Sheik awoke more comfortable then he thought he would be. He stretched like a cat but paused when his pillow moved. He glanced down and his eyes widened when he realized that he laying on the soft underside of Link's arm.
"I don't really mind if you use my arm for a pillow but it's kinda falling asleep now. Think you could switch to my other side?" muttered the hero sleepily from behind him. The Sheikah shot up from the floor and spun to face him.
"Forgive me. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," said Sheik as he shifted his feet, "I…will go fetch something to eat then,"
He then bolted out the door before the hero could respond.
"Damn it," muttered Link as he sat up, "Why does he get so freaked out like that?"
He stretched his muscles and gave a big yawn before finally raising to his feet. He strapped the Master Sword to his back but then paused as he noticed his shield sitting against the wall.
Didn't I leave that on Epona's saddle?
He grinned as he strode over and picked it up. He held it out with his right hand and sighed in relief when it didn't hurt at all. He really was back to normal. He tilted his head as he thought of something. He put his arms through the straps on the back of the metal shield and rolled his shoulders, content with the familiar weight on them.
Link turned when he heard a giggle. Saria and a frowning Mido was standing at the doorway watching him.
"Morning Link! I'm so full of energy so I can give you my medallion now!" exclaimed Saria with a smile. The hero smiled in return but shook his head.
"Soon but not now, ok? I wanted to do a little something first," said Link. Mido rolled his eyes but didn't say anything as he turned and walked away. Link narrowed his eyes at the boy's back but also stayed silent.
Saria tilted her head, confused.
"What are you wanting to do first?" asked Saria curiously. Link grinned as Sheik came back with two muffins.
"It seems the Skull Kid brought a lot of things today. And yes Link, I did check to see if he had done anything to them," said Sheik as Link immediately gave the muffins a suspicious look. He paused when he noticed Saria standing in the doorway. He then handed Link one of the muffins. The hero smiled in thanks.
"You found your shield as well. That's good. I know that you may not particularly like the Skull Kid but he did go through the effort of obtaining that shield for you. The least you could do is thank him. Anyway, I assume that you will be giving your medallion to him now?" asked Sheik to Saria. Link scowled at the thought of thanking the little prankster but he was grateful. So, he would thank the kid the next time he saw him.
"I will as soon as he does whatever he has to do first," said Saria and then waved at Link, "Just tell me when you're ready then,"
She then walked out the door. Sheik turned to give the hero a questioning look. He just grinned before scarfing down his muffin.
"Meet me at the entrance to the Lost Woods that's above Mido's house when you're done, ok? We got a score to settle," said Link with a snicker. He then turned and left. Sheik watched him go in confusion.
What score? He didn't seem angry about this morning and he was too playful to indicate it now. What could he mean?
He was intrigued so he ate his muffin quickly and then hurried to follow the hero. He tried to ignore the constant chorus of the Ballad of Heaven but then noticed the hero climbing the slope so he increased his pace. The hero tilted his head curiously and chuckled when he reached Link's side.
"I don't think I've ever known you to eat that fast," said Link amusingly. Sheik raised an eyebrow.
"Well, you have me overly curious. What is it that you are wanting to do?" asked Sheik. Link grinned and gestured for him to follow. Sheik watched him walk through the hollowed log nervously. Should they be going into the Lost Woods without a guide?
He followed the hero but stopped once he entered the clearing of the next area.
"Link…I don't think we should be wandering around here. It isn't safe," said Sheik as he glanced around the enchanted forest. Link continued to walk forward until he reached the opposite side of the clearing and then turned to face him.
"We aren't going anywhere. We just needed to be somewhere where we can concentrate," said Link. He then took his cloak off and laid it on the ground.
"So, partner. The last time we sparred you got the best of me. Now that I'm back to my old self, I want a rematch! Before getting any sort of extra power so you can't say that was the reason why I defeated you!" exclaimed Link with a grin. Sheik laughed incredibility and then crossed his arms with a smirk of his own.
"Well, you've grown quite a pair of balls there partner. Do remember that you were the one that made this decision when you're the one laying on the ground in defeat!" exclaimed the Sheikah.
They immediately approached each other. Link brought his bow out and put his arm in between the bow and string so it rested against his chest and back. He then rolled his shoulders as he slid his shield down to hold it ready. He unsheathed the Master Sword and twirled the blade, smiling when he did it effortlessly. He didn't realize how much he would miss doing that little trick. He then took a step back to ready himself.
Sheik stretched his back and legs to increase his dexterity because he could tell from a simple glance that the hero would easily beat him if he tried to use nothing but strength. He missed the stunned look that Link made at such a show of his flexibility. The Sheikah was surprised to see him bring out his bow though. He was tempted to provoke the hero into using it just to see how skilled he was at it.
"I assume that this spar will have the rules of a traditional dual? Or…perhaps we should have a proper dual," said Sheik smoothly. Link paused to look up at him with a slight look of confusion.
"If you mean no teleporting or spell casting then sure. Nothing but blades is fine with me," said Link. Sheik chuckled and then crossed his arms.
"A traditional dual is respectful and proper, but encourages the upmost potential from each dualist. This ultimately proves that the victor is the one with the most skill," replied Sheik slyly but then paused as he thought of something, "But we should rule out the use of fire magic. That wouldn't be every wise to use in a dying forest,"
Link nodded and then rubbed his hands together before giving his guide a mischievous grin.
"So, we come at each other with everything we got? Well, game on then partner!" exclaimed Link excitingly.
