Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ To Forge the Master ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

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

Link sat on a ledge overlooking the main pool fiddling with the box the spirit had given him. It appeared to be made of several pieces of wood that had been carved and sanded so they fit together smoothly. Each side had been painted with a picture, but the tiny tiles on each were scrambled so it was hard to tell what the pictures might be. He was able to slide the tiles around on their side of the cube thanks to a missing piece on each side. The bottom of the cube was plain and picture-less. Whenever he shook it, often in frustration, he could hear something rattling around inside.

He was currently working on the side that was painted gold and black, without much success. Each time he thought it would form a picture, he was forced to shift a large portion of it to work out another part and ended up destroying the first in the process. After several hours of work he had figured out the picture was a Triforce, but had been unable to form it completely at one time.

He had situated himself on Jabu-jabu’s altar in search of some peace and quiet. Sheik had been allowed out of intensive care, but was still on bed rest – something he complained loudly about at every opportunity, despite not being fully recovered yet. The fairy had saved his life, but he still had non-fatal wounds that needed time to heal. It was just as well to Link, since he still needed time to work out the puzzle box

The other problem he encountered, much to his embarrassment, was that the Zora had taken to bowing to him at every turn. When they were unable to bow, they kept their eyes downcast and spoke to him in reverent voices. Some had even given him small gifts – shells, glass bottles made from sand at the bottom a Lake Hylia, and several large brightly colored fish scales. The gift he appreciated most, however, was from the Zoran girl whom he had meet before going to the fairy fountain. She had fixed the many new rips and tears in his tunic – rendering it wearable again.

A small movement seen out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned. A group of Zoran children were huddled at the edge of the altar. The oldest was closest, with the others trying to hide behind him. In his hands was an inflated leather sack about the size of a melon. The other children were doing their best to hide in his shadow.

After a tense minute, several of the smaller children gave harsh whispers to the oldest and many tiny hands pushed him forward. Link gave him a reassuring smile. “Master Hero, sir... if it’s okay with you... we wanted to play with Lord Jabu-jabu.” He flushed dark blue before hurrying on, “I mean, that is, if you aren’t, busy, Master Link Hero, sir, please, thank you.”

Link almost laughed. “Of course I don’t mind. I’m just out here enjoying the sunshine.”

“Thank you!” the group chorused together before dashing past him into the water, as if they feared he would change his mind. Link watched with interest as the children all vanished below the surface with their ball. Peering over the edge of the altar into the deeper waters, he saw several of the children wrestling over the ball as they all swam towards the bottom of the pool. Suddenly the air-filled object popped free of the many arms and rushed to the surface, where it bounced up with a splash. The kids scrabbled after it, and the mass soon disappeared below the water again.

“Having fun?” Kaimana asked. Link turned to see the Zoran prince standing behind him with a large plate of fish.

“Hey, Kaimana.” Link nodded as he stuffed the puzzle box into his pouch. “What game are they playing?”

“It’s called Air Ball,” Kaimana answered as he came to the altar’s edge and looked down as Link had done. “The object of the game is to get the ball to the bottom of a deep pool. As the name implies, the ball is filled with air and therefore floats. The person with the most points wins.”

“Sounds simple enough.” Link nodded.

“All games do until you try them.” Kaimana shrugged. “I’m going to feed Lord Jabu-jabu. You’re welcome to help if you have nothing else to do.”

“Sure,” Link replied, pulling the blue cloth from his pouch and tying it around his nose and mouth. Together they slipped easily into the water, so as not to upset the offering platter, and swam carefully down. The children waved briefly at them before continuing their game.

The great fish still sat on the bottom of the lake, as listless as ever. He was half hidden in a large underwater cave, with his head facing out. Only the slight flutter of his gills gave away that he was even alive. When the two stopped in front of him, he barely opened an eye. Kaimana laid the platter in front of him, but the deity made no attempt to eat.

With a sigh, the Zoran prince laid a hand on the great fish’s snout. “He’s getting worse. He’s stopped playing with the children and he won’t come up to the altar. Now it seems he’s going to stop eating too.” Kaimana frowned and turned towards Link, “I thought for sure when you went to the temple he’d get better. What will I tell my people if he dies?”

