Bring me to Light

Little things give you away

Sand swirled, blew in dizzying circles by a wind of blizzard like intensity. It caught in hair, eyebrows, ears, folds in clothing…anywhere it could get trapped in or settle into and Link would’ve brushed it away in annoyance if it weren’t for the fact that he had become bored with motion more than 2 hours ago.

The sand had been a mere annoyance at the beginning when they had entered the wasteland with its mild breezes and the biggest of the travellers’ concerns had been the heat. Now the biggest concern was whether they’d survive the blasting winds…or the growing thirst…or the penetrating cold that had settled in ever since the sun had sank below the horizon.

Night in the desert was an unpleasant experience to begin with. This situation was just plain hell.

Blue eyes flicked to the right, taking note of the Sheikah by his side who battled against the sands with less success than even Link himself.

Sheik’s light, supple, compact frame was barely solid or heavy enough to stand up against the brute force of the elements and…he was…tired, by the looks of it. His head was low, blonde hair whipped away from his face by the wind, eyes half-closed against the sand that the wind tried to blow into them.

Link had offered assistance more than once, but the only response he had gotten each time was a grunt and Sheik shifting away from him. As a result, Link had long since given up trying to help his lover.

He didn’t even understand what had caused the sudden change but…this wasn’t his Sheik, this wasn’t how he was supposed to be, not with him, and the other man’s attitude was beginning to rouse the Hylian’s suspicions.

The oil lantern attached to Link’s belt banged against his hip suddenly and Link looked down to see the glass-encased flame sputter. They were almost out of oil and that was their only light. If that went out completely they would be left in the pitch black, in a freezing desert, in the middle of a sandstorm. Basically...they’d be screwed.

Reaching down, Link took hold of the lantern, holding it up in the hope of seeing a place they could rest. A red flag snapped at the top of its pole about five metres ahead and as Link neared it and held onto the wooden post for support against the wind. He squinted, just able to make out a solid black shape between the lines of golden static, moonlight picking out a hard edge.

“Sheik!”

He didn’t know whether the other man would be able to hear him over the howl of the wind, especially with the cloth that was covering Link’s nose and mouth to keep out the sand.

A blonde head turned slowly, informing Link that he had been heard and the Hylian pointed to the shape in the distance. Sheik seemed to perk up a little at the sight but a sudden blast of wind, stronger than the last, slammed into him, almost knocking him off his feet.

Not caring about whether he was going to protest or not, Link reached out, grabbing Sheik’s wrist and tugging him back to his natural balance, refusing to let go when he tried to tug his wrist out of Link’s grasp.

Glaring, Link used the grip to yank him closer, and promptly wrapped an arm about a waist that seemed slimmer and softer than usual.

Making a mental note of that, Link half dragged, half walked Sheik towards the shape he had seen, giving a cry of relief when he realised it was a crude shelter.

He practically dived into it, jumping down the ladder into the cool room below, lighting torches with the tiny flame left in the oil lantern.

A warm, welcoming glow spilt into the room and Link collapsed in a corner gratefully, watching Sheik scan the chamber.

“Relax, Sheik, it’s probably a Gerudo safe house.”

“And you think that’s a reason to relax?”
“The Gerudo only expect themselves to come here, which means they won’t put any traps up because they need to use this in emergencies. So yeah, I think that’s reason to relax.” His tone was clipped at the other man’s condescending answer.

“Besides,” he continued “We’re both exhausted…don’t deny it and there’s no other alternative for miles around. It’d be suicide going back out into that storm just because you don’t like the look of this place.”

Sheik grunted.

“And it won’t kill you to answer me with words.”

A glare this time.

“What the hell is your problem? Ever since you came back from tracking whatever it was that sprinted past us at the entrance to the valley you’ve been off with me.”

“I have treated you today as I always have.”

“No you haven’t. You didn’t act like that this morning, when you warned me to look out for mirages and mirrors, whatever the hell that means.”

“…we should rest and continue in the morning.”

“Yeah, that’s it; ignore the problem that’s slapping you in the face, that’ll make it go away.” Link turned his back on Sheik angrily, rolling onto his side and staring at the wall, shivering in the still cold air, listening to the wind howling around the outpost.

He didn’t know who the hell was lying across the other side of the room, but he was almost certain it wasn’t his Sheik.

