Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ To Forge the Master ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The fog around his brain slowly lifted as Savas regained consciousness. He kept his eyes closed and his head down, taking in his surroundings with his other senses. The air was chilly– far colder than he would have liked, thanks to his desert birth – and stale, smelling of rot and mold. He could feel rough stone against his back and skin-warmed metal around his wrists, which were bound tightly over his head. The steady drip, drip, drip of water echoed around him, and aside from his own controlled breathing, it was the only sound.

Carefully, red eyes slid open to survey the room. Dark and dank, the only source of light were a few, widely-spaced, and barred windows high in the stone wall. The walls and floor glistened with a thin layer of slime, broken only by dark patches near chains. The rusted bonds hung from the ceiling or attached directly to the wall. The room was vast, disrupted by pillars that kept the ceiling up, yet he was the only soul in the entire space that he could see.

Looking up, Savas gave his restraints an experimental tug. They were old, and poorly maintained, but they limited his motion so much he could not get his weight and strength behind the pull. His movements caused a clatter, and he looked down to see chains around his legs as well that only gave him a foot or so in length from the wall.

There was no telling how long he had been there. His shoulders and arms were already protesting their prolonged position.

&&&

Link slowly opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the light of the mid-morning sun. The night had been restless, leaving him in too much pain to really sleep, but too tired not to try. Sleep had finally taken him only a few hours before dawn, just as the sky had begun to lighten and the stars fade.

His whole body felt weak, but so far he was not in any pain. Carefully, slowly, he moved to sit up. It was hard, his muscles were exhausted, but no tremors sent him back to the ground. The blanket pooled in his lap as it slid off his body; the sun warming his skin. He lifted his hand and rubbed his temple, feeling the beginning of a headache forming behind his eyes.

“Feeling better?” Sheik asked. Link looked up to see the man standing beyond the embers of last night’s fire. There were circles under his eyes from lack of sleep, his clothes looked a bit rumpled, and his hair was badly windswept. The scarf that was usually so carefully tied around his mouth and nose had slipped and hung a bit skewed on his face.

“I guess,” Link answered. “I’m not in blinding pain anymore, but I feel like someone filled my body with stones.”

“Don’t overtax yourself,” Sheik answered, lifting Link’s bag off the ground and walking around the fire embers to set it near him. “But we need to cover at least some ground today. The Moblin may be back soon.”

“Moblin?” Link asked, opening his bag to search for new clothes. “Those pig things?”

“Yeah,” Sheik replied, turning away to give Link some privacy. “I’m guessing you don’t know anything about those either, do you?”

“Not really,” Link said flatly. He pulled the sword, still with its sheath and belt, out of the bag and laid it on the ground, then pulled a pair of boots out as well.

Sheik sighed, and Link could just imagine him rolling his eyes. “Moblin are big, strong, and stupid; and as greedy as the animal they resemble. Generally they only travel in groups of two or three.”

“There were definitely more than three yesterday,” Link replied, pulling a green tunic, a pair of tan pants, and a belt from the bag. “None of this stuff is mine!”

“Well, put them on anyway,” Sheik huffed. “You can’t go saving Hyrule without clothes on.” Link grumbled and pulled the tunic on over his head, surprised that it fit perfectly. He left the lace-up collar open because the day already felt like it would be hot. “Anyway,” Sheik continued, “I don’t know what would cause Moblin to cooperate like that, much less who could organize such creatures.”

Link pushed himself slowly to his feet, teetering a little as a wave a dizziness rolled over him, before finding his balance. “Where do they come from? The Moblin, I mean.” He pulled his pants up and fastened them into place – again a perfect fit.

“Nowhere, everywhere, no one really knows.” Sheik shrugged, glancing over his shoulder before turning around completely. “Legends say they were once men, but were turned into the creatures of today by the Goddesses because of their greed.” He sat down in the grass as Link pulled on his boots – just his size. “Do you think you can ride?”

Link grimaced. Already he was exhausted, like he had been doing a hard day’s labor under an unrelenting sun. His head was swimming and his stomach turned. He sat down, trying not to be sick again. “I don’t know.”

It was Sheik’s turn to frown. “If you can get on your horse, I can pony you. All you have to do is hold on.”
“...Okay,” Link replied reluctantly. He pushed himself to his feet and picked up the sword. He looked at it for a moment, turned it over, then went to tuck it back into the bag.

“Don’t do that, you may need it.” Sheik stopped him.

“I can’t use it,” Link protested.

