The Legend of Zelda: Spirit of Evil

Sheik was breathless. The Phantom was gasping. But still, their hands were steady.
“You…have fought…well.” said Eclipse.
“As have you…Shall we call it…a draw?”
“Master Eclipse! GET DOWN!”
Eclipse ducked as a sword hissed right where his head had been. Sheik was not so lucky. It slashed into his right cheek deeply, cutting in just above the mask.
“HOW DARE YOU STRIKE HER!” The attacker was lifted from his feet as a swirling dark energy surrounded his form and threw him against a wall. Eclipse’s flaming eyes widened as he stopped his magical assault and stared at the attacker. ”Link?!”
Link too, was staring at his sword. The tip was covered with blood. “No…By the gods, no…” he whispered. He then glared at Eclipse. “You made me strike her!”
“I made you strike?! Don’t be ridiculous!”
“You ducked!”
“Hah! Your sword should not of been there in the first place!”
“But you had no right to…”
Eclipse ignored him and bent over Sheik who was clutching his cheek. “Are you well, Zelda?”
“Her.” Sheik whispered. “You called me her. Link called me her. You are both fortunate that all who are in this room are loyal to me. But still, I have a lot of explaining to do.” Eclipse realized his mistake and started to apologize, but she stopped him. “You were frightened. There was nothing you could have done to stop it.”
“He has no right to be fighting so close you Zelda. It is inappropriate!”
“Why is it inappropriate, Link?” Hissed Eclipse
“We are betrothed!”
“I have heard nothing of an engagement.”
“But…everyone knows that we are meant to be together!”
“Unless the gods told you that, I see no reason to believe it.”
“Listen here, you hissing wraith! I love her. Can you deny…”
“ENOUGH!”
They were thrown apart by an invisible force as Sheik stood, eyes like tiny flames. “We shall settle this. Without insults or harsh words.”
Dark light flashed, and Zelda stood where Sheik had been. More then one gasp was heard among the viewers. She turned and looked at them. “I shall explain this later. Until then, I ask that you keep quiet on this…” Her eyes widened as she sense a hidden presence. Zelda spun around, drops of blood flying from the cut in her cheek. Her arm shot out and a ball of bright blue light soared out from her hand. It flew over to the upper corner of the room. The sound of cracking glass emerged as it struck something before the wall. A magical globe became faintly visible as it fell to pieces revealing a person inside. The figure tumbled to the ground and caught itself neatly and flipped upright, only to be held in mid-flip by Zelda’s psychic powers.
“You have courage to spy on me, silent one.”
Indeed, many were suddenly armed with all sorts of weapons. From throwing daggers, to large Gerudo-made scimitars. Link was up on his feet, Master Sword ready, and Eclipse pulled a katana out of nowhere and swung it in front of him. A spy in the castle was dangerous. One that had witnessed Zelda’s transformation was more so.
Zelda’s eyes flared as she rotated the person in midair. “This was not a wise action, spy…” She gasped and almost dropped the person. “Enowa?”
Enowa too, was staring. “H…Highness! B…b…but…Sheik!…I…”
Zelda gently set her down. “I shall explain it all later, Enowa. And you will also get a lecture.”
Enowa hung her head. “F..forgive me.”
“Of course…” Raising her voice, Zelda faced the crowd. “All who do not know of my connection with Sheik, please come to the throne room after dinner. You may go.”
All who were present bowed, and started to leave. Then she spoke out again. “EXCEPT, you two.”
Link flinched and Eclipse sighed.

***

Zelda led them to her study, not saying a word. Eclipse could tell by this that she was very angry. Link could tell that she was very angry by the fact that she hadn’t healed the wound in her cheek. Link glanced at the wound guiltily. Gods, he felt his heart twist knowing that wound was his fault.
The study door closed behind them and Zelda bade them to sit. She stood looking out the window behind her desk, watching the rain of a passing storm. “My duty as Queen…should not involve solving petty fights.”
Link seemed to find the rich, red and gold carpet very interesting. Eclipse traced a gold swirl in the carpet with his foot, yet kept his red orbs on Zelda’s still form.
“I am saddened that I have to keep a watch on you two. It seems like every time I turn my back, you fight.”
“Your back is turned now, and we’re not fighting.” Said Link, trying to get a laugh out of her.
Zelda turned and Link was confronted with her sad blue eyes. Yet what jarred him even more was the wound. He would never forget it. Blood covered her entire cheek and chin, dripping down onto her dress. His heart was tearing itself to pieces.
“I’m sorry Zelda. I know I was foolish. Just…! Seeing you so close to him…I…I don’t know!…I was jealous……I guess it’s true.”
“What is true, Link?” asked Zelda.
He glared at her. “Don’t joke with me. I’m sure you’ve heard. How the ‘Hero of Time, has changed.’ I hear enough in the town.”
Zelda sighed deeply and laid her hands on his shoulders. “I know it must be hard Link, living the life you do when seven years of your life were skipped. I know you want a deeper relationship with me. But, time will change things. Please just be patient.”
Zelda shook her head slightly, feeling dizzy. Hylians were sensitive to blood loss.
“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”
She blinked and looked a Link. “What? In love with who?”
“Eclipse.”
“WHAT?!?” Shouted Eclipse and Zelda.
“Where did you get that notion?”
“I must agree with Zelda. The idea is absurd!”
“Well, first you wanted to talk to him privately. Then you wanted to battle with him. AND, when you were battling, you were both laughing at some private joke!”
“Link! Calm down! When I first talked to him, Eclipse and I were discussing a fight, you know I have wanted to fight him for a long time and in battle we were laughing at the fact that we were getting nowhere!”
“You were…?” Said Link, looking astounded.
“We are just friends. We have always been friends since the end of the Darkness. Have I ever gotten jealous about Malon or Ruto?”
He blushed. “No.” Malon and Ruto had been his childhood crushes.
“Then I hope this will be a lesson for you. Please try to overcome your envy of Eclipse. I do not have time for settling suspicions between you two.”
Link nodded and gently grasped her hand. “I’m truly sorry I lost control of my senses. I also apologize to you, Eclipse. I am glad I did not strike off your head!”
He kissed Zelda’s hand and left the room.

