Bring me to Light

Enjoy!
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Link, Hero of Time

Soft jade light washed away electric blue, soothing stinging blue eyes with its soft beauty, banishing too-bright streaks of blue and white. He wanted darkness, that soothing twilight which could be found in the earlier hours of the morning which greeted you with a gentle awakening, not the harsh realities of daylight.

His feet touched the ground lightly, the beams depositing him on the grassy floor of the forest and Link looked up to see where he had been left this time.

The Deku Tree’s meadow. The Hylian looked up at the giant husk that blissfully blocked the sunlight, feeling a stab of guilt wind itself through his gut. He lowered his eyes, looking at the floor, unable to stare at the wooden protrusions that formed a sagely face on the tree’s front surface.

An off-white spike, streaked with brown and topped with a sprig of leaves that jutted from the ground caught his attention and hesitantly, he leaned down to get a closer look. Nothing really grew in the Deku Tree’s Meadow except the Deku Tree itself, the ground was created to only sustain that life form, although Deku Baba’s had been known to germinate here, if not survive for long. So the presence of another form of plant life here was highly unusual. The Kokiri had a belief that even the grass in the Deku Tree’s Meadow was part of the organism itself. Then again, the Kokiri believed a lot of things that weren’t true. Like the fact that if they left the forest they would die...Saria, a sage as she may be, was still a Kokiri, outside the forest and perfectly well, proving how naïve this supposedly wise-with-age race was.

He had had that innocence once too.

Frowning at the thought of Saria and the Kokiri, Link distracted himself with the anonymous stump, reaching out to gently run his fingers over the leaves. At his touch, the leaves began to shudder slightly.

With an explosion of earth, grass and roots, something large and brown shot up from underground and Link stumbled backwards, falling and scrabbling to get away.

When the dust finally settled and the Hylian regained some sense of normality…he quickly lost it again, looking at the creature that had popped up from the ground.

It was…a chunk of wood, with eyes, and a ridge of slitted bark for a mouth. Two stumpy branches stuck out of a thick trunk like arms and Link found himself biting back a laugh at its appearance.

‘Hey there, I’m the great Deku Tree Sprout and thanks to you I’ve awakened so I can grow big and strong and protect this forest!’

Link’s lips folded inwards of their own accord as he tried desperately to suppress some harsh comments involving some renowned alcohol and the lantern from a Poe. Instead, he let out a muffled, high-pitched ‘Mmm hmm’ in response.

‘Now Link, I’m sure you have noticed the other Kokiri have not aged and are wondering why? Well, you’ve probably figured it out already. You are not a Kokiri you are actually a Hylian!!’

The blonde physically flinched away from the ‘sprout’ as its ridiculously high voice echoed inside his head. It reminded him of when he was in Jabu-Jabu’s belly as a kid, carrying a singing Princess Ruto. At least, he had assumed it had been some form of singing at the time, now he had the feeling it had just been to cause him excess pain.

‘Watch…’

The command came tentatively through the mental link, directing a memory into Link’s mind, the sprout’s voice deepened temporarily into that of the former Deku Tree.

Red flames licked at a black sky, harsh sounds of battle, war cries and screams of pain splitting muggy night air, the smell of spilt blood and sweat so strong that breathing felt like taking a breath of hell. Grief and fear flooded through heart and soul threatening to drown – him - in it - Link felt himself falling to the ground, his knees hitting – blood soaked earth as pain shot through - his - shoulder, an arrow lodged in muscle and bone, wailing infant cradled in one arm.

It took a gargantuan effort to rise again, more so to run from the danger, fighting through sorrow and agony, heart constricting painfully, squeezing ever more blood through ragged wounds, chest aching with effort. Scenery, gory and horrifying blurred past, blending to green, human screams giving way to sighs of the forest, but still that fear pulsing through veins.

Parchment slipped from wet fingers, fluttering to the floor as –he- continued to run, past confused looks of sheltered children, hoping that there was enough strength left to make it.

Collapsing –he-pushed the swaddled child forwards, pleading words passing through trembling lips saying final goodbyes before darkness enveloped – him – broken hearted to leave –his – child all alone, an outsider, until he fulfilled his destiny.

