the room, the dark, gas–like substance is thick, but looks like it is almost swirling. There is definitely movement in the room and I can just make out a pair of shadows as light flashes at random intervals, traveling in a downward motion. I glance around outside and don't catch any sight or Link, so I guessed, or would it be 'hoped', -shut up- that he is the smaller shadow that can be seen running around. Taking in a deep breath, I step into the swirling mass of smoke, eyes trained on the ground as I slowly put one foot in front of the other, testing the ground to see if there are any weak points before committing my entire weight to that foot. The farther in I move, the quicker the smoke moves and the thinner it gets until I am standing just on the edge of the smoke, watching the battle unfold before my eyes.

Once again, I admit, I stared; for minutes watching in awe as everything the fairytales tried, and failed, to capture with the daring, handsome Hero fought off the evil dragon. Well maybe they got the daring and handso-nope, just daring, I'll give him that, certainly not handsome, cute, as a kid, yes, but nothing past that.

The flashes of light I had seen from the outside were flaming boulders dropping from the area Volvagia was circling above the platform that the Hero was running back and forth on. Just as a boulder got close, the Hero would roll forward or jump to the side and allow it to smash harmlessly on the ground. There were a number of holes filled with bubbling lava that he was also dancing around. After a few circles and many boulders, Volvagia turned towards the ground and disappeared into one of these holes. The Hero's head moved back and forth between all the holes, as Volvagia popped its head up, I was expecting him to move but instead he waited. Before I had a chance to wonder at his lack of movement, Volvagia quickly disappeared once more below the surface before appearing once more right next to the Hero and then repeating the disappearing and reappearing act. Now Link jumped into motion, drawing a large hammer from his side and bringing it down harshly on Volvagia's head before strapping it back to his side and beginning to slash at the neck of the dragon with his sword as its head lay on the ground working to recover from the blow.

I may have planned to only come and make sure the Hero was still alive, but now watching him face this dragon…there was no way I could leave. Gwyn will kill me for not waking her up and bringing her along, but…wow, I would have never guessed how intense battling a dragon could truly be, yeah, sure, he's wonderful, lets give him a cookie. I stood and watched as the Hero continued to battle, dodging, rolling, and moving quickly when the dragon had stopped moving between lava holes. After a few minutes however, the heat became too unbearable and I had to leave. It was impressive, but I knew the Hero had things well in hand, he would have no real trouble defeating Volvagia; even after his rough start. Very rough start.

I teleported back to the room, Gwyn was still sleeping and I saw no reason to wake her. I worked to once again re-center my mind. I needed my logic and straightforward thinking to take over again, I had gotten way too caught up in being amazed by the Hero fighting, well, it wasn't his fighting that amazed me, it was…him fighting a dragon? There is a difference, I wasn't amazed by himjust his fighting…yeah, he was doing a lot better than I expected him to, well, only a little better than I expected, it wasn't really all that great…did I just contradict myself? I shake my head and sigh, I should not have to work this hard to convince myself what I am and am not amazed by, this is just sad.

I look over Gwyn once more as she sleeps and then turn and walk out of the room to find Impa. Thankfully, finding her is not very hard; she is sitting at the table in the main room and looks up with a smile on her face as I walk in. I glance at her for a second and mumble about needing a ride and time to think. She chuckles softly as I shuffle towards the door as many years of similar occurrences have helped her grow accustomed to these random needs for riding. As I walk out the door I hear her say that she will tell Gwyn if she wakes up before I return, my mind to busy being overrun by thoughts to respond as I close the door behind me. Unproductive movement always clears the mind, especially when I don't have to exert any energy for it, is this clearing my mind, or running from something I don't really want to face…ride now, think later.


Link's POV—


Even with the heat resistant armor making the volcano bearable, it definitely was not helping make this battle any cooler. The temple was bearable, but having a dragon breathing fire at you and dropping flaming boulders on your head tends to heat things up a bit more. Thankfully once I had pushed past the outer part of the smoke the air cleared up. Volvagia had been circling the air above the platform I'm on now continuously and helped cause the air to move enough to push the smoke out a ways. Fighting it in thick, dark smoke would have bordering on the impossible.

I could tell that Volvagia was beginning to tire, honestly, I was surprised it was still moving after all the times I had hit it with the Megaton Hammer. I had the unpleasant experience of accidentally dropping it on my toe after defeating a particularly difficult enemy; needless to say, I had to use half of one of my red potions before I could even consider moving my foot again. Thankfully I had a boot on so I didn't lose the contents of my stomach from what probably would have been a disgusting sight. Random trail of thought aside, impressive on the dragon's part

Volvagia had just brought his head up out of a lava pit right next to me so instead of waiting like I usually did for him to go back down and then reappear somewhere else, I dropped the hammer head on him and then set into slashing his head with my sword. The scales had weakened slowly but with my last strike, the sword cleanly sliced off his head, the upper part of the body still sticking out of the lava hole whipping around before settling back into the lava, the head turning to what looked like ash and then settling to the ground in a pile of formless dust.

