Chapter XIV: Into the Night

At the first sign of dawn, Sheik arose from his sleep to find Navi returned from her scout and Veil still diligently watching over the encampment. The fairy had both good and bad news: there was no ambush awaiting them within the forest, fortunately, but the trees were wild and the underbrush overgrown, and the going would be slow even if they took the narrow path that led through. Veil said that they were well to have been given machetes by Eldwin; undoubtedly they would be in a sore position without them.

They allowed Link—who was something of a heavy sleeper—a little more time to rest before preparing to leave. Surprisingly, Link awoke on his own and was in rather good spirits, even at that early hour. Navi was beside herself in shock. It had been an age since Link had risen so cheerfully, though no one was complaining.

Once camp had been packed back into the saddlebags and the coals doused, they readied themselves for departure. Sheik and Veil each took up a machete and prepared to lead the horses through on foot while Link, not wanting to be excluded, drew the Master Sword and prepared to join them.

“Oh no you don’t,” Sheik chided. “Put that steel away. You’re going on horseback.”

“You’re being absurd!” Link snorted. “With this sword I can clear a path twice as fast as the both of you together, and need I remind you that I can still channel magic into the blade so that it is one hundred percent effective and efficient?”

“If we happen upon anything that looks impassable, we’ll let you know,” Sheik said firmly. “It wouldn’t do to have you dulling your sword and wasting your energy and magic on a lot of shrubbery.”

The Hylian pouted visibly but knew that his Sheikah friend was correct; he tied a rope between the two horses and grudgingly mounted Glynfrid. The three young men stared at the formidable forest for a moment before Veil lifted his machete, and boldly stepped in between the dark tree trunks. Navi flitted through behind him, and Sheik and Link followed suit.

The forest was so dark it was like walking into the night; the foliage on the massive trees was so thick that no sunlight filtered through the dense canopy overhead. How the brushes and brambles managed to grow in such little light was a mystery. Strange mosses and thorny vines wound their way around the gnarled trunks, and the twisted, upraised roots crossing the path threatened to trip anyone who did not keep their eyes open. It was indeed an old forest, and it was easy to see how it managed to survive the ages. The small group of travelers were well aware of the unwelcoming atmosphere. The forest did not like being disturbed, and strangers in its midst were most unwanted.

Veil walked ahead of Sheik, artfully swinging the machete with little effort as he hacked at the rough undergrowth. The Sheikah took careful notice of the shadow’s technique and his skill with handling the blade, marveling at how similar it was to Link’s. He often got the strange sensation that Link was in front of him—a feeling he could attribute to the identical ways they both handled a blade—though despite the likeness, there was something different about Veil that Sheik couldn’t quite put his finger on. He brooded on it for some time before the realization came to him: “You’re right-handed, Veil.”

The shadow looked over his shoulder naïvely. “Eh?”

“You hold the machete in your right hand; Link is left-handed.”

“Oh. Well, that’s strange.”

“Indeed. I thought you two would be exactly the same,” the Sheikah said.

“Perhaps I’m more of a mirror image, then?” Veil suggested. “If one were to stand before a mirror with a sword in their left hand, it would appear as if the reflection held the sword in his right.”

“That’s a fine observation, Veil.”

“Thank you,” he beamed proudly. “I did a lot of thinking last night.”

“Well, if you’ve any theories on this whole affair, don’t withhold them.”

“I’ll be certain not to when I’ve thought of any. Right now I’m as in the dark as the rest of you.”

“How ironic,” Link said with a grin from atop Glynfrid, and Veil laughed.

Sheik himself was unable to conceal a smile. It was a pleasant change to see the pair getting along for once.

Navi, flying ever-presently at Veil’s side, pointed out the way to him and helped to find the path again if it became obscured by shrubs. In short time, the light of the forest’s edge began to grow dimmer and dimmer the deeper they ventured until it finally disappeared from view. The horses were perpetually nervous, and Link began to get the unsettling sensation that they were all being watched., but by what or whom he had not the faintest inkling.

