A/N: I'm so sorry this chapter took so long. I was working a lot of hours AND attending classes this fall, and a lot of my creative endeavors suffered for it. I was dealing with a lot of burnout. And I still am, in some ways. But the creative spark for HoaH is back, and I intend to finish this story by its next anniversary. Only a few more chapters to go. Let's see where they take us.


Deep in the Dark


"Sheik!"

Navi's desperate calls finally shook Link out of his shocked stupor. He wasn't certain how long he'd stared into the dark cavern; the only sign of time's passage was the hoarseness of the fairy's voice.

How had everything gone so wrong, so fast?

A small hand gripped his shoulder and shook him. "Come on, Link, snap out of it!"

He turned, facing Skully, who gave him a wide grin. "C'mon, it's no fun when you just stand around like that."

Then Skull Kid bounded over to Navi, waving a hand in front of her. "That goes for you too, silly."

It took her a moment to react, when she finally noticed him, she backed up and turned away. "You don't understand," Navi replied quietly. "This is… Sheik is… Sheik has something that Ganondorf wants very badly. Something powerful enough to grant his wishes. He's been hiding it for a long time but…"

She trailed off, taking a deep breath. "But just now, he exposed it in a bid to buy us time. Ganondorf will know soon, and he'll be sending someone to claim it. We've gotten as far as we have because he didn't know where that power was. But now we're running out of time."

Link stared for a moment silent. "Then we should keep moving. If we hurry, maybe…" He trailed off, uncertainty clouding his mind.

"Link's right," Skull Kid added. "Besides, standing around is boring."

Navi took another deep breath. And for just a split moment, she looked like her normal self, ready to berate Skully for his lightheartedness in a serious situation. But then it was gone. "Well… We can't just do nothing." She fluttered to Link and ducked beneath his cap, nestling between the fabric. "I don't really know the way through here but… But I'll give guidance where I can."

Link nodded in response. Then with a deep breath, he pressed onward into the dark hall.


Their route through the depths of the temple was winding, at times doubling back on itself. Each time they returned to a room of cells or discarded bones, their sense of urgency grew. Every mistake was a waste of time, a risk that they'd fail to find Sheik.

But eventually the cramped hallways opened into a cavern smelling of damp earth and must. The air felt almost humid against Link's bark as he slowed his pace, trying to get a feel for what was inside.

A vast river stretched out in front of them, swirling slowly and disappearing into the distance either way they looked. This cavern was, surprisingly, more lit than any other part of the temple had been. Something glowed beneath the water, illuminating a fine mist and casting reflections of ripples along the cave walls.

"Okay guys," Navi began, "the boat must be around here somewhere. Keep an eye out, but keep an eye out for danger, too." Though she whispered, her voice still echoed in the vast cavern.

Link nodded in response, choosing to go for his bow instead of his sword, and inched his way deeper into the cavern, keeping against the wall. As he went deeper, the foggy lighting grew brighter, until he rounded a corner and, suddenly, ground fell away steep riverbank.

Skull Kid bumped into him from behind, unaware that he had stopped. Link flailed his arms as, suddenly, he was teetering on the edge. He dropped his bow, hearing it clatter to the ground, and caught a glimpse of it hanging precariously halfway over the edge. Then he fell.

Bubbles raced up around him as water dampened his senses. He flailed, trying to make sense of what was up and what was down in the bright water. His only indicator was the direction of the bubbles. He used that as his guide, righting himself to the best of his ability before kicking upwards.

Seconds later, he broke the surface. Walls of stone surrounded him, higher than before. Through the fog, he just barely saw Skull Kid following along the shoreline, his eyes twin pricks of light. The current wasn't dragging him away quickly, but it was dragging him, and it was too difficult to focus on one spot long enough to warp.

Then something loomed up in the corner of his vision. He turned his head and was greeted by a large wall of wooden timbers. That's the boat! No sooner had he thought that he bonked against the side and was dragged under water again.

This time, at least, he could tell what direction he was facing. He kicked back towards the shoreline, fighting the current. A small gap between the boat and land gave him the chance to break the surface again. Here, the stone sloped smoothly into the water, before sharply dropping off a little way in.

With one last burst of strength, he swam up to the shallows and dragged himself the rest of the way onto the shore. Then he flopped onto his back, a puddle quickly forming around him.

