LoZ:The Eye and the Flame

“When you told me that we were going to go mountain climbing, Death Mountain wasn’t on my list.” Faten said as they guided their horses through the canyons heading towards the village. The orange and brown colors glowed perfectly with the afternoon sun and she could imagine the tones and hues it would take on when the sun was starting to set. It reminded her a little of the desert and how the sand would reflect the sun’s time.

“No?” Link teased as he tugged on Epona’s reins. The poor red horse wanted to move faster than Link was letting her. She was always so used to running to place to place, galloping across Hyrule plains in order to reach the destination swiftly. Now that there was a bit of peace and quiet, the need to gallop only came on whims. Right now, Link was in no mood for a race. Especially against Faten and her horse Sun. “You were thinking of meeting Yetis then?”

Faten shivered, her brown skin gathering goosebumps at the thought of seeing nothing but pure white frost and feeling her blood freeze. “No.”

“Those are the only mountains,” Link shook his head fondly, his blonde hair hit gently across his face. “Of course, if I was planing a trip to the desert, I would’ve just said that we were going to go rolling in the desert wastes.”

“Rolling,” Faten repeated, rolling her gold eyes. “I like your style.”

“Honestly I thought it’d be fun to meet everyone back in Kakariko. Malo must be doing well with his shop. He’s expanding again, probably out of Hylian bounds.” Link told her. “Since this is homestead, I thought I’d see how he’s doing.”

“Malo was a little boy from your village right?” Faten questioned. “It must be strange for someone so young to be so successful.”

“His parents were very successful at being businessmen and women.” Link shrugged. “To me this is just probably his calling. Collin is training to be a knight.”

“Aw,” Faten gave him a sickly sweet look that made the hair on the back of his neck stand. “You’re flattered that he took you as inspiration.”

“I’m proud of him,” Link said as they rounded the bend to the entrance of the village. The entire area was covered with mountains and looked like rocks themselves and small houses. The shacks that once stood tall, were preserved in memory. The western feeling of the village didn’t fade as the population boomed. Both Goron and human alike were starting to make their presence known here and the Gorons more than happy to be with humans rather than angry and sullen.  “He’s going to make a great knight. I just worry about him since he’s so gentle.”

“Maybe that’s his good luck charm. May the Sand Goddess and your Goddesses meet him and honor him.” Faten replied.

“I do hate it when you give that speech,” Link muttered. “You make it sound like a farewell.”

“It is and it isn’t.” Faten shrugged. “Though in your line of work I thought it rude not to give you a small goodbye formality.”

“So you didn’t have any faith in me. Midna told me that you were distrusting.”

“I was distrusting of your abilities. I knew Arbiter Grounds wasn’t a playground.” Faten shrugged. “Considering that used to be my hide away for a little while.”

“With the ghosts and the mice and the-“

“I’ll have you know that mice don’t bother me and I didn’t see ghosts that was all you and your goddesses.” Faten sniffed. “All I saw was a rundown building with a bunch of quicksand and mummies that really move slow but can pack a punch.”

“It amazes me how you live.”

“It amazes me that-oh hello.” Faten’s eye caught two people wearing blue and silver. One of them blonde and the other pink, both of them wearing braids. The girl was shorter than the man, and the man looked to be a little more muscular. The clothes that these two strangers were wearing didn’t leave much in the way of imagination when it came to their muscle and their bodies, but left plenty for her to chew on.

“Please, goddesses, don’t scare these two off.” Link groaned. “They’re probably from another land and is just visiting this one.”

“Even more of a reason to say hello?” Faten questioned, arching her eyebrow at Link.

“Your hello is a kiss and a make out session.” Link wouldn’t forget how she said her hello to him. A kiss that made the hero blush down to his toes and endless innuendos on how to get into her bed. It was just enough that he knew she was joking, but dear god did she enjoy making him blush.

“You are Queen Zelda’s Ambassador now.” She teased him. “It’s practically duty for you to go over there.”

“Yes, but not you.”

“Oh come ON!” Faten shouted as Link spurred Epona into a fast trot to leave her behind and get to the two in blue quickly.

Kakariko Village was small compared to Castle Town, but it made Asami smile at how quiet and peaceful the settlement was. The wind was gentle and the entire village was so close to the mountains, and there was a small pond near the entrance with a beautiful waterfall. She had just recently started traveling throughout Hyrule with Sheik who had taken her under his wing in hopes of learning more of her past, as well as trying to make a name for herself with her song and dance. In truth, the pink-haired woman had no recollection of who she was, or where she was from. However, the only hint she had was a pendant embedded with the Sheikah emblem which had been on her person since she was a child.

Sheik came into the picture when she was at the young age of eleven, and had dedicated his time and effort into helping the young girl. She didn’t understand why someone who had served in Hyrule Castle would help a commoner such as herself, but it didn’t stop Asami from being forever grateful to him. The blonde Sheikah had decided to bring the young woman to this place in hopes of getting her away from the bustling city and the judging eyes of the Hylians that lived there. He could understand what it meant to be an outcast in society, and he saw himself in Asami in a way.

“Does it trouble you?” He spoke up gently to the pink-haired female, who had been fiddling with the pendant around her neck.

She glanced up at the older man with a soft smile, shaking her head. “Not anymore.” She answered honestly, slowly moving her hand to the side and away from her necklace. “I was just thinking on how peaceful this place is. I’ve never seen so many Gorons before. Also, I am a little nervous…”

“There is no need to be; everyone here is very welcoming.” He tried to reassure her, earning a small nod from the young woman.

It still didn’t stop her nerves from getting to her… As she was about to ask her mentor a question, she heard the sound of hooves hitting the ground and a shout which caused her to turn her head to see a man clad in green and a bright red haired woman struggling to catch up to him. She was fearful at first when his horse reached them, but Sheik placed a reassuring hand on Asami’s shoulder to help her relax.

Link was a little taken aback at how young the pink haired girl was. She had to be at least two years younger than he was, maybe more, or perhaps that was just a baby-face. Link was often told that he looked older than he really was due to stress and fighting that wore down his skin prematurely. What really took him off guard wasn’t just the age, but the red eyes. “I thought Impaz was the last one?” He wanted to kick himself. “I’m sorry, that was rude. I’ve been hanging out with my companion for too long. My name’s Link, Queen Zelda’s Ambassador. I saw your clothes and I thought you were travelers from another land. I’m sorry for making a rash thought.”

Asami couldn't help but tilt her head to the side in confusion, but immediately shrugged it off mentally once she heard his apology. "No, no...! That's all right. It's an honor to meet you," she smiled with a polite bow of her head. "I'm Asami, and this is Sheik." She introduced once she turned to the blonde, who bowed his head as well.

"I don't believe we met properly, but it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Link." He smiled.

"Um... If you do not mind me asking..." Asami soon spoke up, tilting her head to the side again. "Who is Impaz?" She asked, blinking a few times which caused her mentor to hold back a soft chuckle.

"She's a Sheikah who lives in the Hidden Village right behind Kakariko." Faten explained as she rode up next to Link, giving him a look. “Oh, you’re cute.” She grinned at Sheik. “I bet your devilishly handsome underneath the mask.”

“Can you stop harassing men you see?” Link hissed at her. “Their tribe used to be connected to the Royal Family.” He turned back to Sheik and Asami, “I’m no longer certain if that’s your goal or not. Of course, I’m not here to force you into anything.” He said quickly. “Mostly I was just trying to be welcome committee.”

“You shouldn’t try dear,” Faten grinned in a feral manner. “You should let me handle the welcomes and you do the Hero thing you normally do.”

“And scare them off?”

“Now you /are/ rude.” Faten mock-gasped, putting her hand over her heart and she winked over at the Sheikah. “Don’t mind him, he’s not as awkward as he makes himself out to be when he’s using his sword.”

“Oh my goddesses, please stop talking.”

Asami blinked a few times as she noticed her mentor try so hard not to act embarrassed, but the blush on his face said otherwise. He was definitely not used to the attention, and he glanced to the side awkwardly with a small cough. The pink-haired female couldn't help but laugh at the interaction between the woman and Link, seeing their looks of confusion.

"Ah, forgive me." She giggled, smiling brightly at them. "It's just... The way you two act around each other makes me think that you're very good friends."

“Awww!” Faten jumped off of her golden horse and hugged Asami. “You’re so adorable! Link I want her!”

“You’re not stealing her Faten.” Link jumped off of Epona to help Asami get her off. “Steal a man and have your own daughter if your so desperate.”

“No, I want her as a sister.” Faten pouted.

“You need blood for that,” Link deadpanned. “And I know how whiney you get when you scrape your knee.”

Her cheeks flooded with color and Link turned to Asami. “She is a friend,” he said with a smile. “As unorthodox as this is, she’s a good person. She’s just vulgar and that comes from her blood more than anything. Her name is Faten.”

“The Last of the Gerudo.” Faten grinned. “So I’m a rarity.”

“You’re something.” Link agreed.

The young girl's face turned bright red as she was suddenly pulled into a tight hug, eyes wide ever so slightly. As she listened in to their conversation and was free from Faten's clutches, a soft smile creased her lips. "Family doesn't always end with blood, you know." She stated, then tilted her head to the side again.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Faten." Sheik spoke up after remaining silent for a while, smiling behind his mask before noticing that Asami was fixated on Epona.

"Such a beautiful horse..." She mused.

"She's a good breed." Link grinned as he walked over to the horse. "This is Epona. Named after an Goddess of a lands far away. I don't recall what inspired the name really. She was born in Ordon and I got her when I started working at the ranch."

"He's going to gush about that horse when he could be gushing about a cute companion," Faten frowned as she placed her hands on her hips, watching her friend and Sheik's underling. She decided to try her hand at striking up a conversation. "What brings you here to Kakariko? The Hidden Village or something else?"

A soft giggle left her lips as she stroked Epona's muzzle, glancing at Link from the corner of her eye. "The name suits her." She beamed.

Sheik smirked behind his mask before turning to Faten as he proceeded to answer her question. "Asami has never been outside of Castle Town before, so I decided to have her travel here with me. I have business to attend with the elder here about the Hidden Village." He explained.

“I think so too,” Link beamed. “Perhaps sometime you and I can ride together. It’ll be fun and Hyrule Field is large enough for a race. Do you mind if I ask you where you’re from? You have the same type of accent Faten does. Castle Town?”

“Funny you say that,” Faten blinked, looking over at Sheik. “I live in Castle Town. I guess it’s so busy, I never caught sight of any of you. Ah, but a Shiekah’s never seen, right?” She shook her head. “We were also going visit Rando. And I suppose climb up a mountain.” She made a face. “I’m supposing the business is private, though I think Link’s going to manage to get himself in the middle of it, regardless of what happens.”

"I would like that very much." She smiled in return, before shaking her head at his question. "I don't mind at all! I was raised in Castle Town most of my life, and my Papa took me in when I was a child." She looked down for a moment before continuing to speak. "To be honest, I have no memory of where I'm originally from, or who I really am. I was found in the streets of Castle Town when I was only five years old. I can't remember anything before that."

Sheik nodded once before he chuckled softly at her last statement. "It's not really private, but I do have questions regarding Asami's past." He answered, watching the two interact.

"Isn't she one of you?" Faten questioned. "Don't you share the same history? If it was me, and I found someone who cannot remember who they are and they looked like me, I'd give them my past for it's no longer mine to keep."

Link clicked his tongue sympathetically. "Hopefully you'll find answers, or if you can't that you'll be content with the future that you'll build. You know, it's a shame that I no longer have it, but there as a Rod I used to help Ilia and her memories. I think I can go back to the City to retrieve it...or did it go back to the Temple of Time?"

"That she is, but for some reason, she has lost her memory of who and what she is. She was only a child when she was found by her caretaker." Sheik explained, then turned to her with his arms crossed over his chest. "You make a good point, though. I suppose I should have explained everything to her, but just as I was about to, she stopped me." He pondered for a moment, remembering that day as a soft chuckle rumbled from his throat. "She's a stubborn one, but she's also very wise, despite her young age."

"It's all right." Asami smiled reassuringly at him, shaking her head before going back to giving Epona attention. "As much as I want to know what happened in my past... I don't feel as if it's necessary. I love my life just the way it is, and I don't want to let the thought of my lost memories hinder me." She explained, turning to him again with a soft look on her face.

“I think that it’s a good way of looking at things,” Link remembered how held-back he was when Illia had lost hers. He had felt like she had lost everything dear, and how he struggled to get it back. Since she was from Castle Market, and seemed to have a care-taker, it was possible she wouldn’t have remembered anything beyond that. He could barely remember what he was like when was five besides always running around and climbing trees. “I’m kind of surprised that I never seen you or Sheik around in the Castle.” Certainly he would have come across them sooner or later when he was a wolf or human. “Were you not here a few years ago?”

“How old is she now?” Faten questioned, her hands that were on her hips were now crossed over her chest. The cloth that covered them slid down a bit to show more of her cleavage, but she didn’t bother to hike it up. It was annoying to always deal with it. “She seems to be about my age at the very least. It’s weird, to think that I’ve lived in Castle Town all my life, and never seen a hair of her.”

Asami thought for a moment before turning to him. "That surprises me too... Though, I was outside of Castle Town with Sheik at that time. He was helping me learn how to defend myself." She explained.

"She's currently 21 years old." Sheik answered, glancing at her from the corner of his eye before averting his gaze nervously, clearing his throat. "A few years ago, I took Asami out to train, in case anything were to happen."

“There’s been unease ever since the Twilight War.” Faten agreed, squatting down since she knew she was going to be here a while. Her legs were powerful and she was able to stay there for a long as she needed. Her arms folded around her knees a she watched her friend talk to Asami. “Though Link’s Ambassador to Queen Zelda, we’re still waiting to see the after effects of the war. Midna closed off the Twilight Relam. Whether for good or bad, we don’t know. But there’s always someone in Hyrule that’s looking of the throne. Not to mention, Zelda’s in position to marry. It’s a heavy topic around the dinner table.”

“Explains a lot,” Link agreed. “Probably for the best too. I shouldn’t be keeping you or your mentor from talking to Renado. He should be in his house unless he’s overseeing something with the Goron Elder.”

"I can imagine that being the case." Sheik agreed. "I have heard from the townsfolk about Queen Zelda's position, but that's all I know."

Asami looked a little disappointed at first, but shook it off before smiled tenderly at Link. "Of course... I hope we can talk again." She giggled, petting Epona's muzzle one last time before bowing politely to the hero and then walking over to her mentor.

Faten stood up, using her legs more or less rather than her hands in order to get up. “We’re done?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “I was promised a mountain hike.”

“Another time,” Link promised, coming over to them and turning his attention to Sheik. “Renado should be in his house, which is towards the entrance of the Hidden Village. If you already tried there, then he may be talking to the Goron Elder, they normally meet up at the Hot Springs. Though if you find you need help with anything, I have free time mostly.”

Sheik nodded once and bowed his head in thanks. "I appreciate your assistance, Link. Thank you." He smiled behind his mask before turning to Asami. "Shall we?" He asked her, earning a nod in response. "I hope we meet again." His statement and gaze was aimed at Faten before both Sheikah proceeded to leave while Asami glanced back at them with a smile on her face.

“If Fate made us meet once, then we’ll meet again.” Faten murmured as she waved to Asami and watched them go.

“It makes me wonder about the history,” Link agreed. “Why they’re coming back and why the Hidden Village needs to be talked about.”

“Didn’t Impaz pass along? While she’s the only one remaining in the Hidden Village, Kakariko was once a Sheikah home town wasn’t it?” Faten questioned.

“I don’t know, I wasn’t educated. Most I know is rumors and what Queen Zelda implied. I mostly got mixed up in this because of Midna.”

“I suppose it’s going to come down whether or not Renado welcomes them into the village, gives them the Hidden Village, and what Queen Zelda has to say. I’m guessing you’re going to go back to the Castle and telling Queen Zelda about their return?”

“There’s only two of them, we can’t exactly say it’s a return.” Link frowned. “And I think she should know.”

“You have a lot more faith in the Royal Family than I do.” Faten grinned but it didn’t match her eyes. “I’ll ride with you to the Hyrule Market.”
()
Telma's Bar was busy as usual, and today, Asami had decided to help with entertaining the guests with her music and dance. It had been a while since she had performed for the people of Castle Town, but whenever she did, it brought the Sheikah so much joy. After a few songs, the young woman took a seat by the bar and wiped the small drops of sweat away from her face. She soon noticed a familiar redhead and a bright smile lit up her face, waving to her once the older woman turned in her direction.

Faten had listened to the Sheikah sing, enjoying the soothing tunes and the playing of her violin had charmed everyone around. Not many people here played music, but it was wonderful when an instrument was brought to the stage. Tonight, of course, had been extremely busy as well, she had caught sight of a few members of the Resistance team from way back then. When the girl finally sat down and waved, Faten took that as her cue to bring her a drink and to chat. “How did your meeting go with Renado?” She asked as she slid the drink in front of Asasmi. Tonight, the Gerudo woman was wearing a dark purple skirt that was split on the sides, cutting up high to her hips, and she basically wore a bra-shaped top that had a few clay beads sewn on the ends. Her wrists had dark gold cuffs and attached was a sheer purple fabric. Half of her face this time, was covered, but with solid color. “I’m surprised you recognized me when I’m in my work clothes.”

"It went well, I think. Sheik did most of the talking, though." She smiled, taking a sip of her beverage before setting the glass down back onto the counter. "Your hair and eyes gave it away," she laughed softly. "You look beautiful by the way."

"Thanks." Faten smiled as she slid into the chair across from her. "What was the meeting about exactly?"

"It was mostly friendly conversation at first, but then the topic changed to something much more ominous..." She started, looking down at her glass briefly. "Sheik believes that something's coming... Something bad. He kept mentioning on having strange dreams."

Her lips pursed as she folded her arms and leaned against the table. She wondered if Queen Zelda had the same dreams, or if it was just Sheik. The Goddesses rarely would send a Sheikah a message that wasn’t interpreted by the Queen first. Then again, she couldn’t claim to know what the goddesses would do. Sh was no expert, even if she was raised to believe in them. “That sounds…interesting. Where’s Sheik now?”

"He's currently at the Castle talking with Queen Zelda. From what I was told, she's been having the same dreams." She answered, running a hand through her pink locks. "I'm worried, to be honest."

