Legend of Zelda 1. Prologue - Army of One

_Hello everyone! This is my first fanfiction that I have ever written! It is quite the novel, ranking in at around 94 chapters and reaching over 550+ pages when viewed in Word format. I had planned long and hard for several years before finally putting finger to keyboard. I wanted to make the most epic, canon-fueled fanfic that I could possibly write. Hopefully you enjoy the ride with me and appreciate what I'm trying to do with the Zelda franchise. Furthermore, a disclaimer: there is strong depictions of violence and strong sexual themes in this story. If any of these upset you then I would not blame you to stop reading. My goal is not to apologize for my work, but rather deliver a realistic and engaging story where those devices are used as tools to advance the plot and/or character arcs. Thanks for your understanding and enjoy the story!_

_Update Note: A physical edition copy is now available for private purchase for those interested. It ranks in at 733 pages, softcover bound and has over 16 pieces of custom artwork done specifically for the story interspersed within its pages. There is also a full front and back cover painted artwork done by Alecia Sn0wShepherd herself! You can view the physical book images and inquire about a personal copy here at that facebook place with this at the end: /media/set/?set=a.703507283014851.1073741831.100000667582828&type=1&l=aff1875337_

**Prologue - Army of One**

Whispers, whispers…

The youthful man ignored the voices emanating from the one thing he dreaded carrying. It was his burden to bear. In the middle of the night, in the throes of madness and panic-inducing despair, it would whisper to him; it would cajole him into doing unspeakable things. Resolute as ever, he continued his wayward journey across the snow blasted mountains. The wind would whip and tear at his clothes and tatter the satchel he wore on his back like a pack.

In his satchel were many treasures wrought from long-lost civilizations, cunning salesmen and expert craftsmen he had met over the years of his travels. The bag had seen better days and it was covered with the years of the road; its bright sheen now a ruddy brown. The young man did not carry much on his travels but the bare essentials for living; one would definitely call into question why he bothered carrying superfluous baggage such as the masks contained within the satchel. He would just smile at the innocuous question and walk on.

There was one mask, however, that he refused to place inside the bag along with the others; almost as if he were worried it would corrupt and tarnish the others inside. No. This mask he kept secured to the exterior of the satchel, always facing outward behind him as if in a guardian role; to keep two wary eyes on the road alert for incoming dangers. This mask was no protector, it had two bloodshot eyes that seemed to bore into your soul and entrap you within the depths of anguish, despair and gnashing of teeth. The intricate design flourishing the eyes and multitude of bright colors belied the malevolence residing within. The outer horn protrusions on the side of the mask only enhanced the feeling of doom as the viewer looked at it.

"You are not the master of me!" The young man yelled back at the mask through the billowing winds.

He hacked as snow blew into his mouth, sucking his breath away as he stumbled down into the snow trying to catch some air. His body wracked with the intensity of the convulsion. The whispers caressed his earlobes and massaged his shoulders; they would not leave him alone. He was so close to the place he was seeking, he did not want to falter now. He looked over at the satchel, now lying in the snow after his collapse and saw the mask staring at him from its perch on the bag. It seemed to be watching him.

The man shook his head to clear the clouds brewing inside his mind and gave a crooked smile to the mask, "You have not won yet, my old friend."

He took the strap half buried in snow and hefted the bag back onto his shoulders once again. He continued up the steep mountainside until he finally reached the top. The slope slid down and gave way to a mass expanse of fertile fields and rivers undulating through the plains; but that was not what drew the man's attention. He took in a deep gasp as his eyes descended upon the object of his search down on the plains below, mere ants to his eyes at this height.

It was an army, one the world had never seen the likes of before. The line of bodies skirted the edges of the slopes where he looked down on the procession in awe and dread. It stretched onward towards the horizon as far as the eye could see; there seemed to be no end to this horde. Even at his great altitude, he could faintly here the roars, cheers and screams of the millions of soldiers making up that grand parasite. Destroying, looting, pillaging, raping and killing. This beast would not stop and would continue onward to sack anything in its path.

The man looked up at the sky in the waning light and saw the heavens alit with a brilliant many stars of light. He charted the course of the heavens and nodded to himself. A few weeks' time and they will be at Hyrule's doorstep. He couldn't see it, but he could feel the mask being able to see what lay before him and the whispers came yet again.

"Why do you resist? You know no one has the power to destroy these fools but me. All you must do is take me in your hands-"

The man dropped the bag with a thud behind him which shut the mask up quickly, "I know what you propose my old friend, but it will not be I who will be wearing you. I know I cannot control you and for that I must decline."

There was rage in the air and the spitting of daggers but it fell on deaf ears. Fury seethed in the emotionless eyes of the mask as it bored holes into the man's psyche. He faced the mask head on and with one swift motion, unclipped it from the satchel and held it up in front of his face.

"You are obedient to no one, death to everyone. You cannot be trusted and cannot be worn. However, there is still time to find the one who can manipulate what you can do for good."

The mask was an impassive façade as it spoke in a menacing whisper, "You know that will not come to pass. All I need is but one host body and your world is nothing but dust! You cannot win, not against me, not against that thing down there you call an army!"

The young man just smiled back at the mask as he gently placed and secured it back to his pack, "I know Majora, but we shall see who truly wins in the end…"


	2. Chapter 1 - The Choice

**Chapter 1 - The Choice**

Link woke up with a start, lightly perspiring as he looked around the courtyard for any perceived threat. After confirming nothing was amiss, he slowly laid back down in the grass placing his hat over his face to block out the rays. Relaxing in the palace courtyard soaking in the sun tended to be one of his favorite past times in recent days.

It had been many months since Link came back from the portal in the Temple of Time to warn Zelda of Ganondorf's treachery. He was initially thought to be an assassin sent to kill Princess Zelda and was immediately detained. It wasn't until Zelda vouched for him did they set him free. The news was brought to the king and although he was initially distrusting, Link's persuasive tale helped sway his opinion. Ganondorf was arrested and tried in court. It was found that he had orders on him from some unknown villains who went by Koume and Kotake to seek and find the royal family's ocarina. With Ganondorf in the Hyrule dungeons and border patrol along the Gerudo pass increased; all things seemed to be at peace.

At eleven years old, Link had seen many amazing things in his young life. He had traveled through time, destroyed a tyrannical dictator with the power of the Goddesses; he had explored a new alternate dimension ruled by masks with an ill-fated town under the shadow of an evil moon. He had long since failed in his objective in finding his dear companion Navi, the first and last fairy he would ever have. Long were the days where he would frolic and run through the forest with his Kokiri friends; spending many hours sleeping up against a protective tree in the pouring rain with his best friend Saria. The journey to recapture his youth was met with failure.

These days Link spent his time residing in the castle with Princess Zelda, his newly appointed friend much to the chagrin of her father (who always kept a watchful eye on her whenever Link was around). Most days Link would feel dejected and confined to the brick and mortar of the castle; the more he slipped out to the inner courtyard gardens, the better. It was some semblance of normalcy in his world that had flipped completely upside down.

Zelda would come to see him daily and would listen raptly to his stories about Gorons, Zoras, fairies, evil moons, giant fish and more. Despite her listening intently to him, he never did quite feel that she ever truly believed him. Gone were the great fairies of the springs he used to visit, gone were the fantastical creatures he would describe. Whenever he was finally allowed to take the princess on a field trip, the places he showed held none of the glamour and charm that had once been. Zelda would simply look at him, smile and give that small giggle that made him blush so. Over it all, at the king's request, a person would always be in the shadows making sure they were safe.

Zelda had gotten it into her head to make a hero out of Link and appealed many times to her father at the good he had done in service of their kingdom by revealing Ganondorf to be the traitor he was. Unable to protest with his daughter's earnest nature, he relented and allowed Link to become an honorary knight in the Hylian guard. At first Link enjoyed the lessons taught to him in swordplay by grandmasters of the art, but the more he delved into his role as a knight the more he realized he was becoming something he was not. He was blending into the normal life of the royal family and he began to loathe it.

The castle was abuzz with preparations for the royal feast that would be held at Lon Lon Ranch the next day for the yearly celebration of the Goddesses and to pray for another fruitful year of harvest. It was a joyous occasion where dignitaries of neighboring lands would attend; the multitude of races from Goron to Zora would send emissaries to the event as a sign of good faith and partnership. Link had never personally been to the festival himself and really wasn't looking forward to it; just another excuse to dress him up in another one of those scratchy outfits that served no purpose but to look ridiculous.

"Link, are you out here?" came a voice from the courtyard entryway.

Link sighed and grimaced under his hat as he heard the voice of Zelda calling for him. He didn't expect to get caught wearing his Kokiri garb with her again. He had only put it on to feel comfortable in his own skin and enjoy the morning sun. The knight's raiment was simply unbearable to wear and made him sweat something fierce. Just prior to his knighting, he had his Kokiri tunic taken from him as it 'wasn't proper' attire befitting a knight of Hyrule, much less of the royal family! He hadn't wanted to let Zelda know he had snuck the clothes back just yet.

Zelda looked over the garden and spotted Link lying down on the grass, apparently content on ignoring her. Seeing what he was wearing, she squinted her eyes a bit in frustration as she marched over to him. Clearly he heard her stomping up to where he lay and he wasn't in the least bit interested in moving from his comfy position. After a small clearing of her throat Link tipped the tip of his cap up with a finger to let one eye fall on her face.

"Link," Zelda mustered with pseudo-upset tones, "I thought we took those clothes away from you. As the youngest knight in Hyrule's history, you should be more thoughtful in how you look! What you do reflects not only on yourself but on-"

"It'll be fine Zelda, no one is seeing me like this but you. It is not like it's a big deal." He let loose his finger and the green cap fell back over his face. After a moment of silence, he realized this was apparently the wrong thing to do.

* * *

><p>Link scratched an itch on the underside of his arm, furious at his uncomfortable new clothes. He wore a tight fitting black shirt with two red plaid stripes where the buttons lay. The outer rims of his shoulders had flappy frills of a light grey color with sleeves cut off at the mid-forearm. His belt buckled with a clasp of pure obsidian in sharp contrast to his brown leather belt. He had donned ankle length black pants with a slim opening on the outer side of each leg with more white frills poking through. His boots were of standard Hylian attire with high reaching sides. He looked dejectedly into the mirror and sighed.<p>

The door to his quarters opened up as Zelda strode into the room with the grace befitting her position. Princess Zelda was the pride of the kingdom and the sole heir to the Hyrule throne. She was beautiful beyond compare even at her young age. To prevent leering eyes from the townsfolk, she was usually heavily, yet regally dressed. She could never go outside or see another boy without putting on her headdress to cover her brilliantly glowing golden hair. She was lithe and petite for someone of her standing, many expressed surprise at how little she was. However her smile was as radiant as the sun and observers claimed she was always calm and collected, traits becoming of their future queen. At the tender age of twelve, she did her duty to fulfill the role laid before her.

She came up behind him and looked past him into the mirror to appreciate his appearance. He glanced over as she rested a hand on his shoulder before looking straight ahead into the mirror heaving a big sigh to emphasize his emotions to her. She simply smiled and shook her head.

"Link, I know you are not comfortable with palace life, neither was I when I was first groomed to be a young lady. All I wanted to do was play with the servant boys and girls out in the fields or help tidy up the horses in their stalls. When I was eight, I had to be taken away from all that. It was hard, but in the end you'll be happy with us here in the castle. Much happier than you were fighting all those monsters and demons out there."

He spun around so fast she withdrew her hand quickly for fear of accidently smacking him.

"Don't you get it Zelda?" Link fumed, "I can't stand it Zelda! I wanted to be that knight of yours in shining armor." Zelda blushed a scarlet shade of red at this, "But I can't. I at first liked the new tutors and teachers and what they were teaching me. Now it's just stifling."

Link walked over to the bed and looked at his vest he was to put on for the festival. It was emblazoned with the royal family's crest on the back and was of a deep mahogany hue. It honestly would have completed the look of his ridiculous outfit. With a surge of anger, he picked it up and threw it across the room, narrowly missing the mirror Zelda was standing by.

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed.

"This isn't me Zelda. I belong out in the forests, in the fields, in the mountains. You were right, I am what you called me once: a fairy boy. That is who I am and that is where I belong." In a sudden burst of inspiration, Link's eyes dilated open with excitement, "Come with me Zelda! Let's go travel somewhere! Where is your sense of adventure?"

Zelda looked down in gloom, "Link, I am truly sorry, but this is where I belong. When my father passes away, I pray Goddesses, may it be a long time yet; I must be here to take the crown. I know my responsibilities and my duty. I cannot turn away from my destiny."

Standing there in calm, yet benign defiance, she looked so unabashedly beautiful and regal. Link's breath almost caught in his throat at the enormity of the decision that lay before him. It had only been a few short months, but he felt on personal speaking terms with Zelda. A friendship he already cherished dearly.

"Well," Link said with a lump in his throat, "I am turning away from the destiny you are giving me."

Zelda glanced away at a vase of flowers, obviously hurt.

"So I guess this is it." She controlled the quivering in her voice as best she could.

Link closed the distance between them and gently put his hands on her shoulder, she tentatively looked up into his eyes. Such maturity there was in those eyes, dear Goddesses, what trials did this young boy have to endure?

"Zelda, this is not the end but the beginning. I will come back and visit, I just cannot stay. If you won't come with me, then I know someone who will."

Zelda's glare riveted Link in a rush of jealous fury. The change in demeanor shocked even Link for a moment. With an icy tone that was meant to be far less harsh than it came out, "And just who would that be?"

"Malon." Link stammered after a few moments of hesitation.

Looking back on it, Zelda had no idea why she did it. Her hand came up of its own accord and slapped Link across the face leaving a white mark that quickly turned into a deep shade of red. "How dare you mock me with her!"

Link stared at Zelda in shock that she had slapped him for something as benign as Malon. Finally regaining his senses, he scowled at her and through her heavy breathing did Zelda realize with sheer horror at what she had done. It hit her like a thunderbolt; her pupils grew wide with agony at her foolish emotions.

"And just why are you so jealous of Malon? She is just a friend. Are you so afraid of losing me?" Link retorted.

Taken completely off guard, Zelda stood stupefied at the question. Why was she so upset at Malon? What did Link really mean to her? They were just children still, why should he have an effect on her so? The cold stark reality of her error began to sink in, "Link…I'm so sor-"

"You don't have to apologize to me Zelda. I've had enough of this."

"Link!"

Link had already started undressing himself directly in front of her. She was a bit shocked at the scandalous nature of it all, yet she was rooted to the spot unable to look away from the scene unfolding before her eyes. He tore off the regal garments and went to the chair where his Kokiri tunic lay. He jammed it down over his head and brought the belt around and clasped it at his waist. He flung on his boots and plopped the cap onto his head. He truly did look like a boy of the forest. Grabbing his sword and shield off in the corner by his bedside, he strode out towards the chamber door. He opened it and with a slight turn he looked back at Zelda. Was there a sense of regret there in his eyes? Without another word he walked off into another life.

Hearing the soft padding of his footsteps drifting away on the wind, Zelda slumped to the ground in a quivering heap. She wept uncontrollably into her hands. Why does he mean so much to her? She wondered. She barely knew him, why couldn't she get over this? She had just sent away the only thing that mattered most in her life, the one friend she could truly be honest with. Link.

Seeing the melancholic princess weeping horribly, Impa quietly sat next to her as she usually did during these times of despair. Seeing her cry was a hard thing to stand since Zelda only cried two other times in her young life, once after the death of her mother. Impa chose to sit close by in case Zelda needed anything, she already knew the drill.

Impa was Zelda's caretaker, a member of the shadow people that defended the royal family. They were known as the Sheikah. An ancient race which dwindled as time went on; she was one of the few and proud still left. Even sitting there next to Zelda cross-legged, she was an imposing sight to behold. She wore full body battle gear with retractable claw mechanisms attached to each wrist to inflict pain on an opponent. She always fastened a metal baton at her waist near the bottom of her back. The attributes and war-like properties of which were never fully understood by the Hylian guard since she rarely had need to use it. She swept back her graying hair as she gazed down at Zelda who seemed to be finally composing herself.

"He is quite a remarkable boy Zelda, I'm sorry that it had to be like this." Impa soothed.

"It is not his fault, it was mine!" Zelda wailed, "I trivialized our friendship over something so insignificant! I wish I was never a princess! I wish there weren't responsibilities! I wish I was just a normal girl…like…Malon." Zelda whimpered on the verge of tears again.

With a reprimanding tone, Impa commanded, "You mustn't say such things my princess. Link made his own choice, and he must live with its consequences, and sadly that also includes your feelings as well. I suggest you prepare for the feast tomorrow. All the dignitaries will be there and you must be at your best. Please no more crying, for my sake."

Stifling a sob, Zelda nodded, "Of course Impa. The feast. I had almost forgotten."

Zelda brought herself up off the ground and briefly patted down her dress to remove any dust or dirt still clinging to the fabric. She looked into the mirror and wiped away the tears from her eyes and composed her expression. After a time, she turned towards Impa who was now standing patiently by her side.

"Despite my feelings," Zelda haltingly started, "I am a princess of Hyrule and I shouldn't have let myself go like that. See to my servants that they are well groomed and prepared for the feast tomorrow. I want everyone to be in top form."

With a flourish, Zelda turned and walked through the door and headed off to her quarters. Impa couldn't help but whisper her own thoughts, "Despite my feelings princess, I think you should have let your feelings show more often with that boy."

With that, she delved back into the shadows of the wall and vanished. As of the way of Sheikah in the art of shadows, if you are caught then you are dead.


	3. Chapter 2 - A Moment of Respite

**Chapter 2 - A Moment of Respite**

Link walked out into the bustling market plaza in full Kokiri garb without realizing the effect it would have on the local populace, so deep were his thoughts. When he finally noticed people staring and leering at him, he cursed himself for walking out as he was. He had completely forgotten the words from Zelda and recent counselors who advised the king, there had been recent uprisings within Hyrule; many wanted a stronger central government run by the people and not by a king. There had been riots in the far province of Ordon where the regent there was hanged while many cheered his death. The royal family was not overly liked by the general populace and many recognized him for who he was: royal consort to Princess Zelda.

Link took the hint and quickly dashed through the plaza, upsetting a few chickens in the process. They squawked angrily at him as he brushed past them. Making sure his shield was secure on his back and sword steadfast in its scabbard he kept strapped across his torso, Link entered the shop across the plaza near the town gates. He swung open the door, billowing dust and grime into the store; settling into the corners and crannies of the shelf displays.

Several customers looked up from their browsing at the intruder to their shopping; after a few moments they resumed their business. The shopkeeper barely let out a grunt at the new arrival as he indifferently scratched his hairy chest. Link knew exactly what he was looking for. He snatched it from the dusty shelf and placed it on the counter in front of the owner. The owner took one look at the Deku Nuts placed before him before delivering a quick snort and spit into a nearby spittoon just inches from Link's hand.

Link scrunched his nose in disgust, "Um, sir, how much for these?"

"12 rupees son." The owner replied with a drawl.

Link was near to passing out from the putrid odor emanating from the man in front of him. He quickly pawed through his pockets in his tunic and pulled out the man's requested price; anything to be rid of his presence. Without another word, he stuffed the nuts in the pouch attached to his belt and was well on his way out when the owner called out to him.

"Boy, you know your princess can show her face here anytime she wants. She doesn't have to keep sending her stable boys to do the dirty work for her!" He guffawed at this as he gave a lecherous smile at Link.

Link left the store with a shiver as he continued to head for the town gates. He strode past the guards at the gate as they saluted him. He absently nodded his head as he steered a course for his horse, Epona, who was dutifully tethered and waiting for him just beyond the drawbridge. She had not yet noticed him and was idling nibbling on some tufts of grass peeking through the cobblestones. She sensed movement out of the corner of her eye and pricked her ears in the direction of his footsteps. She quickly raised her head and neighed, slamming her hoofs down at the sight of him. She was always excited when Link came to be with her.

"Hey girl, you miss me?" Link gently patted her neck and soothed her as he always did with kind words. He put one foot in the stirrup and leapt up into the saddle; he really was getting good at horseback riding in the saddle, there was something to be said for those trainers he had at the castle. Epona nickered with joy as he guided her in the direction of Lon Lon Ranch.

Many thoughts swirled around in Link's mind, some stayed for but a moment before being swept away by others. The main thought that kept coming back was Zelda and his last few moments with her. What did Malon ever do to upset Zelda? Why was Zelda jealous of him going to Lon Lon Ranch to go see her? Were they not going to be here tomorrow for the festival? Did she fear losing him? Why?

The sun was just passing its zenith in the azure sky as he came near the ranch. Link hardly noticed the time it took for the journey, so deep was he in thought. That mattered little to Epona, she was simply happy to be with her master, riding free across the wind-swept fields. It wasn't until Link was jolted from his reverie by Epona bucking slightly that he realized he had been staring at the barn of Lon Lon Ranch for several minutes. He shook his head to clear it and leapt off of Epona. She brushed him tenderly with her snout as he petted her face. He tethered her to the nearby post and headed to the inner field racetrack of the ranch.

The racetrack had once been the pride and joy of Talon, the owner of the ranch and father of Malon. In his heyday, there were competitions and tournaments held here as the best horse riders from across the lands converged to prove their dominance with the saddle. He arranged all sorts of events: obstacles, hoops, pots you needed to shoot with arrows to break and many more exciting ideas. There were even years where a Gerudo or two entered, much to the dismay of many a wife of the men attending the tournaments.

With recent turmoil brewing around the country and rumors spreading of an army moving northward from the southern country of Nevachrea, interactions between nations had been precarious at best. Talon ultimately let himself go and both his ranch and his figure started to look it. The entire ranch was in a half-baked tangle of decorations, chairs, tables and bottles strewn about across the grass. Link was about to question if the party had already started a day earlier when he spotted Malon in the pasture.

Malon was the daughter of Talon, the plump owner of Lon Lon Ranch. She was wearing a simple white dress with a blue flourish detailing the upper portion bordering her neck. She was barefoot and calmly brushing a new-bred colt which was to be her next 'project,' much like Epona was before Link claimed her. That was not the most striking thing about Malon however, and something that made Link catch his breath every time he looked at her; she had a brilliant sheen of red hair that draped down to the small of her back. Her cheeks were usually ruddy from the sun exposure being out with the horses every day. Link recalled the piercing blue of her eyes every time she looked at him and smiled. She was the first one to ever call him 'fairy boy' before Zelda picked up the habit.

Her back was to him as she groomed the young colt. The horse nickered at his approach but she did not seem to have noticed the cue. An evil plan formed in his mind as Link grinned at the thought of it. He squatted low in the tall grass and started creeping towards her slowly, making sure not to make a sound. He was just upon her, barely a few feet away when he noticed a slightly floral scent. Link admired her smell for a moment before admonishing himself of the real reason he was here. She bent over to the bucket by her feet and dipped the rough sponge into the water and continued her washing of the colt.

Link rose up and was ready to scare her when Talon cried from the stable, "Malon, it is starting, I want ya ta come see! Come here quick!"

Link cringed at his plan being foiled until Malon swiveled around and saw him just inches from her face. She screamed throwing up the sponge which smacked Link square on the nose. She tripped on her dress and fell butt first into the bucket drenching both herself and Link's boots. Talon rumbled up to see what the screaming was about and found both laughing hysterically at the prank. He deduced what happened and started laughing himself.

"Good show m'boy!" He assisted Malon up from the bucket and slapped Link on the back making him stumble before recovering. He always had a soft spot for the boy. "I couldn't have done it better myself! I'm sure Malon hasn't had a scare like that since…since…well gosh darn, I really don't know!"

"Father," Malon looked reprovingly at her dad, "that is not funny and you really shouldn't encourage Link like that! What if he did it to you?"

"Nonsense!" Talon huffed, his jowls quivering, "I don't get scared that easily! Anyway, the both of ya, come here. I want you ta see something!"

He marched off towards the barn with Malon and Link in tow. Link looked from her to her father and shook his head. One had to wonder how a man like Talon had a beautiful daughter such as Malon. Talon's hair was receding and the shine on his head was polished to a blinding glare. The remainder of his hair was tied up in a brown knot at the back of his head; Link gathered she got her hair from her mother. He was a portly fellow with red dungarees and blue pants with suspenders. One of which was dangling off his shoulder, the button it hooked onto long since lost. The overall impression of the man was that of a lazy slob but Link knew better than that.

Malon turned her head slightly towards Link as they walked, "Link, why'd you do that? You ruined a perfectly good dress and on top of that, you could have killed me!" She let out a small chuckle.

"That's the point silly," he stuck his tongue out at her, "besides its just soapy water! Just think of it as getting you ahead of your laundry today."

With a grin, Malon pushed Link back a few feet and dashed off towards her dad. Surprised but not to be outdone, he ran up and pushed her back in return. Within seconds, they were sprawled on the ground, wrestling, giggling and having fun. It wasn't until Talon had to tear the two apart that they obeyed his commands. He stormed off once more to the stable, "I swear you young'uns are too young for that nonsense!"

They reached the barn just as Talon's speech was becoming an unintelligible mumble. He ushered them inside and directed Link to close the door. He did as he was told and they all peered into the musty gloom of the candle lights strewn throughout the barn by rusted nails; Talon was not known for his ingenuity. Link was about to ask the question on why it was so dark when Talon answered his question before he could ask it.

"A horse is giving birth. In my experience, the horses are calmer when it's dark like this."

Link mouthed a big 'oh' as Malon stuck her tongue out at him as if it was common knowledge. He was about to return the favor until Talon shushed them both. He merely pointed to the mother horse, swollen around the belly. Link had never seen a live birth of…anything before. The thought had never crossed his mind that such events were natural in this world. Slowly but surely, a brown patch darker than the rest was protruding from the lower portion of the horse. Link was fascinated and riveted his eyes on the spot that the young foal was coming from. Within minutes, the entire horse was out and very sticky. If Link had not been there, it would have been Malon's job to clean the newly born foal; however Talon gave him a rag and a bucket of warm water.

"Now be gentle, it is still fragile," Talon assured a panicked Link, who didn't look the least bit calm about this whole prospect, "We also don't want to upset the mother in thinking that we might hurt it."

Accustomed to fighting ugly monsters, this task was all but bearable for Link. He gingerly touched the young foal as it tried to stand, albeit unsuccessfully. After several minutes, he felt his job was done and turned towards Malon who had a smug face.

"Nah-uh fairy boy! You missed a spot!" She giggled with childish glee at her joke. Link only scowled while Talon pointed a commanding finger towards the entrance.

"Young lady, you will wait outside."

With a huff, Malon stomped out of the stable. Talon assisted Link with the remainder of the clean-up. Link started to feel at peace with himself as he got into the rhythm of brushing down the fur. Even the new horse was getting used to his touch and was quite still and calm, absorbing the new, pleasing sensations.

"Well," exclaimed Talon as he stood up appraising the work, "I guess that's good enough fer your first time. I'll do the touching up. Go outside and I'll be with ya two in a minute."

"Boo!" Link scrambled out of the way of the door as he stepped outside reaching for his sword. Malon was cackling like a mad woman as she buckled over clutching her stomach in the pangs of laughter.

Link sheathed his sword back in its scabbard, "You know I could have stabbed you. Don't scare a knight like that."

After settling down her last twinges of laughter, she managed to sputter out, "Oh yes, the fairy boy, a knight!" Link glared at her mocking. She softened at his expression, "Oh, I'm sorry Link. I apologize. You know I'm just teasing you!"

"Yeah, I know." Link looked down at the ground, a bit shy for a reason he couldn't quite fathom. He fiddled with the dirt on the ground with one of his boots until he noticed Malon right beside him; slightly unnerved, he took a step back and looked at her.

"Link, tell me again, why doesn't Saria or any of the other Sages know what they really are? I mean, you went to the future right? They all realized they were sages of the temples. Why don't they remember that?"

He smiled, "Because that was in the future, this is the past to that future. They have not becomes sages yet, so they don't know that they are sages. Not even Saria. She wouldn't believe it. It would be too big for her to comprehend."

Malon giggled, "Such big words you use! Where did you learn them all?"

"Oh," Link looked away towards the pasture with a despairing look, "from the tutors and teachers at Hyrule castle. I learned a lot, but there are some things I wish I had never learned at all."

She gave a heartfelt look at Link, she thought it was a shame he couldn't see the obvious, "But do you like it there? Is it…a good life?"

He resumed smudging the dirt with his foot, "Not really, it's actually really boring. That and not many people like the royal family right now. It's a bad situation for them at the castle. Zelda tries to hide it but-"

"She still doesn't fully believe your stories, does she?" Malon offered, when she got no response from him she wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulders. He stiffened up slightly before warming up to her embrace. She leaned into him and whispered secretly into his ear, "I believe you fairy boy."

Link's eyes widened just as Talon burst out of the stable wiping his hands with a dry towel.

"Good Goddesses you two! I can't leave you alone fer one minute can I? Taking me up so soon on m' offer to marry her young boy?" He bellowed loudly as he laughed at his own joke. Link merely looked away at Epona embarrassed as Malon turned scarlet. After a few moments of silence Talon got the hint, "Ahem, now don't take me too seriously now Link."

He gave Link a stiff eye as he guided Malon towards the house. After a few steps, he stopped as if an idea had just come to him in a spark of inspiration. Without turning around, he offered, "Link, if you are willing, I could use your help finishin' up dinner. Would ya mind coming in and helping? I'll be sure t'fill your belly."

Malon looked back and vigorously shook her head in approval. Link could do nothing but smile.

"Yes, that would be great!" Link said with a sheepish grin as Malon gave him a thumbs up under her arm that was in Talon's grip.

Both Talon and Malon entered the house as they left Link outside to tend to his horse and supply her feed for the evening. It was clear he was staying the night at Lon Lon Ranch and he was giddy with the prospect of it; although he couldn't pinpoint why. Epona nuzzled him as he poured some fresh hay into her stall. He looked up at clouds promenading above him; the sun was just starting to set on the horizon and radiant hues of orange and gold dazzled across the sky. He shut his eyes and felt the cool breeze kiss his cheeks, breathing in deep the musky scents of horse hair, dung, hay, and the freedom of the outdoors.

Yes, he thought, this is where I belong.


	4. Chapter 3 - The Messenger

**Chapter 3 - The Messenger**

He belched loudly after what was most certainly a most delicious meal; chicken and dumpling stew with creamy mashed potatoes with fried gravy on the side. It was one of the best home cooked meals he had had in quite a while. Link was offered to be head cook and helped stir the potatoes in the pot. Talon, obviously, had finished the majority of the stew but would swear that no one could do excellent potatoes except his dear Malon. Taking the challenge, Link leapt to the iron cast stove and started stirring the mashed taters with renewed vigor. They didn't turn out half bad.

Malon giggled while Talon frowned at the belch, "Hmm, I should think they taught ya better than that in the palace Link."

"Excuse me," Link offered, placing a hand to his mouth as if in supplication, "it was all just so good!"

With a grunt of acceptance, Talon stood up and swept the dishes and cutlery off the table, "Malon, please go upstairs and get ready fer bed. Link, if ya could help me with cleanin' up?"

They walked the dishes over to the wash basin on the far end of the living room and knelt down on the wooden boards. They creaked under Talon's weight and bore the brunt of many years of service; already cracking, the intricate details of the wood itself were worn off with the multitude of boots that had walked across them. Talon pulled to himself a bucket and filled it with soapy water and gave a rag to Link for drying off whatever he had cleaned.

"I hear things aren't going so well at the castle son?" Talon said in a soft voice after a while.