The Sheikah chuckled and then gestured for Link to back away. The hero tilted his head curiously but took a few steps back. Sheik held a closed a fist against his chest and then bowed deeply. Link smiled at the respectful act. He then copied his guide and bowed deeply in return.
When they straightened, Link glanced quickly at his guide and noticed him summon two daggers that that were longer than the ones that he had been using. They curved slightly outward and had a jagged edge, giving them the image like they had teeth on one side.
So, the hero unsheathed the blade he had put away in order to bow and began to circle around him. The Sheikah immediately got in a defense stance when Link inched closer, bringing his daggers up to protect his face. He was pleasantly surprised that Link wasn't charging at him recklessly. Sheik didn't follow the hero though, simply turned his body so he was always facing his opponent as he circled around him.
The Sheikah smirked when the hero narrowed his eyes. Though there were some advantages to circling an opponent, Sheik had never seen that much of a point to it. It was more of a way to show bravery and unnerve the other fighter to him. Anything that he could pick up about his opponent's weaknesses and style of fighting could be observed better when they generously showed him in their confused state.
Like Link was currently. He continued to circle, but was frowning when Sheik just stood rooted to the spot and watched him closely. The hero's footing was fluid and careful but he tilted his upper body slightly forward. This told the Sheikah that his instinct would be more likely to block attacks instead of dodging them.
The hero kept circling, inching closer but the Sheikah watched his eyes more than anything. They would tell him when he Link was going to act.
Then Link jabbed the Master Sword toward him, which Sheik easily deflected. The hero took another two steps before making a low vertical slash. Sheik dodged out of the way. He narrowed his eyes when Link just grinned. The hero wasn't even trying but he noticed his cerulean gaze was always moving. Watching his every move.
The Sheikah frowned and slightly tilted his head to regard the hero. Link narrowed his eyes at that and then hopped back a step before bringing him arm back. Sheik quickly grounded his feet and brought his daggers up to deflect the strong blow that he thought was aimed at his chest again. His eyes widened when he felt the rich green energy that surrounded the hero suddenly increase tenfold, making the holy blade he wielded to shine brightly.
Realizing his mistake, Sheik hurriedly back flipped away from the hero just as he let out a "Hyaa!".
A surge of wild and powerful energy was unleased in all directions from the blade as the hero spun around. He saw the bright wave of energy rush passed, completely missing him, as he flew through the air. He gasped when the force of such a powerful surge traveled higher to carry him farther then he had planned. He arched his feet farther and landed on the ground but still stumbled back a few steps from the momentum.
The hero hadn't used anything like that before. It was devastating and reached much farther then he thought. It seemed to require a stance that looked like a wide but powerful slash as well and Sheik was grudgingly having to admit that if he hadn't felt the energy build around the hero during his bluff he would have been knocked out in one hit. No wonder he wasn't that intimidated when surrounded by enemies. One attack like that would wipe them out clean.
The Sheikah gasped when he finally straightened to see the hero already charging at him, a fierce look in his eyes. His bluff was more than just to psych him out! It was to get him on the defense so the hero would have the upper hand!
As he was dodging and rolling out of the way of the Master Sword's strong but quick blade, the Sheikah couldn't help but feel torn between frustration and pride. Link kept his attacks swift enough to keep him on the defense but powerful enough to almost send him reeling. The hero had portrayed such a reckless nature in their time together that he was starting to wonder how Link was able to handle powerful but intelligent enemies on his own. He was proud to find that Link could do anything once he became serious enough about it.
It didn't mean that he was happy to be pushed around the clearing like stray cattle that Link was trying to herd somewhere. He didn't dare spilt his focus to try and teleport away either. The hero would send him crashing to the floor for sure. So, he needed to put some distance between them.
The Sheikah immediately got into a low crouch and sent his left dagger to knock the Master Sword to the side but tilted it so the edge would catch on the jagged side. He added to the force of Link's blow and drove the greatsword into the ground. He was impressed that Link still had the instinct to bring up his shield to block any attempt he would have tried to make with his right dagger, now that his sword was stuck in the ground. It didn't matter though. He never planned to attack at that moment anyway.
Instead, Sheik dropped the dagger clutched in his right hand and then planted it firmly on the ground to support his body weight. He suddenly swung his feet out in front of him, knocking the hero to the ground.
The Sheikah briefly considered rolling to perch on top of Link but decided against it when he noticed that the hero had kept a firm hold of his shield on the way down. He'd bat Sheik away like a fly with that thing if he was as skilled with it like he thought he was.
So, he rolled away instead and bolted into the trees. The Sheikah dropped his other dagger and summoned his smaller daggers. He quickly zigzagged between the trees circling the clearing, trying to disorient the hero who was hot on his tail. He was a bit surprised that the hero was able to follow so quickly. That curse really did weakened more than just his arm. The Sheikah wasn't worried though. He smirked as he glanced behind him to see Link sprinting after him at top speed, knowing that if he lost too much ground then Sheik would gain the upper hand. He had proven that he could hold his own in melee combat but long distance attacks were his specialty.
He spotted something that could help in his chase so he dived forward and grabbed the low long branch of a tree and twisted to run along the other side of it. As soon as he heard Link's heavy footsteps, he released the branch. He heard a loud curse as the branch whipped back the way it came to whack the hero sharply on the shin. Finally seeing an opening when he saw the hero stumble forward, he focused on the other side of the clearing and teleported.
The Sheikah panicked as the strange resistance from earlier sprung up to hinder his teleportation. He had forgotten about this! He tried to keep his focus firm and soon he was tumbling into the dirt before smashing his head against a boulder.
