Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ To Forge the Master ❯ Chapter 17 ( Chapter 17 )

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

Link woke from his dizzy spell to find himself resting comfortably on soft grass. He groaned as he pushed himself up on one elbow and rubbed his head with the other hand. “Sheik...what happened?”

“You just had your soul removed from your body,” a bright, female voice answered. “Don’t worry, the dizziness is normal and will pass soon.”

Link’s eyes widened and he whipped his head around to stare, slack-jawed, at the three women before him. The woman on the left was in her late teens and had her fiery-red hair braided into a thick rope down her back. Matching ruby eyes studied him with a calculating air. She wore a dark red tunic, brown leggings, and knee high boots. The cloth shimmered and the delicate threads at the seams were made of gold. She looked both elegant and dangerous.

The woman next to her was tall with a slightly annoyed look on her face, her dark blue hair cut into a short bob and her aquamarine eyes half-lidded. Her clothes were very practical, a simple, ankle-length dress and plain shoes. The dress was pale blue with a green ribbon forming an empire waist. Housemaid-like flat black shoes covered her feet and her arms were crossed loosely over her chest as she watched him.

The final woman was definitely the youngest and a full head shorter than the one with blue hair. She looked excited, a big, head-splitting smile on her face as she waved at him. Her waist-length, hunter green hair was left free so it bounced as she moved. She wore a knee-length green skirt, simple white blouse, and a dark green leather bodice. A gold circlet crowned her head. She gave Link the impression of a child who was ready to be an adult, but had not yet mastered the proper style of dress.

Link looked around as he carefully got to his feet. He was back at Lon Lon Ranch, in the middle of the corral. Everything was just as he remembered it. On his right was the barn, its large doors shut to keep the animals out to field for the day. To his left was the cuccos coop and half hidden behind the coop was Papa Lon’s barn, where Nightfire had been bred and raised. Even the tree he had been cutting for firewood still lay across the ground, his ax still stuck in the thick trunk.

Yet there was not another living soul around; no people, no animals, not even a stray fly buzzed by. The world had an ethereal quality to it; everything was too bright, too colorful. Hues of red, blue, and green seemed too rich and saturated. And everything that reflected the sun shone gold, giving the world a slight look of glass and fire.

“Welcome, Hero of Hyrule, to the Sacred Realm,” Nayru said flatly, drawing his attention back to the goddesses.

“I knew you could do it!” Farore smiled. “I knew it all along!”
“Sure you did,” Din added quietly and Farore glared at her.

“Did you say my soul has been pulled from my body?” Link asked numbly.

Nayru sighed. “Yes. And before you ask, yes, that means you are dead.”

Link gaped, opening and shutting his mouth several times before he gathered himself enough to form a response. “B-b-but Hyrule! The temples! The spirits! What the HELL?”

“Was there a question in any of that?” Din laughed.

“Be nice,” Farore scowled. “This is not easy for him.”

“Girls...” Nayru cut in as Din started to retaliate. Both of the younger goddesses “humph”ed but said nothing else. “I realize this is all very confusing, but there are things you need to understand. Things that cannot be conveyed to you in the mortal world.”

Link took a deep breath, only to realize he was not breathing. He could feel his body move in the motion of breath, but could not feel air passing in or out. Briefly he wondered how he was even able to speak, but the question was quickly swept away by more important ones.

“Come on, Link. We have much to show you!” Farore piped, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the farmhouse. He followed automatically, while the older Goddesses took a much more sedate pace.

Farore pushed the kitchen door open and hurried inside, dragging Link behind her. He glimpsed the room as she pulled him through, and found they were just as surreal as the rest of the world had been. Her grip was not very strong, nor was she pulling, but Link felt compelled to follow her anyway. She raced up the stairs and shoved her way into his bedroom.