But before he could spend much time recovering, a tense call of, "Link, get up!" from further up the shore forced him to climb back to his feet. The reason was immediately clear: along the shore, standing between himself and his companions, and blocking the way to the boat, were three stalfos. They stood back to back, swords and shields drawn.

Link, too, drew his sword, staring unflinchingly at them. And yet, dismay rang in his mind. This would not be an easy fight. Sure, it wasn't the worst enemy they'd faced, but this was three trained warriors against a couple of kids.

Unless…

He looked beyond the stalfos to Skully, then shifted his gaze to the boat. He focused, drawing on his magic as he pictured himself standing on the boat. A slight breeze whirled around him, and then suddenly timbers creaked underfoot.

"Navifollowmehurry!" Skull Kid's scrambled words came from the shore, then he appeared next to Link with flickering eyes. Angry rattling sounded from the shoreline followed by the stomping of boots. "Okay, okay, okay, how do we make this thing move?"

Link stiffened. "I don't know!"

"Well, figure something out!" Skull Kid shot back. Then he reached for the sling shot and ran up to the edge of the boat, flinging seeds at the advancing stalfos. "This won't keep them for long!"

Link turned away from his friend, scrambling across the deck. "Navi?" He called out, his pitch rising. "How do you move a boat?"

"Usually you raise an anchor or something," Navi replied, flying alongside him. "But I don't see anything like that?"

Link's eyes flickered rapidly. If Navi didn't know what to do, then what hope was there? They'd have to fight.

Just as he turned, reaching back for his sword, he stumbled and fell forward, landing belly-first with a yelp. Groaning, he pushed himself to his knees.

A hint of gold color caught his attention. He turned his head, noticing an insignia painted onto the wood. Three golden triangles, forming one larger one.

He'd seen this insignia before. At the castle, and then again at Zora's Domain.

"The Triforce?" Navi blurted. "This has to be significant. why would it be on the deck instead of somewhere more visible. There's got to be a secret here."

A yelp from behind made Link glance back. Skull Kid danced out of the way of one of the stalfos narrowly avoiding a slash. Then he rushed forward, knocking the living skeleton into the water.

Link shook his head and turned back to the design. This was no time to get distracted. He had to figure this out!

"O-okay," He stuttered. "When we visited Zora's domain, we played that song Zelda taught us, right?"

Navi nodded in agreement, then let out a surprised jingle. "I think you're on to something! It's worth a shot."

Nodding, Link climbed to his feet, fishing in his bag for the ocarina. Only to freeze as a pained shriek caught his attention. Skull Skid stumbled into his line of sight, clutching at his left shoulder. A stalfos followed, swinging its rusty sword in a wide arc. Link's gaze darted between his friend and the ocarina in his hand. They needed to hurry, but…

Without another thought, he stashed the ocarina in his bag and dashed towards the stalfos, drawing the Master Sword with both hands. The tip scraped across the wooden deck as he ran. Then with a massive heave, he swung towards the stalfos' ribs.

It collided with a shield—raised in the nick of time—with a metallic clang. But the heavy blow unbalanced the stalfos, giving Link the chance for another strike. He swung again, aiming lower. Blade struck bone, and a segment of spine went spinning away. With a loud his, the upper body of the stalfos collapsed, sent spinning across the deck.

"Behind you!"

Link spun at Skull Kid's shout, then narrowly dove out of the way of an oncoming strike from the third stalfos. He rolled, losing his grip on the Master Sword. But as he sprang to his feet, Skull Kid tackled the stalfos, sending them both toppling overboard with a splash. Skully reappeared a moment later in a gust of wind, clothes dripping.

"What are you doing?" Skull Kid yelped as he kicked away some of the loose bones. "Find a way to get this thing moving already!"

One of Skully's arms—the one that the stalfos struck—hung limp. Link's gaze flickered over it with worry, but he forced himself to comply. There would be time to worry later.

His boots thudded against the deck as he dashed back to the Triforce insignia, already fishing for the ocarina. His fingers danced across the holes as he tried recalling Zelda's Lullaby. It was slow and gentle, wasn't it? And rather simple, too? One note played out and he pauses. No, that wasn't right. Too high. He blew another, lower note. That sounded better, but was it right?