Link had no answer, but gave him a sympathetic look as he lay a hand on Lord Jabu-jabu’s snout. Suddenly, a sharp pain, like a stitch, stabbed through the left side of his ribs. With a gasp, he grabbed his side, pulling away from the fish in the process. The pain vanished as quickly as it had appeared and he relaxed. Kaimana was too busy tending the deity to notice.

A little confused, Link reached out and touched the fish again. The pain returned almost instantly and he jerked away, feeling it subside. Carefully he touched the fish with just one fingertip, gasping when the stabbing pain returned to his side.

“Link, he’s sick. Stop poking him!” Kaimana snapped sharply. Link looked at him as if he had not known the prince was there.

“I think...” He shook his head, not finishing his sentence, before swimming around the left side of the great fish. Confused and curious, Kaimana followed. In the dim light of the underwater cave, Link found Jabu-jabu’s fin, a thin membrane as tall as he was and several times as wide. Careful not to harm the delicate flesh, he lifted it up.

“What is that?!” Link asked in disgust. The creature looked like a giant tick, with webbing strung between its six legs. Its body was bloated and swollen, swaying gently in the lake’s currents. The scales where it had buried its head were forced up at an odd angle and seemed to be digging into the deity’s side. It was silvery-blue in color; so it blended almost seamlessly into the fish’s side.

“A water tick.” Kaimana gagged. “I didn’t know they got that big. Pull it out.”

Link reached down and carefully worked his hand under the scales, until he found the back of the giant bug’s head. Getting a firm grip and setting his heels against the soft mud of the lake bed, he pulled. With a pop and a small cloud of blood, the tick came free, its many legs swimming wildly. Link was shocked at the size, nearly four feet long and almost twice as wide; it had not looked so big attached to the fish. Its sharp pincer-like jaws snapped angrily at the empty water.

Together they dragged the struggling creature to the surface and placed it on the altar. The tick flailed in the open air, its aquatic body of little use on dry land. Kaimana shouted for the children to go find a Zora Link had not heard of, while they stood guard over the bug. Not that it was going anywhere, between its overstuffed body and stubby webbed legs it could do little more than rock side to side as it flapped its legs like deformed wings.

A few minutes later a Zora walked out of the cave. He was small by Zoran standards, barely as tall as Link, with a misty gray color to his fins.

Kaimana crossed his arms and glowered down the end of his nose at the newcomer. “Iokua, explain this.” The small Zora stared at the tick, then looked back up at Kaimana. He opened his mouth and closed it a few times without a sound coming out. Finally he gave up and just stared at the water around his feet.

A moment later several other Zora, accompanying Ikaika, appeared around the corner. The Zoran general took a moment to take in the situation, before his eyes came to rest on the water tick. His thin lips pursed and he turned to Iokua, who persisted on staring at the water. With a wave of his hand, Ikaika directed the Zora with him to collect Iokua and the tick. He bowed to Kaimana and Link before following.

“What’s going to happen to him?” Link asked after a long silence.

“That is neither my decision nor your concern,” Kaimana answered with a shrug. “But now that the tick is off Lord Jabu-jabu he should start getting better. How did you know it was there?”
“I...” Link paused. “I just did. I can’t explain it really.”

Kaimana sighed and turned to look back over the fountain. “Just one of the perks of being the Hero of Hyrule, I guess.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Link agreed mildly as he moved to the edge of the altar. He sighed, breathing in the approaching evening air. A chilly breeze swept over the fountain and Link shivered. “We better go back inside before we catch cold,” Link said and turned back toward the cave entrance. Kaimana nodded and led the way back inside.

&&&

Savas knelt on the slimy, cold stone of the dungeon floor. Chains bound his wrists and ankles, but had been left loose enough to allow him a few feet of movement. His dress armor was in shreds and hung limply from his shoulders. Deep gashes crisscrossed his back, the opened flesh attracting flies and other pests. Despite the chill, sweat was rolling down his face and his breath came in sharp pants.