“So? That’s not public knowledge.” Sheik shrugged. “Put it on.” Link frowned, but did not feel like arguing. He wrapped the belt around his waist, only to find it far too long. “That doesn’t go that way,” Sheik sing-songed as he picked up a saddlebag and moved towards the horses. Link took it off and turned it over a couple of times, before finally looking at Sheik. The other man smiled in amusement as he made a show of strapping an invisible belt across his chest. Link did his best not to make a rude gesture as he fastened the sword into place.

“How’s that?” Link asked, annoyed.

“Good.” Sheik, grinned. “Now try drawing it.” Link frowned. There was something in Sheik’s smile that made him uneasy. He reached back carefully and grasped at the hilt – only to find air. He twisted his head around as best he could, and finally had to reach awkwardly over his head to get a hold of the sword, but the angle would not let him draw it. Sheik laughed.

“It’s not funny!” Link snapped. The angle was also bringing back the pain in his shoulder, neck, and back.

“Sorry,” Sheik apologized, though he did not sound like he meant it. “I noticed last night you were left handed. Put the sword over your other shoulder.” Link grumbled as he rearranged himself. “Do you think you can carry this as well?” Sheik asked and Link looked up the see the shield in his hands.

Link set his jaw. “I can.” Sheik raised an eyebrow but handed over the shield without a word. Link found that it easily attached to the outside of the sword’s sheath. Unlike the sword, it was surprisingly heavy. Sheik took a few steps back and sized Link up

“Humm... Not my idea of Hyrule high fashion, but beggars can’t be choosers,” Sheik offered. He turned to mount his horse, then looked back with a grin. “You better watch your back now, Link, people might actually think you’re a wandering hero.”

“Shut up,” Link grumbled. He fidgeted with the outfit for another moment before whistling for his horse. Nightfire trotted over with a soft nicker. Patting the horse on the neck, Link put his foot into the stirrup and swung onto the animal’s back... or at least he tried. About half-way up, his leg reminded him of how tired his entire body was, and gave out, leaving him to clamber the rest of the way.

“You sure you can stay up there?” Sheik asked dubiously from the ground, holding his horse by the reins.

“I’m sure,” Link said flatly, squaring his shoulders. He hoped he looked more confident than he felt. The weight of the shield was already making his shoulders and back ache, the throbbing in his head was getting persistently worse, and his muscles were protesting his exertion.
Sheik did not look convinced. “Okay, but if you fall off and crack your skull open, I take no responsibility.” He mounted his horse gracefully. “So, Mister Hero, where to?”

Link frowned. So much had happened in just a few days, he had not given any thought to his conversation with the lights. “They said...” He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in thought, try to push his headache aside, if only for a moment. Sheik waited patiently. “... seek out the... spirit, no the soul...something of the forest. Something like that.”

Sheik frowned. “Soul of the forest? Sounds like a name for a fancy gem.”

“So...” Link ventured.

“The best place to start would be Deku Tree.” Sheik sighed. “If it has anything to do with the forest, he’ll know about it.” He turned his horse south and urged it into a gentle trot. Link followed, using his free hand to keep a grip on the saddle so he would not fall. The movement made him a little dizzy and his stomach turn. He was thankful that he had not eaten any breakfast.

“Who is Deku Tree?” Link asked.

“To my understanding,” Sheik replied, glancing over his shoulder before slowing his horse to a walk, “he is an old hermit that lives in the Kokiri Forest. He’s been around for as long as anyone can remember, so he’s probably a wizard of some sort. The Kokiri worship him or something, or at least they attach a ‘great’ to his name.”

“Oh...” Link replied, a frown crossing his face.

&&&

“We should do something for him,” Farore said as she watched the two men in the water-glass. “He looks like he’s in so much pain.”

“He’s working through it, though,” Din pointed out. “You know what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

“Or leaves you weakened so the next thing that attacks you kills you instead,” Nayru offered.

“Buzz kill.”

“Either way, Farore’s right,” Nayru pressed. “If we leave him like this, he will surely fall to whatever he next meets.”
“What do you suggest, oh wise one?” Din huffed.

Nayru gave her a dull look. “I’ll start by not randomly possessing his mortal body.” She sighed. “His injuries are beyond mortal ability to heal.”

“So he’s going to die?” Farore asked, her eyes glimmering with disappointment. “But I don’t want him to die. I made him special.” She glared at Din across the water-glass.

“I was just trying to help!” Din defended.

“This is not the time,” Nayru cut in. “Din, we know you were only trying to help. Farore, this can still be fixed.”

&&&

“Okay, Hero, draw your sword,” Sheik said, smiling down at Link. They had stopped for the night not long ago and set up camp. The ground was level and flat in all directions, with tall grass and a stiff breeze. The conditions were perfect for denying them a fire, so supper was cold. Link had managed to remain in the saddle all day, despite the violent protests of his body. His lunch had abandoned him shortly after he ate it, and dinner was threatening to do the same.

