Epilogue: My job here is done…
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Disclaimer: See the end of the chapter…
I think that some of you will perhaps recognize parts of the explanation between Zelda and Rae…I kinda got lazy and stole it from my prologue. Oh well, it can be considered a legend, can't it? Zelda is infamous for spouting legends.
This last chapter is dedicated to Kadros Minion of Time, who will be appearing in my OoT parody sometime in the future. Be sure to check out his LoZ story! It's amazing! … Do it!!
* sigh * So here it ends…
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Rae sat on the edge of the fountain, watching as it spurted water all over the place. She felt a strange detachment as she stared at it. Droplets splashed onto her face, but she hardly felt them at all.
It was all over. Ganon was sent to the space between realms,
and the
But what of herself? She had, in a sense, finished the game. Where would she go now? What would she do? When he had…died…the Goddess who was commonly called The Eye, has sent her back to Hyrule. She had said that the Goddess of Time still had tasks for her to do.
What tasks? The game was finished, right? Right?
A light click, click of shoes entered Rae's hearing. She turned to see the Princess coming to her. She held a medallion in her hand. Zelda passed it to her, not saying a word. Rae examined it carefully. It was a thin, moonglow disc imprinted with the Triforce on one side. Surprisingly, the symbol of the Sheikah, the Eye of Truth, was engraved on the other. There was a small hole at the top of the medallion, allowing a narrow silver chain through it. Rae put it around her neck.
"This is a small token from the Royal Family." Zelda explained. "In no way could this ever be a reward for what you have done, but I am hoping that it will serve as a reminder of us."
"Reminder?"
Zelda nodded. "I can sense that you will be leaving soon. A strange magic is coming to collect you…it calls your name."
"But…" Rae hefted her spear. But what about my tasks to do? "Um…then I'd better go say good bye to Link and Sheik."
"No." The princess shook her head, eyes distant. "They are in deep discussion. I will bring them here."
"All…right…" Rae hesitated as the woman turned. "Um…princess?"
Zelda looked back. "Yes?"
"Why…how did I put the Triforce back together?" Rae paused.
Zelda nodded, seemingly pleased with her questions. "I had the feeling that you were pondering this. Let me explain." She tilted her head slightly, looking up into the sky. "The Triforce was always thought of as a symbol of three, for the three goddesses and the three triangles, and for the gifts of power, wisdom and courage. There was yet another piece of the puzzle that all the theorists, and wise men of Hyrule neglected to consider; what kept it together."
"Kept it together?"
Zelda nodded. "Yes. Within the three goddesses and the three gifts was another power, the power that held them all together; the power of friendship. So there was not three pieces of the Triforce, but four; power, wisdom, courage and friendship."
"But there were always three holders of the Triforce pieces." Rae said, confused.
"Yes - the fourth was always hidden." Zelda faced Rae fully. "Hidden, that is, until now. You descended upon our world, with the knowledge and intent to help us heal the land. You carried a great gift and a great power that enabled the spirit of friendship to enter your heart as a Triforce piece."
"I'm a protector of the Triforce?" Rae asked in disbelief. She then frowned. Wait…Oculis said something about that…
"Yes. You are a Child of Destiny, even as you are from a different land." She paused, looking at her with a meaningful glance. "Even as you are from a different world."
Rae rested against the fountain once more, not in the least surprised by her insight. "I see…"
Zelda smiled. "The Triforce went to my brother after you willingly gave to him. He is a Child of Destiny as well, Rae. He was meant to hold the power of the Triforce, whole and in complete power, in his hands. What he did with it could have either brought about another dark age, or given the power to end this current one. He passed the test and gave life back to Link, enabling him to rise up and defeat Ganon with the Master Sword. Had he chosen to destroy Ganon his self, with the power of the Triforce, darkness would have descended upon the land. Though Ganon did terrible and menacing things with the Triforce of Power, never once did he directly use the Triforce to kill another. He created the means to do so, but he did not bring the full force of the artefact onto another living being."
"Why not?"
"The three Goddesses never did harm. They created an artefact that was dedicated to keeping peace and justice in the world. It would never be able to directly do any harm. If someone asked it to, or commanded it to, the Triforce would rebel and force the death wish back onto the wisher."
Rae blinked. "Whoa." She paused, a puzzled look on her face. "Then…why were you and I brought back? How, if Sheik only wished for Link?"
Zelda smiled kindly at her. "Sheik had to choose between his sister, the Hero of Time, and the love of his life." Rae blushed. "But he ultimately chose to save the land, rather than choose between the three people that he valued most in his life. He chose Link and in doing so, chose to save Hyrule. Navi gave her life for mine. And you…" Zelda came to a stop. "Well…"
"The Eye brought me back. She said that the Goddess of Time wasn't done with me yet."
"Really?" Zelda appeared to be surprised. "She actually said that?"
"You betcha." Rae looked away. "Why didn't the Goddesses just intervene with Ganon in the first place?"
"They were powerless to do so. They could never reverse any one thing that they have ever done, whether that be themselves personally or through the power of the Triforce."
"I see…and you know all of this because…?"