The Sheikah wasn't sure how long he laid there, but eventually he groaned and blinked several times to try and clear his head. He shook his head slightly when he kept hearing this constant ringing in his ears. Finally he slowly got up on his hands and knees but paused as his head started to spin.
Din damn it…he must have hit his head hard enough to get a concussion. Just what he needed while wandering around in the Lost Woods. He closed his eyes and bowed his head as he pressed a hand against his forehead to try and stop it from spinning. He quickly brought his hand back when he felt something wet against his fingers. When he peered down at his hand, his fingers were covered in blood. He flinched when something suddenly blurred his vison. He wiped his hand across his eyes, only to discover more blood. It was slowly starting to flow down from his temple where he had hit that boulder and was dripping into his eyes.
He took a deep breath and pulled a moist cloth from within his body suit and started to gently wipe away the blood. He looked up to scan his surroundings as he did this but he didn't recognize anything. This greatly unnerved him because almost every area had always been the same when walking through this forest. As he shakily got to his feet, his eyes widened when he realized why he couldn't recognize anything.
It was like he had stepped out of an enchanted forest full of life and into a haunted forest that surrounded him with dead trees that had branches that seemed to reach forward like eerie hands. He summoned the smaller daggers that he had dropped during his panicked teleportation but then hissed in pain. He glanced down to see one of his daggers had appeared blade first so it cut into his palm. It wasn't bad, so he gingerly turned it around. He hasn't done anything like that in a long time. He'd have to refrain from using any sort of magic until he recovered.
The Sheikah paused and cursed at himself as he reached into his body suit in search of that red potion that Telma had given him. They were mainly effective on physical injuries, but at least it would stop the bleeding and heal the wound on his head. He supposed he shouldn't be too hard on himself. Getting a head injury wasn't a light matter to handle.
He froze in his search when he heard what sounded like a branch snapping from behind him. He swung in the direction from where it came. He cursed again when the sudden movement made him dizzy and sent him stumbling a few steps to the side. He managed to recover his bearing right when a Stalfos stepped out into the clearing.
The skeletal monster leered at him and then unsheathed its greatsword. Sheik glared at the monster, trying to make it seem like he wasn't on the verge of falling to his knees as the headache and dizziness started to overwhelm him. The Stalfos stepped forward and gave a low rumbling laugh. The sound echoed around him eerily but what made the Sheikah stumble back in shock was when it opened its jaw and spoke.
"Looks like this little bird fell from the nest and injured its wing. Now sad…," purred the Stalfos as it stepped closer. Its voice was surprisingly smooth and deep, nothing like what he would have expected to come from a creature that he didn't realize was intelligent enough to speak in the first place. He had always believed them to be mindless evil creatures raised from the grave by vile magic.
He didn't know if it was the concussion or the inky black waves of darkness that he started to see creeping along the ground and in between the trees, but his mind was struck with only one thought as this creature spoke to him in a voice that was starting to become frighteningly familiar. Terror. The Sheikah started to look wildly around for an escape as foreign memories started to inforce this feeling that was quickly overriding many years worth of training to maintain his composure.
The creature paused and tilted its head to regard him suddenly. Then it threw its head back in laughter that became thunderous and insane, making his reeling mind remember this place that he's never been to before.
A dark forest at the edge of life…monsters roaming where no hero could step unhindered…a horrendous place where a sinister creature so intone with the dark shadows of a person's nightmare lurks…
"You! You've come back again and again! This time with no champion of light! Heh ha heh ha! Are you finally done with this little charade? Do you love the darkness again? Does it call you still?" asked the Stalfos excitedly in a language that he had only ever heard spoken from his mother. The monster was speaking in Sheikah. Even in his haste to escape, he couldn't help but pause and turn frightened eyes at this creature.
Every cell in his body was screaming at him to run, but his sorrow and longing to see another of his kind kept him rooted to the spot. Was this creature once a Sheikah? Was it using Illusion magic? They would never teach their language to outsiders so how did it know how to speak it?
The Stalfos sheathed its sword as it took another step forward, now within a few feet of the Sheikah.
"You…speak Sheikah? Where did you learn such a thing?" asked Sheik in Sheikah tentatively. It begun to change it's shape. Twisting and flowing into a humanoid form with sinister bright orange eyes. It beckoned him closer.
"You don't remember? You taught it to me! Oh, it can be just like old times! Come closer though. Good grief. It's like you're trying to run away from me," said the humanoid figure amusingly. It reach out a hand and smiled.
Sheik stared at the hand. Why was he trying to run away? How did he even get here? Did it have something to do with the little strands of darkness that were slowly wrapping around his ankle? Perhaps it is some kind of calming spell cast by this stranger? That was nice of him. He had been so frightened a few seconds ago.
The humanoid reached forward to grasp the hand Sheik was lowly raising but it paused and glanced over the Sheikah's shoulder in confusion. A look of fury suddenly crossed its face and the terror that had been pushing Sheik to run rushed back to his fevered mind. His breathing increased as he started to panic when the inky black darkness gripped his ankles tightly, sending chills all through his body. He wasn't sure if that was really something the inky darkness was doing to him or something his fevered mind was making up. He cried out when he fell to the ground but quickly tried kicking away the inky strands of darkness that gripped his ankles but his feet went through them like they wasn't even there.