He frowned as he realized this room had been changed. It was not a major change, but something was out of place nonetheless. When he stepped forward, Farore released his hand and let him walk freely. Gently he ran his fingers over the furniture. Papers were still scattered across his desk – a breeding chart he had been working on for Papa Lon. The desk drawer was slightly ajar, revealing several ink pots and spare quills.

Moving on to the dresser he picked up a small carved wooden figurine. It was a horse, rearing up with its mane flying in the wind. His father had carved it for him when he was still very young. Replacing the figurine, he found his washbasin and mirror. The reflection startled him. Gone was the somewhat lanky boy he knew, replaced by a young man. But it was the eyes that had changed most. Once they had been carefree and laughing, now the cerulean depths had a hard edge. His eyes reminded him of Sheik’s.

Disturbed by his find, he turned to the bed. It was made, but the effort had been hurried and untidy. The comforter was wrinkled, the sheets askew, and the pillow looked like it had been thrown on as an afterthought. Yet none of this was out of the ordinary. The room was just as he had left it, but the nagging feeling that something had changed was still there.

He turned back to Farore to see her sisters had joined them during his musing. “What’s wrong with this room? Something is different, but I don’t know what it is.”

“Hyrule is a reflection of the Sacred Realm, and the Sacred Realm is a reflection of Hyrule,” Nayru said patiently. “But they are not the same place. When something changes in one, it also changes in the other. This room is not only a physical place in Hyrule, it is a spiritual place within you. So while the room in Hyrule and the Sacred Realm are physically the same, the spirit that fills this room in this realm is different. As you change and grow, so does your room here. Look again, Hero, and you will see what I mean.”

Confused, Link turned back to the room and studied it hard. For a moment he saw nothing, then the air shimmered slightly and he thought he saw the Spirits, but they were gone so fast he was not sure. Finally he turned back to the Goddesses and shrugged. Din frowned, but Nayru only looked bemused and Farore smiled.

“You will understand in due time. Come,” Nayru waved her hand and the world shifted. When everything stilled again they were standing in Hyrule Castle’s courtyard. Flowers were in full bloom and the large pond sparkled in the sunlight. But as with the ranch, there was not a single living soul to be found. Nayru beckoned him to the pond and he obliged.

As he stopped next to the water, he realized it was not like the rest of the world. The water should have been crystal clear and shimming. Instead it seemed to be made of the same liquid silver as the doorway of the tower had been. He touched it and found it stuck to his fingertips like syrup, before dripping slowly back into the pond.

He jumped when the liquid swirled and cleared, becoming a scene. Before him knelt Sheik, Link’s own body lying motionless on the ground beside the older man. Sheik was sitting with his knees pulled to his chest, his arms folded over them, and his chin resting on top. His eyes stared vacantly into a dying fire.

“Sheik...”

“Your friend will be okay,” Din said evenly. “He has a strong heart, but he was unprepared for your sudden departure from that realm.”

“Why show me this?”
“Only the looker can control what the looking pool shows,” Nayru answered.

“Do you miss him?” Farore asked, kneeling down next to him. Link was surprised by the curiosity in her voice.

“He’s my friend. I couldn’t have made it this far without him.”

“Don’t worry,” the youngest Goddess smiled. “He’ll be safe as long as he stays under the tower.”

“And if he leaves?”

“If he leaves the shadow of the tower he will once again be at the mercy of the world and all its harms,” Nayru answered.

“Not to mention he will probably take your body with him to give a proper funeral. And if anything happens to your body you’re kind of screwed,” Din added. Link felt himself go pale.

“You are not being helpful!” Nayru snapped. Din looked chagrined but not really sorry.

“Can’t you make him stay there? At least until you send me back!”

Farore gave him a sympathetic look. “No, we can’t. We created this world and all in it, but we can’t control free will.” Link stared at her, then at the other two, who shook their heads. He seemed too stunned to speak, so Nayru went on.

“We can give you a sword, but not make you take it. We can set you on a path, but cannot make you follow it.”

“I understand!” Link snapped, “But why?! How can you three control Hyrule’s destiny if you can’t even control her people?”