Nevertheless, there was nothing he could do about it right now. Snorting heavily, he settled himself into a more comfortable position to sleep.

--

It was the sharp ‘caw’ of a carrion eater that woke Link with a start and he jerked upright, eyes darting around the room as he wondered where he was.

Realisation settled in after a moment and he relaxed somewhat, stretching and climbing to his feet, glancing over at the blue clad figure that lay asleep on the floor still.

Another distinctly un-Sheik-like trait.

Biting his lip and contemplating whether he should just leave…this person here…he shook his head and wandered over to them, deciding it was best if he kept and eye on him. Or her. Or it.

He toed the figure in the ribs, tapping him to wake him up and the person flipped over to face him, knife drawn even if it wasn’t in a position to attack.

“Come on. We’ve got to get to the temple. We can eat on the way.”

He turned, leaving the sleep hazed figure to play catch up, climbing the ladder and heading to the top of the out post. An inscribed tombstone was set on top of it and Link knelt, brushing sand away from a black marble surface.

’One with the eye of truth shall be guided to the spirit temple by an inviting ghost.’

Lifting an eyebrow Link pulled the Lens of Truth out of his tunic, holding it up to see a large poe floating in front of him.

“I’ll be your guide on your way, but coming back I won’t play.” it dipped slightly, floating backwards slowly as ‘Sheik’ climbed up to the top of the outpost to stand beside Link.

“I’ll show you the only way to go so follow me and don’t be slow!”

It took of with a jerk, floating backwards as Link leapt from the shelter, the Sheik-imitator in tow and the two men ran behind it, struggling to run as sand gave way beneath their feet.

Link wasn’t sure how long they ran for, the guiding poe took a bizarre, twisting route as if to lose them, dragging them over high sand dunes until the wind started to pick up again for the day and the heat rose to unbearable heights.

Eventually however, Link saw a pair of red flags in the distance and he picked up his pace, eager to be somewhere they could take shelter from the heat.

Rock walls rose on either side, shielding them from the worst of the wind and sand and Link grinned as he saw the flat, sandy plain ahead.

They had reached the Desert Colossus.

--

Sheik ran up the tunnel that led to the right hand of the sand goddess, hoping to see the familiar figure of Link entering the desert colossus.

He and Zelda should’ve been here hours ago and he was getting antsy about Nabooru’s presence. She was demanding the silver gauntlets and Sheik knew for a fact that Link should be the only one to use them.

White light spilled into the tunnel and Sheik headed for it, bursting into the bright light of the desert. Looking out over the colossus Sheik relaxed, seeing a green clad figure wandering over to a sink hole just in front of the temple.

He relaxed against the open chest that had contained the silver gauntlets, watching his copy say something to Link and then head for the temple.

Sheik watched her enter before giving a glance to Link and leaping down from his perch, following her inside.

Nabooru was still waiting at the top of the flight of steps.

Zelda stopped at the base of the stairs, looking up at Nabooru as the other woman stared down at her, yellow eyes travelling from the disguised princess to Sheik himself.

“So are there really two of you or is this some sort of plan to rob me of the gauntlets?”

Identical pairs of red eyes flicked up to her, glaring condescendingly.

“Leave.” Sheik growled, pointing at the door.

The Gerudo straightened, looking affronted.

“What? You can’t tell me to leave my own territory.”

“I can and I am. There’s a young man outside waiting to meet you. Go.”
She snorted, sauntering down the steps towards the two blondes.

“You can go…”

A cackle split the air, high and piercing, shadowed by another equally annoying laugh and three sets of eyes rolled up to the ceiling. Blue and red clouds of smoke filtered into the room from a hole in the ceiling, forming the vague outlines of two people in the air. The figures seemed to solidify as more smoke poured in.

Sheik took a small step back, eyes locked onto the smoke people as they formed, wondering if this was to be an early appearance on the temple’s ‘guardian’s’ part.

The smoke figures suddenly burst into solidity, revealing harsh, hooked features and bulbous eyes, withered, aged forms sat on sticks.

Oh, look at that, he was right. Again. Damnit, he hated it when he was right nowadays.

The witches cackled, circled, staring at the three people below with rolling eyes.

“Look Koume. Visitors.”

“Indeed my sister, filthy outsiders who are trespassing in our home, Kotake.”