Undoubtedly Link was there too, since he was Zelda's right hand Hero and all. "Well, if Queen Zelda decides to send Link, then everything should be fine." She stood up and pushed her chair in. "After all, he's the one you go to when scary dreams start to become prophecy. If Queen Zelda's have those dreams too, well, she shrugged, "then at least we know that the danger is real and we can be better prepared for it. I'm going to assume that poor Link is going have to go on a quest though. I'm wondering if he's going to want a proper guide this time," she grinned at Asami like she knew a secret. "Maybe that guide could be you."

Asami blinked a few times as she listened to Faten's words, tilting her head to the side until she saw her grin. Her crimson eyes widened slightly as her face flushed a soft shade of pink, realization clicking in an instant. "W-Wait a minute...!" She stuttered, biting her lower lip nervously. "Me...? A guide? But I've never been outside of Castle Town except for that one time...!"

“True,” Faten mused. “But the journey I was talking about isn’t just one to stop evil from brewing. You might be a guide to a different journey. While else would the Goddesses deem you fit to come into the chessboard?” She smiled. “Drink and relax, tomorrow is when will find out what’s to happen. After all, I could be wrong and you’ll be stuck here just like I am.”

Her heart nearly skipped a beat at the thought, realizing immediately what Faten meant. She may have been new to the world, but she wasn't entirely oblivious. Asami's face turned soft as she smiled at the redhead, nodding once as she took another sip of the cool liquid. "I hope you're not wrong..." She said honestly, her smile growing.

Faten just winked, "If you need another drink I'll be around." With that, she left Asami to her thoughts, already going off to the table that raised their empty mugs for her to bring refills for.
~+~

Link’s eyes widened when he saw Shiek kneel in front of Queen Zelda. He hadn’t realized that they were going to meet so soon. He found that he was a little disappointed that Asami wasn’t here with him, and supposed that this was probably for the best. Despite being an Ambassador, Queen Zelda had requested that he stay for the audience, for he was one of the few chosen by fate. Both of them had to hear the problems of Hyrule, and both of them had to know what to do when the time come.

“You may stand Sheik.” Zelda said gently. She was sitting, her sword laying across her lap for fast defense. “You requested to see m because of the dreams, yes?” The guards that normally stood on either side of the throne room, had been dismissed. Though she claimed valor on Link’s part, it was mostly because dreams of prophecy shouldn’t get out of bounds.

"That is correct, Your Majesty." Sheik spoke politely, standing back on his feet once told to do so. "These dreams have been reoccurring almost every night, and I believe something dark is slowly making its way here." He explained.

"Can you tell me what you see in your dream?" Zelda asked, closing her eyes as she took a breath. Another dark moment. Five years of peace was probably more than they could've asked for, after an ordeal like the Twilight War.

With a single nod of understanding, Sheik proceeded to close his eyes as well, trying to recall the vision in great detail. "In the beginning, I saw nothing but darkness. I found myself wandering through the shadows and eventually, I saw the Master Sword in its pedestal at the Temple of Time. A moment after it appeared, I watched in horror as I saw the sacred sword's blade begin to shatter before my eyes."

Link’s heart leapt into his throat. He was very attached to the sword, as it helped saved his life more times than he cared to admit. The sword felt like a piece of him, and to think of it shattered was heartbreaking and terrifying. The sword itself was supposed to be the Bane against Evil. Something extremely powerful would have to be able to shatter the scared blade.

Zelda nodded, as if this was not a surprise. “My dream is similar but the sword wasn’t in it. Darkness and a storm brewing on the horizon. Oddly though, this dream’s horizon didn’t begin in the desert like so many of my dreams seem to. All I know, is that it begins within the mountain ranges. Whether that’s Death Mountain or Snow Peak, I’m unclear. Considering that you have the same dreams, it’d be wise to speculate that it’s coming from Kakariko. I remember a violin and a flute playing. Whoever holds those instruments, are going to be needed in this journey.”

Convincing Faten about it, would be interesting. “So bring our companions to the Scared Grove? The Master Sword and getting to it first should be the first step.” Link frowned.

“My thoughts too.” Zelda turned to her Ambassador. “It appears you’re going to have to go back to being the Hero you once were. Thankfully, this time you have allies traveling with you.”

The dungeons were going to be killer if he was going to have to traverse the temples.

Sheik's heart nearly sank at the mention of the violin, knowing very well that his pupil, Asami, was the one who could play it. He didn't want to put her into danger, but he knew had little choice in the matter. "I will begin preparations at once, Your Majesty." He spoke, bowing his head.

"You may call me Zelda, Sheik." Zelda smiled warmly. "After all, a long time ago, your family used to serve mine. You don't have to be so formal, or at least, use a title if you need to. You're welcome to always come back to the castle, should you and your student need rest." She turned to Link. "You might as well go with and keep company."

"As you wish." Link smiled as he walked away from Zelda's side and next to Shiek's.

He smiled behind his mask and nodded once. "Thank you, Zelda. You are too kind." He said, then turned to Link before they both left the throne room.
()
The next day, everyone was packing and getting ready to go. Weapons were brought and sharpened throughout the night as well as provisions, clothes, bottle of potions that were possibly needed for healing. Link had decided to get more oil for his lantern, as well as some other supplies like bombs and such for there was no possible idea of how long they were going to be gone, and what all were needed.

They were at the bar, silently packing their bags. The air was heavy with thought and dread. Faten didn’t know what was going on, just that she was needed to go with them. She didn’t ask questions about it, just like she didn’t ask questions when she helped the Resistance group. She wasn’t certain what help she was going to be of, considering that she wasn’t born and raised beyond the boundaries besides the desert. Her strength didn’t lie in anything more than thievery, and Link was sometimes a bit too honest to use that side.

Then again, they weren’t sure of what underhanded nor noble tactics were needed.

Asami had finished packing as well as Sheik, and the tension in the air made the young Sheikah uncomfortable. Biting her lip, she watched the group pack their things with such serious looks on their faces. With a heavy sigh breaking the silence, she put on an expression filled with determination and stood straight, hands clenched into fists.

"Before this becomes even more uncomfortable..." She paused briefly, glancing the three figures who turned their attention to her. "Why don't we try to lift our spirits somehow? I realize how important this mission is, and that I shouldn't be taking it lightly. However, I hate this air of dread and tension... I want us to at least leave feeling more positive, more confident. Even if it doesn't last...." She paused, her serious expression fading into a soft smile. "I want to at least depart with a smile on my face."


The three of them exchanged a look with each other, and Link was the one who spoke up. “What do you have in mind?”

Asami thought for a brief moment, her gaze hitting the ground before she looked up at everyone once more. "I remember a song that the castle guards and soldiers would sing together whenever they came to bar. I was told by one of them that if there was a situation when everything seems to be out of reach, it would give them hope. It would help raise their spirits, you know?" She explained, then looked at her feet to see the surprised looks on their faces. "Ah... It must sound very silly but..."

"I think that's a wonderful idea." Sheik spoke up with a smile that was hidden behind his mask.

Asami's face lit up with a bright smile once Sheik gave her his approval, soon taking out her violin and placing it on her shoulder before beginning to play a gentle yet upbeat melody, one that made her dance to the music. After a moment of letting the sound of her violin fill her ears, she began to sing, a smile forming against her glossy pink lips.

Faten recognized the song as a very much requested pub song by anyone who knew the words and knew an instrument to play. While she played her violin, Faten took out her flute to play the melody behind the strings. It brought in the flavor of the song, and a melody to dance to while the strings took care of the voices.

“Lift MaCahir Og your face,
You’re brooding o’er you’re old disgrace
That black FlitzWilliam stormed your place,
He sent you the fern.” Link sang, recognizing the song for what it was and grinned. He couldn’t play any instruments what so ever. Grass flutes didn’t count for they were easy to make. However, singing was a great joy of his.

"Grey said victory was sure
Soon the firebrand he'd secure;
Until he met at Glenmalure
With Feach MacHugh O'Byrne." Asami's gentle yet strong voice sang the next part of the verse, a grin on her face as she continued to play her instrument while swaying to the playful beat.

"Curse and swear Lord Kildare,
Feach will do what Feach will dare
Now FitzWilliam, have a care
Fallen is your star, low.
Up the halberd out with sword,
On we’ll go for by the lord
Fitch MacHugh has given the word,
Follow me up to Carlow.” Together the three of them sang, Shiek’s low voice mingling with the two of theirs. He chucked as he watched his pupil dance to the song.

It was funny that Sheikah would know a popular pub song from Hyrule, but cultures seemed to mix no matter what and where. Perhaps it was a Sheikan song before it was anything else. Or maybe his travels had taken him to places that he heard the song from. Whatever it was, Faten wasn’t going to deny that he had a good voice.

Sheik took over the next four lines. “From Tassagrat to Clonmore,
There flows a stream of Saxon gore,
Oh great is Roy Og M’More,
At sending loons to Hades.”

"White is sick and Lane is fled,
Now for black FitzWilliam's head." Asami sang the next part of the verse with her eyes wide and bright, allowing her body to sway with the flow of the music. She couldn't help but admire Link's voice, and it made her face flush a bright pink. 

It had been a long time since she allowed herself to let loose and thoroughly enjoy herself like this. Despite loving to perform in general, she always became nervous and would hesitate. However, Asami felt more comfortable and relaxed with Sheik, Link and Faten around. She didn't have to please anyone; she could just be herself.

“We’ll send it over, dripping red,
To Liza and her ladies.” Link was glad that the air of animosity was changing into something more pleasant and easy to breathe in. He had forgotten how music could soothe the soul.

The three of them launched into the chorus together twice more.


"See the swords of Glen Imayle,
Flashing o'er the English pale,
See all the children of the Gael." Asami sang the first few lines of the last verse, realizing they were reaching the end of the song. She grinned again as she continued to play, soon hearing her mentor sing the last phrases.

"Beneath O'Byrne's banners,
Rooster of the fighting stock,
Would you let a Saxon cock,
Crow out upon an Irish rock,
Fly up and teach him manners." After those lines, the three of them sang the chorus one last time before the violin and flute’s melody faded into silence.

“There we go.” Faten grinned as she pulled the flute away from her lips and her tongue darted out to wet them. She walked back over to her pack and tucked it in. “That’s a good song to get the blood pumping and some excitement going. Though I’m surprised you two know that song. Well, maybe not you, Asami, but definitely Shiek.”

Sheik chuckled softly and turned to Faten with a small smirk crossing his lips, which was hidden behind his mask. "I have been to many lands, so I have learned a few things during my travels. That song was one of them." He said.

"Have either of you ever been to Ordon?" Link questioned curiously.

"I have heard of it, but never been there." Asami answered with a shake of her head.

"I have been there only once, and it's a lovely village." Sheik spoke up, turning to the hero. "Why do you ask?"

"Mostly because in order to get to the Scared Grove, we have to go through Ordon, my home village." Link shrugged with a bit of a smile on his face. “Other part of it was out of curiosity. I know Faten hadn't been there yet either."

Asami nodded once in understanding, a smile creasing her lips once more. "It will be nice for you to be able to see your home and friends again." She said, suddenly curious about his village. "What's it like there?"

Link hummed as he finally heaved his pack over his shoulder, his replacement sword for the Master Sword was already on his back, crossed behind his shield. He ran his gloved fingers through his hair as he thought for a moment on how to explain Ordon. “It’s a village that’s surrounded by a river and has a ranch on top of the hill.” He said after a moment. “There’s a lot of trees and shade, and we’re near Faron woods, which is a dark forest that just recently was purified of the poison gas that had been surrounding the meadow for some time. Somewhere in between there, is where the Scared Grove is. We have to climb trees and maybe play with the Skull Kid if we’re going to get through there again.”

“Skull…kid?” Faten questioned, looking over at Link curiously as she too tossed her back over her shoulder.

“They’re called skull kids. He kind of looks like a scarecrow. Apparently he takes it upon himself to be one of the guardians to block the way of the Master Sword.” Link’s face grew troubled. “I really hope that he’s going to be alright.”

Asami found that she had placed a hand on Link's arm in reassurance, a soft look in her eyes. She didn't know what to say to make him feel better, or to make the troubled look on his face to fade away. All she knew is that seeing him look sad in any way made her chest ache.

Sheik watched this with a small smile. "I'm sure your friend will be just fine." He reassured, patting the hero's shoulder gently.

"Let's head out," Faten smiled brightly as Link took in the assurances of their new companions. "Before we lose the air of humor back into melancholy."
~+~
The journey to Ordon Village wasn't as long as Asami believed it would be. It was much faster on horseback, and it gave the female Sheikah a chance to admire the beauty of the wilderness that surrounded her. Once they reached Faron Woods, the pink-haired female heard a rustle in the brush, turning her head to the sound with a confused look on her face.

The group had stopped for a moment to rest, and Asami was providing water for the horses at the lake. She heard the sound in the brush again, and when she turned her head to the other direction this time, what appeared a scarecrow appeared before her, causing a small scream to leave her lips and she fell backwards onto the grass.

The kid burst into childish laughter, his gangly arms practically touching the ground as he looked at her. He had freakishly orange eyes and a wide smile that looked as if it was sewed on. He wore clothes that looked like something a witch would wear, including his orange hat. In one hand, he carried a lantern that was sunlight since it was daylight, and the other held a trumpet. He placed his trumpet to his lips and blew out a song that brought down at least three puppets in front of him. They were much bigger than the skull kid, and took on his appearance besides his height and shoulders. The puppets also carried a lantern, but instead of a trumpet, they had bats. They quickly got into position and began gliding towards Asami, readying to hit her.

“Oi!” Link quickly got to Asami before the puppets could attack her, his sword drawn as he attacked the three puppets. The skull kid’s smile didn’t fade, just laughed again. "Are you alright Asami?" Link asked, turning to look at her over his shoulder.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine. Thank you..." She nodded as she stood back up on her feet quickly, looking up at him with frightened eyes. "Is this the Skull Kid you were talking about?" She asked, looking up to see the child near her face again, causing a small squeak to leave her as she staggered away from him to press her back against Link's.

The child laughed again, delighted in her reactions. Link only could pinch his nose. After the first few runs of being in the Scared Grove, the Skull Kid no longer attacked him on sight, and was quite playful towards him. It also helped that the small villager kids, mostly Collin, and his baby sister, were allowed to come through and play.

“You don’t have to hurt her,” Link said, putting the sword away as he turned around, his chest going against Asami’s back. The closeness made him blush, but he tried to look firmly at the Skull Kid. “She’s here with me along with two others.”

The Skull Kid’s head tilted. Link was certain that if his face could move and show expression, it would be one of confusion. “Really?” The kid asked.

“Really.” Link said firmly. “This is Asami, she’s-“

“Termina!” The Skull Kid exclaimed. “That’s why I know you! You smell like the Sheikah boy I pranked on when I was possessed a long time ago.”

"Termina...?" Asami's eyes widened slightly as she tilted her head to the side, her frightened state immediately vanishing into an expression of curiosity and confusion. "I'm afraid I don't...understand. I don't recall any place by that name." She looked down with a thoughtful look on her face, trying to remember what the Skull Kid meant. Before she asked further, a small yelp left her as a hand ran through her hair, a sharp pain spiking through her head.

“You okay?” Link asked as he looked down at her concerned. Skull Kid had even walked closer to her, as if worried, but staying far much like a child who wanted to be close, but knew that space was needed for someone who was hurting.

She bit her lip lightly before she felt the pain fade away, nodding once at Link's question. "Yes... I was just trying to remember this Termina, but then I felt a very sharp pain in my head." She explained.

“I haven’t ever heard of this place,” Link admitted. “I don’t know where it is, or anything of the sort.” He looked at the Skull Kid. “If I take you to our friends, will you guide us through the forest?”

“Can’t.” Skull Kid’s expression didn’t waver, but his body posture indicated being very upset. “I failed.”

“What?” Link’s heart shattered.

Asami went wide eyed at the news, looking up at Skull Kid with a worried look on her face. "What do you mean...? Is the Sacred Grove..." She didn't dare finish the sentence, seeing the Skull Kid lower his head. She clutched her hands into fists before turning to Link. "We have to hurry...!"

Link nodded swiftly and helped Asami gather the horses back. The Skull Kid followed, shuffling behind them with awkward limbs. He skipped away from the horses, clearly not liking them for some reason or another, and followed them towards the small group.

“We have to go to the grove and we have to go now.” Link said as he quickly mounted Epona. “There’s really no time to explain what’s going on.”

“Grove is no longer mine,” Skull Kid didn’t seem to understand the concept of emergency or importance. “It’s not mine to protect anymore. I failed.”

“You didn’t fail, you tried your best.” Link assured, but it was hasty. “Come on.”

Once mounted on her own horse, Asami watched Sheik and Faten do the same before they galloped to the Sacred Grove, with the Skull Kid not far behind. Once they reached it, the pink-haired female's eyes widened in horror, halting her horse as well as everyone else. "No...!"

The forest looked as if it had decayed over the last few centuries. The grass and the trees that stood tall and proud, were dying and grey. The stone walls seemed to have cracks, and the air was thick. As they walked through, Link noticed the water being slowly poisoned with the same purple substance that the forest once held. Every room they walked through showed worse for wear. The dirt underneath the horses’s hooves was sinking and unfertilized. The minute they got to the area where the Temple of Time and the Master Sword was located, Link saw the barrier that blocked their pathway.

The Skull Kid walked up over to the barrier. For a moment, Link was hopeful that the Skull Kid was going to be able to break it, but it didn’t seem that was the case. The Skull Kid looked back at Link, almost mournfully. “Sword broken.”

“….FUCK!” Link shouted, making everyone jump and Epona to dance in place. He jumped off of the horse angrily and walked over to the barrier. There had to be away to get rid of it. If the sword was broken, and wasn’t in the pedestal anymore, then that meant this was someone highly skilled.

The Skull Kid had leapt back, towards Sheik and was nervously titling his head from side to side, shifting his limbs in a nervous manner as Link was trying his hardest to think of a way to get through the barrier.

Faten quietly got down from her horse and walked over to Link. “Not now Faten.” He snapped.

“What are you planning to do then, Hero-boy.” The nickname sounded mocking. “Stare at the barrier until you figure out that what you need is the sword?”