They traveled onward into the forest, assured that the narrow path would eventually lead them to their destination, wherever that may be. They stopped only twice during the day for a brief rest, and Sheik swapped positions with Link, who took his place behind Veil. The shadow, unaffected by the demanding physical exertion of cutting away the densest underbrush, led the way so as his companions were not worn out by receiving the brunt of the work.

By the end of the day they had cut a good four leagues through the wood, and the two mortal young men were beginning to show signs of tiring. Veil insisted that he would manage just fine if they wanted to rest on horseback for a spell, and it would certainly get them farther than if they were forced to make camp. But Sheik decided against it, saying that Veil alone could not fend off a sudden onslaught if there were one waiting ahead, not with two out of three of them on horseback. No, they would have to stop for the night. Besides, they had made rather good progress that day, better than was to be expected.

They located a small clearing alongside the path and set up camp. Nobody spoke much, not even the talkative Veil. It was as if the forest were closing in about them and choking the air from their throats with its oppressive atmosphere—and for another thing, if there were indeed spirits lurking about, the travelers did not wish to disturb them with unnecessary bantering.

Navi said that once again she was going to scout ahead, and zipped off between the trees. Sensing the worry Link must have been feeling, Sheik placed a comforting hand upon the Hylian’s shoulder and said softly, “Don’t fret. She knows what she’s doing.”

Link nodded in agreement, but the fear still remained in his heart. He had never imagined what would happen if Navi were to be lost, never in all his days. Though he had journeyed through much worser terrains than the likes of the southern forests, there was something about this place which brought all his fears and worries to the surface. He realized how much he had taken Navi’s guidance and assistance for granted, and vowed to himself to tell her how he felt as soon as she returned in the morning.

Veil once again agreed to take full watch that night, and Sheik and Link were thankfully obliged, being quite worn out from travel and fighting the undergrowth that day. No sooner had they eaten and laid out their bedding than they were both sound asleep. The dark haired young man sat dutifully between his two companions and kept watch over the fire.

The forest was almost silent, save for a lone cricket here or there, and the occasional rustle of breeze through the branches above. There was a small opening in the canopy through which a small bit of sky could be seen but it was cloudy, and no stars were visible.

Once again, Veil took to thinking deeply to pass the time. He did not like to admit it, but the forest made him nervous. Though he was certainly in no danger of being harmed or even killed, he began to worry for the lives of his master, and Sheik. They were mortal, vulnerable to injury and sickness, frail creatures despite their illusions of strength. Veil could surely defend them from harm, but what if he could not come to their aid? What if their delicate, fragile lives were broken and lost while on this quest?

It was then that Veil felt true fear for the first time in his short life. How could he have never realized it before? It was as if the horror had only just dawned upon him. But through that fear he eventually discovered the value behind mortal life, and loved his friends all the more dearly. They would not be around forever as he would be. Soon they would grow old and gray like Professor Eldwin, and one day die. And he would be alone again.

Alone.

By all the stars in the sky, not alone. Anything but that. He had spent his entire life being alone, and the thought of living in a world without his friends, without Link…it was unbearably terrifying.

Tears made Veil’s eyes sting. How could human beings find happiness in life when death was all around them? How could they look forward to the next day when it might be their last? How did they do it? How could they be so filled with love and laughter and life, knowing that one day they were going to be dead and buried beneath the ground?

Through Link’s memories, Veil recalled a dreary graveyard, the writings on the stone monuments obscured by the cold rain. Dead bodies lay beneath his feet. Such an absolute end. What came after death? Was that simply the end of it? Human lives were so short, so very short. It was not a matter of ‘if’, but of ‘when’. Because one day Link will be cold and dead, lying in a box beneath the earth in an eternal sleep, never to wake again, all traces of his existence washed away like soot in rain. And he would never be coming back. Never ever. There was no such thing as forever, not for Link. Not for Sheik. Not for humanity.

