Chapter 16

"Hero that is no hero will he be,

Nameless, faceless, lost,"

Link gradually awoke to the melodious sounds of a harp. He was laying on his back, still within the alcove of Farore's Refuge, a blanket underneath him to keep him dry. Opening his eyes, he stared up into the night sky, silently savoring the warmness given off by crackling fire next to him.

Malon, I'm so sorry. He felt like crying inside; he had let her down. Without the Master Sword, he couldn't win against the evil that had taken her. A single tear slid down his cheek, and he closed his eyes in sorrow. Please forgive me, he begged her silently.

The music drifting to him from the harp on the other side of the fire stirred something within him, giving him a small tug on his memory. Sheik sat across the camp on one of the rotting logs that littered the alcove, apparently engrossed in her music. Link however, couldn't find it in himself to care. Despair and hopelessness drained him of all energy; it made is limbs feel heavy, and his head cloudy.

What had gone wrong? He was so sure that he was the Hero of Time, but then how had he failed Farore's trial? And what about the prophecy? Had Sheik been wrong all along?

The Sheikah's harp playing died out, and she tucked the instrument beneath her cloak. "What will you do now?" she asked. Link was quiet for a moment, lost in thought.

"Nothing has changed," he finally said. "I won't give up on her, even if it's hopeless."

In the morning, they returned to the mainland in silence. Link had not managed to fall asleep again the rest of the night, silently reliving all the good times that they'd had together. With all his soul, he wanted to go and watch the sunset together one more time, without worries, without cares.

It had been easy for Link to tell Sheik that he would still fight to save Malon without the Master Sword, but the more he thought about it, the more he came to realize that unless she was freed, what was the point? He would die a thousand times over to free her, but his death would be meaningless without her release.

As they stepped off of the rotting dingy, Sheik approached Link, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You can't defeat him Link," the Sheikah said. "Just go home. Forget that any of this ever happened."

Suddenly consumed by anger, Link spun, swatting Sheik's hand away. "Forget?!? How could I forget?!? Your Zelda has torn away everything that was ever important to me. Sam dead…Malon kidnapped…all for the sake of what? Some bogus prophecy?" Link was yelling now, his voice filling the swampy beach. "I can not—I will not forget. And I will not give up!" With that Link spun, taking a few steps into the trees and underbrush surrounding the pond.

"I am sorry," Sheik said. The tone of her voice alone made Link hesitate. "I've had you fighting this war for me, and I haven't even been entirely honest about myself."

What does that mean? Link asked himself.

"I've been lying to you. It's been necessary in order to hide my identity from Ganon, but now that there is no Hero of Time to stand between him and Hyrule, I suppose that hiding is just delaying the inevitable. You deserve to know the truth."

Sheik, taking a step back, made a quick hand sign, and a flash of light blinded Link. By the time he regained his vision, Sheik was gone; in her place stood the most magnificent woman that Link had ever seen. Her long golden hair fell halfway down her back, not a strand out of place, and her long eyelashes stuck out from beautiful blue eyes. She wore a spotless white dress, and around her waist hung a blue sash gilded with golden symbols. White gloves covered her forearms, and her headdress reminded Link strongly of a crown.

She was the essence of beauty, the woman from his visions, the source of his pain. She was Princess Zelda.

Link was lost for words. How long had she been traveling with him, and he unaware to it. He'd wanted to talk to her, wanted to meet her, and now she appeared out of practically nowhere? Why hadn't she let him know before?

The princess gracefully walked up to him, laying a hand on his shoulder much like Sheik had just done.

"I do not alone contain the power required to confront Ganon," she said softly. "So I chose to disguise myself and guide you until such a time as we could confront him together." Zelda looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "I still do not understand what happened in Farore's Refuge. Have the Goddesses really forsaken us?"

Her gaze, despairing and regretful, slowly slid back down to meet with Link's, and tears began to blossom in her strong blue eyes.

"Link, I can never account for bringing this all upon you," she continued. "Please, go home. I cannot accompany you if you chose to go any further."

Link took a step back, Zelda's hand sliding off of his shoulder. A lone tear made its way down her rosy cheek.

"You're asking me to forsake everything that I've been fighting for," Link said roughly. "You're asking me to abandon Malon." He shook his head, drilling Zelda with his unblinking gaze. Turning on his heel, he strode off into the swamp.

"Goodbye Zelda," he said, holding his hand in the air.

"Link…" she whispered after him as he disappeared among the thick trees. Where he was going, she didn't dare follow.