I looked around and watched as the lava cooled and the heat in the immediate area dropped considerably, almost to a comfortable level, though I would never consider coming here for a vacation. Navi floated over to me and gave me a quick but tired smile, she had had to stay on her toes the whole fight, Volvagia was snapping at her almost as often as it was blowing fire at me. She slid under my hat and began her well-deserved nap as I walked toward the circle of blue light coming up from the ground. The feeling of being taken to the Chamber Of The Sages was a very welcome change from the heat I had been in for the past day. My eyes closed as a smile formed across my lips, I was one step closer to returning Hyrule to its former glory, I was about to receive the third medallion and then it was only three more to follow.

Hopefully Sheik and Gwyn have worked out what we need to do next. If I remember correctly from the first conversation I had with Sheik, it is the Water Temple next…I'm not too sure if I am ready for that yet, as I still don't understand what the whole stone thing was with that Ruto girl was all about either. Maybe Sheik knows, he always understands a bunch about the different races across Hyrule. That will have to wait though, wonder who the Fire Temple Sage is…


Sheik's POV—


The two-hour ride was… refreshing. It is simply amazing how relaxing it can be to just be in motion without thinking much about it...did I think at all? Running or just going riding on Nightscream is two of the best ways for me to clear my thoughts. The way I picture it, I start moving fast enough that I can outrun all the thoughts bugging me so no, no thinking done, for a little while and just focus on the rhythm of either my feet or Nightscream's hooves as they move across the ground comforting, yes, helpful, to my sanity. I have found that running is a great stress reliever but climbing on Nightscream's back, grabbing the reigns and then letting him run where he wants to while I just hold on and lose myself in his breathing and the sound of him running.

So, I didn't work any questions out or make any real progress, no, but it was nice all the same. By the time I got back, Gwyn was up and getting around the house. Breakfast was sitting on the stove in the kitchen, Impa had gotten really good at judging how long I would be away on my rides or runs and would usually have food ready for when I got in depending on the time of day. The three of us sat down and ate together; Impa and Gwyn asked about the ride but didn't press too much. They did however almost choke on the food they were eating when I told them about the vision I had the night before. Maybe I could have chosen a bit better timing in telling them about the vision blacking out after he was engulfed in flames, ehh, oh well.

Gwyn was slightly disappointed in the fact I didn't wake her up and missed out on the chance to see Link battle a dragon, especially one that even the Gerudo had heard stories of, but in the end appreciated getting a bit more sleep a little more than being woken up.

I was about to retort when the ground began to shake, all of Kakariko seemed like it was about to be ripped apart. Rushing outside the house, we look around before turning to face the mountain and see the volcano looking like it is about to erupt, or already has begun possibly. As we stand watching, a pillar of fire blasts into the sky. Over the roar of the fire shooting into the sky, Gwyn yells over to Impa and I, "This is either really good, or really, really bad…"

The fire blasts a hole through the grey clouds and sky that are hanging ominously over Kakariko and Death Mountain showing a clear blue sky just beyond the dreary cloud cover. It continues to stretch upward until it flows into the blackness of space. The dark sky begins to be pulled inward towards the pillar like a vacuum before it is drawn in completely and disappears leaving behind the clear blue skies we have been missing or so long.

Impa turns to Gwyn, "I'd say that would be considered really good." Gwyn chuckles nervously as we shield our eyes from the returned brightness, "Yeah, I think I would have to agree."

As I squint my eyes, a smile grows across my face. Well done, Hero, I knew you could do it, with only minor doubts, but seeing how big of a difference you have made in this area with just one enemy defeated and Sage freed, hope is returning as surely as the bright sun and blue sky. I look over towards Gwyn and find a smile that is similar to the one I feel on my own face and nod at her. Yes, hope is returning.

Impa turns to us, "I must return once more to the temple, Bongo Bongo is slowly growing more powerful, I must reinforce the bindings on his prison." She glances at Gwyn for a second before nodding and turning back to me, "I feel I can trust this information to you two and Link if you feel the need to tell him, but somehow, he is being fed power from another realm."

She turns to face the well that is placed in front of the windmill, as she continues speaking. "The darkness is taking on more of a living personality, not breathing per se; but thought and survival is almost radiating from the shadows in the temple. Evil is moving within the dark, and it is slowly growing stronger. Ganondorf entering the Sacred Realm may have had a bigger effect on it than we first thought. I will have to do some checking back through the writings of the Sheikah to see if there is any more in depth recordings or legends of what happens."

