Another day passes by with no sign of the Sheikah tracker Zant had sent forth to locate the exiled Sheikah and his hero companion.
The caravan now rests in a rocky cave on the outskirts of the Haunted Wasteland, the once jubilant tribe of warriors now quiet, more huddled together than before, waiting for the days to pass when they can truthfully say they are free.
Rumours begin to spread that the Sheikah Sati, was dead.
Albeit not a strong prophet, that is not her specialty - Midna's quality lies in shapeshifting - and Zant orders her to listen in on the tribe's morale in secret. She reports back to him, telling him of their doubting and concerned conversations.
"How dare you?" Zant bellows, grabbing Midna by her throat in a one-handed grasp.
"It is not I who says these things," she pleads, eyes watering.
Zant releases her, tossing her backwards. She falls to the floor, looking up at him, eyes fearful. 'What has he become?' she thinks to herself.
"I am losing my mind, Midna.." he begins, pacing the length of a rug laid out on the cave's interior. "The closer I get to the Triforce," he stops and looks at her, ".. I find I cannot control myself any longer."
She stands hesitantly, walking over to him.
"No," he yells, waving his arm, creating illusionary space between them. She halts, bringing both hands up, promising peace, signaling her desire to understand him.
"Our scouts have overheard the Hylian people.. and their King..." she pauses, taking a deep breath, "he knows we have betrayed what we swore to do. Impa, she.." Midna continues, taking her time, "she is at the castle. She stands beside the royal family. She has sided against us."
Zant says nothing.
"The King has branded us as Interlopers, and as such if we are found we will be destroyed," Midna manages to say, nervously.
Zant looks at Midna fiercely, utter anger apparent. "How do they mean to destroy us?" he barks in response.
"The Goddesses. I have heard that the Goddesses shall banish us.." she says quietly.
He stands still, eyes fading off into nowhere. For a moment, he seems human.
"We must move quickly then," he decides. "No one," he walks to Midna, his face close to hers, "No one can know this news."
She nods and readies to leave, but Zant grabs her hand forcefully, pulling her close once again. "Bring me the scouts you mentioned. I cannot have them informing the others."
A look falls upon Midna's face then, an expression of an unfortunate realization, that she immediately feels guilty for. She relayed their news, after all. And in that moment she wonders if it's all worth it, and she thinks about Sheik and the Hero of Time, wherever they may be, and begins questioning whose side she is on, and why she is on it. She fears it shall be the death of her.
Zant orders to set forth the following morning, anxious to intersect the two runaways and secure the entrance to the Sacred Realm before time, ever fleeting, runs out.
Just north of the Spirit Temple that lay in the center of the Haunted Wasteland lies an enormous chasm, eroded by centuries of tumultuous weather. It is to this abyss that Link and Sheik travel, for stories have been told of a ruin there, one that was created by the Goddesses themselves. Its purpose is unknown, the only knowledge of it existing in tales passed down; images and words describing a gateway that opens itself to another world. Thus, it has been named the 'Ruins of Another Realm' by the Sheikah, if one were to translate their ancient tongue roughly.
It is turning nightfall, almost two days since their unfortunate encounter with Sati, the Sheikah tracker, when the travelers finally see the beginnings of the large canyon, cutting across the desert, severing it in half. They also see remnants of a disassembled camp, and many footprints leading in the direction of the canyon and to the ruins as well. Sheik kneels to the ground, touching the tracks with his fingertips.
"They have also passed this way," he says, eyes narrowing and focusing on the prints that lead into the distance. He remains there for a moment, silent, until he stands swiftly. "Link, it may be beneficial to ascertain how many we shall be up against, should we encounter them inside the ruins." He looks to the hero, awaiting response.
"You are suggesting we sneak upon them?" Link says warily. Ever since Sheik had sent one of his own through that terrible portal, Link had become a little guarded. He plans to ask him about it.
Sheik nods. "Yes, they shouldn't be too far ahead." And be begins walking, motioning for the hero to follow.
It is dark now and they creep silently, low to the ground, across the sand. "You remind me of someone I once knew," Sheik says softly, not looking toward Link, keeping his eyes searching the horizon.