“If you think for a second I’m getting off the ground so you can beat me with a stick again, you are out of your mind,” Link grumbled, not bothering to remove his arm from across his eyes.

“I think you tortured yourself enough for one day,” Sheik replied, leaning down and lifting Link’s arm. “Besides, yesterday was just to see what you knew. Today I shall teach you what I know, or at least start.” He used his grip on Link’s arm to pull him to a sitting position. “Besides, you need to learn how that sword feels in your hand. Stand up.”

Link grumbled but complied, his legs shaking and throbbing from the effort of keeping his body upright. Reaching over his shoulder, he drew the sword from its sheath with the haunting hiss of metal on metal. He was surprised to find the sword felt lighter then last time, but shrugged it off.

“All right, feet shoulder-width apart for balance.” Over the next hour Sheik walked him through the basics of using a sword. He covered how to attack, dodge, and block. Link felt clumsy and off balance most of the time, but he contributed that to the fact the ground seemed unwilling to stay in one place under his feet. Often, Sheik asked if he was okay or needed to rest, but Link would shake his head. “Finally,” Sheik said as Link let himself drop to the ground, his whole body trembling as a wave of blinding pain threatened to shoot through him, “every living thing has a heart, a brain, and a liver. Destroy one of those and you will win. Got it?”

Link could only grunt in response as he curled into the fetal position. Sheik frowned, carefully taking the sword and shield off Link’s back before covering him with a blanket. Link shuddered under the blanket’s breath of a touch as a fine sweat began to break out on his forehead.

“Shit! You idiot!” Sheik snapped. “We could have stopped if you needed to, I’m not out to kill you.” He poured some water onto a rag and carefully mopped the sweat from Link’s face, alternately apologizing and scolding the younger man’s foolishness every time Link flinched or jerked away. “We are far enough away we can afford to rest tomorrow. You’re in no condition to find any spirits or souls like this.” Link could only groan as another wave of pain rolled over him. “Rest,” Sheik sighed, “sleep if you can.”.

Sheik moved away so he had a good view of the flat land around them. Overhead the moon had completely vanished, leaving a blanket of deep black and bright stars. He watched as the younger man clutched the blanket around him as he shook in pain. With a sigh, Sheik pulled the second blanket around his shoulders. It was going to be another long night.

&&&

Link was not sure how long he had been asleep when he felt the gentlest of touches on his cheek. At first, he braced himself for the wave of pain that was sure to follow, but when nothing happened he carefully cracked an eye open. For the first time since the night before, he felt relatively normal. There was no stiffness or pain, but he did feel a bit numb, detached, and light. Surprised, he sat up.

Around him the world was painfully quiet. A small fire, presumably lit by Sheik for warmth, danced, and a gentle wind whipped the grass, yet he could neither hear nor feel either element. Sheik’s head was bowed as if he had only just dropped off, his chest rising and falling steadily in sleep, the blanket half slipped off his shoulders. Cautiously, Link pushed the rest of the blanket off his body and stood up. The wind tousled his hair and pulled gently at his clothes, but he still could not feel it on his skin.

“Am I dead?” he asked, his voice sounding loud and hollow in the silence. He was answered with a soft giggle, so soft, that had there been any other sound at all he would have missed it.

Turning, he saw a tiny ball of bright blue light with a pair of iridescent wings fluttering as it danced gently up and down in the air. Link watched, transfixed, as the light slowly circled him, giggling softly. It was enticing, hypnotizing in a way, so that when the light began to move away, his feet followed of their own volition. The light wove through the air, slowly drawing him farther and farther from camp, until it came to a stop and hovered just out of his reach.

He lifted his hands, slowly, to capture the light – when the earth promptly dropped out from under him. Stone floor rushed up at him and he braced for an impact that never came. Instead he came to rest gently on the cold stone. Confused, he opened his eyes. He was crouched on a patch of stone, in a circle of soft light that streamed down from above.

“Damn,” he muttered, looking up. “Lost Door.” He had heard about these, random holes in the fabric of Hyrule that, if tales were correct, could lead to other worlds. There was no obvious way back up, but it was too dark to see much of anything. Cursing himself he stood up, still wondering what had broken his fall. He ran the sole of his boots across the ground, feeling nothing but stone underneath. Before he could get down on all fours for a better search, however, a chorus of tiny voices and giggles caught his ear.