“Hyrule’s destiny is far more complicated than what you could understand at this time,” Nayru replied. “But a single individual’s destiny is what they make of it. Free will is a double-edged sword. Not only does it allow you to make a choice, it allows you to know a choice must be made. Without free will we would spend all our time telling the people of Hyrule to do everything. To eat, to rest, to sow, to reap, even to bathe and dress themselves. With free will people can make choices, but they can also make bad choices. Very few people are born with true destinies.”

“Except you,” Farore interrupted. “I made you special.”

“But you, young Hero, are the exception to that rule,” Nayru continued before he could ask any questions. “While we cannot interfere with free will, we can foresee its ultimate end. Hyrule’s future stands on a razor’s edge, a little weight on either side can change her future forever.”
“Well,” Din sighed, “now that your skull is filled with newfound wisdom, there is one more test you need to do before we send you back.”

“Din, you are a killjoy,” Nayru replied with a smile.

“Your joy is books, and books are boring,” the younger goddess replied with dignity. Then she turned sharply and headed into the castle.

Link’s head swirled with questions, but he had no time to ask as the Goddesses moved and he was given no choice but to follow. They led him into the castle’s main hall, but having only glimpsed it on his one and only visit to the castle, he could not tell if anything had changed. The Goddesses did not pause until they reached the double doors on the far side of the room. Here they stopped. Link was sure the doors had changed, but had a feeling the Goddesses had done it purposefully, since he had not noticed until he stood right in front of them.

The doors were unnaturally huge, towering over his head several times the height of any reasonable door. In place of the wrought iron that should be the hinges were one of bright, glittering gold. The wood that made up the door was heavy-looking, its color too saturated and reflective to be real.

Din reached out and placed her hand on the door before turning to look back at Link. Her face was stern and serious in a way he had yet to see. Her lips thinned as she watched him, as if something was against her better judgment. Finally she spoke. “Behind these doors, Hero, is the greatest treasure of either realm. Are you ready?”

Link swallowed hard, not sure how to respond. Din did not give him the chance. She removed her hand and the door swung out at them. Link’s eyes widened under the sudden assault of wind and light. Golden rays cut through the room, lighting up everything they touched with an ethereal glow. The air rushing out of the room lifted tapestries, threw chairs, and shattered ornate stained glass windows. Yet all Link could focus on was the object before him.

In what should have been the throne room, hovering in midair, was the Triforce. The three golden triangles glowed with an inner light. Link felt his heart race and could hear his blood rushing in his ears. Thousands of thoughts, hopes, dreams, wishes, and questions raced through his mind. His fingers flexed, then clenched into fists. His throat closed. He could be king, hell, he could be more than a simple king. In an instant he could have all he had never hoped to dream for. The universe was his for the taking, if only he would reach out and grab it.

A strong hand grabbed his shoulder and he snarled, trying to shake it off. His boots scraped against the stone as the hand held him back, keeping him from his destiny. Desperately he reached out, his fingertips only a hair’s breadth from the shining artifact.

“Boy, I ain’t the Goddess of Power just for shits and giggles,” Din hissed a moment before she threw him back. He hit the stone floor hard, hard enough he was sure he would have broken something had he still been alive. As it was, it just left him dizzy.

He blinked, trying to focus his vision as three faces peered down at him. He expected the Goddesses to look angry. Instead, Farore smiled pleasantly, Din looked slightly bored, and Nayru looked impassive.

“Congratulations, Hero.” Din laughed lightly. “You failed your final test. Spectacularly, I might add.”
He cringed slightly. “Does this mean you are going to kill me or something?”

“Technically, we already did that,” Nayru said lightly.

Farore offered him her hand and he took it carefully. “It’s not your fault, Link. You’re mortal still and you still have a mortal’s wants and desires. We didn’t expect you to pass.”

“Then why...?”