“The swords broken.”

“Swords can be repaired, including the one the Goddesses made.” Faten folded her arms and shifted her hips in a manner that would’ve been seductive, but not with her expression and not the way she stiffened her back. “Your thinking with your heart, not your head.”

“Damn it,” Link whirled around to her. “Then what the hell do you suggest we do?!”

“We go to Kakariko Village. We find out where the evil winds are coming from.” Faten replied calmly. “Perhaps even a respite to the desert can clear your head. Let’s think. How many pieces do you think the sword broken into? My thoughts say four.” She turned to Sheik and Asami. “What’s your estimate?”

Asami placed a hand on the Skull Kid's shoulder in hopes of calming him down, a sad look on her face as she watched the hero become frustrated with himself. Biting her lip, she mounted off her horse as well as she clutched at her chest where her heart was. "I'd say four or five pieces." She answered, earning a silent nod of agreement from Sheik.

The pink-haired female wanted to say something, anything to help make the pain leave Link, but she glanced down at the dead grass beneath her feet with her hands gripping the sides of her skirt tightly. "I'm so sorry... I know that nothing I say will make this go away, let alone make it any better." She said tenderly, swallowing hard before looking back at him.

"But... I will say this." Asami paused for a moment, her crimson eyes staring into his blue ones. "You're not going to bear the burden alone."

Link watched her for a moment, and finally relented. His shoulders drooping and he looked defeated. “So where do we look?”

“Kakariko first, then we go on a self-spiritual quest.” Faten patted Link’s shoulder. “We’ll get our answers there.” She walked over to her horse and quickly got on it.

Link sighed, knowing that what Faten said was true. He looked back at Asami and gave her a smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Thank you.” He said, gently touching her shoulder as he walked by her and towards the Skull Kid. “I’m sorry Kid, for scaring you.”

“I-“

“You did a lot better than I would have,” Link said fiercely. “But I need you to do something more.” The Skull Kid perked up incredibly at this. “When we leave, shut down the Grove. No one comes in or out unless they’re me.”

“Hide it away?” Skull Kid questioned.

“As best as you can, it’ll be a wonderful game of hide and seek for the two of us.” Link promised and the Skull Kid laughed merrily at the thought. He walked back and mounted on Epona. “Kakariko it is.”

Asami smiled up at him and touched his hand that rested on her shoulder, nodding once before walking back to their horses. As she listened in to Link and the Skull Kid's conversation, the pink-haired female smiled down at the boy before kissing the top of his head gently, hopping up on her horse with a grin. "Next time we see each other, I won't be afraid. We can play a game, okay?" She promised, grinning brightly as he watched him jump for joy before following the others.
()
They returned to Kakariko Village with heavy hearts. The townspeople were busy running to and fro the area that the four travelers were basically invisible. Thankfully, the Shaman of Kakariko was still living near the entrance of the village rather than somewhere behind it like some villages. It made it easier for them to dismount and go up to the door.

A young teenager opened the door. She wore the traditional clothes of the shaman in training, plenty of leather and cotton. Her long black hair was tied up in a braid and she looked at them in surprise. “You came back?”

“We…had a bit of an issue.” Link said, scratching his cheek. “Is Renado here?”

“Yes,” Luda nodded as she opened the door further to welcome them inside. “Father, Link and the Sheikahs are here again.” She called to him as she lead them to the large living room. There were setting mats and a table, it was still as sparse as Link remembered it five years ago.

Renado slowly lifted his head as he heard that his previous guests had returned, standing on his feet before walking over to the group with a soft and welcoming smile. "It's good to see you all again." He said, then blinked a few times at their sorrowful expressions. The elder sat on his knees before them, his brows creased with worry. "You seem very troubled... Tell me what happened."

They sat before him and Link explained the story, Shiek helping, with the dreams and the Queen Zelda’s prediction of the sword. How they hurried to the Scared Grove, only to find that the Master Sword had already met it’s demise. “We’re certain it broke into at least five pieces,” Link ended the story sorrowfully. “We just don’t have any ideas of where to look.”

Renado was silent for a time, then a heavy sigh left his lips. "This is indeed grave news..." He said, his gaze hitting the floor. He thought for a moment, then looked back up at the hero. "You mentioned that it shattered into five pieces. I may know of a way on how to locate them."

Asami lifted her head at the news, turning to Link with hope in her eyes before looking back at the elder. "However," he spoke up again, causing the group to turn back to him. "This will require a few items and a world map. I already have the map, and the items needed are not hard to find, for they're located in this very village. However, the process of locating the pieces of the Master Sword will take time."

"What items are you looking for?" Link asked, his hope rising.

"There are only two items that are needed for this location spell. First, you will need one vial of purified water, which is actually kept by the Gorons of Death Mountain. Though, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to lend it to you, since the source of this water comes from their hot springs." He started. "The second and last item is a pendulum; a crystal that Barnes is holding onto until the time is needed for it."

"There are only two items that are needed for this location spell. First, you will need one vial of purified water, which is actually kept by the Gorons of Death Mountain. Though, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to lend it to you, since the source of this water comes from their hot springs." He started. "The second and last item is a pendulum; a crystal that Barnes is holding onto until the time is needed for it."   

Well that wasn’t too hard. Link stood up and looked at Asami. “Want to come with? It shouldn’t take me that long, Sheik and Faten can stay here or wander around a bit while I talk to the Gorons and Barnes.”

Her eyes lit up at the offer and she nodded eagerly, a grin on her face. "Of course!" She said, standing on her feet before bowing her head in thanks to Renado before following Link to the outside.

Sheik chuckled softly as he watched them leave. "Despite these dark times, I'm surprised that Asami can stay so positive." He noted.

“Someone has to be, don’t they?” Faten questioned, putting her elbow on the table and leaning her hand against it. She leaned sideways so she could talk to Sheik. She knew that she was putting her body on display, but it was more modest than she normally would. Besides, she wasn’t wearing the split skirt this time, but a good pair of purple pants with a red sash tied around the waist. There was really nothing sexy about it, unless her chest counted. “Link is also cheerful, considering he holds more hope than any of us put together. Makes him a better Hero.”

"True enough." Sheik smiled behind his mask, turning to the Gerudo woman. He couldn't deny that she was beautiful to him, but he soon turned his gaze to the side with a small shade of red painted his cheeks.

"I see you blushing," Faten couldn't help but to tease as she shifted closer, grinning at him. "So do you mind if I ask you something, Sheik? I thought that the Sheikah tribe had died out centuries ago. Where are you from?"

His face grew into an even darker shade of red at her statement, clearing his throat lightly. Damn it, he thought to himself. "I don't mind." He said, gazing at her from the corner of his eye. "I was born and raised in Termina, but then I came to Hyrule at a young age."

Faten nodded her agreement, "I was born and raised in the desert. I had to hide in Hyrule Market for a long time before I was safe to come out. I suppose I'm a desert rat through and through; I can't get over the greenery. Places like Kakariko is a little closer to home."

"I can understand that." He chuckled softly. "Everyone back at Castle Town would give me looks of suspicion and uncertainty. I suppose you can say they still do. I have grown accustomed to it by now, but I wish I could say the same for Asami."

"Considering that it's been years and years since a Sheikah freely roamed around Hyrule, I can see why the suspicions will grow." Faten huffed as she pushed her hair off her shoulder. "Is Asami being treated badly?"

"Many of the people back at Telma's bar have been very kind to her so far. However, I can tell that some of the folk that come and go, mostly people her age, are putting on fake smiles. I have noticed that once she's got their back turned or her attention is diverted to someone else, they spread rumors." He explained, a heavy sigh leaving his lips. "It pains me to see that most people are not taking the chance to get to know her. She's a sweet girl, but she's oblivious to the cruelty that is aimed at her."

"Words can damage anyone's soul." Faten agreed, looking upset that Asami was being treated harshly. "I suppose this journey might be a good one for her. She can't always be in a state of oblivion when it comes to her well-being. Maybe being around a hero will help."

"I agree. I suppose all we can do is hope that Asami can learn and grow while on this journey." He said, nodding once. "Besides, I think she's already become attached to Link. It's actually rather adorable." Sheik couldn't help but chuckle at the fact, shaking his head slowly.

“They’re both sickening sweet,” Faten couldn’t help but to agree, a smile on her face. “It’s a good thing though. I know that Link doesn’t show it much, but he’s easily lonely. I know that with him, Asami will grow into a strong person. If she doesn’t, then this journey wasn’t meant for her after all. I can’t imagine the Hyrule Goddesses making that kind of mistake.”

"I hope you are right." He smiled, nodding once before turning to the door where both Link and Asami walked out of. "We'll just have to see for ourselves."
~+~
The pendulum was the easiest item to get, which was probably no surprise. Barnes rarely made him do anything out of his way to get something that technically belonged to Renado. However, the spring water, was going to be a bit harder. Thankfully, he didn’t have to climb Death Mountain for this. The hot springs were just on top of the rooftops of the hotel, it was supposed to be an easy grab at the very least.

Once both Asami and Link reached the rooftops, they noticed a Goron bathing in the hot springs, a long and loud sigh escaping him. "Ahhh... Nothing like bathing in a hot spring to melt away your stress!" The large creature spoke, only to flutter one eye open to see the hero and his friend standing before him, and the elder Goron beamed a bright smile once he recognized the man clad in green.

"Ah, Link! Good to see you!" He called out, waving a giant hand in his direction.

"It's been a while," Link beamed at him. "I would join you if I wasn't so busy, but Renado said that you had a vial of pure water with you? He told me that someone of your clan might have some?"

"Ah, yes! I had heard from a few of my brothers that you were seeking one. Word spreads fast around here; I will never get used to it." He chuckled deeply, soon climbing out of the hot spring and stood before his old friend. "I will give the vial under one condition," he grinned brightly, pounding his fist against his chest proudly. "You must face in a good ol' fashioned sumo wrestling match! Regardless on whether you win or lose, I will be more than happy to give it to you. So, what do you say? It will be just like old times!"


Neither would Link, but he shrugged it off. “Okay.” He was thankful that he still had Bo’s Iron Boots, otherwise this wrestle was going to be over in a jiffy. “Just tell me when and where. I’ll be happy to take your challenge.”

"Excellent!" The Goron elder exclaimed happily, pounding his knuckles together with excitement. "Meet me at the lake near the entrance to the village in one hour. That will give you time to prepare." He requested, then turned to see the pink-haired female and grinned again, leaning in to face the girl before she blinked in surprise, leaning backwards ever so slightly. "Ah, I see you have a companion with you. Quite the beauty, I must say. Is this your mate?" He asked, making the Sheikah blush heavily

“My…?” It took Link a few seconds to figure out what the Elder meant. His cheeks turned scarlet. “Oh no, no. I mean…no. No we’re friends. She’s my traveling companion for this journey along with two others.” He couldn’t deny the Elder was right though, she was gorgeous. However, Link was pretty sure that now wasn’t the time to say anything like that. “Her name is Asami. She’s a Sheikah.”

"Ah, a Sheikah, you say?" He spoke up, lifting her chin to meet her crimson eyes with his tiny ones. "You have a bright spirit, and a kind heart. Never lose sight of what's truly important." He smiled, removing his giant hand only to gently have it rest atop of her head thus earning a small smile from her.

The elder Goron slowly backed and crossed his arms over his chest, nodding twice in approval. "I like her. She'll be a good match for you, Link." He beamed, only to laugh heartily once both their faces turned beet red again. "Remember, meet me in one hour!" He said once he watched Asami grab Link's hand and drag him away in embarrassment, eyes sparkling with amusement.

Link was surprised at how fast she had grabbed his hand, and how soft her hands were. Her finger tips were calloused, mostly from playing the violin and her hold was gentle and kind. He could see her ears turning pink from behind her head, and he had to shake his head in amusement. The Elder Goron, Link wondered what made him think that they were together? “We should bring the pendulum back to Renado. It’ll be one less thing to lose,” he said, tactfully trying to change the subject. As much as he thought her blush was cute, if she blushed anymore he worried that all of the blood would go to her head and pop a vein. “I can hear Faten cat calling me already.”

She couldn't help but laugh softly at his statement, nodding once before she hesitantly let go of his hand. "Agreed." She giggled, staring down at her palm before she pressed her hand close to her heart. She never realized how warm his hand was until her own held it; it brought her comfort. Once they reached Renado's hut, Asami opened the door and looked around to see if Sheik and Faten were still around.

“Aw!” Faten snapped her fingers and their attention went towards where the table was. Her and Sheik looked like they were busy having a conversation, two mugs between. Someone must have gotten tea or something, he wouldn’t have blamed them. “I was hoping you two were going to walk in on a scandalous moment.”

“Faten, I don’t know how to tell you this,” Link did his best to master the disappointed-in-you-look, but he was pretty certain it fell flat from the way Faten’s lips twitched up. “But every waking moment with you is a scandalous moment. You’re going to ruin Asami with your talk.”

“I won’t ruin her!” She placed her hand over her heart. “I’d protect her dear innocence.”

Asami couldn't help but crack a smile at their teasing, tilting her head to the side as she watched them. She found it refreshing that they both could get along so well that they have reached the point of teasing each other. However, it made the young Sheikah a bit jealous.

Sheik snickered lightly as he listened in, shaking his head. "Now, now, you two." He smirked.

“What? You want in on this?” Faten question, pointing between her and Link. “I didn’t mean to neglect you, sweetheart. If you want we could-“

“I am so sorry Asami, but I think Faten’s trying to corrupt your teacher.” Link shook his head from side to side.

Asami covered her mouth to muffle her laughter at her mentor's beet red face, shaking her head. "I don't think he'd mind though..." She giggled, causing the older Sheikah's ears to turn bright red.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye as she grinned sheepishly, holding her hands up in defense.

“Well, I’m guessing you got all the items right?” Faten asked, about to stand up so she could grab Renado.

“About that…” Link knew he was going to regret saying this. “I have to sumo wrestle a Goron to get the-“

“OH MY GODDESS FINALLY!” Faten shouted, jumping up from her half-standing position and punching the air. “I heard so much about that, and I get to see it! You shirtless!”

“It’s surprising how you /haven’t/.” Link said dryly. “You’re going to be worse than the fan girls I had five years ago.”

“What are you talking about? You still have fangirls.” Faten snickered. “You just ignore them since you learned that being polite only gets you more brownie points.”

Asami blushed lightly at the thought of seeing Link shirtless, her heart fluttering against her chest before she shook her head to be rid of such thoughts. Sheik laughed softly at his pupil's reaction and rolled his eyes playfully, standing on his feet as well.

"You wouldn't want to corrupt Asami's mind with such a thought. She'll pass out with all the blushing she's got to deal with." He said, earning a soft glare from her.

"Sheik!!" She let out, causing her mentor to laugh again.

I have an hour or so to get ready," Link sighed. "It's going to be public, so I'm sure almost everyone's going to be there to see."

"Don't worry, we'll get good seats if we leave now." Faten winked.

"You'll do great." Asami reassured the hero with a smile, soon feeling her mentor place his hand on the top of her head. She pouted a little when he ruffled her pink locks, moving his hand away and fixed her hair.
~+~
Rumor spread around very quickly as Link prepared himself. He wore the iron boots and his shirt had been shucked off and folded in Renado’s household. The Goron Elder was there as well, prepared and getting ready for the fight. The villagers who never seen, or probably enjoyed the sport, were surrounding the area at the lake. Faten, Asami, and Shiek had managed to get first row, much to Link’s embarrassment.

“Take a good look, kid.” Faten murmured to Asami. “He’s too modest to do this often. Well, at least around me.”

Asami's face was a bright shade of pink once she heard Faten speak to her, and she couldn't help but stare at Link's well toned body. His skin was tan from constantly being in the sun, and she found herself admiring his muscular arms and chest, even his abdomen. Biting her lip nervously, she fought back the thought of tracing her fingers along his muscles, her face a much darker shade of red now.

Link took a deep breath as he approached the ring, the Elder also entering as well. He could hear whistling and applause, but his mind was completely focused and tuned out the noise. The Elder had to go first, for it was respect and because he was the challenger. When the Elder lifted his leg and stomped on the ground, the resounding thud vibrated through the ring. Link’s stomp wasn’t anywhere near as powerful, and knew he looked quite silly. They got down, low, and when the other Goron referee said to begin, Link moved first grabbing him around the waist.

The Elder staggered backwards slightly once he felt the grip around his waist, soon grabbing Link by the shoulders and pushing him back away from him. He soon shoved him with the palm of his hand, causing the hero to stumble before the Goron took the opportunity to wrap his giant arms around his waist. Moving forward, he pushed Link towards the edge of the ring.

Link shoved him off of him after a good few slaps to the shoulder and tried his best to get the upper hand. Twice they both collided since they had the same idea, and then once more Link had grabbed him and was starting to push the Elder back to the edge.

The Elder's movement came to a halt once he neared the edge, putting all of his body weight into his feet in hopes of grounding himself. Both human and Goron struggled to push one another away, the anticipated cheering growing louder. "You've gotten stronger, Link." The Goron smirked, taking one step forward as he pushed the Hero backwards while they both gripped at each other's shoulders.

Asami watched with wide eyes, hands clasped close to her chest as she watched them. She didn't realize she was holding her breath before she exhaled softly. "Come on, Link...! You can do it!"

Link grunted and with a hard push and putting everything he had into it, he managed to push the Elder off and out of the ring. The sounds of applause and cheers was deafening. He straightened himself up, brushing his hands and waited to see if the Elder was going to call another round.

The Elder fell flat on his bottom once he was out of the ring, rubbing his backside before a hearty laugh left him. "A fine match that was!" He grinned, standing on his feet before he pulled out a vial of the pure hot spring water. "I never go back on my word." He soon tossed the small glass vial to the hero, watching him catch it in his hands.

Asami beamed a bright smile in return once she saw the vial in his hand, jumping up to her feet and rushing down to him along with Faten and Sheik following close behind. "You were great!" She praised.

“Thanks, I’m glad you were cheering me on.” Link beamed at her. “Now we have everything we can get for Renado. It was a good thing to do the wrestling. It took my mind off of the task just a little bit.”

“Because a hot girl was cheering him on,” Faten whispered to Sheik with a snicker.

Her smile grew even brighter as she nodded once in an eager manner. "I agree; it was a good distraction." She said. Even thought it didn't last long, the Sheikah was happy to have been sidetracked from the mission.