“We should remove them…especially this troublesome little girl.” Koume looked to Nabooru who back stepped down the stairs towards Sheik and Zelda.

“Thinks she can take on the Dark Lord does she?”

“Ignorant child.”

A thin, gnarled hand lifted, a ball of red light curling into existence as the other twin copied, a blue ball forming in her hand.

Sheik sidled to Zelda, a hand curling around her bicep and tugging gently, surreptitiously passing her the silver gauntlets he had obtained earlier.

“Hide them now, give them to Link when Nabooru isn’t present.”

Red and blue light slammed into the ground at their feet, spattering like paint. Nabooru and Zelda shrieked, simultaneously turning and running as Sheik shouted instructions to Zelda.

He turned, looking up at the two witched as they advanced on him, pulling a concealed Deku nut from inside his clothing.

“Nabooru will prove useful to you should you be able to capture her.” He informed them, before hurling the nut at the floor and disappearing in a burst of light.

--

Link knelt in the shallows of the pool of water he had just created by playing the song of storms. The dried up sink-hole had proved to be very useful and he dipped an empty bottle he had previously used to store oil in into the water, swirling it to clean the bottle before throwing the water onto the sand.

Filling the bottle again, he hooked it through a belt loop and glanced towards the entrance of the temple.

Admittedly, he should be getting back to ‘Sheik’ as it called itself but…after hours of walking and running through arid, hot desert the urge to dunk his head in a pool of cool water proved to be too much.

Head submerged he breathed out slowly, feeling bubbles of air sweep past his face, letting himself cool down and relax for a moment before he headed into the temple.

The water rippled suddenly, the shudder that caused it followed by another so loud it caused a small wave to slosh over Link’s head. Startled, he yanked his head from the water, smooth sopping blonde hair back from his face, sharp eyes casting about for the cause.

There, in front of the temple, was the Sheik-impersonator lying on the steps by the temple, knocked down by the shudder…just in front of him…a woman with long red hair, crouched, head snapping between the two figures floating around her.

Link jerked slightly, taking in the appearance of the women, eyes casting down onto the floor again as a swirling, purple whirlpool formed below the Gerudo woman.

He hung back, unsure whether to make a move or not. Morally, he really should but practically...those…things floating above her head would spot him and kill him before he even had a chance to help her.

Biting his lip, Link slicked a strand of errant hair back, watching with a sudden, seizing guilt as the woman began to sink into the vortex, realising with a start who she was.

The only person out here was Nabooru, according to the other Gerudo, meaning that the woman in trouble in front of him was none other than the Sage of Spirit.

He ran, not knowing quite what he could do to help her but only that he couldn’t let someone who Hyrule’s fate rested upon die. Even if she was a Gerudo.

One of the witches turned, caught a glimpse of the young man heading for them and cackled, a ball of blue light appearing in her hand.

She hurled it without a word, the light crashing to the floor at Link’s feet in an explosion of colour.

Link skidded to a halt, kicking up sand as light temporarily blinded him, arm thrown over his face in an attempt to ward off harm.

There was a resounding cry for a help, a bizarre wet sucking sound followed by a pair of high-pitched cackles…and then silence.

The Hylian blinked, waving clouds of sand out of his face, coughing as he straightened and stared towards the entrance of the temple. Nabooru and the witches were gone, the only people left being him and ‘Sheik’ staring back and shaking his head condescendingly.

Link trudged towards the entrance.

“I guess I have to go after her.”

“Correct.”

“Fine.”

He turned away, not wanting to waste anymore breath talking to the mockery of the man he was in love with.

“Hero.”

“What?” He asked, not bothering to stop and look at the man, merely walking straight on. ‘Sheik’ followed, trotting to catch up with him.

“I have an item that you require to beat the temple.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Stop, hero.”

Link did, turning and glaring at the other man, holding out his hand expectantly. A pair of gauntlets, backed with silver, were dropped into his palm a second later.

“They will allow you to move heavy objects.”

“Right. Thanks.”

He turned away, slipping his old gauntlets off and pulling the new ones on as he entered the darkness of the temple.

--

Link panted, falling to his knees as the iron knuckle in front of him crumbled, armour dissipating in flames of purple as the creature itself withered and died. The giant, brassy axe it had been wielding sat a few metres away from the Hylian, his blood thinly coating an edge.