With no further words or parting comments, she deftly launches a deku nut at the ground and disappears.

"Great, and my eyes had just now finally adjusted to the new brightness here and she goes and pulls that." Gwyn says in a mock tone of disgust from next to me as she rubs her eyes slowly.

I chuckle in agreement as I slowly mimic her actions. After all the years of using them, it still throws me off by how bright they are when I'm not the one using them. As my eyes finish readjusting for the second time in the past ten minutes, I look around at the village. It has changed a lot in the past seven years. Before the attack on the castle, it was small, not a major trade area or where just a whole lot of people came. There definitely were none of the larger shops and such as there are here now. From what Impa said, before this it was only open to the Sheikah, communal living in the few buildings that were built, crops grown in some areas, livestock allowed to roam freely, overall, simply peaceful. Impa said she thought that was what led to the Sheikah's downfall; they had become complacent and relaxed during the time of peace. They were still well trained as children, but as the children grew older, they didn't continue practicing or growing stronger leaving only a few in shape well enough to truly protect the royal family and train the children. When the time of war did come, reflexes weren't as sharp, nor were their blades, and most fell in the first sweep of the castle, those surviving being called into retreat by Impa as we escaped from the Castle.

"Alright, Gwyn, I need to go check on how the Zoras are doing, but since Link will come back here once he comes off the mountain, You should probably stay here and wait for him so he doesn't get lost and just go run around Hyrule Field all night fighting Stalchilds till we come and find him. Go teach him some of your famous thievery or something." I flash Gwyn a sly smile to show my joking manner.

A look of indignant pride and hurt flashes across her face before she breaks into a grin, "Hey now, I will have you know I have not stolen anything from you or Link the entire time we have been traveling together, thank you very much." She responds before giving me a light shove on the shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, it just hasn't happened yet, I know how you work, lull us into a sense of false security and then strike hard, don't think you can pull the wool over our eyes that easily, I sleep with one eye open to watch you, you know." I lightly bump her back.

"Ha, yeah, but you would have two to watch me with if your other eye wasn't so focused on Link. I bet half the time, both of them are actually on him instead of me!" She retorts with a wink and a playful, evil grin and then she takes off running, cackling madly, before I have a chance to grab her. Cheeky little…I do not watch the Hero that closely,nothing even remotely interesting enough about him aside from how he fights. He treats people like any good and caring person should, nothing special there. He is too easily distracted when you are trying to talk with him because his eyes wander; well maybe there is another thing that is interesting about him. His eyes are so full of, strength, life and the joy of living, such strong emotions bursting just below the surface of the deep wells there.

'The clear water's surface reflects growth.'

Strange way of thinking about it, but I suppose that is a good way to explain it,though with him there isn't much growth to see. His hair is nice too, I suppose, little too wild usually, and that most infuriating grin he wears sometimes…

"So, still thinking about him, eh?" A voice right next to my ear asks as I yelp and begin to run away from whoever it is that is behind me. I only make it a couple steps before I hear Gwyn laughing raucously. I turn to see her bent over holding her sides as tears slowly fill in her eyes from laughing so hard.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, I'll be sure to remember this for whenever you show any interest in a guy. Just wait, you, we Sheikah repay tenfold what we take."

She shuts up quickly and straightens up to face me with a calm face. Just as I start to sigh in relief, she fights a small smile and asks, "So is that you admitting you have an interest in Link?"

I'm floored by the abruptness of her question, "…Uh…n-no, absolutely not, definitely not, and do not take my words and twist them, that will also get you in trouble with me. I was merely saying when you find a guy that you like in the way you keep pushing for me to like the Hero, I will bug you about it to no end." I cross my arms and try to set a menacing look on my face at her, but my mind is still reeling by the bluntness of her question for it to look anything close to scary. Of course I don't like the Hero, and I haven't acted in a way to say otherwise. I will admit, he was cute when he was younger, but more of the 'awww, little kid' kind of cute. Right…of course…

I hear her snicker and my eyes focus back on her just as her face settles into a calm expression once again. Narrowing my eyes I look at her a bit longer, "Right, well I need to go see to the Zoras. Hopefully they are holding up better than the Gorons have been. Don't…don't cause too much trouble all right? You're bad enough on your own, but add the Hero to the mix and it seems like you two are a disaster waiting to happen."

I bring my hands to my mouth and blow out a shrill whistle, Nightscream whinnies from somewhere in the village and I turn in that direction. I look over my shoulder as he comes into view, "Farewell, Sister, stay safe." I hold out my hand as Nightscream passes us by and jump as I catch his reigns, swinging my leg over him and landing gracefully on his back as he continues to gallop out of the gates and into the Field. You also, Hero.