"No kidding." Sheik whispered in return to the Gerudo female with a smirk.

“Shall we go back?” Link asked, turning towards Faten and Sheik. He wasn’t sure why, but Faten was looking like a cat that had a prey in it’s grasp and Sheik’s eyes were just playful and filled with mirth.

“Not wiling to keep showing off your body to the public?” Faten teased. “I know Asami wouldn’t mind you staying like that for a while.”

“Modesty.” Link said simply, “A word that is not in your dictionary.”

“And probably never will be,” Faten agreed, faking solemnity.

Asami laughed nervously with bright red cheeks, then turned to Link with an eager look in her eyes. "Let's get going." She beamed, walking back to Renado's hut as she unconsciously grabbed his hand and dragged the hero with her.

Sheik chuckled softly and shook his head, exchanging a nod with Faten before following them.
~+~

"Excellent work, Link." Renado smiled as he received both the pendulum and the vial filled with spring water. "That took little to no time at all. I will get started on the spell right away."

The group was sitting around the world map that was laid on the floor in front of them. The village Shaman soon dipped the pendulum into the pure spring water and held the string that was wrapped around the crystal in between his index finger and thumb, staying completely still. He closed his eyes slowly then began to chant in ancient language, concentrating solely on one specific question: where were the scattered pieces of the Master Sword?

After a short moment, the pendulum began to move, swaying from side to side as the water droplets that soaked the crystal landed on the map in specific areas, catching the group by surprise. Once done, the crystal slowly stopped moving, and Renado slowly fluttered his eyes open and saw the marks on the map.

"It is done." He said simply, taking a brush dipped in black in and marked small X's onto where the drops of water hit the map, revealing their locations.

Three of them were outside of Hyrule’s territory, while the other two were in Hyrule. Not surprisingly, one piece of the Master Sword was hidden way up in the middle of Gerudo Desert, and the other one was in Snow Peak. It looked like it was in between the two worlds. There were two other X’s that looked like they were in a middle of the forest and in the middle of the Termina.

“So most of the pieces were scattered to Termina.” Link frowned as he looked at the map. “Why would the Master Sword go in that direction?”

"I wish I knew the answer..." Sheik frowned as well, eyes narrowed as he started at the map intently. "I believe that whatever did this scattered the three pieces across Termina intentionally." He added.

Asami turned to Link who had a troubled look on his face, and she reached a hand out to touch his shoulder gently. "What do you think we should do...? If we find the pieces in Termina first, we'll be one step closer to finding the other two. But then..." She paused, looking down with her brows furrowed. "If we do that... We leave Hyrule unprotected."

Faten could see the look on Link’s face, it was troubled and doubtful. He was taking Asami’s attitude by the heart. However, before Faten could say anything, he looked at Asami and shook his head. “Without the Master Sword, we’re unprotected.” He finally said. “Besides, I have a feeling that I was never meant to stay in one place.”

“So where do we go first?” Faten asked, straightening up.

“Termina,” Link said after a moment. “Most of the pieces are there. We’ll do a big circle.”

Sheik nodded along with Asami as they all stood on their feet, the pink-haired female taking the map in her hands delicately before looking up at the Hero beside her. He still wore that troubled expression and without as much as a second thought, she leaned up and pressed a soft yet gentle kiss on his cheek, pulling away with a smile once he looked at her.

"That was for good luck... Don't forget, you're not alone in this." She grinned, squeezing his hand gently and reassuringly before letting go.

Termina had to be sparse. So far, they passed through a dense forests and were reaching the edge of the end. In front of them, a huge city with a very tall Clock Tower that over looked across the Termina was spread across the field. There weren’t many people coming and going out of the city, and Faten determined it was because the city had everything that the people could ever want.

Inside the walls, it was filled with people. Children chasing after cuckoos, adults hanging at every side of the street, laughing. The “foyer” of the town had one set of staircases leading up to a hole in the wall, and a small paddy of water towards the tower’s entrance. There were no buildings, but depending on where they went, Faten knew that they would reach where it was mostly populated.

Sheik took this all in like a water off of the duck’s back. Faten was kind of surprised at how easily he slipped through the crowd, no one batting an eye at his appearance or them.

The blonde Sheikah hadn't been in Termina for several years, that it brought back a feeling of nostalgia as he walked through the streets of Clock Town. He noticed that Faten was falling behind as they rushed through the crowd, grabbing her hand gently in his and walked beside her. "Stay close; we don't want to get separated." He told her, squeezing her hand gently.

It took Sheik a short moment to realize how warm and soft the Gerudo's hand was, and it made his heart skip a beat. He felt the sudden urge to get closer to her, get to know her as a person.

“There’s a place where we can stay while we’re looking around, right Sheik?” Link asked as Shiek caught up to him and Asami. He noticed Sheik’s hand wrapped around Faten’s, but closed his mouth. He could tease her later or talk to her depending on what kind of mood she was in afterwards.


"Yes, there is." Sheik answered, glancing at the Hero once he caught up. "It should be around... here." He stopped in front of the inn which was away from the large crowd, turning to Link and Asami.

The pink-haired female darted her eyes around the area before stretching her arms up in the air, a small squeak leaving her lips once she finished yawning. "A bath and a nap sounds so wonderful right now." She mumbled to herself, yet was loud enough for everyone to hear.

“I agree,” Link turned to Sheik and Faten. “You two going to come in with us to get rooms sorted or…?”

“I’ll leave it to your capable and willing hands.” Faten beamed, raising her free hand to wave at Link and Asami. “Save us a room.”

“I’m putting you with the chickens. Come on Asami. A bath and nap awaits.” Link said, casually throwing his arm around her shoulder.

“And please for the love of the Goddesses ask her out already,” Faten muttered as she watched the door close behind them.

Sheik chuckled softly as he watched the two walk inside, shaking his head as he saw Asami blush heavily. He soon turned to Faten with a smile creasing his eyes. "Shall we go explore the town? If it's not trouble, I would like to show you around."

"No trouble, I'd like to explore." Faten smiled at him and followed him as they walked away from the Inn. "Did you grow up in this city?"

"I actually lived outside of the city, but I would come here everyday to explore. The folk here are very welcoming and kind, though a little fearful of outside influences." He explained.

She could imagine that. Outside influences were probably Hyrule and she knew how dangerous Hyrule could be, especially if the legendary hero was alive and fighting. “I can’t blame them,” she said after a moment. “I would be scared too honestly.”

Sheik nodded once in understanding, continuing their slow stride through the city streets. "Many hardly ever leave Termina, for people here are so used to living without conflict. If anything were to happen, it would cause an uproar and panic would spread like wildfire."

“It makes me wonder why I was hidden in Hyrule Market, when this would have been an idea place. Then again, I suppose that with my skin and hair color, it would just cause an uproar and a panic anyway,” Faten said thoughtfully. “What is your clan like? Outside the city I mean.”

He unconsciously squeezed her hand gently at her statement, frowning somewhat before his spirits lifted again. "My clan once lived in Hyrule before coming here, serving the Royal family for generations. I will admit, I was surprised to have been born and raised in Termina instead of Hyrule." He started, looking up at the clear blue sky for a brief moment.

"It was a shame that most of the Sheikah lost faith in the kingdom of Hyrule, and the Royal family." He sighed softly, shaking his head before he turned to her.

“I don’t know, when I did research on my clan there’s always seemed to be animosity between the Gerudo and the Hylians. Mostly because we keep having the reincarnated King of Evil in our desert. It doesn’t make us an enemy, but at the same time, it does. Considering that my entire clan was wiped out, I can’t blame your clan for running away to Termia. They wanted to survive, and I’m glad. I’m really glad that they did, and that you were fated to be born here.”

Sheik felt his heart soften at her words, a smile lighting up his face and eyes. "Thank you... I am glad to hear you say that. I too am thankful to have met you." He said sweetly. Looking around soon after, the man soon dragged her to a small clearing from the city. The clearing had straw dummies stuck in the ground while there was an old weapons rack with wooden swords on it.

"I'm surprised this is still here." He chuckled. "This is where I would come to train with the elder of my clan."

Faten smiled, she could see children learning how to wield weapons that were a bit big for their hands. She took out her spear and mimicked hitting one, careful not to go hard since she knew the dummies might be in fragile shape. “I learned from breaking pots and sparring with Link.” She said with a laugh. “How good of a fighter was your Elder?” She asked, looking at Shiek. “Is an elder of your clan by age or by status?”

"The elders of my clan were normally chosen based on how versatile they were." He said, leaning back against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest. "For example, if one of the members of the clan had experience in medicine and combat, they would be considered an option to play the role as elder. However, many also take personality traits into consideration, such as being a strong or nurturing leader."

"That's..fascinating." Faten blinked in shock as she listened to his story. "I noticed that you and Asami play musical instruments. Is that a hobby or is that a Sheikah thing too?"

"It's more of a tradition for a Sheikah to learn how to play a musical instrument." He chuckled. "I play the lyre myself, since my grandmother had taught me when I was really young."

"That sounds interesting, I play the flute as you already know. I don't think it's tradition...if it is I don't know." Faten frowned. "I always loved music, and the flute was just too beautiful for me to give up. I do have to ask, will being musically talented also be a way to become Elder of your clan?"

"It is possible, yes. Not only is it tradition, it's a way of life. We use music to tell stories in a sense, as well as to teach the clan's children about our history. It also gives us a sense of comfort." He smiled. "Asami, for example, sings every day. When she's not performing back at Telma's bar, she sings to herself, as if expressing her emotions. It's become a daily routine for her."

"It is possible, yes. Not only is it tradition, it's a way of life. We use music to tell stories in a sense, as well as to teach the clan's children about our history. It also gives us a sense of comfort." He smiled. "Asami, for example, sings every day. When she's not performing back at Telma's bar, she sings to herself, as if expressing her emotions. It's become a daily routine for her."

Faten walked over to the middle of the training ground and knelt, putting her spear across her lap. She could see it. She could see what it might’ve been like. She thought for a moment, not wanting to tread where she wasn’t wanted. “I grew up with the legend of the Hero of Time.” She said after a moment. “The six sages and the music that guided him through. Now that you tell me it’s tradition, and music in Hyrule fell thin, it makes me wonder if the music the Sheikah play have a sort of power behind it. It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if that’s why the Triad Goddesses decreed that two of the Sheikah should travel. One as a guide, and the other who can probably re-awaken the power that was once used by the Sheikah. Though maybe I’m too far-fetched. I never can claim to See what you and Queen Zelda can.”

Sheik walked over to her as she spoke, standing beside her before a hand gently rested on her shoulder. "I don't believe that you're being far-fetched at all." He smiled behind his mask. "That may be the case, but I suppose time will tell as we continue moving forward."

She stood up, using her spear to lean on as she turned to face him. “One day, if tradition permits, I hope I get to see your face.” She told him sincerely. “Did you bring your lyre with you? Can you play a song for me?”

His face flushed a bright pink at her statement before a soft chuckle erupted from his throat. "I would be honored to do show you, someday." He said, his voice gentle before he blinked in surprise at her request. Nodding once, he took out his lyre and breathed in and out slowly, closing his eyes before he began to play a gentle yet uplifting melody, one that he envisioned would suit the female Gerudo.

The song was beautiful. His fingers played a song of a red sun, scorching hot across the desert wasteland. She could envision a village in the middle of no where, where children would be playing with the sand and the parents were on guard. She could smell dust and earth and heat. She could feel the hot sun on her skin, and she could feel her blood pumping as if she was ready for a fight. His song honored that her clan, once upon a time, were a group of warrior women who didn’t take prisoners.

It also brought longing like she never could feel. Adventure, a thirst of acceptance and a need to belong. It brought nostalgia of researching books upon books, eager to learn who she was when she started to realize that she didn’t belong in Hyrule. When people looked at her funny and whispered names. How sometimes a single touch from her made them flinch and how Telma was the only one who had the same skin color and hair color as her and she felt at home, even though Telma only had pieces of Gerudo in her.

His song brought her pride. When he finally ended, she stayed silent and her eyes were still closed. She feared that if she opened them, she’d weep. She needed time to stand still, just a bit longer so she could savor the fact that for a fleeting moment, he captured her clan and their strength.

The male Sheikah turned his head to her and noticed a stray tear rolling down her cheek, and his heart softened as well as his gaze. Reaching out, he cupped her face with his hand and wiped away her tear with his thumb lovingly, his gentle touch telling her that it was okay to cry; to let out all the emotions she was feeling at that moment. Even though he didn't speak aloud, Sheik's silent comfort would hopefully speak louder than anything else.

Faten could feel it and it made her heart fill up. She opened her eyes and instead of leaping into his arms like she normally would’ve done, she carefully wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself close to him. “Thank you.” She murmured. For the comfort, for the song, she knew that he’d understand what she was trying to say.

He returned her embrace without hesitation, his face buried in her red locks as he pulled her close to his frame. He caressed her hair gently as he allowed her to cry into his shoulder, inhaling her scent. She smelled like cinnamon mixed with apples, and he mused to himself that it suited her.

They stayed like that for a while till Faten finally pulled away, wiping her eyes of any last trace of her tears. “That’s talent.” She told him with a laugh. “I was right, your music does hold power when it’s well practiced.”

A soft chuckle left his lips before he allowed her to pull away from their embrace. "I'm glad you think so." He smiled, tucking a strand of hair away from her face.

~+~
The day was slowly reaching its end as Asami finished her bath and quickly put on some decent clothing in hopes of staying at the inn for the night. As she walked into the room, the pink-haired female noticed Link fast asleep, and a soft yet quiet giggle left her throat before sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping like this, she mused to herself, moving a strand of blonde hair away from his face.

She took the time to admire the hero, her heart fluttering at how handsome he looked. He smelled like the forest back in Hyrule, mixed with a little bit of hay from spending time with Epona. It suit him, she realized, and a tender smile formed on her face.

He dreamt of Hyrule, and seeing Asami dance in the Tavern. Not a sexual dance like Faten would sometimes do in order to lure money, but a happy dance that went along with her violin. Like the song that they did.

He noticed, a bit, that there was someone siting next to him and stirred, opening his eyes. He was surprised to see that Asami was sitting at the edge of the bed. “Morning. Did you have fun watching me sleep?”

Her face instantly turned beet red once he stirred and looked up at her, looking away nervously. "G-Good morning... Sorry about that, I just..." She paused, her gaze soft as she bit her lip lightly. "You just looked so peaceful..."

He choked out a laugh and slowly sat himself up so he wouldn’t get dizzy from suddenly getting up like he sometimes would. He crossed his legs in a X and smiled at her. “Sorry, I was just teasing you.” He told her though his smile didn’t waver. “I normally get caught sleeping when I’m outside and it’s nice out. Have you been outside to the city yet?”

"Not yet." She smiled in return with a shake of her head. "I had just come back from bathing, so I haven't really gotten a chance to look around."

"Is it an out door bath or is it a communal bath?" Link asked curiously. "Was the water lukewarm or is it hot?" He knew he was asking probably strange questions, but hell when the river was a bathtub and the only way to get a decent wash, questions like that were practically needed.

"It's an communal bath, and the water is lukewarm." She answered, blinking a few times before she smile again. "It was very pleasant."

“I should take one,” Link hummed in thought and then turned over to look out the window that was beside the bed. So far, it looked like that it was half-way to dusk. “I think we’re going to stay here. Do you want to explore the city when it gets to night? I bet it’ll look really pretty.”

She nodded eagerly at his offer, grinning brightly. "I'd like that very much." She answered, looking out the window as well.

“Has….I mean….did anything click?” Link asked, looking ashamed for asking. He knew that memories were private matters. However, his curiosity was damned to begin with. “I know Skull Kid said you’re from here at least ancestrally, but….” he shrugged unable to come up with the words he wanted to ask or say. “Does it feel like home?”

She blinked a few times at his words, tilting her head to the side before another smile formed on her face. "I will be honest with you... I've considered Hyrule my home for the longest time, but there's something nostalgic about Termina." She said, looking down at the floor. "I do feel at home here. However," she paused, turning her gaze to meet his. "Anywhere I am is home enough for me... Especially when I'm with people I care about."

He smiled, blushing a little on his cheeks. He was happy to hear that, and happy to know that her home was with people rather than the place. He loved Hyrule, but the people in the village were his home. “I know what you mean.” He said after a moment. “I’m glad you think that way.”

Her smile grew even more as he agreed with her. "Thank you." She said, then her gaze hit her feet once more. The room was silent for a moment before she quickly leaned in to press a soft kiss on his cheek, near the corner of his lips. Once she pulled away, her face was almost the same color as her eyes, avoiding his gaze nervously.

Her smile grew even more as he agreed with her. "Thank you." She said, then her gaze hit her feet once more. The room was silent for a moment before she quickly leaned in to press a soft kiss on his cheek, near the corner of his lips. Once she pulled away, her face was almost the same color as her eyes, avoiding his gaze nervously.

His eyes widened in surprise and watched her look away. He gently reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand and brought her to look at him. “May I kiss you?” He asked.

Feeling his gentle touch on her cheek made the female Sheikah glance at him with a shy look in her eyes, only for her face to heat up at his question. Asami felt her heart skip a beat before she gave a slow nod in response, unable to speak aloud.

Link watched her for a moment before leaning in and kissing her, lips upon lips. It was sweet and gentle, he placed his hand against hers and another hand to cup her cheek and hold her there. He let her go, a gentle flush on his cheeks.

Asami closed her eyes at the feel of his lips against hers, only to feel him pull away after a moment of letting it linger. Her heart was literally pounding her ears, staring into his bright blue eyes before leaning in herself to return his previous kiss, her hand gripping his gently.

The kiss was surprising, but pleasing. Link smiled through the kiss, his heartbeat racing and he pressed a little harder but not daring to go any deeper than she wanted to go. He liked that she was taking initiative to respond and to start. When they pulled away again, he took a breath. “I’m not going to tell you that you shouldn’t be with me because I’m a hero.” He told her honestly, “But I do want you to be aware that being with me is going to put you in extra danger. I’ll do my utmost to protect you, but I may fail.”

Her heart softened as he spoke, a hand touching his face sweetly. "I am aware... And to be honest, I'm not afraid." She smiled, resting her forehead against his. "It doesn't matter how many times my life is at risk... I'm willing to brave through those dangers, just to be with you."