Quiet footsteps echoed behind him in the chamber and Link grit his teeth further, a hand over the large, bleeding gash in his abdomen.

Blue clad legs appeared in front of him.

“Concern is usual,” Link muttered “When someone is injured.”

He looked up. The other man was staring down at him, unimpressed.

“But I suppose that’s too much to ask isn’t it, Sheik?” The name was hissed sarcastically as Link forced himself to his feet, hand still clenched over the gash. He pulled it away, examining the wound, finding it to be thin and shallow, the blood making it look worse than it actually was.

“Stop your complaining, hero. I am not here to mother you nor act as some sort of pandering lover…”

The Hylian snorted, a sly smirk twisting his mouth.

“Odd, considering our activities yesterday morning. Must just be a prostitute I never paid then. Is that why you’re following me around?”

The supposed Sheikah, understandably, looked taken aback.

“What…?”

“You heard me.”

Pale blonde eyebrows furrowed, and for a second, Link thought he saw shock and hurt in red eyes that seemed to be tinged with purple around the edges.

Biting his lip, he stepped forwards, grabbing the other man’s wrist as he tried to step away, holding him in place as his free hand lifted to hover by the white mask.

“What are you intending to do here, hero?” And there was a tinge of worry in a usually resolute voice.

“Nothing unpleasant or…” he looked into red eyes, knowing what he was about to do would be the ultimate test for the other person. The one who dared to think they could play hisSheik so well.

“…inappropriate, given our relationship.” He concluded.

“From your stance I doubt…”

The mask was jerked down without warning, lips suddenly pressed against lips, gloved hand releasing a wrist to cup the back of a blonde head, the other hand lifting to lie on a chest that was to full, too soft to be male.

‘Sheik’ jerked away, pulling Link’s hands away and yanking up the mask to cover a face that barely resembled the real Sheikah’s. Lips were pressed together and twisted, eyebrows furrowed in anger, chest heaving from the action.

A bandaged hand lifted a slapped him across the cheek, hard, long nails trailing against skin, breaking it to let loose a thin stream of blood.

Link bit his lower lip again, feeling the sting from the slap as the person he had just kissed backed up, staring at him almost wide eyed before turning on their heel and leaving the room. Wiping his mouth free of the light layer of saliva that had been on herlips, Link frowned.

He had proved to himself that the person really wasn’t Sheik and to her that he knew she wasn’t his lover but…it didn’t answer where the real Sheik was.

As Link straightened and looked to the door behind him that led to the next room he frowned, wondering if Sheik was ok.

--

Zelda yanked the mask down, sliding down to the carpet outside the iron knuckled room, fingertips resting against trembling lips that were somewhere between her own and Sheik’s in appearance. Link had kissed her…but not for her, but because he had thought she was Sheik.

Now this made things more complicated.

Same sex relationships were not uncommon in Hyrule, though they weren’t considered mainstream and depending on the people involved, they could be met with open arms…or fear, anger and hostility. Most of the inhabitants of Hyrule adopted an attitude of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ when it came to that particular sensitive issue and Zelda herself was largely the same. She neither supported the idea, nor opposed it…what people decided to do with their lives and bodies was their own business.

Bur not for Link and Sheik. They were too important to the fate of Hyrule to not be manipulated one way or another and whilst the princess was pleased that both men (especially Sheik) had found someone they loved…it was an unnecessary complication in their plans.

Falling in love affected ones judgement, making you susceptible and vulnerable to trickery and hurt…just as Link had demonstrated when she had first replaced Sheik.

It explained Sheik’s behaviour too, the reluctance to leave Link, the warning he had given him before he sent him on ahead…the soft words he had spoken to him that were whispered too gently to hear…words that she was sure were a confession of love. Or maybe a reiteration of a former confession.

And now Link was aware that she wasn’t Sheik, which meant that Ganon may find that out too and see through her disguise, putting not only herself but Sheik in danger also.

Gods, what was she to do now?

She couldn’t go after Link…not after what had just happened, but nor could she leave the relative safety of the temple. She couldn’t meet with Sheik either, for she didn’t know how she would react to seeing him after this new revelation anyway, never mind the other implications.

And she had no Impa to guide her either.