Gwyn's POV—


She is a mess. The Bearer of Wisdom, unable to see what is staring her right in the face, heck, half the time it is slapping her in the face and she brushes it off. At least half of the Triforce on our side is using what the Goddesses gave them. She's a smart girl, I know she is; quick witted, well versed in battle techniques, fighting stances, and culture, I've seen all this first hand. But wisdom isn't just knowledge, its knowing when and how to apply that knowledge for the best outcome. It's guiding without drawing a map, and leading without dragging the followers. What she said in front of the Fire Temple was wisdom, it spoke to the present and future, offering guidance and encouragement, but she had no clue what she said afterward…strange.

Deciding to think on it later, I start to walk around the village. The first day I was here, well, simply put, I wasn't well liked. After it got out that Ganondorf was King of the Gerudo, the opinion of our people dropped from its already low standings to just above hostile. After the people here saw me with Sheik, however, they slowly began to accept me. Now, I greet people that I know on the street and have become decently good friends with most of the more prominent people here; most are very kind and hard-working people who just want peace to return to Hyrule.

After walking around for a bit, I drop in at the shooting range. Two of the things I miss about not being back at the fortress are the target practice with my bow and the dueling opportunities with the other ladies there, looks like Link and I will have to fight a bit more once he gets back, try his meditation thing again.

The owner of the shooting range and I have a deal worked out, I won't ask for a prize and he won't charge me money, I get the target practice I want, and he doesn't lose tons of money since I hit them all almost every time. As I am shooting the targets, my mind wanders back to the topic of Link; there is something odd about him. He knows things that most outsiders don't at a depth that even many of us who were raised in the Fortress don't know, and it is more like he was reading the information out loud directly from a book rather than trying to recall it from memory…

Something else has been bugging me about him also since I met him. I've been trying to ignore it, but there is something about him that, every time I see him, I want to follow him and help him in any way I can. I want to make him proud for some reason, he's a great guy and all, but want to make him proud? That is weird, and I don't really like it… if only Nabooru was still around like she used to be, she was always the one I could talk to with things I didn't understand. She disappeared and then came back…different…

My train of thought is broken as I reach for another arrow and find my quiver empty. I glance over at the area where the score is posted and find I only missed four of the thirty targets I shot. As my hand lowers, I glance at the guy behind the counter, he is not quite to the point of drooling as he watched, but it looked as though he was getting close. Giving a slight smirk and nod in his direction, I turn from the shooting range and walk out the door to go buy more arrows from the store.

As I step outside, I look back towards Death Mountain, the sun is hanging close to the middle of the sky and the light cloud ring around the summit stands out clearly against the blue sky. Overall, it is a much more pleasant picture than it was at the beginning of yesterday, Link apparently doesn't know how to do things halfway, he kills a bad guy and it clears up the whole sky in the area. Chuckling, I enter the supply store, restock on essentials and then leave after paying and thanking the guy running the store. As I step once more into the sunlight, I look back and forth down the rows of buildings, Now what? There is only so much aimless wandering a girl can do before she gets bored out of her mind…

Turning towards Death Mountain once more, I shrug and start walking toward the path that leads up the mountain. If I see Link on the way, then all the better. Maybe he can turn around and give me a tour; no telling how long Sheik will be gone… Well, no time like the present I suppose. Death Mountain, here I come.


Sheik's POV—


Gwyn's comments bugged me the entire trip to the Zoran City. Usually, riding helps clear my mind, but for some reason, Gwyn's words and Link stayed at the forefront of my mind. It really sucks to have the topic you are trying to avoid, be the ones that just won't leave you alone. Even as I played the song of the Royal Family, my mind was distracted and my fingers playing habitually. Why is this messing with me so much? I won't be able to do anything for the Zoras at this rate. Distraction never helps anyone in the types of situations we will be in until we defeat Ganondorf. High tension and risk are the worst times to be distracted, especially over a guy. No matter how attractive or funny, or…just Link…

I literally shake myself as I notice I had completely stopped walking. No more thoughts of that for now, Think…pink cucoos and yellow cows, …um, sunsets? … ….still not helping. In the end I started going through my memories of a number of ReDead incidents I had heard about and trying to recount as many details as I could. Thankfully, this distraction lasted me until I reached the throne room. Once there, I had something totally different on my mind,

"What the heck?"

Still just within the shadows, I slowly work to take the scene in that is before me. The King of the Zoras was frozen inside a red block of ice. Since when is there red ice? Can't be natural, but how to break it off of him…I'll leave that for Link, this king is more or less just a figurehead though. It's actually Ruto who really runs things, if there is someone I should help it would be her, but how to find…

My thoughts are cut off by a strangled yell that was quickly drawing closer, turning to see a figure drawing closer with something raised above their head, I instinctively unsheathe the closest knife and begin blocking the wild blows.