"NO! YOU WILL NOT RUIN MY FUN THIS TIME DOG! I WILL CATCH YOU AND DROWN YOU IN THE DARKNESS FROM WHENCE YOU CAME!" Snarled the humanoid viciously. Sheik whimpered and shrunk back as its shape twisted again, matching the image the memories he was trying so hard to ignore. He couldn't even describe it. Like his mind was refusing to process the image his eyes were sending it. He figured the only reason he wasn't frozen in fear was because this frightening creature wasn't speaking to him.
"Like hell you are asshole! You'll have to find another toy!" exclaimed an angry voice suddenly from behind him. Sheik's eyes widened in surprise when he recognized this voice. He must have heard him! He came to save him!
Then a fireball soared over his head to hit the stranger in the chest. It hissed in fury but it didn't seem to be hurt by it. He was relieved that it took the strangers attention away for a moment.
That moment was all his savoir needed as he grabbed Sheik roughly from behind. Arms wrapped around his middle and suddenly he was falling down. The world became silent and he could see nothing but shades of grey. He had seen this before…it didn't last long however. The twisted stranger suddenly burst through the swirling shadows nearby and immediately gave chase.
"I WILL DEVOUR YOU DOG! YOU CAN'T RUN FOREVER!" shouted the enraged stranger. Sheik was practically dragged through this place of shadow but it didn't matter. He didn't think he could even walk let along run right now. Thank the Goddess he had shown up…
"Just shut up for once damn it!" exclaimed his savoir frustratingly. Sheik could hear a bit fear lacing his saviors tone but it was understandable. This twisted stranger just had the air of pure evil around it. He wasn't sure what the hell even happened to make him even consider wanting to go anywhere with that monster or why he wasn't able to sense it to begin with.
The twisted stranger was getting closer. Its inky darkness chasing after them like hounds on the hunt. Sheik heard the labored breathing of his savoir, meaning he was getting tired. His grip tightened on the arms holding him when an inky black hand reached out from the darkness toward his feet.
"YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE! HE IS MINE! YOU WILL WISH FOR DEATH AFTER I CRUSH-" but suddenly they were tumbling on the grass. Sheik let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding and gasped for air. A hand pressed against his back as his savoir used him as leverage to push himself up.
The color and powerful presence of life all around him easily told the Sheikah that he was back in the Lost Woods. Or at least in the safer part. It disoriented him so he had to close his eyes and laid his head back on the ground. He started to feel sick, but that might be the concussion catching up to him.
"Damn idiot! Stay away from the dead parts of the world! Especially if that bastard is there!" growled his savoir. Sheik lifted his head to glare him. He didn't need to be so rude. He blinked, surprised when no one was next to him. He quickly glanced around but still didn't spot anyone.
"Where are you? Link?" asked Sheik cautiously. There was no doubt in his mind his savoir was the hero. He would recognize his voice from anywhere.
He slowly got to his feet and rubbed his eyes. How the hell did the hero get that fast? How did he even get them away?
The Sheikah walked forward when he spotted something reflecting in the sunlight. After pushing his way through a few bushes he approached a Hylian Shield that laid somewhat propped against a tree. Like someone had dropped it there in their haste to get away.
How did Link hear him from over here? He wasn't even sure where he was previously. Perhaps he wasn't as far away as he had thought. The Sheikah hoped not though. It would be beyond unnerving to have such a dead and vile part of this forest so close to Kokiri Village. He picked up the metal shield and then scanned the area.
He didn't spot Link anywhere. Why did he just leave? Was he trying to drive away that…creature?
The Sheikah shook his head. The hero wasn't stupid. He must have returned to the village. He vaguely wondered why Link would leave him behind so suddenly but he must have had a reason. Once he entered the village he stumbled back a step as the chorus of the Ballad of Heaven hit him.
It seemed louder than normal and each note pierced his mind like a hot knife. He didn't have the will or the strength to handle it right now, so he needed to get inside right away. As he neared the slope down he paused and quickly held his hand up to cover his mouth.
Goddess…he really was going to be sick. He gripped the small fence at the ledge on the slope to steady himself but frustratingly found that it stopped right at the top. He wouldn't have any support if he climbed down. He took a few deep breaths to try and ease his queasy stomach but then heard a commotion nearby.
He glanced up and peered passed Mido's house to see the hero. He was shouting at Mido as the boy stood in front of him with a defiant stance. He was apparently working along with every other child in this village as they cling to the hero. Link was trying to push his way passed them though, but they refused to be moved so he slowly dragged them along the ground like they were a living suit of armor.
Mido dived toward the hero's feet and tripped him. He could hear the curse as the hero went tumbling to the ground but then he was furiously trying to climb back to his feet. What seemed to be slowing him down the most was the fact that he was trying not to hurt anyone but when the green haired sage lunged at his chest and shouted something. Link finally roared in fury.
"I'M NOT LEAVING HIM OUT THERE! SO GET OFF ME RIGHT NOW!" roared Link furiously. Sheik was startled at such a harsh tone. The fairies around the hero seemed to be startled by it as well since they shrieked and darted away suddenly.
Suddenly a bright ball of red light seemed to notice him leaning weakly against the fence.
"Sheiky!" exclaimed Abby as she zoomed through the air. She attached herself to his nose just as the other fairies near her seemed to notice him as well. The news of his return must have reached the hero because he paused and snapped his head up as the fairies were exclaiming excitedly above him.
The Sheikah didn't know what happened afterward because he felt the nausea building to a point that he couldn't control anymore. He didn't have the time to be self-conscious so he shoved down his shawl as he stumbled to the wall on the opposite side of the fence and fell to his knees. His whole body shook as he vomited.
