Chapter VIII: In Search of the Lost Chord

A rush of seven years came flooding back to Link’s mind the moment he pulled the Master Sword from its place. For an instant he thought he was dying, for his entire life flashed before his eyes in a matter of seconds, only it was the life he had never known he’d led, his second existence. Memory after memory pounded into his brain like a hammer-stoke, each face he had known flipping by like pages in a book; strangers, friends, and foes alike. His whole body tingled as if his very blood had turned to tiny points of light, and his hands remembered how to string a bow, and his feet to dance the steps in a hundred swordfights. The faces of evil ripped into his mind and froze his heart time after time, and the faces of his loved ones for whom he fought thawed it out again and again.

Though the whole process took only seconds, it felt like seven years to Link. As the last memory was sucked back into his mind, he trembled for a moment before the sword slipped from his numbed grasp. It clanged heavily onto the floor and echoed in the chamber. A second later he joined it, tumbling down as slowly as a snowflake, unconscious before he even hit the ground.

The first thing he was aware of, even before he opened his eyes, was a soft and familiar melody, lilting, soothing. It didn’t sound like his ocarina, but a stringed instrument, like a lyre or a harp.

Blue eyes fluttered open drowsily and Link shifted his body with a sigh. He was looking at a raftered ceiling, and he knew that he was no longer at the Temple. He was, in fact, lying in a bed, and his head was absolutely killing him. “Nnhh,” he groaned, wincing and placing a hand upon his forehead.

The music stopped and the flittering of wings could be heard. “Link! You’re awake! It’s about time!” came a small voice.

Link opened one eye and turned his head to see Navi flying happily about the lamp on his bedside table. But his eyes drifted, coming to rest upon the figure sitting at the fireside, a harp in hand. Link squinted his eyes. “Ze . . . Zelda?” he inquired.

The figure reached up and pulled down the cloth concealing the lower half of its face, and replied in a breathy murmur, “In another life, yes, you knew me as Her Highness.”

Link sat up, alarmed, but the figure was an indiscernible silhouette, shadowy and mysterious. “Who are you? And where am I? What happened to me?” he demanded.

The figure stood slowly and placed the harp upon the stool, then moved across the room to stand beside the bed. “We have never met, but you know me all the same.” The figure sat down on the bed, and the light from the lantern finally revealed its familiar face: pale golden hair and ruby red eyes, but a mouth that Link had no memory of ever seeing. “I am Sheik, and you are in Kakariko Village. You fainted at the Temple of Time before we could be properly introduced; Her Highness had urgent business to attend to with the Sages and left you in my care.”

“You remember Sheik, don’t you?” Navi asked, flying in and landing upon the Sheikah’s shoulder.

“Well, I . . . Yes, if only his form,” Link stammered, unable to keep his eyes from going over the other young man’s body searchingly, looking for feminine traits and finding none. He was clad in the same outfit emblazoned with the Eye of Truth, and most definitely male. “But aren’t you really a girl?”

Sheik smiled slightly. “For a time, in a sense, I was; I offered my body to Her Highness when she was seeking shelter from Ganondorf’s evil. We switched bodies, to put it simply. I, in Princess Zelda’s body, was placed into a deep sleep by Impa and kept hidden away in the deepest part of Castle Hyrule. When the spell was lifted, I returned to my body and Zelda to hers, and my service was fulfilled.”

Link had a lost, wounded expression on his face. “Is there anyone in this kingdom who hasn’t yet deceived me in some way?”

“I’m sorry for misleading you,” Sheik apologized. “I would have offered my assistance to your final battle against Ganon if I’d had the strength. In my condition I would have been a handicap to you, and you had enough on your mind to worry about.”

Link sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. “I . . . It’s all right. I just, I’m trying to keep my thoughts in order. My brain feels like it’s been beaten with a club.”

“Poor Link!” exclaimed Navi. “Well, now that you’re awake we can give you some medicine for it.”

