thefishinghole | let's do the time warp again

let's do the time warp again

[Just a few more months left.

Sheik knows that, if the Sheikah legends are true, it is not yet time for the Hero of Time to awaken, and yet, he finds himself breaking the hallowed silence of the Temple of Time more and more often as that day grows ever closer. Nothing changes no matter how often he visits or how long he says - even dust does not seem to settle within this hall at the edge of time - and yet the foolish hope that Link might awaken even one day sooner propels him forward until his footsteps are once again echoing through the holy sanctum.

At least it is a pleasant place to rest. He feels at ease here, more than anywhere else in Ganondorf's Hyrule, and he could not count the hours he's spent idly plucking at his harp as he simply waits for time to pass. He knows playing the Song of Time will have no effect now, but he finds himself strumming it anyway, perhaps for the same reason he's returned to this place, time and time again.

But then... something strange happens.

A mote of golden light appears past the opened Door of Time, within the secret chamber that once held the Blade of Evil's Bane. And as he cautiously approaches it, it... rings in a way Sheik lacks the words to describe, like a tone that circumvents his ears to resonate directly with his soul instead. A part of him thinks to find Impa, because he doesn't remember anything like this in the prophecies she taught him, but his body refuses to move. What if it is Link? What if something's changed? What if he leaves, and the next moment is the one where everything goes wrong?

He can't risk it. So he remains there as the glow grows brighter and brighter, as the ringing in his skull becomes louder and louder, until it feels as though nothing in the world exists but light and sound and he reaches out, squinting, if only to somehow make it stop, and then—

... like a bubble, it pops, and a girl appears in its place.]

... What the—?

[No, the legends definitely didn't mention anything like this.]

[ From a certain perspective, the next moment is the one where everything goes wrong.

Just like the few moments that preceded it.

Zelda expected to find something terrible in the depths below Hyrule Castle—only something terrible could be causing the Gloom that was making people sick and the Gloom emanated from below Hyrule Castle. But she never could have expected the things she actually found: Zonai ruins so ancient they even predated the long lost technology of the Sheikah tribe, a fully (well, nearly) intact series of murals depicting the founding of Hyrule and the Imprisoning War, and the shriveled husk of a man that seemed to rise from the dead just to attack her and Link.

Everything after that happened so quickly. Their surroundings began to quake and crumble, as though they stood at the epicenter of a violent earthquake. Zelda tried to reach Link's side, to aid the severe injury he had sustained protecting her, only for the ground to collapse beneath her feet.

She cried his name— He dove after her— She reached out towards him, straining for his hand— If only she had been faster to reach his side—!

And then everything went black.

A frightened sage searches across time for safety, fleeing the ancient threat her divine blood has faced since time immemorial, and senses it in the hallowed grounds of the Temple of Time. Her Light begins to gather, little raindrops of pure sunlight, all swiftly running together,

growing larger and larger,

until, all accounted for, they remember their true form and

-POP-

Light bursts like a bubble and gently deposits an unconscious girl next to the pedestal where the Master Sword once slumbered.

Silence follows her appearance, filling the vacuum left behind by the sudden burst of light. Even if Sheik waits, the girl does not stir. However, even from a distance, he will probably be able to tell that she is breathing. ]

[...

...

... Huh.

Sheik does wait, and watch, and listen as echoes of that sound reverberate in his mind, his fingers closed around the hilt of his dagger. In a way, it's fortunate her ordeal caused her to lose consciousness; had she stirred, the depths of his surprise would have resulted in his blade at her neck, and an immediate interrogation as to how and why she has come to spoil this most sacred place. In the silence broken only by her quiet breathing, he is given the chance to calm himself, to release the instincts brought about by an adolescence as a fugitive and once again allow a higher sort of reasoning to occupy his thoughts.

If someone were to invade this place with ill intentions, it would be very foolish of them to do so in a way that caused themselves to faint in the process. Confident in his ability to handle such a hypothetical fool, Sheik approaches the girl and... nudges her with his foot.