Link stays close beside him as they continue walking. "I do?" he asks.
"Yes," Sheik answers, still leading the way. They keep close to the large rocks that dot the wasteland, staying behind cover. "I met him while he was very young. He was brave, but inexperienced in the many ways of the world."
Link only listens.
"We trained together for quite some time. It was my duty to make him stronger, smarter. A fierce opponent," Sheik says, carefully telling the story. "He was a very quick learner. He surprised me with his insatiable appetite to progress." He stops, peering between two rocks. He motions Link to follow him as they continue. "He was an intriguing boy, with eyes large enough you could see the vast sea of his feelings and emotions, readily apparent. They were blue, like yours." He looks momentarily into Link's eyes.
"Oh?" Link comments, unsure of how to join in on the conversation. He keeps his right hand on the rocks as they walk to maintain direction.
Sheik breaks the gaze, looking forward. "He grew up quickly. Time is often strange, as it may seem like an eternity, but in the moment, the right moment, it passes in the blink of an eye. He began to teach me things then, things that I was not sure I had the capacity to learn.." He trails then, stopping to scan the horizon ahead. "Look, firelight. We are close to their camp." He points to the distance.
Link makes out scattered torches and tents, not far away. He follows Sheik as they close in on it. "What kind of things..?" Link asks quietly.
Sheik says nothing as they near one of the tents. They stay hidden behind it and some crates stacked beside it. Sheik peers over one quickly before going back into cover.
"Why does this person remind you of me?" Link asks, terribly confused.
"Because you teach me those things too, Link, and I realize now what an important lesson it was, and is." He pauses. "It looks as if most of the village has already left the encampment. I am assuming they are already inside the ruins."
Link gazes quizzically at him. "Why would they be in the ruins?" he asks.
"The ruins house the gateway we travel to. Zant knows that it is there, and with it he surmises he can access the Sacred Realm by passing through it." Sheik looks at Link, squinting his eyes. "He is wrong, of course. Come, let's go." He stands then, heading away from the camp, in the direction of the ruins. Link stands as well and follows him. They continue towards it, scaling the sharp rocks that begin as they near ever forward. In the distance they see an outcropping in the canyon, a pathway made of silvery rock that extends into the center of the chasm that at the end lies a weathered temple, its base a tapered column that heads down into the abyss, a pillar of stone.
"It's there, do you see it?" Sheik announces to his companion, Link taking a quick look at the location in the distance. Sheik lends a helping hand to Link as they venture towards it, both slipping slightly on the jagged and sloping terrain. The wind is strong here, rising up from the canyon, threatening to pull both men into it if they were to lose their footing entirely.
As they near, the haunting atmosphere grows ever apparent. It is unsettlingly quiet, the sky dark except for the myriad of stars, and the structure looms, larger and architecturally more beautiful than anything both have ever seen. When they reach the edge of the canyon and proceed into the outcropping, Link stops to absorb the sight before him.
"How do you know of this place?" he asks, breathlessly, warily. He eyes the Sheikah.
Sheik walks a few paces in front, then stops, catching his breath. "In the very same way I learned of you, Hero of Time." He looks to Link, raising his eyebrows, answering deliberately. "Star charts, also, are as useful as maps, for the stars show you the way even during the darkest of nights, to the oldest most forgotten places that only the ancients have ever been." He raises his eyes to the stars. "It is no small matter that we stand here, now. For it is likely that no one has set foot in this place, for ages."
Link stares at him. "What.. are you?" he asks, chest rising heavily with each breath.
Sheik shakes his head dismissively. "You know what I am," he says, taking off toward the arched pathway.
Link grabs his hand before he can walk any further, pulling him around to face the hero. "You sent one of your own kind to perish through some sort of doorway to another realm! I may not know a lot of the Sheikah, but that kind of power seems -"
"What do you know of the Sheikah, Link?" Sheik asks abruptly. He pulls his hand roughly out of Link's grasp.
"What has gotten into you? Why did you tell me all of that back there at the camp?" Link questions, raising his hands outward in response to his confusion.
Sheik stares, struggling to pick and choose through the hundreds of things going on in his mind.