"Link, hurry!"

Navi's voice snapped him out of his uncertainty. There was no time for doubt. He played three notes. Then, satisfied, repeated them. And the rest of the song flowed afterwards.

The boat lurched beneath him. Link stumbled, waving his arms to keep his balance. Wooden timbers rocked and creaked as, slowly, the boat began drifting away from the shore of its own accord.

He hadn't the time to understand it, though. Spinning around, he could see the stalfos trying to reform itself, all while Skull Kid continued kicking loose bones overboard.

Link hurried over, grabbing one of the long arm bones to use as a makeshift club. He smashed it against the half-formed stalfos, scattering it all over again, then chucked the bone overboard. He joined Skully in kicking and throwing bones, shivering as he felt bony fingers grab his ankle in a feeble attempt to stop him. With a shriek, he waved his leg wildly until it let go, then kicked it away.

Finally, stillness, save for the rocking of the boat. Link scanned the deck for signs of any more bones, letting out a relieved sigh when he found none. He returned to the spot where he'd dropped his sword, returning it to its scabbard, then walked to the center of the deck and plopped down.

Skull Kid was already there, gingerly poking at his shoulder. "So how long do we stay on this boat, anyway? By the way, I got your bow back. You're welcome."

"No clue," Link answers, exchanging a glance with Navi.

She shook her head. "Sheik never told me. But surely, it'll be clear when we need to get off, right?"

"Hopefully," Skully muttered. "I've had enough of this place." Suddenly, he winced, jerking his hand away from his shoulder. Sticky resin clung to his fingers. He stared, eyes flickering as he rubbed them with his thumb.

"You're hurt!" Link gasped.

"Stupid skull-face got me." Skull kid wiped his fingers on the deck. "Don't worry about it. It's not that bad."

But Link was already shuffling through his bag. He pulled his hat out, staring at it for a moment before exchanging it for the one that came with his zora tunic. Then he leaned forward to gingerly pull Skully's clothing back, only to gasp as he got a good look at the wound.

A deep stab sliced across Skully's shoulder joint, still trickling sap as resin tried to clog the gash.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Skull Kid insisted with a grunt as Link wrapped the hat around his shoulder. He started to lift the arm, only to drop it and suck in a hissing breath. "Okay, maybe it is that bad."

"Don't worry," Navi started as she dipped down to inspect Link's handy work. "Sheik brought some med—" the words died in her throat.

An awkward silence passed between the trip before she tried again. "Well, I can do something to make it a little better, but it's going to take a lot out of me. Hold still." She dipped down, leaning forward to press her tiny hands on Skull Kid's shoulder. A pulse of light followed, then another, then she backed off.

"That's all I can give. Any better?" Her voice came breathless.

Skully slowly lifted his arm again, carefully flexing his fingers before putting it back down. "A little."

Navi smiled weakly. "Good." Then she lapsed into silence, turning towards the stern before landing on the deck.

"How long do we ride this?" Link asked after a moment.

"Don't know," Navi answered. "Shiek probably did. Shiek knew — knows — a lot of things."

"Please don't let us get lost down here," Skull Kid groaned. "This is like… this is the worst place to get lost in."

"Oh, was the place with all the fire better?" Link asked, hoping his teasing tone could lighten the situation. But it did little alleviate his own dread, let alone anyone else's.

Uneasy silence filled the air.

Link broke it with a hesitant question. "Are… are you worried about Sheik?"

Navi nodded. She took a deep breath, paused, then replied, "Yeah. Yeah I am. There's… I wasn't sure if I should say anything yet but… but if something goes wrong then you need to know."

She turned so that she was facing the two skull kids. "Do you two remember the story the Great Deku Tree told us a long time ago? Just… just before he passed? And Link, do you remember the story Zelda told us about the Triforce and the goddesses.

Link considered, then nodded slowly while Skull Kid shrugged with one shoulder. "Not particularly," Skully mumbled. "Wasn't really paying attention."

A sigh escaped Navi as she shook her head, but she continued. "Well, there is a point to this. When Ganondorf gained access to the Sacred Realm, he tried to take the Triforce for himself. But his spirit was not in balance, and thus the Triforce split apart, granting him only a fraction of its power. He gained the Triforce of Power, but the parts representing Wisdom and Courage went to other individuals that were deemed worthy." She tilted her head to look Link in the eye. "Sheik gained the Triforce of Wisdom. If we don't find him before Ganondorf spirits him away… well, he'll only need to find the last piece, and he'd have all the power he'd need to conquer the world."