He barely heard the stampede of footsteps that were climbing the slope but he was slightly comforted by the gentle hand that started to rub up and down his back as he heaved and emptied what was left in his stomach.
Once he was finished, arms circled around him as he leaned back against a firm chest. Black spots were starting to appear in his vision, so figured he was beginning to lose consciousness. He felt his shawl pulled back over his face. That was considerate…he was just trying to remember if he had done that yet or not.
The last thing he remembered hearing was a familiar voice whispering reassurances into his ear, and then everything went black.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZ
Vivi was startled awake and fell off the couch he had been sleeping in. He rolled and sat up, rubbing his head.
He looked around in suspicion but didn't see or sense anyone nearby. He frowned as he lowered his red gaze to ground.
I guess it really was a nightmare…it's been a long time since I've had something this vivid. Is it the decaying presence of magic that is affecting me? That image…the red earth, blue sky and green land…it's like the stories I heard of the Goddesses creation of Hyrule in my youth. It was different though. It wasn't a story being told to me. I was there experiencing it. But then…
Vivi frowned as he tried to recall the image that had awoken him so suddenly, but it kept slipping away. He glanced toward where he sensed Artemis was at when he heard a muttered curse. He rolled his eyes and then stood to his feet.
Once he approached where the white haired boy was squatting, he paused to look around in amusement. The boy had half of a muffin sticking out of his mouth and was squinting between several pages as he slowly turned himself in the middle of a huge circle of papers, like he was the center of a clock.
He grinned at the sight. If he didn't know any better than he would have guessed the red eyed boy was studying ancient lore and arcane teachings. Maybe he would urge the boy's magic along instead of letting it grew naturally. It served him well enough in his youth.
Then he sighed and glared toward the side.
That's exactly what the Goddesses are waiting for! It would just make their day if I took an apprentice and then the boy turns on me just like I turned on my mentor and the cycle would just repeat itself. Please, I'm not stupid.
"Vivi? It's only been a few hours. Did you rest enough?" asked Artemis once he noticed Vivi standing there glaring at a random bookshelf. The shorter man whipped his head around and glared at the boy instead.
"Shut up. And stop calling me that!" growled Vivi as he strode along the edge of the pages scattered around the boy. Artemis stuffed the rest of the muffin in his mouth as he looked worriedly at his friend. He seemed to be in a foul mood. That normally meant that he was hurt or that the Hooded Man had done something to upset him again.
Vivi stomped passed the boy and glared at the sickly green carpets as he did. When he got his magic restored…he was burning every last one of those monstrosities. He paused when he reached the portion of the library that wasn't in shambles.
As he peered at the over turned bookshelves and pages littering the floor, he realized that they would never get it done when the Hooded Man returned tomorrow. Especially the broken bookshelves. What did the bastard expect him to do with no magic and no help expect a skinny teen that was barely strong enough to lift a light box?
Vivi sighed and rolled his eyes when Artemis continued to stare worriedly at him.
"Get lost kid. I'll finish this since there's no way you could before that fool returns tomorrow. I'm in no mood to listen to another ridiculous lecture from him," muttered Vivi as he peered around the mess surrounding him. Artemis smiled as he stood to his feet.
"I could help," said Artemis as he stepped carefully from his circle of pages he had placed around himself. Vivi scowled and shooed him away like he was an insect.
"You'll just get in the way! Now scat!" said Vivi as he continued to shoo the boy away. Artemis smiled and then wandered deeper into the library. The shorter man raised an eyebrow. The boy was always unfazed by anything he would say to him. Impressive threshold and self-control. He certainly wouldn't have tolerated anyone talking to him like that…at least no one that was blackmailing him.
He gave an exasperated sigh and then surveyed the mess around him again. He was no carpenter so the fool would have to get someone else to fix the broken bookshelves. He supposed he could have mended some of the damage if he had access to his elemental magic but that fool had stupidly put a cap on that idea.
Vivi glanced up at the round clear glass balls that floated along the sides of the walls of the library. First things first. Time to dim the lights so he can effectively work the only magic had had left.
Artemis poked his head out from behind a far bookshelf to peer over at his shorter friend. The boy always loved watching him cast his magic. It was like he transformed from this overlord trying to bend everyone to his will by any means necessary to an arcane master that wove his magic so effortlessly around him that it seemed like his magic was a part of him instead of something that he conjured.
He saw Vivi raise a hand and then position the fingers of his other hand above his palm. He took his index and middle finger and swirled them slowly in circles above his palm until something black and shapeless appeared.
Vivi quickly pinched a part of it between his two fingers and thumb and flicked his wrist upward so a long strand of it extended to follow his movement. He moved his hand a few inches and did this again. The boy heard him mutter something to it and then tossed the ball of dark magic into the air.
Artemis grinned as the shapeless thing became a round black ball that beheld a single red eye. It unfolded its new leathery wings and then exploded into several smaller versions of itself. Each one took off in a direction where they noticed bright light. The light around the room started to dim as the small round bat like creatures would land on the bright balls of light and cover them with their wings. The boy crept closer as the shorter man stretched his arms before bringing them back up.
This time Vivi had his hands extended out in front of him with his palms facing downward. He arched his wrists upward but curved his fingers down so they made the appearance of claws. He suddenly reached down and grasped at the air and pulled his hand up and released only to reach down in a different spot and repeat the motion. He did this swiftly but gracefully. Each time his hand came up, it brought a shadow creature similar to the ones that Vivi had sent after the Hero of Twilight. They were simpler and didn't appear to have any claws though.