“Yes, I tried to give you some potion but you kept coughing it up,” said Sheik, who added with a momentary grin, “I was afraid I would have to administer it to you orally if you didn’t wake up.”

Link tittered uneasily.

“Your memories may still evade you,” Sheik said methodically as he measured an odd-colored liquid from a vial into a spoon. “But that is to be expected. It will be a few days before you’ll be able to remember things immediately.” He held the spoon toward Link, who hesitantly opened his mouth and received the bitter-tasting medicine with a shudder and a disgusted face. Sheik laughed softly. “That is also to be expected, though I won’t tell you what’s in it until you’re fully recovered. Can’t have you vomiting, now can we?”

“I suppose not,” he murmured. “Sheik, may I ask why . . . why are you here?”

“Her Highness assigned me to be your guardian as you journeyed to find and root out the evil that is endangering the world. I hope you are not so offended, being the Hero of Time. I know the Princess must worry for you traveling alone; if anything, she sent me to be a source of companionship.”

“What about me?” Navi demanded. “I was his companion first!”

“Human companionship and fairy companionship are two different things, little bug,” the Sheikah replied. “I’m certain you’d be glad for my company if he fainted yet again and needed to be carried.”

“I do not faint so easily!” snapped Link indignantly. “I’ve never fainted in all my life, and suddenly I’ve done it twice in as many days.”

“Five.”

“What?”

“Five days,” repeated Sheik. “You’ve been sleeping for three.”

“Three days?” Link echoed in disbelief. “I’ve been . . . Three whole days?” He dropped himself back down onto his pillow, sighing heavily and placing a hand over his eyes. “This is all happening so fast. Things that took place last week seem like a hundred years ago.”

“Sleep on it,” Sheik said as he rose from the bed. “Tomorrow we set out for Lake Hylia, and you need to be rested for the journey ahead.”

“. . . Sheik?”

The young man glanced over in acknowledgment.

Link smiled gently. “Thank you.”

“What for?”

“Do you really need a reason?”

“No. I’m only curious,” said Sheik, then paused for a while. “Would you like me to play a song?”

Link was about to decline, but the Sheikah had already resumed his position by the fireside with his harp in hand. Navi giggled softly and blew out the flame in the lantern, then nestled on one corner of Link’s pillow. As Sheik’s skilled, delicate fingers plucked out a soothing melody that brought to mind images of falling raindrops and glittering ice crystals, the Hylian felt himself grow sleepy, despite the fact that he had already slept so long.

So much was happening and so quickly, he thought fadingly. Who knew what tomorrow would hold in store for him.

They set out on horseback just before dawn and rode across the broad hills of Hyrule Field with the rising sun at their backs. Link, clad in his familiar green tunic that had been salvaged by Zelda along with several other items that he now carried, was in good spirits with his headache mended. Navi kept them in the right direction as she flew a few paces before them. All fairies were born with a perfect sense of direction, she jested, even the males.

Sheik remained quiet during most of the journey, and Link got the impression that his companion was very reserved and thoughtful, and he probably didn’t speak unless he had something important to say. Link tried to make small talk with him a few times but Sheik’s replies were monosyllabic and to the point, unless asked a question about the mission. Even then he was blunt, though his demeanor was not a cold one; for the tone of his voice was calm and not at all rude. He didn’t seem to be too willing to talk about himself or his past, giving only enough information to validate himself and nothing more. Link wondered if he had any friends, but it wasn’t the politest inquiry one should ask another after having only known him for a short while.

They reached the gates at Lake Hylia and dismounted just as the sun began to sink into the west. Link changed into the blue tunic given to him by the King of the Zoras, and strapped on his Hylian shield and sword. When he turned about, he noticed Sheik gazing at him reverently.

“You truly are the Hero of Time,” he said solemnly, then turned without another word, leading the horses through the gate. Link took up his iron boots and followed, Navi fluttering in his wake.