Veil clapped a hand over his own mouth to stifle the sob that escaped his lips, doubling over as if he had been punched in the stomach. Pain threatened to rend his insides, which ached and twisted at this unfortunate revelation. Tears burnt their way down his cheeks, but his scar was too scabbed over to sting anymore.

Gazing down at Link, sleeping peacefully on his back with his hand tucked beneath his head and his golden hair glowing in the orange light of the fire, so warm and alive and beautiful, Veil felt sick with grief, and utterly helpless to stop the inevitable. For time, he realized, was ticking, steadily counting down from the moment his twin had been brought to life. How Veil wished he could grasp the hands of Link’s life-clock and hold them still, even if he hurt himself to the point where he would scream for mercy.

Leaning over Link’s upside-down face, the shadow placed his hands on the faintly rosy cheeks and gently rested his forehead upon Link’s. Veil closed his eyes, and hoped that his twin of light would hear his thoughts:

I don’t want to live forever, not if forever means being without you. I don’t want you to die, Link. I don’t want to be alone…I don’t want to exist in a world without you. I can’tI need you . . .

Tears dripped from Veil’s eyes into the Hylian’s fair locks.

. . . because I love you so much.

With inhibition restraining his heart no longer, Veil tilted his head and pressed a desperate, yearning kiss to Link’s soft lips, indeed, as if it were to be the last touch they shared.

. . . For nobody knows what tomorrow will bring.

Veil did not pull away but remained as he was, holding Link’s beloved face in his hands, relishing the moment for as long as he could. Suddenly, the soft lips beneath his own moved, parting with all the gentleness of a blossoming rose whose petals opened to the light, and Veil felt the warm, slippery caress of Link’s tongue against his lips. Surrendering himself to instinct, Veil opened his mouth slightly and touched his tongue to Link’s.

For the first time, Link was returning Veil’s advances. For the first time, they were truly kissing.

The Hylian, sleeping but responsive to the touch, pursed his lips and made a soft sound in his throat, almost like a sigh of relief. The shadow, unable to control himself and unwilling to stop, dipped his tongue deep into Link’s hot, moist mouth of glistening velvet, discovering his first sensation of taste. And it was divine.

Breaking away momentarily with a wet smacking of flesh, Veil pulled back and sat up. Link’s eyes were closed and his face relaxed, evidence that he was indeed still asleep; however, his mouth remained open slightly, and the dark haired young man reached out to stroke the glossy bottom lip with his forefinger, admiring its unfathomable softness. Link’s pink tongue darted out to fondle the tip of Veil’s finger, which soon found its way between his teeth.

Veil felt himself grow dizzy as he allowed his finger to be gently sucked and stroked by the hot mouth, all the way down to his second knuckle. While to Veil this all seemed strange and new, Link was behaving almost as if it were a reflex. Little did the shadow know that he was not far off in his guess, for many babies retained the instinct to suckle in their sleep, a trait that lasted even into adulthood. But Veil knew nothing of women and even less of babies, and neither did he realize just how many unwritten laws he was breaking by initiating and encouraging this sort of behavior. All he knew was that, however curious these actions were, they filled him with a sensation unlike that which he had ever experienced: fleshly pleasure.

He did not know why he suddenly wanted to feel Link’s bare skin against his own. He did not know why his pulse jumped and heat began to rise from his cheeks. He was confused, but not frightened. Like a distant memory coming back to him, Veil endured the heady powers of desire and accepted them since they seemed to be as natural as the attraction which drew him to Link in the first place. But did Link feel the same way?

Veil wanted to believe. He truly did. But he was rational, and knew in his heart that the Hylian must tell him for himself, and that these midnight affairs were no indication of his true feelings. Veil desired a conscious heart, not a mindless reflex.

He slowly withdrew his finger from Link’s mouth; the young man groaned softly and shifted about, trying to get comfortable again. Then he was still, and resumed his peaceful slumber. Veil, feeling guilty for giving in to his urges so easily, could only lick the saliva from his finger and stir the coals of the fire once more.