Artemis grinned at the sight of them. He was rather proud of those creatures since he had been the one that convinced his friend to not only create them, but to build them in a specific way. Lyra had always said he was good at scheming because of his habit of obsessing over the details. So, he helped Vivi brainstorm a way to create a monster that could equal the strength of a Great Hero that had already defeated a mighty foe like the Evil King of Darkness. It took way more energy than they had anticipated and Vivi had to sleep almost the entire day after finally creating a successful model to shape the others from but he did it. The major drawback was that they were severely weakened by sunlight so Vivi had to be sure to attack the hero at night with them.
Within seconds the shorter man was surrounded with dozens of the shadow creatures. Artemis was fascinated with the sight. The red eyes of the creatures would pop out of the dim light of the room in such a way that it almost seemed like random eyes floating in midair.
Lyra had always been unnerved by what would lurk in the unknown, especially if it involved shadows and darkness but Artemis couldn't help but be enthralled by it.
He jumped when he heard a commotion and quickly spun around and darted back behind the far bookshelf when the mysterious floating red eyes started to move the broken bookshelf laying on the floor near him.
"Put your backs into it! No! Don't touch the pages yet! The bookshelves go first! Hey! You three stop standing there like idiots! I didn't raise you from the depths of the shadow realm just so you could kick back and relax!" exclaimed Vivi as he pointed at three shadow creatures that were struggling to move over the slippery marble floor around the broken bookshelves.
The creatures made a strange grunting sound as they tried to use each other as leverage on the slippery floor and Artemis had to cover his mouth to stop the laughter that threatened to spill out at the sight. The work was still getting done but the small horde of shadow creatures were looking more like novice ice skaters as they slipped and slid around in their attempt to gather all the broken bookshelves in one area.
Within an hour and a half the small horde of shadow creatures had finally pushed all the broken bookshelves in one corner and a huge pile of papers and scrolls littered the ground at the center of the clean area. The creatures had tried to make neat piles from the papers and scrolls but Vivi finally yelled for them to just pile them all together after the tenth creature had accidently slipped and slid right into several stacks and knocked them all down.
Artemis stretched and hopped down from his perch on top of one of the broken bookshelves in the corner as Vivi started to banish the creatures back to the shadow realm.
"Great job Vivi. This place looks amazing now," said Artemis cheerfully as he shielded his eyes when the light started to return to the room once the bat like creatures started to vanish along with their comrades. Vivi grinned as he surveyed the clean area around him.
"Of course it looks amazing! I'm incapable of being anything less than great! Ha! I'm in such a good mood that I think I'm going to go curse the 'hero' again! I almost had him take out that Shadow Walker last time too!" exclaimed Vivi proudly, but then frowned once he remembered something, "I am reluctant to prolong the effects now that the bloody cheater has a Goddess looking out for him though,"
Artemis's right eye twitched at that statement. It seemed utterly ridiculous that a Goddess would even bother with such a thing. He didn't know the whole story though. His overly active mind was already coming up with dozens of reasons why but he would never put faith into something he hasn't proven himself. A fact with no supporting evidence was just an opinion to him.
"Did the Hooded Man tell you that the Goddess would protect the hero?" asked Artemis. He normally didn't ask about the personal agenda going on between the hero and his friend but his obsessive nature was in overdrive and compelled him to ask.
Vivi frowned at the question. He was aware that the kid didn't normally stick his nose in places that didn't involve him. He had a strategic mind though. The boy even helped him develop the idea for Moros, the creature he had sent after the hero in the forest temple. Even pointed out that using the remains of whatever the Hero of Time had vanquished in each temple would save a lot of energy, allowing him to add nearly anything that he wanted to the new monsters. He had proven that his insight was effective, so if the boy had something to share then Vivi would be willing to listen.
"No. That fool doesn't tell me anything useful unless it personally involves me. I don't even know what his major goal is. He gloats a lot and points out things that seem wise and experienced but then creates mistakes that don't seem…right from someone like him. It is overly confusing and frustrating," muttered Vivi irritably. All he really knew was that the guy was powerful enough to attack one of the Three and seemed bent on stopping the Hero of Twilight from cleansing the temples of old.
"If the Goddess is truly being attacked by the Hooded Man…then I can't fathom why she would waste the time and energy in protecting a mortal. Especially if that mortal's job was to be a protector for others," said Artemis. This sparked an idea in his mind though and he glanced up at his shorter companion.
"Do you know anything about the Hero of Twilight? Aside from what I was able to gather from chatting up the other servants?" asked Artemis. Vivi raised an eyebrow at such a question.
"You mean the show off style he uses and the reckless nature? Nothing I didn't already know. His ancestor was practically the same way," said Vivi.
"Honestly, I don't think that a Goddess who has someone attacking her is going to risk protecting someone else when it could endanger herself. It would actually make sense if the Goddess that retaliated against you was Farore herself. The hero is her vessel that carries the Triforce of Courage and he was in a place that is full of life. All those things support and represent Farore. Once he leaves the forest though…he will be easier to target," muttered Artemis thoughtfully. Vivi smirked at the boy.
"Alright, what is cooking in that brain of yours?" asked Vivi amusingly. Artemis tapped a finger against his chin in thought.
"No offense Vivi, but I don't think you're going to faze him all that much while he is in the Lost Woods. Chances are he will use the time to find a cure as well. You still have the next temple to try and trap him in though. Since he seemed to handle the challenges of the Forest Temple easily then maybe you should…make it a bit more stressful?" asked Artemis slyly. Vivi snorted in amusement.