Link swallowed a lump in his throat at having to face this conversation yet again, "Yes sir, that's correct." He did not meet Talon's eyes but kept them rapt on the dishes he was drying off for him; he could tell Talon was still looking at him through the corner of his eyes.

"I see. Malon told me about it before dinner. I'm sorry it didn't work out for ya. You can stay here fer for a time if you'd like," upon seeing a look of excitement on Link's face, "but don't get any ideas now! You'll be sleeping down here by the fireplace!"

Link's enthusiasm was slightly deflated at this prospect. Sleeping in the hay out in the stable next to Epona would be far superior (not to mention more comfortable) than being wrapped in a blanket on the floor next to the fireplace. Talon could see the effect his words had on the boy and he softened visibly.

"We'll make a good farmhand out of you yet boy!" clapping a firm hand on Link's back; if he were drying off a plate in his hands at that moment, it would most assuredly have been flying by now, "If you prove your keep, we just might make an additional bed downstairs fer ya."

Link seemed visibly agreeable to this notion. Talon was no dummy and he knew something was blossoming between Link and his daughter; you would have to be blind not to see it. Both being eleven however, he knew that they were far too young to do anything serious but he wanted to belay that inevitable event for as long as possible. There was no need to rush the children into something they weren't emotionally prepared for.

With the dishes and cutlery dried and cleaned, Link got up and assisted Talon since he was having some trouble getting back to his feet. He was not as spry as he used to be in his younger days. He opened up the armoire resting in the corner and pulled out some blankets for the boy and started settling them down by the fireplace. Malon had just started coming down the stairs in an ankle length nightie when there was a knock on the door.

"Who in blazes is knockin' this late at night?" With a groan, Talon hauled himself back up off the floor and strode over to the door and opened it.

Link registered the surprise on Talon's face at the visitor; it was clearly not someone he expected. A Sheikah stepped into the house unbidden and after a few paces stopped just inside the room. After surveying the living space briefly, she turned to Talon and began whispering in urgent, hushed tones. Link tip-toed closer as he strained to hear the conversation while Malon nervously looked on from the bottom of the stairs. He only managed to catch various pieces of information but none made any sense.

"Uh huh…I figured as much," Talon nodded his head at the news, "thank you for the news, I will keep them safe."

With a curt motion of the head, the Sheikah gave one brief glance at Link and then proceeded out the door into the night. It had all happened so quickly that he wasn't sure if it had even happened at all! Talon slowly shut the door behind him and stood there for a brief few moments thinking silently to himself. At last, he turned around and gave a look of despair on his face.

"Malon dear, I don't think this is a safe place anymore. We must seek refuge at Hyrule Castle."

"But why?" Malon was beginning to get distraught; she had never seen her father this visibly worried before.

"Dun' argue! Get upstairs, get dressed fer th'road." Talon's speech becoming slightly unintelligible in his rising worry.

"At night? It is already dark!" A whine was creeping into her voice at the prospect.

With a commanding finger back up to her room, "GO!"

Malon, on the verge of tears, rushed upstairs into her room, leaving the door slightly ajar. It was clear to Link that the Sheikah was here to warn them and possibly others who lived on these plains of some impending danger. Talon lumbered over to Link and had them both sit down and for the first time in Link's life, he saw a look of misery on the jolly man's face.

"Link," Talon started in a low voice, making sure he had eye contact with the boy, "I think ya should get Epona and also come with us. I doubt even you can handle this threat, despite the tales I've heard ya say to Malon."

Link paused, just what had Malon been telling her father? "What threat?"

"Nevachrea. Its army is headed right fer us and it will not stop." Talon did little to dumb it down for Link; despite what he considered 'tall tales' Malon said she heard from Link, he never doubted the boy's capability with the sword. Link was experienced in a way few eleven year olds were, Talon wanted to grieve for the boy having to grow up so fast.

Link was dazed with the impact of the news. He had only just recently learned what the word 'army' was and now knew its dreadful capabilities. Something with the size of that magnitude, he knew deep within that he could not fight something like that off himself. He honestly doubted that Hyrule was ready for such an army either. Unless something was done here and now or previous preparations had been made, Hyrule would surely fall. Link knew this since he had watched the soldiers train every day, they were not battle ready.

"Does the king know about this Talon?" Link croaked; swallowing the bug seemingly caught in his throat.

"Of course he does." Talon sighed, "Why do ya think he was preparin' a feast fer all the land's dignitaries, emissaries and such? It was a ruse fer its real purpose, to warn them of the coming threat and form national ties of support to assist each other in standin' together against Nevachrea. I had only found out a day or so ago," he gestured out towards the pasture at the haphazard mess still strewn across his ranch, "that isn't wasn't happenin'. Nevachrea moved too soon, we have not secured the necessary alliances with other nations fer national defense yet."

Link looked off into the fire, now starting to gather energy after having bit lit just prior to dinner, "Tell me about Nevachrea, why are they waging war now? What's the point? What did we ever do to them?"

Talon sighed deeply and looked at Link. Crossing his arms, he stared off at nothing in particular as he recounted what he knew, "From my recollectin' it began a long time ago. The country of Nevachrea was an essential line of trade fer Hyrule. I won't get into specifics because I don't know 'em. Let's just say our king at that time wasn't the smartest puppy in the litter."

Link chuckled at this, after a swift glance of admonition from Talon, Link continued to listen intently. "Hyrule was the main supplier of crops, materials and fabrics fer Nevachrea. They couldn't have risen as a new nation without our help. Fer whatever reason, the king decided to cut ties with Nevachrea and leave them to their fate; it effectively crushed them as a country. It was also a declaration of war, even if it wasn't publicly stated. All people, I suspect, born in that country have an innate hatred towards us ever since."

"Not too long ago," Talon continued, "probably right before you were born, Nevachrea staged an assault on Hyrule. It was terrible; many people died durin' that conflict. Ganondorf, the king of the Gerudos, is to thank for placing a barricade on our southern border." He pressed on despite the look of shock on Link's face, "Indeed, thanks to him and the rest of the Gerudo, they erected a magickal barrier using whateva' witchcraft they possess to keep Nevachrea at bay. Knowing Ganondorf is a traitor now an' all, I reckon him languishing in prison has something to do with it failin'."

Link had a sneaking suspicion as well that Ganondorf residing in the dungeons of Hyrule Castle may not have been the best idea in protecting Hyrule from the new threat that now faced it.

Link made an involuntary jerk at Talon's next words, "The Sheikah just now told me that they are already at the border of the Lost Woods and she is going to evacuate as many of the Kokiri as she can. I also believe-"

This was clearly the wrong thing to say and Talon knew it as soon as he noticed the expression of horror on Link's face. It was immediately masked with a look of grim determination as Link swiftly flew out the door towards Epona. He untethered her and hoisted himself into the saddle. Rattled at this sudden change in plans, Epona stomped the ground nervously as she wondered what her master had in store. She did not argue when he gave a swift kick to the sides and launched into a gallop.

Talon ran out of the house yelling for Link to stop, but it was far too late. He saw the boy round the bend and was gone from the ranch. As the clop of hooves faded off into the night, Malon rushed down the stairs and to her father's side. She was wearing a light travel shirt and leather breeches; she had yet to put her boots on.

"Father," she said in a worried tone, "Where has Link gone?"

Talon hung his head and suppressed a tear as looked despairingly at Malon.

"Malon honey, I'm afraid Link may be a goner."

* * *

><p>Impa stepped out of the shadows and tapped Zelda on the shoulder as she walked past. After a stifled scream, Zelda quickly composed herself and elegantly faced Impa.<p>

"Yes? I don't mean to be rude Impa, but I've got things to attend to." It came out a bit fouler than she had intended. She winced slightly at her own words.

Impa scowled, "And my main priority is for your safety. Frankly, I don't believe it is assured anymore with you staying here. I am tasked by the king to take you somewhere safe."

Zelda gave a lilting laugh before she spoke, "And what is there that doesn't ensure my safety? We are behind legions of well-trained soldiers and two castle walls as well as numerous Sheikahs. What could possibly be a threat to my safety?"

Impa violently shook her head, "Will you drop your regal attitude princess! Surely you might have gathered by now that the Royal Feast at Lon Lon Ranch has been cancelled. You were there at the meeting today with the king! A war is about to erupt between Hyrule and Nevachrea and our attempt to establish war allies has failed."

Zelda gaze was indifferent; her mind had been mostly on Link during that meeting, the news hadn't sinked in, "Nevachrea, yes I've heard father talking about that during the council meeting. But isn't it simply supposed to be a small peasant country? I should think it hardly a threat at all."

Impa understood that the princess was young and not all things were yet understood by her. She struggled to find a way to get the princess to understand their predicament. As future queen of Hyrule, she needed to understand the nature of politics and of war. She held Zelda by the shoulders and briefly shook her which made her uncomfortable at Impa's touch.

"Zelda," Impa exasperated, "They already have the winning advantage by moving first and their army is already poised just south of the Lost Woods. They might even be burning it down to the ground as we speak!"

Zelda's demeanor changed in a heartbeat, a look of pure terror permeated her face, "But…what of the Kokiri? Of Saria and all them?"

Impa looked down at her feet in sorrow, "At this rate, I'm afraid there is nothing we can do for them. We were not warned in time. No one truly knows what will happen if the Kokiri leave the forest; maybe they will die or maybe they will start aging like the rest of us. I haven't a clue. What I do know is that we do not have the resources to get there in time and stop an army that big. I've already sent several riders to the nearby provinces to help in the evacuations."

Zelda absently picked at her dress, unsure of what all she could do. As princess of her kingdom, she felt obligated to make decisions. She looked up hopefully at Impa, "Maybe if we gather all the soldiers and all the people in Hyrule to fight back against this army? We can win and stand our ground!" She pressed further upon seeing the rebuttal on Impa's lips, "Besides, exactly how big is this army? Can we not stand up to them?"

Impa shut her mouth and turned away, pressing her hand against the cold marble wall as she stared at the ground. She contemplated on whether she should tell Zelda the truth. Her response was just what was expected from someone her age; she couldn't comprehend the gravity of the situation. She had to put it into terms Zelda would understand, it was the only merciful thing to do. Impa looked at the marble she was touching and pondered how fragile everything was; even this seemingly impenetrable castle would most likely be nothing but ashes and dust within weeks. Nothing lasts.

Pushing away from the wall, Impa turned to look at Zelda, "Princess, my last scout reported this: The army is as far as the eye can see in every direction. They move slowly each day, but after several months of waiting, there still is no end in sight to this massive army. We even sent scouts to sneak around the mass to scope out the tail end. They haven't returned yet, be it they were killed or have yet to reach the source of the army is unclear. That was over a year ago."

Zelda gasped, "My Goddesses that is impossible! How could one build such a huge army like that? How would you feed them all? Cloth them all? Entertain them all? Supply them all? It's an impossible task!"

"I don't know princess," Impa intoned, "but we must evacuate the castle and ultimately Hyrule itself. We can no longer stay here."

She slowly guided the dumbstruck Zelda down the corridor towards her living quarters when Zelda remembered something critically important, "The Master Sword! If we leave, we will be opening up the doors right to the enemy! They will claim the sword as theirs! We must stop them!"

Impa stopped dead still in the corridor and took Zelda by the shoulders, "We cannot do anything, that's a risk we must take. The seal on the Temple of Time is great and there are many fail safes at work in that structure. We must trust to them that they will hold until we can come back and win against this foe." She reached into the folds of her armor and revealed the ocarina that was one of the treasures of the royal family, "Besides I have this, they will not be getting far without it."

Zelda looked sheepishly at the ocarina, "How did you get that? I thought they had it locked in the castle vaults?"

Impa clucked, "I am Sheikah; I go where I please and do what I please; as long as it does not endanger you or the king. It is our gifts that enable us to do things normal Hylians cannot. I knew it wouldn't be safe here in the castle, so I took the initiative to move it elsewhere."

Suddenly another Sheikah emerged from the pervasive shadows and startled Zelda.

"Why must you always do that?" Zelda rebuked the new Sheikah.

The Sheikah simply stared at Zelda briefly before turning to Impa relaying a message in harsh whispers. Impa's eyes widened slightly at the news before nodding her confirmation.

Impa turned to Zelda, "Princess, please return to your quarters and pack your travel clothes. Be sure to stop by the kitchens and pick up food for the journey. I do not know how far we will have to travel, but we must be prepared." After a curt nod from Zelda, she continued, "Once you are finished, meet me at the castle stables and we shall be on our way."

"What about father?" Zelda questioned.

"He will be safe, he is in the care of another Sheikah and they are evacuating him as we speak. Go now, do not delay!"

With a hand motion to see Zelda off, both Sheikah ran down the hall; they quickly melded into the shadows and were gone. Zelda stood looking down the corridor for a time before an idea popped into her head. She didn't quite understand why she would think such a crazy thought at that moment. It didn't make any sense, yet it brought everything into perspective.

Link's stories! He came back to stop Ganondorf from getting his hands on the Triforce, and with him now in the dungeons, it had come to pass. Did they just change the outcome of the future? Is Nevachrea now a threat because Ganondorf is not? Could Link's stories truly be real? Zelda had a tough time believing everything he said, but it all seemed to make sense! Without a further thought, she spun on her heel and headed for the dungeons. She needed to know something and Ganondorf himself would be the only one who knew the answer!


	5. Chapter 4 - Fall of the Kokiri

**Chapter 4 - Fall of the Kokiri**

The screams were deafening, the chaos absolute. The raging pyres rose higher with each successive tree that was scorched and burnt to the ground. The screeching cries of the Kokiri fell on deaf ears as some were butchered on the spot while others were captured as potential prisoners and spoils of war. Some of the female Kokiri vomited in nauseating disgust at seeing the ugly, brutish men do unspeakable things to their friends; screaming in terror when they did those same things to them.

Homes were destroyed and various Deku Tree sprouts were hacked to pieces. There was only one tree that refused to be cut down or burned, the great Deku Tree; even in petrified death, it resisted even the most persistent pillager. It did nothing but stand ominously over the destruction of its home, its world, its children.

In the center of the whirlwind of death, blood and pain was General Naar. Standing nearby were three of his most loyal and trusted men: Talamir, Thanan and Timner. Naar looked around in indifference at the burning village. He spied a drawing scrawled on a nearby tree at its base of a small kid battling a monster, but gave it little thought. A Kokiri fell from the treetops above with an arrow through its throat; the body slammed into the ground just feet away from Naar's boot. In obvious disgust at the pitiful corpse, he sneered and kicked the body away as two attendants emerged from the din and quickly rushed in to wipe his boots to keep them clean.

Naar pointed at Thanan and commanded, "Why are all these imbeciles' children? Are there not any parents or adults here? Where are the men?"

Of the three, only Thanan stood up to Naar's imposing figure and demanding words.

"My lord," he bowed low in deference to his commander, "according to our sources, these are the Kokiri of the Lost Woods. It is heard that they can never grow old and stay just the way they are unless they leave the forest. We've killed many, but there are dozens more that are being taken prisoner. There are six over there."

Thanan pointed to a nearby copse where four Kokiri girls and two Kokiri boys were beaten and bruised. Locked in chains and with wide eyes glancing wildly around at the mad terror that surrounded them; they were absolutely wretched looking. The shock of seeing their houses burning and their friends slaughtered had not fully dissipated from their minds; they had no tears yet to cry.

"My lord," Thanan insisted, "what shall we do with them?"

"They don't age you say?" Naar licked his chapped lips as he slowly walked over to the pitiful looking group, enjoying the looks of sheer horror on their faces as each boot step crunched on dried grass; each step a collective wince amongst the Kokiri.

He was quite the imposing figure. Billowing winds from the raging fires swept his white flowing hair around him. He loved to keep it long; in Nevachrea, the longer your hair, the more power and wealth it was assumed you had. He wore a black girdle around his inner tunic which was grey; on top of it was articulate armor that reflected the lights from the nearby fires. It was not full bodied but covered several key areas which allowed freedom of movement should the need arise for speed. He wore black gloves with metal knuckles that were not just for show, for they looked worn and used. He sported a majestic, jet black cape that was crimson red on its inner folds. He did not seem to be carrying any weapon at his waist and appeared defenseless; despite this lack, one would not misinterpret his inherent lethality.

Naar scratched absently at his beard as his forest green eyes pierced the very souls of the Kokiri as they huddled ever closer as if to protect themselves from his terrifying gaze. Suddenly, an evil grin spread across his face as he let out a laugh that startled the Kokiri.

He turned to Thanan, "Take the girls and toss them to the troops. I'm sure they'd love some unique entertainment right now."

Thanan returned his smirk. Talamir and Timner were a bit shaken, neither man liked the prospect of utilizing the children like that, but they remained silent.

"What of the boys?" Thanan pushed, "You did not say their fate."

Naar ignored the quivering Kokiri by his feet and looked over the devastation of the forest before sniffing the acrid air and responding, "Drag them out into the forest and kill them. I don't care how, so long as it's long and painful."

With a wicked grin, Thanan signaled two other soldiers and grabbed both Kokiri boys by the hair and started dragging them out of the copse kicking and screaming. They were out of sight but the girls could only imagine what was happening as their screams died abruptly only to be renewed with horrible clarity. Talamir and Timner started grasping the hairs of the girls and began dragging them away when Naar spotted one specifically.

"Halt!" He raised his hand; both Talamir and Timner let their prizes drop. Naar pointed to the tallest one of the bunch with sparkling green hair. It had now faded and was covered in caked ash and blood. On her neck she wore a beautiful medallion which scintillated a deep green hue in the fading light. "That one," Naar sneered, "I will take with me to my tent tonight!"

Naar stepped closer and stooped down on one knee to look at her more clearly. He placed a hand on her chin, marking its features as he moved her face from side to side. He moved on to her hair, feeling its softness through his fingers. He briefly shut his eyes and shuddered with a deep inner need, an urge that he hadn't felt in a long time. He moved down to her shoulders when he became unnerved as a bright light shoved itself in his face. He rose up roaring in rage as the bright light pricked and prodded his face with the effect of a hundred tiny daggers.

With unnatural speed, Naar grasped the shining light in his hand and began squeezing. The light started to flicker and fade as it revealed itself to be a small fairy. Angry at this impudent assault, he began crushing the life out of the fairy. He paused as the girl beneath him began crying out in pain. She was writhing on the ground as he continued to squeeze the life out of the little fairy.

"Ah…so you two are connected." He looked around and finally noticed other Kokiri with similar bright lights hovering nearby. He had not noticed them with the light from the fires. "So each one of you has your own personal fairy; now that is interesting."

He signaled to a nearby soldier to grab him a leather pouch to which he unceremoniously dumped the fairy inside and drew the drawstring tight.

"Now I have leverage on you girl. You try to resist me in any way and your fairy will die." She simply looked away in contempt at his threat, "Oh yes," Naar laughed, "you'll do. I won't hurt you…not yet anyway."

An arrow zipped through the carnage and plowed itself into Naar's right shoulder. He snarled with agonizing pain and snapped in the direction from which the arrow had come. A young boy in plain green clothes was prancing through his men on a red-coated mare. Upon closer look, he also noticed the boy had a bow and arrow! He snapped the end of the arrow shaft off and casted it into the brush.

"Get that boy!" Naar bellowed, "Dead or alive, I don't care! Just bring me his head!"

Out of nowhere, two horses appeared from the mists as if summoned by magic; Talamir and Timner jumped onto the horses and galloped towards the boy. The boy veered off from his intended course, slashing his sword right through the face of a nearby grunt. Blood spurted in a wide arc as he made his way straight for the small group of Kokiri girls. Naar saw the change in plans and moved to intercept him.

Link had been meaning to catch them all, but only one held onto his hand strong enough. It was the green haired girl that he hoisted behind himself on the mare. Naar quickly summoned a scimitar from the thin air and made to slash the legs of the horse clean through. Seeing the threat, Link galvanized Epona into a towering leap over the stroke; Link slashed downward in return and clipped Naar's cheek forcing him to recoil backwards with the pain.

Link brought Epona back around and was going to go for another pass. He instigated another leap but Naar caught onto this tactic and swung in a higher arc. Blood flared and sparkled in the air as he nicked the horse in its hind leg. A painful whiney issued from the horse, but it landed and kept going. Naar swore a curse and pointed at his men who were just reaching the scene, "Talamir! Timner! Don't let him get away. I want both their heads!"

Naar turned on his foot as his two servants galloped off in dogged pursuit of the green-clothed boy. He walked back and looked down on the three Kokiri girls who were left behind. He chose one at random by the hair and began dragging her away kicking and screaming.

* * *

><p>Epona galloped at a decent clip, but her max speed was severely hindered by her bleeding hind leg. If not treated fast, she would eventually bleed to death. Saria started to awaken from her stupor and realized with shocking clarity what had happened and grabbed Link by the shoulders, "Link! We must go back and save the other Kokiri! They're killing them all!"<p>

"Saria, I tried to save the other girls along with you, but only you held on." Link anguished over the despair his friend felt, "If I had chanced another pass, neither of us would have escaped. I tried to save them all, but only you held on. I'm sorry. Who was that man?"

She put her arms around his waist and buried her face into his back, ignoring the pain bolting through her head as she pressed the blood-clotted bruises sprawled across her face into his tunic.

"I don't know," Saria sobbed, "I really don't know. Many of the other men looked up to him, but that's all I know!" She gripped his waist even harder, causing him to shift in the saddle slightly to make it more comfortable, "Oh Link, you can't believe what they are doing to the forest. To the other Kokiri! You can't believe what they were going to do to me, what they are doing to the other Kokiri girls right now! Sora! That man has my fairy!"

Link cringed to see his best friend in such horrible misery. He had a vague idea of what happens between a man and a woman but not any specific details on what actually occurs. He could surmise the worst of it though and it made him angry. He was about to console her when an arrow zipped by his ear. Looking back, he saw two riders on jet black horses galloping towards him.

"Sorry Saria," Link yelled back through the wind buffeting them both, "but hold on tight. I'm going to try to shake them off our tail!"

He swerved Epona left and into a thicker conglomeration of trees. It hadn't been touched by the army, but he could see the burning pyres dimly through the crowded trunks. He could faintly hear the screams of the Kokiri and almost wanted to cry. An arrow thunked hard into a tree on his left as he swerved right. It was getting darker and darker; finding a clear path for Epona was getting difficult in the invading gloom. Another arrow flew past his right cheek, clipping his ear. The stinging was replaced with numbness as he felt a slow dribble of warmth run down his neck.

He saw a patch of bushes that looked decent enough for a hiding spot; he swerved Epona away from it to divert attention to the inconspicuous spot and trailed the two riders in a half circle through the trees. Arrows were whistling through the air as each rider nocked another to their bows. Just as he was coming up on the patch of shrubbery, Epona tripped on something rock solid and went flying as Link and Saria flew into the brush. A whining cry erupted from Epona as she landed with a bone-crunching jolt. Blood gushed from her two front legs as she tried in vain to stand up; she fell back down on her wounds, opening them up even more, forcing panicked cries from the mare.

Link regained consciousness first and realized a branch was sticking very hard into his back. He rolled over and saw Saria passed out cold next to him; branches and twigs stuck to her clothes and hair. Link desperately searched to find what made them crash and found a sleeping Goron hidden in the brush. He prodded it with the pommel of his sword before its head zipped up. It was about to get up to talk to Link when he shushed it to stay down. It turned to him with a lazy look in its eyes.

"Oh hullo there, you must be the legendary Link, the Dodongo buster. I would recognize your outfit anywhere. Am I correct?"

Link hurriedly said, "Yes."

"Oh good!" the Goron drawled, "I was just coming to visit; I heard so many things about you. I wanted to see where you were born and-"

"That's not important right now!" Link hissed, "The Lost Woods is burning down, the Kokiri are being slaughtered and my horse tripped over you and is now in grave pain!"

Saria finally sidled up to Link's side, clearly recovered from the ejection off Epona. She was staring at the Goron with obvious interest. It was a creature made seemingly of pure rock but had an organic look to it. Its backside was covered in scales of plated rock which provided defense and support when they rolled across the ground. The only places of real vulnerability were its face, stomach and the undersides of its arms.

Link continued, "There are two riders coming this direction and they will kill my horse and capture us. Finding you was a stroke of luck." Link paused to gauge whether this was really true or not, glancing briefly at his struggling horse, "Their arrows can't harm you, neither can their swords. You're made of mostly stone and rock!"

The Goron was about to protest that statement when Link crouched low; Saria followed his gesture when the riders strode up leisurely, looking down upon Epona's wretched body.

"So what do you think we should do with it?" questioned Timner.

"Who cares?" Talamir scoffed, "Just kill it and find the boy and girl."

After a laugh, "Well, you always did have the better sense of judgment Talamir."

At this, both of them laughed. One raised his sword for the lethal blow when the Goron reared up and smacked the black haired one to the ground and snapping the neck of the horse that the other was on.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Timner exclaimed as he hit the ground rolling.

In a flash, a sword was in his hand and he was preparing to strike the Goron across its neck to behead it. Within seconds a big stone fist plowed into his face with the force of a piston. Timner crumpled to the ground, his face completely caved in. Blood was spurting out of the orifices in his face as he rolled over in the grass motionless. As Talamir lay unconscious on the ground, the Goron stomped on his spine with an audible crack. As both men lay dead, Link shook the Goron's hand in thanks.

"Thank you again," Link said with obvious relief, "but I advise you to get out of here quickly. You may have beaten these two men, but there is no way you can beat an entire army by yourself. Leave here and find a safe place to hide far away from Hyrule."

The Goron nodded, "Very well, I will warn my kinsmen in the mountains. I will see you in another life Link, Dodongo buster!"

Much to the surprise and fascination of Saria, the Goron tucked himself into a ball and rolled off into the distance as she curiously looked on. As the crashing of foliage started fading in the distance, Link turned to Saria to see her brimming with tears. He swept her up in a hug; she readily returned the favor. The only matter now was getting out of here themselves.

A low moan jolted the two of them out of their quiet moment. Link looked in abject disbelief as he slowly watched Timner's face slowly expand outward to its original form with a sickening squish. More groaning followed by several cracks from his spine, Talamir started aligning himself properly to stand. It was unbelievable, the Goron had killed these two men outright, yet here they were, reshaping themselves as if nothing had happened. Their glazed eyes were filling in with color once more.

Talamir had not fully straightened his spine and was leaning onto the nearby tree for support. He croaked, "You and your friend will regret that…Link, Dodongo buster!"

Stunned, Link realized they were awake during the entire conversation with the Goron. This was a situation he was quite unprepared for; how could you kill someone if they kept coming back? Link cast a desperate look at Epona who was wildly snorting and still trying to get up. But the pools of blood around her were too thick.

Too thick…


	6. Chapter 5 - Smoke and Mirrors

**Chapter 5 - Smoke and Mirrors**

Princess Zelda wasn't exactly sure what she was going to ask when she reached his cell. She had never been to the actual prison before; it wasn't something she had a need to do. She had known her father going down once or twice to speak with the man but really thought nothing of it. Every time he left, however, he would always appear haggard and weary; almost as if his visit to the prisoner would suck the very life out of him. Granted, the prospect of her going down there herself wasn't all that appealing either. Would she leave looking that way too? What exactly went on during those visits?

She hadn't realized she was simply staring down the staircase leading to the dungeons until a quick sputter from a nearby candle interrupted her thoughts. Calming the beating of her heart, she picked the candleholder off of its perch on the wall and took the first tentative step down the stairs. She noticed how little the light truly illuminated the staircase as she headed downward into the depths of her own castle.

The spitting of the candle grew less the further she descended, as if the very air was stagnant and still; no wind from the outside world reached these catacombs. The thought crossed her mind, were these not catacombs of a sort? Except they placed living people in them to slowly die for crimes they had committed. She wasn't even sure they had ever released any prisoners during her lifetime. Did they all rot down here?

She turned the corner of the hallway and looked down the passage; she had no idea why, but she knew it was the right one. A chill of dread came from one of the cells on the far end. She swallowed hard but was rooted to the spot. A low moan of pain issued from the cell to her left, but it was not her target. She ignored the sound but was still stuck in place. Why couldn't she gather the courage to face him? She was already within breaths of his cell!

"It is rude to visit someone without showing your face princess."

Zelda squealed slightly at the sudden voice slinking out of the far cell. She hadn't expected it to sound so deep. She never did get to meet him face-to-face and talk; she didn't even know what he sounded like. With a heavy shudder, she slowly padded down the hall; not knowing she was trying to be as quiet as possible for no real reason. She got to his cell at the end and turned towards it.

He was a hulking brute of a man; even in the dark shadows unlit by the candle she could see that. He was merely sitting on the bench attached to the brick wall of his cell. He was leaning over with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped and chin rested on them. He didn't bother to look in her direction at all.

The most noticeable thing about Ganondorf besides his imposing figure was the tone of his skin; it was unlike any Hylian she knew. It was a dark sheen which was a sickly green in the light of the flame. He was no longer wearing the robust armor of blacks, reds and golds emblazoned with intricate Gerudo design. They had stripped him of that and replaced it with sack cloth shirt and pants; it did nothing to hide his menace however. The only thing left that wasn't taken from him was the diadem encrusted on his forehead. It was a royal ruby of brilliant crimson that shimmered even in the dim light of the candle; surrounding it was a vessel intricately carved into his forehead which trailed off into the hairline. Zelda was a bit nauseated at the thought of having something like that permanently attached to your head; unable to be removed without significant pain or scarring.

Zelda jumped a little as Ganondorf mocked, "So what do I owe this most treasured pleasure of a visit from the esteemed Princess Zelda?"

"How did you know it was me?" Squeaked Zelda before quickly getting her voice under control.

Ganondorf ignored the question, "I presume there must have been some reason you came down here to see me."

Zelda was unnerved, Ganondorf was stock still. He had not moved a single muscle. It was as if she was talking to a statue and it distressed her greatly. She could not tell what he was feeling and could not pick up on any nonverbal cues.

"Yes," she paused, wondering how much she should tell him before the ultimate question, "when we stopped you from stealing the royal family treasure; I think we might have changed the future."

Zelda waited a few beats, when there was no response from the cell she continued, "It seems a powerful army from the southern country of Nevachrea is coming. Would putting you in jail have something to do with that?"

Zelda was not sure if she had heard right at first, so low were his chuckles. Within seconds, the laughter boomed out of the man as he threw his head back in apparent glee. She jumped back away from the cell as the candle angrily wavered at the sudden movement. It was a good long minute before Ganondorf was able to control his laughter. He stood up and faced Zelda. Good Goddesses he was huge!

"My dear princess," he said, containing his mirth well, "it would have been easier to have dealt with the Gerudo than with what you face now."

"Why are they attacking now?" Zelda almost pleaded wanting to know the answers, "What stopped them before?"

"Me."

Zelda blinked for a few moments, she didn't quite understand his statement.

"Just you?" she said incredulously.

"Hmph," Ganondorf huffed, "how little you know. Your grandfather made a deal with my people in exchange to end the war with Nevachrea many years ago. We utilized our magick to form a protective barrier around that entire country, sealing them in to keep them at bay. Without me as the pivot point of the spell, that protection is lost."

It all started to make some sense, "But you deserved to be down here. You showed a lack of good faith by deceiving us to your real purpose here." Zelda accused.

"My reasons are my own," Ganondorf said impassively, sending a shiver down Zelda's spine at the emotionless droning, "I do not need to explain my purpose to a young child who knows little of the ways of this world."

"Ganondorf," Zelda tried to sound regal and firm, "you know we can let you rot in here."

Zelda screamed and leaped backwards to the far wall of the passage; within moments, Ganondorf had closed the distance to the cell bars and slammed against them causing a racket that could be heard down the prison. An accusing finger thrust out between the bars pointing directly at her.