The door creaked open and he glanced up. A girl, different from the last, was walking towards him. She was as skinny and dirty as the other, but the sight of her struck a chord in him that made the wounds on his back fly from his mind. Dark skin and bright red hair clearly marked her as a Gerudo.

At her age, girls were just entering training, each eager and fiercely competitive. But her ruby eyes were downcast, her steps shaky and hesitant. Arms that should one day wield deadly blades were thin and formless. Hair, that should never be cut by law, had been hacked short with some crude tool.

She carefully set down her tray, the bowl sloshing a bit of clear water across the floor. The girl cringed and quickly looked around. Savas watched as she dipped a rag into the water and rung it out, then carefully began to wash the wounds on his back. He could feel the trembling in her hands as she worked, and saw the shake every time she rung the water from the rag.

“What is your name?” he asked softly. The girl jumped and he frowned at her. “And where is your Gerudo pride?”

“Aysu.” She spoke softly, as if afraid of the sound of her own voice. “And I am no Gerudo.”

“Bullshit! I would know my own blood if I were blind,” he barked and she flinched away as if struck. Nervously she looked over her shoulder, before turning wide eyes back to him.

“Please, if you truly believe such things, keep your voice down. They will–” She cut herself off abruptly. In a thick silence, punctuated by the very noticeable shaking in her hands, she finished her work. As quickly as she could manage, she cleaned up her supplies and scurried from the room.

Savas watched her go without a word. He stared at the cell door for a long time, a frown firmly placed on his lips and red brows lowered in deep thought. The path before him suddenly seemed very clear, and a great wave of calm passed over him. Nothing suited a Gerudo like a chance to spill moblin blood.

&&&

Link watched the blade flash as he took another practice swing. He found the solo practice sessions dull and tiresome, with only what he could remember of Sheik’s instructions to review. Even then, he was not sure he was doing it right. But it gave him an excuse to get out of the Zora’s Domain and into the sunlight. They were nice enough people, but the bowing was really starting to get on his nerves.

He did a quick spin, startled when the sword clanged loudly and was forced back. Surprised, Link pulled out of his thoughts and found himself staring into Sheik’s laughing green eyes. The scarf was firmly back over his face, but the crinkle of skin below his eyes told Link he was smiling. “You’re still slow and predictable, Hero.”

Link smiled and put away his sword. “Sheik, you’re up! How are you feeling?”

“Considering two days ago I was basically dead, pretty good.” He chuckled in amusement. “So tell me, Hero, are the fish tales I’m hearing true?”

Link rolled his eyes. “What did you hear?”

“That you ripped the Kraken apart with your bare hands, ran a gauntlet of enemies to get fairies for a yet unstarted battle, and brought the power of Nayru down to crush the Zola hordes. Oh, and that you saved Lord Jabu-jabu from a giant water tick.”

“That last one is mostly true,” Link sighed as he sat down on the ledge. He propped one leg up so he could rest his arm and chin on it. “The rest are exaggerated.”

Sheik flopped down in the grass next to him, a teasing smile on his face. “So, bring me up to speed, Hero.”

Link pulled the puzzle box out of his pouch and began playing with it. He had managed to get the four sides to form their pictures, but the top part was still giving him trouble. “The Kraken, I couldn’t tell you. I don’t remember very much. But... but I think I learned magic... somehow. At least that Zoran girl who was dressing my wounds said my hands had magic burns on them.”

“Let me see.” Sheik motioned for him to put out his hand.

Link complied with a shrug. “They’re gone now.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Sheik replied distractedly as he took Link’s hand and examined it closely. After a minute, he pressed their palms together and slowly pulled his way. Link felt a shock, like touching metal after rubbing your stocking-clad feet on a rug, and an arch of pale white light jumped between their hands. Sheik’s eyebrows lifted to hide behind his dark hair. “You’ve got magic all right. It’s raw and unrefined, but it’s there. I’ll teach you the very basics, but magic takes a long time to master, far longer than a sword. So I don’t know how useful it will be to you.”

Link grinned as he went back to working his box. “Goody, more training. At least it will get me out of playing chess.” Sheik shoved him lightly and Link laughed.

“Go on, what else have you been up to?”