... ... ... No reaction. Hm.]

Hey. [He kneels at her side, reaching out to jostle her shoulder, the fabric of her cloak feeling fine yet sturdy under his callused fingers. Certainly of a better material than his ratty old tabard.] Can you hear me? You need to wake up.

[He'll tap his knuckles against the apple of her cheek if she still doesn't show any response. Please don't make him haul your unconscious body all the way to Impa in Kakariko, strange well-to-do woman...]

[ Distantly, Zelda becomes aware of something jostling her shoulder, accompanied by sounds she can't quite make out. She tries to listen, but the voice is distorted, as though she's hearing it from underwater...

Then something taps against her face, like a curious insect buzzing about. She stirs, instinctively raising a hand and swatting at the annoyance. Her brows pinch and she sucks in a deep breath, forcing herself to rouse from what feels like the deepest sleep she's ever had. It feels like she's been asleep for ages...

Finally forcing her eyes open, she finds not an insect above her, but a person. Tan skin, red eyes, blonde hair, and a face half-shroud in a white cowl; someone she's never seen before.

Zelda gasps and scrambles backwards, trying to put as much distance between herself and this strangers as she can. Unfortunately, the stone pedestal isn't very large and she reaches the edge quickly, throwing a hand out behind her and finding nothing. She just barely manages to keep from falling backwards. ]

W-Who are you? [ She whips her head side to side, looking around. The last thing she remembers, she was underneath Hyrule Castle with Link—but now she's suddenly somewhere else, with someone else entirely. Link is nowhere in sight. ] Where am I?

[Well, that's a little rude. The swatting hand has him leaning back to avoid it, and the panic that overtakes the girl keeps him where he is instead of following after her as she nearly tumbles down the stone dias. He can't see any weaponry on her, and she doesn't cut a particularly intimidating figure, either, but he knows better than anyone that appearances can be deceiving. He'd rather not find something sharper being waved haphazardly in his face instead.

So the girl scurries away, and Sheik shifts his weight back in turn, taking an nonthreatening seat on the other side of the pedestal, a beam of pastel colored light coming from the stained glass window above cutting a line between them. He makes no effort to hide his own wariness, scarlet eyes sharp in their scrutiny as they search her form for answers, but for now his hands remain clear from the dagger at his back.]

You mean to say you do not know?

[His head tilts, brow raised as though he doesn't believe that. Within these walls, things like coincidences are few and far between. But... she does seem genuinely surprised, doesn't she? Hmm. He needs more information.]

... You find yourself within one of the last remaining safe havens of the Demon King's Hyrule: the Temple of Time. Fortune must favor you, if it was not your intent to come here.

[Not that he isn't still on the fence on that front, but it is true that there are certainly worse places in this world that a randomly teleporting girl could end up in. As for his identity, he keeps that to himself for now. He wants to know how she'll react to where she's found herself first.]

[ You did not answer her first question, masked stranger, but your answer to the second is sufficient to distract her for now.

Zelda looks around franticly, green eyes darting across the room as she takes in her new surroundings. The Temple of Time, he said.

And sure enough, it is. But... how? The Temple has stood in ruins for a century now, ransacked by the possessed Guardians during the Calamity and overgrown with flora in the quiet age that followed. But here it is, standing as tall and solid as Zelda remembers it from her childhood. And yet, it's still different from her memory. The Temple's decor is spartan compared to the rich furnishings and lavish gold ornamentation she is accustomed to. And she doesn't recognize this room, which appears to somehow be behind the altar.

And, most obviously, where in the world is the statue of the Goddess? It should be right about here, shouldn't it? Behind the altar, surrounded by tremendous glass windows stretching from floor to ceiling, letting the pristine beauty of the Great Plateau shine into this holy place.