"Those pitiful ghosts did half the job for me by providing all those malicious spirits nearby. Judging by some of the memories that those spirits had, those ghosts probably pulled a few pranks of their own. I hope so. It would make my day if the 'hero' walked out of there missing a few fingers," stated Vivi before crossing his arms, "But if I'm going to up the ante during the next temple then I will need something that will not only distract him, but it has to be something that can't be removed or changed by him or that Shadow Walker. At least not right away,"
Artemis frowned as he thought of this. He glanced down and then tilted his head when he noticed the multi colored string around his wrist. The simple colored strings were woven together carefully but loosely. Lyra had made that for him years ago. She was his only real friend until he met Vivi.
Someone that was important to him…and young…
"Hey Vivi…I think I might have an idea about what to use as a distraction in the next temple…"
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZ
Sheik slowly opened his eyes as he regained consciousness. Sounds were muffled and it was dark. He was comfortable and warm though. Where was he?
Then he heard a giggle and a shout of frustration nearly at the same time.
"How do you keep winning?! He was horrible at this game but you're like a freaking master at it!" exclaimed a muffled voice. Someone snickered and the Sheikah's eyes widened when the sound vibrated through what he was laying against. He was laying in someone's lap with an arm laid gently in between the Sheikah's shoulder blades.
Now that his eyes were getting used to the darkness he realized that he was covered with a blanket that was the same color as the clothing that his human pillow was wearing. Sheik immediately became self-conscious once he realized that he wasn't wearing his shawl. He was grateful that the hero respected him enough to cover his face entirely but he was still nervous.
"Oh Mido! Don't be so mad! Just get him back by rolling higher!" said a muffled voice. He felt another snicker vibrate through the hero's body.
"Yeah Mido. Don't be such a sore loser. After all, I still have to get ten more points before I destroy you again," snickered Link. The hero just laughed when he heard Mido cry out frustration. Someone slapped the hero's arm.
"Link! You don't have to gloat!" said a voice that Sheik now recognized as Saria's. Several snickers were heard on the hero's other side.
"But Mido's never-"
"Been beaten-"
"Before Saria!"
Sheik narrowed his eyes at that strange exchange of words. It sounded like it came from the same child but the voice would originate from a different spot every few seconds as if three different children were working together to complete each other's sentences. He closed his eyes and brought his legs up closer to himself. He was extremely uncomfortable with being surrounded with people that he didn't know.
The hero froze when he felt Sheik pull himself into the fetal position. Sheik felt hands sliding down to rest on top of his back and head.
"Hey guys, can I get some privacy?" asked Link suddenly. He heard a huff and the hero sighed.
"Alright, I forfeit Mido. So, you win," said Link.
"Yeah right! Your just gonna rub it in my face so we'll continue this game later!" exclaimed Mido before he stomped away. The Sheikah's anxiety increased when he heard dozens of footsteps suddenly all around him.
Goddess, was the entire village in here with them? He relaxed a bit when the hand resting on top of his back started to slowly rub in small circles.
When it became silent again he heard the hero sigh.
"Hey, Sheik? You doing ok?" asked Link. His voice was close, making the Sheikah believe that he was leaning down as he spoke.
"I've been better…" muttered the Sheikah. He felt the hero lean to the side like he was reaching for something.
"Your shawl is right here. I'll turn around so you can put it on, ok?" said Link. Sheik frowned.
"You…haven't seen my face?" asked Sheik hesitantly. He was getting to the point where he was almost comfortable with the idea of Link seeing his true face but this wasn't the way he wanted it to happen.
"Of course not. I didn't let anyone see your face. Except Saria and Abby but that couldn't be helped. You needed to get your head bandaged and healed. I didn't think you would like it if I saw your face so I asked if they would do it," said Link. Sheik sighed in relief and reached a hand out from underneath the blanket. He felt the material of his shawl pressed against his palm and then the hero pulled himself out of the slouched position he was in. He turned his body around once the Sheikah raised his from the hero's lap.
The green blanket fell away and Sheik had to pause and smile softly as the hero sat facing the wall like he was a child in the time out corner.
He used his fingers to quickly comb through his hair and then wrapped his shawl around his face. He sighed in content once the familiar material hid his face from the world again.
He reached forward to place a hand on the hero's shoulder. Link turned his head to smile at him.
"Thank you," said Sheik softly. The hero suddenly wrapped him in a warm embrace.
"Goddess, it's good to hear your voice clearly again! You scared the shit out of me when you suddenly vanished in middle of our dual like that!" said Link as he nuzzled his face against the Sheikah's neck. He quickly jerked his head away though with a look of surprise. Sheik was overly embarrassed but wasn't bothered by the action. Link gave him a apologize look.
"Sorry…the wolf has been a little crazy ever since Saria gave me her medallion," muttered Link as he released the Sheikah and scratched his head in embarrassment.
"The wolf?" asked Sheik tentatively. The divine beast that lived within the hero was intimidating enough without it starting to act crazy. Link tilted his head as he peered own at the hand that beheld the Triforce symbol on the top.
"Yeah…I have grown used to it dealing with the wolf by now. Today was different though…my emotions may have started to get hard to control but they never involved the wolf personally before. It has only ever responded to danger. When you disappeared and didn't come back…I knew something was wrong. So, I went back to the village and tried to find someone that could helped me find you. Saria thought it would help if she bestowed me her medallion so I accepted it. Afterward, it felt like both the wolf and I got stronger," said Link. His eyes shifted around nervously, obviously bothered by the fact that a part of himself was growing separately from him.