"I just want to understand you!" Link says loudly in frustration.
Sheik laughs haughtily a bit to himself. "You want to understand me?" he begins, moving closer, "You do not even understand yourself."
"What?" Link asks, forehead creasing, tilting his head. His eyes narrow, reflecting a bit of anger.
Sheik shakes his head and turns, taking off toward the precipice. Link follows him, until they reach the archway that opens up to the pathway leading toward the ruins in the center of the chasm. Sheik stops suddenly, doing nothing for a moment, head downturned. Link halts, waiting. Quickly, Sheik turns around and grabs Link, pushing him towards one of the archway's columns, pinning his back hard against the cold stone. Link grunts as he is forced in place.
"Is this what you want?" Sheik growls, his hands twist around Link's wrists, lifting them up and over the hero's head. "Is it?" He squeezes tightly. He lowers his cowl. This is their game, he realizes. This power-play. It is not the first time.
Link says nothing at first, his gaze fixed and unreadable. He does not struggle. "Is this what you want?" he asks, finally, raising his eyebrows. He searches for an answer. Do you want me?
Sheik's eyes radiate, burning fire. "You have no idea.. of what I am going through," Sheik responds breathlessly, self-control waning.
Link remains still, hands held tightly above his head, allowing Sheik to keep him there. He leans forward slightly, bringing his face closer. "Then tell me," he says, his eyes on the Sheikah's mouth.
Sheik swallows, the sight of the hero relinquishing under his control making it difficult for him to remain focused. Sheik shakes his head, a slight sound escaping his lips, a gutteral moan slipping through his resistance.
Link nods knowingly. His lips part. "You confuse me terribly," he admits, his eyes raising to look Sheik in the eyes, his pupils dilating, quivering. He continues, "If you think you will scare me away.. you're wrong.." He breathes heavy, nervous. He looks then like the little boy from Sheik's memories; frightened and trembling, but curious.. and needy.
Sheik furrows his brows and tightens his lips, conflicted thoughts running through his mind at full speed.
'He is different from the hero I know from my memories.'
'No, he is the same. He just does not recall what transpired.'
'If you give into him, give into yourself, you will ruin the friendship you both share.'
'But time is fleeting and I may never see him again once he steps through the gateway to his own world!'
He looks at Link, the muscles in his arms taut with tension.. such a tempting predicament, the hero helpless and wanting.
'I cannot take advantage of him. He knows not what he wants. He is but a youth, confused with himself and which gender he prefers.'
'The Princess? Would you rather him with her?"
'No.. no no..'
And he imagines then, the hero scooping the Princess up into his arms, and kissing her passionately amidst the fallen Ganondorf's remains, the Evil King he must destroy in his own time when he should leave this one for the next. He feels a pain in his heart, and anger, and then sadness.. sadness for possibly leading the boy's heart astray.
"You do not want this," he says to Link, his face emanating the terrible subconscious bout he just suffered. He pulls away, letting the hero's hands free.
Link's face changes; anger, frustration creeping onto his features. "Who are you to tell me what I do not want?" he yells.
"Someone.. who knows you very well," Sheik responds calmly, sadly. Kiss him. Tell him the truth.
"How cute," a voice is then heard from across the pathway, on the far side.
Both men turn to look, compromised in their current predicament.
A Sheikah warrior treads slowly down the pathway with calculated steps. "Is this a good time? Or should I come back later?" the voice, female, jests.
Sheik releases his grip on the hero, scowling while turning fully around, stepping forward carefully through the archway. "You should turn back," Sheik forewarns, yelling across the space between him and the warrior. "I am not in the mood for distractions!"
The female Sheikah continues down the pathway, closing the distance between her and Sheik. "A distraction," she repeats dismissively, "do you consider your death, a mere distraction?"
Link makes his way beside Sheik and says coldly, whispering, "They've arrived before us." He keeps somewhat of a distance from his traveling companion, warily watching after what had just ensued between them. He rubs gently at his wrists that were tightly being held by the Sheikah moments before.
Sheik glares, ignoring Link, and instead maintains his focus on the other Sheikah. "It shall not be my death today, for you have caught me at a very bad time and if you would prefer I take my anger out on you," Sheik readies himself, preparing needles, hidden in his palms, "so be it!"