He looked up to see the blue light only inches from his face. For a moment he stared at it in wonder, but just as he reached up to take hold of it again, it zoomed off into the darkness. Link was on his feet and after it before he could think.

Rounding a corner, he found himself staring at a beautiful pond. The stone path led right up to the water before dipping down to form a smooth basin that appeared to be a single piece of stone. Crystal-clear water filled the shallow bowl, and mossy plants covered the ground around it. Leafy vines climbed their way up the wall before twisting together to form a knotty, tangled ceiling. What looked like once-grand columns and arches surrounded the water, but moss and vines had long ago taken them over. Many tiny balls of light fluttered around the pool, their bright hues of pink, green, gold, silver, white, and violet, reflecting off the water’s surface in a dazzling array.

In the center of the water, the tiny, blue winged light hovered gently up and down. Every time it brushed against the water’s surface, a single ripple rolled outwards. Link moved towards it again, his eyes following the hypnotic up and down movement. His boot splashed softly as he stepped into the water, where a Triforce had been etched into the stone.

Suddenly the room was filled with a great peal of laughter, and water exploded upwards. Link gasped and stumbled backwards. Where the tiny light had been only a moment before, a woman had appeared. She had long, flowing silver hair that rippled like the water she stood in, and a shimmering blue dress that blended seamlessly with the water around her feet. She had a soft face and large cerulean eyes, which lacked both pupils and irises, but seemed very kind all the same. Gossamer butterfly wings, that sparkled with a rainbow of iridescent colors, spread gently from her back. The many colored-lights danced around her in eccentric patterns, as if rejoicing at her appearance.

“It has been long since I had a visitor.” Her voice was lilting and almost musical in quality. “What brings you so far?” Her eyes narrowed just a bit and a ghost of a frown appeared on her lips. “You are wounded.” It was Link’s turn to frown. He had been in pain earlier, but had nothing he would have called a wound. Besides he felt fine now. “Come closer and let me heal you.”

Link found himself climbing to his feet as if her words had somehow taken control of his body. He still felt strangely numb, and the gentle rippling sound of the water was making him sleepy. Stepping into the water, he felt liquid begin to seep into his boots and chill his feet. The woman smiled softly at him and reached out. Cupping his face in her hands, she leaned down and gently pressed her lips to his forehead.

In an instant, the light, numb feeling Link had been enjoying vanished, leaving him with the blinding pain again. His legs buckled and threatened to give out under him. But the woman held firm, keeping him upright with seemingly no effort. The place where her lips touched his head slowly began to feel cool, and the coolness spread, picking up speed as it went. In only a few minutes his whole body felt wonderfully pain-free. He was no longer feeling light and numb, but a complete lack of the pain that had plagued him for the last two nights.

The woman drew away from him with the gentlest of smiles. “If ever you find yourself in such straits again, visit me or my sisters and we will give you back your strength.” She reached out her hand again and touched her middle finger ever so lightly where her lips had been a moment ago. “Now, rest.”

Link’s world went black.

&&&

Link bolted up right.

The sun shone brightly overhead and a gentle breeze rustled the grass. A ground bird chirped nearby. Last night’s fire had burned to embers, and Sheik was nowhere to be seen. Link lifted a hand to his forehead and ran his fingers over the place where the woman’s lips had been, seemingly only moments ago. His brow knitted in confusion.

“You’re up.”

He turned to see Sheik walking towards him, a small deer over his shoulders. It had already been skinned and cleaned, since doing such a messy business near camp was not a very good idea. The horses lifted their heads to watch impassively while they chewed.

“Have I been asleep long?” Link asked, standing up to stretch. He was surprised to find there was no stiffness or painful tremors to go with the movement.

“It’s almost noon,” Sheik answered, watching him carefully. “Feeling any better?”

Link stretched again, feeling a wonderful crack as his back popped. He groaned happily. “Fantastic.”

Sheik frowned. “Well, we are still resting today. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in two days and I don’t need you collapsing on me again.” He dropped the deer on the ground and began stoking the embers.

The rest of the day passed without event. When Link recounted his trip into the Lost Door, Sheik said it was probably just a dream, but admitted that Link looked less pale and flushed than he had been. After lunch, Sheik took a nap while Link kept watch – which he found rather dull since the only activity of any interest was a rabbit surprising the horses.

As the cool of the evening set in, Sheik took Link through the exercises of sword play again. Link set his jaw and took it on head first, waiting for the pain to come again. But even after several hours, which included two rounds of stick sparring, Link was feeling fine – bruised and tired, but otherwise unhurt.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Sheik asked for the hundredth time as Link sat down to rest.