"What you do not realize princess," he said with malice, "I choose to stay in this cell. I can leave at any time I wish."

Zelda was dubious as his hand withdrew between the bars and he slumped himself back down onto the bench. He resumed his original position and placed his chin back on his clasped hands. She was not sure if she had heard him right or if he was simply bluffing. She stepped up to the bars again and went to speak when he softly spoke just above a whisper.

"Leave me."

It was not so much a request but a command. Something inside her inner being was screaming to stay but her body would not oblige. Without a second thought, she ran down the corridor; feet keeping pace with the beating of her frantic heart.

* * *

><p>Princess Zelda yelped when a hand gripped her arm and pulled her swiftly to the side of the corridor as she exited the dungeon stairs. She was swiftly pressed against the wall. The cold marble was chill across her back. She looked up at her caretaker Impa with uncertainty; she hadn't meant to be caught like this doing something she was not supposed to.<p>

"Zelda," Impa reprimanded, "I thought I told you to get prepared for the journey?"

"I…uh…" Zelda stammered, "I was just making sure that-"

"You better think real hard about the next words that come out of your mouth." Impa warned. Zelda simply closed her mouth and stood wordless before Impa. She was caught and she knew it; there was no reason to hide it now.

Impa shook her head before continuing, "No matter. It seems the battle has come to us." After a quizzical look from Zelda, "There have been Nevachrea supporters inside the castle walls. Moles, spies, it doesn't matter; they have apparently been inside our kingdom for years now. It seems they are the ones sowing dissent and unrest throughout the provinces. Already there are skirmishes in the castle and town square amongst the guards and what appears to be the local populace."

"Dear Goddesses Impa," Zelda said raising a hand to her mouth, "Is everyone truly against us?"

"No," Impa shook her head, "The majority of the citizens are joining the cause and trying to drive them out. But that is not what is important right now; I received word from a scout that she saw a young boy in a green tunic riding on a red mare enter the Lost Woods not less than an hour or so ago."

"Link!" Zelda was shocked, "Does he not know the danger?"

"I am sure he is aware princess," Impa took her by the arm and started leading her down the hallway, "we are going to scout the edges of the Lost Woods and see if we can discern where he might have gone. I will make sure no harm comes to you. But you must stay with me, understood?"

After a swift nod, they both traveled swiftly down the corridor and rounded the bend towards the double doors leading to the main entry hall. An arm extended from the shadows with a backpack of clothing and a satchel of food. Impa took it without question and handed it to Zelda who nearly stumbled with its weight. Zelda was always surprised at how much the Sheikah were capable of as the arm that had provided the necessary provisions had vanished.

She clumsily swung the backpack over her shoulders and was just figuring out how to put the satchel on when Impa spoke, "I took the liberty of having someone pack your things and procure us food for the journey while you were down in the dungeons talking to Ganondorf."

Zelda was struck dumb with her mouth open, "How…did you…?"

"I am Sheikah." Impa said resolutely.

"I walked into that one, didn't I?" Zelda giggled.

Impa looked down on her charge with a warm smile, "Yes you did, little one."

It felt good to have a personal moment of mirth between them when everything around them was falling apart. They left through the grand shutter doors and out into the night. The oncoming chill of winter had not fully set in and merely a cool breeze brushed through Zelda's dress. As they proceeded down the hill to the town stables, they could hear the clash of swords and the yells of the town guards. Off in the distance, they could see the glow of a fire brewing from an unfortunate house.

Keeping to the shadows, Impa motioned for Zelda to stay close behind her. She peered around the corner and saw several scuffles between the town guard and various civilians. It was hard to identify which were traitors or loyal citizens. Ignoring them, she grabbed Zelda's hand and while crouching low, moved swiftly across the plaza. They moved from shadow to shadow, making sure they disturbed nothing with their passing. Zelda was entranced with the way Impa moved; with the grace of a cat she danced between patches of darkness. Zelda twice stumbled trying to keep up with her protector's movements.

They were within view of the town gates opening up to the wide expanse of fields. Impa frowned slightly. The gates were to be shut at night; were there traitors even in the ranks of soldiers themselves? Someone either had to have opened it from within or they were overrun by the spies amongst them. Impa highly doubted the latter. She gave Zelda's hand a gentle squeeze before heading along the edge of a row of buildings, keeping to the darkest side of the street. She would have normally taken to the rooftops, but knew better than to tax her young princess.

Just then a man landed in front of them with a splatter, a spear shaft pierced through his sternum. Impa looked up swiftly to see a soldier descending with sword flashing; she swung Zelda in front of her out of the way before rolling to the side to avoid the initial dive. The man slammed the sword into the cobblestones, shattering it completely. He stumbled briefly before regaining his balance; Impa was on him in seconds. She unfurled her baton and clicked a hidden button on its underside; several spikes projected around the circumference of its tip. She brought it down onto his face goring his cheek and slicing his nose clean off. The man crumpled to the ground as she gave another blow to the stomach, penetrating several internal organs.

Zelda looked on in horror as she watched a man die for the first time in her life. Blood was coming out in gushes from his abdomen as he kneeled over in painful death. Impa didn't even bother to look at her opponent, she was facing Zelda. She knew her handiwork and was not worried about the result of it; Zelda was safe and that was all that mattered.

"Princess," Zelda recoiled a bit from Impa's outstretched hand, "I am sorry you had to see that. Come with me, we must-"

Impa and Zelda both stared at each other in disbelief as a low groan emitted from the corpse lying behind Impa. She slowly turned around to the dead soldier and watched him slowly get back up onto his hands and knees. As the man rocked back and forth regaining feeling in his limbs, the blood flowing from his stomach seemed to be slowing down in regularity. The man spotted his bloodied nose off to the side in the dirt and grime of the street and made a grab for it. He fumbled and fell back onto his stomach with a sickening groan. Without regard to the two witnesses of this profane event, he jammed the nose back onto his face and held it there. Impa's eyes widened slightly as his hand left the nose that it was now firmly reattached to his face.

"Zelda," Impa commanded, "Get to the stables now! Get us a horse!"

Zelda turned and ran towards the stable just a block down as Impa slammed the man back down to the ground with another swing of her baton; Zelda winced at the slight crack she heard but kept going. She dashed into the stable and looked down the stalls for a free horse. One was lame but two were in prime condition. She opened the stall door and untethered the bristling brown stallion who was just as unnerved as she was.

It stamped its feet and neighed loudly, she tried to calm and soothe it when a big grubby arm wrapped itself around her waist and a hand clasped itself around her mouth. The smell of reeking body odor and moldy eggs hit her nose making her gag. She was lifted off the ground and carried backwards into the opposite stall. The smell of stale beer flushed into her nostrils as a filthy mouth shoved itself near her ear.

"Good evening princess. No stable boy here to do your dirty work? That's too bad." The man chortled.

The man roughly threw her down onto the straw before leaping on top of her pushing the air out of her lungs with his overbearing weight. The man was disgustingly massive; he was fat with a repulsive beer belly and a chest full of hair. His head was bald with smudges of what looked like more than just dirt. Zelda wanted to retch but couldn't. The man quickly started trying to pull apart her dress with insane fits of laughter as he did so.

"Keep squirming little princess," he leered as he restrained her arms and started pawing her body, "no one is going to save you now!"

The neighing of the horse grew louder and the screaming inside Zelda's head rose to a fever pitch. This wasn't happening! Why was this happening? Zelda jolted as warm blood splattered onto her face; a spearhead had scored through the man's neck. His eyes went wide with surprise as he tried to speak but merely gurgled on his own blood. Impa, with a heavy heave, lifted the man off of Zelda with the spear and tossed him to the side of the empty stall. He lay there staring in useless fury at both women as he tried to grab and cling to the spear still sticking through his throat.

Impa reached her hand out to Zelda to help her up, but all Zelda could do was lay there in shock still staring at the disgusting man. Impa forced Zelda up and walked her over to the stall; it was only then that she realized Impa was covered in gore and unknown fleshy bits. Zelda shuddered as Impa lifted her up and set her on the horse before swinging up herself in front of Zelda.

"Hold onto me tight princess, we ride fast and hard." Impa commanded.

Zelda could to nothing but comply, she simply stared ahead into nothingness. All she could do was utter one phrase, "The soldier…"

Impa looked back to her briefly, "Not dead."

With a swift kick to the sides, the horse galloped out of the stable and into the night. Without even looking, Impa bent low on the horse and swung the baton in an upwards arc as they reached the entrance to the stables; the baton struck the soldier in the chin lifting him clear off the ground. He slammed back down as they rushed onward towards the town gates and into the open fields.

Impa smirked, "Still not dead."

They rode like the wind for several miles before Zelda was finally in a mind to think clearly. She was going over the events of the last few hours and still hadn't pieced it all together in her mind. None of it seemed to be real, or something from a horrible nightmare. How can the dead come back to life? Why were they not able to be killed? She looked around and was unsure of where they were or where they were headed.

"Where are we going?" Zelda asked, giving Impa a slight squeeze around her midsection to get her attention.

"To find Link." Impa said decisively.


	7. Chapter 6 - The Rescue

**Chapter 6 - The Rescue**

Tears were streaming from his eyes as he swung his sword again and again. Slashing off limbs, stabbing through eye sockets, dragging his sword through the bodies of the men he had to kill over and over. Link was never intimidated of killing monsters and feral animals; but he never had to kill another person until Ganondorf; the memory of his battle in a future that was slowly fading away. He remembered vividly his final strike to the face of the beast known as Ganon; Once a man, now a creature of terrifying power. The feel of the blade sinking into his forehead still chilled Link to the core with the enormity of what he had done.

Why were these men forcing him to kill them continuously? Saria was already a whimpering wreck on her knees near Epona, watching her dear friend hack these two men apart as they ever so relentlessly kept pulling themselves back together. Link sliced the head off of the blond headed man; it flew through the air and rolled within feet of Saria's position. She shrieked in horror as it looked at her with beady eyes.

"Well aren't you a sight better than that unruly boy?" The head simpered.

Link ducked under a jab the headless body attempted as it fashioned a trident out of thin air in an endeavor to skewer his torso with it. "Saria, kick that thing into the bushes. Make him work for it!"

Saria screamed in terror as she punted the head into the brush, teeth trying to snap at her toes as her foot connected. The black haired man was slowly dragging his body to a standing position near a tree as his disembodied left hand was crawling up his back to get onto the stump of an arm. After it reattached itself, he took his right foot which was twisted at a sickening angle and gave it a sharp twist; with a grunt of pain he endured the bone settling back into place.

"Talamir, go grab your head. You can't aim worth shite like that and you know it." Timner exclaimed.

The body of Talamir made one last feeble effort at a parry as Link sliced the arm with the weapon off. It slumped to the dirt with a thud oozing its sickly blood onto the ground; the trident rolled out of the lifeless hand and melted into the grass leaving a black stain on the ground. Link took a double take where it fell and noticed the grass that had touched the trident was dead and grey. It was then that Link noticed the dead horse was nowhere to be seen. He glanced in the direction he last saw the body and noticed a huge patch of dead greenery where it had lain. Dear Goddesses, he thought, their magick can destroy nature around it!

Link didn't have time to think as he brought his sword up to shield the oncoming blow from Timner. A clang of steel punctured the night air as Link struggled against the man's superior strength; the harder Link pressed up against the man's sword, the more he could feel himself losing. Timner pushed harder and harder down onto Link, overbearing his capacity to withstand the assault.

"Looks like your time has run out boy!" Timner chortled as his eyes tore into Link's own.

Link let the man push his sword down as he bent over backwards under the descending sword strike. Link rolled past Timner's legs and quickly grabbed a Deku Nut from his belt pouch and as the man turned to face him threw it in-between his eyes. A flash bang erupted through the night as the world went white; a split second later Timner was roaring with frustration as flashing lights dazzled before his eyes. He was dazed and staggered backwards with his sword up pitifully trying to defend against any incoming strikes. It wasn't enough; Link side stepped behind him and sliced his head clean off. He quickly kicked it as far as he could into the woods before rushing back to Saria.

"Saria, I need your help and fast!" Link started to unbuckle his belt, Saria looked at him confused, "We need to splint Epona's legs and staunch the blood or she will die. Someone at the castle taught me this."

Link stopped and stared at Saria as she looked on uncomprehendingly, "Saria!" She looked up at his face, "Unbuckle your belt too!"

Saria did as she was told and unfastened her belt; she handed it to him. He took both and knelt down beside Epona. He looked around the forest floor and found what he was seeking.

"Saria," Link held up a long thick branch the width of his wrist and the length of his arm, "can you find me another stick like this?"

She rushed off in the opposite direction of the two dangerous men, frantically scouring the ground for anything that would match what Link was looking for. Link glanced over his shoulder and spotted the various parts of Talamir and Timner struggling to place themselves back together. Good, he thought, I have some time here. Turning back to his horse he wilted with despair, she was simply laying on her side head lying on the ground; she had given up fighting. This was going to make things difficult.

He crept closer to her front legs and gently massaged them. She lifted her head to look at him and neighed weakly. "Sorry girl, you're not going to like this."

Link closed his eyes knowing the pain he would cause her; with a sharp pull, he straightened her leg out with a crunch. Her body convulsed in pain and her cry was shrill in the night air. Her nostrils flared as she looked at her master, not understanding why he was hurting her so. Without wasting time, he aligned the branch beside the wound so that equal measures were above and below the opening. He quickly wrapped his belt around her leg, keeping the branch firmly in place. Saria was just coming back with an acceptable switch for Epona's other leg as he tightened the belt securely.

Saria's eyes widened slightly as she began to clutch the branch closer to her chest; Link took the cue and quickly rolled to the side, cursing himself for leaving his sword lying in the grass a few feet away. The scimitar chewed into the dirt as a muffled oath came from Talamir. Link swiped up his sword and sprinted over the dead grass where the mist horse once laid and grappled his shield. Talamir wasted no time in closing the distance between them.

Link quickly reached down to his belt only to realize with dismay that his Deku Nut pouch was still attached to his belt wrapped around Epona's leg. He ducked down beneath the swipe from Talamir as he bolted around the snorting body of Epona; still in shock from the splinting of her leg. He slipped on the dirt and skidded right in front of her, face inches away from his goal.

Talamir saw what the boy was intending to do and switched targets; he stepped over to the horse and raised his scimitar into the air to initiate a plunging thrust into the stomach of the struggling mare. Time seemed to slow for Link as he grasped what Talamir was doing; without thinking he heaved his shield at the man's chest knocking him off balance. It was enough time for him to duck his hand into the pouch and grab a Deku Nut free. He tossed it across Epona and it landed squarely in front of the man. Another flash bang reverberated through the forest as Talamir staggered back a few steps, stunned.

Link leaped over Epona and stabbed Talamir in the heart; holding the sword tight, gravity brought Link down, forcing the sword downward splitting him from sternum to waist. As Link pulled the sword free from the man's innards, Talamir slumped to the ground watching his intestines and organs spill out of him. He looked up at Link with malice in his eyes.

"You know you can't win." Talamir sneered.

Without another word, Link sliced his head off and kicked it with venomous fury into the brush. "Recover from that!" Link yelled.

With grim determination, he turned to Saria, grabbed the stick and went right to work. He pulled the other leg straight swiftly; Saria winced at the agony Epona was feeling. He quickly set the switch and wrapped Saria's belt tightly around the second leg. With a nod of appraisal at his work, the hardest part was yet to come: getting her to stand. He motioned for Saria to get behind Epona and help him lift the horse up onto her hooves.

Link berated himself for allowing the Goron to leave early; he could have really used his strength right about now. After much grunting, squealing, and whinnying they finally got Epona onto all four hooves. He dared not ride her in this state, he knew it would not help any further with the weight she was already placing on her injured front legs. He glanced at the gash along her hind leg and saw that it had already dried but would make future travel difficult.

A slurping sound secreted from Talamir; Link turned and observed the headless corpse slowly stuffing its insides back into the body. Saria started to heave and had to look away. Another groan off in the distance heralded the fact that Timner found his head and was reattaching it back to his body. Above it all, Link noticed that the sound of men and raging fires were getting closer. He could dimly see the flames in the distance.

Link grabbed the reins and guided Epona onward, "Saria," he gripped her arm, "we have to go. We cannot stay."

Saria nodded her head and started walking beside him. Epona gingerly followed her master; slightly confident he knew what he was doing

* * *

><p>The two riders raced across the plains of Hyrule, united by the common goal of finding a dear friend. Zelda held fast onto Impa's waist as Impa pushed the brown horse close to its endurance. The Lost Woods were dead ahead and there was an urgent need to get there as fast as they could. Impa wanted to save Link and any Kokiri left surviving; Zelda only thought of Link.<p>

Impa pulled the stallion up short as they reached the edge of the woods. They looked upon it in dejection, how could they find the object of their search? The forest was massive and if they encountered Naar's troops, then it would be all over. Where would they start searching? They were almost without hope when Impa spotted several dots at the far northern edge of the woods. She urged her steed onward with Zelda in tow towards the figures in the distance.

As they approached, she happily discovered that it was indeed Link, holding hands with a young green-haired Kokiri girl and a…bleeding red mare. Impa noted he had applied several splints to its legs to help staunch the flow of blood as well as assist it in walking. She had to applaud the boy on his clever, innovative use of the tools at hand. It wouldn't be enough; Impa knew the horse would need medical attention soon.

Impa rode up to Link and leapt down from the saddle and strode up to him in one deft motion. She bent down to look at the Epona's legs. Link looked over at Zelda with relief and she returned the smile. Saria looked on, unsure of what to do. She had heard stories of Princess Zelda but had never met the girl herself. She blushed slightly and looked down at the ground in embarrassment; she wished she could be as pretty as Zelda.

Without a word, Impa reached into a pouch at her side and pulled out some green leaves. She chewed then up in her mouth and then applied them to the wounds. Epona nickered at the stinging the palliative was inducing. After a few moments, reprieve was evident in her face as the pain slowly started to ebb away. Impa stood up and turned to Link.

"Link, it is good to see you. You look like Din's forge." She observed the various cuts and bruises across his skin and the massive amounts of gore on his clothes. They both seemed to be doing the same thing this night. She smirked at the thought.

"You should see the other guy." Link exclaimed breathlessly. The adrenaline of the past hour was starting to wear off.

Impa grinned at his comment; over the course of the last few months, they both had gotten to know each other a bit. She knew they shared the same sense of humor and it was as vibrant as ever. She shook her head slightly; maybe she was rubbing off on him? Now that was a scary thought.

Impa shook Saria's hand, the girl seemed flabbergasted at the honest show of concern, "You must be Saria. It is great to finally meet you young lady." Saria blushed.

Saria was shaken when Impa swiftly lifted her up onto her horse in front of Zelda. She stood beside the horse and placed a hand on Zelda's leg; Link had noticed her dress was covered in blood; it was still dark as fresh as it was. Link didn't have time to dwell on the matter though.

"Zelda, you will ride beside us, keep Saria safe and secure on the horse. We head for Kakariko Village." Impa directed.

"Yes Impa." Zelda complied.

Link tapped Impa on the arm, "Actually, can we stop by Lon Lon Ranch first?"

Impa went to question him, but didn't inquire further when he went silent. Zelda caught his eye and held it a brief moment before he looked away. She knew why he wanted to go back. She squeezed her eyes tight as tears began to form. Without another word, they moved at a decent pace; with Epona's injuries no longer hurting her as much, she was able to manage a trot.

They reached the ranch just as the sky was beginning to brighten with the coming of the dawn. Link handed Epona's tether to Impa as he rushed past the stables. It was deserted; only a couple of horses had been left behind, oblivious to what was going on around them. He looked out across the pasture in search of Malon. Walking to its center he found the bucket of cold water; it had gone murky and the sponge was dry in the grass. There was one scrawny old cow still left apparently sleeping. He sighed and headed back.

As he overviewed the ranch, he took note of the construction which would forever be left unfinished. Arches and support beams were spread out across the field, all in different stages of progress; all in preparation for a Royal Feast that was not to be. The big fire pit in the center had been erected but a week earlier, not a single flame would touch that pit for a long time to come, Link knew. This ranch was now a dead ranch. After obligatorily checking the house, he walked up to Impa.

"I think we should take at least one of the horses," He pointed over to the stables, "and release the rest."

Impa purported this good idea and set to work. As she brought out an agreeable horse, Link swung himself up into the saddle. He had to balance himself since the horse was a bit larger and his legs further apart than he was used to on Epona. Not to mention how much higher he was!

As they headed out of the ranch, he glanced back at Zelda. An imploring look from Zelda baffled him; a touch of crystalline was trailing down her face. He went to ask why she was crying but disregarded it and turned to follow Impa as she guided Epona by the reins towards Kakariko Village.


	8. Chapter 7 - Princess in Name Only

**Chapter 7 - Princess in Name Only**

She set down the sapphire into its place stand and stepped back a few paces to admire it. How long had it been since she had last seen him? Almost a year she mused. What a wicked boy to not come see her after all these moons. She turned her head to the side to glance lovingly at her father who was sitting on his rocky throne, content to snoring loudly as always. Water brushed past his royal cape as the current split around his seated bulk. She shook her head slightly and smiled in thought; where had he gotten that stupid red cape? Probably washed ashore near their domain; thinking it regal, a distant ancestor probably picked it up and claimed it as a royal object of the Zoran nobility.

She was a princess of the Zoras, an aquatic race of people who had evolved from simple ordinary fish into walking sentient beings. They had the body structure of a human, but their skin was of cyan hued scales. Their arms had fins attached to the outer forearm to assist in their travels through the water. Their webbed like feet ensured deft movement and speed when making tight turns.

A hierarchy had emerged in Zoran culture. A king or queen was crowned and each successive ruler would pass his or her power to the next king or queen. There were no sexual prejudices in their society. Her father was the current king and had really let himself go. He was a rotund figure, doing not much these days but sit on his rocky throne overseeing the rest of his domain. His scrawny arms and legs indicated many cycles of neglect. The only things he seemed to do these days was sleep and eat.

Unlike most Zoras who had an elongated tail (as it were) coming out from the back of their heads like that of a dolphin, Princess Ruto was unique. The most distinct thing about Ruto that differentiated her from the rest was that she had acquired a type of anvil shaped head; she was also more proportioned like a female human would be. Most Zoran males or females were usually shaped like a male human. Many were fascinated by this and claimed that she was the start of a new evolutionary chain of Zora descendants but no one could prove it.

At the tender age of 12, Ruto had assumed the role of heir to the throne shortly after Link left her almost a cycle ago. He had come swiftly with purpose; he convinced the king to let him see the great Lord Jabu Jabu; their patron deity who was ever watchful of his children. At the time, Lord Jabu Jabu was unwell and refused to eat anything they had offered him. It wasn't until Link did the impossible; he went inside the great fish! The Zoras were stunned, it was almost as if he knew exactly what was wrong with their Lord; when he emerged from the fish maw, Lord Jabu Jabu was well again!

As they talked in reprieving isolation together, Ruto grew more enamored with his strength, his courage and his tenacity. She would be the first one to admit she had fallen head over heels for this young human boy who had completely swept her off her feet. She didn't quite understand all that he had said; he was spouting things like coming back from the future. He appointed himself the task to undo the wrongs for both the Gorons and the Zoras that Ganondorf had accomplished prior to his arrival. His confidence was infectious. Very few people knew the entire story of his adventure to stop Ganondorf; most of the populace were oblivious.

Without a second thought, she handed to Link their family's most royal possession, the Zora Sapphire; a mysterious gem that had been inherited through the generations of the Zoran family. It was more than just a symbolic gesture of appreciation; it was also a Zora engagement commitment. This was the man she was to marry; the fact that he was a Hylian be damned! She stared dreamily into his eyes as he recounted his stories. She truly was listening but she was far more interested in him rather than anything he was talking about. He was always jumpy around her and it was unbelievably cute; she would always want to be near him and breathe in his forest-like scent. She had never smelt the like and it was an aphrodisiac to her.

Which made the split all the more tortuous for Ruto; Link had returned the Zora Sapphire to her claiming it was for the Zoras to keep possession of. He said that it was safer with them than where he was going. How Ruto cried that day. No one could console her for the emotional hurt was too great. Her only love had forsaken her and given back the engagement symbol. Ruto still kept a glimmer of hope in her heart that he would come back one day and sweep her off her feet and hold her dearly in his arms kissing her furiously.

She left the throne room and walked down the calcified walls of the cavern towards her room. She sifted the curtains aside and stepped into her private space. She looked around the room; it was decorated as one would expect from a creature of the water. Her bed was an open clam shell with plush sponge pillows. The vanity was a sheet of thin mirror like glass situated on top of a bed of coral. The light in the room came from some plant bulbs hanging from the ceiling; glowing only in purest darkness.

On the nearby bed stand were two figurines made of clay. One was clumsily made to look like a Zora, while the other resembled a human boy with a little spit of clay that was meant to be his sword. She sat down on a shell in front of the stand and rested her head and arms on it gazing dreamily at the two figures. Sometimes late at night, she would enact glorious scenes of love and heartfelt emotion. She flushed slightly at the thought of sometimes making the two figurines kiss.

She heard a light tapping on the rock wall just outside her room; she drew up irritated that she couldn't be alone with her figures. She pushed the curtain aside to see a Zoran guard standing at attention in front of her. He saluted in proper fashion before relaying his information. She just nodded at his salute, dismissing it. She never did care for petty etiquette.

"Princess Ruto!" He said with halting tones, scared stiff of even addressing royalty; Ruto smiled at what was obviously a new recruit, "I have come to inform you and the king that our scouts have confirmed the existence of the southern army! The Lost Woods is burning. We are unsure of what happened to the wood folk. They have not discovered our submerged passages yet, but they are pushing north into the fields."

"So why are you telling me and not my father?" Ruto grinned.

"Uh…um…" The guard looked absolutely dumbfounded at this question, it took him a few moments to recover, "Well, I…er…had saw the king sleeping and I…did not wish to wake up his royal highness!"

Ruto smiled at the young Zora, he couldn't have been older than 15 cycles; not much older than her. She did love to tease them so; she really should stop doing that. Despite the jovial joshing with the guard, she never did find any of her kind all that attractive. She placed a hand to her cheek lost in deep thought, something she was prone to do of late. She looked him over and didn't see anything abnormally wrong with the man. He was strappingly built and his muscles were firm and tight. When he grew older he would definitely be quite the heart throb.

"Ahem," Ruto was shaken out of her reverie, "Princess?"

"Yes, yes." She said with a wave of her hand, the guard was clearly dismissed. "I will go to my father and tell him the news. Thank you. That will be all."

The Zora hastily saluted her again and with a flurry of movement, he stumbled and tripped over his spear in awkwardness. The guard was mortified to be so inept in front of his princess. He was quickly making his way down the corridor when she called to him; flinching with the thought of embarrassing himself further, he turned slowly back to Ruto.

"Yes princess?" He asked meekly.

"What is your name soldier?" She probed curiously.

"Veraca, my lady." If Zoras could sweat, he would be perspiring by now with nervousness.

She smiled, "Thank you. You may leave."

She watched him blunder off down the hallway before tripping and falling headfirst into the lagoon below with a terrific splash. She cackled at his clumsy nature. Veraca was a bit lanky for Zoras his age and he was still probably growing into the young man he would ultimately become. He probably wasn't fully used to his growing body yet; such an awkward time for a Zora. She sighed and turned back towards the royal throne room; time to wake father.

Warming to the guards standing at the entrance to the royal throne room, she nodded her head as she climbed the steps to the dais opposite her father. He awoke with a start and looked around him quickly before accessing what actually happened. He gazed down from his thrown at his youthful daughter; such a pretty thing she was. Took after her mother, Goddesses rest her soul.

"Ruto my dear," he spoke in a warbled chuckle, "what brings you to disturb my beauty sleep?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes at her father's stale attempts at humor, "Father, I was just informed from one of our forward deployed scouts that the rumored army of the south has taken the Lost Woods. They are pushing northward into the fields and will most likely be on our doorstep within a few moons."

He leaned forward slightly so as to not fall off his perch with his massive bulk. "And of our secret routes? Did they discover any of those?"

Ruto shook her head, "No father, all routes into our domain are secure. Not one has been found."

He leaned back against his throne with visible relief, "Good," he squawked, "I would like to have the valley pass to the west secured with more soldiers. I want the northern pools to be patrolled at all times; furthermore I want the passage to the Lost Woods sealed off. With that area taken, I do not want them catching us by surprise."

For such a lumbering king, he had a tactician's mind. His wit was as sharp as ever and his skill at warfare was unrivaled in their country. When King Zora spoke everyone listened. Ruto walked around trailing the edge of the throne room as she hiked up the ramp to where her father sat relishing in the cool rush of water flowing past his legs; it was soothing to him. He leaned in as best he could to nuzzle his daughter's head as she went to hug him.

"Father," she said while still holding his massive frame, "I've heard other rumors about this army." With a small croak from her father to continue, "Some say that the end of this army has yet to be seen. They are still pouring in from the south. What hope do we have against such a multitude?"

The king chortled under his quivering mustache of scales. "My dear Ruto," he cawed, "Our intent is not to fight this army but to wait it out. We will let the Hylians or Gorons or other races deal with this threat. When it is all over, we can open up our borders. We might even start a new line of trade with the victors."

Ruto backed up from her father rapidly, "You can't be serious!" She put her hands on her hips and gave him an accusing glare, "We owe our allegiance to the royal family of Hyrule or have you forgotten? We need to come to their aid, not hole up here like a bunch of scared curs!"

King Zora straightened up to his full height (as best he could), his gills puffing up in agitation as he confronted his daughter, "Know your place Ruto, you are not yet queen. You may be a princess, but you are still my flesh and blood. As long as you live under my roof, you will not talk to me in that manner!"

Ruto huffed, crossed her arms and turned kitty corner to her father, a visible affront if ever he did see one.

The king's eyes flared, "What of our home that we have lived in for centuries and which we will continue to live in for centuries to come? We have tended this place and made it our own; should we just abandon it like that?" He continued grilling her, "And what of Lord Jabu Jabu? Should we not save and protect him too? What, pray tell, might we use to move Lord Jabu Jabu? We cannot simply whisk him away from here. No, my dear Ruto-"

"But father!" She snapped back stamping her foot on the ground, "What are we supposed to do? I came to you hoping you would see sense here. We know our duty, we should fulfill it. The Lost Woods is gone now, Link's homeland is-"

King Zora bristled at the name of that boy, "You do not speak to me of that child. I do agree and understand he helped our patron deity; for that I am thankful. However that does not excuse your behavior with him!" He continued to boom, "Running around like a love sick puppy, doing his every bidding! I do not want that boy around you! He is not right for you and I will not allow it!"

The king was breathing heavily, never had he exerted this much energy in many moons. Ruto cringed at her father's anger; she hated it when she got him irate. She looked off towards the throne room entrance and noticed the two guards trying their best not to look like they were eavesdropping. She snorted in disgust; they should just drop the pretense and just join the argument. With a sudden idea, she turned her head towards her father.

"Then I know my duty," she said coolly, "and I'm going to fulfill it."

With a flick of her fins she turned around and casually strolled down the ramp towards the inner cavern. King Zora's eyes dilated with indignant fury. His bellow could be heard throughout the hall.

"Ruto you will obey me! We are staying! Every Zora here will be staying! There is no reason to run away from an enemy that can be beaten! If they can bleed, they can die! I will not permit you to leave! Guards!"