“Let’s see, where was I... oh yeah, the fairies.” Link shrugged. “Kaimana wasn’t going to send any more Zora to the Fairy Fountain because something was happening to them. You were going to die, so I went. I just got extras while I was there.”

“Awww, you care about me. I’m touched,” Sheik cooed.

“Oh, I agree.” Link grinned. “You’re touched all right.” Sheik hit him in the shoulder but Link only smiled back.

“And ‘Nayru’s power,’ was actually the water spirit. Just like in the forest.”

“And the tick? How’d you know that was there?”

Link shifted the tiles on his puzzle for a moment. “I can’t explain it really, I just... knew.”

“Okay, Hero,” Sheik replied carefully as stood and stretched. “So, where to next?”

“Not sure yet,” Link answered, holding up the puzzle box for Sheik to see. “The Spirit of Water gave it to me, but I haven’t solved it yet.” He brought the box back to himself and slid a few more tiles around. “I’m sure the picture is a Triforce; I just can’t make the pieces fit together right.”

“Sorry I can’t help you.” Sheik shrugged. “I’ve never been good at those things.”

“It’s only a few more tiles anyway...” He paused as his stomach growled. Link sighed. “I guess I can’t avoid the bowing forever...”

“Wait, they are bowing to you!” Sheik almost choked on his laughter. “This I have to see!”

Link rolled his eyes as he tucked the puzzle box away again and led the way back into the Zora’s Domain. They were greeted immediately by the Zoran girl who had treated Link’s wounds, holding a tray of food and drinks.

“Oh, Master Link, I was just bringing you lunch. Would you prefer I serve you in your room or perhaps the main dining hall?” She smiled brightly.

“Umm... thanks, I’ll just take it now.” He carefully took the tray from her, blushing when she bowed. Sheik snorted. The Zoran girl gave Sheik a short bow as well before she hurried off, and Link found a quiet ledge to have lunch. The two ate in silence as Link went back to working on his puzzle box.

Popping a fish and bug roll into his mouth, he carefully slid the last two tiles into place. He raised the box into the air with a triumphant cry, then coughed and choked on the half-chewed food. Sheik slapped him on the back just as the box popped open. Something gray and shapeless tumbled out.

“Crap!” Link reached for the object, but it danced nimbly off the tips of his fingers and fell to the water below with a soft splash. It bobbed up and down on the surface for a minute before a Zora swam over and collected it. Link met him at the top of the ladder, carefully taking the lost item. It was light in his hand, much lighter than he expected, with a rough surface and nondescript gray in color.

Link turned it over several times in his hand and scratched his head. “Why the hell did the water spirit give me a rock?”

Sheik plucked it from his hand and studied it for a minute. His brow furrowed in a way Link understood to be disgust. “It’s not a rock, it’s pumice.”

“Pumice?”

“It’s a type of light glass formed when a volcano erupts.” His frown darkened. “And there is only one volcano in Hyrule.”

Link blanched. “A volcano?”

But Sheik did not answer. His jaw was set and he glared at the stone in his hand as if it had offended him. His brow was deeply furrowed and his green eyes burned. Abruptly he closed his fist, smashing the rock into dust. Link and the nearby Zora all took a step back. Sheik turned to scowl at him. “Pack up your stuff and get to bed early, Hero. We ride at first light.”
Kaimana stepped aside as Sheik stormed past, then looked back at Link for an answer. Link could only shrug. Shifting the box in his arms, Kaimana shooed the other Zora away as he came to stand in front of Link.

“Here, the council decided to give this to you. It is a gift for what you have done for my people.” The prince opened the box to reveal a marvelous belt – warm brown leather set with pearls that seemed to glow in the soft light. The largest, placed in the middle of the belt, was as big as a fist. The others were set in an alternating pattern of small then large, the jewels ranging in size from a couple of centimeters across to about two inches. The last six inches on either end of the belt was left blank except for the buckle and buckle holes.

Link gaped at it for a long moment, before he shook himself and stepped back. “Thank you, I’m honored, really. But I can’t accept this, it’s too much.”

Kaimana smiled a little. “I hardly think it is adequate. If not for you, Lord Jabu-jabu would surely have withered away and died, and the Kraken would have finished off the fish of Lake Hylia and come after us instead. We would be insulted if you do not accept it. It is all we have to give.”