The sob came before Link could stop it, the memories overwhelming and breaking and his hand flew to his mouth, eyes squeezing shut against prickling tears that somehow found their way down his cheeks, regardless of his efforts to stave them off.

Never before had he experienced sorrow of this intensity, never given a thought since his discovery that he was a Hylian about his true parents, but that glimpse into her memories, his mother’sthoughts and feelings at the end of her life as she struggled to save her only child as only a parent can…it opened entire new realms of thought.

It was too much, too fast.

Race, destiny, companions’ lost and found, death and birth, parents and memories from someone he would never meet…

‘Your mother gave her life to save you; she knew of your destiny, knew that her only son would be the saviour Hyrule needed…

“I was kept alive through necessity…”he choked out

‘You were kept alive through love. Your mother knew your destiny to be the Hero of Time…she knew she loved you for who you are a lot more. Do not think that even your own parents have used you for this goal. They saved you through love and you must use that love to complete the journey they wanted you to.’

“My parents…”

‘Link, you know your destiny now. You’re a Hylian, always were and were meant to leave this forest and save the world. Awaken the sages, save Hyrule.’

The Hylian lifted his right hand, balling it into a fist that he rested his forehead against, fingers pressed against the length of his nose as his body shook.

Something fell on his shoulder lightly and he jerked, rolling onto his side to look up at whatever it was that had touched him.

Sheik.

“You…you scared me,” he panted, forcing a joking grin on his face, looking in the opposite direction and refusing to meet red eyes with his own.

Tears still ran lazily down his face and he hurriedly wiped them away, not wanting the Sheikah to see his ‘weakness’.

“Forgive me, it was not my intention to startle you, hero.”

That was it? Forgive me? No harsh words telling him to suck it up and be a man? No comments that a hero must not have weaknesses?

“S’ok,” he replied, eventually, still panting slightly.

“…Have you been shown all you need?”

“And more.” A forced chuckle followed and Link slowly pushed himself off the ground, still trembling and he stumbled, falling back.

A bandaged hand clasped his wrist, holding him up, preventing him from falling, the other hand being offered to him and Link took it, allowing the other boy to pull him to his feet.

“Thanks.”

The Sheikah merely inclined his head to the Hylian.

“I…uh…I guess we should be heading back then?”

“Yes. You will need a couple of days to recuperate and rest I’m sure.”

With a nod of agreement, Link looked back to the sprout, standing on the spot that he had buried Navi at, wondering if that ridiculously high voice had anything to do with her. Smiling faintly to himself, despite everything, he turned and followed Sheik out of the grove, walking quietly alongside the other blonde.

It wasn’t until they had left the forest that they spoke again.

“Did you know that the sages would stay in the temple of light?”

“Yes…that is their destiny, just as yours is to be the Hero of Time.”

“And yours is to guide me.”

Another nod.

“…Could you not have warned me that that was going to be the last time I would ever see my best friend?” The question wasn’t asked in anger, in fact Link’s voice held nothing but dejection and sorrow as he climbed onto Epona and Sheik mounted Thara.

“There are something’s that you will have to learn to deal with on your own.”

“So basically you’ve been told by your superiors that you weren’t to tell me?”

Sheik glanced around before nodding slightly, as if afraid that there were somebody spying on him and were going to tell on him.

“I’ve just lost my closest friend, Sheik…surely you could’ve given me some warning?”

“I am sorry for your loss…but she has her destiny and you have yours. It is unfortunate that you have a personal connection with a sage…but there’s nothing that can be done about the situation.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“…Saria would want you to fulfil your destiny and save Hyrule, would she not?”

“Yeah she would, and so does everyone else and if my best friend believes that I’m the Hero of Time, then I can believe it…you can stop emotionally blackmailing me now.”

Link offered the Sheikah a timid smile in an attempt to ease the anger he was expecting to see at the accusation. Instead, he looked away from Link as their eyes met his own red ones, ashamed.

The Hylian felt a stab of guilt as he looked at the usually emotionless shadow warrior that had turned away from him in shame.

“Hey…look, you did what you had to yeah? Besides, we’re cool. You’ve been trying to get me to save Hyrule…it’s for the greater good and I’m not so bothered now. Forgive and forget.”

“Perhaps you are right…but…”

“But?”