Link awoke before Sheik that dawn—miraculously—although it would have been impossible to determine if it were day or night had not that small patch of sky been visible above. He sat up blearily and looked around the encampment. The Sheikah was still sleeping, and Veil was sitting sullenly by the fire, wearing an expression that sent something cold running through Link’s heart. Without even asking, he knew: “Navi hasn’t returned.”

The dark haired young man turned his head to stare hauntingly at his twin. “I’m beyond all worry at this point,” he whispered. “I fear something evil may have befallen her.”

“Don’t say that.” Link lifted a finger warningly, though he felt it similarly. “She’s simply late . . . or lost. She’ll be back.”

“Link-”

“She’ll be back!” he stated firmly, then turned his face away so that Veil could not see his fear. “Don’t be so quick to bury the living.”

“Forgive me,” the shadow said softly.

Sheik stirred and sat up slowly, running a hand through his pale yellow hair. “Mm. Did I overslee-” He stopped short when he saw the despairing expressions on the faces of the twins. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Navi’s gone,” the Hylian choked out softly.

“Well . . . it’s still early yet, Link. Perhaps she’s-”

The Sheikah’s words were cut off as Link gasped suddenly and began to cry, completely breaking down with no warning. “I shouldn’t have let her go-! She’s so small . . . She can’t defend herself. She’s probably lost out there somewhere, scared to death or, or-!”

Sheik leaned forward and caught the distraught young man, holding him in a tight embrace. “Stop it. Don’t think that. She’s all right.”

Tears rolled down Link’s cheeks one after the other after the other, and he buried his face in the crook of Sheik’s neck. “I dreamt of death last night,” he whispered, and Veil’s heart skipped a beat as he overheard. “I was so filled with sorrow…it-it hurt so terribly I wanted to die-! Sheik . . . I never even got to tell her how much I love her.”

“For the love of Naryu, Link, she’s not dead,” Sheik snapped firmly, unwilling to allow this dismal, hopeless attitude to persist. “Come along, get ready. Veil, help Link get a hold of himself while I pack up the equipment. We’re moving out. Navi is probably waiting for us on the trail ahead. Now get going, Link! I’m not letting you give up hope just yet.”

The continuing journey was devoid of talk, and the only sounds came from the clip-clop of the horses’ hooves and the hacking and chopping from Veil and Sheik as they walked ahead, clearing aside any overhanging vines or branches. Link sat dejectedly upon Glynfrid, not even bothering to look up anymore. It was obvious that he had little hope of ever seeing Navi again, for he wasted no breath in calling for her. He felt weak and nauseated, and his silence was one of mourning.

Sheik was concerned with the Hylian’s attitude, perhaps even a bit exasperated. He didn’t like being responsible for keeping constant the optimism of the team. It wasn’t his job, and he wasn’t accustomed to it. If anything, he was something of a pessimist to anyone who didn’t know him too well, and it was only his close friends who were aware that his ‘pessimism’ was in truth cleverly disguised caution and forethought.

Sheik always had to be prepared for the worst situation imaginable—it was his job, after all. He could not help the fact that he was forced to bring to mind all of the horrible things that could befall them. It had become second-nature to him. To try and reverse that mental training required the ability to shun the obvious, to see beyond reality and common sense, to grasp hold of something intangible, to place every ounce of your trust into something invisible. Like faith in a higher power. To Sheik, faith is where one turned when all tactics and strategy had failed, and they were looking death in the eye. It was a last resort, not a principal by which to live.

Suddenly there sounded a heavy thud on the path behind Sheik and Veil, and they turned to see Glynfrid with no rider; Link was lying facedown, motionless on the ground where he had fallen.

“Link!” they both cried, and rushed to pick him up. When they turned him over, his face was pale and sweaty, and his eyes glazed.