“So you will understand the difference,” Farore said as she took both his hands in hers, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him. Link was sure his eyes would come out of his head if they opened any wider. It was a strange sensation, awkward, like kissing a relative. He could not think or move, just stare.

As she pulled back, something tore. It was by far the most painful sensation he had ever felt. Every molecule in his body screamed, his muscles seized, his lungs froze, and his vision completely blacked out. The pain snapped up his spine like lightning, crushed his heart, and tore every rational part of his mind asunder. But it was more than a physical pain, it felt like his very soul, the essence of his being, was shattering.

Then everything stopped, and he was left trembling. He felt oddly numb, inside and out. His breath came in sharp gulps as he panted for breath and his ears rang. Slowly he focused, trying to clear the dark spot before his eyes; yet even as the haze lifted, the spot remained.

It took Link several minutes to realize that the “dark spot” was, in fact, a man. He was curled up on the floor several feet away, and looked to be in much the same state as Link felt. As the man lifted his head, Link gasped and took a step back.

It was like looking in a mirror, a strangely dark and distorted mirror. The other man had black hair, darkly tanned skin, and blood-red eyes. He was dressed completely in black, from his kokiri style hat to the heavy boots. Even the hilt of his sword was black. But his features, hairstyle, and build were identical to Link’s own.

Then the other man lunged. Link stumbled back in surprise and reached for his sword, but there was no need. As soon as the man moved, Din raised her hand and chains appeared to bind the man in black to the ground by his wrists. Still he went as far as the chains allowed, snarling, shrieking, and gnashing his teeth, while his eyes promised a painful death. It was then Link realized that the other man had fangs.

“He’s insane...” Link hissed, taking another step back.
“He’s you,” Nayru corrected. Link stared at her in disbelief. She went on. “Actually, he is only a part of you. He is your greed, lust, jealousy, and your hate; all the dark emotions that mortals are subject to.” The floor under the other man’s feet shimmered silver and he sank slowly out of sight. “We will keep him here. There is no telling the destruction he would wreak if left unchecked.”
Link watched the spot where the other had disappeared. His mind buzzed with questions and an unexplainable sort of clarity. When he spoke, his voice sounded far calmer than he felt. “What does this mean? If he is part of me, then what am I without him? Can I still make my own choices?”

The Goddesses laughed lightly and Nayru gave his arm a gentle pat. “You are nothing more or less than yourself, and the only change we have made is to relieve you of his influence. You can still choose to not save Hyrule; indeed there will come a day you do just that. But you will not longer be able to do so for selfish reasons.”

Link was floored by her answer and tried to come up with a reply, but he was interrupted by the sound of the huge doors swinging open again. He turned as the golden light warmed his skin and the wind rustled his clothes. This time, as he looked up at the sacred symbol of the Goddesses, the embodiment of their power, he felt a strange nothingness. No want or desire or dream made itself known. He did not ache to touch the shining triangles, nor did his feet move of their own accord.

Tilting his head back towards the Goddesses, he found them smiling at him. “Very good,” Din said firmly. “Part one, complete.”

“Part one...?” Link asked grimacing, wondering what else they could possibly do to him and how badly it would hurt.

Nayru gestured to the Triforce still hovering beyond the doors. “We cannot send you back with just half a soul. The void left by your darker half must be filled. As with the Triforce all things must be in balance.” She smiled slightly as she moved to stand in front of him. Her sisters moved to stand at his shoulders. “Power without Wisdom is blind. Wisdom without the Courage to act is useless. Courage without the Power to change is wasted.”

The floor around them cracked, forming a single huge triangle. Then the world fell away, leaving the four of them and the piece of floor suspended in bright nothingness. Light etched across the stone floor, forming a Triforce. The pieces under the Goddesses turned a brilliant, blinding gold. Link felt the floor under his feet fall away as the Triforce around him turned into three columns of light.

His body tingled. His senses swirled. For a moment he could see all of Hyrule bared before him, hear every thought, smell the rich earth, taste the sweet fruit, and feel the steady throb of her heart. His own heart matched the rhythm.