Link smiled warmly and rested his head against hers back. He felt at ease that she was willing to see him through the dangers and would’t trade it. “I’ll do the same for you.” He promised softly. “I’m sorry the first date has to be through a dungeon,” he couldn’t help but to crack a joke here. “It ruins the ambiance.”

She couldn't help but giggle at his small joke, smiling brightly at him. "It's all right. We can make up for it one of these days." She reassured, kissing the tip of his nose sweetly.
()
The forest, according to a local historian, had once upon a time been a swamp. Those who lived in it was mostly a pictograph worker and a kingdom of Deku Scrubs. The kingdom, surprisingly, was still intact. But the temple that they once prayed in, had finally rotted out due to the left over poison from a long time ago. Apparently, they were going to go through ruins in order to get the master sword back.

“I still don’t know if we’re going to need to talk to the Deku Scrubs and get their permission to check out the ruins or if there’s a way in that we don’t have to worry about it.” Link sighed as they picked their way through the forest. He was pushing away vines and other vegetarian in order to walk. The grass was thick and he was weary of listening to hissing of any snakes, or any keese. They had already run into a bunch of odd looking Chus, but they were slow and unable to do much than chase them half-heartedly into the dense forest.

Sheik had managed to catch up with the hero who managed to move with ease past the grass and branches of the forest. "If I may make a suggestion, I would say that the Deku Scrubs would be willing to help us, if we show that we mean no harm." He said.

Asami was struggling somewhat to catch up with the rest of the group, definitely not used to the obstacles that the forest had laid in their wake. "I agree with Sheik," she started once she reached Link. "I know that it would be much easier to find a way to sneak inside the ruins, but maybe they could help guide us."

Faten let out a sharp scream as she tripped and fell over a root, everyone spinning around to see what had happened. If Asami was struggling, Faten was drowning. "Fucking forests and their unseen traps. I told you to leave me behind in the hotel." She told the Hero as she managed to get up, for the fifth time.

"But it's so much fun watching you fall face first into the mud." Link couldn't help but to tease her, though the smile fell flat. "I don't know how the Deku Scrubs are going to react to you." Shiek and Asami have blood on their side, and Link clearly could claim he knew the forest if that's what they were worried about. Faten...really had nothing on her side.

"They're going to laugh at you is what they're going to do." Faten said, brushing off the dirt and started her way through again. "Regardless, hero, I think the Historian said that the Deku scrubs recently had a conflict with humans encroaching on their territory."

"It sounds like the problem with the Gorons all over again," Link admitted. "Though like Sheik said, if I can prove I don't mean any harm, they might let us have a guide."

Asami nodded once in agreement. "But the question is... Where in the forest can we find the Deku Scrubs?" She asked, trying to think before she felt something wrap around her ankle and lifted her up in the air, a scream leaving her lips as she was now hanging upside down with a rope around her ankle and attached to a branch.

Faten quickly took out her spear and Link took out his bow and arrow. “Sheik catch her.” He said as he let the arrow fly, cutting the rope quickly. There was a rustling sound and he knocked his arrow onto his bow, stilling his breath and watching the forest for it to appear. Whatever it was. The rope clearly had been a trap, but it wouldn’t be a Deku Scrub…it was like it was made for one.

“Link.” Faten hissed and he glanced at her. She nodded over towards a direction and he quickly shifted his body, arrow pointing towards as he fluidly got into another position. A wooden figure seemed to be walking through the woods, being careful, and then…

“Duck!” Link yelled and they quickly hit the ground as a deku nut flew overhead.

Sheik immediately caught Asami as she fell from the branch, causing her to cling to her mentor before they immediately ducked to the ground once a deku nut was aimed at them. Asami turned her head to see the small Deku Scrub glaring at them, bouncing up and down in the air as if trying to find them through the brush.

Asami slowly lifted her head as she examined the Deku Scrub with narrowed eyes, only for her gaze to grow wide when she recognized a small scar that was clearly evident on the creature's face. A hand gripped at her her hair once she realized that she knew their attacker. Memories began to flow through the Sheikah's mind, causing her to shut her eyes tightly before she snapped back to reality.

"STOP!" She shouted, standing up on her feet instantly and stared at the surprised Deku Scrub. "...Luka? Luka, is that you?" She called out, brows furrowed at the creature. This caught her mentor by surprise.

"You know him...?" His voice called out to her, watching his pupil take a few steps towards the Deku Scrub. She remained silent, waiting for the forest dweller to respond.

“Who speaks?!” The Deku Scrub squeaked. “Who knows my name?!”

Asami's brows creased with hesitation before it was replaced with a look of determination, revealing herself to the creature. "Luka, it's me...! Asami! We used to play together when I was still a child!" She explained, catching the group off guard. "You probably don't remember me... It's been so long since we saw each other." She said, her expression contorted with guilt and sorrow. "I had disappeared without a word... Without even a goodbye."

The deku scrub started waddling over to the group. His eyes peering her up and down. he had high leaves on top of his head and his eyes were a deep droopy orange. His leaves were dark red and yellow and he looked older. "I remember you," he squeaked. "You were a good friend, I missed you! Where did you go?"

Asami smiled sweetly as he remembered her, kneeling down to his level with a sad look in her eyes. "I've missed you too, Luka. I'm so sorry for leaving without an explanation... I'll be honest, I can't remember what caused me to leave." She frowned, looking down at the ground briefly before glancing at her old friend. "I hope you can forgive me..."

“I knew you wouldn’t leave without explanation,” Luka told her sincerely. “There’s nothing to forgive.” If a Deku Scrub could frown, he would be doing it. “But you’re not supposed to be here. This forest is dangerous and bad. I would leave.”

“Dangerous and bad how?” Link asked curiously.

“No forest life lives here anymore. They scattered when the dark wind came by. They cursed the ruins of the old temple. Now the Forest is all unsteady. We don’t know if we want to stay here anymore, or if we want to try to find the Lost Woods again.”

"Thank you..." She smiled in relief at his kind words, placing a hand on the top of his head before hearing his warning. "Dark wind..." She muttered, turning to Link and the others before she earned a nod from her mentor. With a deep breath, the Sheikah released it slowly before turning to the Deku Scrub.

"Luka, listen... My friends and I are hoping to enter the ruins here. Surely you have heard of the Master Sword?" She paused for a moment before looking down at the ground. "We believe that this dark wind you described was responsible for destroying it. We came to Termina to find one of the broken pieces, and that it should be here in the forest." She frowned again, looking to the side with uncertainty. "I know that this is too much to ask... But I... /we/ need your help in getting inside the ruins. I won't force you to if you feel unsafe."

“Us Deku Scrubs can’t go anywhere near it.” Luka said mournfully. “But I can tell you how to get inside and guide you at least to the entrance.”

A wave of relief washed over the female Sheikah and she grinned brightly at her friend. "That would be wonderful. Thank you!" She said.

Luka had guided them to a tree stump that had a stone door carved perfectly in to the hole. There was moss and vines that looked like ropes on the stump, as if they could somehow tear it down with their strength. He told Asami to take out her violin and taught her how to open the door. The moment that the violin rang it’s tune the stone door broke apart, making everyone cover their faces so that no stone fragments got into their eyes.

One at a time did they crawl through the space and walked into a place that felt like they entered another world. The grass was thick and wet underneath them, causing their feet to sink into the mud just at tiny bit. There was a smell of mold and mud that lingered in the air as well as a crisp, bitter after taste when one breathed in. The roofs hand vines and moss over hanging, spiders crawled which and every way, and sometimes they could swear that they heard shrieking.

Luckily the temple had natural lighting from the sun, even though it was shaded from the vegetation that surrounded them. The only evidence that it used to be a temple, was a stone plate that they stood one with Majora’s mask partially seen, and a few pillars that had broken down and were starting to become vegetation themselves.

“It’s hard to believe that this used to be a temple the Deku Scrubs worshipped.” Link said after a moment. “It looks…so abandoned.”

Asami frowned as her crimson eyes darted at her surroundings, her brows creased with sadness at the condition the once prosperous temple was in. "This is just too sad..." She muttered, clutching at her skirt tightly before turning to her mentor.

"I agree... We have to find the cause of this, and fast." He stated, earning a nod from the female Sheikah.

"If we don't stop this dark wind from destroying the temple completely... Clock Town could also be in danger." She added, looking to the hero who stood beside her.

Link didn’t comment, nor say anything. His mind was whirling around in circles. His ancestor had once walked along these grounds. He walked further in, his eyes scanning the walls that were rotting and falling apart, to the pillars that once stood this proud temple up. It was so…bizarre to be walking in the same place, the same area as his ancestor. And he thought the temple of time was a toss back of disbelief. His lips were pursed and he could feel his back straighten and his shoulders rolled back, like instinct.

Asami and Shiek were right, anymore of this and the temple might as well be a ruin. Dark wind…and yet he didn’t get the same feel of it as he did in other temples. There was only one door that they could go through and without a word he walked through it, knowing too well that his friends were going to be right behind him.

The second room was worse. Here, it was a bridge that didn’t look safe to cross. Underneath the water was purple and poisoned in some areas, while in others the water had dried up, only leaving a vague memory that it was once there. There were a few flowers that were huge, closed up tight. “Pea-plants. Don’t touch those.” Link warned. “Once they activate they’re not going to stop coming after us. Deku Scrubs sometimes use those for protection.”

“Understandable. They are grass-types.” Faten hummed. Her eyes scanned the room. There were only three doors now. The one behind them and two going either left or right. “So, which direction do we want to go? Splitting up doesn’t sound like a good idea.”

“I say we go right.” Link said after a moment. “I got a feeling that left is going to be a trap.”

“I thought Heroes always fall for traps.” The joke fell short, but Link couldn’t help but to feel appreciative that Faten was at least trying. “Come on.”

With a nod of slight hesitation, Asami followed close behind Link and the others, biting her lip lightly as she felt her entire body tense up. She was afraid, and by the goddesses, she hated the feeling of dread and fear. It made her feel small and helpless, even weak. She clutched at the Hero's sleeve lightly once they reached the third room, and her heart nearly dropped.

This room was covered with plant life, including several Deku Babas here and there. There were also small bomblings hiding in the tall grass. Sheik narrowed his eyes at the sight, turning to his companions.

"Tread carefully. We don't want to attract any attention of the monsters just yet."

Faten immediately clutched onto Asami’s back so that if she stumbled or fell, she’d have some balance. Her clothes nor her shoes were any good for the type of terrain that they were going in for. She was not an adventurer nor a hero in any shape or form and damn if anyone thought she was any good at this. They treaded lightly, sometimes the Deku babas woke up anyway and snapped at them if they got too close, but were easily avoided and they’d go back to their pods without much of a fight. Link didn’t want to whip out his sword too soon, especially since these monsters were only going to be a waste of time. “What door?” There was three this time. One straight ahead, and two on either side nearing the corners. One of them was covered in a spider web, and another with vines. The one ahead was wooden, and also had some vegetarian on it as well.

“I call left.” Faten said softly.

Asami turned her head to glance at the Gerudo with a soft reassuring smile, then proceeded to move forward with the others. Once the Sheikah saw the three doors, her crimson gaze darted to each one, swallowing hard before she made a decision. "I agree with Faten, we should go left.” She said. To be honest, she wasn't sure which path would be the right one, and she didn't know if any of the paths before them would lead to a trap.

Here, the room was ghastly and dark.  The only lights that were given were from three torches, all of them by a door. The golden glow casted shadows on the walls and the floor was so dark, it was hard to tell where they were stepping and if there monsters hiding about. There was no grass, and the floor felt like either stone or wood, it was hard to tell since they couldn’t hear sound.

Link drew his sword cautiously. If there was going to be an ambush, this was the room to do it in. “Stay close.” he warned everyone just as a mist started to appear.

This was not a good sign, Asami thought as she clung to the hero's sleeve tightly. Sheik had his hand on her shoulder while he reached out to grab Faten's hand gently with his free one. Despite the precautions, the female Sheikah couldn't help but feel uneasy as the mist grew more thicker with each passing second. Something felt incredibly off, and Asami couldn't put her finger on it.

It was hard to move, it was hard to see anything. The torches only looked like faint fireflies and it was hard to figure out what direction they should go in. It would be predictable to go straight, so Link chose a direction and started heading towards it. He could feel everyone’s weight on his shoulders.

Faten had grabbed Sheik’s hand. They continued walking, but the mist was getting thicker to the point where it was hard to see the person in front of you. She clutched Shiek’s hand tightly, but…it started to look like that they were moving farther and farther away from her. Wasn’t she holding Sheik’s hand?

Sheik immediately felt the emptiness in his hand and looked behind him to see that Faten was no longer there. "Faten?!" He called out, eyes wide with sudden panic. He didn't hear her voice call back to him; silence was the only thing that filled his ears. It was then that he realized that Link and Asami were no longer visible as well, attempting to turn around to find the Gerudo.

Asami had gripped Link's sleeve tighter when she looked around, unable to see through the white mist. "I have a very bad feeling about this..." She muttered more to herself than anything. Suddenly she could feel that the floor was no longer beneath her feet, and the sensation of falling overwhelmed her senses, thus causing her to scream.

Link spun around swiftly and the mist disappeared. It showed him…an empty room. “ASAMI?!” He yelled, the floor was completely clear of traps, he couldn’t see anything activated. “SHEIK?!” Sheik wasn’t anywhere in the room either and his heart hammered. “FATEN?!” Faten clearly wasn’t in the room. How? How did they disappear? He ran through the room, carelessly trying to activate the mists again. However, the room wasn’t cooperating. Anger, and fear and he decided he had to leave the room. If he left…he might reach them. He took off to the door on the right and went through…

The door barred itself.
~
Faten looked around. This room was different from the rest of the rooms that she had been in. Still filled with vegetation, but there were flowers. Beautiful purple and orange flowers were strewn across the room, blooming and filling the area with a soft scent. The ground was soft and plush, the greenery easily bouncing up from her steps. There was only one door, and it was locked. She swallowed. She didn’t bother crying out for anyone, because she knew that they wouldn’t hear her. They were in a different room.

“/They forgot about you./“
~
Asami yelped in surprise as she landed on the soft grass covered floor, eyes shut tight before she fluttered them open to see that she was surrounded by fireflies. She slowly and carefully got up on her feet before looking around, hearing what sounded a like a child's laughter fill the room. The Sheikah looked around frantically before the sound grew louder and louder to the point where she had to cover her ears. "Stop...! Make it stop!!" She shouted, and after a short moment, the laughter faded away into silence.

Lifting her head ever so slightly, she saw the shadow of a little girl before her. Asami narrowed her eyes as the figure slowly turned to her, only for her eyes to grow wide in horror. The girl that stood before her...

...was none other than herself, only covered in blood.
~
Sheik had moved forward until darkness swallowed him whole, looking around in slight panic before he forced his mind and body to relax. He closed his crimson eyes and began to slowly breathe in and out. He couldn't allow himself to be consumed with fear; he had to find the others before something happened. With determination and resolve, the blonde opened his eyes only to find that he was now surrounded by a plethora of flowers, and it immediately reminded him of his clan.

He and his family had lived in a meadow away from Clock Town, and these flowers were almost just like the ones that he recalled by memory. Before he had a chance to admire the beauty around him, the flowers began to slowly wither, a voice filling his head.

"/You are a disappointment, Sheik./"
~
Link stared at the barred door. He should have expected that. He turned back around and right before him was a shadow of himself. Blank, dark eyes stared at him. The shadow was garbed exactly like him and was holding the same type of sword that Link was holding in his right hand.

“/Queen Zelda’s pet who left Hyrule to it’s ruin./“

Link stopped short, sword still out and his shield pressed at the ready. “Hyrule’s safe as long as I’m around.”

“/Is that a lie you tell yourself to let you sleep better at night?/“

“You’re not very good with the whole “I’m evil let me kill you” thing. You talk way more than Ganondorf did and I thought he’d never shut up.” Link replied and before the Shadow could say anything, he slammed his sword down to a upper left diagonal cut. The Shadow quickly blocked it with it’s own version of the shield and did a quick horizontal cut that Link had to jump backwards for.

“/Hyrule falls because it’s hero’s blade has shattered. It has nothing to do with you and the ugly crest you wear./“

Link didn’t bother to allow a response. He did another attack, unsurprised that it was blocked. He saw the shadow’s attack come for him a mile a way and he quickly blocked it and followed it up with another slash of his blade, grinning when it managed to it.

“/You should have stayed there to find the other pieces of the blade. You might’ve come home to an actual land then./“

That hit home and Link angrily did another slice towards the shadow. “Stop talking!”
~
Faten spun around and was faced with Link. He looked a little worse for wear. His sword was dull from all of the hacking he must have done to get towards her and there was a good gash across his cheek. She was thankful that she had a red potion in her sack. “You’re injured.” She told him. “Sit down. Where’s Asami and Shiek?”

“Left.” Link replied with a bit of a shrug as he obeyed and sat down. Faten unscrewed the cap and he smirked. “Is that the only thing you’re useful for? Carrying around medicine’s and the like?”

Faten nearly dropped the cap and almost knocked over the potion’s bottle. It wasn’t…something that she would think Link would ask her. “I was never one for the adventures and the exploration thing. You know how that was, I was just supposed to guide you through the Desert, instead we somehow making friends.”

“Is that what you called it? Your crush?” Link grinned sadistically. “Who would’ve thought that Gerudos have a heart after all?”

“What’s with you?” Faten snapped as she managed to find a handkerchief in her bag. She poured a bit of the potion on to the cloth and pressed it hard against the cheek. She was…kind of surprised that he wasn’t hissing in pain.

“Nothing. Just wondering how long I have to carry you around for before I drop you. Just like Sheik and Asami did.”
~

Asami stared at her younger self in sheer horror, hands covering her parted lips before the shadow frowned at her. "/Why did you let this happen?/" The small voice called out to her, causing the Sheikah to blink in confusion.

"What are you..." She tried to form the words, before the shadow of her child self suddenly lunged towards her at an incredible speed, her body floating in the air so that both of their faces were mere inches from each other.