In between attacks, the figure yells at me, "Come back…to gloat huh? Couldn't… stay away…from your…handy work? Come to…finish the job…or are…you going to…freeze me…to?" after one final strike, the figure drops the weapon before sinking to the ground sobbing. "You've already taken the thing that means the most to me…I've tried everything, he won't thaw though…"

Finally getting a good look at who it is, I kneel and wrap my arms around her, "Ruto, I'm so sorry, I didn't know this had happened or I would have been back to help sooner. It's going to be alright though, I can promise that."

Through her tear soaked face, she looks at me and recognition dawns across it. Some of the stress lines leave her face as she relaxes into the embrace though holding on as if for dear life, "I'm glad you're here Ze…Sheik. I found him two days ago after getting back from checking on how Hyrule Lake was looking, it has been getting worse slowly the past couple years for seemingly no reason, when I got back though…" she sniffled, fighting back a fresh wave of tears, "…I've been going nearly insane when nothing worked. All the other Zoras are trapped under the sheet of ice and I don't really know how to help them either. We've never had to test it before, but they should be in a level of stasis from the temperature, but if they don't get out soon, they will suffocate from lack of fresh oxygen. I don't even know what is happening to daddy…" Her voice was reaching a hysterical point again, so I started rubbing small circles into her back as I drew her into another hug.

Taking a deep breath I worked to slowly push away her fears, "It's going to be fine, Ruto, a person is coming to help, he should be here within the next couple days, but I need you to start preparing to go to the Water Temple. All the ice here feels dark and unnatural. If you could skip around the temple and just look at what all is in there and then come back and tell me what you've seen, I'll pass it along to him so he knows a little more of what to expect."

She had once again relaxed, "I can do that, but he will need a way to breathe underwater and all that, unless you know a Zora I don't…Besides, I can tell you exactly what all is in the temple right now without going, I would know if daddy had changed anything in there since the last time we went in for a ritual. We have-"

"No, you will need to look through again," I say, interrupting her, "Evil has slowly begun to enter the Temples across Hyrule, as Ganondorf has grown stronger, he has slowly begun to infest the temples from the inside. My guess is there is an evil creature deep within the Temple that is causing this unnatural ice. I just came from Kakariko and the sky was dark grey and the volcano close to erupting because of one such creature. Volvagia had been resurrected and unleashed within the Fire Temple.

"When Volvagia was defeated once more, the volcano erupted and cleared the sky to where it is once more as it always had been. Quite a spectacular thing to watch really..." I slowly trail off as I remember the look of the sky. I'm drawn from my thoughts by a small cough and snigger. Blushing I look up to face her again.

"So who is this person who supposedly can make all this better?" Her voice once more returning to a state of urgency as she works back to the main point.

"The Hero of Time, you met him seven years ago when you gave him the Water Stone." I answer; as I finish a shudder rushes through her body.

She pulls away some from the hug we were still sharing and gasps, "My betrothed! I hadn't heard anything from him for so long I though he had died or forgotten about me. Well, actually I thought he had just taken what he wanted and then left like most humans guys are known to do now days." She finishes with a tone of dejection and disgust.

Something flares within me as she talks, "Y-your betrothed?" I stammer out, shock and…another feeling coursing through me.

"Oh, yes! My mother told me I shouldn't give the Zora Amulet to anyone but my betrothed, when he came asking for it, saved me from the belly of Jabu-Jabu, I figured he was there to claim my heart, so I gave it to him. He was cute, does he look any better now?" She gushed, and probably would have continued if I hadn't interrupted,

"So did you tell him what it meant for you to give it to him? And how did he know to ask for it?" I look her over, she's part fish for crying out loud, pretty, but…that's creepy…nothing against the Zoras, but all the same, I couldn't see myself dating a fish…or a part fish, whatever. I shake my head to clear those thoughts. There is nothing wrong with the Zoras, what is wrong with me?

"Of course I told him, what are you trying to say here? And I have no idea how he knew to ask, he just showed up inside Jabu-Jabu trying to find me so that he could try to find the Spiritual Stone of Water, which everyone knows is the Zora Amulet." She nodded with a smile on her face as if it was that simple. I shake my head.

"He was an eleven year old boy who was raised by the Kokiri in their forest, he would have had no way to know what the stone was, let alone what betrothal meant." A feeling of peace comes over me as I speak this realization. Peace? What was I worried about, that he would…like her over me? Why am I thinking like that, what is going on with my brain, first I was jealous and now this? Great, just great Zelda, you're supposed to be dead right now or at least gone from Hyrule, and Sheik, you're supposed to be a dude and that kind of thinking is messed up…blehh.

Ruto's face falls as I explain how Link couldn't have known what he was asking for. It went unsaid that he wouldn't ask for it if he actually knew her. She is a good friend, but man she can be bossy and imperialistic. I chuckle mentally. Once again I have to shake my head.