Zelda returns her attention to the masked figure, searching him for clues as well. In his current position, the emblem on his tabard is partially obscured, making it difficult for the princess to pick out the familiar Sheikah Eye. His garb does remind her of something a Sheikah warrior would wear, as do his his vivid red eyes, but that's where the similarities end.

Her brows furrow as she mentally runs back through what he said. The Temple of Time, one of the last remaining safe havens of... ]

The Demon King?

[ A cold shiver runs down her back. Zelda lifts a hand to clutch against her heart—but wait, she's already holding something. Her eyes flick down as she partially uncurls her fingers (trying to keep their contents hidden from the masked stranger). This is... the stone that fell off the disembodied hand that was holding back the mummy under Hyrule Castle. But it's yellow now... It was white before, wasn't it? And this symbol etched into it wasn't there before.

Zelda purses her lips and closes her hand again, bringing it up against her chest like she originally intended. Her eyes go back to the stranger, her wariness unhidden. ]

Where is Link?

[ He dived after her when she was falling. If she's here, then surely he is too. ]

[Sheik watches her with a steady, unflinching gaze as she takes in her surroundings. He can't quite tell if she recognizes them or not, but her confusion does not seem to fade. Strange. Either she is quite the brilliant actress, or... she truly did not intend to find herself here.

The scales in his mind start to tip towards the latter as she clearly tries to hide something from him. What that something is, exactly, he hasn't the slightest idea, but it must be valuable, as she seems just as concerned about keeping it away from him as she does her self. Likely not a weapon in the traditional sense, else she'd be wielding it against him with that defiant look in her eyes, but that doesn't mean it isn't potentially dangerous.

... But those thoughts are set aside, deemed unimportant for now, as she speaks a name she should not know.]

Link?

[He parrots, his pulse thrumming hard in his ears. How does she know Link? Why does she know Link? He has half a mind to take her by the collar and demand answers from her - it's been so long and they are so close, his return can't be jeopardized now - but... no. Link is safe, where he is. Acting hastily will do him no more favors now than it did seven years ago.

Sheik stands in a slow, cautious movement, eye flicking between her hand and her face as he does. He needs to be able to react quickly, if this goes badly, because he's not going to give her the answer she wants.]

You will need to prove yourself devoid of ill intent before I can breathe a word about that, I'm afraid.

[Upon his chest, the Eye of Truth stares down at her, as unblinking as the one who wears it.]

[ Zelda draws back nervously as the mysterious stranger stands, even though she knows she is already at the edge of the platform. In spite of his careful composure, the princess is immediately aware of his rising tension and that her mention of Link is somehow the cause. But why? Has something happened to Link?

But her attention suddenly shifts as Zelda recognizes the symbol on the man's garb. Her tone is one of astonishment, recognition leaving her mouth at the same time that it dawns in her mind: ] You are Sheikah.

[ Zelda's brows furrow. That makes no sense. Why in the world is a member of the Sheikah tribe acting so distrustful of her? The Sheikah have been the faithful servants of the Royal Family for countless ages and Zelda has had a close relationship with leaders of the clan for years, even before the Calamity. Is it possible that this man does not recognize her? Zelda has not met every member of the Sheikah tribe, but she cannot the last time that someone did not recognize her.

Slowly, Zelda rises to her feet as well, careful to not make any sudden movements that might further escalate the already high tensions between. ]

I mean you no harm. I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule and Link is my swordsman. We were on an expedition together below the ruins of Hyrule Castle and became separated. If you know where he is, I implore you to escort me to him.

[First, his brow lifts, then nearly shoots up into his hairline. Few remain in Hyrule who recognize the Eye of Truth; fewer still understand the weight of its meaning, of the duty it represents. To most others, it is little more than a symbol of a bygone era, no longer relevant in a world ruled by the Demon King. That this girl knows of it...

Ah, but that is the least surprising thing to pass her lips. She's Princess Zelda? Link is her swordsman? And an expedition beneath the castle... for what, lava?