Ruto recoiled from the central pool of the room as two Zora men rose up from the depths and saluted their king. The nearby plant lanterns illuminated their bluish bodies still dripping with the water; they resembled wraiths of death. They were fully grown and far outmatched Ruto in both strength and size. She knew better than to take them head on. Ruto wanted to run away but her feet felt like stone and refused to let her go. She looked up in dismay at her father as he did the unthinkable.

"You two," he jabbed a thin finger at the two men, "see to it that my daughter does not leave Zora hall. If need be, confine her to her room and don't let her out until I say so!"

"Father no!" Ruto screamed. With an inner resolve she didn't know she had, the mental bondage on her legs released. She was scampering down the rest of the ramp; she frantically stooped under the two men at the entrance as they made a grab for her. She side stepped another guard coming up the passage and tripped him making the poor man face plant against the cold stone floor. She cringed as she passed over his twitching body.

"Sorry!" She chimed back.

"Somebody stop her!" The king's bellow reverberated throughout the hall as all Zoras trembled in fear of disobeying King Zora.

Every single friend had turned enemy as every Zora groped and grasped Ruto as she flashed past. Tears were starting to emit from her eyes as she saw dear friends with malice in their eyes as they attempted to block her escape. Being as young as she was, she had little difficulty ducking, weaving and dodging most of the attempts to seize her.

She beheld the base of the cavern filling up with Zoras with more pouring in from the lagoon and other waters around. She knew it was a foolhardy decision but she leapt from the height and splashed into the water below with a graceful dive. Within seconds men and women were speeding through the water towards her with deadly accuracy; like a knife cutting through malleable flesh.

She dove deep just as several Zoras were upon her; they lurched past her but each kicked a foot out to slow their momentum as they switch backed in her direction. Several others could see her intended goal: the Lost Woods passage. Two Zoras surged in from the left intending to cut her off. She did a swift back flip through the water and kept plowing towards the passage before they even realized what happened.

Determined and furious, she picked up speed and rushed towards the gaping hole in the cave floor. She had almost made it when a Zora swam in front and knocked her unconscious with a spear butt to the head. The last thing Ruto saw was the surface of the water high above her tumbling further and further out of reach.

Then blackness…


	9. Chapter 8 - Test of Loyalty

**Chapter 8 - Test of Loyalty**

The pitiful, young, naked Kokiri girl trapped in bondage looked down at the dirt floor; legs soaking in the chill cold of the ground beneath them. She gave little thought anymore to the odd red patch of dirt just beneath her. Her legs were separately chained to two posts equidistant from a third one where her two arms were chained to. There was also an iron collar hewn around her neck that was also chained to the same post her hands were. The end result was quite violating and utterly humiliating.

Her lower lip trembled as she watched Naar out of the corner of her eyes pace the room. He was listening intently to his three commanders; she remembered them well for they were the ones who had dragged her friends off to be killed, tortured or worse. All four men were completely oblivious to her nude form. She could have been a wall fly for all they cared; she was merely an object that deserved no attention unless it served itself useful.

She could feel the call of the forest ever since she was torn from her home. Each hour she could feel herself getting weaker. It was all she could do to lift her chin so she could crane her eyes and look to the far end of the tent where her fairy, Lyda, was. She was captured alongside her and placed in a cage with mesh bars so dense she couldn't find an opening to fly free. Their hearts, entwined as one, called out to each other as they tried to give comfort to the other through looks alone.

It had been a horrible night; as she looked at her fairy she found herself losing control and being brought back into the hazy fog of remembrance. A place she did not want to go but drew her in without consent. She recalled the flames raging around her home, burning her livelihood to the bitter ground when Link flashed through the air on his brilliant steed. He had come to save her. She could still picture it now; his hand descending to come grab her from the nightmare.

She shivered in the light breeze whistling in through the tent flap. Despite all the horrors she had witnessed and experienced, she still pinpointed Link on his horse; gallantly riding in his Kokiri tunic. Watching that arrow shimmer in the firelight as it whistled through the air and burrow itself deep in Naar's shoulder; it was like something from a dream. He was coming for her, his hand was extended for any to grab and flee to safety.

She looked back to the four men and narrowed her eyes in loathing; she was not the one who held on, she was not the one who was saved. She was rudely pushed off and crumpled to the ground; she watched helplessly as Link rode off into the woods with Saria on the horse. Why did Link pick her over me? She fumed with thoughts of injustice; they boiled and brewed and her hatred for Saria grew with each passing moment.

"Thanan," Naar motioned for his eldest commander to step forward, "I accept your report on the Zoras. We should attack from the west for they do not know what we are capable of; that will be their undoing." Still glowering at Talamir and Timner who looked visibly ashamed, Naar grabbed a fistful of Thanan's vest, "What I'm most interested in is this impudent boy who thinks he can mock me. Dear Ballos, we are the Undying! Do not come to me with excuses why you could not kill a single Hylian child!"

"My lord," Talamir began to explain, "we completely underestimated the b-"

With a swift motion, Naar had released Thanan's vest and smashed his palm in Talamir's chest; a huge shockwave pierced through everyone in the tent. Timner and Thanan took a few steps back at the force of the blast; the Kokiri girl could do nothing but moan in pain. After the tent had settled down from the surge, Naar walked over to the collapsed body of Talamir.

With a boot crunching into his chest where the pulse had impacted, Naar leaned down into Talamir's face putting all his weight into it, "I don't care about your excuses. It does not properly make up for your ineptness at doing your job."

Naar released his boot off Talamir's chest; Talamir gave a groan of relief. He was helped off the ground by Timner; his chest already reforming back to its original state. Naar stormed off to the table in the room, perusing the maps strewn across it. He was furious and everyone in the tent knew it. He waved a hand off in the direction of the two failures but motioned Thanan to come closer.

Timner placed an arm around Talamir, "You know better than to quibble with him like that brother!" he said in a hushed whisper.

Talamir fumed back, "I know! We were not prepared to have a battle hardened child on our hands though."

Timner just nodded as he guided his brother out of the tent, letting the flap flop down upon their exit. Thanan stood next to his general awaiting his orders; he knew better than to press Naar for information until he was ready to give it. He looked as Naar pointed to the spot on the map that was just south of the mountains to the north.

"This village," Naar leaned closer to get a good look at the script written next to it, "Kakariko. This will be where most refugees will go. We do not need to send a huge detachment to this place since our main goal is Hyrule Castle." Thanan nodded memorizing every word, "With our moles in place inside the town, it should be easy to just flow in with our main force and subjugate it."

His finger traced southward to the primary structure in the fields, "This is of no consequence. It is not defendable and they wouldn't take the effort to try it." He moved eastward on the map to the valley, "This is where the Zoras are. I do not think pushing our main force through is advisable. It is too cramped and way too many places for the Zoras to utilize guerrilla tactics against us."

He grunted briefly, "No, what we need is a small death squad. No more than a few dozen men. We need to select trained assassins, none of the common grunts will do. They are dumber than nails and I do not need this mission botched up. We get in clean and we get out unscathed."

Naar turned to Thanan who snapped back to attention after having leaned over slightly to look at the map. "You will lead the death squad in from the west and overpower the Zoras. They claim to have a deity living among them. Find the truth to this matter and kill it. That will most likely drive a mental blow to their spiritual psyche that they may just give up on the spot!"

Naar laughed at that. After sharing a brief moment of humor with his commander, he waved him off with a clap on the shoulder. Naar watched him leave; he knew Thanan would get the job done. Why did he trust in the skills of Talamir and Timner again? He shook his head in disgust at their failure. Why did he promise their mother that he would care for them? They had been nothing but trouble.

Naar shook his head to clear his thoughts; he had another matter to attend to. He walked over to the young Kokiri chained to his floor and stared down at her hapless body; looking at the blossoming curves through the dim glow of the candles in his tent.

With an indifferent tone he inquired, "So it is said that you die when you leave the forest. Or is it that you grow older? Which is it?"

Her face was impassive; why should she give in to anything this man had to say or do? He already destroyed her home and mutilated her body in ways she dare not remember again. She did her best against the iron collar to turn her face away from him. Angered, Naar knelt down and slapped her face hard leaving a horrible red welt on her cheek. Tears began to flood from her eyes, but she refused to give in; Lyda was full of pride for her companion.

"You seem to be a defiant one." It wasn't a question but a statement. He took two fingers and inserted them roughly, she cried out in shock and shame.

"Please no…please, not again. Please…" She whimpered.

Naar laughed heartily deep in his throat as he moved the fingers around, "Oh yes you are. I can see it in your eyes. The fury of being left behind."

Her blood ran cold, shocked that he knew her thoughts! Could he read minds? A sudden dread came over her as she stared in horror at Naar's evil grin. Keeping the fingers in, he took his other hand and grasped her cheeks between his fingers; the collar dug painfully into her neck.

"You feel something for the young boy?" He looked deeply into her eyes to make sure the real truth would come out, "Why was it that other girl got saved and not you? He favored her didn't he? He didn't care for you at all, did he?"

She couldn't speak; it was like he was peeling away the layers of her frustration, anger and rage at how she had been left behind. It was an altogether different feeling than what he had done to her already; she didn't like it and it wasn't pleasant. Then Naar did something unexpected. He withdrew his fingers and released her face; her airway opened up slightly so she could breathe easier after he let go. He looked off towards Lyda in her cage lost in thought.

"I know those feelings. I have been there before. No one wants to be left behind."

Without looking at her, he ran a hand through her blond hair, feeling its folds through his fingers; a shiver coursed down her spine at his touch. Feeling the silky smoothness as it slipped through his rough and calloused fingers. It felt nice, almost sensual. Sexual.

"What is your name young one?" Naar said with unnatural sincerity.

She was at a loss for words. This evil man had done horrible things to her. Who had violated and abused her; was he trying to actually be nice? Did he even care? Why should she do anything for him?

Seeing that she was not going to respond, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and with a savage jerk yanked it as far as he could to the ground making her scream in agonizing pain. She immediately started choking and gagging, unable to breathe with the grip of the collar digging a red smear into her skin.

"What is your name?!" He roared inches from her eyes, spit flying into her face.

Trying to desperately breathe against the onslaught, she managed to croak, "K…Kiera."

Naar immediately released her hair as her head swung back up into a position where the collar wasn't choking her. She started coughing uncontrollably, drawing in gulps of air with each breath. Tears started to trail down her dirty face clearing a path down her check which was visible in the candle light. Trickles of blood emerged from the side of her lips; Naar disregarded it. He backed off and stood up staring back down on her vulnerable body. Kiera tried not to look at his eyes; those dark green penetrating eyes.

Naar clasped his hands behind his back and seemed lost in deep thought. After a time he finally spoke in a voice softer than she had ever heard him, "Forgive my roughness earlier Kiera," she merely stared at him unbelieving, "but I like to know the names of my men who go out to do special assignments for me. I have a…rather unique job for you that I'm sure you will be more than happy to do."

A small burble in her throat indicated laughter; she couldn't believe he was trying to enlist her into his army. After all he had done? Sensing this ridicule he promptly smashed his boot heel onto her right ankle; a snap was heard as bones shattered with the impact. Kiera screamed in misery as Lyda was buzzing around her cage like an angry hornet.

Naar looked over to the flickering light emanating from the fairy. An idea sprang to his mind. He went over to the cage, examining the furious fairy raging within. It was quite clear the fairy intended to kill him if she was let out.

"Curious," he contemplated, "that each of you Kokiri is given a fairy. I wonder how deep this connection truly goes."

With a single touch to the cage the fairy was hacking on the floor of the enclosure while some unseen force was penetrating her entire frame. A gasp was heard behind him from Kiera; Naar merely smirked. Opening the door of the cage, he held the fairy in his hand. He brought it back to the map table and pulled out a small dagger from his belt clip. Setting the fairy down, he splayed out the wings and began to slice through each of them in turn. The fairy's light was frantically glowing intermittently as she squirmed under his massive hand; squeaking the entire time at the butchering of its wings.

A shrill shriek from Kiera made Naar stop the experiment. He gripped the fairy in his fist as he walked over to the Kokiri girl. He saw new drops of blood falling from her back onto the dirt; staining it a red hue. He kneeled on both knees and looked underneath Kiera's back; the fairy slowly being crushed in his fist as he did so. He saw four slashes across her back in four unique places where wings could have been.

He got back up and murmured to himself, "Curious and more curious."

After throwing the fairy back in its pen and securing the door, he strode back to Kiera. Naar faced the quivering girl and delighted in the terror that his very presence brought her. He bent over and unclasped her two legs from their posts. He left the chains on but her legs were free to move. She brought them underneath her; relishing in the new feeling it brought to her aching limbs.

Her lower lip quivered in fear of what he was planning now, "What do you…intend to do?"

She was on the verge of tears; she didn't want to be hurt again. Dear Deku Tree, father to us all, just let it end! Naar gave her no peace; he merely unhooked his belt and took off his leggings. He was a powerful figure, even without his armor. Staring in fear at the object which made her feel pain inside her inner most being, she shied away as best she could. He sniggered and turned to a chest on the far side of the tent.

"No need to be worried about that just yet my dear Kiera," he crooned, "Its time will come tonight…many, many times! For right now, I need you to have full use of your legs. You and your fairy are going to be quite instrumental to me tonight!"

He rummaged through the chest and brought out a jagged dagger which had a dull stain of blood along its length indicating its heavy use and the lives it had taken. He turned on his heel, crunching the dirt beneath his feet, and walked slowly towards Kiera making sure the candles glinted off the knife just right to frighten the poor girl more. Naar knelt down in front of her again waving the dagger in her face.

"Now there are several things I need for you to do for me." Her eyes remained fixated on the dagger. "However, I cannot trust that you will do as I ask. You are way too defiant and unruly for my tastes. I need you to be…more pliant."

He spread her legs out again and gripped her thigh tightly, "Now shall we test your loyalty to me, my dear Kiera?"

The screaming went on for hours…


	10. Chapter 9 - The Calm

**Chapter 9 - The Calm**

Link emerged out of the barrel dripping wet with the warm water that had been placed into the container only a half hour earlier. He stepped over the side and used a horribly scratchy cloth to dry himself off as thoughts swirled like a maelstrom through his mind. He recollected everything he had seen and witnessed the previous day. He pondered what his next course of action should be. Wrapping the itchy towel around his waist, he pushed back the navy blue curtains with nice gold trimming along the bottom and stepped out onto the verandah.

The prickling morning air was strangely delightful to him as he looked out across the village with the first rays of sun striking the rooftops. The cuts along his arms and legs had screamed in release at that bath and he was feeling a million times better. He stretched relishing the cool breeze kissing his skin; winter was definitely on the horizon. Along with the wind came a scent of smoke. He frowned as he remembered the source of it being further south; to his former home.

Slamming into his brain was his other friends: the Zoras and Gorons! He couldn't believe he had forgotten completely about them during the night. He whisked around on his heel ready to get dressed when he spotted Zelda behind him watching from the doorway. He yelped trying to cover himself up better but instead stumbling backwards towards the railing. He hit the edge and wildly groped for some hand hold before flipping over and falling from the verandah when Zelda screamed and rushed forward reaching for his foot.

She latched onto it tightly. Link was hanging upside down with one foot in Zelda's grasp; his towel happily obeying gravity much to his dismay. She dug hard into the side of the banister with her feet as she pulled back with all her strength. He struggled to lift his upper body to grab the hand rail. With some considerable effort Link flipped over the rail and on top of Zelda who landed firmly on her butt.

Link hastily rolled off of her and tried in vain to decently cover both his lower and upper body with the measly towel. "Zelda," his voice slowly coming down from a higher pitch, "a courtesy knock would have done much better! I could have been killed!"

Still winded, she continued to sit where she fell. She couldn't help but giggle, not only had she surprised Link but she caught him off his guard too! This was almost too much!

"Oh silly! I've seen baby animals being born; don't think I haven't seen that thing before!"

As this she laughed even harder. However it did no favors to Link's ego.

"I don't think comparing me to animals is exactly the same thing Zelda." Link contradicted.

Gripping his towel with white knuckles, he motioned for her to turn around. She helped herself up and with a curtsy she obligingly turned around to look upon the rest of Kakariko village. He deftly slipped passed her and into the room; he quickly snagged up his Kokiri clothing. The clothes smelled fresh and clean this morning after some nice inn worker offered to wash them during the night. He loved his green Kokiri garb; he was raised in the Lost Woods most of his life and it held special meaning to him now that Naar destroyed it.

Link's gaze flitted to the mirror on the vanity briefly as he flung on his clothes; he noticed a small smudge of what looked like dirt on his backside. He rubbed it gently but it wouldn't come off. Figuring it odd but promising himself he'd wash better next time he resumed pulling the tunic down over his head. Signaling that he was ready, he tapped Zelda on the shoulder. She turned around and appraised him.

"You look much better." She complimented.

"You do too." Link said, and he meant it too.

Zelda had changed during the night from her regal princess attire into something far more…tomboy-ish. She was wearing leather breeches that had attachable suspenders to keep them up on her lithe waist. A pale ivory peasant shirt with sleeves cut at the mid forearm adorned her torso. She had her hair done up in a bun where if viewed from certain angles, she could almost pass for a boy; a boy with brilliant, shining, golden hair.

She placed her hands on her hips like a real tomboy would and accepted the compliment in stride, "Thank you Link." She looked at him with a somber expression, "I truly am sorry about before when I startled you just now. It was rude of me. Will you forgive me?"

Link simply smiled, "It's okay Zelda. By now I should have been used to it. It was my fault for letting my guard down."

Zelda still had that forlorn face and apparently wasn't convinced of what was going through her own mind, "It's not that Link. It is something…deeper." Link cocked his head as he was completely lost as to where she was going with this. "I've been thinking; neither of us has been letting our guard down with each other enough. Am I making any sense?"

Link thought long and hard before finally understanding what she meant, however, "No, I don't see what you're getting at."

Zelda sighed before realizing Link was holding in the biggest grin of his life. That little…he did know what she was talking about! She gave him a small shove to the shoulder as he laughed manically at his own joke and bounded away. She beamed again; it was good to have her old friend back. She thought she had turned him away from her forever just a day ago.

She stepped past him and headed for the door; as she reached the threshold she placed a hand on the frame and looked back, "Link, I know you want to get out there and start helping your other friends, but you should recoup here for a day. Don't take this the wrong way, but I've ordered the town guards to not let you leave until tomorrow. So…" she giggled, "I'm forcing you to get some rest!"

"Well I guess I'm all out of options Zelda!" Link gave his special smile that seemed to be only reserved for her. How she truly cared for him.

"Link, I just love that smile. I swear, if I ever catch you giving that special smile to anyone else, I think I might get jealous!" She gave him a devious smile before leaving; she backed up a few paces when he hailed her to return. She tilted her head inquisitively at him.

"Hey Zelda," trying to put his thoughts together, "Do you know where they put Saria and Epona?"

"Well, if you had waited for a few more minutes instead of passing out on your bed you would have known Saria is just down at the end of the hall. I'll show you maybe?" She looked at him in expectation.

"Ha ha." Link faked and shook his head.

"Well," Zelda continued, "Epona is in the stables outside and a doctor came by during the night and applied some new medicine. I think everything will be fine Link."

Link sighed with relief at the news, "Also…um…Zelda," he seemed a bit unsure of how to word his next question, "What about Talon and Malon, did they also come here to Kakariko Village?"

She smiled sadly at his last words, "Yes," she haltingly started, "they both came here. They are on the first floor in the guest rooms. The innkeeper will direct you to them if you wish."

Link's countenance deflated visibly as she weakly dropped the smile and carefully shut the door behind her without making a sound. Link stood in the middle of his room staring at the spot Zelda once was. After a few minutes, he came to his senses and started gathering his belongings and packing them away for the morrow. Once satisfied that everything was in order, he closed the doors to the verandah and stepped out into the hall.

Link bounced down the hallway as he noted the lamps adorning the walls at intervals; the inn had a simple, rustic charm to it. The floor boards were worn and creaked with every step. He stopped at the end of the hall in front of Saria's room. He knocked lightly and upon receiving no response quietly opened the door slowly, allowing the light from the hall to pierce the gloom. He carefully snuck inside and shut the door; he stood waiting at the threshold letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. The curtains had not yet been drawn and all candles were extinguished still. He frowned upon noticed her room was not as lavish as the one he received; but it was quite a deal more than anything Saria ever had in the Lost Woods.

He looked on the dresser and found some things he knew weren't hers and had been given to her. Some combs, hair ointments, as well as styling cream; all the female essentials he concluded. He stifled a laugh as he looked upon the objects as Kokiri didn't need any of this stuff! He recalled when they would both go out into the woods playing through the bushes and her hair would get so tangled and messy. As if by magick, it would resume its normal, pristine shape in a couple hours; it was the same when she got wet. Unlike Link whose hair always stayed messed unless he did something with it.

After fondly reliving his memories, Link turned towards the bed where Saria lay sleeping silently. He tiptoed over to her side and softly sat down on the plush blankets and looked down upon his friend with compassion. A rush of overwhelming emotion flooded his senses and he silently cried for his Kokiri friends. Wave upon wave of tears racked his body. Violently trying to compose himself, he wiped away his tears on his sleeve.

"Mmm…Link?" He jumped a bit when he realized he had woken Saria. "Is everything alright?" She groggily mumbled.

"Yes Saria," he gently ran a hand down her arm and grasped her hand in his, "get some more sleep. You are safe."

Saria closed her eyes once more and drifted back off to sleep. Link stayed a few moments longer until he could hear her sleeping soundly underneath the blankets; watching her chest slowly move up and down with her steady breathing. Link gave her hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance before letting go and getting back onto the floor.

Link cringed at the light as he reentered the hallway. Looking around he didn't see anybody tending to the front desk of the inn as he descended the stairs to the bottom floor. Wandering down the halls he was at a loss as to which room was ultimately the one Talon and Malon would be residing in. It turned out that it needn't have mattered since Talon opened the door for him. His belly barreled out of the doorframe well before the rest of him and knocked Link across the hall with a yell.

"Whoa there Link! I was just about to look fer Malon. She told me she'd be back because she went to explore the village. After all, it is her first time here!" Talon boomed jovially.

Link got up and dusted off his tunic as he absently nodded; he didn't have time to react when Talon swept Link up in a crushing bear hug. Gasping for air and thinking that he heard some bones pop down his spine, Link kindly pounded on Talon's chest to put him down.

Talon heaved a heavy guffaw before placing him down more roughly than intended, "Sorry about that. I'm just so happy you're alive! I truly thought you were a goner when ya left fer the Lost Woods!"

"Yes, I met the army." Link tossed out casually.

Talon stood rigid, "You what boy?!"

"I met their army." Link repeated as if this wasn't that hard to understand.

"Good Goddesses Link! Ya managed to get through the woods an' stand up ta them face ta face? Have ya gon' mad?" His speech was turning rather unintelligible at his incredulousness to Link's story.

It was Link's turn to laugh, "Well, we got out okay and I managed to save Saria." Link suddenly looked down at his feet in anguish and said through closed teeth, "She was the only one I could save."

Talon placed a comforting hand on Link's shoulder, "It wasn't yer fault Link. Ya tried and that's all that can be said." Suddenly changing tack, he questioned, "Can I ask you a favor?" Link nodded, "I want ya to come help me find Malon in the village. She should be somewhere, but I honestly don't know where. Can ya help me with this?"

Link nodded again before Talon clapped him on the back a couple times as he moved off in the direction of the eating area. Link chuckled at Talon's appetite, but he knew where Malon might be and made a straight beeline for that place. Within minutes he stepped outside and looked up to see the sun slowly rising into the morning sky. Rejuvenated, he headed towards the most obvious place Malon could be. He noticed Impa across the road leaning up against the opposite building; even in her own home she preferred to stay in the shadows. She simply nodded her head as he passed by.

Kakariko village was initially founded by the Sheikah and was an exclusive community. It wasn't until Impa was born and raised in this town, that was forever in the shadow of Death Mountain, did that all change. She graciously opened the village up to the poor common folk to make a decent living. Hylians who could not afford to live in the upper class provinces or in Hyrule town itself could make a good life in the mountains.

It was built in a strategic location nestled in a valley at the foot of the mountain pass that led up to the summit of Death Mountain on its northern border. It had all the basic necessities a village could need; there were some unique structures and places that set Kakariko apart from most other towns. The windmill on the eastern hill overlooking the town was of special note and was the pride of the village; they utilized the wind power generated from the windmill to stimulate new inventions.

The other location of note was the royal graveyard tucked away on the eastern side of the village. It housed a great many monarchs of Hyrule and their Sheikah caretakers. It was a sacred place and well taken care of. Impa had informed Zelda that she herself would be buried there one day along with the king; in time Zelda herself would find a plot in the ground to call her own. That talk of inevitable death didn't sit well with Zelda at the time.

Link stopped in front of the small stable building at the foot of the hill just below the windmill. He opened the stable door to see a diminutive corridor with only a few stalls. He sighed realizing that they probably could only afford to build a small stable in a hamlet such as this; the castle life sure did spoil him rotten! Hay was scattered all over the floor and bundles of it were tied up in rolls in a few of the stalls. Anticipation flooded his heart as he heard a familiar neighing in the last stall at the end. He ran forward several stalls until he heard a whinny to his right. Epona had spotted him! Link dashed towards her and hugged her neck. Enormously happy, she nuzzled her nose across his shoulders and playfully nicked his hair with her teeth.

"I missed you too girl." He said patting her neck lovingly.

Excited, she tried to move from her reclining position but her new splints prevented her from doing so. Link calmed her and told her not to move; amazingly able to understand she ceased her movement but could not contain her joyful mood. She kept trying to lick Link's hair as he examined her front legs; it seemed the doctor knew his stuff. His makeshift splints were replaced with sturdier, more sanitary substitutes. He shifted around to see the long gouge on her hind leg; he lightly trailed his fingers over her large wound on her back thigh. The memories came flooding back as he slumped to the floor overcome with insurmountable grief.

Malon had been watching him from the shadows the moment he stepped foot into the building. She kept to herself until she saw Link fall to the ground crying. She rushed over to him and lifted his face to look at her. His eyes conveyed the meaning that did not need to be said. She hugged him with all her might. Feeling the wetness of his tears dampening her clothes, she held him even tighter. The flow of her tears matched his own as they cried together. The grief they both shared was universal, the Kokiri were no more…


	11. Chapter 10 - Close Encounters

**Chapter 10 - Close Encounters**

Link awoke with the sun shining in his eyes from the window just above his resting form; turning his head to avoid the glare he noticed Malon next to him, her head cradled between his arm and chest. It took him a few moments to realize they had fallen asleep together; they were more exhausted than they thought. He looked further past Malon to see Epona resting peacefully beside them both. The fresh smell of hay, horse and Malon's floral scent was intoxicating; he laid his head back down onto the hay bale they had lain up against and closed his eyes once more.

Link turned his head to gaze upon Malon as she moaned slightly; she had just started to stir. After a long stretch confined in his arms she clutched a piece of his tunic and murmured dreamily, "Mmm…good morning daddy."

Link's body went stiff at this comment. Was she still asleep? Or was she joking with him? Malon had noticed the change in his physique and started to fully wake up to her situation; she glanced up into Link's blue eyes and flushed a furious shade of red after realizing what she just called him. She buried her face into his armpit wanted to die from embarrassment.

"I'm sorry Link." She muffled into his clothes.

Link chuckled as he enfolded her into his arms and hugged her; she did not resist but let his embracing warmth radiate around her body. Now fully awake, both of them simply laid next to each other; each soaking in this quiet moment that they shared. The events of the previous day weighed heavily upon the two of them.

Absently rubbing her hand across Link's chest she intoned, "So Saria is safe. That is good. Were you able to save any others?"

A gentle squeeze on her shoulder indicated otherwise, "No." It was all he could say.

"What was it like facing that army?" Malon questioned, not fully realizing the effect they had on Link.

"Terrible." His mind started relapsing into the horrors of the day prior; he did not want Malon to experience any of what he went through.

"Can we honestly beat th-"

Link quickly cut her off, "I'd rather not talk about it please."

Ashamed, she just buried her face into his arm again; taking in his delectable scent of forest, dirt and everything natural. Malon wondered what it was like to live in the forest and play all day with the other Kokiri. To live beside the forest animals and ride her horses through the trees; it must have been so magical.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind, "Hey Link." She looked back up into his face, "We also brought the new foal here with us. Did you want to see it?"

Link got excited at this; he remembered washing it down and cleaning off the birthing fluids from that young horse back at Lon Lon Ranch. It was an anchor of normalcy in a world gone mad; he wanted to see it for no other reason than to see something good still left in the world. Each of them helped the other up off the floor as Epona gave a snort at being awoken; Link gently petted her neck until she settled back down into restful sleep.

She eagerly took Link by the hand and guided him down the stalls until they reached the first one just left of the entrance to the stable. He must have completely passed the young foal on his way in earlier that morning. They entered its enclosure and gently woke up the little horse. Its mother was adjacently resting behind it watching the two of them intently; after seeing no threat she resumed her inhaling of the nearby hay.

"I have to admit," Malon jabbed, "you did a decent job fixing him up."

"Oh," Link stammered, he actually hadn't noticed it was a male colt at the time of birth.

"You still need some more practice," she continued as if he had said nothing, "before you can be as good as me delivering babies!"

"Maybe you'll show me your expert technique then!" Link rebutted with a grin.

"Maybe I will," Malon mused, gently running her hands down the length of the colt's neck.

Link followed suit and placed his hands on the young horse's flank and began rubbing his hands through its fur. The foal was practically humming with pleasure at the unexpected attention it was receiving.

"So what do you think you'll name it?" Link asked.

Malon gave it some thought as she continued petting, "Something strong…something courageous." After a few more moments of intense deliberation she nodded her head. "Harden."

Link had to do a double take with his ears; he cocked his head to look at her, "Harden? Seriously?"

She stepped back with an indignant look on her face; she placed her fists on her hips in defiance as she interrogated Link, "Yes really! Why is that such a bad name? I think it's a great name!"

Link's lips widen in a grin, "Oh I'm sure it's a great name. As great a name as you could give a rock."

Malon's lips dropped open in shock, "You take that back! You don't insult my horse like that!"

Link continued to stroke the young colt that seemed to have cared less about this whole dispute, "So this is your horse now? Just like Epona was supposed to be before she claimed me as her master?"

Link hadn't actually meant to have it be taken as an insult but Malon was affronted; she pointed a finger at Link, "Don't you dare think of taking this horse too. I'm going to train it up to be a great stallion; one that will whisk me wherever I wish to go."

Link suppressed a laugh in his throat as he ignored her comment. He merely stuck his tongue out at her. That was it; she charged him and tackled him to the floor. They both were rolling around in the hay as they both giggled and laughed; trying in vain to get the upper hand in the insane tickle war that was ensuing. The foal's mother gave an irritated snort at the commotion happening so close to her young one.

Taking her cue, Link rolled out from beneath Malon's frenzy of tickles and grabbed a nearby stick the length of his arm; well that was convenient, Link thought to himself. Malon stood a few paces away looking for a way to avoid his swings should she come near him for another assault.

"Oh what?" she mockingly cried, "You're going to strike down a defenseless little girl with that nasty sword of yours?"

Changing his battle stance, Link realized that she was right. He grabbed a small shovel with an appropriate handle length and took it for himself; he tossed the stick over to Malon to catch. She fumbled with it and dropped it in the hay.

"Time out! Time out!" She cried as she wildly clawed through the straw to find her stick sword.

Link gave a pseudo-evil laugh, "There are no time outs in war soldier! Prepare to die!"