"Listen Ruto, we have to get back to the more important matters that we are facing right now. You need to go take a look around the Temple to see where the problem areas are so you can let Link know how to get through to defeat whatever it is that is causing problems within. But, and listen closely to this, you must be very careful. I am not sure if the Water Sage has been captured or not, which means either they have already been captured and they are being held within the Temple…or you are the Water Sage since you are the last Zora not frozen. Do not be seen. After you have looked through, go back to the entrance and I will have Link meet you there, if you guide him through the Temple, he should be able to get through it pretty quickly."

She gave me her undivided attention until around the part of her possibly being the Water Sage. I snap my fingers in front of her face to regain her attention, "You hear me?" She nods in response and stands to leave. Before leaving the throne room she turns around once more to look at her father.

"See you soon, daddy." Muttering as she turns, "I hope."

I sit for a few moments after she leaves, her quiet, parting words riveting me to the floor where I was still situated from the last hug I gave her. Staring blindly at King Zora as he sits incased in the unnatural ice, my thoughts drift to my own, lost parents for the first time in a few years. I had shut down my grief for a couple years until I finally fully immersed myself into being Impa's nephew, no relation to the sadly lost King and Queen of Hyrule. As Sheik, I grieved as a bystander, but never have I allowed Zelda to grieve her parents. The ice had grown cold around that part of my heart just as the ice surrounds the Zora Domain. But even as I sat, knowing Link would be coming to break the ice off the Zoran king, the walls of ice began cracking and falling from the shell I had placed there so long ago.

Never would I see my father living again, hear his laugh, scheme to prank Mother with him, never…never… my mind empties of thought as my eyes overflow with tears. Nothing but my echoing sobs surrounding me…I wish Impa was here. The year following The Coup as the Sheikah call it, she would hold me at night and rock back and forth. I didn't appreciate it at the time, I was too wrapped up in all my other emotions. After that year, she stopped after one of our arguments, the worst one we have ever had, since then or before.

I wrap my arms close to my body and slowly rock back and forth, still seated on the frozen ground. My parents are gone; Impa isn't here…what am I supposed to do now? With Impa being one of the last higher level Sheikah, she is most likely to be the Sage of the Shadow Temple, what am I going to do when she is gone also? I guess I will have to let Gwyn get even closer…I tried the whole lone wolf thing and it didn't work out too well, that fact is showing itself right now even. Why does the world have to be so unfair, Ruto gets to keep her father, Link won't fail to free him and the rest of the Zoras, that much I'm positive of. But I have no parents, Impa will probably not be in tis realm anymore, and I am probably one of the last true Hylians. All I have left are my friends, and those I have few of because of how I have acted as Sheik for so long. All people know of me now is a mask excluding Gwyn of course…I need to get back to them soon, they'll start to worry

The sobbing has finally lessened, but the pain and loneliness is still here pressing in on me from every side. My eyes drain of tears as my emotions slowly wear me down, I'll go back after I get some rest… I roll over, onto my side, and curl up into a ball as sleep takes me, shielding me just for a little while from the ache of loss and lies.


Gwyn's POV—


Half way to the top of the mountain, I come across the entrance to the main living area for the Gorons and found a group of them, standing in a circle around a platform just outside the mouth of the cave. All of those Sheik and I spoke to in the caves were there raising their arms to the sky, chanting softly. I look past, not wanting to disturb them and see a small shadow coming down the mountain, figuring that it is Link I start walking that direction.

Halfway up said path, I meet Link. He looks a little worse for wear, sweat, dirt, a little blood and a weird bluish liquid type substance hanging on his clothes and face and arms, he looks a right mess.

"Looks like it went well, eh Link, Navi?" I say cheerfully, even though I don't know the guy too well, I do like him being around. When he isn't quiet, he is hilarious, even when he is quiet most of the time, his humor and quick wit speak more than him talking constantly.

Link chuckles nervously while Navi shakes her head, "This idiot here decides to rush in to a room, sword raised and a battle cry on his lips, and gets roasted by Volvagia."

"Aww, come on Navi, you make it sound like I'm a complete idiot when it comes to evil infested temples, how was I supposed to know there was a Dragon just waiting to blow fire through the door way, and I only opened it thank you very much." Link answers in a mock whining voice.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. You were torched? Where are your burns? I know potions don't heal you that fast, maybe a fairy, but you usually just save those for…please tell me you didn't die, please, please tell me you didn't die." Realization dawns across my face, "Oh, no she did not! Dang it, that… that… oooh I am so going to kill he-" I clamp my mouth shut, eyes wide. Oh crap. Link is looking at me with a confused look on his face, Navi, Navi is switching between a look of horror and amusement, I just screwed up royally…

"Who are you talking about Gwyn?" Link asks, Navi sniggers before muttering loud enough for only me to hear, "Yeah who are you talking about Gwyn?" she flutters over to stand on my shoulder and lean against my ear. Dang you fairy. You're not helping my frame of mind.