Link's jaw hung open. He struggled to find words. "Why… why didn't you say any of this sooner?"

"Sheik didn't want to say anything until it was strictly necessary. And besides that, there were… other factors. Putting the information in the open was dangerous."

Link glanced down at the cracks in his chest and felt a pang of resentment. He could guess what she meant by "other factors."

"There's… something else I shouldn't I'd probably tell you," Navi began. But before she could elaborate, Skull kid sprang up, gesturing pointedly to one side.

"Guys look! I think this might be our stop."

Ahead, the river became wide and shallow. A rickety, rotting pier jutted out, leading to a shore that gently sloped upwards. As if on cue, the boat came to a jolting halt. A thick fog arose, nearly obscuring the shoreline.

"Uh, guys?" Navi's nervous tone snapped Link to attention. "Don't look behind you, but I think you better jump."

We'll, now he had to look.

Thicker fog rose behind them, rolling over the deck and snaking around their ankles. At first glance, Link thought nothing of it. But a closer look revealed the danger: the fog seemed to eat away at the boat, the deck dissolving into more mist. And the edge was creeping ever closer.

With a yelp, Link turned his attention forward. He shoved Skully towards the edge, then dashed forward, taking a running leap towards shore, coming to an awkward, tumbling stop on the smooth stone. A thud behind him indicated Skully followed his lead.

By the time they'd recovered from their messy landing and turned back, the boat was gone.

"Ugh. Magic's no fun when it's used against you," Skully grumbled, rattling as he shook off water droplets. "Now what?"

Link's gaze shifted across their surroundings. Behind them, the river swirled lazily, stretching out into the fog. Ahead, the chamber narrowed into a hall, disappearing into darkness. "Only one way to go," he replied, adjusting his bag. Then he pressed forward, his footsteps muffled by the damp air.

The passage continued to narrow as they went farther in, until Link and Skull Kid had to walk single file to comfortably get through. The ground gradually began to slope, eventually becoming a steep incline.

"Hey Link?" Skull Kid called from behind, steadying himself by leaning against one wall. "Are you sure about this?"

"It's the only way forward," Link replied through gritted teeth as he took another step.

"Link, be careful! What if this is a—" Before Navi could finish, Link lost his footing. With a yelp, he fell, tumbling down the steep slope. Seconds later he was falling through open air.

He hit the ground with a bounce and a dull thud. Dazed, it took him a moment to realize Navi was distantly calling his name.

"Link! Please, tell me you're okay!"

"I'm fine!"

"Oh, thank the goddesses. can you see a way back up?"

His gaze swept across the room. He was on a large circular platform, surrounded by unlit torches. Although it was hard to see beyond, he could just make out the shape of some sort of altar. But he saw no stairs leading up. Not even a ladder or a some particularly rugged rocks.

"Not really!"

"I'm coming down!" Skully shouted. A moment later, he landed near Link, Navi fluttering behind. "Now what?"

"Look for a way out," Navi said. " There's got to be something."

Link nodded, heading for the edge of the platform. The ground gave slightly beneath him, forcing him to throw his arms out to balance.

But before he could get far, one of the torches suddenly flashed to life. Then the next and the next, until a fiery ring surrounded them. Link spun back towards his friends.

And then the ground shook.

No, shook wasn't the right word. It fell from under him, then sprang back, bucking him and sending him stumbling. It repeated the wave, wobbling again and again even after he fell, until it returned to equilibrium. Skully was having an equally difficult time keeping his footing.

The ground shook again, and Link noticed the deep reverberating note that accompanied it, rattling him with its echoing thrum.

"What's going on?" Skull Kid yelped.

"I think there's something here, but I can't see it!" Navi replied, before tumbling away with a startled cry. "It's big, whatever it is! The air's knocking me around! Oh goddesses, I think it's the monster"

Dread prickled under Link's bark. His hands reached into his bag for the lens of truth, a task made more difficult by the ground bucking beneath him. Bringing the lens up to his eye, he had just enough time to roll out of the way before a huge, grotesque hand slammed down. The force of the impact shook the ground and sent Link tumbling away. A long neck slithered across the scene, watching Link with its single eye. An eye nearly as big as he was.