Thumb running over lips she stood, wandering down the path to somewhere where she could hide from Link once he had retrieved the Mirror Shield.

Perhaps the best option would be to meet with Link briefly before he battled the witches to give him some information about how to defeat them. Or maybe she should leave him be until after the temple…meet up with him after he had spoken with Nabooru and teach him the song he needed to warp to the Temple of Time.

She would have to face him sometime soon anyway, be it today or tomorrow or whenever. Of course, Link didn’t know that it was she who was Sheik’s impersonator, he only knew that someonewho was playing the shadow warrior.

Heading for the main room of the temple where Link would access the witches’ chambers, she thought about the relationship that must have formed between the two men.

It was surprising at the very least. Sheik was not the sort of person one could imagine submitting to someone, never mind baring a soul to tell someone he loved them but then…if there was one person in the world who would get through to Sheik’s heart, it would be someone out of the ordinary. It would be someone like Link. She remembered the look of Link’s face when she had first snapped at him, the hurt and then the anger later when she had been so condescending, so…Sheik-like and she wondered what she was standing in the way of, what it would do to both of the men if they never saw each other again.

They would both be crushed, if their relationship was truly what she thought it was, and she hung her head as she walked, feeling shamed at the thought of the relationship she had all but destroyed.

--

Sheik sat on the shoulder of the sand-goddess inside the temple, listening to various thuds and shudders and bangs and crashes and the occasional gruff shout from a certain male Hylian. The shouts tended to include rather a lot of cursing most of the time too, but it seemed to have increased drastically since he had managed to acquire the mirror shield.

Surely the Iron Knuckle hadn’t been that much of a problem?

One thing above all else had unnerved Sheik about Link’s progress through the temple though…aside from the cursing of course and that was his solitude.

Both Link and Zelda had disappeared together, heading for the path that would lead them to the mirror shield. About half an hour later, however, Link had returned to the main room, picking up something he had left behind earlier (for reasons unknown to Sheik) and he had been bearing not only a new injury but he had been alone.

Whether he and Zelda had become separated and he had headed back to look for her or something more…troubling had occurred, he didn’t know, but it didn’t bode well.

He just hoped that both were in good health and coping on their own. More importantly though, he hoped that Link would be able to face the witches of the temple on his own. He was fairly sure that the Hylian would have enough intuition to defeat them on his own but…Link could be a little blonde at times.

Movement in the corner of the room caught his eye and Sheik crept forwards to investigate, slinking down the sand goddess’ outstretched arm.

A blue and white flash was all he had seen, but he was guessing it was Zelda and if that was the case, he would have to speak with her about leaving Link on his own.

A grating sound interrupted the motion however and Sheik looked up to see a circular portion of the ceiling lowering on chains, stopping level with the face of the statue. He turned and scrambled back up the arm, his foot slipping down the curve of the arm,

Fingers grasped at rock, trying to find purchase and when he finally managed to pull himself up, he turned to see whether Link had landed on the lowered platform.

He had, and he was glaring straight at him, eyes narrowed in distaste. Presumably all was not well between him and Zelda and he was mistaking his real partner for the fake one.

Silently, Link turned away, pulling the mirror shield off his back and angling it so the sunlight from outside that was filtering in would reflect off and hit the statue in the face.

The worn sandstone crumbled under the rays of the sun, revealing a gateway and Link replaced the shield on his back, adjusting belt and gauntlets before he made his way through to the next chamber.

Sheik watched his lover adjust his clothing, unable to do anything but stare with longing at him as sunlight poured down upon him, and…though he didn’t want to sound clichéd…gods he looked like an angel.

The Hylian gave him another glance, eyebrows furrowing at what must have been a dreamy expression on Sheik’s face, before snorting and leaping over to the gate, heading for the final chambers.

Sheik sighed, unable to stop him from going. Unable to do anything.

--

Link pushed the door to the dimly lit chamber open, ears pricked for any sound of the Sheik-impersonator following him, eyes scanning the modestly sized room ahead for any activity.

It should have slapped him in the face straight away, but he had been so busy focusing on not being followed, that he only registered the presence of the two witches when he was half-way across the room. He stopped, drawing the Master Sword from its scabbard as quietly as possible, a faint metallic ring echoing through the room.

One of the witches turned her head slowly, looking over her shoulder at him, cackling quietly.