Suddenly, pain sliced down his back, like twin knives cutting into his shoulder blades. He curled in on himself, trying to evade the attack, but to no avail. He felt his tunic tighten, heard the ripping of fabric, and then the material went slack. His head felt fuzzy and he closed his eyes.

When the world came back into focus he found himself lying on a cold floor. He blinked hard several times before pushing himself up to all fours. His body felt oddly out of balance, as if his head and shoulders were weighed down. The floor under his hands was as smooth as oiled glass and cast his reflection back at him more brilliantly than any mirror. Yet the cold stone was black, darker than the blackness of the tower.

Confused, he started to rise to his feet, when a strange sound echoed around him. It was soft and rustled near his ears. His eyes slid to the side and he froze. Rising in a gentle, elegant arc from his shoulder was a wing so white it seemed to shine – lighting up the dark stone around him. Swallowing hard, he reached out a trembling hand to touch it, but as he did his shoulders twisted slightly, raising the wing out of his reach. The shift of weight caused him to stumble sideways and he had to quickly right himself to keep from falling over.

Climbing to his feet, he stumbled back from the weight. Finally gaining his footing, he looked at his reflection in the stone. The wings were folded lazily behind him; the part stretching out of his shoulder blade was at least a foot over his head and the longest feathers draped against the floor. Just guessing, he bet each wing was at least twelve feet long.

“What the hell?!” Link yelped, his voice echoing in the small space. High, feminine laughter erupted around him. “What did you do to me?” he yelled at the unseen Goddesses. “I have fucking WINGS!”

“Sorry, Link.” Farore said as she tried to stifle her laughter. “We forgot to warn you about those.”

“They come with the territory,” Din added.

“What territory?” Link shouted, turning wildly to catch sight of the Goddesses, but only succeeding in throwing himself off balance. Staggering, he growled at the voices.

“You are now an Archangel, and the one true guardian of Hyrule,” Nayru answered serenely.

“I can barely stand up, much less defend Hyrule like this!”

“Relax,” Din laughed. “They are only attached to your soul. Your physical body will have no sign of them.”

“That’s it! I want to know what the hell is going on here!”

Nayru sighed. “Fair enough.” Link jumped when his reflection shifted before his eyes. The new image was of a young boy, no more than ten. He wore a green tunic and a Kokiri hat, a pale blue Ocarina at his lips. He was frozen mid-step as he walked, his eyes closed and blond hair framing his face.
Standing behind the boy was a young man. He was dressed the same, but his face was not as innocent and there was a hard edge to his blue eyes. The sword in his hand gleamed as he raised it as if to strike. It was clear the man was an older version of the boy.

“He has my sword...” Link said as he drew the blade and held it up to compare. There was no doubt it was the same.

“He is you, and that is your sword,” Nayru answered. “The Master Sword was forged from your trials. And because it was your soul who bore it on its journey, so too were you changed. From now until eternity ends, the Master Sword, the sword of evil’s bane, will be wielded by you and you alone. Just as you guard Hyrule, so it will guard and guide you.” The sword gently warmed his hand as if to confirm her words.

“You are truly unique to this world, Link. Before your journey is over you shall know Hyrule as no other being before or to come will ever know it. You will transcend time and dimension, command the wind, and look through the eyes of those who have no voice. And you shall hear our voices, guiding you, even when all others have forgotten how to listen.

His reflections around the room shifted. To the right of the two boys was a monster of a man. He towered over Link, easily six and a half feet tall. His hair was shockingly white and his eyes pupilless. Dark red and blue marks streaked his pale face. His heavily muscled body was covered by a deep blue tunic, black pants, and knee high black boots. Bright armor covered his torso and the twin blades of his two-handed sword twisted together in a nasty looking helix.

The next reflection showed a small boy with large expressive eyes and an innocent smile. In his hand was a baton. His blond hair was windswept and the sword in his hand seemed far too large for him to wield.