“Yes!” Link growled in irritation. “I feel fine.” Sheik sighed and relented. The deer Sheik had brought for lunch was more than enough for two meals. Sheik produced a knife and carved a chunk of meat out. Link followed suit and they ate in silence. As they finished, Sheik wiped his knife clean and tucked it away. Link pulled his small pipe out and began to play a soft tune. Sheik hummed along.

As the last note faded into the wind Link pulled the pipe away and smiled softly. “Ray loved that song. She always wanted me to play it for her before bed.” His eyes lowered to the ground and a frown touched his lips.

“Don’t talk in past tense, they aren’t dead yet,” Sheik answered.

“You don’t know that,” Link pointed out.

“Neither do you,” Sheik countered. “You do no one any good by worrying.” Link frowned but could think of no reply. Still frowning, Link put his pipe away, not feeling like playing any more. He was surprised when Sheik’s steady humming turned into a low tenor, which rose and fell in a song Link had never heard before. His voice was surprisingly smooth as he sang.

I wasn't born to walk on waterI wasn't born to sack and slaughterBut on my soul, I wasn't bornTo stoop, to scorn, and knuckle underA man can learn to steal some thunderA man can learn to work some wonderAnd when the gauntlet's down,It's time to rise and climb the sky And soon the moon will smolderAnd the winds will driveYes, a man grows older, but his soul remains aliveAll those tremulous stars still glitterAnd I will survive!Let my heart grow colder and as bitter as a falcon in the dive
I'm not a man to hunger for blood, but the spirit can cryTo be younger and fiercer and flyPiercing into the sky and higherAnd the strong will thriveYes, the weak will cower while the fittest will surviveIf we wait for the darkest hour
Till we spring aliveThen with claws of fire, we devour like a falcon in the dive*

“That was...” Link chose not to finish that sentence. The song spoke to something he had never known was there, and it made him shiver.

“An old battle hymn,” Sheik finished. “Written and lost long before you were born.”

Link frowned a little. “Then how do you know it? You aren’t that much older than me.” Sheik turned his green eyes towards the sky, his dark hair tossing in the evening wind.

“We should get some sleep. We will make it to the forest tomorrow if all goes well. You take the first shift.”

&&&

The next day passed without any event to speak of, except that Sheik seemed firmly set against talking. Even at noon, when they stopped to eat, Sheik’s only indication that he wanted to have their daily stick spar early, was that he threw the stick at Link’s head again. Link, however, had learned quickly and dodged out of the way.

By nightfall they stood at the edge of the Kokiri Forest. The trees loomed dark and ominous silhouetted against the setting sun. Link swallowed as he craned his neck to get a better view. The wind whistled through the trees, carrying the cry of a distant wolf with it. Unseasonably green branches rustled; both horses snorted and stamped nervously.

“We’ll have to leave the horse’s here tomorrow.” Sheik sighed as he slid to the ground. Link did not answer. The rest of the night Link felt distracted, causing Sheik to ask if he was getting sick again. Link had only shaken his head.

“Sheik?” Link asked. He lay on his back looking up at the stars. The other man was kneeling next to the fire, stoking the embers as he added another log. He gave only a grunt of acknowledgment. “What do you know about this forest? I mean,” he added quickly, “is what they say true? That people go in and never come out?”

Sheik did not answer right away, but took his time getting the fire going strong before he sat back and sighed. “That’s not an easy question to answer. People can get lost in any forest or mountain or desert or anywhere they aren’t familiar with. It’s easy to get turned around when all the rocks and trees look the same. Eventually, your food and water would run out and then it’s just a matter of time.

“But is this forest cursed to make sure people get lost? I don’t know. If there really is a wizard living somewhere deep inside, he may not want to be disturbed. Or it may just be a few isolated incidents that got exaggerated over time.”
“Oh.” Link sighed. “Have you ever been into the forest?”

“Yes and no,” he replied evasively.

Link turned his head and frowned. “What kind of an answer is that? You’ve either been into the forest or you haven’t.”

“There are a lot of products that come from the forest,” Sheik huffed, annoyed. “Wood for one. But like you said, this forest is steeped in rumors and most people aren’t going to be keen on going into it. Besides, the Kokiri wouldn’t like that. There is a small Kokiri village not far from here, maybe ten minutes on foot. They sell forest goods from there. I’ve been to that village, but never any farther.”

“Oh...” Link answered.

“Is there a reason you are being so nosy tonight?” Sheik grumbled.

“...No, not really. Sorry.” He rolled over, so his back was to the fire, and pulled his blanket up to his chin. Sheik frowned at his back, but said nothing.


A/N: *Song taken from The Scarlet Pimpernel.