“Looks like someone is here, Koume.”

The other witch’s head swung around, bulbous eye looking onto him.

“Looks like it Kotake.”

They floated upwards, rising from the floor on their gnarled broomsticks. Link tracked them with his eyes, tightening his grip on his sword.

“What an outrageous fellow he is, to intrude so boldly into our temple.” The one on the left laughed, blue gem on her forehead glinting in the light and Link grit his teeth against the sound. Gods, that laugh was so much like Ruto’s that Link had the mental image of a gopher being smacked in the gonads.

“We should teach this outrageous fellow a lesson.”

Another laugh and then the sister’s separated, revealing a silvered suit of armour at least twice Link’s height, sitting motionless on a stone throne. A giant Iron Knuckle…this would be fun.

“Oh loyal minion…” they circled around to hover behind its back “…Destroy this intruder on our behalf!”

The disappeared a second later in puffs of ice crystals and balls of flame, leaving the Hylian alone with their servant as the chromed creature jumped to its feet, surprisingly nimbly for something encased in metal.

It raised its fists, clenching them in a display of size, strength and aggression, before pausing and looking confused, its helmed head casting from side to side as if searching for something.

Link lifted an eyebrow as he raised the mirror shield and tightened the grip on the Master Sword still further, readying himself for an attack as the creature clicked tinned fingers. Metal scraped against metal a flicker of sparks flying from the fingers and then a giant axe was in its hand.

The hero grimaced. The weapon itself was perhaps the same size as him and although Sheik had always said that size does not necessarily equal strength…he was pretty sure it would in this case.

One word sprang to Link’s mind as the creature jumped of its slight step, landing heavily in front of him and lifting the axe above its head, shaking it.

Fu…

It clanged as it walked towards him, axe twirling in hand, footsteps heavy and hard. Just being kicked would probably prove fatal.

Backing up a few steps Link circled it, eyes scanning for a tell, a sign of attack…or a weakness, some area where the armour was thin…or absent, but after circling behind it, he concluded there was only one way to win. Let it attack and see if it would get its axe stuck in the ground, just as the smaller ones before had. Circling back around to the front of the creature, aware of his greater agility and speed he edged closer, watching anxiously, waiting for it to make a move.

It didn’t take long before the creature lost patience and swung at Link, a heavy vertical blow that would cleave the Hylian in half if it connected. The Hylian back flipped, watching as the knuckle looked up at him as it struggled to free its weapon from the new groove in the floor and Link leapt forward, finding a gap in the armour as he jumped above it.

The head of the knuckle was set deeply between high, pointed shoulder guards that all but engulfed its head and neck, but just between the shoulder and helmet, was a thin sliver of black between chrome. If he could get the blade in there…surely it would be over?

Flipping the Master sword to plant it deep into the creature, Link pushed all his weight onto the weapon, feeling it find the gap and sink into it easily.

A deep roar, pain, or maybe anger erupted from the Knight, the noise so loud that it made its own armour rattle as Link’s feet hit the floor. Steadying himself, with hands still on the hilt of the sword buried in the shoulder of the downed creature, he twisted the blade, hearing metal screech as it ripped, being levered off. Hinges burst and scattered suddenly as a shoulder guard fell off, crashing to the floor. It dissipated a moment later in a purple cloud, the magic in it failing.

Link leapt away from the creature, expecting it to attack at any moment, and he titled his head as the creature turned to look at its own, bared arm.

It was not large, thick with over-developed muscles as Link had expected, or some bizarre withered life-form as the other option would have been, but a slender, toned and tanned female human arm, poking out from great, heavy swathes of chain mail.

The limb seemed to sink under the weight of the metal.

“What the…?”
Circling to the backside of the supposed knight as it wrenched its axe from the ground, Link noted the large gaps between armour and body. This was no magically created minion or monster. It was a brainwashed sage.

Unfortunately, said brainwashed sage was still dangerous and by now, very angry. Link barely had time to register that it had turned on him when heavy metal slammed into his chest, sending him flying backwards to crash into a solid wall.

He gasped, hitting the floor, winded, eyes watering at the pain, the blood in his mouth. The Hylian gasped, rolling eyes up to see the creature approaching, stretching an arm out to where the Master Sword should be lying….except it wasn’t there.