"/You know exactly what I'm talking about! You don't remember what happened to mama and papa!/" Said the younger Asami, causing the older female to grow wide eyed. "/How can you not remember?!/"

The Sheikah was speechless, unable to form a coherent sentence let alone a thought. "I... I don't know." She immediately bit her lip as the child covered in blood glared daggers at her, then yelped as an powerful yet unknown force sent her flying backwards, her back pinned to the wall and found that she was unable to move.

The shadow child floated to her again, her voice low as she spoke. "/There you go again. Always making excuses. Is it because you don't want to remember?/"

~

Sheik immediately turned around to see the elder of his clan stand before him; his master and father figure. Seeing his elder Sheikah's scolding and harsh look made the blonde shrink back, almost as if he was a child again. He knew that expression all too well; it was when he genuinely felt ashamed or disappointed in someone.

"/How can you even think about caring for that woman? After all her kind has done to Hyrule?/" His deep, rumbling voice echoed in Sheik's ears, causing him to shake his head with narrowed eyes. He had to stand his ground.

"You're wrong... Faten is not like that." He tried to defend the female Gerudo, only for his mentor to glare even harder at him.

"/She is everything like them! Do you not understand everything I have taught you over the years?!/"
~
The quips that the shadow were giving Link were starting to put a toll on Link’s shoulders. He did his absolute best not to break underneath the shadow’s pressure. There was truth that he was worried about what was going on in Hyrule, and maybe he really did make a mistake in not grabbing the shards of the master sword there while he had the chance. Maybe he really did leave Hyrule high and dry for the evil wind to blow in it’s direction.

He had to have faith that Queen Zelda knew how to handle her country, and knew how protect it’s people. He had to believe that the Queen had enough faith in him that he’d return, and he had to believe that he would return. With that, the struggle between the two of them lessened. Link was finally starting to gain an upper hand on the attacks. The Shadow was growing weaker the more that he spoke.

Got to keep courage. Have to keep fighting. The more time he wasted, the more time his friends had to become severely wounded and he wasn’t going to waste time for it.
~
“Drop…me?” Faten asked, the cloth slipping from her fingers and falling to the ground with a soft sound. She rocked backwards on her knees to get up without touching the ground with her hands. Her eyes stunned and her mouth slightly hung opened.

“Well, yeah. Don’t you know you’re the weakest one? Hell, you can’t even walk through a patch of grass before falling all over yourself.”

“…” It was true. “Don’t you know I’m a desert woman and not a forest freak like you?” She snapped.

“Is that your excuse?” Link shot back. “Because if it was, it’s pathetic.”

The cut was disappearing, so the person who was standing before her was real as could be. She wasn’t one to drop to her knees and start crying, she had enough dignity not to. She also was stronger than this, stronger than that. If Link was going to abandoned her in a dungeon, then he wasn’t a hero that she made him out to be. “If you want to drop me, then why did you come back to taunt?” She snapped. Her fists trembling. “You think that just because I care about you, I’m not going to punch you in the face when you’re rude?”

“I think that you’d punch me in the fast and start sobbing when your hand breaks. Then again, maybe I’m wrong and you’re stronger than you seem. Doesn’t mean much though.” Link stood up and brushed his pants off. “Look around you, Faten. You’re not cut out for this are you? You’re not made for this type of adventure. No, you’re not made for any adventure. Why Queen Zelda had a dream about you, I don’t think anyone’s going to know.”

“I don’t know why she had a dream either,” Faten agreed. “But she did, and who am I to question her? Ah, that’s right. This is the part where I start declaring my evilness isn’t it? Did Queen Zelda suspect that I’m the one bringing the evil wind?”

“Possibly.” Link responded.

“It’s hysterical that you’d kill me on your terrain.” Faten drew her spear and did a couple of spins with it before falling into a stance. “But if a Gerudo must kill a Hero in order to save her skin, then so be it. Hyrule’s done no favors for me.”

Link drew out his sword. “On guard then.”
~
Asami managed to open her eyes slightly at the child's words, trying to break free from the invisible bonds that kept her pinned to the vine covered wall. She couldn't utter a word, and this allowed the shadow to speak.

"/I will tell you why you don't want to remember./" The younger Asami started, a malicious grin forming against her lips. "/You're afraid. You're afraid of what discovering what you really are, and that you'll begin to hate yourself./"

As much as the Sheikah didn't want to admit it, the shadow of her childlike self was right. She was afraid, and for that exact reason.

"/I will let you in a small secret, so pay attention./" The shadow giggled, leaning in to whisper in Asami's ear. "/It was you who allowed mama and papa to die. You did nothing but watch as your own flesh and blood kill them. It's all your fault, Asami./"

Her crimson hues grew wide, images flashing in her mind. She saw fire, blood, and a young girl who looked almost exactly like her holding a dagger in one hand. Asami's body began to tremble, and before she saw anything else...

"NO!!!" The woman's scream pierced the silence as she pulled out her twin daggers and slashed at the shadow, landing on her feet once the force that held her against the wall vanished.
~
Sheik frowned behind his mask at his master's words, hands clenched into tight fists. Before the elder could speak further, the blonde interjected, fire in his crimson eyes.

"You taught me to allows accept others, despite their flaws! The Gerudo may have done wrong in the past, but Faten is the last of her kind! She can make up for their mistakes!" He hissed, pulling out a dagger.

The elder Sheikah laughed at the sight, his glare soon returning. "/You would dare try to take up arms against me?/" He questioned.

"I will if I have to."

The shadow and Link battled and finally the shadow managed to drop it’s guard enough so that Link’s sword would gut him through the middle. The shadow slowly disappeared and the bars on the door opened. He turned on the ball of his foot, ready to run across the room towards the door that was behind him, but discovered that it was still barred. He didn’t have a choice, he had to continue forward.

It pained him to walk towards the next room. This room was like a meadow. Filled with flowers and an open sky that showed that it was just about twilight. The deep gothic colors of red-orange streaking with black turned the world bleak. He remembered his mentor talking about how twilight could bring a sense of melancholy for it was when the worlds were intertwined the most. His heart yearned for Midna, for she’d know exactly what to do and how to get through this dungeon. She would’ve been able to lead them through without getting separated.

She would hit him across the face if she discovered how mopey he was being. He took a breath and looked at the room. There were Moblins that were pacing around like they were on patrol, or guarding something. He sheathed his sword and stealthily moved through the tall grass. There were flocks of birds with golden tails that were sitting on perches, staring beadily down at the ground. One of them spotted him and let out a cry, causing the moblin’s to ready for their attack and charged after him.

Link could only sigh at his luck.
~
There was no back and forth banter. Link slammed his sword down in a vertical slice, and she guarded herself by using her spear. The clangs echoed around the room, but her ears were dull to the sound besides the blood pumping through her veins. They parried and attack, but it was clear that this wasn’t a training session or a spar. They were both aiming for the vital areas, they were both ready to kill.

Link was pulling moves that Faten only heard of from other adventurers who managed to see his fights. Moves that were deadly and serious. Her guard had to be precise and she couldn’t give way to him. Every attack that she made was a risk on her own self since Link’s shield could block…and just like now could slice. He managed to catch the tip of his sword across her midriff section. It wasn’t deep enough to kill, but she was now hindered by pain and blood. She staggered backwards and she barely had time to get her spear up to protect herself with.

There was no need for them to speak. He didn’t have to say anything diminishing, the hint was already given and taken. She could barely hold her own against the Hero, what would make her think that any enemy she would be able to attack against? It brought angry tears to her eyes as she shoved him back and took a wild stab with her spear. She caught him in the leg, severing a tendon, but he refused to go down. Either the Hero couldn’t feel pain, or the red potion dulled the senses.

They attacked and parried and attacked and parried. More wounds were starting to cover her body. Her arms, her midriff again, her face, a very near cut to the neck. Link’s body was also starting to be covered in his own wounds. A stab in the shoulder, a gash to the cheek, another further stab to the wound she made previously. A very near dodge and miss to a stab against the chest.

Link’s sword gashed her again, this time the only thing that covered her breasts fell and her chest was bleeding severely. He went after her again and this time when she blocked, her spear went flying out of her grasp. He took the chance and went forward, about to end it all when she managed to block it just in time with the smallest dagger.

No longer could she keep him at bay. She got up close and personal. She made his shield worthless, she kicked him in his wound, causing him to kneel down for a flash of a second, more than needed for her to gash his eyes.

He let out a shriek and blindly stabbed his sword upward. She took a step to the side and slammed her foot into his nose causing him to fall backwards.

She breathed heavily as she straddled him. “You know, I shouldn’t have laughed.”

“What do you mean you witch?!”

“You fought me where you wanted to die. I respect that.” She held the dagger over his heart. “I’m so sorry our friendship had to come to an end.” With that, she stabbed him and….

Link’s body disappeared only leaving behind a piece of his tunic.

Faten didn’t…know how to react to that. React to his death.

Link?

The Hero of Twilight? The Hero of Hyrule….

A monster?
~
Asami had pulled two twin daggers as she glared harshly at the younger version of herself, small pants leaving her lips. The shadow merely giggled with glee, her palms pressed together as she stared at the Sheikah with a glint in her eyes. "/You're holding yourself back, Asami./" Said the little girl.

The pink-haired female bit her glossy pink lips before she charged towards the shadow head on, slashing one blade at her throat in which sliced the porcelain skin open, blood pouring out. The shadow of Asami staggered backwards and held onto her neck in hopes of stopping the bleeding, but it was no avail.

"You may be right about me not wanting to remember..." The older woman started, her bangs hiding her eyes. "But I refuse to be /forced/ to remember something that I'm not mentally ready for. I will unlock those missing memories on /my/ terms. And don't worry..." She looked up at the little girl with a smile filled with sadness. "I won't be afraid.... Not anymore."

With that said, she watched the shadow fade into a cloud of mist, soon vanishing into thin air. The female didn't realize her legs were trembling until she had fallen to her knees, tears falling down her face as lowered her head.

~
Sheik's master pulled out a scimitar once he heard the blonde's words, a smirk creasing his lips as he watched the fellow Sheikah pull out two daggers; one in each hand. Without a word, both males charged at each other with every intention to kill, clashing blades with one another at incredible speeds. Sheik moved without hesitation, every slash and swipe he made appearing graceful and fluid while his mentor managed to dodge every attack.

The elder was reading his every move, predicting what his next attack would be as if he knew his pattern. It was then that the old Sheikah felt a dull pain on his cheek once they paused, realizing that his pupil had cut him. A cocky smirk creased his tired lips. "You managed to injure me... I'm impressed." He mocked, causing the blonde to crease his brows with anger.

Sheik suddenly winced as he clutched at his right arm, feeling the blood ooze out of his wound. He didn't even notice that his master had managed to slice his arm, and a small chuckle left his lips before he dashed forward to initiate another attack. The battle continued on, and it almost seemed that the shadow of Sheik's former master was gaining the upper hand.

Both were covered with cuts and gashes, but Sheik was struggling to stay on his feet. No, he thought to himself. He refused to die here! As his master was about to finish him off, the blonde sliced one dagger across his master's throat, then ducked down to avoid contact with the scimitar and stabbed both blades squarely into his heart.

It was then that his master's true form revealed himself, swiftly removing his twin daggers and backed away slowly, watching the monster crumble to the ground. His breathing was heavy, and the bleeding wouldn't stop which caused the Sheikah to lean against a broken pillar, sliding down into a sitting position.
~
By the time he was done fighting, Link was exhausted. The room was cleared out of monsters and none of them were going to respond. He could see that there was a big key trapped in a wood stump, but he was so fucking tired. He wanted to rest, but there was no one here to watch his back. There was no one…

“Asami…Faten…Shiek…where are you three?” He asked the universe. “Please don’t be dead.” He wanted Asami’s soothing touch, Faten’s loud boisterous banter, Shiek’s calm demeanor. He wanted the companionship that they just managed to get a feel for within the few days that they got to hang out.

He wanted to see them…so badly that it ached even more. The shadow may be right that he left Hyrule in ruin…but he couldn’t leave his friends to an uncertain fate. He had to stand up, even though it killed him. Even though his body ached and screamed at him. He went into his pack and found a red potion and took a few gulps of it for faster effect.

He needed to think. This room was large and there was more than a few doors. The door that was hidden behind bushes had to be the monster’s door, but…the rest of them…Link wasn’t sure where they lead…but one of them…one of them had to lead towards his friends. Any of them. He shouldered his pack and trudged along towards the door diagonally lower left from him, right next to the boss.

The door open and he saw Asami kneeling on the ground, her sobs echoing in the room around them. She was covering her face with her hands as her shoulders shook. Link could only guess that she managed to fight off whatever monster was in this room, but with a cost. “Asami?” He asked as he got over to her. “Asami are you injured?”

The pink-haired female heard a familiar voice and immediately lifted her head to see the Hero standing before her. She quickly wiped her face and let out a shaky breath in hopes of calming herself down and shook her head in response, slowly getting up on her feet. "No... No, I'm all right." She reassured him with a weak smile, then blinked with wide eyes to see his injuries. "You're hurt...!" She rushed over to him instantly, her brows creased with worry before she gently touched his face with the palm of her hand.

“I’m fine, I took a red potion. We need…we need to find Sheik and Faten.” Link told her seriously. “As long as you’re not hurt…” He brushed his hand against her cheeks, trying to get rid of those tears that were stubbornly clinging onto her skin. “I’m worried about them. There’s a big meadow out on the other end of the door with a bunch of other doors. I think…I think that if we can pick and choose which door to go through carefully, we can get to Sheik and Faten.”

Asami leaned into his touch before she gave a firm nod of understanding. "I'm worried about them too... And I agree; we have to hurry." She said, grabbing his hand and rushed out of the room to see the doors that Link had mentioned. "Which one do you think we should choose?" She asked, looking up at him.

Somewhere….somewhere…”How about that one?” It was the room that was directly across from them, cutting the meadow cleanly diagonally. “I got a feeling that one.” Together they hurried through the meadow and practically rammed the door through to find…an empty room with a broken pillar.

Link felt like screaming, but he had to look around. He let go of Asami’s support and went around. He heard a rustle and spun, “Shiek!” He cried out as he rushed over to the broken pillar again, this time facing Shiek. “Goddesses you been through the ringer.” He took out another potions’ bottle, so happy that he came prepared. “Here…” He unscrewed the cap with a bit of a fumble before pressing it into Shiek’s hands. “You need this.”

Asami rushed after him to see her injured mentor, kneeling beside her fellow Sheikah as she watched him drink the potion. Her eyes were brimming with tears again as she saw his wounds slowly but surely heal, a shaky sigh of relief leaving the woman. "Thank goodness we found you." She smiled weakly, earning a gently pat on the head from Sheik.

"Thank the goddesses you both are safe..." He said with a smile that was hidden behind his mask, getting back on his feet with Asami's help. "Faten...!" Realization clicked as he said her name. "We have to find her!"

“I know.” Link looked pained as he said this. “I know, so far it’s all been luck. Come on, I’ll show you what’s going on.” Together the three of them made a rag-tag team of staggering limbs as they walked out of the room in a hurry. The moment that meadow was seen again, Link noticed that the door that they had just came out of for Asami’s rescue had disappeared into a blank wall. Now there were about five more doors to go through, one of which was the boss’s door which was taunting them from their peripheral vision.

“What door should we go through this time?” Link asked, feeling the urgency everyone else was feeling.

Asami bit her lip before her eyes immediately hit the door to her right. She sensed something was happening on the other side, and without thinking she rushed over to it and proceeded to open the door.

"Asami, wait!" Sheik called out, he and Link running after her. Once they both went inside the room, the blonde Sheikah's eyes widened at the sight of an injured Faten. "No...!" He muttered, rushing after her along with Asami.

Link couldn’t believe his eyes. Faten was on the ground, her spear was off on the other side of the room completely and the only thing that was in her hand was the dagger she used for life or death situations. A fight where there was only one winner. His breathing shallowed out as he ran towards her and knelt at towards her head. Her tanned skin was loosing color. Her lips were turning ashened white. Her midriff was clearly what took most of the damage, but he could see that there were other gashes as well. Her chest area was also bleeding though it looked like that had stopped.

“Hey.” Link gently reached out and tapped Faten’s cheek. Goddess’ her skin…her skin was supposed to be desert warm not….not turning cool. “Faten…” he tapped her again, a little rougher. “Faten.” It took a struggle to see her eyes. “There you are…” but she wasn’t. Not really.

“Thought I killed you,” Faten rasped.

Asami grew wide eyed at her words, holding her face in her hands with tears in her eyes. "Faten... Whatever you saw, whatever you faced... It wasn't real. Whoever you fought wasn't who you thought they were..." She tried to reassure her comrade.

"She's telling the truth." Sheik spoke up, holding a red potion bottle in his hands, once he saw the doubt in Faten's eyes. "I had to fight my old master... It was a monster in disguise." He knelt down and brushed her red locks away from the Gerudo's face, eyes creased with worry.

Link’s heart shattered but at the same time he felt…he was enraged. He was forced to fight himself, but Faten was forced to fight him? “I wouldn’t fight you desert-rat.” Link said hoarsely. “I’d let you kill me before I unsheathed my sword.”

“Not for the sake of Hyrule you wouldn’t.” Faten pointed out. She saw Shiek try to give the red potion, but she tilted her head away. “I can’t…” Can’t move, didn’t even know if that potion was poisoned. She didn’t know if she was still surrounded by monsters, oddly given a gentle farewell.

Sheik frowned and sighed deeply, turning his back to Faten before pulling the cork out of the bottle. With a heavy breath, he removed his mask and allowed the red liquid to fill his mouth, slowly turning his head to face the Gerudo, his soft eyes filled with a hidden apology. Holding her close, he held her face in his hands before pressing her lips against his own, his tongue parting hers to allow the potion to flow into her mouth.

She was forced to swallow and she was too weak to resist. She closed her eyes tightly as she tasted the potion and his tongue. She swallowed thickly and when he pulled away she let out a soft whimper. She felt someone’s hand against her forehead. Calloused fingers and heavily gloved. She wanted to melt down and just cry.

“You did so well, Faten. Making Shiek kiss you to get a potion down your throat.” Link choked out a laugh. The joke was out of line, but…it did make Faten relax just a tiny bit. “I’m scared to move you, desert-rat.” He’s using her nickname too much. That was the name he gave her when he distrusted her when they first met. Before she became “Faten” and him “Link”. It was out of fondness, it was out of gentleness that he was saying it. “The red potion should take affect soon, but…we really can’t rest here. We’re…not ready for the final battle. If this destroyed our morale, then we need to pick it up somehow.”