Malon squealed with laughter as she grabbed the stick and rolled out of the way as the shovel handle hit the ground where she had been. She haltingly regained her balance on her feet and stuck the sword out at him at an awkward angle; daring him to come closer. Link could do nothing but look at her with gaiety; she was doing it all wrong. He let his shovel drop and walked over to her to correct her stance. She swung at him once in a haphazard fashion.

"No, stop! I'm trying to help you idiot!" She took offense at this but let him guide her. "You need to stand slightly to the side. You do not show your full front to the enemy; it gives him far more targets to stab into."

Malon reddened slightly as his hands touched most of her body as he was busily adjusting her stance. She didn't think he was aware of the effect his hands had on her; he was so intent on improving her fighting stance that when he had finished he looked at her rosy cheeks in confusion.

"Is everything alright?" he questioned.

"Uh…yes. So is this how you stand?" She tried her best to maintain the position he had forced her body into.

He nodded with approval, "Yes, you need to have your back leg supporting your weight as your front leg moves freely to dodge incoming blows. It is your anchor. Facing sidelong like that also gives fewer targets for your foe to strike. But," he pointed to the way she held her sword, "you're holding that all wrong."

With a quick flick of the shovel, he had knocked the sword right out of her hand. The stick clattered to the ground near the opposite stall. She gasped in surprise at how quickly Link had moved to disarm her. Link said nothing and merely walked over to pick up the stick and handed it back to her.

"Shall we begin again?" Link smiled. Malon scowled; he was enjoying this way too much!

Neither combatant knew how long they had been practicing; the first dozen attempts were horrible. Link had disarmed her quickly and efficiently without any effort on his part. Every now and then he'd smack her on the rump with his shovel; she gasped in shock and irritation at being bested like this continuously. He'd just laugh and set her up again for another round of practice.

Within the hour they were both sweating from the exertion of sparring with each other; Malon's face was in full focus as she took his instruction to heart and tried her best to parry his blows. Link admired her tenacity and found that she was getter better at defending against him; she had yet to take the offensive but was pleasantly surprised at how quick a learner she was. He'd make a good swordswoman out of her yet!

With a final cry of frustration she threw her sword at him and leaped onto Link knocking him to the ground; the air was forced out of him as his back hit the dirt hard compelling his hand to release the shovel he had used as a sword.

"Malon!" He cried as he caught his breath, "You are not supposed to throw your only weapon at the enemy!"

"True," she laughed manically, "but no enemy can resist the tickle!"

Link's eyes shot open in surprise, "What? No!"

It was too late, she had dug her fingers into his sides and armpits; she was attacking him from all angles and sides. He feebly tried to retaliate but she was quick to duck and dodge all his attempts to gain a purchase on the one-sided battle. They spiraled across the floor locked in mortal combat; each of them giggling, laughing and utterly lost in the moment. With one final roll, they slumped to the ground exhausted. Malon didn't bother getting off of him; they both laid there breathing heavily and feeling the sweat trickle down their brows.

Malon raised her head to look at him; he merely smiled back in contentment. Without really being aware of what she was doing, she pressed forward and kissed him. It was a titillating shock to Link's system; his body went stiff with the force of its impact. Neither of them had experienced a kiss before. This was something wholly different and foreign to them. Feeling his rejection, she drew back sheepishly, looking into eyes and agitatedly bit her lower lip; wondering if she had made some horrible mistake.

After a few moments of indecision, Link placed a gentle hand on the back of her head and drew her back into the kiss. It was inebriating to him; he had never felt anything like it. Malon's lips were soft and supple; the feel of her mouth on his coursed lightning through his body. They both reveled in the alien feeling together as their attempt to acquire more of it resulted in frantic fumbling of limbs. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he caressed her red hair and back with his hands, drinking in the kiss completely.

Link slowly became aware of something strange happening to him; a small bulge of urgent need was forming in his loins and he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Good Goddesses his body was doing odd things! He was clueless as to what to do next; he tried shifting his lower body so as to make himself more comfortable.

Malon started to notice his attraction as well; she didn't quite have a great idea of what happened next either, all she observed was when cows and horses mated. She was aware of what it was but not exactly how it should be utilized. Continuing their frenzy of sharing the kiss, she spread her legs wide and straddled him giving it purchase to get more comfortable. Link practically moaned in appreciation of the act as his member wanted to tear through the very fabric of his tunic and her dress. He didn't know exactly why he thought that; it just felt natural to have it next to her body with nothing in-between.

"Robbing each other's cradles I see." Came a calm voice from behind them.

Malon bounded off of Link forcing a grunt out of him as she dashed into the corner of the stall trying in vain to straighten down her dress. Link lay on the floor propped up on his elbows as he looked up at Impa staring at them both with a look of incredulousness; he didn't even try to hide the swelling under his tunic, he knew they were caught.

"Hmmm," Impa began in calm tones, "and I thought you were raised up better than that Link."

He pointed to Malon, "But she started it!"

Malon shot a look of ire his direction as Impa reprimanded, "Doesn't excuse you Link. As an honorary knight of the Hylian guard, you need to show more restraint than that."

Link rolled over to his side to get up off the ground, "Don't remind me." He grumbled.

Impa shot him a look of disdain, "Get up Link. We need to talk about something important. Once you've finished adjusting your id, come with me."

Link was hurt, even if he wasn't exactly sure what she meant by his id. He trudged out behind Impa like a puppy with its tail between its legs. Impa turned around and pointed at the frazzled Malon still trying her best to blend in with the surrounding walls of the stable.

"Return to your father Malon and stay with him for now. If you obey my commands, I promise you this won't get back to him." Impa directed.

With a humph, Malon stomped off past the two of them and into the midday sun. Impa walked outside and down the path; she didn't have to say a word to Link, it was understood he was to follow without question. They walked through the village and up towards the mountain pass entrance. As they strolled past, Link noticed new things he had not observed before; various carpenters and soldiers were working together to set up barricades and contraptions of war. Some held huge stone rocks in slings; others held gigantic arrow shafts on a crossbow like structure too large for any Hylian to even pick up.

"You know she cares for you deeply." Impa said softly.

Link's attention was diverted from the construction at this, "What? Malon?"

A look of irritation flitted across Impa's face, "No. Princess Zelda."

"Oh." It was all he could say. He wasn't aware Zelda liked him like that. Did she want to kiss him too? Many confusing thoughts swirled through his mind; what exactly happened back there in the stable? He tried to make sense of it himself. His body was a raging surge of hormones but he couldn't exactly understand why parts of him he had little control over. It frightened him a little. What could they have done together? No one ever taught him about girls; he was so muddled about all this!

They stopped at the base of the path just before the guards; they were eyeing him warily since they had orders to stop a boy in green from leaving that day. Impa gazed up at the halo cloud encircling the peak of Death Mountain; it was turning out to be a beautiful fall day and the sun warmed her skin. She turned to Link and knelt down to his level as she placed a hand on each shoulder.

"You are a brave, courageous boy." Impa smiled as he colored at this compliment, "There is a task I wish you to do. I am confident that you can accomplish this. If the stories you tell are true and what you did for the Gorons and Zoras last cycle is any indication, you are more than competent for the task." She paused a bit before continuing, "We need the stones again."

Link cocked his head uncomprehending; she explained, "We already have the Kokiri Emerald. It was a stroke of luck you managed to save Saria who had it with her." Link smiled at that, "We still need the Goron Ruby and the Zora Sapphire."

Link's face turned to one of dread; the Zoras were further south and in the path of the invading army. He would have to face those awful men yet again. Visibly shaken, Impa reassured him with a gentle squeeze with her hands.

"I agree," she said as if reading his thoughts, "visiting the Zoras would be the optimal thing to do first since they are closer to the enemy." She pulled out of her belt pouch a blue ocarina; Link's eyes grew wide at the familiar object. Impa nodded at his understanding, "We need to get to the Master Sword again. I wouldn't entrust this journey to just anyone."

Link's voice wavered, "Can't you come with me? Or maybe send another Sheikah to do this job instead?"

Impa calmly shook her head no, "I'm afraid not. For reasons I can't divulge, me and the rest of the Sheikah must remain here and protect Zelda. I cannot say more than that."

Link nodded his head numbly, "I'm scared Impa. I don't want to see those men again. They simply won't die."

She took the quivering young boy in her arms and held him tight. Oh dear Goddesses, what horrors did this young boy have to witness? So terrible a fate to be so young but to have experienced so much; no child should have to endure the pain Link had gone through. She rubbed the back of his head soothingly as Link sobbed into her shoulder.

"I know little one, I know." She lulled.


	12. Chapter 11 - Preparations

**Chapter 11 - Preparations**

Link looked on worriedly as Impa gently held him back away from the bed. The doctor was looking at the Kokiri intently; feeling her pulse, placing a hand on her forehead and checking other vitals. Saria had taken a turn for the worse that day. The doctor confined her to the bed; not that he had to since she hadn't the strength to move much. It wasn't until she fell out of bed due to lack of muscle strength did they call for the village doctor that previous evening.

Saria's breathing was weak and her skin sallow; when Link brought in some food for her on a tray she merely turned away, the thought of food simply unsettled her stomach. As the doctor continued his examination with little protest from the Kokiri, Zelda and Link exchanged knowing looks. Is this what happens when Kokiri are ripped from their forest? Do they slowly wither and die? Zelda looked away when a tear started crystallizing at the edge of his eyes; she granted him the serenity to cry in peace without someone staring at him.

With a seasoned sigh the doctor rose up and turned towards Talon and Impa, the other two adults in the room, and simply shook his head. As he walked out of the room, Impa motioned for Talon and Malon to follow suit. Malon wanted to protest and stay in the room with Link but was shushed out into the hallway. She lurched back to get one last glance into the room at Link; all she could see was him staring at his friend slowly dying in the bed before the door closed.

Link didn't bother asking why Zelda elected to stay behind; he was glad at least one other friend chose to stay with him in Saria's time of need. Zelda was sitting on a stool next to Saria's bedside; she adjusted the wick in the lamp on the nightstand so it gave off a little less light. The Kokiri needed as much rest as she could get. The two waited in silence as the last rays of dusk left the room, leaving them in near darkness as the lamp became the sole source of light.

"I always pretended I was one of them." Link said abruptly, Zelda said nothing but turned to listen to him, "Playing through the forest, the trees, the grass; all of our fairies enacting out great, epic battles or just simply played sticks. There was a time that I was one of them."

"Link," Zelda's heart ached for her friend, "a part of you will always be one of them."

Link nodded absently, "She and I would always sit upon my bed in the tree house and talk about what it would be like to grow older. We wondered if our arms would grow longer than our legs; if we would be as tall as the trees themselves." He smiled at his reminiscing.

"Link…"Zelda began.

He shook his head cutting her off, "But it was I who started getting older." He spoke through gritted teeth, "I started to tower over each of them by almost a head. It was then that I knew I was different. Navi would always tell me otherwise; I couldn't possibly be anything but a Kokiri. She was just saving me the pain of finding out before my time." He placed a hand to his face covering his eyes. "Oh Navi…I have failed you. I couldn't find you."

Zelda rose from the stool and went over to comfort her friend as a sob racked his frame; she embraced him with a hug which he warmly accepted. He held her tight, drinking in her scent of roses and ivy. At length, they parted and he stared into the lamplight before continuing.

"That's not the worse part Zelda," he said gravely, "I no longer have the Triforce of Courage. I know this now."

"Link, I don't understand." She truly didn't. "Is this…a part of the stories you've told me?"

"Yes Zelda! Please believe me! I did go to the future! The Triforce was split; you had a piece, I had a piece and Ganondorf had a piece." Zelda merely hung a smile on her face despite not feeling any reason to smile. Link surged onward, "I tried to prove it to myself that I still had the Triforce of Courage in my body by driving out the Dodongos for the Gorons; by helping the Zoras with Lord Jabu Jabu and his illness; by sneaking through the Gerudo camp undetected and into the Spirit Temple to warn Nabooru of going any further because of the witches. I did all those things. Now I know why," he took a shuddering breath, "because I had done all those things before. There was nothing to be courageous about since I knew I could do all those things."

"That makes sense." Zelda agreed, putting a finger to her chin thinking hard on his story.

"But I came back in time to a place where the Triforce wasn't split. There is no reason for me to have it now! That is why I am so scared of this army Zelda, the Triforce is no longer with me. I…I don't know if I can do this." His lower lip started to quiver.

Zelda's heart broke at her friend's misery, "Link, I think I am now just beginning to understand you. Thank you for being open and honest with me. I truly appreciate it. Maybe you have to earn the Triforce of Courage again?"

Link looked at her inquiringly, "I'm sorry?"

Zelda pressed, "If it is as you say, the Triforce is whole right now and you don't have a piece of it anymore; maybe you must earn it back?"

Link shrugged his shoulders, "I don't think that is how it works. It split when Ganondorf touched it. If it is whole, I do not think it will split if I touch it."

Zelda was about to comment when a rasping voice emerged from the bed, "S…Sor…a."

Link rushed to her side and grasped one of her hands in his own. He leaned over her in concern. Zelda stepped up behind him and looked over his shoulder at the weakened Kokiri.

"Who?" She whispered.

Link held up a hand to silence her, Zelda was about to protest his gesture when Saria spoke again, "So…ra."

Link confirmed it, "It's her fairy. That is the name she is speaking. Did you want us to find her for you?" Saria barely nodded, "Where is she now?"

Link's blood ran cold as she made a motion of slicing across her neck multiple times; Zelda couldn't make sense of it but Link understood perfectly what she meant. That meant Sora was with the army, those who could not be killed. Dear Goddesses, where would he start looking for her fairy in that throng? Link gritted his teeth together and smashed his eyes tight so hard it drew tears; why did it have to be like this? Why was everything so unfair?

"What is it Link?" Zelda spoke with rising alarm, "Where is Sora?"

Link let Saria's hand fall as she slipped back into unconsciousness at the exertion of relaying that information. He slipped down off the bed and walked to the door, motioning for Zelda to follow. They gently shut the door behind them and slowly walked down the hallway of the inn.

"Sora was taken from her and is now somewhere in that massive horde." Link stated matter-of-factly.

Zelda gasped, "Are you serious? How could we find her?"

"I know!" Link snapped. He quickly apologized; he hadn't meant to round on her like that. He was just so frustrated that he could do nothing for his friend. "It's just that I have a mission now to retrieve the Goron Ruby and Zora Sapphire before they land in the hands of the enemy. And now I have this new obstacle of finding a lone fairy in a gigantic mass of men who refuse to die!"

Zelda stepped back a bit as Link slammed a fist into the wall nearby; he let loose an oath as he shook his hand out, massaging the knuckles at his foolish attempt to release his rage. She continued to let him stew a few moments more before walking down the hallway past him. Without question, he simply followed as they descended the stairs to join the others sitting at the dining table on the first floor of the inn.

All of them gazed up at the pair as they seated themselves to the table; Link sat on the other side of Talon opposite Impa. Zelda sat down next to her bodyguard, opposite Malon. Talon was the first to speak up breaking the pervading silence.

"So ya have any good news fer us lad?" He kindly nudged Link sitting next to him.

"No." He said monotonously, "I think she needs her fairy. Sora."

"Where is it now?" Impa queried.

"She is somewhere in the southern Nevachrean army." Zelda blurted out.

Talon spewed his beer clear across the table at this news. Impa deftly dodged the incoming splatter; Zelda was not so fortunate. Her shirt and breeches were covered in a nice smattering of half-drunk beer. She looked royally pissed at this situation. Malon tried her best to hide her laughter at this turn of events but managed to leak out a snort; Zelda shot her a death glare.

"Dear Goddesses boy! Ya can' expect ta go in there?!" Talon's speech was rising in pitch and incoherent in nature.

Impa assisted Zelda from the table, "Excuse me while I help the princess change for the evening. Good night everyone." With one final scowl at Talon, she guided the sputtering Zelda to her quarters.

Talon trailed after them with a weak apology; with a sigh he gave up trying to make amends and turned to the conversation at hand. Taking this opportunity with her father's attention diverted, Malon slipped around and sat on the other side of the bench next to Link; both apparently rapt with attention at what Link was relaying.

"I don't expect to go there. My heart wants to go find Sora for her. I believe she is the key in keeping her alive. However my mission is far greater," he grimaced at the thought of the mission being more important than his friend, "than just one person. My task is to negotiate with the Zoras tomorrow for the sapphire and as soon as I can, meet with the Gorons for the ruby. Impa said we need the Master Sword."

Talon nodded his head in agreement, "I'll have ta agree there Link. I really feel fer your friend, ya know I do! But we can't have ya going off ta get killed for one fairy."

Link shot him a look that made Talon wilt, "Blimey!" Talon looked outside hastily, "Is it that time already?" He downed his entire mug of beer with a belch; lurching off the bench, he grabbed Malon's hand and practically dragged her down the hall. "Come on Malon, 'tis time fer bed fer ya!"

Link watched as Malon gave him a fleeting glace of helplessness as she stumbled after her father towards their room. So that's it then, Link gathered. He turned back to his food; not feeling altogether that hungry. Knowing he'd need as much strength as possible for the day ahead he proceeded to eat his meal in silence. When the meal was finished he rose and with a nod to the innkeeper, went to his room for the evening.

* * *

><p>Bright and early the next day Link gathered his belongings and began checking them once more. He sifted through his belt pouches and made sure there were several Deku Nuts and seeds in each. He thrust a boomerang he had bought at the village store the day prior into his belt where he could easily reach it in a pinch; on the other side he stuffed a slingshot. A single bomb was clasped to his belt on each hip and his scabbard he threw over his head and adjusted it across his chest. With a curt nod that all was in order, he grabbed his shield by the bed; he slid it into his custom rigged scabbard on his back listening for the click telling him it was locked in place.<p>

Stepping outside Link closed his eyes as the fresh morning air brushed his face. He saddled up on a new fresh colt that had been provided to him for his journey. He slowly guided it down the path towards the village exit; on either side of the road were citizens and friends he knew. How many people were aware of the task he was setting out to do? Link contemplated if Impa had a hand in it.

Link was passing by the inn as he noticed Malon looking at him imploringly; she didn't want him to leave and they both knew it. She was rooted to the spot with the firm hand of her father, Talon. The man simply nodded in recognition of the man Link was becoming as he set off on this dangerous journey. Approaching the exit, he wasn't surprised when she spoke; for he could hear her coming from several meters away. His adventures had taught him many things and one of them was to pay attention to your surroundings regardless of distractions.

"Link," Zelda shouted, "must you really go alone on this trip?"

Link reared the colt around to give Zelda a penetrating look. She ran up to his horse, clearly out of breath; she was never much on physically exerting herself. For a brief instant, discomfort flashed across his eyes before he could compose his expression. It was but a split second, but Zelda caught it. Just how much pain and suffering will this young boy have to endure before he is safely back home again?

"I've already talked with Impa about that Zelda. She cannot go with me nor can any of the other Sheikah." Link explained. "Right now I just want to warn my friends and reclaim the stones from both the Zoras and Gorons. Besides if I don't go, they may not get any idea of what they are truly up against and be totally unprepared for them."

Zelda pleaded with him, "Why would Impa say that? Can you try asking her again to at least send someone with-"

Link cut her off with a gesture, "She was adamant about this. If you are so curious about why I must go alone, why don't you ask her?"

Zelda shut her mouth promptly at this; she hadn't actually considered that option. She was so fixated on the fact Link was leaving that she hadn't thought to ask Impa why she was letting him go like this.

"I just don't want to lose you again. I don't think I could bear it." Zelda spoke with such sincerity Link's breath caught in his throat.

He sat on the horse aimlessly, not sure of what to say. He couldn't express his feelings for her because he truly didn't know what they were. He knew they were both too young to make any sort of relationship decisions on their own. Instead he simply smiled back at her. Looking up into his sparkling blue eyes, she started to feel tears welling up. In a flash she turned and ran back to the inn, crying the entire way.

Bewildered, Link simply gaped as he followed Zelda up the path into the building. About ready to turn the horse onto its former course, Link stopped short as he saw something at the top of the ridge overlooking the village. A long figure stood at the tree line as if watching him; he could not make out any specific features of the individual. Within seconds the figure turned and was gone.

Shrugging he shifted in his saddle as he rechecked his supplies. With a final sigh and an impatient snort from his steed, he headed down the path to the open fields of Hyrule. The crowd observing his departure simply watched in silence as he curved around the bend and was out of sight. They continued staring at the place he disappeared hoping he would be returning any second; in time all onlookers turned to their homes and shut their doors.


	13. Chapter 12 - The King's Folly

**Chapter 12 - The King's Folly**

It was almost noon, but time didn't matter when one was stuck in a prison of rock. Princess Ruto emerged from the water in the corner of her room; droplets glistening as they rained down her body back into the pool. Although Zoras dwelt on the land and could go for long stretches of time without water, they still needed to bath in it once in a while to keep their scales moist. Without this constant attention to being damp, a Zora could dry out within weeks and ultimately die.

When Ruto awoke during the night, she discovered they had already placed her in a bedroom and fastened the door tight. It was clearly not her own, but it was regal enough for her position; there were many creature comforts left including a nice spongy clamshell of a bed. Though father did not want her to leave, he still didn't want her treated like some common prisoner; despite the fact she truly was one, a hostage in her own house.

Ruto collapsed on the bed, helpless to do anything. She had already tried searching for various ways of escaping either using her body or other objects in the room to aid her. All to no avail; she was trapped. Finally succumbing to the creeping sleep she lay on the spongy pillows and thought of the one thing that still meant anything to her, her future husband.

She was so upset that they didn't at least let her keep her precious figurines. She had banged on the door continuously asking for them to be brought to her; all her requests were ignored. The fog of boredom permeated the room as she lost herself in daydreams. Imagining all sorts of rescue attempts by her husband; cradling her in his arms as he whisked her off into the night. She would close her eyes and smile.

Had it been hours? Or days? She couldn't tell anymore. Surely by now someone should have come to deliver her father's wishes? She had certainly been locked in this room long enough. Why hadn't anyone come to get her by now? She had hardly any time to ponder that when she heard a familiar voice arising from beyond her room. She sprung off the bed and placed her head against the door to eavesdrop on the conversation happening on the other side.

"You don't understand! This is urgent! I must see Princess Ruto!" The voice was muffled but sounded very familiar.

"And you don't understand me, you can't see her!" The guard rebutted.

"Don't make me hurt you." The stranger's tone took on a deadly connotation.

"Don't make me kill you." The guard threatened.

Some loud scuffling originated from the other side of the door. Ruto leapt back a few steps when she heard a ringing clang and a crumpled bang on the wall. She heard a body slide off of it and apparently thrown across the hall. After a bit of silence, she heard a jingle of keys and the unlocking click of the door. She braced herself for the worst and crouched in a ready stance; easily able to pounce on the intruder if need be.

The door swung open banging against the rock wall rattling the hinges. In mid-pounce Ruto realized it was Link and her pounce immediately changed into a hug in midair. Her arms connected together around his neck and she knocked him to the floor. She hugged him so tight he was squirming with delight! She took the positive cue and started giving him wet kisses on his cheeks and lips.

"Oh husband!" Kisses, "I knew you'd come for me! You won't believe," more kisses, "my father has gone mad! You don't kno-"

Link desperate to get away from her wet, somewhat slimy body, cut her off. He roughly pushed her off of him; he tried to get up but slipped and stumbled back onto his butt in frustration. Giving up, he just sat there where he fell and glowered at Ruto who was already sitting on her shins with her hands resting in her lap looking lovingly at him.

After examining his now soaked clothes, Link sighed, "A hello would have been nice Ruto."

She girlishly giggled, "Oh, but you don't know how much I've missed you husband!"

Annoyed, "And will you stop calling me that!"

She tried to embrace him again in a hug, but he edged away roughly. She smiled sadly, "But that's what you are dear Link, my one and only husband. You accepting the Zora Sapphire from me only proved this. Now that you are back, you can reclaim it once more and we can finally be one!"

Link was getting agitated; if this kept up she might force him into something he didn't want by sheer force of will. "Ruto, I returned the sapphire to your people, we aren't married."

"Then why are you here?" She cocked her head and looked at him inquisitively.

Link's eyes snapped open as he face palmed himself; of course for the sapphire! How was he going to get out of this one?

With a wretched moan, "I'm here for the sapphire…"

Ruto squealed in delight as she tackled him to the floor again. Amid vigorous protests she showered him with wet, salty kisses. Link was practically gagging; he knew he should have just gone straight to King Zora instead. His personal concern for Ruto clouded his judgment to the task at hand; he was more concerned with how she was doing rather than simply negotiating for the sapphire. Was his kindness to blame for this turn of events?

"I knew it!" She kissed him hard on the mouth, "I just knew you'd come back for me one day! I always hoped and sometimes I dared not believe…but it's finally happening!"

He tried to roll her over so he could get up off of her scaly body but she took it as part of their marriage dance and continued the roll. Link let out a yelp of shock as they somersaulted right into the pool. Link surged up sputtering and tried in vain to escape the shackles of marriage; she merely grabbed his foot and started dragging him back into the water.

"We can say our marriage vows right here in the water! Good thinking Link!" She exclaimed.

Dear Goddesses! This is not how he envisioned this reunion; he had to stop this before it got too far and break her heart yet again.

"Ruto!" Link gasped, "We have no time for these matters. The army is on its way and will be here sometime tonight! I saw their encampments on the way here."

She stopped pawing at him and looked away in grief, "So you're not here to marry me?"

Link closed his eyes and shook his head. Ruto emitted a small cry as she slowly treaded through the water away from him. Why were things never easy? He hated breaking her heart yet again but here he was doing it once more! This time he would be taking the stone that symbolized the marriage covenant but would not be taking her heart with him. He would basically be cheating her out of that happiness.

"I'm sorry Ruto." Link stuttered; this water was cold!

"It's okay," she sniffed, facing away from him, "I should have known better."

Link felt awkward and decided to slowly get out of the water, "I'm going to reason with your father and see if he'll lend me the Zora Sapphire once again."

"You can't Link. He has already made up his mind. He is going to wait out this army from the south and close the borders to his hall. No Zora is to leave." Ruto explained.

"Regardless, I still need to try. Where is the sapphire now?" Link questioned.

Stifling a sob, she emerged from the water and with a nod of her head signaled Link to follow her out of the room. She plodded along the cavern halls numb; the feeling in her heart was near to bursting and she felt her world shattering. What else was there to live for if not for him?

The passages were strangely deserted but Link could hear a cacophony of voices drifting from the royal chamber; he also sensed a lot of bodies up ahead. He quickly looked around briefly to see if there were any other Zoran guards and noticed something odd. Some dark shapes were skirting the edges of the lagoon moving as if trying to remain unseen. He moved forward towards the edge of the overhang to get a closer look but abandoned it when Ruto cleared her throat. With one final glance back, he followed her directly into the midst of the entire Zoran community.

There was a hub of noise and activity within the royal chamber; various guards were dashing to and fro with spears, swords and other oddities that resembled weapons. The din died as they began to take notice of their entrance; the chamber became deathly silent. All eyes laid on the two of them as they made their ascent to the royal podium as if to talk to King Zora himself. Link spied the sapphire gleaming in its pedestal at the top of the royal dais. Was it really this easy to steal? It was right out in the open, Link noted.

"King Zora." Link's voice reverberated throughout the room, "Before you do anything rash, I want to let you know that I intend no harm; either to the Zoras or Princess Ruto." The king's gills began to puff up with anger, Link continued, "I have also come to inform you that our enemy from the southern country of Nevachrea cannot be killed. We have to assume every soldier in that horde can come back from the dead, no matter how many times we kill them. Not with ten thousand Zoras could you do this; it is folly."

Furious, the king bellowed, "Do not come here and tell me what my legions can or cannot do! We are quite aware of this so called 'army' and we are prepared to deal with it. We have blocked off all routes into the kingdom, so just how then did you get here?"

"Well," Link laughed a bit, "funny that." The king was not amused. "I actually came in from the canyon to the west via the Royal Family pathway. Although I didn't have the ocarina this time; Impa actually kept it with her back in Kakariko village. Now why did she do that?" Link wondered himself as he tapped a finger to his chin.

Link began to ramble; stalling for time as plans of how to get the sapphire out raced through his mind, "So without that, you can imagine it was rather hard to get past that powerful waterfall right?" Link noticed several guards making their way behind him; he started blurting words out faster, "I kind of had to attempt a swinging-in style approach…yeah…that sucked." He chuckled meekly.

With a jerk of his head, King Zora signaled to the guards to grab Link and bring him down. With a bound he leaped past Ruto who stood there stunned at his brash action; he snatched up the sapphire and quickly tucked it into a pouch before drawing the drawstring tight. Link crouched low as King Zora's screech could be heard all the way down the cavern shaking the very foundations of their hall.

"Thief! Interloper! You are no friend of the Zoras! You are a Royal Family traitor! Guards kill him!" The king screamed.

Without a second thought Link grabbed Ruto's hand and flew off the podium; splashing into the knee-deep water below the platform. He pointed directly at the king, no longer caring what happened next.

"You are the fool King Zora!" Link yelled and then spit in the water in contempt, "Do not forget this day when you made your last and fatal mistake!"

The king's eyes dilated with malicious intent as the feral side took hold of his senses. With a sucking heave a stream of pure acidic juice spurted from his mouth and trailed after the pair. Link ducked quickly under the boiling flow of green acid as he tightly held Ruto's hand and dashed into the side hall adjacent the royal chamber. Ruto was just as surprised as Link to discover her father had the ability to do that! Could she spit acid if she wanted to?

As they were splashing down the shrinking corridor they heard his roars, "Kill the Hylian! Retrieve my daughter! From this day forth, all Hylians spotted by a Zora will be killed on the spot without mercy! The Royal Family are now enemies of the Zora!"

His threats resonated throughout the cavern as they both leapt off the top of the waterfall into the abysmal depths of Zora hall. To prevent serious injury to Link, Ruto shifted in mid-air to place herself between her husband and the water hurtling up towards them. They smashed through the surface of the water with jarring force; a wave of pain surged through Link's body as he sliced through the depths.

A scream resounded in the water as his view turned crimson. Link surfaced and glanced rapidly around him to find Ruto floating towards the shallow water with a flaming arrow stuck in her side. The fact Ruto had reddish blood only distracted him for a moment when he noticed another hail of arrows sailing through the air. He dove down quickly and observed the arrows' lethal descent stall and stutter in the water.

Upon emerging he beheld Zoras being struck down by fiery arrows left and right. Several were still alive as they burned to a crisp. Their screams were unbearable; Link covered his ears blocking out the screeching that swirled around him. He wanted to scream, cry and release himself like never before; but he couldn't. It was too much!

An arrow zipped by his nose barely nicking it; any closer and it would have killed him. Plunged back into stark reality, Link identified the arrow's owner and found several men in greyish-black outfits kneeling on the ledge above the lagoon; raining down a flurry of fire arrows at the Zoras. An outraged boom signified they had reached the royal chamber and were locked in combat with the Zoran forces there.

Swimming swiftly towards the rocky shoreline, he heaved himself up onto the ground just as a swiftly falling Zora fell from above arms flailing. It punctured the surface of the water with a grand splash where it was promptly filled with arrows; Goddesses these men were good marksmen!

Link hurried to Ruto's side, and despite the pain it might cause, ripped the arrow out of her body dousing any flames spreading across her sensitive skin. Her eyes fluttered open as she turned in his direction; she was obviously aware of the pain. He glanced up towards the waterfall and marveled at the accuracy of the intruders; they must have hit her in mid-fall. Perceiving that the battle was moving further away from the lagoon and pushing back up into the royal chamber; Link felt slightly comforted they were not receiving that deadly attention.