They hitched the horses to the post outside the hodge-podge looking building that belonged to the scientist who did his research out at the lake. They decided not to bother the owner just yet and instead crossed the long rope bridge out to the tiny island in the center of the lake. As Link sat down upon the edge of the Triforce crest located there and pulled on his iron boots, he noticed Sheik removing a pair of sturdy looking cuffs from the small bag he had been carrying.

“What are those?” he asked.

Sheik tossed one up into the air and allowed it to hit the ground; with a heavy thunk it made a dent in the hard earth, and the young man replied, “Lead and iron anklets, equipment for young Sheikah trainees, who sometimes wear them for several weeks without removing them. The uses for these in training lessons are many, including a five league run and river walking.”

“River walking?” echoed Link.

“The Sheikah train hard for any situation, and sometimes holding your breath for five minutes at a time can mean the difference between life and death for you or the royalty you are serving. I require no tunic for underwater feats, though I mean no arrogance by it; you simply have not endured the physical training I have.” Sheik then knelt down and locked both cuffs securely about his ankles. “So, in case you haven’t already deduced, I’m coming with you.” He stood again, and before Link could decline, said, “I have been assigned by Her Highness to not only accompany you on your quest but to also offer my protection.”

Link was amused. “I think Her Highness forgets who I am.”

“The Hero of Time may be strong, but he is not immortal. If the situation calls for it, I am willing to give my life for you, Link. If not for the Princess’ peace of mind, at least for my own.” His features changed and his words became soft. “Think of it as a debt I owe to you for all those times I could have helped you during your quest to save Hyrule from Ganondorf. For if I’d been able, I surely would have.”

An awkward silence descended between the two young men, who gazed at each other for a while and said nothing that could not be spoken with their eyes. Navi finally said that it was growing late, and that if they hoped to be back on dry land before dawn that they had better get moving.

As Link, with his shield strapped to his back and the Master Sword in its sheath, prepared himself to plunge down into the murky depths of Lake Hylia, the last rays of orange light from the setting sun struck the surface of the water for a brief moment, making each small crest shimmer and glow like a thousand twinkling jewels. The shadows of the surrounding trees and rocks were stark in contrast to the glow of the sun. Link was startled by a hand upon his shoulder, and he turned to face Sheik, who looked suddenly worried.

“What is it?” he asked. “What’s the matter?”

“How . . .” Sheik closed his crimson eyes for a few moments, as if trying to find a way to wrap words around his thoughts. “How long has it been since you have failed to cast a shadow?”

“What?” Link looked upon the ground where he stood, and though his back was to the sun, there was no shadow. “It’s, it’s just the way I’m standing . . . The angle of the sunset. Or maybe it’s just the light from the water-”

“Link, he’s right,” Navi said in an alarmed voice. “You have no shadow.”

The Hylian gazed at the ground like a page of indecipherable text, unable to find his words. Sheik was standing beside him, his long shadow stretched forth from his feet like a narrow carpet. Even Navi’s tiny form cast a faint floating shadow upon the ground. But at Link’s feet no darkness dwelled, nor shadows lay forth to give reality to his living body. He began to breathe heavily.

“It can’t be,” he uttered. “I’m here. You both can see me, can’t you? I am here, aren’t I? I mean, there has to be an explanation for . . .” His voice trailed off, and his lips parted slightly. “My shadow . . .” He turned to stare out across the lake, pausing for a long while. “I know what’s happening now; it’s the evil, the one piece of darkness I thought I’d defeated. My shadow, my other half that I fought within this temple . . .”

Sheik murmured, “It’s an age old proverb of many peoples that the hardest foe to defeat is always one’s self.”

“But Link, I saw you destroy it with my own eyes,” said Navi. “How can it still be alive?”

“I don’t know,” he replied, gazing down into the water. “But if my shadow’s will to live is anything like my own, then this fight shall be to the death.” He turned to Sheik and drew his longshot. “Let’s do this.”

And Navi zipped beneath Link’s hat as the young Hero calmly stepped off the island and plunged down into the dark water of Lake Hylia.