“Have you ever left dungeon half-way unfinished?” Faten tried to glare at him.

“You know the answer to that.” Link said softly. “I always left at least once.”

We should at least find a safe place to rest for the night. It's already gotten dark..." Asami frowned as she looked up at the sky that was covered in a blanket of stars. Helping Faten get up on her feet with Sheik on the Gerudo's right side, the group slowly made their way out of the room.

The meadow was still vacant of monsters and since it was an open space with a starry sky, it was better than nothing. Link watched as the three of them sat down heavily and he scoured the area for wood that they could burn. He needed something to do, and wood gathering and starting a fire was the best option.

Asami's gaze turned soft as she watched Link go off to find some wood to make a fire, and she smiled at Sheik and Faten. "I'll go with him. Stay here, okay?" She requested sweetly, getting on her feet and following after the hero.

Sheik watched the young woman leave before turning to the female Gerudo with a worried look on his face. He was no longer wearing his mask, and he didn't plan on putting it back on any time soon. "How are you feeling...?"

Defeated was the first thing Faten thought of. Tired. Hungry. She felt dizzy and her stomach still couldn’t quiet. She couldn’t move all that well. Red potion helped, she was certain that she’d feel worse off. But Link was correct. There was only so much it could do. Physical wounds still needed a healer’s touch and emotional ones….that was up to Time and how She wielded it. “Weary.” She finally settled on. She looked over at him, and now noticed his features. How the red eyes glinted in the fading twilight and how strong his jaw was. He looked young, about in his early twenties at the very least.

Yet the way he moved and spoke was a flow only age could give. He certainly lived timelines that were greater than the meager age. “I’m sorry you had to show me your face like this,” she sighed. “But I’m grateful you helped me.”

A soft smile creased his lips at her words, shaking his head in reassurance. "There's no need to apologize." He told her, moving a strand of red hair away from her face. "I'm just glad we made it in time. I can't even imagine what would have happened if we were too late..." He trailed off, glancing at the ground with his brows creased in distress. It made the Sheikah's chest ache to even bear the thought of seeing Faten's lifeless body on the ground.

“He wouldn’t go off about morale.” Faten murmured, knowing too well that Link was probably wrapped up in Asami’s arms in a tight embrace or was quietly ranting to her about all the things he’d do when he discovered who it was that inhabited the temple. It was more than likely an embrace. Link rarely went on rants. He did action first. “He’d storm the boss door without a second thought to any well-being. It’d break Asami’s heart.”

Sheik turned to the Gerudo with a tilt of his head, then looked towards where the couple had walked off to. "This is true... I can see that Asami has begun to develop feelings for him, and you are right about Link storming off." He agreed, then a heavy sigh left him. "He can be rash, I will admit."

“It’s the Hero in him. I think all of them have it.” Faten coughed out a laugh and placed a hand against her wounded stomach. She flipped herself to lay on her side, closing her eyes and steadied her breathing. “Asami is a good match for him. I think they’re good for each other. She can always be his guide in the shadows should he need one. Heaven knows he’s lost without Midna.”

Sheik turned to her as she laid down on her side, smiling gently before he laid beside her, his eyes scanning her face. She was beautiful, he mused to himself, and the thought made his cheeks heat up slightly. Realizing she had quickly fallen asleep, he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead, watching her drift into slumber before he followed suit.

Link, on the other hand, was finally disengaging himself from Asami’s embrace. There were still wood to gather and he needed to breathe. “Thank you.” he said tenderly to Asami. “You didn’t have to worry too much about me though. I’m worried about you.” And Shiek. And Faten. God…he glanced over where he left the two of them and noticed that they were asleep. They’d need a fire quickly so no one froze to death.

Once they both pulled away from each other, Asami looked up at him with a soft smile, nodding once. "You don't have to worry so much either, you know." She reassured, touching his face tenderly. "Faten and Sheik are stronger than they look." She added, then kissed his nose gently once she stood on her tip toes. Pulling away quickly, she proceeded to help the hero search for firewood.
()
They came out of the dungeon looked tired and beaten. Link’s pack was a little heavier from gathering the first shard of the blade that they found that had created a big huge bat monster that took up the entire dungeon floor. It didn’t help that they had decided to go through the next day even though everyone was down on energy, it pained the Sheikahs to abandoned the dungeon and Faten had practically shoved him through, ignoring the wounds that were still recovering.

Now, they were covered in fresh wounds and were just as beaten as they were before. Much to their surprise however, Luka, the young deku scrub with the scar on it’s eye and Skull Kid were standing.

“You did it!” Luka squeaked. “The bad wind is gone. We can probably go through the temple and cleanse it ourselves and reclaim our homes!”

“Glad to have been of some help.” Link smiled though faintly.

Skull kid shuffled over to Asami, head tilting quickly from left to right to left again. “You learned more.”

Asami's gaze was cast downward, nodding once at the Skull Kid's words. "That's correct." She said, looking up at the child with a weak smile.

Sheik blinked a few times as he turned to his pupil, realizing what the Skull Kid meant. "He means your memories..." He stated, earning a slowly nod from her. He could see the look of hesitation on her face, and it made the blonde frown slightly.

“Hehe!” Skull Kid paused as he shuffled back towards Luka. “Termina was home once to a bunch of Sheikah clans. But a Sheikah boy had fallen in love with a common girl. The clans did not like that, and therefore cut the boy and his children off from the clans and any training that they may come to have. So far, only one child from that branch of the family wanted so badly to learn the Sheikah ways. She went to the clans herself. This forest used to be her respite along with a sister. The forest mourns the decision.”

Asami listened to the Skull Kid's words very carefully, her crimson eyes growing wide as it all clicked in her mind. She had Sheikah blood in her, and her family was cast out because of her ancestor falling in love with a human. She looked down at her feet, trying to let this information sink in. "I have a sister..." She thought aloud, looking up at the child before her. "Tell me... Do you happen to know her name? My sister's name..."

"I might." Skull Kid said mischievously. "But I'm not going to tell you."

Luka squeaked indigently. “You should tell her, she’s worried about her past and her sister.”

“You’ll find out when you climb up the mountain.” Skull Kid replied. “But then you’ll have a choice to make.”

"A choice...?" Her brows furrowed in confusion, biting her lower lip as she clutched at her skirt tightly. She ignored the pain coming from her wounds, and the rapid pace of her beating heart.

Skull Kid only giggled again and before anyone could stop him, disappeared. His voice rang through in parting. "Good luck!"

"Well that's not often that a Skull Kid talks so much," Link frowned deeply as he looked over at Asami, knowing that she was in pain. Physically and emotionally. He knew better than to ask if she was okay. Instead he reached out and gently gripped her shoulder.

She instantly relaxed her muscles at his touch and rested her hand on his, squeezing it gently before nodding once. "I'll be all right." She smiled reassuringly at the hero, inhaling deeply before releasing a slow soft breath. "We should get some rest... We're all exhausted from the battle."

"I'll guide you out," Luka squeaked as he started ambling away. Link was still impressed that Deku Scrubs not only could talk, but were sentient creatures rather than monsters. It was...a refreshing change really.

"Thank you, Luka." Asami smiled as she and the others followed the Deku Scrub, slowly but surely making their way out of the temple. Once they reached the clearing, the feeling of dread seemed to flow away along with the wind, and Sheik let out a soft sight before turning to his comrades.

"We should find a safe place to camp and heal up." He suggested.

Clock Town was probably too far away for them to stagger all way there, but Luka squeaked. “I’ll grab a healer.” Before waddling off and disappearing into the forest’s tree lines.

“I guess we’re camping and healing here.” Link said as he sat heavily down, “As much as I’m worried about safety and everything, I don’t think the evil wind will come through here again.”

Faten also sat down, though she was more ginger and careful. “More grass and forest terrain. I’m starting to miss the Desert.”

“You’d kill us all in quick sand.” Link quipped, and then bit his tongue. What if she took that the wrong way? Luckily for him, she choked a laugh.

“It’s not my fault you don’t look where you’re going.” Faten reminded. “And it’s not my fault that heroes seem to not have the “danger” sense trait.”

“I do too have the ability to sense danger.”

“Oh?” Faten questioned.

“It….just happens too late.”

Asami couldn't help but laugh gently at the two of them, feeling a wave of relief washing over her. She was genuinely happy to see that Link and Faten were bickering playfully just like when she first met them, and it put her heart at ease. Pulling out a red potion, she soon sat beside the Hero and dipped the liquid onto a handkerchief, gently pressing it against each of his wounds one at a time for a moment.

“Awwww.” Faten cooed and Link picked up a bunch of grass and tried to hurl at her. For one, it didn’t work since grass only floated on the wind and landed without much of a care, and two it just made Faten howl with laughter, even though she was in pain. “Fuck, fuck fuck.”

“That seems to be what all you Gerudo women do.” Link muttered darkly, causing her to laugh harder. He grinned, pleased and winced when Asami pressed a little too hard on a wound. “Ouch.” He turned to her and smiled at her sheepishly. “You don’t have to.”

"Sorry..." She apologized with a small smile, pressing on his wounds with a much more gentle touch. She soon shook her head before grinning up at him. "I want to. So no protests, you hear?" She giggled, soon pressing the handkerchief onto a cut on his cheek softly.

Sheik laughed as well as he watched the scene, then grabbed a red potion as well, handing it to the Gerudo beside him.

Link mimed zipping his mouth shut though his eyes sparkled with mirth. It was good, to get out of the temple and being able to finally unload. He’d let her do whatever she wanted, so long as she smiled. So long as the pain in her eyes lessened just a little.

“No mouth to mouth transfer?” Faten asked cheekily as she took it from him.

Sheik chuckled softly and gave her a playful smirk. "That could easily be arranged." He told her with a glint in his eyes, laughing gently once he saw her blush.

Asami giggled softly at this before removing the handkerchief from his face to the crook of his neck, where she saw a minor cut. She overheard Sheik's remark to Faten and blushed heavily, shaking her head with a small smile. "Get a room, you two." She teased.

"We have one in Clock City." Faten purred teasingly though laughed at Asami's expression. "I'll keep it in my pants, spoil sports."

"I can't tell if this is her being injured that's making her like this, or the near death experience we all shared or if this just her at her worst." Link mused lightly. "But regardless, I never thought I'd hear you, Shiek, egging her on."

The male Sheikah blushed lightly before he looked to the side rather nervously. "I suppose Faten is rubbing off on me." He said.

"I don't know if that's good or bad." Asami laughed, shaking her head before a thought formed in her head. "I wonder if there's a lake around... I feel absolutely filthy with dried blood all over me." She mused.

"When Luka comes back with the healer, we can ask him and take turns." Link assured her. "And when we get back to Clock City we'll get in a better soak at the baths. Warm water sounds amazing right now."

Faten groaned, "Hot water, a nice bed, no monsters and bats swirling around or hard grounds."

Asami giggled softly, soon letting out a small squeak as she felt a small dull pain on her side. She looked at her wound and bit her lip lightly before pressing the handkerchief soaked with the red potion on it. She gave Link a reassuring smile once she saw the worried look on his face, trying to keep her mind off the pain. Almost instantly, she remembered the first kiss she had shared with Link back in Clock Town, and her face turned beet red. Why was she thinking about that now?! Shaking her head, she tried to think of something else, but it failed.

"Are you alright, Asami?" Sheik's voice called out to her, tilting his head to the side once he saw her red face.

"I'm fine...!" She tried to reassure him, but she said it too quickly, and predicted that Faten would make a comment.

"This is the part the Hero is supposed to make out with the girlfriend since they got out alive." Faten indeed made her comment. "You're five steps too late, Shiek tried to beat you to it."

Link's cheeks flushed the brightest red as he remembered the parting kiss that he gave Asami back in the City. "Goddesses." He glared over at Faten. "Will you keep your fantasies to yourself?!"

"It's not a fantasy it's tradition!" Faten pouted.

"Whatever tradition is this from?" Link spluttered. "Not Termina."

"If I said it was from Termia would it make you kiss her faster?" Faten teased.

Sheik snickered as he tried to hold back laughter, seeing the young woman's face turn into an even darker shade of red. "I-I think I'll go find that lake!" Asami laughed nervously, slowly standing up on her feet after grabbing her red potion, moving forward to avoid further embarrassment.

The blonde chuckled softly and shook his head, leaving the girl be. "I think you may have overdone it, Faten." He smirked.

"I'm going to make sure she's alright. You two...hands to yourselves!" Link told them as he chased after her. He really hoped that Asami wasn't angry or too embarrassed.

Faten watched him run after her before turning to Shiek. "Do you think I'm pushing a bit too hard on them?"

Sheik blinked a few times before shaking his head in reassurance. "You might have to go easy on the teasing, but I believe a little coaxing could help them get closer." He said with a smile.

Asami was leaning against a tall oak tree with her eyes looking up at the sky, the blush on her face faded to a much lighter shade of pink. Yet, she couldn't stop her heart from racing rapidly against her chest. A small smile creased her lips before she shook her head slowly to herself, running a hand through her hair. "I'm such a coward..." She muttered.

Faten just sighed as she looked up at the sky, letting the sun warm against her skin. “I feel bad.” She said after a moment. “For what happened in the dungeon. I feel…weak.” She wanted to spat the word. Gerudo women were not /weak/. “I held my own and got badly injured and to top it off I hurt Link. I know if I try to apologize he’d only tell me that it’s not needed, that it was the dungeon. So…I’m just trying to ease their burden. If just a little.”

“Coward?” Link approached her, backing a little when she jumped. “I’m sorry.” He said quickly. “I know you were looking for the lake, but when you stormed off I thought you were angry and I just wanted to tell you to ignore Faten.” He said this in a rush. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but…you’re no coward. And if you wanted to kiss me you don’t have to ask or anything.” He paused. “Unless that’s not what you’re worried about. Fuck I’m screwing all of this up. I’m sorry.”

Sheik blinked in surprise as he listened to her, only for his gaze to turn soft as he gripped her hand gently. "I'm sure they know that, and they appreciate it greatly." He tried to reassure her.

Asami turned to face him as she heard him speak, only for her blush to return on her cheeks. Once he looked away, she moved closer and clung to his chest gently, looking up at him with shy eyes. "You apologize too much, you know." She smiled, leaning up to press a soft kiss to his lips, eyes closing slowly.

Faten squeezed his hand back and looked at him softly. “Though I have to ask. Since we shared an in-direct kiss and all via red potion,” she gestured to the bottle. “You should know I’m free and willing for kisses of any and all types. I’m super affectionate.”

Link hugged her closely as he kissed her back. It was soft, and gentle and grounding. It was exactly the things that they needed. A soft assurance that they got out alive, and that they were okay. Asami was going to be okay. He didn’t know what Skull Kid was up to, bringing up the past like that, but he had a feeling that the Skull Kids were closer to the Goddesses than a Hero, or the Queen or the elusive Sheikah. Or maybe they were just so loyal to their friends that they’d do anything to help them, even if it meant skewing what was right and wrong.

Sheik chuckled softly and couldn't help but smirk at her words, pressing his forehead against hers. "I don't have a problem with that. In fact, I welcome it." He stated, his words genuine and honest.

Asami soon stood on her tip toes as she slowly deepened the kiss, her arms wrapped around his neck once he pulled her close to him. Her heart was pounding in her ears, but she didn't care; she wanted to get closer to Link, in both body and soul. They soon pulled away for a brief moment for air, their foreheads pressed against one another before she looked into his eyes, her blush returning. She wanted to kiss him again, but she was too nervous to say it aloud.

“Three second warning,” Faten said as she gently pulled his cowl down from his face and kissed him. She was a little surprised at how much her heart suddenly swelled and how relaxed her shoulders felt. Maybe that’s why the hero always kissed the girl. Instant tension relief.

Link carefully pushed her against the oak tree, kissing her deeper and letting his tongue glide across her bottom lip. When she opened, he carefully slipped his tongue in to her mouth. It wasn’t rushed and over-taken by hormones, but it was like a journey that needed to be explored. They touched, but they were practicing. Where to place their hands, how to angle their mouths. When they got better, did they let go some of the caution.

Sheik allowed her to remove his cowl and returned her kiss instantly, his eyes closing slowly before he held her face with his hands gently. Her lips were so soft, he thought to himself, allowing their mouths to brush and caress one another as if trying to get used to the contact. The kiss was sweet and tender, and it made the Sheikah's heart swell against his chest.

Asami returned his kiss instantly and clung to his shoulders gently, parting her lips once she felt his warm tongue enter her mouth. A small moan left her throat as he explored the inside of her mouth, and a shiver of delight ran across her spine as their tongues touched. With a hand buried in his golden locks, Asami hesitantly brushed her tongue against his own, curious about his natural taste.

When they pulled away, Faten smiled as she kept him close. She enjoyed how his red eyes glinted with happiness. That they were shining like stones rather than hard like blood. She enjoyed his skin, how soft his lips were against her own and how sweetly he kissed her. It made her stomach drop and her nerves run. She was..absolutely smitten and it was hard to believe that it was with him. Him, who could have anyone that he wanted he was so handsome. “I”m lucky.” She murmured. “That you like me.”

Link groaned softly as he kissed her deeply, letting her taste him and feel him. Soon though, they had to part due to losing breath and the need to keep breathing. He held her close, his fingers trembling with want. He was lost for words and he stared at her like he couldn’t believe that she was still there. They were breathing hard, and flushed. “You…wanted to find the lake.” He struggled with his words. “i like you a lot.” He finally blurted out. “When we get to Clock Town…we should do something together.”

The Sheikah couldn't help but feel butterflies flutter deep in his stomach as the two of them stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. He smiled at her words, stroking her cheek with his thumb lovingly before he pressed a kiss upon her forehead. "Of course I do." Sheik chuckled, openly admitting his feelings.