The next reflection was not human at all, but a large, fierce wolf. Blue eyes gleamed menacingly behind thick, greenish fur. A shackle with a broken chain hung from one of its front paws, and one ear was pierced with a dark blue hoop earring. Leaning casually against the wolf’s shoulder was an imp. Her skin was gray and black, with cryptic blue lines along her arms and legs. On her head was a strange stone crown.

Link stared at the many reflections. Most showed a boy on the cusp of manhood, sword in hand. He cringed at seeing the final reflection. A pink bunny.

Finally he looked towards the ceiling. “I don’t understand. Why me? I met Kaimana, and Savas, and Berk. Any one of them would have made a better choice.”

“For starters,” Din answered, annoyance at the edge of her voice, “we had to choose a Hyrulian. Zora are bound to the water; they shrivel up and die if they go more than a few days out. Goron, while strong, cannot swim, and they feed on rocks and bombs, which aren’t exactly travel-friendly. Garudo function by working together; to ask one to be the Hero would go against the very nature of their people. And Rito are not built for heavy combat.”

“Still, why me? I’m just a farm boy. Why not Sheik? He would have been perfect.”

“Sheik has his own destiny,” Nayru said calmly.

“You are special Link, I made you that way,” Farore repeated firmly.

“Just one more question: how much will it cost me for Sheik to never find out about the bunny?”

&&&

Sheik stared silently at the crackling fire. The wind shifted and sent the thick smoke into his face, but he could not be bothered to move. He had not felt so alone since the first night his adoptive father had locked him in his room. Link’s body lay, covered by a blanket, several feet away. After several attempts to revive the younger man, he had surrendered to the unchangeable.

He had attempted to make a pallet to put the body on so he could return it to Link’s home, but his heart was not in it. In the end he had sat down by the fire and watched as the afternoon slipped soundlessly into night. He had even forgotten to eat dinner. Turning his back on the body had given him some peace, but not much.

The crackling of the fire and the soft song of nearby crickets was suddenly interrupted by a throaty groan. Sheik’s eyes widened and his body snapped to attention, every muscle tense even as he remained immobile. His hands slid to the hilts of his swords as he his head turned slowly so he could peer over his shoulder. In that moment, he felt his heart stop.

Link was sitting up.

Sheik could not breathe. A thousand explanations raced through his mind, none of them making any sense whatsoever. It was not possible. He had heard of fairies reviving the recently dead, but Link’s body had already gone cold. His palms sweated as he carefully and silently slid his swords from their sheaths. The only possible explanation was possession, a wandering ghost taking up residence in the abandoned body. He did not know if he could drive the spirit away, but he sure as hell was not letting it wander off with Link’s body.

As Link stood, rubbing his arms and shoulders, Sheik lunged. Link yelped in surprise and stumbled away. His movements were stiff and clumsy and he crashed to the ground. Sheik frowned as he put his foot down on the boy’s chest and held him easily in place as he raised a sword.

“Sheik, stop! It’s me!” Link said desperately. He grabbed Sheik’s ankle and tried to twist him off, but Sheik only pressed down harder. “I even know things no one else would. You are childhood friends with Princess Zelda. Your father was Captain of the Guards. Thorvald adopted you at age twelve for political gain. You call Archelaus Meredith. What else do you want to know?!” He was still fighting with Sheik’s foot, his voice desperate.

“Facts you could have learned anywhere, or even lifted from Link’s brain,” Sheik replied evenly. He forced himself to remember that this spirit had possessed Link’s body, so he would not feel he was slaying a friend.

“What can I say to make you believe me?” Link yelped, managing to unseat Sheik enough to dodge the sword aimed at his throat. It was a close shave and drew a thin line of blood.

“If you truly are Link, then the Goddesses will protect you. After all, you are the Hero of Hyrule,” Sheik answered as he pressed down harder with his foot and raised his sword.

There was a blinding flash of light and a boom like thunder and everything went dark.