Author's Note: Here we are again! As I may have mentioned before, I am finally getting to the parts of this story that I am more excited for than any of the others; Shadow and Spirit. They will still be covered in a few chapters, but Spirit will be more so expanded on because of who Ciren is and what happened all those years ago. Either way we don't have much to go now on this journey so I hope that you can join me as it soon comes to a close. But for now, enjoy the chapter! ;)
"In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present."
~Francis Bacon~
Shards of Time
An Ocarina of Time FanFiction
Chapter 25: Pall
"As the water rises, the evil is vanishing from the Lake. You did it!" Sheik congratulates as she meets us on the embankment. She is grinning despite us leaving her behind, and now that the sun can reflect off of the surface of the water it shines into her eyes and reveals a slight sapphire hue in her irises. I shake my head and ignore it, returning my gaze to the waters of Lake Hylia around me. The Sheikah takes a seat beside Link, joining us in studying the water. Ruto is still over the moon to be back in her element, and I can't help but smile a little at her behaviour. "We have to return peace to Hyrule for her sake too, don't we?"
"There are a lot of people that we have to save Hyrule for," is all that I say.
She breathes out a small laugh. "And Ruto is one of them. But just look at it..." Sheik nods down to the water, where we can see the bottom without hesitation. "Together you two and Princess Ruto destroyed the evil monster. Once again, the Lake is filled with pure water. All is as it was here... and now there is only a Sage within the House of the Dead and the Goddess of the Sand." A few years ago I would have flinched at the latter phrase, however now I hold it down. Now isn't the time to let my emotions get the better of me, nor is any time, and I must focus on the problem in Hyrule instead of my internal needs.
Pushing them away doesn't seem to help them leave my mind, however.
"So, where is this "House of the Dead" then?" Link asks quietly, watching the water lapping against the ground.
"The Goddesses will guide us," is all Sheik says at first, then notices both of us passing her unimpressed expressions. "That is all I know about your journey, Hero, but if I were you... I believe that Kakariko Village was the last place to house my tribe, the Sheikah. Older generations practiced speaking with the dead and supposedly had a Temple somewhere in the outskirts of the Village or underground. I would seek that place out first before moving out to other parts of Hyrule; there is where you shall find some clues, I firmly believe."
Despite its slightly cryptic nature, what Sheik says seems to ring true. I have heard of such rumours and have always wondered if they were ever correct; now it seems that I will find out.
"But first," she adds after a moment, climbing to her feet. "I will return Princess Ruto to Zora's Domain. Now that the evil had been defeated in the depths of the Water Temple, its influence over the Domain will also have dispersed and so will allow it to flourish again. I'm sure that the Zora there will be awaiting the return of their Princess. For now, you should return to Kakariko Village and rest. I shall meet you again when I can, yet I think that you should find some respite in the Village before heading out into Hyrule again."
Before either of us can speak, she has thrown down a Deku Nut and blinds us as she teleports away, most likely into the water so she can guide Ruto through a tunnel that I had heard about in the Village not too long ago. We sigh and cast our gaze back to Lake Hylia. I lean onto my back and fold my hands behind my head. "I really wish Sheik would stop doing that," I mutter. He laughs lightly, joining me. "I don't know how comforting it is to think that everyone is relying on us. Well," I cut in. "More like relying on you. They always want their Hero to fix everything, and they just do it. How are you doing it?"
He ponders the thought for a while, plucking some grass from the embankment. "Well knowing that they are relying on me spurs me to actually do something. As much as I'm still coming onto the idea of destiny and Heroes and me being one of them, I would much rather be a Hero and make a difference than be someone who is suffering and can't do anything about it. I wanted to explore the world when I was little, and I'm doing that aren't I? I just..." He pauses for longer than I expect him to. "I have to do this, and it has to be me. I don't quite like the idea, but at least I'm making a difference."
And then I realise then and there just exactly why he was chosen so long ago for this.
He is just like the Heroes from the Hylian legends that I found in the archives once; selfless, determined, and stubborn.
I hum but say nothing for a while as I think on his words. Maybe when I return to the Valley to try and fix the mess there, I can do the same. I may not be the Hero or anyone as important, but I have been given the opportunity to fix what happened all those years ago and couldn't stop, so now I can just keep my head down and deal with it. He's right: I could be stuck on the streets somewhere feeling guilty over everything that I have lost, but Din has given me the chance to change the world and actually make a difference. I have a chance that very few others have, and I shouldn't be anything but grateful for it.
I drag myself to my feet, determination coursing through my veins. "Come on. We've got some Sages to find."
