(This was supposed to be two posts, but Vergil's last one caught me while I was writing the first one)<br/><br/>Mael jumped when the stranger spoke. Now that her contact with the spirit inside Tyger was broken, she could feel herself losing energy again, and she began to wilt. She was relieved to see that Sarah was doing alright. The strange woman seemed to be able to heal her, at least to some extent. Her lights had faded when they left the tunnel, and she was struggling to see what was happening in the dark. She had never had the need to be able to see at night, and with only the light of the moon and the light coming from the nearby buildings her eyes were failing. She frowned, blinking rapidly in an attempt to get her eyes to adjust to the dark. She was shamed. She had not been able to fight like her friends had, and she couldn't help but think it was her fault that Sarah got hurt. If she had been able to help faster, the girl would not have been injured. If this was what the world outside the forest was like, how was she supposed to do anything to help her home?<br/><br/>The woman they were following looked into her eyes and Mael stopped, rooted to the spot. The woman's eyes seemed to glow and the simple clothing she wore melted away, revealing an incredibly beautiful and elegant figure. Mael could barely breathe, she was transfixed by the sight of the woman who now seemed to glow with a warm brilliance. "So...beautiful." She whispered, her eyes locked on the woman. She jumped when she heard a voice in her mind, but knew somehow that it was the woman she was looking at speaking to her, and that she meant no harm. She smiled, feeling comforted by her words and once again rejuvenated somehow. 'This is her! The one who can help me! I must ask!' She thought, frantically. She was about to open her mouth when the woman gestured to keep quiet. Mael stopped, confused, but followed as they continued on their way.<br/><br/>Mael was concerned when Sarah awoke, moaning. She ran to her side but was unsure of how to comfort her, she seemed distressed about something. "Ah. You are concerned about the foul spirit. Our new friend is right. The foul spirit will not take hold. You are alright. You now have the guardian, so you will be well again soon." She said, smiling at the girl. It was a relief to know that she was going to be alright, and she could sense the beast within Tyger, perhaps a trace of it or something else, within Sarah now. She couldn't tell if it would grow on it's own though, or if it would simply rest.<br/><br/>As they passed the gates of the castle and into the main hall, Mael looked around in awe. She had guessed that the castle would be large, but never had she imagined it would be so grand. She felt uncomfortable, very out of place in here. It was amazing, but she couldn't shake the feeling of the unnaturalness of it all. There were no living things in here, and she was no longer connected tot he earth. She felt the same sensation of loss that she had felt when she had stood on the bridge. She tried not to let her discomfort show, she didn't want her guide to think she didn't appreciate her help. Mael was confused when the woman revealed herself to be Princess Zelda. She had heard her friends talking about the woman, and something about the name stirred something deep within her, as if it was somehow familiar. She was curious about her now though. She seemed to be someone very important.<br/><br/>Mael was a little uncomfortable parting from her friends as they were taken to their rooms, and even more uncomfortable when she saw where she was supposed to sleep. She lay down on the bed and closed her eyes, frowning. It just didn't feel right. Something about it was off and she wasn't sure what it was, aside from being disconnected from the earth. She felt her discomfort growing, she was exhausted but was growing antsy. It was too soft, that was the problem, and she couldn't here the sounds of the night or feel the breeze. She stood up and walked over to the window, which was open onto the castle grounds. She looked around. She didn't want to be rude to her host, but she was very uncomfortable. She hopped out of the window and grabbed a vine that was growing along the wall, losing her grip halfway down and landing hard on her feet. She winced but the pain left shortly, and she made her way into a nearby tree before drifting into a deep sleep.