Sheik hadn't felt this energized since they entered the desert. A comforting warmth surrounded them, begging them to wake, but their eyes refused to open. A dark void held them behind their frozen eyelids. They could see here, they realized, holding their hands in front of their face. They must still be in the dream. Looking around the dark space, a sense of familiarity thrummed in their bones. Instead of being still, they decided to wander, the vast expanse of darkness was comforting, which seemed odd to them. They've never been fond of the dark.
They wandered for what felt like hours, but Sheik knew that time was different in places like these. So they wandered and wandered, and wandered until they wanted to stop. 'So this is what peace is like…' they mused before stretching their limbs and turning around, going back in the direction they assumed they came from. They don't know how long they've been asleep, but Link would start to worry if they didn't wake up. As they wandered, the darkness thrummed around them, wordless whispers following in their footsteps.
They didn't stop again until they saw the light. A single, pillar of golden light amidst the ever-expanding, all-consuming darkness. They found it strange that the light didn't hurt their eyes, but who were they to question magic? Making their way to the light, they wondered if the light was the way out. Maybe it was Link trying to wake them. They hated how giddy the idea made them.
Their feet stopped just outside the ring of light that illuminates the seated figure. It was them…but it wasn't them. The them of a different time. From the dream before this one. The Sheik of the era of Time rested in the center of the pillar, waiting for his counterpart.
Ruby eyes that mirrored their own opened, the weariness that came with age barely hidden behind his youthful face meeting them with an all-knowing stare. "It's about time." he mused, and in that very instant, the darkness was gone. Light filled every corner of the forested realm where the two met. The ground rolled with vibrant grass, and the same stone pedestal from the previous dream rested under the soles of their shoes. Distant laughter echoed through the ancient trees, the spirits of the forest unaware of their visitors.
"What? Were you waiting for me?" tilting their head, the former Yiga member sat in front of their ancient counterpart, crossing their legs to mirror the other.
"We both have." there was the golden harp, resting in front of his knees. "If you're here…there's still hope for us." reaching down, he lifted the holy relic, offering it over. "We don't have much time here. You'll be waking soon, and I don't know how likely we are to meet again."
Taking the harp in their ruined hands, they trembled at the magic that flowed between the two, similar to how they felt with Link, but older, stronger, more primal.
"But I'm nothing special." The present Sheik insisted, eyes unable to look away from the ringing metal in their hands. "All I can do is help the current hero end this…"
Pristine white bandages filled their vision as the older hand covered their own. "You mean so much more than you know. Don't make my mistake. Don't let him go. Or you'll regret it for the rest of your days. What you have..what we had, is special, rare. It's an ancient bond forged during the era when the Gods and Goddesses still roamed these lands. You two are meant for one another. Don't follow in this old coward's footsteps." squeezing their hands together, the former Yiga member had never felt so whole. "This feeling, only he can give it to you, only you can give it to him. Don't deny it. Please. Don't be as foolish as we were." with another squeeze of their stiff fingers, he whispered, "Your souls were made for one another, made to carry your burdens together. Don't forget that."
The Sheik in the circle hung his head low, unable to hide the pain in his voice. "Duty, no matter where, or who it came from, isn't more important than love."
Their eyes snapped open, a gasp clogging their throat. Doubling over, Sheik coughed and wheezed as they finally woke to the real world. Sagging back against their rock, they panted, trying to steady their breathing. 'What a strange dream…'
A soft golden light filled their vision, forcing one of their eyes to blur. Covering their eye, they looked around to find where the light was reflecting from. Looking down at their lap, their blood ran cold as the morning sun playfully twinkled against the golden relic resting on their thighs. With trembling hands, they lifted the harp, etched with history and songs, magic pulsing through it. 'Not a dream.' they thought, fingers itching to dance across the glowing strings.
Their heart was pounding, their face dusted a rosy pink, and their ears burning. Love.. the Sheik of the past spoke of love. Love for his Link…and love for the current Link…the realization made them quiver in fear. What had they done? They couldn't be in love…love was violent and scary, and only broke you down when you were forced to let it go.
By the time Link returned to camp, Sheik was awake, anxiously pacing around their cleaned-up campsite. He couldn't fight the smile that broke across his face as he approached them. At their tense body language, he slowed, their eyes fixed on the ground.
"Sheik? You okay?" he asked, stomach clenching as they tensed even more. "What's wrong? Did something happen while I was gone?" his eyes fell on the object they were staring at.
Sitting on their rolled-up bedding was a golden harp…the harp from their shared dream. "Where did you get that?" he asked, crouching to look closer, but respectfully keeping his hands to himself.
"...it's mine, I think. At least, it used to be..."