Sheik wears his bafflement openly, as though she's speaking in tongues.]

That... is a bold claim to make—

[He begins, but is interrupted by a deep, ominous rumbling that rattles the windows of the temple and shakes dust from the rafters above the nave. The light shining down upon the pedestal gradually begins to dim as storm clouds darken the sky outside of the temple, and for the first time since she woke up, the Sheikah's gaze leaves her, shooting up towards the ceiling with sudden and fierce urgency, the suspicion he regarded her with a moment before seeming almost soft in comparison. A curse escapes him, a hissing, archaic sound muffled by his cowl, and in the next moment, he's stepping down from the dais, moving towards the entrance of the temple.

He extends a hand towards her as he does, his veiled expression grave.]

If you speak truthfully, then understand I mean you no harm, either. I've many more questions, but we cannot stay here any longer. I lack the means to reunite you with your swordsman— [This much is true, regardless of who she actually is. Link remains, as ever, safely, maddeningly out of reach.] —but in exchange for the promise of answers, I will escort you to the safety of Kakariko.

Have we a deal?

[The temple grows darker with each passing second. There is precious little time to waste deliberating.]

[ Everything seems to happen very fast. One moment, Zelda is trying to figure out which part of explanation is "bold"-- (the fact that Link is her swordsman? that they were venturing below Hyrule Castle?) --the next, a tremendous storm is comes rolling in right on top of the temple. Thunder rumbles strongly enough to shake the building itself and the light from the stained glass window steadily dims.

Before she can do much more than marvel at the swiftness of the storm, the Sheikah man hurries down the dais with all the urgency of a wanted man fleeing the law.

"Cannot stay here any longer?" But why? Just because of a storm? Zelda's eyes flick to the darkening window, then back to the Sheikah. The look in his eyes is so intense, so urgent, nothing like the cool and controlled way he was regarding her just moments ago. This is more than just a storm rolling in.

Zelda hesitates, wasting yet another precious moment. Should she go with him? Just a second ago, he was completely distrusting of her, hackles raised by the mere mention of Link's name. Yet now he insists that he means her no harm and will take her to Kakariko?

Thunder rumbles again, strong enough to make the very foundation tremble beneath their feet. No, this is definitely no ordinary storm. Something very dangerous is approaching. ]

Very well. [ Zelda places her hand (the one not holding the yellow stone) into his and nods in affirmation. ] Let us make for Kakariko. Impa will know what to do.

... Yes, she will.

[In that, they are in agreement, though he finds it hard to believe they could possibly be talking about the same person. Link is one thing - he can hardly claim to have encyclopedic knowledge of the boy's relationships before their fateful meeting in the castle courtyard - but Impa? The woman who raised him, who taught him to be so wary of others, lest his secrets slip? It's inconceivable that she would know this princess-claimant and not breathe a word of it to him.

His taped and callused fingers close around her softer ones, not devoid of the wear of work but certainly more delicate than his own. She must be of nobility at least between that and the quality of her clothing, though that just begs the question of why she would claim to be royalty even more. But they don't have time to think about that now. With her hand in his, Sheik moves urgently through the Temple's sanctum and to the outside world.

In her era, the Temple of Time stands amidst crumbling ruins, and that much remains true here as well. But those ruins were ancient, remnants of a bygone age no one living could claim to remember. These ruins?

They were lived in, not that long ago. The wood has not yet rotted away; the roofs are pock marked and sagging, but many of the shingles still hold fast. Windows are broken, and the curtains that once covered them are moldy and frayed as they flutter in the winds kicked up by the storm. This was a place that was abandoned within recent memory, and if Zelda looks further north, perhaps the dark tower looming over the horizon will give her an idea as to why. Sheik glares daggers at it and the ominous clouds that seem to surge from it, but he continues to pull Zelda south towards clearer skies.]