Sheik held him in his arms and pulled him into a sitting position, combing back the bangs from his forehead. “He’s burning up,” he said to Veil. “I think it’s happening again. Link . . . Link, can you hear me?”

The dilated pupils moved slowly to rest upon the Sheikah’s face. “Get . . . it out . . .” he managed to say in a strangled whisper.

“Get what out? What is it, Link?”

“I . . . don’t know.” The blue eyes closed, and Sheik gently shook him until they opened again.

He looked over at Veil, who was kneeling down and gazing expressionlessly at Link as he suffered. “Veil.”

The shadow looked at Sheik, gray eyes reflecting angst.

“Help him. Like you did last time.”

The dark haired young man received the limp body in his arms, and he took up Link’s hand in his own, threading their fingers together. Pulling Link’s body close and pressing his blond head against his breast, Veil shut his eyes and said nothing.

In short time, Link’s color began to return to his cheeks and he ceased to look like a dying man, but still he remained limp and weak. Veil smiled bittersweetly and said to him, “You should tell me the moment you begin to feel it coming on, that way it’s not a matter of life and death by the time action must be taken. You make Sheik and I worry.”

“Don’t want to . . . need you,” the Hylian whispered. “You’re not even . . . supposed to be here.”

“Is that any way to thank the one who saved your life?” Sheik chided.

“He’s the . . . reason my life’s in danger in the . . . first place.”

When the shadow appeared to take injury from his twin’s words, it was Sheik who assured him: “Don’t worry. He’s delirious. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

“No,” Veil murmured. “He’s right. I’m the one who is causing this threat to his life—to all life. If it weren’t for me, none of this would be happening.” He bowed his head, dark hair shrouding his eyes. “I wish I had never been created.”

Sheik was about to say something to reassure Veil that it was not his fault, but a low rumble suddenly sounded and the earth began to tremble slightly. The horses whinnied loudly and reared up in fear, but there was no place to run except back down the path…which was now sealed by a dense wall of brambles.

Sheik jumped to his feet in shock. “When did that happen?”

“Something’s not right,” Veil uttered, looking around. “We shouldn’t have stopped.”

“What is that sound?”

“I don’t know, but it seems to be getting louder.”

Link whispered hoarsely, “It is . . . approaching death.”

“Shit,” Sheik cursed softly, drawing the blades from his arm bands and facing the path ahead. “Veil, arm yourself. No matter what happens, stay with Link.”

“Arm myself with what?”

“Anything! The longshot and fairy bow are in the saddlebags-!”

Veil looked down at Link and saw that he was carrying the scabbard of the Master Sword on his bandolier; with one swift movement he reached down and grasped the hilt, pulling the gleaming blade from its sheath and holding Link defensively in his free arm. Though he felt vulnerable still crouching on the ground, with the shining steel held firmly in his scarred hand Veil became filled with strength and courage and a fierce desire to protect his master from danger.

Abruptly, the rumbling and shaking stopped and silence descended upon the forest once more.

“You think it was an earthquake?” Sheik barely breathed, tense and alert.

“I’m not sure,” Veil answered. “But at least it’s over for n-”

A terrifying and unearthly roar rent the air with all the force of a violent tornado, and several massive tree roots, writhing like frenzied serpents on hot coals, came bursting from the trees ahead. Sheik narrowly missed being thrown to the side as one root, as thick in girth as a man’s body, swooped dangerously low over his head. The other roots took hold of anything they could reach—trees, bushes, vines—and tore them from the ground. The roaring never stopped, and it was the most hideous sound that any of them had ever heard.

“Monsters!” Sheik shouted.

“We’re trapped!” Veil cried. “We can’t turn back!”

“Then we have to kill them!”

To their mounting horror, there came a great row as several of the massive trees along the path ahead were snapped in half and tossed aside as if they were sticks; from the gap of splintered wood crawled forth a beast that looked like a gigantic tree-lizard.

“You mean kill it,” Veil said, pale with fear as the monster revealed itself.