He sidled up next to her body and lay beside her; clasping both her hands in his own. He could find nothing to patch the open wound; it was oozing a slightly brown liquid. His gaze flicked in the direction of her eyes as she moaned in pain. He could see nothing but love in those irises. She took and placed a clammy hand on Link's cheek and made a weak attempt to smile but only managed to cringe in pain.

Ruto struggled to breath as she spoke, "Link…I guess my father was right. No Zoras were meant to leave this hall." Link's eyes began to water with tears as she bitterly continued, "All I wanted was to be with you. Why did these men have to come and ruin everything?"

Link simply shook his head; the cavern was being infected with a reddish hue as Zoran blood was spilt across the hall. "I don't know Ruto. I don't know why they do these awful things. Can you move?"

Ruto went into a spasm of coughing as Link attempting to pull her up into a seated position; she just flopped back down with a gasp.

"Link, my dear husband," she grabbed the back of his neck and gently nudged it closer, "keep our marriage ring safe," Link glanced down at the pouch that held the sapphire, "and leave me here. Please tell the others of our fate and of our folly. Maybe they will not be as foolish as we were."

Ruto gingerly pointed to a specific corner of the lagoon indicating a way out, "There is a waterway there that will take you just outside Kakariko village. Please, warn the others."

Link turned to leave when a gentle squeeze of her hand brought him back, "Please husband, I have one final request. Kiss me."

Fighting back tears, Link tried to think of something to say to her but nothing would come to him.

"Kiss me." She repeated weakly.

Looking dejectedly at the dying Zora he leaned over her, prepared to kiss Ruto fully on the lips. Her eyes beheld nothing but him and she waited with baited breath for his touch. Why was this so hard? It was only going to be one kiss and it was done. He inched closer to her lips; practically feeling the shiver from her body as he came closer to sealing a deal he had no idea he was committing to.

Their lips barely touched when Link's hair frayed in the passing wind of an arrow shaft; he flipped over Ruto's body as he dove headfirst into the water. Ruto began to cry as she dully watched her husband swim away and with one final kick, descend into the depths towards the underwater passage. She didn't even bother turning her head when she heard boots stop just beyond her head.

Link struggled through the channel illuminated in sporadic patches of light from incandescent plants. Spying an air pocket he spiked upward and nearly knocked himself out against the limestone ceiling. The air pocket was miniscule; he had to quickly arrange himself so his nose and mouth gulped in the precious air from that minute space. Diving back into the depths he continued along the passageway, swimming by fish and other unknown creatures as he frantically searched for another air pocket.

With a lurch in his heart he spotted one a fair distance down; he began moving towards that safe haven of glorious air. Within a few moments it wasn't getting any closer and his chest was bursting with the urgent requirement to breathe. His kicks got feebler as his vision slowly began getting dark around the edges; he fumbled through the water and lost sight of the air pocket altogether. He ignored the imposing figure swimming up to him and grabbing his tunic roughly.

Just sweet blackness…sleep…


	14. Chapter 13 - Setting the Stage

**Chapter 13 - Setting the Stage**

It was starting to get dark; the last rays of the sun dwindling on the horizon. The guards kept a watchful eye on the perimeter, working in shifts throughout the day and night. Crossbows were armed and nocked. Their arrows at the ready awaiting any wanderers or intruders who would dare enter their firing range. The wall was blockaded by stone and mortar; various crates of artillery were stacked up alongside it for lack of anywhere else to place them. Regardless of this formidable obstruction, they still needed to defend the gate to their fortress. The gate commander siphoned off several scouts who were returning to head back to the fortress for rest from their patrols.

The gate commander was not to be taken for granted. She was a woman, like every other person living in the fortress. She wore the standard full body garb that was required of a person in her position. Each guard was adorned with an ivory robe reaching down to their ankles; around their midriff was a simple leather belt keeping it in place. The higher in status one achieved, the more jewels they could set into their belts.

The bottom portion of the robe had far more material than the top portion causing it to billow out the sides of each leg even in moderate winds. It was easily taken off by unclasping the buttons at the back; afterwards they could easily slip out. They wore plain sandals or nothing at all on their feet; many of the women ignored callouses forming on their feet, it only made them tougher in their opinion. To improve their harsh stance and appearance, they would cover their faces with purple sashes strapped around their heads leaving only their eyes to glare at trespassers.

She was a Gerudo, an ancient race of thieves consisting mainly of females. For scientific reasons unknown, only one male child was born to the Gerudo every hundred years. That lone male child would become the next Gerudo king. One might wonder how a child might be born to a race of all women, but the solution is pretty obvious. The leader would choose who was to bear the child and that woman would then go out to the nearby provinces and steal a husband. They would take their prisoner groom back to the fortress and mate with them many times; within nine months she would give birth to a baby boy. That was being hopeful. If it was a girl, it didn't matter, just another apprentice to the Gerudo culture. No one outside of the Gerudo was quite clear what they did with the stolen men after that.

These apprentices wore plain, drab, white clothing worthy of their stature. They were the lowest on the totem pole, second to even children. They were forbidden to cover their faces until they had earned the respect of their peers. It was during these apprentice years where they would be subjugated to the other women for pleasure. After all, there were no men around. When they weren't pleasing their superiors in carnal bliss, they would be tasked with mundane chores such as cleaning the fortress and tending the horses; the Gerudo took great pride in their marksmanship on horseback and regularly held tournaments for the best archer in the community.

Then there were the elders of the Gerudo tribe of which there can only be six at any one time. Each of these women wore attire similar to that of the regular guards but instead of ivory tones, each woman wore fabric dyed in the color of their choice; most of them choosing shades of purple and red hues. Each elder had a specific set of ancestral scimitars that were passed from one woman to the next; each woman cared for her weapons well, making sure they were exceptionally sharp and deadly.

The most interesting aspect of these elders was the inlaid jewels carved into each of their foreheads. Elaborate frame designs of purest gold was cut into their flesh and pushing far into their hairline, set in these mounts were rubies of the most scintillating sheen. Each elder undergoes this painful procedure willingly for it is the lifeline of order and command. With these elaborate ruby fixtures, the six elders can communicate telepathically across great distances with each other and with their current king; this single fact is the best kept secret of the Gerudo. No races outside of their own realize this key tactical advantage they can access.

The gate commander spied the twinkling lights across the southern plains and flicked a hand in the direction of the nearest guard; with a quick motion of her fingers she relayed the message without uttering a word. Within seconds the guard slinked off into the shadows of the barricade as the commander waited patiently for the result. Within a scant few minutes, Nabooru leaped down from nowhere and landed with perfect grace on the brick wall. She stood up and looked towards her commander for details.

Nabooru was currently the highest ranking female on the elder council of the Gerudo and very well respected. She had gained her position through intense training and leadership abilities. It was said that her skills with the scimitar were unparalleled and no one except for Ganondorf, their king, could match. She wore a lavish set of deep violet pants that bulged around her legs giving an impression of fullness; strings of gold were embroidered in the fabric in vertical lines. The ruby emblazoned on her forehead glinted off the nearby torch fires.

Unlike most elders, Nabooru dared to be different; instead of a full covering robe, her upper body sported a cloth wrap of like color to her pants wrapped around her breasts leaving her midriff and arms bare. Her dark skin was offset by her flaming red hair that reached to the small of her back; she preferred it tied into a ponytail and then locked into position by a simple, metal clasp. Her forest green eyes could pierce stone and her face was without blemish. Nabooru was the perfect woman to many a man she had stolen.

"My lady," the gate commander began, "there are firelights on the horizon just south of the ranch on the plains. The army is surging northward to Hyrule Castle. There is no indication they are headed west at this time."

Nabooru nodded and walked up to the parapets gazing over the fields. She extended a hand as a scope was delivered to her; she brought it to her eye and viewed in greater detail the mass traveling northward. Even at this distance it was hard to make out individual troops, so condensed this army was. That was no way to force an army to march. She collapsed the device onto itself with a scoffing huff; she turned to her commander and threw her the scope.

"Keep me informed commander of any changes to their movements in our direction." She ordered.

With a nod the commander resumed her patrol of the wall as Nabooru leapt down to the sand below. With a flash of pain she hit the ground in a tumble; she quickly righted herself in a roll before shakily getting up to her feet. She glanced up to the upper ridges of the fortress to Apolloni, another elder. With a confirming glance she knew she had felt it too; it was Ganondorf's thoughts within their rubies. He was communicating, but not with them. With a savage snarl, she knew exactly who was intercepting his messages; she should have killed them when she had the chance!

They had yet to take the castle, let alone the town; he knew that much from sitting in the dank cell. It was mostly pitch black but he had no need for manufactured light sources. With a hint of magic at his fingertips he was able to see quite clearly in the dark. He shifted comfortably in his sack cloth overalls as he patiently awaited his summons; they would be here soon enough.

A blast of air blew down the prison corridor heralding their entrance; a grin spread across his face. He hadn't been entirely sure if they would have heard him from such a distance. Now that they were here they could talk about matters important to the future of the Gerudo and ultimately his ambitions. He leaned back against the wall, one leg situated on his knee as he waited for them to reach the end of the prison corridor. The pitter patter of their feet was drowned out by their hushed whispers; each talking over the other trying to get a word in. It seemed both were unsure of what they were doing here at all.

As they rounded the bend and looked into his cell, Ganondorf casually turned his head to view them, "Good evening witches." He spoke with an air of childish defiance.

"You do not talk to your mothers that way!" screeched the female on the left with a blue crystal engraved on her head.

"We raised you from a crying babe, now a king of the Gerudo! Have some respect!" demanded the female on the right with a red crystal engraved on her head.

Each woman was dressed in ceremonial garb with intricate designs of blue, brown and grey; atop each head was fixed a turban with matching prints as their clothes. Both had a long crook nose and eyes that were fixed slightly further apart from the bridge of the nose so as to look ghastly to any normal Hylian. Their age was undeterminable as their wrinkles could attest; their faces and hands shriveled images of their former selves.

Ganondorf snorted at this reprimand; he did not need these witches telling him what to do. He stood up from his bench and walked over to talk to them directly. Each witch looked up into his face for he towered over them; neither one of them could have been more than 4 feet tall. They didn't mind his imposing figure, for to them he was still the child they had raised.

"I summoned for you to help me with a task that must be done here in Hyrule." He commanded the two witches.

The blue crystal witch cackled, "It seems he wants us to help him in his time of need Koume!"

The red crystal witch chuckled, "It seems our young child has lost the memory of his powers Kotake. He can't seem to get himself out of a measly cell!"

Both witches were laughing at his expense; with a flurry of energy he blasted the cell bars outward in a concussive blast. The witches had only a split second to erect a barrier to shield them from the destructive force emanating from their child. They slammed into the opposite wall with a grunt. Struggling to pick themselves off the ground they turned to each other for support as they trembled up onto their feet.

"What a nasty child he is," Kotake accused, "to hurt his poor mothers this way."

"Maybe we should simply leave him." Koume offered, "He seems to be doing fine on his own."

Ganondorf turned their feet to stone as they struggled to apparate into the air; he looked down on them in disgust as he spoke in a low, menacing tone, "You are only surrogates. You were never my real mothers. I took the magick you taught me and made it my own." The two witches groaned in pain as the stone encroaching around their feet got tighter; they looked up at their rebellious son with disbelief.

"We taught you everything you know about the dark arts!" Kotake pointed out.

"Is this how you treat your teachers who poured their hearts into you?" Koume pleaded.

Ganondorf smirked at this in disdain, "I'm sure you did." With a thrust of his arm and a cry from the witches, he broke them free of their rocky bondages with a crack and hovered them inches from his face.

"You may have been my teachers, but I am still your king." He pointed out with obvious malice, "You will obey your lord and do as I say."

Without another word he dropped them to the ground; each witch hurting in various places and making horrible sounds as if to garner sympathy that clearly wasn't coming. When the two had finished their complaining he began to stride down the hall. Each witch took this as a command to follow their king; they each fabricated a broom out of the ether and rode alongside each other just paces behind Ganondorf as he led them out of the prison.

"Now is the time to strike, just as they are reaching the castle gates." Ganondorf stated plainly. Both witches looked at each other in confusion.

"The Hylian army has all but abandoned this hovel my lord." Kotake pointed out.

"They would not return for fear of the Nevachrean army. There is no point in claiming this kingdom." Koume agreed.

Ganondorf quickly backhanded one of the witches off her broom; he did not see or care which. He had always hated how they treated him in the past. "Hyrule is still my conquest. It always has been. I will not let some upstart army that we have been fighting against for centuries claim what is rightfully mine."

Kotake assisted her twin up onto her broom as she warbled, "But is it not late now to be claiming something that has already fallen?"

"I agree dear sister. The Nevachrean army already has their foot in the door. What can we do?" trilled Koume.

Ganondorf stepped out of the spiraling staircase and into the cold marble hall of the castle. He took one look at the guard who had just woken from sleeping against the wall. With a jolt he raised his spear but was vaporized on the spot as Ganondorf swept past his ashes. He huffed as he looked around the pitiful preparations to defend a place that has long since been abandoned. With a shake of his head he continued onward towards the palace gates.

"There is but one thing I do not wish them to have." Ganondorf explained, "That is the Master Sword. I have done research on the valuable artifact and I truly believe it holds the key to accessing the Triforce. There are too many chess pieces on this board, but this is one I can control now."

"You can't surely be protecting something that can harm you my lord?" Kotake queried.

"The pure, holy energies entombed within the blade would surely tear your body apart!" Koume warned.

Ganondorf grunted his displeasure at their lack of fore sense, "You two are short sighted beyond belief. No wonder my mission failed here at the castle. You witches did not have the sense to see the danger a lone boy could pose to our plans!"

"That is not right to accuse us of my lord Ganondorf!" Kotake skirled affronted.

"We did not know such a thing as a time traveling boy was possible!" Koume let slip.

Ganondorf rounded on them swiftly, bearing down on them with his penetrating gaze, "Time traveling? You knew what had happened and did not venture to tell me?" He violently pointed to his red ruby carved into his forehead. "We could have alleviated the problem if you two had taken the initiative and warned me of that possibility."

With a gust of wind, he blew them off their brooms; they each hit the ground with a withered crunch. The witches were not used to such treatment but they dared not disobey their king; they also found it hard to be fully venomous to their own child they had raised.

Ganondorf with witches in tow headed down the path into the town plaza; guards and citizens were vaporized with dark energies if they dared cross his path. Kotake and Koume joined in by freezing hapless villagers and burning houses down with their magick; it seemed Ganondorf didn't care, so why should they?

Ganondorf presently stopped in front of a magnificent structure, the Temple of Time. Its white spires reached into the sky as if grasping for glory; its façade dressed in cathedral like tones. Stain glass windows were embedded at intervals throughout its frame. This sacred place held the Master Sword; a sword said to be evil's bane and kissed by the Goddess Hylia herself.

"Koume. Kotake." He gestured them near to him. "Assist me in placing the aura around this building. Use me again as the pivot point of the spell."

"What would that serve?" Kotake interrogated him.

"There are already protective barriers in place anyway." Koume added.

With a deep breath to control his bubbling rage he clarified, "I leave nothing to chance. There may be protective barriers around the Master Sword but they are scattered across the land and I know not where they are. Too many variables to control; this will be one variable I can govern. Now lend me your power to do for me what you've done for my ancestors. Erect the aura."

The witches looked at each other; each wondering if the other would put a stop to this madness. With a shrug of their shoulders they consented to do Ganondorf's wishes. With a flourish, they began to draw cryptic circles of magick in the air; their chanting started from a low moan that grew into a fever pitch as they continued drawing their dark symbols into the circles. Ganondorf started to feel the energy seep into his feet and crawl up his body until he gripped it in his heart. With a forceful scream he released the magick into the air as a dome of pure malevolent energy visibly descended around the Temple of Time.

Hands and knees on the ground, he panted in exertion at the spell they had just cast. He could feel the tug of his heart strings as the aura pulsated both in front of him and inside his body. Nothing would get inside that barrier with him still alive; they would have to kill him first. He pulled himself to stand and smiled at the two witches at his accomplishment.

"You have grown stronger my child…my lord!" Kotake began but changed her term of endearment as Ganon shot a look at her.

"I remember when you were weak with sickness for a week of your first aura casting." Koume reminisced.

"That doesn't matter." Ganondorf waved his hand, "The first step is complete. We must hurry if my plan is to succeed."

With a motion of his hand the witches trailed after him as they strode out unchallenged through the town gates into the field; leaving behind piles of ashes, ice sculptures and a few flaming buildings.


	15. Chapter 14 - Switching Gears

**Chapter 14 - Switching Gears**

Link arose from the small pond near Kakariko Village sputtering and sopping wet. His clothes had been stained a filthy color of red, but that didn't matter now. That was twice that Link had encountered that horrific army and twice he barely escaped with his life. With gritted teeth he realized that he had to leave someone behind again. He crawled forward a few feet and wretched the contents of his stomach before slumping to the ground in exhaustion. He had lost his horse and all the supplies. Without a further thought, he started crying.

Link was not sure if he had gone mad or if the world had; he just wanted the deaths of his friends to stop. His ears pricked up at a rustling behind him. With the finesse gained from the years of his adventures, he swooped up onto one knee and looked around for the source of the sound. Seeing nothing, he drew his sword out of a scabbard that wasn't there. He suddenly realized that his sword must have washed away while swimming through that tunnel; he cursed his luck. Without sword, or shield or any supplies he was practically defenseless.

Link heard the rustling again but it sounded more like a splash; his ears perked up even more as he tried to scan the gloomy environs. The sky had started to brighten with the coming dawn, yet it was still dark as pitch near the water pool and the overhanging tree line. He eyed the shadows closely and thought he saw the shape of a person in the water until he blinked. It was gone. He shivered with an unknown dread but shook it off and sprung to his feet.

Link glanced around to orient himself with his surroundings; it was clear he was on the high ridge overlooking Kakariko. Off to his right was the windmill; the inn's rooftop directly beneath him. Directly ahead towering off in the distance was the imposing Death Mountain. Even at this early hour, the village was alit with action; people were running to and fro setting up the trebuchets and ballistae at strategic points across the village. Wooden blockades were placed at the entrances to the town as civilian soldiers manned their stations. There seemed to be both boys and girls his age suited up for battle; what had this world come to?

With a sidelong glimpse, he assessed the steep cliff face and decided it best to scale down it rather than making the leap onto the rooftop; the last thing he needed was an injured leg from a nasty fall. The first beams of sunlight flitted across his body as his feet finally touched down on the slats of the rooftop. He walked over to the edge and peered over to see who was below and was surprisingly relieved to find Impa standing there watching the proceedings of the village.

"You can come down any time Link." She offered without even looking up at him.

With a kick to the nearby hay bale she positioned it so he would have a soft landing pad to fall on. With a shake of his head admiring her natural awareness, he leapt off the roof; he hit the hay and rolled off to the ground. After waiting until he finished dusting himself off, she glanced over in his direction; she noticed he had lost everything except a few pouches on his belt, a boomerang and a single bomb.

"You seem to have gone through hell." She noted appraising his stained clothes.

"At least I came back!" Link shot back, this drew a smirk from Impa. Flippant as always; probably why she liked him so much. He didn't beat around the bush.

"So," Link gestured to all the contraptions being wheeled into place, "what is all this for? Isn't this a bit…lacking?"

"It is all we have." Impa stated flatly, arms crossing. "The ballistae," she indicated the huge crossbow-like contraptions "are aimed at the likely entry point to the village that they will take. A single shaft can skewer a dozen men in a row.

Impa began heading down the path to inspect the other machines of war; Link simply followed her. She pointed off to her side at a trebuchet perched on a high hill of the village, "The other Sheikah have calibrated each one of those to hurl boulders across the ridge and onto the open plain at the foot of the hill. More of like a fire and forget device but we are certain that there will be deaths with this weapon."

Link marveled at how quickly the carpenters and local craftsman built these machines and the manpower it took to place them in key positions around the town. The pair came up to the spiked wooden barricades blocking the entrance to town and gazed up at the sign framing the town gate. How long had that symbol of welcome been here to invite travelers to Kakariko? How much longer would it stand?

Impa spoke before the question sprang to Link's mind, "We have very few soldiers left and those are manning the ballistae and trebuchets for these children haven't the strength to operate them."

Link regarded the diminutive soldiers guarding the barricades; one looked in his direction with fear in her face. Goddesses, these were all kids!

Impa placed a hand on his shoulder, "Necessity brought us to this point; do not worry we have trained them up well these past few days." She pointed up towards the bluffs surrounding the village, "My Sheikah taught them. The remainder of my clan is on the rooftops with bows and the rest are guarding the upper passes to the town and will kill on sight any man who attempts to enter by means other than the one we have prepared for them."

Link had to admire Impa's tactical prowess; she was doing a lot with very little to secure this place. They turned from the frightened child soldiers and strode back up the path to the central square of the village. He hadn't seen hide or hair of his other friends; were they all still inside the inn safe and secure? He wanted to ask but Impa interrupted his thoughts.

"Well, you were successful with retrieving the sapphire?" she tailored the statement to sound like a question.

With a stagger, Link quickly filtered through his pockets and pouches and quickly drew out the Zora Sapphire from one of them. A sigh of relief came over him; at least something went right for once. Impa simply nodded her head in appreciation; she knew he was capable of accomplishing the task. To prevent losing it, he quickly dropped it back into its pouch and refastened the drawstring.

With a start she reminded him, "Then we haven't the time to waste. You need to immediately proceed up the mountain and reclaim the Goron Ruby from the Gorons. Follow me. We need to resupply you for the journey."

"Can I see Saria, Malon and-?" Link's inquiry was cut off with a shake of her head.

"I'm sorry Link," Impa's voice softened with regret, "there simply is no time. The army is almost upon us and should be here within the hour. The sooner we set you off on your way, the better."

Link swallowed a knot in his throat as he nodded in agreement; he had longed to see their faces one more time before it all came crashing down. Link blankly went through the motions as he selected a new sword, shield and other supplies that would assist his travels. The store keeper merely waved a hand at payment; "It wouldn't have mattered anyway today." he said.

Impa gave one last quick nod to Link as she went back down the path to belt out more orders for their defense. Not feeling altogether brave, Link checked his equipment one last time; he shifted his scabbard uncomfortably, he was not used to having a sword dangle from his hip. It felt awkward and threw him off balance. Readjusting his pouches, he set off up the hill towards Death Mountain.

Impa glanced back one last time to see the courageous boy scaling the mountain path and smiled inwardly. With a heavy sigh, she turned to the task at hand as silence descended upon the town. Minutes passed. A bird chirp or a random cricket trilling was the only sound to be heard in the deathly quiet plaza. Waiting for the end to come became unbearable for some; several cries and gasps came from the children as the glooming pall hovering over the town suffocated their senses.

Impa's countenance softened; she was preparing to offer words of strength and comfort when a quick flash from the cliffs above directed her attention. The Sheikah along the bluffs had spotted the first regiment of men scaling the mountain pass; a further signal indicated they were within range. With a yell Impa raised a hand to notify the trebuchets; all men stood at the ready awaiting her signal.

The children heard them first; the war cries of men and clinking of solid armor. A great multitude of boots pounding the ground, making the earth beneath them tremble. Several of the young soldiers whimpered; another was ashamed as he stood in a pool of his own urine. The first wave of soldiers rounded the bend as the defenders witnessed death coming for them. A cry of malice went up amongst the battle-hardened men as they surged ahead towards the flimsy barricades.

With a spiteful yell Impa sliced her head down through the air, "FIRE!"

Two ballistae let loose their immense arrows into the massive throng; skewering groups of men to the rock walls. Rocks were hurtling through the air above them as they cleared the cliffs and fell onto the unsuspecting troops at the base of the pass. Blood spurted from the open wounds of those punctured by arrows fired from Sheikah archers mounted on the rooftops. Several of the men were already reloading the ballistae as the trebuchets continued to rotate on their hinges.

The first wave continued undaunted and slammed into the barricades with the fury of a tsunami; several men got trampled by those that came after them, pierced through by the spikes jutting out from the columns of wood. Several of the children fought valiantly; few even managed to kill an enemy or two before being cut down themselves. The Sheikah surrounding the high peaks encircling the village were engaged in a pitched battle with several assassins who were just as well trained in the shadow arts.

A jolt of surprise coursed through Impa as the unthinkable happened; slowly over the rise of rock she saw the boulders they had catapulted over the bluffs slowly float into the air. Strapped to each stone was a mass of crushed, deformed, and bloodied bodies of the troops they had slain with it. After a moment's hesitation, the boulders surged down into the town as the defenders scattered screaming insanely. One landed in the plaza as two others took out the upper trebuchets.

Cries of terror emerged from the din as people started noticing the corpses attached to the boulders slide off and begin to move; the few men the children did cut down were getting back onto their feet and advancing. Impa closed her eyes for she knew it was over the moment the villagers laid eyes on what they were up against. All hope for an organized defense was shattered as people fled for their lives; some couldn't get away in time as they were stabbed in the back by the coming horde.

Impa let loose a curt whistle as the nearby Sheikah converged on her position. With several flicks of her hands she directed each to their pre-assigned duties. Within seconds they were gone, they melded into the shadows as Impa dashed up to the inn. She hoped they had bought Zelda and Talon enough time to prepare.

She skidded to a stop at the door as Zelda was exiting the building with a satchel carried around her chest; Talon was close behind with a weakened Saria cradled in his arms. It seems they had bought them enough time for their escape. Impa saw that Malon was missing.

"Where is your daughter?" She shot at him.

Talon looked distressed but brushed off the severity of her question, "She said she was only gonna be a min'. Said she had ta get somethin' from her room." At this, a few moments of silence descended upon the small group; Zelda idly watched the glow from the emerald around Saria's neck gently illuminate her sickly features.

It was Talon who broke the silence first, "So we are just gonna leave these folks ta their deaths?"

Impa regarded his question, wondering if it was an accusation, "We've no choice. This venture was doomed to failure from the start. Our goal as Sheikah is to see to it that Princess Zelda is safe." She stared at Talon directly in the eyes to make sure there was no misunderstanding, "Everything else is secondary to that primary goal."

Zelda looked confusedly from Talon to Impa, "What are you saying Impa?"

"She's sayin'," Talon spat with mustache bristling, "That none of these villager's lives are worth more than dirt. What about Malon n' me? What about Saria? Aren't we just as important as any of them?"

Impa silenced him with an undercurrent of menace in her tone, "We do not have time for this discussion. We need Saria for the Emerald she carries; a Kokiri must willingly part with it for it to be of any use to us. You and your daughter are welcome to come if you wish or," she gestured to the chaos erupting behind her, "you can join them in death. You decide."

"I don't understand…" Zelda began anxiously.

"There will be a time to explain all this, but right now is not that time." Impa uttered.

With a snap of her fingers, several Sheikah leapt down from the air and formed a circle around their small group. A Sheikah lifted Zelda onto her back and dashed in the direction of the windmill; Zelda wrapped her arms tightly around the Sheikah's broad shoulders. She was astonished to realize that a man was carrying her! She had never given much thought to the fact that there would be male Sheikah; she had only ever interacted with Impa and other females.

The rest of the group followed suit with Talon bringing up the rear; puffing at the exertion, he managed to keep up decently with the rest of the Sheikah who were quickly outpacing him. Out of the corner of his eye a soldier was screaming a war cry, charging with a spear aimed directly at his heart. He began to call for help when a Sheikah hurled in from his left and smacked the assailant's legs out from underneath him; before he even had a chance to fall to the ground, another Sheikah soared from above with a three pronged weapon of unknown origin slicing the man completely in half. Both chunks hit the ground with a squelch before the man knew what had happened.

Leaving the cursing man behind, they stopped presently at the windmill and Impa ushered them all inside. One of the other Sheikah opened a panel in brick wall of the interior and depressed a knob within the recess. A section of brick withdrew into the wall and then swung wide revealing an underground passage lit by spitting torches. Impa sent Zelda and the other Sheikah on ahead; Zelda gave one last glance back at Talon and Saria before taking the hand of the woman next to her and running down the passage.

"Now hold a minute!" Talon fumed, "My daughter, Malon, is still out there! We must go back fer her!"

Impa glanced in the direction of another Sheikah who promptly divested Talon's arms of Saria and proceeded to carry her gently into the secret path. Talon stammered at this insult to his abilities to properly take care of Saria. He walked straight up to Impa and waggled a finger in her face; she remained stoic and impassive at his fury.

"Look 'ere lady! We 're gonna go back fer my daughter! She is defenseless out there!" He raged in her face.

Without skipping a beat, Impa rebutted, "Then go find her. My objective is clear and neither you nor your daughter fit into our plans."

The sound of the battle raging outside was getting louder; the screams of the women were unbearable. Goddesses, did they simply rape them on the battlefield where they stood? What kind of animals were these men?

"They are getting closer Talon." Impa said flatly. "Make your choice."

With that she spun around and began lighting a bomb at the entryway to the passage; she gave one last impassive look at Talon then rushed down into the tunnel after her brethren and their precious charge.

Talon bit his nails as he stood there undecided of what to do. Malon had not meant to delay that long in the inn; just what in blazes did that girl have to get from her room? He took one step to the door, intent on going after his daughter when he leaped back as a body thudded against it from the other side. A blood-curdling scream was cut short as a sword sliced through the door just feet away from his belly. With a loud shuck, the sword was drawn out of the body and door; a burbling sound was heard as whoever it was slid down the side.

Without a second thought, Talon was rushing down the passageway with tears flowing from his eyes. The bomb exploded behind him caving in the windmill so that none could follow. Talon said a quick prayer to the Goddesses to keep his daughter safe. Wherever she was…Malon was on her own.


	16. Chapter 15 - Captured

**Chapter 15 - Captured**

Malon reached the top of the incline late in the day; the sun had already begun to glow red when she hopped off her horse as she reached the top of the ridge. She strapped on a backpack filled to the brim with food and supplies alongside several weapons and a shield. She almost fell back from the immense weight of the load. However, with effort she remained steady and regained her balance.

With a short laugh she gave a quick pat to the horse, "I think I have just a little more respect for you my friend."

The horse nickered its reply as she stroked it one last time. Hopefully it would find a better home now that it was finally free. Malon had been instrumental in evacuating the remainder of the horses from Kakariko; Impa got her and the other assistants up early in the morning and prepositioned horses at the other end of the secret passage through the windmill. She had a hunch they would need a clean escape and Malon was happy to oblige in establishing all horses at the exit of the tunnel. It took most of the early morning to guide the injured Epona through the passage but she made it through all right.

When she got back to the inn, she packed her belongings in preparation to leave at a moment's notice. She hastily made an excuse to her father to sneak out the back with her heavy burden; she leapt down out of the window and landed smack on her face as she fumbled with the weight of her pack in midair. After much wrangling, she rallied the horse she had tethered in the chicken pen behind the inn and slung her pack over its flank. With a quick look at the village entrance, she saw men surging the barricades; she gave a swift kick to the horse's flanks and vaulted it towards the Death Mountain pass.

Now all she could see of the village from this vantage point was billowing smoke clouds rising from multiple locations within the town. A dull roar of men, cries, screams and other unknown sounds slowly rose from the canyon far below her. A shudder coursed through her body when she realized how deathly close she came to being caught in that vortex. She didn't know how much time she had left but her goal was to catch up with Link and assist him in any way she could.

Malon lumbered back over to the horse under the weight of her pack and unloaded the rest of the excess baggage and tossed it to the side; she didn't realize how much she had brought, it was way too much for her to carry. She felt bad for the horse having to lug all the junk she forced it to transport. She slapped its rump and watched it gallop off toward points unknown; she prayed that it found some secluded spot away from all this madness. She sighed deeply before grabbing a backpack strap in her hand and started up the mountain.