“You make me question everything I’ve been taught as a Sheikah warrior.” Sheik tapped Thara lightly in the sides, making the horse snort and begin walking. Link followed suit, making Epona trot alongside the grey stallion as they wound between the trees that marked the entrance to the forest.

“How so?”

“…I was taught never to question the methods that we, the Sheikah, employ to serve the greater good. I was taught never to allow myself to form any sort of attachment to the people I work with…for if they should become a threat to Hyrule…”

“You would have to assassinate them…for the greater good.”

“Yes.”

“So…by trying to get you to like me, I’m essentially trying to make you betray your beliefs?”

“If you wish to look at it like that.”

“Does that mean you don’t want to follow the rules?” he pulled at Epona’s reins until she was as close to Thara as possible, making Link’s leg brush against Sheik’s and the Hylian twisted in the saddle to look up at Sheik, his head level with Sheik’s chest. When the ninja-esque warrior looked down, he was met with a pair of large blue eyes, their size accentuated by the angle he was looking at the other man at.

“Does that mean you actually like me but are just too professional to admit it?”

The Sheikah’s brow furrowed and he pulled himself fully upright in the saddle, pushing Link away roughly before kicking his horse into a gallop.

Link sighed as he watched the other man gallop off and kicked Epona into a canter, following at a reasonably comfortable difference. Blonde bangs floated up as he exhaled, thinking about his actions.

He had pushed too hard.

Link found it difficult, following his long incarceration, to control himself when he finally found a person he liked. Sheik was a bit…odd of course, a bit cold maybe, but then, Link himself wasn’t exactly what would be considered normal anyway. Maybe it was that shared semi-ostracisation that they had that drew him to the Sheikah.

He didn’t know. Didn’t care really about exactly what it was that made him so attracted to the Sheikah, made him so desperate to be liked in return, he just knew he did. So he was going to have to tread carefully in order not to scare the other man off again.

It came to Link that Sheik had perhaps never had something like a friend before. By the sounds of it, he had had a very solitary life so far, filled with missions and rules, no time for socialising…no reason to socialise. Or so he’d been taught. And here was Link, comfortable with the idea of friendship, hell, yearningfrom it from this man (and perhaps yearning was too strong a feeling for it to be a mere friendship that he wanted) pushing for something the Sheikah barely knew about.

Drawing himself up in his saddle, Link directed Epona into a gallop, with the intention of catching up to the now tiny figure of Sheik in the distance, resolving to make up for his mistake and somehow, find a way to get the Sheikah to come around to the idea of friendship.

--

It was beginning to grow dark when they finally reached Kakariko village. Sheik had intended to gather a few supplies from the village for both himself and Link, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen if they didn’t get up those steps soon.

They had sent Epona and Thara up one of the mountain trails that led back to Sheik’s home, not wanting to drag them through the village and have to spend a long time guiding them up the stairs, but as it turned out, Epona wasn’t keen on leaving Link. Either that or she wasn’t keen on being left alone with Thara. Of course it was Link who had suggested that, and also made the comment that the rather placid natured stallion had had a frisky glint in his eye.

So after a few hours of trying to get the horses up the trail, they finally climbed up the steps to the village.

Link trailed behind Sheik, clearly weary from the trials of the temple, but he still picked up that something was wrong as they approached the village, long ears pricking slightly.

“Do you hear that?”

Sheik nodded.

“Do you smell that?”

Another nod.

With a shared look of anxiety the blondes dashed up the remaining steps, spurred into motion by the threat of danger that was carried down to them on the wind.

Sheik skidded to a halt as they flew into the village.

The tree that had been planted in the middle of the village was charred, debris littered the paths of the town, personal belongings and practical items alike. Chunks of wood and stone lay by the side of damaged buildings, clearly having been forcefully torn from them.

“They were attacked whilst we were at the Temple.” Sheik stated to the Hylian by his side.

“Obviously.”

A crowd of people, inhabitants of the village stood by the well, the self-elected leader of the village standing atop the wooden beam, hands on hips, making wild gestures to the already shaken villagers. A few burly looking men on the outskirts on the group jostled restlessly, clearly wanting to take some form of revenge on their attackers.

The two young men tagged onto the back of the party, listening in to what the supposed leader was saying:

“So I say we get back at that horde! Grab anything you can use as a weapon and we’ll hunt those miserable creatures down and make them suffer like we have! Right guys?!” he turned his attention to the men standing at the edge and they let out a collective bellow of enthusiasm, raising fists as they hollered.