Link calls for Epona, both her and Luz attracted to the song that he plays, and as we mount I turn my attention back out to Lake Hylia.
I will save you, Nisah. I promise; and I never break promises, remember?
We set off within the hour, crossing Hyrule Field and making our way back to Kakariko Village. The journey is relatively silent, all three of us prepared for any monsters that may be lurking about for us; especially as the sun sets in the distance and limits our vision.
"Do you smell that?" Link says suddenly, straightening atop Epona. I glance up to the skies above, noticing a distinct discolouration that I haven't ever seen before. I squint as I try to figure out what it is. Unfortunately we are still at least an hour away from the Village entrance, meaning that the darkness cloaking us doesn't help us identify it in the slightest. But what Link says is true about the smell; something is in the air, and though it takes me a while to know what it is, I instantly pick up my speed when I smell smoke alongside Kakariko shining in the distance.
Kakariko is ablaze.
Link catches onto this too, mainly when I explain what is going on, and we speed off in a hurry. After the attack from Volvagia, Kakariko was left the most vulnerable in Hyrule; more so than Goron City; and now whatever has happened there, whether caused by the lingering dragon spirit or not, means that there are going to be casualties no matter what. I ignore the outset of panic that tries to flow through my veins, glad that both Luz and Epona understand the severity of what is going on as they are pushing themselves harder than I have seen; so much so that Epona is nearly outrunning Luz.
We arrive in less than an hour, only slowing down to canters when the horses start to tire. By the time we leave them at the bottom of the steps, villagers are still pouring out from the entrance and away from the fires that have spread throughout the Village now. They rush past us, some carrying their children, some telling us to go too, whilst others just run off without even casting a second glance at the others around them. Malon is near the entrance too, helping who she can to get out, and when she spots us her face is a mix of surprise and worry.
"You two should go," she says as we rush up to meet her. "The Zora can't get here in time with the water, but the few Gorons left have come to help. You need to go before—" As if on cue, one of the houses on the edge of the Graveyard collapses from the fires, causing more screams to arise from the distance as people dash away from the wreckage. "They've got this handled. Go!"
"Not without you," I say firmly, grabbing her arm tightly. "Like you say: the people here have got this, so there is no need for you to take in any more of this smoke." As if to further prove my point, the ranch girl fails to hold back a thick cough. I pull her away from the entrance, guiding her back down to where Link and I left the horses. "Take Epona or Luz and get the people to safety; maybe up to Zora's River. And..." When I don't hear more footsteps behind me, both Malon and I turn to find that Navi has zipped off after her partner as he slips between the crowds.
Din's sake...
I leave Malon at the entrance and dart after the trailing light from the Guardian Fairy, a storm of thoughts hitting me at once. I catch his form shrinking into the distance and force people out of the way, determined to figure out why he is so desperate to put himself into the fire for seemingly no reason. From our viewpoint at the entrance we couldn't see anyone who specifically needed help, so all I can think of is his intuition telling him that something is desperately wrong. I shake my head as I go; it doesn't matter what the reason is; I'm still going after them both.
He finally stops a few paces before the well at the back of the Village, staring at the figure who is hunched over it. Navi flies around and illuminates the familiar face. "Kaei," she breathes. "What are you doing? You need to—"
"J-Just give me a minute," is all he says, and even from a few feet away his brows are knitted together in strain, much like his voice. His hands grab the edges of the well so tightly that his knuckles are white, and it isn't a moment after Link and I step forwards to help that a bright light radiates out from his chest, encircling the well before delving deep into its depths. I grab onto Kaei's arm and pull him away when he slumps slightly, the spell taking its toll whilst I lower him onto the grass. "I guess I haven't done that one in a while..."
"What did you do?" I ask, ignoring him and choking back a cough.
He forces himself to sit upright. "There's a spirit down there that caused this fire, and they weren't going to stop until it retreated. If I purified it then maybe..." He grasps his head suddenly. "Maybe that'll save the people." I pull some water out of my pack and hand it to him, letting him lean against me slightly until he gains some of his strength back. His eyes gaze up to Link. "So I guess you managed to fix the mess at Lake Hylia then?" Link merely smiles, but we both note the worry in his blue orbs. "Don't worry about me or the Village. We're a lot stronger than you think, and now the well is purified, we can get back onto our feet."
"But the Hylian lands are vulnerable," I say firmly as we climb to our feet, putting away the water. "Goron City is sparsely populated, Zora's Domain is slowly thawing and can't defend themselves, and Castletown is plagued with ReDeads. Kakariko can get back onto its feet, yes, but it won't be able to defend against another attack like this. We just need—" The ground groans and shudders without warning, cutting me off as the well flashes with a bright light and Kaei's spell is quickly destroyed. A swirling black mass spirals out of the well, condensing together before making its way around the edge of Kakariko.