Perspiring from the effort of scaling the steep face of the mountain, Malon took great care in making sure she didn't slip on the loose gravel and dirt littering the path. Proud of herself for being so brave, she continued higher when she heard a sharp crack of a twig bounding off the rock walls. She spun around looking for someone following her but saw nothing. For a bone-chilling moment, Malon through she saw a dark shape in the shadows, but she blinked and it was gone. Nervously she decided to resume her upward march until she heard a whisper of her name.

She twirled around frightened, "What do you want? Who are you? Show your face!"

Nothing but the wind replied; silenced confronted her with an absolute realization, she was being followed. Malon began to panic as the beating of her heart began to pound out of her chest. She turned to scramble up the steep incline and smashed her pack against the granite wall as she looked in all directions for her pursuer. With her back against the rock face she scanned the environs for any trace of what was following her; nothing moved within her sight.

Malon sunk to the dirt and bunched her knees to her chest. She cradled them with her hands and started crying. What if those evil men were already on their way up the mountain? What if they caught her? What unspeakable things would they do to her? Why had she decided to follow Link anyway? It was a stupid, stupid idea! She should have just gone along with her father and escaped the village than put herself in harm's way by following Link.

Another sharp crack of a rock being thrown down the cliff face above her made her leap away from the wall with a squeal; she started running frantically up the hill without any idea of where she was ultimately going. Her only thought was to put distance between herself and whatever monstrosity was following her. Stumbling several times, she picked herself back up and dove behind a rocky pillar and curled up into a fetal position.

Her heart was thumping against her ribs as she tried to control her fear. It was starting to get dark and it would be harder to see where she was going, let alone anything jumping out at her. She started whimpering at her decision to follow Link. It was so stupid! With one last body racking breath, she swallowed hard and tried to calm herself. She pushed herself off the ground and took one tentative step after another towards what looked like a cave entrance.

She slowly drew a sword from her pack; she promptly dropped it to the ground at its weight. Maybe she should have gone for one of the smaller swords? Struggling to heft the sword, she managed to hold it aloft with both hands on the hilt. She edged forward with the sword ahead of her when an intake of breath from her left caused an instant reaction from her; she swung with all her might towards the unknown shadow and watched her sword flash in the dying sunlight as it hurled through the air, landing several paces away. She slumped to the ground in exhaustion at just one swing of the heavy-handed sword.

Link stepped out of the shadows to greet her with a cautious look, "You still need to work on your stance."

Malon slammed her fists onto her thighs, "Oh, you're horrible!"

Link glanced around quickly for anyone else before continuing, "Is it just you? Why are you here? Did anyone follow you?"

Everything was coming at her so fast; relief at finally meeting up with Link, swirling thoughts at the barrage of questions he was shooting her with, and the terror of a possible stalker down the path. She began crying in utter release at finally having someone there to share her isolation with.

Link walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder as he set down his sword and knelt, "For one, don't always go for the biggest sword." He chuckled a bit as she shot him a dirty look, "I'm just glad you are safe." His expression turned serious. "It doesn't seem things are going too well down there in Kakariko."

Malon merely nodded her head at his observation; they were both positive it had gone sour for the populace and that the village was lost. They would ultimately need to find an alternate route back to safety. He assisted in stripping her of her backpack and tossed it onto his back; it was a better fit for him anyway. Relieved of the gargantuan weight, she was able to stand up more easily.

"Come on," he smiled as he took her hand in his, "might as well make yourself useful and accompany me to the Gorons."

Malon smiled at this as they continued onward towards the looming cave entrance. Link was slightly on edge she could tell; he was on alert shifting his eyes all around looking for potential threats. The fact that there was not a single Goron in sight on their way into the city did nothing to allay his fears. As soon as they stepped into the entry hall, the usual crashing sound of various rolling Gorons was uncannily absent. Guiding Malon, they edged around the main room which was roughly the size of Hyrule Castle's main hall. It was a huge chamber but the reddish hue that usually permeated it was no more; only a dim gloom remained.

"So they have taken the Goron Ruby with them." Link said with considerable relief as he looked at the empty dais near the ceiling at the center of the chamber.

Slowly they made their way down the multitude of stairs to the bottom floor; each landing opened up into the main chamber where one could look down from the highest point and see each floor below. He had come to warn them of the incoming army but it seemed the work had been done for them; now all he had to do was figure out where they had taken the ruby.

They stepped through a massive doorway carved into the limestone rock and entered a small side chamber. Link was surprised to see two torches still lit within the room. The chamber was sparsely decorated with a few tattered carpets and tapestries along the walls; the majority of the decor was the drawings painted directly onto the rock by the Gorons themselves. Link almost didn't notice a piece of paper lying on the bench lining the far wall; he dashed over and snatched it up to read its scrawl.

"Dear Sworn Brother, for some reason I knew you would be the one to come here and read this letter. I want to assure you that we are safe, a delightful Sheikah female passed by earlier and warned us. We are taking refuge with our kin in the far eastern mountain ranges of Xaagar. It is several moons away, but we feel supremely confident that the army cannot reach us within the snowy blizzards of these mountains. I wanted to entrust the Goron Ruby to you but too much is at risk. So instead, I am including a map with this letter showing you our location so you can come find us and claim it should you ever need to. I am sorry to not be there in person to tell you of these grave matters, but escorting my people to safety is my priority. When you grow up and become a man, be sure to come to me to introduce your lovely new wife. I would love to see you once again. I wish you the best of luck. Your Sworn Brother – Darunia. P.S. I left a nasty present to those fools who would come to claim the Ruby, best not to wake it!"

Gorons were a hardy folk that seemingly grew from the earth itself. They were made mostly of rock and stone but were sentient. They had hard shells for their heads, backs and outer arms and legs; the only parts that were remotely soft were their faces, stomachs and inner portion of their limbs. Each Goron was uniformly brown but the multitude of rock plate structures that adorned their backs separated them and distinguished who they were as an individual.

Darunia was the greatest of the Gorons, being their king and all. His back platelets were exorbitant for even a Goron; they protruded as devastating spikes rather than flat shell surfaces. He had several solid horns sprouting from his head which gave him a regal look; Link always did think it resembled a natural crown for the Goron.

Late last cycle, Link returned from the future and plunged deep into Dodongo's Cavern which was the source of their primary dietary staple: obsidian. He cleared out single-handedly every Dodongo in that cavern and opened it up to the Gorons once more. Since then he was a sworn brother to their king, Darunia. He became welcome in their hall and earned unquestioning support from any Goron he encountered thereafter.

Link warmly smiled at the letter and the trust Darunia had placed in him by providing the map; Goddesses it was a long trek though! He folded the note and map and put it into a fold of his tunic; he was curious as to what this 'present' was that Darunia had left but thought little of it. Grateful that at least some of his friends were safe he beamed at Malon. She returned the grin and they left the chamber holding hands.

Very little was said between them for several reasons; they were simply content at being together in a time where all else seemed to be insane and muddled. They considered each other as their anchor in a world gone crazy. Silence was also important since making any sound gave away their position to the enemy; something they both did not want. It was understood that it had been morning when the army struck Kakariko, they probably weren't far now from their current position now that dusk was approaching.

"And here I find you alone." An ominous voice hummed as Link stood stock still at the figure blocking the stairs above them.

The man was thinner than the two he had fought in the woods with Saria; he had a deadly grace with the way he carried himself. A lone steel pauldron adorned his left shoulder as a similar thigh guard was affixed to his right leg. The rest of his body was covered in plain cloth and fabrics of brown, orange and grey; they were situated on his body to enable freedom of movement in battle. In his hand he held a thin rapier the length of his leg.

The most striking feature about the man was the scars on his face; he had two which originated from the crease of his lips and trailed up along each cheek in some macabre grin. What drew Link's attention was the idle way he was scratching one of them. He casually stood in a stance that offered no purchase of an attack on his body; Link admired his opponent's confidence.

With a flick of his free hand, the man brushed his brown bangs out of his eyes as he stared down the two children, "I have you all to myself. First I am going to cripple you boy."

Link and Malon took a few steps backwards down the steps as the man advanced slowly towards them.

"Then I'm going to rape your girlfriend in front of your eyes." The man continued with obvious glee. Link didn't entirely comprehend what the man was implying, but Link knew no sane adult should be viewing Malon like that; she edged closer to Link and gripped his arm so tight it was starting to hurt.

"When it's all over," he sneered, "I'm going to slit her throat in front of you right before your death. I certainly hope you enjoy it. I've been planning this meeting for some time now, ever since you bested Talamir and Timner." He licked his lips cruelly.

Link pushed Malon further behind him as he pulled his sword out of the scabbard from his hip; Link made a mental note of those two names. The man merely laughed at Link's attempt to display he was ready for the duel. The man slowly advanced down step by step as Link deftly pulled the boomerang from his belt and handed it to Malon; she took it with rising anxiety.

"You know how to use one of these?" It was a question but it sounded more like a statement. Malon simply nodded in shock, "Good, go back out to the main chamber and wait for me there."

Link slipped out of the backpack and let it drop to the ground with a thud as Malon dashed out into the main hall. He kept pace with his opponent as they slowly descended the stairs; each foe assessing the other and looking for any weakness in their defense.

The man swung first with a side swipe from the right. Link deftly flicked away this attack with ease; he saw through the ruse as the man's sword thrust forward with the intent of piercing his chest. Link sidestepped to the right as his sword pushed the attack downward. He feinted with a low swipe from the left before switching it to a swipe to the stomach from the right; the man reacted quickly and parried the attack with finesse. He was excellent; Link had to give him that.

The man slowly pushed Link back with every stroke; every time Link attempted an offensive the man merely shrugged it off and countered with an attack of his own. Link was fighting a losing battle and both knew it; the man was smirking the entire time, he was simply toying with him!

"That girlfriend of yours has a nice ass. I followed it all the way here!" The man snickered as he thrust at Link again.

Quickly backing up from the thrust, Link countered it with an overhead swing. "You sicko! She is just a girl!" He yelled.

"All the more delicious for me when she is finally mine!" Link's core was shaken at this statement as the rapier sliced through the edge of his shoulder.

With an agonizing scream Link stumbled back clutching his bleeding arm. He needed to focus on the battle; the man was getting into his mind and throwing him off balance. His love and concern for Malon was clouding his judgment of the engagement. The man was forcing his mind to wander from the battle and he knew it! With a determined look, Link resumed his stance and motioned for the man to continue his assault.

The man chortled at this, "Very good! You saw through my tactic. You learn fast; such a shame that I have to kill you."

The man surged forward with a flurry of strokes, swipes and thrusts; Link was keeping up with his jabs but was slowly wearing down. Every few seconds he kept looking at the upper landing until he finally saw Malon crouch down in place. Just as the man twirled away from a stabbing jab, he nodded quickly to Malon. She took careful aim with the boomerang and threw it with all her might.

Distracted, the man did not notice the boomerang until it thwacked him in the temple; he stumbled at the concussive force of the blow as Link dived forward to end the battle. The man was shaken but managed to evade the lethal nature of the attack, but not before Link's sword sliced through his side. The man cursed an oath as he held a hand to his lower rib, feeling the blood flow from the wound.

He snorted as he examined the injury, "No matter. It'll heal soon enough."

"Maybe, but how quick can you heal from that?" Link was already running away from him as the man looked down in surprise.

At his feet was a lit bomb; he glared at Link's receding form roaring in anger as the explosion rocked the massive hall. Rocks and rubble started to fall from the ceiling and smash themselves onto the splattered man. Link breathed a sigh of relief as he looked down from a higher landing at the damage he had wrought. Malon was slightly sick at the gore and blood of the exploded corpse.

"It's over now Malon." He swept her up in a bear-crushing hug as she cried into his shoulder. He lovingly ran his hands through her luscious red hair as he comforted her. This was indeed her first taste of the battlefield and she was in utter shock at the brutality of it. Link didn't even care that the boomerang was gone; Malon did her job as a distraction well. He couldn't ask anymore of her than that.

A hulking patter of steps interrupted their union; Link glanced over and saw a Dodongo slowly lumbering its way over to them. They were fell lizards that had green scales formed in shield platelets lining their back that protected them from all attacks. They had the nasty ability to breathe fire to incinerate their victims prior to devouring them; it was also unfortunate that it was one of the few times one could strike since their inner bellies were their weak point.

Malon's eyes bulged at the lizard as Link tilted his head back in disbelief, "You've got to be kidding me! This is the present? Malon run!"

They sprinted outside to be greeted by two men on horseback: Talamir and Timner. Link skidded to a halt as he brought Malon swinging back around him unaware she was running straight into danger. The two men looked on the pair of them with malice, their bodies hulking in their heavy armor. Each man nocked an arrow to his bow and began to take aim at Link's heart; Malon screamed.

Link glanced back and noted the Dodongo had followed them; a sharp intake of breath signified it was getting ready to spit fire. He pushed Malon away from him as he dove in the opposite direction. The arrows flew through the air, skimming past where Link was and striking the Dodongo straight in the gullet. Flames billowed out from its mouth as it engulfed the two horses directly in front of it.

One horse bucked off its rider as the other galloped away from the flames; with effort the rider guided it towards Malon. Link rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up, narrowly avoiding the crushing stomp as the Dodongo tried to squish his arm. Malon was already running away from the rider; however in an instant he was alongside her. With calculating ease, he reached down from his charging horse and picked Malon up by the hair. Screaming from the top of her lungs, she thrashed wildly at her attacker; he dismissively knocked her flailing arms away and smashed her face with his gloved fist. She lost consciousness instantly and slumped across the front part of his saddle.

Upon seeing her seemingly lifeless body slung over the black horse, Link screamed in utter rage. With inner strength he didn't know he had, he leapt off of the Dodongo's head and ran headlong towards the rider who had captured Malon. He started laughing at him! Out of the corner of his eye, the second rider rose up and with a loud, sickening crack, Link's vision went red as he slammed to the ground.

A burbling voice echoed from the cave entrance, "That little bastard! Where is he?"

Clumps of flesh, bone and gore were slithering slowly across the ground as the man sluggishly reformed his body from the prior explosion. Talamir glanced over from his horse at Thanan and laughed. Thanan shot him a glare but didn't comment; his pain at recomposing himself was excruciating.

Timner chortled, deftly dodging a swipe from the Dodongo, "You look like shit Thanan! Did you underestimate the boy too?" At this both brothers laughed, much to Thanan's chagrin.

The last thing Link remembered as his vision became obscured was Timner advancing on the Dodongo and putting it out of its misery. He coughed up some blood before resting his head on the ground, letting himself sink into the infinite abyss.

Malon…are you safe…?


	17. Chapter 16 - Through the Heart of Hell

**Chapter 16 - Through the Heart of Hell**

The dull, aching pain was what woke him. Link's eyes slowly fluttered to life as the harsh glare of candle light stung his pupils. His wrists hurt dreadfully. He tried his hardest to look up but couldn't manage to lift his head before the throbbing at the back of his brain pounded in full force; he had to stop before he passed out again. He was hanging by his wrists with a hard leathery thong attached to a central pole running the length of the tent keeping its structure stable.

Link gingerly moved his head to examine the space around him and deduced that he was in the heart of the massive army and that it was already night time; he concluded this as the tent flap straight ahead of him gently wavered in the evening breeze, given him brief glimpses of the horrors beyond. He looked around and saw several cages hanging around the rim of the tent; each one had a fairy in it.

Link was going to ponder this when his hearing finally returned in a crashing onslaught of sound; the noise filled his ears with a deafening roar. A din of talking, screaming, shouting, and clanging all rushed at him from every angle. Link shut his eyes hard trying to block out the immense cacophony of sound, but it was simply too much. The screaming was what disturbed him the most; it was a collage of children, women, animals and men. Resigning to the horrible music of war, he lay listless from the pole.

It was then that Link noticed he was completely naked; his precious Kokiri clothes were casually tossed in the far corner of the tent shredded and ripped. Link groaned inwardly as he lamented his precious tunic; the last remnants of home.

A gust of cold air blasted his naked form sending shivers down his spine as the tent flap opened up of its own accord and four figures entered the tent. The biggest brute stopped directly in front of him, cape sweeping behind as the three commanders lined up abreast just paces beyond; Link recognized those men. The slender one of the three came up to big man's side and spoke in a soft whisper.

"This is the boy they call Link, Dodongo Buster. It is unclear how he was able to do it, but he has once wielded the Master Sword. He is a legend in his own right, but no one seems to remember it." Thanan coolly informed him.

The caped man sarcastically clapped his hands, "It is amazing where you get your information Thanan, but I'm not complaining!" Link quickly made a mental note of the third man's name.

With a mock visage of surprise, the caped man placed a hand to his lips, "Oh my, I have completely forgotten my manners!" A small laugh, "Here are my legion commanders, Thanan, Talamir and Timner. I believe you've met them before. Yes?"

He indicated to the three men Link was already acquainted with; he gestured to the slender brown haired man, then the slightly muscular black haired man and finally the blond haired man who shared a similar build with the previous. Link narrowed his eyes in hatred as he memorized their faces and names.

The man continued, "You may not know who I am, but let me state it for you boy: I am General Naar. Surely you remember what you did to me in the Lost Woods, no?"

Link simply shook his head; the events of that day were a complete blur to him, he didn't remember much of that awful day. A sudden flurry of movement and Link screamed in pain as he swung by his wrists from the tent pole; Naar had punched Link hard in the gut at what the general took for arrogance.

Naar scoffed as he walked up to examine Link's small pale body in the candle light; his boots crunching on the gravel beneath his feet with every slow calculating step. Link tried to contain his raging emotions swirling within him as the swinging finally ceased. He tried his best to ignore the raging chorus of screams still thundering outside the tent. Naar inspected Link from all angles before stopping once more in front of him. He let out a startling laugh which caused Link to jerk involuntarily.

"Look at this boy men, he hasn't even grown his own hair! He's not even a real man!" The four of them cackled with insane laughter as Link remained silent in fury. A rash action on his part might land him in more trouble than he already was. He'd let them have their fun. Let them make fun of him; he would get out of this somehow. He didn't quite have a plan just yet, but he already suspected it would be a very slim chance of escape, if at all.

With a rush Naar grasped the shoulder that Thanan has sliced and began to squeeze it until Link gasped in agony, "Well, let me remind you of what you did to me. Do you remember shooting me in the shoulder with an arrow?" Link's eyes shot open and looked at Naar in the eyes, "Yes…you remember now don't you? And you took my pretty little prize away as well."

Link screamed more as Naar began to open up the wound and dig a finger in, worming his way deeper, "You escaped with her, insulting two of my commanders in the process and blew up another! You are proving to be a very troublesome pest!"

"But all is not lost." He continued. Naar released Link's shoulder as he gasped for air, mind reeling with the shock of his reopened injury. Naar took out a gleaming jewel that glittered in the light of the candles; Link visibly sagged at seeing it. "This is quite the pretty little gem and I have a good idea of its importance in the grand scheme of things. I must thank you from the bottom of my heart for delivering it safe and sound for me."

He chuckled at that as he slid it back into a belt pouch and drew out a piece of parchment, "I must also thank you for this letter," Link stared dumbfounded at what Naar held, "with this map, I do believe we know the location of the Gorons and ultimately this…Goron Ruby. And of this…" Naar glanced at the letter momentarily, "Darunia character. I will personally see to it that my men bring him here before you and have his head cut off before your eyes!"

"No!" Link shouted.

Naar quickly grabbed Link's cheeks between his fingers and brought his face closer to his as he spoke in a deadly hush, "I will make sure everyone you hold dear is dead and I will make you watch all of it. When that is done and I feel you've had enough pain and torture, you have my permission to die."

With a shake, Naar pushed Link away from him enjoying the look of misery on the boy's face as Link tried hard not to scream at the leather thong digging into his wrists with each swing. Without resting, Naar proceeded over to one of the cages on the far side of the tent, unlocked it and brought back a single fairy. He held it loosely but firmly in his hands; the fairy seemed to be listless with no willpower to even move.

"I found out something interesting about your friends the other day." Naar began teaching; Link had an idea that he didn't want to find out what Naar was about to show him. "Did you know that they are connected through some magical bond? One protects the other." At a look from Link he clarified, "Oh no, no, no! Not like that. Neither can protect the other physically; it's more of like a life force thing."

Naar was waving his empty hand around as if to conjure up the words he was trying to say, "You see, these Kokiri are kept alive by the mere fact of these fairies. We have to bring them in this tent every night just to keep them alive. Their mere presence alongside each other revitalizes both." A terrible, dawning realization began to seep over Link as Naar began to finish his instruction.

"Having said that…" Naar began to slowly crush the fairy in his hand; with one final squeak and a splatter of blood the fairy was gone. "You kill one and the other dies." He opened his hand and let the mangled mess drop to the ground as he shook his hand of the excess blood; grabbing a towel he wiped it clean as he came closer to Link.

"You try anything funny or try to resist in any way, I will kill another fairy. It is up to you how long you wish your friends to last." Naar threatened.

He stood up to his full height and breathed a heavy whiff of the smoke within the tent, "Well, this was a great chat. We should do this again tomorrow." He turned to Thanan, "Gather up four of the sickest minds in our camp and bring them here; our guest needs entertainment. Tell them to do anything they wish to this boy, except kill him. Make sure they have no qualms about doing things to little children."

Thanan began to whine, "I want to do it my lord. Let me split him apart!"

Naar grabbed a fistful of Thanan's shirt and brought him within inches of his face, "You will do no such thing. You are needed elsewhere. Your time will come." Naar shoved Thanan back and raised his voice so Link could hear the last part, "You should thank me for being so forgiving with your punishment! You could have had Thanan accompany you tonight, now that would have been scary!"

Naar laughed the entire way out of the tent as Thanan scowled at Link; with a huff he slammed his shoulder into Timner on his way to gather the four men. The two brothers smirked at each other and left the tent also. Link shivered in the cold night air, thoughts rampaging around in his head; he was dreading what was to come.

His wrists were sore, he tried to look up at them but the throbbing in his head grew worse and he had to quickly look back down. The blood trickling down his arms were enough to tell him his situation was bad. The throbbing had begun to recede slightly when the tent flap opened and four ugly brutes entered and stood staring at him. Two of them walked around the edges of the tent and got on each side of Link.

"Well, here's a fresh one straight out of the womb!" Laughter ensued.

"He might provide a better fight than those girls last night!" More laughter.

"Yeah, after breaking some bones, they were no fun at all!"

"I love it when they squirm!" Mocking laughter.

The center male with a huge scar across his nose walked up to Link; he quivered in disgust as the man felt his legs and thighs before saying the obvious, "So smooth!"

He reached up above Link and undid the ropes around his wrists; Link immediately began to struggle and break free of his violating grip, but they were too strong. The brute slammed him down on the nearby table knocking the wind out of him. Link was laid flat on his stomach as two of the other brutes grabbed his shoulders to firmly hold him there.

They roughly moved him down the table without regard for Link's comfort; they slid him down until his upper body was on the table and his legs were dangling. The man who had untied him got into position behind Link.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, "Look at that beauty! Believe me guys; it'll never be this pure after we're done. So let's enjoy this now!"

They all laughed. Link was furious at what was happening but he couldn't do anything about it; they were too strong. He felt tears beginning to form around his eyes.

"Awww…look at that." The man holding his shoulders let loose a guttural laugh, "The poor little guy is crying! Well no worries. You'll have more tears to cry when we're through with you!"

The dam broke as he let them fall down his face unbidden; Link whimpered as he heard the man behind him unbuckling his belt and the slump of his pants fall to the ground. Two rough, grimy hands slapped Link making him wince at the sudden surprise of it. The man was getting ready; Link couldn't bear it anymore.

The brute gestured to the two men holding Link's shoulders, "Okay you get one leg and you get the other-"

The man didn't even finish his sentence before he was choking on his blood. A squishy ripping sound was perceived as his intestines were violently ripped from his bowels. He slumped to the ground still alive gurgling on steaming bile. The man holding Link's shoulders had his head cleanly sliced off as blood spurted over the other two men and drenching Link with a coat of warm, red paint.

Link moved his head to the side to see a shadow flitter from a corner and dash upon the man to his left, slicing him completely in half. He was still partially alive as his upper body fell to the floor; his lower body struggling to maintain itself on its feet. He screamed for help before his eyes were plucked out and something big smashed his face in.

The fourth and final brute wasted no time and ran in panic towards the tent flap; however, the shadow would not let him. A whistling sound raked the air as a big spike protruded from the man's back as he collapsed to the ground. The shadow leapt onto him and with a clawed hand gouged its fingers deep into his back; it ripped his heart out before casting it away like trash.

Afraid to even move, Link stayed exactly where he was; he didn't know if the shadow wanted to kill him too. Footsteps were coming closer as he trembled to his very bones. Suddenly he was roughly lifted off the table and was flipped in the air so that the shadow was carrying him like a baby. Link looked up into the face of his rescuer and realized with a sudden, gratifying relief that it was Impa. Link immediately let out a racking sob as he violently hugged her neck with a passion.

Impa allowed him to cry it out on her shoulder for a few moments; the poor boy, she could only imagine what he had endured. "No time for explanations Link. We must leave now."

Link jerked his head up with tears still streaming from his eyes, trickling down his face in rivulets, "But what about Malon?!"

"She's safe as well," Impa assured him, "I got to her before they did. I just barely got to you. Now no more talk, we must leave quickly!"

Ignoring the repugnant smell of blood and entrails, Impa wrapped a cloth nearby around Link to cover him up; she fashioned it into a quick shoulder strap in which Link could be tied to her back where she could carry him without being hindered. She was about to leave the tent when a bolt of thought struck Link as he cried out for her to stop.

"Sora! Is she in here?!" Link gasped.

Impa looked around the cages lining the rim of the tent and began to despair. "Which one would she be? Is she even here?"

"I don't know." Link said weakly, exhaustion slowly overtaking his senses. "Look for the one that has more life in it than the others." He remembered the lesson Naar had taught him.

A low moan emanated from the man with the smashed face; a few other similar cries directed Impa's attention to the men she had temporarily killed. She flew by the cages rapidly looking in each one for a fairy that seemed different than the rest. She was about to give up hope until she heard a small voice in the corner; she directed her steps towards the cage in the shadows of the tent. Yes, she thought, this fairy does have a brighter glow than the others.

"Are you Sora?" Impa questioned the little fairy.

The fairy simply nodded its head. Impa quickly unhooked the cage from the tent post and attached the metal loop onto a buckle along her belt. She kicked the face of one of the men trying in vain to put the heart back into his chest; he cursed her and spat on the ground as she traipsed past his useless body. With a loving look at Link sleeping soundly against her back, she opened the tent flap and slipped out into the night.


	18. Chapter 17 - Revelations of Birth

**Chapter 17 - Revelations of Birth**

His eyes tried to focus long and hard at the shapes that had no form. The color was there but the images weren't making any sense. Voices were talking, but the clarity was muted; it all sounded like incessant warbling. His eyes flickered as he blinked. Slowly the images came into focus with startling detail in the early morning sun. Impa and Malon were kneeling over him looking intently at his face. Link placed one hand on the ground and with assistance from Impa achingly rose up into a seated position. He rubbed his eyes; not wanting to get up onto his feet just yet, he remained sitting where he was in the grass.

Malon was in dismal shape like him; her clothes were partially shredded but were not as bad as his when he last saw them crumpled in the corner of that tent. Her nose was slightly twisted by the force of the blow Talamir had given her; it would eventually have to be reset. Blood had stained her lips and chin from the injury. She wore a sad smile on her face. What did she have to go through before Impa saved her? He wondered. Link didn't want to dwell on that thought but meant to ask her later.

Impa looked as calm and collected as ever, albeit if a bit macabre with blood and viscera slathered all over her skin and armor; she was gazing at him with her intense dark eyes. He looked down on himself and realized she had stolen some new clothes for him; A small chest of boiler plate armor with two shoulder pauldrons. An inner tunic of brown with a strap for both sword and shield; ankle length pants with leg plates adjoined on the outer thighs. It was crude, but it would do.

"Don't ask Link," Impa explained, "I stole them from a soldier I killed before he was able to revive. As a matter of fact, he was the same age as you, which is even sadder."

Link surveyed his clothes again, wondering how much treachery that young boy wearing this outfit had accomplished. Were these clothes already stained with the blood of innocents? Malon shifted her weight and sat close beside him; she reached out a hand and grasped one of his into her own.

Link's brow furrowed a moment figuring out what had happened, "How did you know where to find Malon and me?"

Impa shifted positions and sat cross-legged in front of the two children, "Let's just say a little fairy told me."

Link went rigid, "Fairy? Where's Sora?"

Impa merely pointed behind Link as a flutter of wings nicked his ear and a small weight landed on his shoulder. Sora placed a delicate hand on his face and gave him a big smile. She was a minuscule thing with four separate gossamer wings; two large upper wings and two small lower wings. All fairies were naked naturally but to erect some form of modesty when not around other Kokiri, Sora had fashioned a thin dress of forest leaves that wrapped around her body covering what most people considered inappropriate.

"Morning Link!" Sora giggled.

"Were you the one who told Impa? Wait, weren't you in the cage?" Link was baffled.

Sora looked quickly at Impa who merely shook her head briefly, "No, wasn't me. You saved me? Remember?" The fairy chided him on his lack of memory.

Malon laughed, "She's a spunky little thing isn't she?"

Sora spun around to confront Malon, "No more than you!" The fairy stuck out her arm making a rather rude gesture.

Malon looked slightly shocked, "Are they all like this Link?"

Link grunted with mirth, "Navi certainly was. She did have a sense of humor that I loved. Maybe that's where I get it from."

A knowing look between Impa and Sora was detected by Malon; heedless of Link's ruminations, Impa was forced to interrupt for they hadn't the time to delay here any longer than they already had. She cleared her throat as the children were directed to listen; Sora simply sat down on Link's shoulder and nuzzled up next to his neck just under his earlobe. Within moments she was softly snoring.

Impa watching the rising sun on the horizon a few moments as she considered something; with a breath she queried, "Link, there is much you should know about Nevachrea, as should you Malon." She returned her gaze to the two children, "How much do you know already of Nevachrea?"

Link scrunched his nose in concentration trying to remember what Talon had told him, "I think Nevachrea was a rising nation or country." Impa nodded her head for him to continue, "I think we were helping them a lot with fabrics, materials and other things. The Hylian king cut ties and left them to fend for themselves and they've hated us ever since." Link breathed a sigh of relief after finishing; he hadn't expected to be quizzed on history he barely knew this early in the morning.

"Is that all?" Impa impassively questioned.

"That's all." Link confirmed with a nod.

Impa leaned back and crossed her arms as she sighed deeply, "Well, that crucial line of trade was the downfall of Hyrule before it ever was annulled. The Hylian king of that time should never have gotten into an agreement with Nevachrea to begin with."

"Were they really that bad from the start?" Malon asked, curious as to how those men got to be such pigs.

Impa's lip curved into a smile at her innocent question but kept her resolve, "No, they were not. In fact they were just as peaceable as can be expected. At the time, Hyrule was very prosperous and held much of the natural resources among the world powers. The only downside to our country was the lack of manpower to stabilize it; we were growing faster than we had the population to compensate for. We needed slaves to fill the gap."

Malon gasped at this horrible truth as Link looked down in shame at his own country. Impa pressed onward with her story, "Nevachrea provided those slaves for us. In return, we supplied them with an immense wealth of gold, fabrics, materials and other tradable goods. We helped build their nation up into a major world power; off the backs of their own people."