***

As soon as he was gone, Zelda fell to a heap on the floor. Or, almost fell. Faster than humanly possible, Eclipse caught her and helped her to the couch. “I think…you can heal… that now…” Said Zelda.
“I can not believe you waited this long to heal it.” Murmured Eclipse, staring aghast at the cut.
“He needed to see me in such a condition. He would take me more seriously…Ahh!”
Black fire dance over the wound as it slowly healed. Zelda gripped a soft cushion in her hands, almost tearing the fabric with her long nails. Healings were often painful.
“That was a nasty cut. I had no idea that the Master Sword could cut those who were pure in heart.”
“It can. Even though it is the blade of evils bane, it is still a blade. If used to kill a person of good however, the body will not vanish like an evil one would.”
Zelda magically removed the bloodstains from her dress. “Its not supposed to hurt as much either, but I cannot tell. It certainly hurt badly right now!”
“The blade cannot be wielded by one with an evil heart, correct?”
“Yes. If, for example, if Ganondorf picked up the blade, he would burn his hands badly. Although, I have secretly put a hold on the blades powers. Only half of the Blade of Evil’s Bane is awake. There is no use to the sword fully, now that Ganondorf’s evil is gone from the land.”
“…You do find it odd that Link seems to be jealous of me.”
Zelda sighed. “He wants to be closer to me. He is pressuring me for a intimate relationship and I am not ready for it.” Again there was a pause.
“…Do you love him?”
Zelda was shocked. “Wh…Why of c…course I love him! We are destined to be together!”
“Destiny and true love are different. Do you love him?”
“………”
“Please think on what I have said, Zelda…I shall meet you after dinner to talk with the Sheikah who did not know Sheik’s secret.”
With a flash of black light he vanished, leaving a very confused and sad figure, trying to sort out her troubled thoughts.

***
Zelda was very tired after explaining to all the confused Sheikah about Sheik. She wanted nothing more then to just relax on her bedroom balcony. But, one thing was wrong. Enowa. She had not seen or felt Enowa in the room. Getting directions from Fawqe, she walked to Enowa’s room. When she reached it, she changed into Sheik then knocked.
No answer.
A sliver of fear went through his mind. Was Enowa a traitor? he knocked again.
“Go away. I would like to be alone please.”
Deciding this was important, Sheik waved his hand over the lock and heard a click. He gently pushed the door open and closed it behind him. Enowa was sitting on her bed, her back to him. When he closed the door Enowa whirled around and threw two scimitars of fine Gerudo make toward him Sheik threw himself on the ground. There was a hissing sound as they flew by overhead and then a loud, thunk!
“Be at ease, Enowa. I just want to talk.” Said Sheik, standing up and removing the twin blades from the door. He tossed them towards a table, allowing them to float and land gently, without a sound.
“Forgive me, Milady.” said Enowa, rather sharply.
“I am known as Sheik in this form.”
“Sheik does not exist!”
“If that is what you believe then you are a fool.” said Sheik, walking over to the bed and sitting next to her. “A spell like this cannot work if we do not have a soul.”
Enowa’s eyes widened. “What do you…?”
“The form of Sheik was a young Sheikah man Impa and I found when I was but a child. He was badly wounded by Ganondorf’s warriors. Dying, he begged revenge from us. Explaining the spell, Impa asked if we could use his soul. He consented.”
Enowa listened, entranced.
“Thus, Impa found me a perfect disguise. His soul provided me with much knowledge of the Sheikah. Impa filled out that knowledge with all of her skills and secrets. After six years, I was able to roam alone. Helping people against Ganondorf in any possible way. Then, in the seventh year since Ganondorf arose, I felt my Triforce piece, which Impa and I had discovered that I held early on, pull me toward Hyrule castle. Wondering what it could be, I followed the urges, hoping that they would not lead me to Ganondorf. When I reached the town, I discovered that it led me into the Temple of Time. The one place Ganondorf could not destroy.”
Sheik paused here as memories filled his mind. “Please go on.” said Enowa, looking like a child as she watched Sheik with wide eyes.
“The air inside the Chamber of Time was thick with magic. Alarmed, I hid, for I felt a presence arriving from the Sacred Realm. Blue light filled the room and in the center of it I saw a figure form. The light faded leaving a young man dressed in green clothes. A fairy fluttered by his side and…the Master Sword was strapped to his back. My heart tightened. It had been seven years since I had seen him, but I knew it was him. I had waited for him for so long…I followed him when he turned to leave yet he took only a few steps before he sensed my presence. He drew the Master Sword then turned. As unstable as my heart felt, I faced him coolly, knowing now was not the time to reveal my true identity. Yet, I helped him through his quest to awaken the Sages.”
“…That is a wonderful tale.”
“Wonderful, horrible, fearful, victorious. Many memories weave it.”
“I am sorry I was so rude. I had no reason to pry at your alter ego, or sneak around, making myself invisible.”
Sheik laughed. “It is perfectly fine to be curious. You have even proven something.”
“What?”
A gentle smile touched Sheik’s eyes. “You have proven yourself for my training.”