"The Triforce split upon Sheik's choice and went back to their original holders. Even now, when it has broken apart to prevent any further destruction to the land, the forth piece resides within you." Zelda turned to leave, pausing just before she moved out of sight. "Sheik saw the proud race of the Sheikahs diminish under Ganon's rule." She frowned sadly in remembrance. "When he saw that he was one of the remaining few, something in him hardened and resolved. He once told me that he would see the end of Ganon's reign, but he would not kill him. There had been too much death, and to take an 'eye for an eye' would to become like Ganon." Zelda turned. "The murder of the Sheikahs was perhaps the one thing that swayed Sheik's mind from revenge for all the turmoil and chaos of Hyrule. It's ironic that hundreds died, ultimately saving their own murderer."
~*~*~*~
Link rubbed the ankle of his left leg, wincing slightly. When the tower collapsed, he must've twisted it. Compared to being dead, thought, it was a slight ailment.
"Let me look at that." Sheik stood in front of the seated man, hands folded sedately in front of him. At Link's nod, he knelt and lightly pressed fingertips to the injured leg. Within seconds, the gentle throbbing had disappeared.
"Thank you for giving me life again." Link said, abruptly, standing. "It must have been…hard…to choose."
Sheik shrugged lightly. "I knew what I had to do." Sheik paused. "I am sorry that Navi is no longer among us. I didn't know her very well, but…"
Link shrugged as well. "She knew what she had to do."
The Sheikah rocked back on his heels, locking gazes with the Hylian. A flash of fire flared in both sets of eyes, and each looked away.
"Sheik, up in the castle—"
"About that moment on the steps—"
They stopped, their words hanging in the air. Link waited, and Sheik went on. "On the steps, just before we went into Ganon's room…when I sent Rae away…" He hesitated. "When I…kissed her…it was a spur of the moment…I didn't…well, I didn't want to possibly...die without…"
Link held up a hand. "I understand, Sheik…believe me, I do." He glanced sidewards at the opposite man. "I only wish I had thought of it first."
They smiled in unison, briefly connecting in a way that only the two of them could. Link's smile turned bitter after a moment, and Sheik's became thoughtful.
A light cough drew their attention elsewhere. Zelda politely stood to one side, a neutral expression on her face. "You both should go to Rae."
"Is she hurt?" The men said simultaneously.
Zelda hid a grin. "Ah—no. She is leaving."
"What?"
~*~*~*~
Link and Sheik stood before Rae, who was preparing to step into a swirling green vortex. It had appeared moments before, just as Zelda had left the Hylian and Sheikah to say their good-byes privately. Rae gazed at them for a while, wanting to have the image permanently meshed into her mind. Link was leaning on the fountain. Sapphire eyes glimmered, and Rae realized that he was holding back tears. He had a wavering smile on his face, but it continued to hold out.
Sheik was standing straight and tall as usual, pale blonde bangs stirring from under his head-wrap. His scarf was down, and he smiled at her openly, a thin, pale scar along his jaw. His over-shirt was torn across the centre, but the flesh was unharmed.
"Well." Rae said, brushing blue-black bangs out of her eyes. "This is it."
"Are you sure you can't stay?" Link asked.
"No." Rae replied regretfully. She indicated the vortex behind her. "I do have to go."
"If you decide to come back one day," Sheik said, moving forward to hug her, "Come look for me. I want to gather my people, so that something like this will never happen again."
Rae nodded, embracing Link as he came to hug her as well. "Good-bye." She backed up into the vortex slowly. Sheik winked at her with a crimson eye, and Link bowed his head slightly. Rae took one last look at the two men. There was something that she was missing… something that she had to do… Rae felt Zelda's medallion bump against her chest, and understood with a sudden jolt.
"I have something to give you both." Pulling at her ear with one hand, Rae tugged one of her tiny, silver hoop earrings loose. It was almost identical to the one that Link himself wore, for save the tiny blue jewel that hung on it. Rae pressed it into Link's palm, and the wavering smile flickered, and momentarily fell.
"Thank-you."
Rae only nodded as she turned to Sheik, taking one of his hands in her own. She pulled a silver ring off of her finger and pushed it into his grip. He smiled at her with an incredibly tender gaze, curved lips gentle in the motion. Rae hesitated for a moment, fixated by the taller man's stare. She rested on hand on the rip in his shirt, fingers playing with the frayed edges.
"Thank you."
"For what?" Sheik asked gently,
His lips parted a fraction of an inch, and Rae suddenly felt her cheeks grow hot. Mind battling quickly, she kissed him lightly, pulling away before he had a chance to deepen it. Edging closer to the vortex she blushed.
"Well…it seems my job here is done." She tried to put a good-natured lilt on it. Link was watching her with a strangely pained look, and Sheik was grinning. They faded from Rae's sight, suddenly in competition with the strength of the vortex. Just as they disappeared entirely, she said, "I'll miss you..." A strange wave of cold passed through her and she felt like she was rising from a deep place. Her hands flared and she blinked one last time before passing out.
The End... Of This Quest…
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Sheik: OracleVortex, as usual, owns nothing.
Link: And we'd like to thank all of our fans.
Sheik: And all those ppls who reviewed this story
Rae: And we want you to be just as supportive for….
OV: My next Zelda fic: It Froze Again. Keep an eye—
Sheik: {laughs}
OV/Link: O. o?
Sheik: Nothing…nothing…
OV: {Continues} —Out for it! See you next time!!
Link, Sheik, Rae and OracleVortex wave good-bye…scene fades away…reader presses the review box for one last time… : '(
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