“Excellent plan.” Link commented and all eyes turned towards him, the burly men quieting as the young hero spoke.

“Isn’t it?” The leader of the village looked especially proud of himself.

“I was being sarcastic. Your ‘plan’ will get these people killed.”

“You saying we can’t fight, boy?” One of the men cracked his knuckles loudly. Sheik surreptitiously drew a blade out from beneath the bandages on his wrist.

“Of course not. I just doubt five anger charged men armed with pitchforks will be able to take out a group of twenty of Ganondorf’s minions. Especially if the Gerudo Warriors are included.”

“Feh. They’re just women. What do women know of fighting?”

“Oh please, do go and say that to a Gerudo woman. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them castrate a guy for insulting them.”

Sheik glanced across to Link, wondering what he was hoping to achieve by winding these men up.

“So what do you suggest we do, blondie?”

“Re-build maybe? Clean up this mess? Set up watches to warn people if there’s an enemy approaching?”

“And against Ganondorf himself?”

“Nothing for now. You’ll have your time to fight, I’m sure.”

“So we just sit and wait for what? This legendary Hero of Time who’s supposed to come and save us?”

The mocking words stung him. The Sheikah could see it in the blue eyes of the young hero as he looked down and bit his lower lip, chewing on it.

“Why do you have so little faith?”

Sheik stepped forwards, his words cutting through the gaping silence Link had left.

“Why shouldn’t we? This so called hero wasn’t here when we were attacked.”

“Has it occurred to you that the hero is not able to be everywhere at once? That he was busy with a task of greater importance?”

“How is anything more important than saving our lives?”

“It’s more important when it saves the majority of lives. There are casualties in wars, now is no different. If you want the village to be protected, train people and set up a watch for yourself.”

“But…”

“The Hero of Time will defeat the major evil and will help out when possible. It’s up to you to defend yourselves when he can’t. You must have faith in the hero no matter what; he’ll not succeed without the support of the people he’s trying to save.”

--

“I can’t do this.”

Link leant back in the chair in the kitchen, staring past Sheik through the small window opposite.

“What?”

“Be the person everyone depends on. The person everyone will blame when I fail to save Hyrule.”

“Not to put too fine a point on it, but if you don’t save Hyrule there probably won’t be anyone to blame you.”

“…Thanks Sheik.”

“You’re welcome.”

The odd statement, given the situation, made Link draw his eyes away from the window and focus them on the Sheikah who was leaning his elbows on the table, his chin resting atop folded hands. The position caused his mask to be pulled down a few centimetres lower than usual, revealing a little more of that somehow tanned skin.

“It is the nature of people to blame others when they are angry. It is not any reflection on you or the actions you have taken so far.”

“Tell them that.”

“I believe I did.”

A low chuckle resonated from Link’s throat. “Yeah I guess so.”

“Link…Don’t be disheartened by one person’s beliefs. There are always those who reject salvation.”

The Hylian stared at him, slightly wide-eyed, his mouth somewhere between a smile and an astonished gape.

“What is it?”

“You…”

Sheik tilted his head to the side slightly as he regarded the silent hero.

“You…called me Link.”

“I apologise, hero.”

“No no no no no no no no! Don’t you dare start the ‘hero’ thing again.” Link shook his head almost viciously. “I don’t wantto be called that. Even if I am one.”

“You accept that you are the Hero of Time?”

“Do you believe I am? Do you believe in me?”

Sheik nodded.

A smile crept onto Link’s face. “Then I accept that I am. I believe it and I’ll see it through.”

Beneath the mask, Sheik smiled, pleased that he could make Link believe in himself.

Link watched the reaction his words caused in Sheik, the way his eyes seem to glimmer slightly in the candle light, narrowed pleasantly by the smile that played over hidden lips. His own grew in response.

“Anyway, I’m uh…going to go to bed.”

Sheik nodded “Very well.”

“..When are you going to ask for your bed back?”

“…I have no need of it. I require little sleep so you’re welcome to it.”

“Thanks Sheik,” his smile softened as he looked to the other man before brushing the curtain to the bedroom aside, disappearing into the dark.

“You’re welcome…Link.”
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