“Thank you,” Link repeated and gave Kaimana a small bow before lifting the belt out of the box. He fastened it around his waist so the pearls were in front, softly reflecting the cool blue light.

The Zoran prince smiled, then bowed in return. “You will always find welcome in this place, no matter how far you roam.”

&&&

Link followed silently behind Sheik as they led the horses out of the canyon. The older man had not spoken a word all morning except to snap at him to hurry up. Mostly they had walked with only the sounds of the horses’ hooves and their own feet crunching over the ground. When the ground leveled out, they mounted and Sheik set a brisk pace.

Looking toward the north, Link saw the infamous ring of dark clouds that always encircled Death Mountain. The volcano was by far the tallest mountain in all of Hyrule and stood out against the rest of the range like a mother cuccos guarding her hatchlings. He had heard many tales about the place in his lifetime, but most seemed farfetched at best. Still his stomach did a sick little flop. If he had had to go to the bottom of a lake to meet with the Spirit of Water, where would he have to go to meet a spirit who lived in a volcano?

The day was passed in silence. And, though Sheik’s foul mood seemed to lighten, he did not speak more than was absolutely necessary. At lunch, he insisted they stay longer than was really needed, and that night Link offered to play chess in favor of having another of Sheik’s combat lessons, but Sheik’s heart was not in it. He spent more time staring off into space in the direction of the mountain than looking at the board. Yet, much to Link’s disgust, Sheik still managed to beat him every round.
The next morning Link yawned as he opened his eyes. He was shocked to find the sun was already high and Sheik was just starting on breakfast. Sheik said nothing about the late start, and shoved Link’s food into his hands with a rough grunt. The meal was eaten without further exchange.

When the food was cleared away, Sheik stood and drew his swords and motioned for Link to do the same. Link barely had his sword from its sheath when Sheik lunged. Metal scraped across metal as Link managed to raise his shield just in time. Link stumbled back in surprise, but Sheik kept on coming so hard and fast that Link soon found himself pinned to the ground, the twin blades scissored across his throat. Sheik sat on his chest, glaring down at him as Link gasped for air.

“Is that all you’ve got?!” Sheik pulled his swords away with a jerk, leaving two thin lines of blood on Link’s neck. “How the hell did you beat a Kraken on your own? You can’t even touch me.” Link had barely climbed to his feet when Sheik came at him again. One sword scraped along the shield, but the other sliced into his shoulder and Link hissed. “Well?!”

Link ground his teeth together and struck back. His sword slammed against Sheik’s twin blades with a loud clang. Sheik took a step back even as he pushed in return. Link bore down, taking a step forward as Sheik’s feet slid across the still-dewy grass. Suddenly Sheik backpedaled, leaving Link to stumble forward.

Without missing a beat, the other man brought one of his swords in a smooth arc, directly at Link’s throat. Off balance, and much slower, Link could not block or dodge, but Sheik pulled the deadly blow at the last moment, turning the arc skyward and nicking Link’s chin instead.

“You’re pathetic,” Sheik snapped.

Link growled and leapt to his feet. The swords met again, the cold ring echoing across the empty field. Link held both Sheik’s blades off with his sword and his shield. The fight quickly dissolved into a shoving match. It was Link who broke it this time, bringing his foot up and planting it on Sheik’s chest. The other man stumbled back in surprise and Link struck, pinning him to the ground with his shield as he put the point of his sword to Sheik’s throat. The victory was short lived as Sheik brought his swords up to scissor Link’s throat again.

Both men glared at each other, sweat dripping from their brows and blood seeping from Link’s minor wounds. Neither moved and neither spoke.

“It seems we are at a stalemate,” Sheik said after a long time, his voice still thick with adrenaline and something Link could not place. “So what do you say you get off me and we call it a draw?”

Link frowned. “Not until you tell me what crawled up your ass and died.”

“None of your fucking business, brat! Now get off of me!” Sheik ground out.

“What are you going to do? Cut my head off?” Link challenged. “I saved your life and you’ve been almost nothing but an ass since. If you have a problem with me, let’s hear it.”