Panicked, Link drew his sword and lashed out blindly. The tip just barely grazed the beast's eye, but it was enough to make it recoil, drops of green blood dripping onto the ground.

"It is! It's the monster from the village!" Link cried. "The one that took Sheik!"

"Then where is he?" Navi yelled. "Never mind, we need to get out of here. We can't fight now!"

"I don't think we have a choice!" Skully crawled closer, his gaze zipping back and fort. "I don't see any exits. This has to be some sort of trap!"

Link's eyes flickered with panic. No. No, this couldn't be a trap. Or at least, he couldn't let things end here. Clenching his fists with determination, Link unsteadily climbed back to his feet and reached for his bow, considering for a moment before tossing it to Skull Kid. "No more running, we fight this monster here and now. I point, you shoot."

Then he sprang away, narrowly dodging another strike. He kept low, touching the ground with one hand for balance while holding the lens with the other. His gaze swept across the room as he searched for an opening. Targeting the hands was pointless; an arrow would be little more than a bee sting to the beast. He needed to aim for the eye. Blind it. Make it susceptible to other strikes. Skull Kid followed his movements as best he could, keeping the bow at the ready.

The monster slowed, raising one disembodied hand…

"Now!" Link shot his free arm out, pointing at his target. A split second later, an arrow whizzed by, embedding in the corner of the monster's eye.

Hands darted up to clutch at the injured eye. It had no mouth to scream with, but it still flailed, slamming against the wall and ground, unfortunately out of reach. But just for a moment, it became visible.

Skull Kid wasted no time shooting more arrows, trying to aim between the cracks of fingers, but none landed on their mark, most embedding in the hands. How were they supposed to get at it now?

An idea crossed Link's mind. A foolhardy one, perhaps, but they were wasting time. Reaching for his sword, he stared up at the flailing monster, focusing on a spot just above it. Then he began to thrust downwards, disappearing in a rush of wind at the same time.

Then he reappeared. And immediately fell, nothing beneath him until suddenly there was, his sword stabbing deep into rotting flesh. His hands held tightly to the hilt, the monster flailing beneath him. His eyes flickered wildly as he tried to get a foothold. And then, all at once, he lost his grip and was tossed away.

A crack resounded as he hit the ground hard, skidding and bouncing on the springy surface. Before he had a chance to recover, he had a chance to recover, one massive hand slammed down, pinning him. There was another loud crack, then pain in his chest. He let out an agonized cry. His old wound had broken open, fresh resin oozing out of new cracks. And yet, the hand continued to grind him into the ground.

Fear gripped him. It was going to snap his body in two! He'd never seen another skull kid die, but he'd heard stories of bodies broken beyond repair, unable to house their spirit. No one knew what happened afterwards. It was treated like a scary story and little else, because no one wanted to confront what it meant.

Was he about to find out?

An angry battle cry snapped him out of his thoughts. Seconds later Skull Kid appeared at his side, stabbing one of the arrows into the hand like a knife. The shaft snapped off before he could pull it loose, so he resorted to his next best idea: kicking and biting.

"No," Link wheezed, struggling to form words. "The… eye… Shoot…. The eye…"

Skully's attention snapped to his friend, then the still-visible monster. He sprang away, spiting and gagging on the taste of rotten flesh, before focusing enough to fire another shot.

The strike worked as intended; the hand retreated, trying to tend to the fresh injury. The ground popped back up to normal, throwing Link briefly in the air. He coughed, struggling to roll over and climb back to his feet.

"Now what? We're getting nowhere!" Skully demanded.

"Maybe we are," Navi interjected, zipping back into the fray. "Look!"

Both Skull Kids raised their heads to look at the monster. While one hand still clasped the eye, dripping with green blood, the other reached up for the still-embedded sword. It jerked as it made contact, inadvertently driving it deeper, then swatted at it until it knocked it free, leaving a nasty, jagged gash. The sword spun through the air, landing near the edge of the platform.