"I'd like to see you try," the female Sheikah responds, taunting with her hands, urging Sheik to a duel.
As the two Sheikah near, Link stays behind and ducks around the column, peering around and silently bringing out the bow he had taken from Kakariko Village. He pulls an arrow from his quiver, runs his fingers along its shaft, and nocks it in place, breathing slowly.
The female begins to run the rest of the pathway's length, brandishing two daggers and holding them crossed before her as a shield. Sheik runs too, deftly along the length of the narrow path as well, waiting for the moment to send a flurry of needles her way. The female jumps as they close in on each other, flipping over and behind Sheik. She pivots and kicks the back of his head, sending Sheik forward, dangerously close to the edge. Sheik curses and rolls back to jump to his feet again, but the female is quick, and she slams her right foot to his throat, keeping him on the ground. Twisting her foot on his skin, she says, "I'd always wondered which you prefered - top or bottom," she laughs, "Now I know."
Link releases his hold on the arrow, sending it slicing through the air. It lands in the center of the female's left calf, which sends her reeling and screaming. Sheik uses this to his advantage, getting up quickly, holding his neck gently. He looks Link's way, cursing from the pain. "I do not need your help!" he yells. Meanwhile the female Sheikah struggles with quickly removing the arrow stuck deeply inside her leg.
"It didn't look that way to me!" Link yells back, pulling another arrow from his quiver.
"Damn you," Sheik says loudly, then returns his focus on the female who, bleeding from her lower leg, tries to stand upright. He nears her, and before performing a spinning kick to her stomach he yells, "I wouldn't be in the mess if it were not for you!" towards Link. She falls to the ground from the impact.
Link shoots an arrow as a response out from behind the column and misses Sheik's arm by centimeters, ripping the fabric.
Sheik turns around and glares, stomping back towards the beginning of the pathway, nearing Link. "Why, you.."
The Sheikah female struggles to regain her composure, and looks up to see Sheik walking away from her angrily in the opposite direction. She is confused for a moment.
Sheik nears Link, and grabs his collar, pulling him out of cover. He holds him close and then pushes him forcefully away, shoving him backwards. Link maintains his footing, and retaliates, shoving Sheik back as well. These are not extremely hard shoves and pushes, no, for even though they reach to hurt each other, interlaced with that is a desire to touch. This continues, strong jabs mixed with light touches, back and forth, until they unknowingly make their way out onto the platform again, nearing the female Sheikah who waits, baffled. Sheik grabs roughly for Link's head, yanking his hat off, tossing it to the ground. Link, hair in disarray and eyes wide, reaches for Sheik, tossing his headpiece off as well. Sheik curses and turns, trying to catch it before it falls to the ground. He doesn't and instead decides to shove Link again, this time pushing the hero to the ground. He stands there for a moment, relishing the hero's recumbent state. Sheik then rushes onto him, straddling on his palms and knees. Link runs his fingers through Sheik's hair, messing it, pulling the other's face closer still to his own. Sheik grabs a fistful of Link's collar and tunic, squeezing. They are sprawled out on top of one another, frozen still and out of breath.
The female Sheikah stares in dismay, deciding if she should attack them while they are distracted.
Link stares at the Sheikah, face a deep shade of pink. Sheik leans over him whilst still holding onto the collar, closing in the space between them with his body. You're losing control, Sheikah. He brings his mouth to the hero's ear, and whispers, "You're bad for me, Hero."
Link moves his mouth towards Sheik's ear, smiling rebelliously. "You're bad for me, too."
And with that, Sheik releases Link and stands. He turns to the female, walking slowly towards her, menacingly. With a flick of his right hand to the pathway, he opens up the inky portal in front of her. "I tire of you," he says to her, "now go and be with the shadows."
She looks around in surprise and tries to run back towards the ruins, but to no avail, as one by one the blackened strands reach out, winding around her legs. Slowly she is enveloped and eaten into the portal, a single hand reaching out until she is seen no more.