Once they broke the kiss, Asami stared up at him as they tried to catch their breath, unable to find words to help break the silence. Her fingertips were tingling as she clung to him gently, her heart pounding loudly in her ears. When he finally spoke up, she blinked a few times in surprise before she smiled tenderly at him. "I would like that very much..." She agreed, kissing his cheek sweetly. "I like you too..."
()
By the time that they were in Clock Town, they took a few days to heal and to get their morale back up. At the moment, Faten was happily leaning against the wall of the Hot Springs that they had found. Her hair was long and wasn’t tied in her usual ponytail, sighing happily as her muscles relaxed from it’s over use during the dungeon. She didn’t bat an eye when someone else joined her. “Yo.”

Asami smiled at her companion once she took the first few steps into the warm water, leaning against a boulder once she fully submerged her body into the hot spring. A soft sigh of content left her lips as she allowed her muscles to relax, turning to the Gerudo with a tilt of her head. "Feeling better?" She asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

"My wound is healing." Faten agreed as she shifted to look down at her stomach. It was an ugly scar, and she doubted that it would fade. "I still ache from time to time, but other than that I'm doing alright. How about you? You had a lot piled on."

She smiled gently and nodded once in understanding, looking down briefly. "I'm doing a little better. Still a little shaken, but... I try not to think about it too much." She reassured. Her pink hair was no longer in her usual twin braids, and it was long enough to touch her waist.

"I know where you're coming from." Faten agreed, closing her eyes and tilting her head back once again. "I'm still having nightmares about killing Link, about him killing me."

Asami frowned at this, a hand reaching out to rest on her friend's shoulder in reassurance. She didn't really know what to say to help comfort the Gerudo; all she could do was be there for her.

"It's alright, kid." Faten reached out and gently ruffled Asami's hair. "It's not your burden to worry about."

She laughed a little as Faten ruffled her hair, softening her gaze. "I know but... I can't help but worry."

"What's your worries?" Faten questioned. "Talking about it may help."

Asami looked down for a moment, a frown creasing her lips and her brows furrowed before a small sigh left her glossy pink lips. "Well... I can't help but think about what Skull Kid told me. About how I have a choice to make once we make it to the mountains..."

"But the choice isn't there yet." Faten said soothingly. "So you're worried at the different types of choices?"

"It's not just that..." She admitted, turning to her with a hint of fear in her crimson eyes. "I've been having nightmares myself... About what happened in the past."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Faten asked, moving a little closer to Asami.

She gave her friend a slow nod, hesitating at first before she began to speak again. "Back at the temple in the forest... I had to kill a shadow of myself... Only it was me as a child, covered in blood. Whose, I do not know. But... The shadow said something about how it was my fault... That I was making excuses for not wanting to remember."

A heavy sigh left her lips, a hand running through her pink locks of hair. "It said... that my parents were murdered by my own flesh and blood... I fear that it may have been my sister."

"And if it is?" Faten questioned. "What will you do?"

Asami frowned deeply at the question, her bangs hiding her eyes as she clenched her hands into fists against her thighs. "I do not know... I think that may be the decision I have to make. Whether or not I must face my sister in combat..."

"There's that decision," Faten agreed. "Or, here's another thought you probably didn't consider. Whether or not you will decide to abandon the team and go with her, or if you will stay with us. That may be another one you might have to think about."

Asami turned to the Gerudo with her brows creased in sadness at the thought of leaving the group, looking down again and shook her head swiftly. "I have become attached to all of you... I can't even fathom leaving you..."

Faten smiled softly and she shook her head. “It’s those kinds of thoughts that the Sand Goddess would love to tamper with, and those are the kind of thoughts your Goddesses love to use as a boon. I wouldn’t make any decisions yet and I wouldn’t worry about trying to make one. There’s no use in trying to guess the future. Only the Goddesses and the Sand Goddess knows what’s coming next. We’re mere mortals.”

The young Sheikah turned to her again, only to nod once with a soft smile. "You're right..."

~+~
A few hours later, after the girls had left and were in their rooms, Link had found himself in an almost empty bath. The only other person who was there was Shiek. His eyes blinked a bit when he noticed that he wasn't wearing his customary cowl, nor was his hair tightly woven in a braid. "Hey. Mind if I join?" he asked, gesturing to the water.

The moment he heard his companion talk to him, Shiek opened his eyes and turned his head to face the hero. "I don't mind at all." He replied with a smile, motioning his head for Link to join him.

Link smiled and took his towel off and slipped into the warm water. He sighed, feeling his muscles melt and relax into the heat. He let his head tilt back until it hit the edge of the bath. He let his arms hang to keep himself from drowning. “Just what the healer ordered.” He groaned. “If this is how brutal the temples are going to be, then we’re in trouble.”

"I agree," Shiek chimed in as he rolled the back of his head into the warm water. "We'll need to carefully plan out our next move for the upcoming temple." He soon poked a crimson eye open and a smirk crept his way against his lips. "I do not mean to change the subject, but...how are things between you and Asami?"

Link was a little tossed by the change of topic. He looked over at Sheik with a bit of surprise. “We’re…good?” He blinked at his comrade innocently. “Why? Did she say something?”

"Not at all." He chuckled, amused by his reaction. "I just couldn't help but notice how happy she's been lately."

"She's a good kid." Link smiled gently. "She's sweet and she's upbeat. We kind of need that right now. And also, she's...bright. I mean she's smart too, but I haven't been around many people who see the bright side of things and /are/ on the bright side." He paused. "That being said though. I couldn't help but to notice you and Faten."

"Asami does have that effect on people." He said, then the blonde blinked in surprise at the mention of him and Faten together. A soft shade of pink flushed across his face before he looked down with a gentle smile. "This may come as a surprise, but... I have come to care for Faten a great deal."

"You know, when I first met Faten, she laughed at me for getting lost in the desert." Link paused at the story. "She never meant to follow me as far as she did, she was just supposed to show me where Arbiter Grounds were, and how to get into the prison." He flicked the water on the surface. "What happened at the temple...her fighting and killing me...or shadow me...it makes my blood boil. I'm glad, really glad, you were able to comfort her and get her to calm down. But..." He shook his head from side to side, gritting his teeth. "That damn ghost sure as hell knew how to break her heart fuck him or her, or whatever is controlling these strings." He took a breath. "And Asami...I don't think I ever seen someone so shattered and yet /still/ managed to pick herself up. It makes me wonder what we're dealing with. Skull Kid surely knows a lot more, but something's keeping him from telling us outright. Then again, Skull Kid isn't well known for being straight."

Shiek frowned as he listened to Link's words, nodding once in agreement. "I will be honest with you... The illusion or trial I had to face involved fighting the elder of my clan. It wasn't the most pleasant experience, but... I made it through. I worry for both Faten and Asami as well." He sighed, then turned to face the hero fully. "I promised Asami I wouldn't say anything, but I feel that this must be mentioned. From what she told me... She had to face herself as a child back at the temple... Only that little girl was covered in blood."

“Farore,” Link breathed leaning his head back against the the edge the tub. “I just had to fight myself. Which was awesome.” His sarcasm was bitter, and dry. “I won’t pry. I won’t ask her anything that’ll make her panic or make her feel uncomfortable.” He promised softly, gently. “But at the same time, please. Please take care in how you talk to Faten. As loud and sarcastic and bold she is, she’s…really insecure. I just never knew how much.” He looked away. “I’m…starting to wonder if Zelda had the right idea…bringing Asami and Faten into this mess. I’m wondering if we made a mistake bringing them with us.”

Shiek nodded once in understanding, then his brows creased with concern. "I can't help but question it myself... However, I don't believe that it was a mistake. Despite the harsh trials we've faced already, I can see that Asami is trying to stay strong for not just our sake, but for her own as well. She's already improving greatly mentally and emotionally. I can say the same of Faten, as well."

“Do you think that you’re going to keep going too?” Link asked, watching Shiek curiously. “I know you’re the one that brought the quest to us to begin with. But, I don’t want you to feel like you’re trapped.”

He was silent for a moment before a smile of confidence and reassurance creased his lips, giving Link a firm nod. "I will see through to this quest until the end. Don't ever feel like I'm forcing myself to do so, or think that you're trapping me. I'm doing this on my own free will."

The moment that they were able to reach the Goron village, Faten doubled over, clutching at her knees and breathing heavily. The altitude of the mountains was thin and the air was weak and crisp. The lack of oxygen was dizzying for anyone who wasn’t used to climbing mountains. Link would’ve been on his knees wheezing too if it wasn’t for the month he spent up at the Yeti’s house. “Fucking…” Faten gasped, “Hero.”

“It’s one title I have yet to be called.” Link replied, though his concern bled through the playful humor. He was just grateful that it wasn’t snowing and it was summer. The area was filled with bits of greenery and the sun was pointed down at them without a barrier of trees. The mountain ranges could be seen as far as they could. Link could swear that beyond the horizon, he could see Hyrule Castle though that could be a mere wish. He also wondered if he could see the Yeti’s mansion from here. “You okay?”

Faten looked up at him, glaring. “Do I…look okay….to you?” She asked as she stood up swiftly. The lack of air went to her head and she nearly buckled over.

“Okay, okay.” Link quickly grabbed her before she could hurt herself. “Devil brat. You’re only doing this so Shiek would carry you.”

“I deny that.” Faten wheezed.

Link quickly got her on his back. “The forest disagrees with you, the /mountain/ disagrees with you. If you faint in a graveyard or even back home in your desert, I lose all faith in the Gerudo line.”

“May the Goddess….strike you….with sand.” Faten snapped back weakly. “I climbed…an entire mountain….without help.”

“Wait till we have to climb higher.” Link replied cheerfully, earning a groan in response. “Come on dramatic princess of sand. Let’s see if the Gorons here like humans….and whether or not we can get you some place underground for a bit. A small breather after that climb can’t kill us before we have to climb higher.”

Asami was having a hard time breathing as well, yet she was more worried about Faten more than anything. Rushing over to Link's side, the pink-haired female's brows creased with worry at the Gerudo who rested on the hero's back, squeezing her hand gently in reassurance.

Sheik, on the other hand, didn't show any signs of exhaustion or strain. It appeared that he too was used to climbing mountains such as this. Once he reached the trio, the blonde Sheikah looked up at the sky to see several dark clouds heading their way. "There will be a storm coming shortly. We must hurry."

"Come on down the stairs." Link glanced at Asami with just as much concern. He wished that he was a double sized person so he could carry both..or even give Faten off to Shiek, but he also knew that Shiekahs had their pride. Asami would probably disagree with being carried, especially if it's Faten whose worst off. "This place is...a lot different than the Goron Mines. I'm half-expecting very buff and angry Gorons, but..." one of them rolled right passed them as they got down the stairs and headed towards where the guard was at the door. "They're a lot more playful here." Link finished as he watched the goron slam himself into a wall. "Ouch."

Asami winched at the sight, carefully making her way down the steps along with Sheik who was not that far behind. Another Goron rolled past them, only this one nearly hit the pink-haired woman and hit the wall next to his brother. With a heavy breath, Asami stopped to calm her heart rate before moving her feet forward to catch up with the group.

Once they reached the guard, Sheik looked around to see that no more Gorons were rolling around, then a boom of thunder rang in their ears only to hear Asami yelp softly and noticed her flinch at the flash of lighting.

“It’s not often we get humans,” The Goron who was guarding the door had sat up. His belly was soft and round, unlike the hardness of the stomachs of the Gorons back in Hyrule. He was also smaller, looking a lot more like a teenager than an adult. It was disorienting to see such a dramatic difference between species. “Especially with a storm coming.”

Sheik removed the hood that covered his face and looked up at the Goron with a pleading gaze, soon turning to Faten who was still out of breath. "I apologize for the sudden intrusion," he began. "We only seek shelter for the remainder of the day, in hopes of avoiding the upcoming storm. My companions and I are a long way from home, and we wish to catch our breath from climbing up this mountain."

Asami soon yelped again, a little louder than before and buried her face into Link's side as the thunder boomed loudly and the lightning cracked in the sky.

"I don't think Dramani will mind visitors." The Guard replied. "But I apologize for the tense atmosphere that you're going to subject yourself to." He curled up in a ball and before anyone could protest or say anything, he ground pounded and the door slid open. "Quickly go in side before I have to shut it." He said muffled.

"Yeah thanks." Link said and spared a glance at Shiek as they walked through. For a moment the hallway was dark, but then they were greeted with a /huge/ room that looked nothing like the city that Link was used to. There were about four floors and they were on the top. He could hear a Goron rolling around on a lower level. He could hear chatter and he set Faten down on her feet. "I want to live here." Link said after a moment. The fires on the torches and the huge chandelier brought a "homey" feeling to the underground cave and it wasn't musky. Everything had a clean feel here, and it was clear they civilized it well, and made it just a little accommodating for humans for a visit.

"I thought your home was in the forest." Faten took another breath in and out.

"I like caves too." Link shrugged.

"Neanderthal." Faten tried to sound scandalized, but it didn't work with her heavy breath. "Hey Asami, you know why thunder booms like that?" It was a complete one-eighty from the conversation they were just having.

Asami blinked a few times in surprise at the sudden change of topic, flinching once more at the sound of thunder before giving her friend a weak smile. "I'm afraid not..." She answered, rubbing her arms lightly to help get rid of the forming goosebumps. "I've always been afraid of thunderstorms, even as a child." She admitted, her face heating up at the fact.

"I don't like the wind." Faten admitted. "Even though the Sand Goddess controls it just like she controls the sand, I still dislike it. It always makes a horrible sound. I don't think we'll be able to hear it too much with all the racket the rolling Goron's are making. If we go in deeper that is." She squeezed Link's sides with her thighs.

"I'm not a horse." Link replied back, giving her a swift slap on the calf. "If you're fine to walk then get off of me."

"No I'm still weak." Faten immediately complained, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Spoiled...." Link gave Shiek a helpless glance. "This is what you get to deal with later on in your life."

Asami found herself snickering at the scene, shaking her head while trying to hold back her laughter. Sheik, on the other hand, had let out a hearty laugh as he watched the interaction between the Gerudo and the Hero, smirking behind his cowl.

"I have no problem with that." He chuckled softly, noticing the blush forming on Faten's cheeks.

"So if we're on the top level...is there a way to get down..." paused and then his eyes wandered up. "Oh..." There was a level higher then theirs and there were only a few Gorons that were looking down below. One of them had disappeared, so Link presumed that the Goron was either going to come down to talk to them, or if the Leader was going to decide what to do. "That solves /that/ problem."

The two Sheikah had noticed the group of Goron staring down at them from above, and it made Asami's heart sink ever so slightly. She was nervous now, and had no inkling as to what was going to happen next.

Sheik's composure was more calm and collected than his pupil's, though he wouldn't deny that he felt uneasy as well.

Faten tapped Link’s shoulder, and got off of him in a motion that was similar to water. Link didn’t look ready, nor intimidated, but relaxed and curious. Just around the bend, a huge Goron was walking towards him. His arms were huge and he looked like a fighter, unlike a lot of the soft looking Gorons that were surrounding the area. The Goron had white, long hair that was braided and had stone beads attached.

“It has been too long of a time since someone wearing that garb was in our city.” The Goron stated, looking at Link’s clothes. “My great-grandfather was saved by him…and his father lost. We remember the stories.”

The pink-haired female blinked a few times before turning to LInk, brows furrowed with worry as she looked up at the elder Goron, slightly intimidated by his size. She gripped at the hero's sleeve gently, taking deep and silent breaths in hopes of calming her nerves.

The blonde Sheikah bowed his head in respect to the large Goron, remaining silent before glancing at Faten from the corner of his eye. 

Link nodded his head. He heard that in Hyrule, but to hear it here. “I’m guessing that one of my ancestors managed to travel here?”

The Goron’s eyes crinkled. “It’s possible. It’s been a long time coming. I suppose that I should’ve kept faith, that a hero would come when needed it.” He paused. “Normally I’d be able to handle the problems that come here, but this one…well…I’m afraid it hurts my pride to admit I don’t know what to do.”

“Maybe you just need another head.” Link offered. “What’s going on?”

“Two of my people went up to the Temple of Snowpeak. We try to make sure the volcano stays dormant and of course, to test ourselves and see if we’ll become good fighters and warriors. Those who were taking the test…have not come back and the temple reacted in a manner in which I haven’t seen before. I have a feeling the mountain may be collapsing in on itself, or the volcano will erupt despite that it hasn’t in over a thousand of years or more.” The Goron told Link. “There’s nothing to do if the Volacone goes off besides endure it. But the humans who live below are fragile, and lava travels quickly. If the temple is indeed falling apart, then my people don’t need to be inside.”

As they conversed, an expression of worry and heartache appeared on Asami's face at the mention of two Gorons having gone missing. Swallowing hard, she clutched at Link's sleeve a little tighter now, inhaling deeply before gathering the courage to speak. "What if we can find them and figure out what's causing the volcano to react the way it is?"

"Asami..." Sheik spoke up, making her realize that she had spoken out of turn, and the pink-haired female bowed her head in apology.

"Forgive me, I meant no disrespect." She said, lifting her head to meet the elder Goron's gaze.

The Goron on the other hand just look surprised. It wasn’t the speaking out of turn that caught him out. “I forgot that we had three others.” He boomed an uneasy laugh. “No, it’s me who was disrespectful. I see the Hero and dump my problems on him with no regard that he may have problems of his own.” The Goron smiled stiffly, “And I failed to not only introduce myself, but to have your names as well.”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle.” Link assured. “I’m Link. The one who spoke was Asami and her mentor is Shiek. The Gerudo behind me is Faten.”

“My name is Darmani the Fifth. Gerudo? They never left the sea before…” The Goron glanced over at the redhead. “It’s funny to see one on land, to even hear that they can walk on land.”

Faten blinked owlishly. “The Gerudo in this land are…pirates?”

“From what I understand,” Darmani answered, and turned back to Link. “As long as I’m not pressuring you. If you can save my people and find out why the mountain is reacting the way it is, you have my eternal gratitude as well as a rare metal that I have found. It’s not much, I know. I also know that metals aren’t as valuable to you as they are to us, however it’s all I can give.”

The metal was probably a Master Sword Fragment and Link’s stomach lurched at the very thought of having to fight for it. It felt too much like a deja-vu and he knew he hadn’t done this particular request before. “As long as you don’t throw us out to the pouring rain.” Link looked at his friends for a brief moment and he looked at the Goron. “If that’s alright.”

“Stay for as long as you can, but leave as soon as you need.” The Goron urged. “This is important, but your duties may be else where and Fate is tempting me to do what is needed instead.”