Its hide was like bark and tightly-woven vines, covered in a shell of great sail-like thorns upon its back. It walked low to the ground like a crocodile, stomping upon its three-clawed feet and each of its steps causing the ground to quake. At the front of its body was a blunt face, no eyes, and cavernous maw that produced the most ear-splitting roar any of them had heard. The jagged jaws snapped open and shut with a deafening clap. The tentacles of timber were only its tongue, wriggling about sickeningly in its salivating throat. Behind it swooped a long tail, toppling trees wherever it swung. It was a huge creature, capable of swallowing all three of them at once with no trouble, and never had Sheik dreamt of coming across a beast like this one, not in his most bloodcurdling nightmares.

“Veil, I need you over here!” he shouted.

“But Link-!”

“He’ll die anyway if we don’t defeat this thing, now quickly! For the gods’ sake!”

The shadow, sword in hand, hastily lay Link’s limp body upon the ground and joined Sheik’s side, facing the monster as it came crashing toward them.

“Every foe has a weak spot,” Sheik said to him. “Without Navi, it’s going to be hard to find it. Try striking it everywhere, and watch out for its tongues. Once you find its weakness, attack with full force. Understand?”

“Yes!”

“Good. I’ll divert its attention while you strike. Be quick about it!” And with that, the Sheikah leapt forward like a deer, dodging the roots that shot out to grab him. With a jump, he landed upon the beast’s head and sank all eight blades into its woody flesh. The blades broke like fragile glass on the creature’s hide, and Sheik could do nothing but hold on for his life as it began to buck and toss its head, trying to dislodge him.

Veil, snapping out of his awestruck trance, dived into the tangle of tongues with a scream and began hacking at anything within the sword’s reach. The monster roared in pain as several of its severed tentacles fell to the ground, squirming like disembodied snakes.

Sheik suddenly felt something wrap around his thigh, and he realized all too late that the beast not only had tentacles in its mouth, but also along the sides of its body, though smaller. Still, it was enough to yank him off of the creature’s back and into midair, where he was swung about every which way and tossed through branches and brambles alongside the path.

Veil shouted in horror and fought his way through the tongues until he was at the monster’s side; he tried striking its soft-looking underbelly with the Master Sword, but each time the blade deflected with a heavy thunk. Something had to be done before Sheik was being pummeled to death!

Instead of trying to stop the beast altogether, Veil turned his attention to the vulnerable roots sprouting from its body, and began blindly chopping at anything that moved. Disgusting green bile spurted from the mangled stumps, and he eventually struck the one tentacle that had its hold on Sheik. The young man was tossed to the ground down the path, and the creature retreated momentarily, bellowing in pain and bleeding its repulsive juices all over the brush.

Veil ran to where the Sheikah lay, barely conscious and covered in blood from being dragged through thorns and smashed against tree limbs. The shadow knelt down but was hesitant to move him, fearing that perhaps he had broken his neck or back. So delicate. So very fragile . . .

Veil’s eyes filled with tears. “Sheik? Sheik, wake up.”

Crimson eyes fluttered open weakly, gazing up at the shadow. “It is impenetrable . . . Its weakness must be on the inside.” He hissed in pain as he slowly propped himself up. “If only we had some bombs to toss in its mouth . . .”

“It’s all right, we’ll figure out a way yet.”

There came a nearby sound of moving foliage, and the two young men turned to see one of the long roots slithering past them along the ground . . . toward Link’s helpless body.

“No!” Veil cried, jumping to his feet. But he was too late; the tentacle wrapped itself around the Hylian’s body and lifted him into the air, narrowly missing the strike from the Master Sword Veil had aimed at it. Looking at the monster, he saw that all of its tongues were retreating back into its mouth, the tongue that was grasping Link with them. The shadow lunged forward desperately, swinging the sword with all of his fury and might, but the beast was too fast for him.

Veil could only watch in sickening horror as Link was pulled into the creature’s mouth and swallowed whole.