I…er, well…um, I was talking about…Navi! Yeah, I was really hoping she didn't break a huge bonded fairy rule…umm, right Navi, doesn't it say that you can't act like a normal fairy and save the person you are bonded to…or something?" Please don't fail me, this isn't just for me, this is for Zelda… "I think Sheik mentioned something about it during one of our random conversations…?"

Navi huffed and whispers, "You so owe me," before continuing louder, "Yeah, that's true, we are tied to the one we bond with so if they die, we die, much more complicated than that of course, but that is the general idea."

Dang, she's good at lying…even with me throwing her on the spot like that. I breath a sigh of relief, too close. That girl better hurry up and just tell him already, no idea what is holding her back…

"Anyways, I was wanting to know if you would like to spar again? I haven't been able to get back to the state for meditating you showed me a few days ago, I might need to have you walk me through it one more time." I asked hopefully, that was such a relaxing time, fighting was a thrill and life just felt better.

He nods at me, "Sure, lets get off the mountain, grab Sheik and then head out to the field, I always enjoy being out there." He starts walking back down the mountain.

"Sheik…isn't in town right now, sh—er, he, had to go take care of a few things, and I was wondering if you could show me around the Goron's cave and such..." I stated as I walked by his side.

"Sure, I need to go let them know that Darunia is the Fire Sage so they don't start worrying about why he hasn't returned yet…but after that I'll give you a walk through of the place." Link answered with a smile, albeit a weary one.


Once we finally made it to Hyrule Field after the tour and visiting with the Gorons, we began to meditate. Spending a couple hours walking through different sparring matches, fights, duels, etcetera, we turned to face each other. Deciding to change it up, we used only short swords in our main hand and daggers in our off-hand.

Starting six feet apart we slowly circle each other, I leap forward after a minute of waiting, never was a patient one, we began a heated dance. Dual wielding is fun, though requires a higher awareness, you don't just have to worry about where one weapon is, but also the second, and also be looking for openings on either side while keeping yourself guarded. Often we locked up our short swords in between us at head or chest level and then fought a smaller battle with the daggers in between, trying to force an advantage over the other by causing their concentration to waiver with the sword so they can be pushed back or attacked.

Though most of the battle was fought closely, even resorting to hits and kicks, the swings were very powerful also. Link was the first to lose his dagger, though my short sword quickly followed it to the ground. After blocking with my dagger, I twisted his short sword from his grip; within a few strikes he was able to force my dagger away from me though and I wound up lying on the ground after he rolled me over his shoulder. Rolling away from him, I swing my legs around to keep him from getting nearer and then pop back up to my feet, settling once more into a ready stance. I haven't had a fight like this in a long time, his skills are only getting better each time we face off… Let's see how he does hand to hand though, I'm sure I can pull out a few surprises still.

Grinning deviously, I wave him over, "Come on, Hero, and let us see what you can do!"

Link smirks back before turning and kicking the weapons that were surrounding us away. "Don't want us to fall on one of these no do we?" He asks with a chuckle. It throws me off and I barely have time to react to him sprinting over with his arm pulled back in a punch. Just before he is within arms reach, I slip to the side, drop to one knee and drag my other foot across the ground in an attempt to sweep his legs out from under him. He jumps through the air to dodge it and rolls to carry his momentum forward without hurting himself, turning once more to face me laughing, "You won't sweep me off my feet that easily, Gwyn!"

I smirk back, and mutter low enough that he can't hear, "No, that's Sheik's job, if she'll ever get around to it…" Laughing I shake my head.

An hour or so later, we both drop to the ground, smiles on our faces, but completely out of breath. The sun was almost fully set by now and, after recovering, Link moved to start a fire so we could start on dinner. He walks over to his bag and pulls out two apples, yells "heads up" and tosses one to me. He pulls out the food and cookware and moves near the fire.

"So, Link, I have been wondering, how much do you know about the Gerudo?" This question has been bugging me since the whole, Sisters of The Blade explanation he gave, so weird…

"Umm, almost everything I think? I don't really know what to say, You say Gerudo and I think desert, Goddess of the Sand, pride, family… and what I understand the least…home… I usually only felt that in the Lost Forest, or the Temple of Time…and now that I think of it, Death Mountain, I others I can understand, Hero of Time-Temple of Time, Lost Forest-where I grew up, and Death Mountain-I'm Darunia's sworn brother. I don't know how I'm connected to the Gerudos or the Gerudo Valley though, but it is there." Link said, his face contorted in concentration.