The closing of the portal issues forth a rumbling down the pathway, which causes pieces of its stone structure to begin falling away. Both men realize this and grab their fallen hats quickly. Then they begin running, neither speaking, towards the entrance of the ruins, knowing full well that now they may never leave once they step into its hallowed grounds.
The entrance crumbles behind them, blocking any sort of escape out of the ancient structure. They stop, out of breath, kneeling, taking a moment to recover. It is dark inside, save for its opened rooftop which rays of moonlight softly enter, cascading down into pinpoints along the ground. Dust and sand cover its broken columns, the room stretching forward, a foyer of sorts with corridors leading right and left in the distance. Glowing bugs, emanating blue, hover near areas of broken structure, the place looking like an ethereal tomb untouched except for by time itself.
"Wonderful," Link muses, looking back at the caved-in entrance, sighing a bit and kicking at a large rock for good measure. It moves none.
Sheik sighs as well, walking away from the hero, into the center of the room. He stands, noticing both pathways leading into the structure, and stands for a moment, thinking.
"I am taking the left path," Sheik says, as he begins towards one of the branching corridors, not stopping to allow Link to follow. I need to be away from you.
"Have fun," Link adds as the Sheikah's body disappears into the darkness. He shrugs and shakes his head, angry at the other for such immature behavior. He's left now, alone, and the silence creeps up on him. He shivers from the odd feeling this place resonates, and without another thought, he makes his way right, stomping into the darkness as well.
Sheik notices fresh footprints in the sand covering the floor of the corridor as he slinks through the shadows. He kneels down to investigate them, determining that a few made these marks, judging from the variances in their size. Traps along the walls, dagger and scythes, lay dormant in their alcoves; Sheik warily avoiding these also, any such movement sure to set them loose.
He soon discovers the labyrinth like design of the place, the one simple pathway veering off in lefts and rights, and he is unsure of which to follow. He simply relies on instinct, which is one of his more apt traits, and the trailing footprints to lead him on the correct route.
He silently thinks frustratingly of Link as he ventures forth, cursing him every now and then, whilst feeling guilty about doing so. He makes an agreement then internally to apologize when they reunite further inside the ruins. He blames himself for confusing Link, knowing full well it's not the hero's fault at all. But when he's around him, he feels so easily irritated, because who is he to break the spell that forbids Link from remembering their time together. And there's so much damn, tension.. he's losing control.
A sound then, like a stone doorway sliding shut, echoes down the corridor from somewhere up ahead. Sheik knows his only option is to follow it, but the reality of what seems to be a cat-and-mouse game, is beginning to sink in. He wonders then, just who is following who.
Link wanders slowly down the hallway, crouching low, stepping lightly on the weathered stone floor. He notices carvings on the ground, slightly raised. He makes an effort to step around them, for activating one could be deadly.
He traverses around spiked blocks, stuck in place along metal tracks, which at one point he assumes slid back and forth, impaling anyone who was less observant in a multitude of painful ways.
Soon the pathway cuts into two, stone steps leading up to a second floor on his left, and in front the path continues straight ahead. He peers around the alcove leading up, and can see nothing, for just like every area of this place, it is shrouded in darkness. He can't help but feel, deliberating between the two, that going up feels a little less gloomy. So without any other way to make up his mind, he begins walking the steps that lead upward. As he walks, he thinks in frustration of Sheik, who abandoned him in the beginning of the ruins. He thinks about the mixed-signals he has been receiving from his traveling companion, he thinks of the heated fight and of earlier, the touches and glances that surely meant..
The thought terrifies him. The thought entices him.
He makes it to the final step, and enters another corridor darker than the last. His heart begins to beat faster now, wondering how much longer he must feel his way in the shadows. He is anxious and claustrophobic, terrified that he may step on a trap he cannot see.
He makes out footsteps then behind him, and he turns but to no avail, for his eyes have not adjusted to the darkness.
"Please forgive me," he hears, and then, from somewhere behind him an object comes crashing down and onto his head, and after yelling very loudly from pain and surprise, he is knocked unconscious.
Nearing the end, now. As always, huge thanks to those who have left me feedback, and thank you also to those who have taken the time to read this story so far. I hope to see you all at the finale.