We watch on in awe as the formation slithers across the mountainous region before picking up its speed and heading back towards where it first appeared. It has no specific features, the jet black cloud neither solid or translucent.
What is this thing?
The creature rears up above the well, and Kaei tries to stand. "If it broke the spell, then..." But he falls down to his knees before he can cast anything else or even finish what he was going to say. I hold onto him, making sure that he stays down for the fight that he can't beat. It seems to study Kaei somehow, either knowing that he attempted to stop its existence or because he is exhausted, but the fact that it is doing it confuses me.
Then everything moves so fast that I barely have time to react. The creature, knowing that we are going to attack it, zips down in an attempt to harm Kaei whilst he is down. I draw my blades and ready myself to attack, however Link is quickly to only pull out his shield and slip in front of us, defending us from whatever the creature will use to attack.
The attack goes straight through him.
The being soars straight through the shield and plucks Link from the ground, tossing him into the air and robbing him of his weapon. I instantly grab the Fairy Bow and try to help, however the arrows simply slide through the foggy mass. Navi also tries to aid her partner, but even flying close to the darkness is enough to send her dizzy. All we can do is watch on until the Triforce of Courage glows on the back of his hand, saving him from the creature.
The mass, terrified by the sacred light, throwing Link through the air and dumping him at the base of the steps leading up to the well. Navi flies over to her partner before I can even move, rushing over to protect him before anything else happens; trying her hardest to wake him up. I leap to my feet as the swirling blackness prepares itself for another attack, and this time I am ready to attack with my blades with an incantation on the tip of my tongue in case anything happens.
But it doesn't matter.
The creature dives down, ready to fight me, yet at the last moment it is Kaei who drags me down onto the grass and takes the hit for me. I cry out in fustration as he is lifted into the air, but for far less time than Link, tossing him back onto the ground in seconds. I rush over to his side, turning him onto his back and forcing him awake. "Kaei, you idiot! What the Hell were you thinking, you... you, ugh!" I shake him more violently until he wakes.
What is it with men and sacrificing themselves?
Kaei grumbles slightly as he awakens, though his eyes are different. They are still crimson, of course, yet there is a coldness to it that I have never seen before. His eyes snaps open with no bleariness whatsoever, and within a moment he is kneeling before me; seemingly in no pain. He bores into my eyes, humming quietly. "I don't think I have seen Desert Folk with fear in their eyes before." He chuckles. "May wonders never cease..."
"Ciren, above him! It's like the Poe Sisters!"
I glance up for a fraction of a second, but I had already come to the same conclusion. The same mass now faintly swirls above him, and with Navi's quickness I know exactly what has happened here. Returning my eyes to him, I grip his wrists tightly. "I don't know what you want, or what Ganondorf has given you, but this is not the answer. Let him go."
He laughs coolly. "He's been looking for you too, you know," he remarks, removing his wrists from my grasp. I still can't get over his eyes. "He searches night and day for the Princess and the Bearer of Courage, but you are something of more value... the one that he couldn't bring under his control..."
"Nabooru was the same," I mutter, entranced.
"She kept a low profile, but you..." he trails off, taking my face into his hands. "You were different. You kept making a fuss by following the Princess and not your King. You kept refusing him no matter what he took from you. And now, you are just as prized as the other two Bearers. He must dominate and crush all threats, and you, my dear, finally have a worth to the King." His eyes dance with the flames, and I follow him to our feet with ease. "How could you have evaded him when I found you so easily?"
I swallow thickly, a part of me hesitating. "He isn't needed for you. Ganondorf can come and get us if he wants us so badly."
"Oh but he is," the being replies through Kaei, ignoring the latter comment, his voice separating out into two echoing ones. "A Sheikah hasn't graced my presence since the War! And his mind is such a torrent. He doesn't want to like you, and is waiting for you to back stab them all, but he can't help it. You know what?" He grins menacingly at me. "He hates himself for it. You don't know how much of this he blames you for, Gerudo."
"Shut up," I sneer, but it doesn't have any strength behind it.
Don't be so weak. That's what it wants!
Without hesitation he flicks his wrist and sends me barreling into the nearby home, cobweb cracks crawling up the mortar as I crash down to the ground. Kaei stalks over to me, using magic to lift me by my throat into the air and keep me pinned against the wall. I try and struggle free, but my arms are too stiff and it is as if nothing is around my neck at all. He leans in close. "I won't kill you, Gerudo," he resolves. "However, it doesn't mean that I won't hand you over whilst I have the chance. I'm sure your little Nisah has been itching to interrogate you for her King for years now."