His head snapped around as he tried to push himself up, and he found his blade lying behindthe creature.

“Dammnit!” the word was faintly hissed, barely enough air in heaving lungs to create the word and Link reeled back, pushing himself up and gasping, staggering to his feet as the ‘knight’ tried to corner him.

Glancing around, looking for something to use as a weapon, he realised he had no option…he lowered his body, almost to a crouch, letting the creature approach, hoping the pillar next to him was sturdy enough to withstand a blow from the creature.

As it swung at Link, the Hylian dived forwards, throwing himself past the occupied arm to the Master Sword, snatching it from the floor as he threw himself into a roll.

He jabbed a foot out to stop himself. Climbed to his feet. Spun. Spotted the knight as it yanked the axe from the pillar.

The stone column crumbled. Dust and stone sprayed across the room, coating the man in a layer of grime as he charged for the creature, diving for its right, unprotected side and stabbing upwards as he reached it, praying to the Goddesses as the silver-blue blade slid beneath the helmet, that the metal head was much larger than Nabooru’s head.

Sword in place, Link pushed upwards, ripping the helm off by sheer force. It held firmly for a moment as Link strained against it, before something gave suddenly, the magic links breaking, sending the metal cap shooting off, disappearing in mid flight and he staggered backwards from the suddenly released tension.

Great plates of red and silver dropped to the floor, dissolving in clouds of purple smoke and flame as a lithe female figure fell to the ground, unconscious but unscathed.

She stirred after a moment however, the effects of the spell wearing off almost instantly and she lifted her head and upper body, yellow eyes wide in shock and confusion as she focused on a panting, filthy Link.

“Wh…uhh..where…where am …I?”

Her voiced was hazed, movements jerky as he breathed as heavily as the man standing before her.

A blue flame exploded to the sage’s right before Link had time to reply, spinning into the room, her high, creaky voice showing irritation.

“Well, well, looks like she’s back to normal, Koume.”

Nabooru’s head snapped to the right, then the left as the other witch appeared.

“She’s just a little girl but she commands a lot of respect among the Gerudo, Kotake…”

“Maybe we should make her work for the Great Ganondorf for a little while longer.” Another ridiculously high laugh and Link rolled his eyes, despite the dangerous situation. It seemed like the withered women laughed after every sentence…just like Ganondorf did. So did he take his cues from them, or was it just a common trait among delusional, evil-doers?

“Then we should brainwash her again.”

Pink-lips parted in horror at the suggestion as Nabooru’s’ head flicked between the two witches, fiery pony tail whipping her in the face.

They lifted their hands simultaneously, summoning spells and Nabooru jumped and ran for the door, slamming Link out of the way in an attempt to escape, only to have the hexes slam into her regardless. She disappeared with a scream, leaving the Hylian alone with Koume and Kotake.

They glanced at him before disappearing, apparently thinking that he wasn’t worth the effort it would take to acknowledge him.

Glaring at the spot of air where the nearest one had been, Link picked up the Mirror Shield, sliding it onto his arm and heading into the next room, ready to take them on.

--

Link shuddered as he watched the two aged women bickering, wondering if his now injured mind would every recover from the disturbing image of the two combined witches winkingat him. Winking! In more than a slightly sultry and provocative manner.

He almost gagged at the memory. He didn’t swing that way…

“And I’m just three hundred and eighty years old!” One of them screeched, at a frequency that could shatter glass and Link winced.

“We’re twins! Don’t try to lie about your age!”

“You must have gone senile!”

“Who are you calling senile? Is that how you treat your older sister?!”

The spectating Hylian shifted his weight, rolling his eyes and yawning, wondering how much longer this little display was going to go on for.

“We’re twins! How can you be older?!”

“Kyah!”

Link flinched at the screech, backing away from the witches surreptitiously.

“How heartless you are!”

“You ungrate…”

The argument was suddenly cut off as the two women were drawn upwards into a bright light and vanished for good.
Link sighed in relief as the familiar blue portal appeared. That was one problem solved at least but…with the awakening of Nabooru as a sage came a bigger task.

Ganondorf’s downfall.

And he was going to have to do it without Sheik.

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I'm not sure when the next chapter will be posted. It might be more than 3-4 weeks before I come back again. But I will tell you this...there are only 4 more chapters until we reach the end of the fic.

Anyway, please review.