Sheik averted his eyes for the first time and slowly let his swords drop. “It has nothing to do with you. Let me go, Link.” Still frowning, Link stepped back and Sheik climbed to his feet. “Let’s rest here for the day. Why don’t you go see if you can hunt us down some lunch and dinner? I’m really tired of fish.”

Still watching Sheik as he crouched down next to the fire and poked at the dying embers, Link checked his wounds. None were deep, but he dabbed some red potion on them anyway before going to saddle Nightfire. Neither spoke as he swung up into the saddle and trotted off into the lifting fog of midmorning.

It did not take him long to find a herd of deer calmly grazing on the sweet grass, but he ignored them in favor of putting in more time alone. It was an odd feeling. He had worked on his stepfather’s farm for years, sometimes going all day with no one but the animals he tended for company. Now he could not imagine being without company. Tilting his head back to see the transparent daytime moon hanging low in the sky, he realized Sheik had been a nearly constant companion for almost a full lunar cycle.

He paused when he spotted a circling falcon. The bird made wide sweeping circles overhead and Link reached for his sword, peering carefully into the thin mist. He started when a rush of wind and flap of wings hit his face, and the falcon alighted on his shoulder. The bird cocked its head to one side and gave a quick cry. Link stared at it and it stared back. He shrugged his shoulder and the bird fluttered away to perch on a nearby tree, where it sat, watching him.

Shrugging, Link turned his back on it and began looking more seriously for the deer. The herd had not moved far from where he had left it, but the mist was now almost fully evaporated by the midmorning sun and the meek creatures would be far more wary.

Even with their wariness, Link brought one deer down without much fuss, and quickly set to work skinning it. He took his time, in no hurry to get back to Sheik. When he finished, he scraped the excess meat off the skin and rolled it up and stored it in his pouch. After a proper cleaning he’d send it home to Papa-Lon to sell or make into a coat.

A sudden scream from the falcon made Link’s head snap up. Two lumbering figures were making their way towards him. His throat tightened and his hand reached for his sword. A tingle ran up his arm and into his shoulder. The two figures made a beeline for him and soon confirmed his suspicions. Long piggish faces, heavyset, hairy bodies, and crude weapons identified them as moblin.

One, slightly larger than the other, jabbed his short spear at the skinned deer and grunted. Link raised an eyebrow and stepped in front of his kill. The larger moblin squealed and jabbed his spear again, this time accompanied by the smaller one banging a long dagger against a small wooden shield. Link snarled in return.

The larger creature screeched and the smaller charged, dagger ready to strike. Link brought his shield up instinctively, sending the strike astray. He brought his sword down in a fierce slash, slicing a deep wound in the monster from shoulder to hip. The pig screamed and staggered back, bringing up its shield to defend itself. Link sneered and slammed his sword against the weak defense. The old, ill-tended wood shattered on impact and the sharp blade of the sword bit deeply into the arm behind, cutting it to the bone.

The moblin squalled, a mix of pain and rage as it lunged at him. Link grinned and swung his shield, using the heavy slab to slap the monster aside. There was a loud crunch of bone crushing. The creature did not get up and Link turned his eyes on its larger companion.

With a grunt the other moblin charged, crude spear held like a lance. Link caught the blow on his shield, his feet sliding and tearing up the ground under the force of the impact. The spear, in no better shape than the other weapons the creatures used, was pulverized almost instantly. The moblin grabbed Link’s shield and tried to rip it from him, arm and all. With a single quick strike, Link sank his sword to the hilt in the creature’s exposed stomach. Hot blood spilled over his hand as he twisted the sword sideways before ripping it out. The pig staggered a moment before dropping to its knees, then falling face first into the dirt.

A twig snapped behind him and Link spun. Blood flew from his hand through the air as his sword was abruptly stopped by a thinner, lighter blade. Sheik looked back at him with a flat expression, his dark hair falling into his green eyes.

“Not bad, Hero.” He looked Link over. “You’re covered in blood. I’ll take the deer back. Go get cleaned up.”