It takes all of my strength to find my voice again, "Don't weaken me like a coward, then..." I rasp. "Just do it..."
And he never gets the chance.
A cloaked figure leaps down before he can speak, forcing him to stop the spell and down to the ground. I fall down against the wall, clutching my throat and gasping for air as I make myself watch what is going on. The figure holds Kaei down, an incantation hovering above their free hand. "Leave this place and return to where you came from. The Shadow Temple is your domain, not Kakariko and its residents," sneers the unknown figure. "Leave this place!"
All Kaei does is grin. "As the Sage so politely requests... but I won't leave alone."
The cloaked person jumps away as Kaei disappears in a burst of darkness, the former punching the ground in irritation as I rush over and remove their cowl, a familiar face snapping up to meet mine. "I-Impa?" I breathe, causing her to smile back. "Din above, you're a sight for sore eyes! Where have you been?!"
"There's time for that later," is all she says, rising to her feet. "For now we need to take you three to safety." I raise a brow at her, however she just ignores this and makes her way down to the bottom of the steps where Link, who still isn't awake, and Navi are. I follow on, trying my hardest to stay quiet so no one hears the rasp in my voice. She kneels beside them, the Guardian Fairy barely able to hide her surprise and recognition of Impa's presence as the latter adds, "Come close."
She pulls out a purple medallion, murmuring something into it that causes the world to momentarily drop away. When it returns, we are in the centre of a dark cave covered in runes. Impa waves her hand, and a ring of torches that I didn't notice flare into life. The Sheikah shifts onto her feet and steps off the platform that we landed on, and without thinking I say, "Where are we?"
"At the entrance of the Shadow Temple on the edge of the Graveyard. The evil spirit that Ganondorf set upon this place, Bongo Bongo, waits with Kaei in the depths of this place," she clarifies. "It will not attack until you meet it, however I know the route through the Temple's traps. I will return by morning once I have helped Kakariko recover from the attack. For now, you must recover here for yourselves; it will be a long road to find Kaei."
I narrow my eyes. "I'm fine, Impa, and Navi is more than capable of taking care of her partner. I am going to help."
"No you are not," she says sternly, just like Nabooru would. She holds up her medallion again, ready to leave. "Someone has to explain what happened here whilst Navi rests herself."
I feel selfish for not thinking about that.
But as she starts the spell, I blurt out, "Is it true... what he said about you being a Sage?" Impa glances back over her shoulder and nods once, then fades in the next moment. As soon as her presence fades, I fall onto my bacm beside Link and sigh loudly; Navi resting beside my shoulder. I look over at her. "Sorry for not protecting him, Navi. I should have helped you do your job, huh?"
She merely smiles and shakes her head. "There was nothing that we could have done. If anything, imagine what would have happened if Link was in Ganondorf's hands along with the Master Sword, or you? Kaei's sacrifice was noble, and nothing less. I wish he was with us, yes, but he knew what the stakes were if it wasn't him." I hum absently, turning onto my side and away from her. She sighs softly. "I doubt he hates you, Ciren..."
"Eh, doesn't matter," I mutter. "I'll be gone before he can say anything."
I tense, realising what I have said and who I have said it to.
"Gone?" the Guardian Fairy breathes, zipping around to find my eyes.
I swallow, then cover it with, "As in once Ganondorf is gone. The Gerudo will retreat to keep the peace in Hyrule and recover ourselves, so Kaei won't have to think about me, that's all." Navi hums, unconvinced, though doesn't push it. In reality, I have been desperate to get ahead of Link and Navi before they searched for the Sage of Spirit in the Valley. I know that he has to carry on, and I want to distract the Gerudo from his presence there. If the Sage is corrupted, then I will save them, Nisah, and my Sisters.
If she isn't, then I'll still save my Sisters and let the Hero do his duty without me.
He'll forget about me... he has to.
But before that happens we have something else to do. I turn back over so I face Link, thankful that he wasn't possessed like Navi said; the world would have been doomed. The softer part of me will be pained to leave him behind, only because he is a friend that I trust. It is the same with Navi and Kaei, but Link knows loss like I do; not knowing our parents has shaped our outlook on the world. I feel nothing else towards him but trust, although it will still be hard to go.
It has to happen. We both have our duties.
"But not yet," I whisper. "First we have to get our stupid Sheikah back."
A smile tugs at my lips, but my gloom still follows me until morning.