Link stumbled forward, practically dragging himself towards his weapon. He needed it. He had to finish this, for everyone's sake. He couldn't give in to the fear that still gripped him, worrying about falling apart. And as he reached his sword and looked back up to the monster, he knew what he had to do.

Sheathing the Master Sword, he focused and warped once again, aiming for the spot he'd already struck. But this time he landed on his belly, ignoring the fresh wave of pain. His arms and legs warped around the long neck, keeping him balanced. Then he drew his sword once again and drove it into the wound. Then again, even deeper. And again. And again, digging his fingers and knees into the neck. Until finally, the beast gave one final massive shudder and dropped, lifeless.

Link held tight for a moment longer, waiting, assuring himself that he'd won, before finally pulling his sword free and sliding to the ground, green blood smearing across his tunic. He flopped, too hurt and exhausted to care.

"Link?" Navi's voice reached him distantly. He groaned, raising one arm in her general direction. She gasped. "Oh, goddesses, how badly did it get you? Here, hold still, let me just…"

A soft glow washed over Link, his pain dulling. His vision flickered back as a small weight landed on his chest. Navi sat there, panting. "That should.. be better…" the fairy gasped. "Sorry… healing takes… a lot out of me."

Link scooped her up into the palm of one hand, then slowly sat up. "Thanks," he mumbled. Then he turned his attention to Skull Kid. "See a way out?"

Skull Kid shrugged. "I'll take a look around." He made for the edge of the springy platform. But before he made it far, the sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the chamber. Then a familiar, cautious voice followed.

"Hello? Is someone in here?" Impa called.

Link forced himself to his feet, struggling forward. "Here!"

"Link? Is that you?" A moment passed, then two hands appeared at the edge. Impa dragged herself up, then paused surveying the scene. "You… felled Bongo Bongo?"

"Is that what it's called?" Skull Kid snorted. "Sounds too silly for someone like you."

"I didn't name it," Impa replied with a raised brow. "That thing has been prowling this temple for centuries. I'm impressed the two of you managed to defeat it." Her gaze shifted towards Link. "Though not without a cost, it seems. How are you holding up, young Link?"

Link gave a tired, half-hearted shrug. "Okay. Been better."

"Is Shiek with you?" Navi asked, poking her head out of Link's now-cupped hands, her own tiny hands tightly wrapped around two digits.

"No?" Impa stiffened. "Was he not with you?"

"He was until the drummer thing nabbed him," Skull Kid replied.

"This is bad." Navi jumped free of Link's hands alert, her voice taut. He revealed his part of the Triforce to buy us time to get here. Ganondorf is sure to have noticed by now! If Bongo Bongo didn't bring him here, then where—"

Her question was cut off by peals of cackling laughter. Two peals of cackling laughter. Two familiar peals of cackling laughter.

Link and Navi spun in unison, searching for the source. They spotted it beyond the platform. Just inside the ring of light, two gnarled old women in dark robes sat up on broomsticks. A large crystal hung suspended in the air between them. Though semi opaque, Link could make out an unconscious form. Sheik.

"Impressive that the Triforce holder hid from us for so long isn't it Koume?" The one on the left said.

"Indeed it is, Kotake," the one on the right said. "He's not what we expected, but his capture is still certain to please Ganondorf."

"Once we sniff out the last piece and that bothersome princess, nothing will be able to stop him."

"Not even the sages."

Impa took a step forward, drawing a weapon. "Release him!" she called, throwing a knife at Kotake. But with a flick of her wrist and a flash of the blue gemstone on her forehead, a barrier of ice rose to protect the witch.

"Now, now," enough of that," Kotake said.

"It would be a shame if someone got hurt," Koume added

"After all there aren't many of you Sheikah left, are there?"

"And we would hate for there to be an…" fire flashed in Koume's hands. "...incident now, now wouldn't we?" At once she lashed out, sending a stream of fire straight towards the gathered group. Impa gasped and shoved Link out of the way, dropping down on top of him while Skull Kid dove for cover. Before they had a chance to recover, there was a flash of light. And when Link looked up, the Gerudo were gone.

And so was Sheik.

"No," Impa whispered.

"Not now," Navi followed. "Not when we're so close."

Link stared at the spot the witches had occupied just a moment prior. They'd… he'd failed. Sheik was in Ganondorf's hands now. And somehow, Link felt this was worse than anything he could have imagined.