Cutting through Castle Town on street level will be dangerous. Unless you wish for me to carry you across the rooftops— [Which he suspects she doesn't, given her own reservations about giving him even her hand.] —you will need to follow my instructions without hesitation until we reach the Hyrule Field. Do you understand?

[About this, he speaks frankly, at least. If he's supposed to get them both out of here alive, he needs to know she's on board for it.]

[ Zelda thought she was surprised just by how different the Temple looks from what she knows, but that's nothing compared to what she finds outside.

She expects to step out of the Temple doors and see the Great Plateau in some form or another. But instead, there is-- or was-- an entire town around it... and it's a good thing Sheik is pulling Zelda along, otherwise the sight would stop her dead in her tracks. It sends her violently flashing back on hundred years, when another young man took her by the hand and pulled her through the carnage of what was once her home.

"Cutting through Castle Town—"

Zelda's stomach lurches sickeningly as he confirms the impossible conclusion she has reached. Castletown. This is Castletown.

Then... has she somehow traveled back in time?

Unfortunately for Sheik, his instructions go unheard for a moment. Zelda whips her head to look northward, where Hyrule Castle would be. She expects to the palace ablaze and overrun with infected Guardians as it was the day of the Calamity, but instead, it's somehow gone entirely, replaced with a dark tower that looms over the town like a sentinel.

No, she can't have traveled through time. That wouldn't explain the presence of the Temple of Time in the middle of Castletown, nor this strange spire in place of the castle.

Then where is she? ]

[ She forces herself to turn back to Sheik, who she realized has just stopped speaking. Does she understand? No, absolutely not. She doesn't understand anything right now. In just the span of leaving the Temple, everything Zelda thought she understood has just gone up in smoke.

But she nods hesitantly, vaguely aware that he said he was going to give her instructions. (Even if she'd heard his not-quite-offer to carry her, she probably would've declined for the reasons he's already thought of.) ]

Y-Yes...

[ Her expression mirrors the fear and confusion roiling in her mind right now. It's the same expression Link would have seen the day of the Calamity. It may not inspire any confidence in Sheik, but she is actually listening. ]

[She's... shocked. Far too shocked for anyone who has spent even a modicum of time near Hyrule in the past seven years. It gnaws at him, watching her expression shift from willful wariness to something so much more fretting and lost, and not finding even a hint of deceit within it. It doesn't make sense, her telling the truth should be impossible, and yet— damn him and this bleeding heart of his...]

You must be as silent as the grave as we move. The creatures infesting the town are mostly blind and respond most readily to sound; ideally they will be none the wiser of our presence, but be prepared to run if we must.

[It would be an overstatement to call Sheik's words gentle in the face of Zelda's obvious anxiety, but his voice softens, just a little, as he gives his instructions. The gaze he fixes her with is steady and stalwart in contrast, and his grip remains firm around her hand. Regardless of who she might be, right now she is someone in need of help, and to that end, he resolves to do what he can.

It's... what Link would do, were he in his shoes, he thinks.]

Heed my words and you will reach Kakariko unharmed—this I swear.

[He is not a real Sheikah, and thus his oaths hold little weight, in the end, but... for now, he intends to hold true to this promise.]

[ Zelda does her best to shove down her fear and focus on Sheik's instructions. He is hardly gentle about giving them (and she didn't expect otherwise), but the firmness in his tone and his grip on her hand are grounding. She pushes aside her frightened questions about what manner of "creatures" now make their home in Castletown and tries to focus only on what's important: be silent, and be prepared to run if needed. ]

All right.

[ She nods solemnly.

She doesn't fully trust Sheik, oath or no. Which is a strange feeling to have about a member of the Sheikah tribe. Then again, Zelda never thought a Sheikah would be distrustful of her in the first place.

But she trusts him to believe that he means what he swears. Not necessarily because of anything he's said or done, but... well, call it instinct. Zelda's instincts don't usually lead her wrong. ]

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let's do the time warp again

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