"What exactly do you mean almost everything? Do you know our history, our traditions, I've seen that you know our fighting style because of me helping you with some stances, but I also noticed that you were doing a few of the Master stances, things only the highest Gerudo Warriors are fully taught. Things like that." I ask, truly wondering if it was just a fluke and he heard some things and figured he knew all there was to know, or if it is something…deeper and truly, unthinkable.

Growing up in the Fortress, I always heard that a King would come to lead our race into a new time of prosperity, this was always said, but the older Gerudo were clinging to this hope more dearly than those of us who had been born recently. The reason was the King that was supposed to rule for the one hundred years before my time was killed or kidnapped at a young age supposedly. He was born and raised within the Fortress but when he came of age he went to the Temple as is required but did not return. Many of the best warriors in the ranks at that time went in to search but found nothing, every few years they would make another sweep through, each time finding nothing, they lost their hope for the current time of reign, but they kept their hope for the next King to lead them as had always been foretold.

Then, out of nowhere, Ganondorf, the young man who disappeared within the Temple appears once more and claims the throne. He was strong, charismatic, strict and lawful; everything the King should be. The first few years he was back he lead us in the direction we believed he was suppose to; we began to prosper, grow larger, grow stronger, we became feared for our fighting abilities. Our great rise from the depths had begun, or that is what we believed. After the first few years he started to withdraw from us, became crueler, pushing us past our limits in our training. Our ladies began passing out from exhaustion while trying to train to the level he wanted from us.

Then people started acting weird, doing and saying things that they usually wouldn't have done. Like Nabooru, she was one of the more recent ones that stand out to most of the ladies at the Fortress. Her personality did almost a complete turn around from what it once was, and she is scary now.

I look back at Link as he starts talking, telling me the background of our people. In some places it is word for word what I was taught growing up, other areas, he goes more in depth or explains it in a new light. It amazed me, hearing our history being laid bare, unprejudiced or changed to meet a biased viewpoint, back to the time of the first woman who was accepted by the desert to become her daughter, a daughter of the sand. The sun with dark skin marked her, the heat with hair of fire marked her, and the earth with strength unseen in most of the warriors in Hyrule marked her and the desert called her, her own. The desert is mother to all Gerudos and they are her daughters, she is the Queen to the King and he brings either wealth or destruction to her.

Fighting and stealing became a way of life, but not between the sisters; within the Fortress the sisters lived a communal lifestyle, sharing excess with those in need. The only fighting or stealing within the fortress was for training. For two years in their teens, the young girls would have to fend for themselves within the Fortress, stealing from anyone they could. If they got caught, they were punished; a lock of hair was cut off, a knife cut across their arm and then sent away with no food.

After half an hour of retelling of history and traditions, Link sits back, drinks down quite a bit of water and falls silent for a little bit. I just sit and look at him, "It's amazing, I hope you know, hearing everything I was raised hearing but with a balanced opinion rather than the biased spin the elders put on everything. I must ask though, what does "Eht li. Sor koh. Bah sai." mean?"

"Live honorable. War respectfully. Steal with dignity. The Gerudo code." Link responds with a slight grin. "I told you, I know almost everything, no idea how, but it is like it is just a part of me."

"Who are your parents?" I ask. "I've never heard you or Sheik talk about it, and I had a feeling you two knew each other decently well."

The small grin that was on his face fell as he dipped his head towards the ground, "I know you and Sheik have traveled together for a few days now, but you two have probably talked more than us. I'm not sure if Sheik told you or not, but the village we went to, with all of the little kids, is where I grew up. I was found at the base of the Deku Tree, my mother was injured really bad and somehow made it into the Lost Woods. She begged the Deku Tree to care for me and once she got its word that it would she walked into the Lost Woods and disappeared."

He looks off towards the horizon where the moon was now visible, "I don't know, no one knows whom my mother is, and there is more information about her than my father so there is no telling who he is. With the way things are at Castle Town, I really doubt he's even still alive."

He takes a deep breath before letting it out as a sigh. Turning his face he looks at me and smiles, "But that's all the past. Though I would like to know what I am since the Great Deku Tree told me I'm not really a Kokiri, my parents don't define who I am, I choose that. At least after all this is over with. Apparently destiny has decided what I would be doing for a little while, but even that doesn't decide who I will be. It will be fun to find out, if I ever do, but until then I'll live life like I think I should." By this time a huge grin had broken across his face.

Who is this guy?! Many people outside of the Gerudo would feel lost without knowing who their parents are, and others think that because their parents were one way, they would follow in their footsteps. It makes sense but who thinks like that?

Now that I think about it though, who is this guy, really? No one should know this much about the Gerudo at his age at all, let alone after being raised on a forest of kids and then falling asleep shortly after that. Unless...

"Hey, Link, what were those seven years like?"