"But the Lost Woods had gotten to the point that not even the Kokiri could risk leaving the village. The only one that seemed able to travel through this dying forest was the Skull Kid. He wasn't there though," said Link and then took a deep breath as he remembered the first time the wolf had reared up in a way that he was barely able to keep it at bay, "Once I realized that the only person that could safely search for you wasn't here the wolf just snapped. It was frightening but…then I became furious. I think the wolf's rage had influenced me so I was ready to go out into the forest and search for you myself. Woody said it wasn't safe and Saria tried to stop me but nothing was going to convince me to leave you out there. Then the kids sort of all banded together to try and stop me from leaving. I understood why. I knew that I was going to get lost forever if I went out into depths of the Lost Woods without a guide…but it was like the wolf didn't care how dangerous it was! As long as you were found safely it didn't seem to care what happened to me! It was all I could do to keep in the wolf in check but then Mido tripped me and I panicked when the wolf seemed to turn it fury on the boy. Then Saria distracted it but it lashed out at her through me. It's never been able to do that before! I don't know what the hell is happening to me!" exclaimed Link frantically. Sheik reached out to pull the hero into a hug.
The act startled the hero, because normally he was the one initiating these moments. He was more than happy to accept the embrace though.
"I can only guess that the wolf remains a part of you that relies mostly on instinct. If the thought of me becoming lost in this forest for the rest of eternity was so overbearing then the wolf might have responded to that by refusing to surrender control until you no longer felt that way," said Sheik as he released the hero. Link smiled shyly at that.
"Well…yeah. It was hard wrapping my mind around the thought that I might never see you again. You're here now. So, what happened? Why did you teleport so far away?" asked Link. Sheik frowned.
"I hadn't meant to teleport so far away. I was aiming for the other side of the area we were already in. Then the same resistance that had hindered me when I tried to escape from Dude rose to hinder me again. It was a stupid mistake that I should have remembered but alas, it happened anyway. I was able to keep myself from traveling too far but then I smashed my head against a rock. The impact gave me a concussion…I was starting to think it was making me hallucinate as well but based on what you've been telling me then maybe not. How did you find out where I was?" asked Sheik. Link tilted his head with a look of confusion.
"I heard the fairies talking about you right after the wolf had lashed out at Saria. Then I caught sight of you at the top of the slope above Mido's house. As soon as I did the wolf seemed to calm down finally. The kids let go of me and we all raced up there. You were getting sick so I tried to comfort you and shield your face. Then you fell back against me and fainted," said Link.
"I meant before that. When you saved me from that…creature?" asked Sheik. Link gave him a weird look.
"What creature?" asked Link, confused. Sheik crossed his arms and gave the hero a pointed look.
"Don't play these games Link. You pulled me too safely in a way that I've never seen you do before," replied Sheik. Link narrowed his eyes as he regarded his guide.
"Sheik…ask anyone in this village and they will tell you that I spent the entire time from the point that you disappeared to when you finally reappeared above Mido's house trying to find someone to help me search for you. Are you saying that someone else helped you find your way back to Kokiri Village?" asked Link. Sheik narrowed his eyes, trying to decide if the hero was messing with him but Link looked genuinely confused and concerned.
"So…you didn't save me when I was still lost in the forest?" asked Sheik hesitantly. Link shook his head. The Sheikah looked away, deep in thought.
Was it a hallucination after all? Or was someone else there…?
"Sheik? What the hell happened? You're acting strange," said Link as he placed a hand on his shoulder. The Sheikah turned to look into his cerulean eyes.
The voice was the same. Even the confident and protective nature that overcame the hero when around others that needed aid was the same. He narrowed his eyes as he remembered the one thing that was definitely different.
"Did you really call me an idiot?" asked Sheik lowly. Link looked astonished.
"What?! Hell no. I would never refer to you by such a term. Especially not one that will get my ass kicked," said Link seriously. Sheik shook his head and sighed.
"My mind was just playing tricks on me then," muttered Sheik.
"What did you think you saw?" asked Link. Sheik was silent for a few moments until he sighed again.
"When I lost control of my teleportation I ended up in a dead part of the forest. It was…not an environment that I ever want to experience again. It paled in comparison to what my mind had convinced me was lurking within its dark depths though. It was a Stalfos…at first," said Sheik. He frowned and wrapped his arms around himself as his mind recalled the images and suddenly the foreign memories resurfaced again.
The Sheikah tried to ignore them but those bright orange eyes were always staring at him, beckoning him closer.
"Sheik!" shouted Link suddenly. The Sheikah jumped and realized that Link holding him again. When had that happened?
"Never mind. It wasn't real so just forget about it," said Link softly against his ear. Sheik closed his eyes and sighed as he laid his head against the hero's shoulder. That warmth…that was the other thing that was lacking in the voice of his imaginary savoir.
But why would he have foreign memories of something that wasn't real…? He shook his head. He shouldn't dwell on it. He pulled away and then and patted Link's knee with a chuckle.
"You're making me soft. If I'm not careful then I'm going to find myself playing thumb war and charging recklessly into a horde of Darknuts with nothing but a sharp rock and a few bomblings," said Sheik amusingly. Link grinned at the statement that was obviously teasing his earlier comment about them.
"Well, I will have to redouble my efforts if I'm ever going to convert you over to the dark side," snickered Link. The Sheikah gave him a playful shove and then pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them.
"There's a few things that I need to tell you. Once I'm done we should meet with Woody. He's the one that will direct us where we will need to go," said Sheik as Link settled in front of him.
The hero nodded. They needed to continue forward or the world will only worsen.