“Where were you?” Link growled. “I could have used your help.” He pulled a rag from his pouch and wiped the blood from his sword. He quickly discarded it and fished out a new one.

“You didn’t need my help... and I won’t always be around to pull your ass out of the fire. You have to learn to take care of yourself sooner or later, Hero,” Sheik replied as he hoisted the deer onto Nightfire.

“Humph,” Link replied. They walked back towards camp, Nightfire trailing behind and the falcon flying from tree to tree. Sheik stopped by the fire, where he began cutting the meat into strips to cook. Link continued to the river that flowed in the same direction they were traveling. He stripped out of his clothes and did his best to wash the blood from the fabric. Then he rung them out and redressed. By the time he returned to camp, Sheik had spitted the deer over the fire and was setting up the chess board. “I don’t want to play.”

“You would rather sit and watch the grass grow?” Sheik asked evenly. After a moment he smiled a bit. “I’ll play blindfolded if you like.”

Link snorted in spite of himself. “You’d probably still beat me.”

The rest of the morning was filled with chess. Sheik really did play one game blindfolded and ended up knocking most of the pieces off the board. That afternoon, Sheik began teaching Link the basics of magic and going over more advanced swordplay. Link went to bed sore and bruised.

&&&
“Try again,” Sheik said. They had started out late again and Sheik had taken a great deal of time rearranging their supplies, leaving Link carrying a larger portion of the food, water, and potions. Not that it mattered; the Kokiri’s bottomless pouches never changed weight no matter how much was put in. When they did finally get moving again, it was at a steady saunter. As the horses walked along, Link practiced the magic Sheik had shown him the night before.

Link held his hands close together, one palm over the other, at chest height. He bit his tongue in concentration and furrowed his brow. For a long moment nothing happened. Then his palms began to tingle – a feeling not quite like he got from his sword, but similar. Suddenly a flash lit up between his palms, and a small swirling ball of fire hovered in the once empty space. Link gave an excited laugh, causing both horses to flick their ears and snort.

“Good.” Sheik nodded. “You still need more practice, but it’s a good start.” Still smiling, Link closed his hands, extinguishing the flame. The falcon chose that moment to, again, alight upon his shoulder. Link shrugged, but the bird stayed stubbornly in place. Rolling his eyes, Link gave up.

He was surprised when Sheik suddenly pulled up short. Stopping, Link turned in his saddle to look back. He found Sheik’s eyes locked forward, oblivious to everything around him. Link followed his gaze. Death Mountain rose into the clouds, now so close he got a cramp in his neck trying to look up at its peak. A ring of constant gray smoke hovered in a halo and obscured the top. At the base of the mountain, a steep path had been carved by centuries of use. Over the top hung a sign, old and worn but still very legible: Kakariko Village.

“Sheik?” Link asked, looking back at his friend again. The older man shook his head, then nudged his horse forward until he was even with Link. He took a deep breath and turned to look at Link with an expression the younger man could not place.

“Well, go on, Hero. Your destiny awaits. Go save the world.”

Link’s brow furrowed. “Aren’t you coming?”

“No,” Sheik replied simply as he turned his horse back the way they had come.

“What?!” Link yelped, startling Nightfire and dislodging the falcon with his outburst.

Sheik turned back in his saddle and leveled Link with a cool, green-eyed gaze. “I’ve taught you everything you need to know. All you need now is practice, and you don’t need me for that.”

“I do too need you,” Link protested, reining Nightfire around to cut off Sheik’s escape. “I am going to die if you don’t help me!”

“Link.” Sheik’s voice reminded him of the way Papa-Lon had spoken to him just before he left home. “You beat the Gohma mostly on your own. You beat the Kraken entirely without help. You have the goddesses on your side. You don’t need me. I can only hold you back now.” He pushed Blu around Nightfire with the horse’s superior strength.

“Oh? And what about all that adventure and glory you were talking about when you followed me out of Castle Town?” Link called to his retreating back.

“I almost died, Hero. I call that enough adventure for a while,” Sheik answered without turning around. Before Link could offer up any more protests, he put his heels to Blu’s side and rode off. Link sat there and watched him go until the roan and rider disappeared over a hill.

Sheik never looked back.