"You mean we helped build our greatest foe." Link interjected.

Impa dipped her head in grave determination, "The many goods we sent to the country were used as payment for the slaves we needed to build Hyrule Castle and other provinces. However, that is not the worst part of the story."

"What happened to the slaves Impa?" Malon insisted.

"That is what I'm coming to," Impa softly uttered as she looked down at the ground for a time; after some consideration she looked up at Malon, "After the king of Hyrule saw how powerful a nation Nevachrea had become, soaking off the wealth of our own, he severed all ties and banned all trades to the country. He had men steal more than a thousand slaves from Nevachrea even after the deal was broken off." Malon gasped at this. "This angered the Nevachrean monarchy and they felt sorely cheated on a crucial agreement. Shortly thereafter their economy collapsed; they have born an innate hatred towards us ever since."

"The slaves were a sub-sect of Nevachrean descent and had been around long before the nation was even founded; some say they traveled south from Hyrule after having spent centuries living here. The slaves were trained as common grunts in the Hylian army, but many Hylians grew restless as it became apparent that the slaves were far better at the craft of war than the king dared admit. To prevent a potential rebellion, he let the slaves buy their freedom and granted them full citizenship. He also leased a plot of land east of Hyrule castle which is now known as Kakariko."

Link and Malon's jaws dropped as they both realized who the slaves were. As if in unison they shouted, "The Sheikah were the slaves?!"

A small blossom of crystalline formed at the base of Impa's eyes; she merely nodded as she brushed it away, "Yes. We were targeted because of our special innate abilities to do things that a normal Hylian or Nevachrean could not do. We could do dangerous or menial tasks with utmost ease with our powers, which made us the perfect slaves. We are used to serving in positions as followers rather than leaders; so the adjustment to protect the Royal Family came natural. But our objective goes far deeper than that."

Wary that she had said too much, she waved a hand to dismiss the previous comment and continued, "A century after Kakariko was built, Nevachrea invaded Hyrule shortly after the annulment of the deal. A raging, bloody war ensued on Hylian ground as the two powers fought for dominance. Hyrule's bloody history has always been filled with greed and hatred. This was but one of many atrocities that occurred. How old are you again Link?"

The question came so suddenly out of the blue that he stuttered a bit before realizing what the answer was, "I'm eleven cycles but should be turning twelve in a few orbits."

"That puts him right at that time." Impa confirmed to herself. Link just looked confused; Malon glanced between the two of them unsure of what to say. "I always had a suspicion but I never could prove it until I looked at that mark on your butt last night."

Link blushed furiously as Malon's eyes dilated, "She what?" She spluttered trying to compose herself from a coughing fit resulting from trying to swallow and breathe at the same time.

Impa hadn't meant for it to come out so bluntly but she needed to get her point across, "Malon, I rescued you before they were able to harm you. I just barely got to Link. He was spread out on a table without clothes. I happened to glance at his birthmark which confirmed my theory."

"Can I see it?!" Malon asked excitedly as she tried to peel back Link's pants to look at his birthmark.

"NO! Hey, stop that!" Link roughly yanked his tunic down and edged away quickly.

"Quiet!" Impa commanded; both children immediately stopped. She really needed to keep a closer eye on these two or they'd be trouble in more ways than one! "As I was saying," Impa took a breath of impatience, "that puts you right at that time." She indicated Link who was completely lost as to where she was going with this.

"There was a Sheikah mother who gave birth to a child during that war, but did not want it to live or be brought up in a world of death and hatred. In desperation, that mother journeyed through the hell of war to bring that child to the forest; where the great Deku Tree would take care of her newborn." The more Impa spoke, the more Link lost himself in amazement. "Upon seeing this cooing baby, the Deku Tree knew that this was a child of destiny and agreed to keep the child under its canopy; he let it live amongst his other children, the Kokiri, as if it was one of them."

Link's mind was swirling with thoughts, emotions and conclusions; he still couldn't believe what he was hearing. The tumult of images and truths flashed before his eyes as one dawning realization came over him. He looked up at Impa with a hopeful expression.

"Are…you my mother?" Link whispered with anticipation.

Impa merely laughed at his query, "No Link. But I knew your mother."

She indicated off behind them at the horses that were idly snipping the grass; Link glanced over and saw Epona standing tall enjoying her mid-morning snack. He gasped as she looked up at him and whinnied in response; she was pleased to see him but was more content to finishing her meal. Dejected he turned away, but noticed another Sheikah leaning against the shadow of a tree, watching the group.

"We Sheikah never travel alone and go in pairs. I was with your mother that fateful night she placed you before the Deku Tree." Impa warmly smiled as she finally revealed the truth to Link, "You are not just a Hylian, born from a Hylian man. You are also a descendent of Nevachrea and the Sheikah. Normal Hylians cannot wield magick like you have done so; I believe in your stories of the future and it impresses me more now that I know who you really are. No Hylian or Nevachrean can move and fight like you can."

"But…" Link refuted, "I wasn't actually winning against Thanan back at Death Mountain."

"You are untrained in the ways of Sheikah. You will learn in time how to fight better than most men. I have a hunch, but you might actually have the power to bring forth weapons into your very hand; I don't have any proof of my conjecture though." Impa mused.

"Is that a natural thing for people of Nevachrea to have? What about coming back from the dead, is that normal for them?" Link asked.

Impa shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure."

"Conj….ekture?" Malon asked, still confused at the terminology.

"It means guessing silly. I learned that at the castle!" Link explained in a matter-of-fact voice. Malon shot him a dirty look; Link deftly avoided a savage poke to the ribs.

A brief clearing of the throat brought the children to heel at Impa's authority, "For reasons unknown to me, you were born with the blood from all three races. Whether you were destined to be like this or not is unclear."

Link held up a hand to interpose, "I was told my mother had died. Is she still alive? Why is the mark on my body so important?"

Impa's face softened with a look of sadness, "I'm sorry Link. I was there the moment your mother died of her wounds. As for your birthmark," she gestured to Link (Malon tried to lean over and get a glimpse), "every Sheikah is born with one somewhere on their body."

With this she lifted up her top marginally so they could see the mark of an eye next to her navel. A brimming smile of joy erupted on Link's face as he bounded off the grass and leaped into Impa's arms hugging her; letting out a yelp of surprise, Impa grappled the young boy as they fell to the ground laughing together. They both laid there hugging each other as Malon sat nearby feeling awkward at being the third wheel to the entire conversation. She started fiddling with a strand of grass as she watched the happy moment; she had never met her mother. Her father said she had died giving birth to her. At least that was something in common Link and her shared.

Impa tenderly patted Link on the head and rubbed his ruffled blood-caked hair down, "That's enough now child." She slowly sat up and set him down beside her. "I'm sorry for the long-winded discussion but once I confirmed who you truly were, I felt it pertinent that you know your heritage. You'll need every bit of knowledge to combat this foe." She waved a hand off in the direction of the army to the east.

A bird chirp twirled through the air as Impa glanced over at her Sheikah companion resting by the horses; Impa stood up with the intent to leave.

"We've spent enough time talking. We need to meet up with the others." Impa directed.

"You mean my father?!" Malon burst in with enthusiasm.

Impa gave a swift nod, "Yes, and Zelda too. More importantly we need to get Sora back to Saria."

At this, Sora woke up with a snort as she looked around dazed; Link was already on his feet as her comfortable sleeping perch moved precariously. With a sulking puff, the fairy flew off and flitted by the horses waiting for the others to catch up. Impa offered Link and Malon the larger of the two horses while she grabbed the reins of Epona; intent on walking alongside her since her wounds were still too fresh to be carrying a rider.

"Link, hold on tight to Malon since she isn't the one securely in the saddle!" Impa cautioned.

Link awkwardly wrapped his arms around Malon and rested his hands on the pommel of the saddle, the reins gripped in his hands. The smell of her hair was filling his nostrils and he had the intense urge to sneeze as it brushed past his nose. With a contented sigh, she leaned back against his chest and rested her head on him. He had never ridden a horse before with another passenger in front; this was going to be weird.

"We ride north Link!" Impa gave a shout. With a slap to the rump of their horse, they were off; hopefully away from the army of hell.

* * *

><p>General Naar was furious; he surveyed the tent as the four men were in various stages of re-composition. Several body parts still hadn't found their way to their rightful masters and smears of blood were splattered across the tent fabric. He surveyed the scene with grim wrath at the complete failure of these four imbecilic soldiers. He stepped up to the pitiful heap of flesh with its intestines pulled straight from its bowels; he noted the man was still trying to stuff them back in. They were idiots when it came to repairing themselves; they were completely unused to injury and it clearly showed.<p>

He pressed a boot to the man's head and kicked him down to the dirt before spitting on his body, "Thanan! Slice these men up and burn their bodies. Leave no trace of their existence. We do not tolerate failure in this war!" The twins looked at each other nervously with this comment; Naar pointed a finger in their direction. "You two! Form a search party and track this Link down! Do not disappoint me again!"

Naar spun on his heel and slammed a fist into Talamir knocking him clear across the tent; he curled on the ground clutching the spot where he had been hit. Enraged and frustrated, Naar opened the flap and violently swung it down behind him as he stormed off.

"Why is it always me?" Talamir gasped in-between breaths.

Timner knelt down to help his brother back onto his feet, "I think he hates us brother."

They both snickered at that.


	19. Chapter 18 - A Place of Refuge

**Chapter 18 - A Place of Refuge**

They galloped across the fields in the midday sun; the black column of soldiers off to the east could barely be seen from this distance. Making sure they were masked by trees and hills, Link directed the horse ever northwards. Impa was far behind but promised to meet up with them later; she indicated that Zelda knew where their ultimate destination was and would meet them there with Epona. Satisfied with this answer, Link had left Impa alone and rode with Malon to meet up with his friends.

Sora had crawled underneath Link's tunic and was resting on his shoulder using the fabric as a blanket; she had made herself comfortable and was simply enjoying the ride. Malon had completely fallen asleep in his arms within minutes of the journey. Clearly he was the only one awake on the horse yet wanting nothing but sleep; Link forced himself to remain conscious as the life of Malon could depend on it. He did not want to falter with the stallion and have either him or her falling off.

Link noticed Talon first with his hefty paunch; he was sitting against a tree taking a nap. Zelda was nearby tending to the horses while Saria was sleeping on the ground beside Talon. They had made sure she was in the shade of the tree to keep the sun off her; Link smiled at their concern. Zelda turned in surprise as his horse reared up beside her. Link quickly nudged Malon awake who dreamily accepted Zelda's assistance in hopping down off the brown stallion. Link observed two other horses; so we now have three at our disposal he noted.

In a flurry of wings, Sora shot off like a rocket towards Saria and landed gingerly on her chest. Malon rushed into her father's arms, startling him awake with the sudden weight of her body slamming into him with a bear hug. He could do nothing but laugh in joy at the return of his daughter. Zelda moved to give Link an embrace but only managed to touch his arm as he swept past her, his eyes only for Saria.

Zelda followed him morosely as Link knelt down beside his friend, intently watching the actions of Sora; he glanced over as Zelda sat down beside him before resuming watch over his friend. The little fairy had placed her entire body on Saria's breast, placing both hands on her sternum where a soft, pulsating glow was forming. Link could visibly see beads of sweat forming on the little sprite's forehead as she moaned in exertion at what she was undertaking. A final flash of light erupted from beneath those small hands when the fairy collapsed onto Saria's chest.

Link quickly picked up the fairy and cradled it in his hand; Sora looked up into his eyes with something akin to relief, "She's going to be all right Link. I gave her most of my spirit."

Zelda cocked her head at this statement, "Spirit? What do you mean?"

"Silly Hylian, your spirit! What powers you." Sora explained weakly, fading quickly into slumber. She had completely exhausted herself.

Link kept his gaze on the sprite as he explained to Zelda, "She means your life force; the very essence of your being. It is something I never shared with Navi, because I couldn't. I wasn't a Kokiri." A sad tone of bitterness entered his voice at these last words.

Talon and Malon slowly made their way over to Saria and the group; having finished their jubilant reunion. Talon was about to speak but realized he would be interrupting what Link was explaining and decided to hold back; he placed a hand in front of Malon, this was a private moment between Link and Zelda. They should remain out of this.

"Throughout our travels, I always felt that Navi kept things from me. I was never truly connected to her although I wanted to be. A Kokiri bonds with their fairy and they share a life force that is unique only to them." Malon had a hard time following with some of the educated words Link was using, "They share thoughts, feelings, emotions and hearts with each other. It is a special type of bond I desperately wanted for myself. Navi and I never merged that way; she was always the fairy and I was just the Hylian."

Zelda edged closer and draped an arm across his shoulders as a muffled sob came from Link, "I went to go looking for her after I came back from the future; I never did see her again. Why did she leave me Zelda?" He turned to her with a tear streaming down his cheek, "I don't understand. Why?"

All Zelda could do was give him an awkward smile before shaking her head; she had no answers for him. This concept of a bond between fairy and Kokiri was foreign to her, but she could easily see why Link had yearned for it so badly. It was like sharing a piece of your soul with another and having it be fully accepted, cherished and loved. She also wanted that experience too; so she understood him in that sense.

"She had always loved you Link." Link shook at the voice he thought he would never hear again; Saria was still laying on her back but she was facing him with a warming smile spreading across her face.

Quickly handing Sora to Zelda, Link hopped over and draped himself over Saria in an embrace of utmost relief. "Ahhh…please go easy!" Saria yelped.

Link rebounded away in alarm, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you Saria!"

"It's okay Link," she giggled faintly, "I'm just a bit tired." She looked at the others a bit before adding, "Do you have any food?"

Talon leapt at this chance to offer assistance, "One momen' my young lass!" He puffed over to the horses and started digging into the saddlebags. As they waited, Malon sat down in the grass next to Saria and placed a hand on her shoulder; Saria warmed to her touch and reached up to hold the gesture of comfort.

"I'm glad you are back Saria." Malon was a bit shy; she had never formally met a Kokiri before. She didn't know exactly what to say to one. Saria looked like a young child like the rest of them but she had flawless skin. She wore a knee length tunic that was strangely missing a belt for it seemed to fit her more like a nightie than actual daily wear. Her hair was fashioned into a bob that ended at the nape of her neck; it gleamed in brilliant green hues as the rays reflected off her hair through the branches of the tree above.

Talon came back with some cured meats and an apple; he frowned when Saria waved off the meat but readily accepted the apple. He turned to Link but all he offered was a shake of the head. Shrugging, he presently started chewing the jerky himself as he looked on his charges; doubled now that Malon and Link had joined the group. He felt obligated to protect the lot of them.

Link turned to Zelda, "Impa said she was meeting us somewhere. She said you would know where that was."

"Don't be alarmed Link," he wasn't really on edge until Zelda said that, "but we are going to the Gerudo and seek refuge with them."

Saria and Malon were clueless but Link was left staring open mouthed at Zelda as Talon let loose a growl. Why would they even go there? He hadn't made friends with them yet in this time period, didn't she know that? How did she expect to get all of them safely into their fortress, especially with two males in the group?

"Are you insane!?" Link stood up, upsetting Zelda with his venomous tone. "You do know what they do to men and boys?"

Talon rumbled his ascent, "I said it was a bad idea! Impa would hear none of it!" He stood resolute with arms crossed across his chest; jerky all but forgotten in his fist. "I say we move south, travel pas' Lake Hylia and seek refug' where we can!" His mustache was bristling with agitation.

Zelda rose up, walked over to Talon and confronted him directly, "Impa is expecting to meet us at the valley pass leading to their fortress in the north. We have very few alternatives. The army is to the east of us, dragging itself all the way from Nevachrea. That entire path is blocked to us. Anything past Lon Lon Ranch has fallen. What else can we do?"

Talon leaned over into her face, "Ya do not speak to me in that tone of voice young lady. I am still yer elder."

Zelda stood on her tiptoes to gain a bit more height to match and face his gruffness head on. She spoke with regal authority, "And I am still your princess!"

Link was shocked at Talon's defiance to Zelda and moved to intervene but was brought back down to Saria's side by her distress. This fighting was causing her to become tense; she just wanted it to stop. The presence of the anger was flowing into her mind, clouding her thoughts. Saria was not used to yelling; she had never heard the like.

Talon huffed derisively as he landed the final nail in the coffin of Zelda's argument, "Yes indeed; princess of a fallen kingd'm. Where does that leave ya now?"

A slap to the face stunned Talon out of his fury as both him and Zelda turned in shock at Malon standing there fuming at her father. She looked absolutely livid and was breathing heavy; both at the hard slap she delivered and the astonishment that she was the one who had done it.

"Just stop it! You have no right to talk to Zelda that way! She is trying to do what's best for her kingdom, for those still fighting for it! What happened to you daddy?!" Malon was practically screaming at the top of her lungs; Link was slightly worried how far her voice could travel.

Talon's ire melted away into shame at how he was acting; he had let the past get away with him. He looked to Zelda, mumbled a quick apology and lumbered over to the horses to be by himself with his thoughts. Zelda stood shaking in her boots at the first confrontation she had ever experienced in her life. Never had she been yelled at, nor fought back; it was frightening and strangely exhilarating.

Malon rushed into her arms as Zelda awkwardly wrapped her hands around the ranch girl. Zelda looked over to Link who just stood by unsure of what to do. She let Malon cry it out on her shoulder; it was probably the first time she had ever seen her father get angry over anything. It was quite clear she didn't care much for it.

"So," Link asked after a few minutes, "what makes you think they'll let us in? They are very strict on security."

With a quick flick of the eyes over to Talon, Zelda answered, "Impa says that we have connections within our group that will allow us into their domain."

Link caught the look but didn't quite make the association with what Zelda was implying. He started forward to assist Zelda when an arrow whistled inches from his nose; he jerked his head back as a dull thunk was heard in the nearby tree. Looking up on the eastern rise he saw four riders with the lead nocking another arrow to his bow. Link swore an oath as he began directing the group.

"Talon! Grab Saria and place her on a horse and make for the Gerudo pass. Zelda, grab Malon and take another horse, follow Talon!" Link ordered with such command that they dared not question his orders.

With a flurry of moment, bodies were being picked up, carried, slung over horses and straddled in. Sora flew from Zelda and tucked herself into Saria's hair. Two more arrows flew within feet of the group, one digging into the dirt a few paces from Talon.

"Go! Go!" Link yelled as the four diverged off and galloped northwards toward the valley pass. Link hopped onto his horse and spurred it southwards to Lake Hylia.

The lead rider on the hill made a hand signal as two of the four broke off and trailed after Talon and the group; the other two proceeded down the hill towards Link. Cursing, Link had needed all to follow him; with a rage-filled cry he galvanized his horse into a break-neck run down the hill. Off at the base of the decline, he saw a patch of flowers growing out of a small organic bush. With a mischievous grin, an idea came to mind.

Ducking low to avoid an arrow whisking above his head; he goaded the horse to charge directly at the shrub. With a crackling sound of upheaved dirt and grass, the bush surged upwards from the ground revealing itself to be a massive plant with a wreath of sharp leaf blades spinning in deadly spirals.

It was a parasitic plant commonly known as a peahat; it would normally lie in the ground waiting for potential prey to mistake it for another shrub. It would rise from the ground and chase its victims down before slicing it up with its sharpened blades. Once dead, it would descend onto its meal and devour it slowly over the course of weeks as it resettled into the ground. Every fall they would sprout buds that would grow into peahats of their own which would travel the air currents to find new locations to grow its insidious brood.

Link observed that several buds at the base just above the blades were beginning to resemble baby peahats; good, he thought, this is the perfect time of year for this. The horse was clearly in a state of panic at the sight of the enormous plant spinning in a deadly arc towards them; Link forced the horse to run just past the blades as they whisked over him slicing a few strands of hair off his head. Blowing a sigh of relief at the close call, he reared the horse around to see if his plan had worked.

The two riders were slowing their horses down as they assessed the situation and the best approach to reaching the young boy. Their attention was diverted as three of the buds sprung off the peahat and flung themselves high into the air; miniature blade wheels sprouted from their undersides as they dived down at the two men. They split up as each horse galloped around the primary peahat; deftly avoiding the babies as they swooped in from above.

Link's eyes bulged as he noticed they were leading the little peahats directly at him; he kicked the horse into a charge at the nearest man. He really wished he had a weapon right now, sighing he decided to make do with the peahats swirling through the air. Movement out of the corner of his eye warned him of the imminent danger; Link slammed backwards into the rump of his sprinting horse as a peahat sliced through the air a foot above his stomach.

Slightly dazed at ramming his head injury on the horse, he wobbly sat back up into the saddle just in time to see one of the riders raise a sword to strike him from stallion. With a yank of the reins he swerved directly into the primary peahat as it surged forward to slice both horse and rider. The sword swung harmlessly past him as Link forced the horse in a circle around the irritated plant mother.

All he needed was a weapon! It was then a scream was heard as all eyes went to the younger of the two enemy riders; one of the peahat children had sliced off the man's arm. It lay twitching on the ground as it tried in vain to keep hold of its weapon. Taking this opportunity, he urged his steed onward towards the man's arm. The other rider quickly saw Link's trajectory and hastened to intercept him; he had to swerve to avoid another peahat as it cut through the air near his ear. Already sensing one of its prey injured, the large peahat eagerly rushed forward to envelop both horse and man.

Link knew it was going to be tight timing but he had little choice; the man would reach the amputated arm shortly after he did. Link swung a leg over so both feet were on one side of the horse. With one foot in a stirrup and a firm hand on the pommel, Link leaned down with arm outstretched to grab the sword from the jerking hand as the horse rushed past.

With a flick of the wrist, his fingers closed on the hilt as he swung his body up over the saddle facing backwards. Knowing the impending danger, Link ducked low over the body of his horse as he felt a rush of air sweep over him. Looking aft of the horse he saw the other rider wheeling around for another pass. Link quickly flipped in the saddle and urged the horse back around for the inevitable joust.

His concentration was briefly interrupted as a blood-curdling scream was issued from the one-armed rider; his horse had bucked him off and galloped away before vaporizing like black mist. The core peahat descended upon him with its children following suit; its sickly body pulsating with the gorging of its meal.

Link and the remaining rider sat on their horses staring each other down; with a kick to the flanks the man shot forward first. Link simply let his horse stand idly as the attacker charged ever closer. The man raised his sword in triumphant victory at the idiot boy who refused to escape his death. A look of confusion passed over the man's face as Link quickly leaped off his steed; kneeling on one knee, Link held the sword out slicing through all four legs of the careening horse as it dashed past.

With a stumble, the horse pitched forward ejecting its rider onto the ground. Link ran forward and stabbed the man quickly in the back. He needed time to make good his escape; with considerable effort he violently dragged his sword down the length of the man's backside until it came clear out slick with blood. Steaming entrails began slipping out of the body-length gash he had inflicted on the rider; Link nodded, that should delay him long enough to get away.

A stinging in his hand forced Link to drop his sword as it evaporated in a pungent mist that stained the ground black in the place where it fell. So they only last for so long, Link noted. Stepping around the horse shaped stain on the grass, he walked over to his stallion and prepared to lift himself back into the saddle when he noticed two more riders up on the far rise.

"You're kidding me." Link exhaled.

With a start, both riders were charging down the hill towards him. He leaped into the saddle and urged the horse northwards. Hopefully he could catch up with the others in time…


	20. Chapter 19 - Enter the Gerudo

**Chapter 19 - Enter the Gerudo**

Apolloni paced the parapets lost in thought at the curious message traffic they had been glimpsing within their rubies. Every Gerudo elder had felt the summons through their telepathic connection; Ganondorf had tried to contact someone outside their realm of purview. He was in constant connection with this unknown third party and it irritated her. It infuriated Nabooru although she dared not admit it.

It had been an interminable day of patrol for her; they had went as far as the Negev Marshlands, almost a day's journey south past Lake Hylia. They had avoided attracting the wrath of the indigenous creatures that lived there; humanoid reptiles that had taken sentience and were extremely lethal. They entered the fortress exhausted from their trip that morning; Apolloni was looking forward to being personally bathed and sharing the bed with her apprentice that night.

A hail from the nearby tower signaled intruders coming up the pass; she signaled Nabooru through her ruby of the incoming threat as she assembled a group to join her. They leapt down off the wall with spears in hand as they dashed for the bridge that spanned the gorge leading to the fortress. For centuries it had been the one bottleneck that led to their kingdom. They could defend it with ease and toss whoever lost into the raging waters below; if in desperate need they simply cut the bridge and let it fall, they could always rebuild it later.

Apolloni crouched down just behind a stone; giving orders to her women via hand gestures. Two hastened across the bridge and took up positions on the upper ledges of the valley. One leaped up to the high bluff and looked out onto the plains; the sun was just starting to set as it took the Gerudo several seconds to spot the inbound trespassers. She signaled back to Apolloni that there were two horses in one formation with four riders followed by two more horses with a rider each. A chase? Apolloni mused. It didn't matter. They would be dead before they set foot on the bridge.

The slow cadence of crickets were slowly drowned out by the rising patter of hooves striking the rock; their echoes ricocheting through the valley, setting each of the Gerudo on edge. The first horse galloped into view with two young children astride it; Apolloni raised a hand to stay the archers from firing. This was unusual to have two children at their doorstep. She decided it best to see who the other riders were following before making any decisions.

The second horse bolted into view as a rather rotund man was holding a young girl; frantically trying to keep the horse from careening off into the gorge. The three children were an oddity but there would be no men tolerated beyond the bridge. With a gesture two Gerudo pounced on the portly man knocking him to the ground with a thud; a third Gerudo quickly plucked the screaming green-haired girl off the horse as another quickly snatched the reins and brought it under control.

Within a matter of seconds the other Gerudo had dismantled the first horse of its occupants and held the three girls at sword point. Apolloni dismissed the children and stalked over to the man still struggling on his back to be set free from the vice-like grip of the other Gerudo. What a disgusting man, Apolloni thought, what was he doing taking these three children here? She placed a sandaled foot on his chest as she leaned over his face looking for any trace of a lie as she spoke to him.

"Why are you here? What business do you have with the Gerudo? Are these children yours? Answer me quickly." Apolloni threatened in a tone that wasn't meant to be questioned.

He stopped resisting the women as he lay on the ground breathless in terror of both what was chasing them and his past coming back to haunt him. He blurted out in a rush, "We're runnin' way from soldiers who won' die! Taken kids ta safety!" He coughed trying to gasp for air as the weight of Apolloni was slowly pressing into his chest.

A slow chirp from above directed Apolloni's attention down the pass as more hoofs were heard throughout the canyon. She signaled two Gerudo to haul the man off to the fortress for questioning; she readied her crossbow and took aim down the path. A hush descended as the Gerudo stood in utter silence awaiting the pursuers. She checked her look-out up top to see if she was reading her signals right; two riders on black horses. Seemed easy enough.

The first rider was blown off his horse when the force of four crossbow bolts slammed into his chest. The second rider swerved off avoiding several more bolts; they splashed uselessly into the nearby pond. The man guided his horse along the edge of the canyon wall when a spear hurtled through the air and impaled him against the rock face. He hung limply on the shaft as both horses dispersed into the air, unnerving several Gerudo in the process.

Ignoring the strangeness of disappearing stallions, Apolloni stepped over to the three children and looked into their faces. They were trembling with fear; they couldn't be any older than 12 cycles, she figured. They sure were a diverse lot: One looked like someone from the hicks complete with scraggly breeches, another had a torn white dress but Apolloni noted the red hair (very unique), finally she turned to the smallest of the three with what looked like a green tunic.

Just as she had finished examining them, a small flicker of green light caught her attention. She knelt down near the green haired girl, "What is your name young one?" she asked soothingly.

"S…Saria." She said meekly, hands clasped behind her back.

"Show me that light you are hiding." Apolloni had spoken gently to her, but it was clearly an order.

Sora shot out from under Saria's tunic and buzzed in the Gerudo's face; she jerked back as the tiny sprite assailed her in a small voice, "Stay back from her! Don't you dare hurt her!"

Apolloni was entranced; she had never seen a real fairy before. This was getting more curious by the minute. A sharp trill interrupted her thoughts as she was directed to look over to the two men they had slain. Impossible! The man by the pond was slowly getting up after having taken four bolts to the chest! She swung her head in the other direction to see the second man slowly pulling the shaft through his body before hopping down to the ground; effectively unharmed.

One click of her fingers was enough to send the other Gerudo into the fray; they flowed in from all angles as they sliced up the two interlopers. Blood stained their blades as they appraised their handiwork; both men had been decapitated and various limbs severed. Apolloni moved to direct the Gerudo holding the girls captive to bring them in through the primary gate when another chirp was heard; irritated, Apolloni looked at her scout, what now?

She stormed over to the center of the path, yanking a crossbow from one of her guards as she planted both feet firmly in front of the bridge; she aimed down the pass waiting for the three new horse riders to reveal themselves. Weeks of inaction and now struck with nine different trespassers in one day; she snorted derisively, this would not stand.

Nabooru stepped alongside Apolloni who merely grunted at her entrance to the skirmish. Nabooru calmly stood by, two scimitars in hand waiting patiently to puncture their first victims. The first rider roared into view waving its arms frantically as it yelled; she squinted as she tried to make out his facial features. Something about that young boy seemed awfully familiar.

"Not me! Don't shoot me! Shoot the men behind me!" Link screamed as he galloped past the first wave of Gerudo; bewildered at this they turned to the two elders for guidance.

The realization slammed into Nabooru like a thunderclap, her hand shot up like a missile as she yelled, "Hold, this boy is not our enemy. Focus your attacks on his hunters."

Their eyes met briefly as he raced past them and across the bridge; Apolloni gave a cry of outrage as she glared at Nabooru for letting the child through. She ignored her look of disapproval and refocused on the task at hand. The clops of the hooves were getting louder as they all tensed to attack this new menace. Nabooru flicked her eyes as one of the corpses dragged itself across the ground and clutched its head in order to reattach it; several stunned cries erupted from among the Gerudo at this impossible event.

"What devilry is this?!" Nabooru demanded.

An arrow hurtled through the air; a quick mental warning from Apolloni was enough to give Nabooru time to react to it. She crouched low and began dashing for one of the horses in an attempt to knock its rider to the ground. The boy had already dismounted and was futilely talking to the three guards who were refusing him from conversing with any of their captives. As one of the women shoved him to the ground in exasperation; she was directing him to leave when he looked over and noticed Nabooru charging Talamir.

"Nabooru! They can't die!" Link yelled across the gorge.

It was enough of a distraction to interfere with her objective; with her attention misdirected the man backhanded the Gerudo knocking her to the ground. The black haired man nocked an arrow and released it; piercing through one of the Gerudo scouts on the bluffs. She collapsed with the pain and slid off into the gorge screaming the entire way down.

With a startled cry of protest, Link grasped one of the spears that a Gerudo was holding and ran across the bridge back into the fray. The weight of the spear was awkward as he tried to maintain balance running; he had never scrapped with a spear before, he was unsure of how well he could execute blows with one. Timner was almost upon him; trident raised he planned to skewer Link to the bridge planks.

Link had been hoping to have crossed the gorge prior to the conflict but had no other choice; he ducked to both knees as he jammed the butt of his spear into the bridge. Timner reacted too late as he swerved his horse; it slipped on the planks and fell onto the raised spear. The weight snapped the pole in two as the blade ascended deep into its flesh. With a whinnied shriek of agonizing pain, the horse pitched forward and fell flailing off the bridge.

Timner dove off the stallion and landed directly on top of Link pushing the air out of him; the bridge oscillated precariously as several support ropes had been severed with the advent of the horse. A pitched battle was raging across the gorge with a dozen Gerudo fruitlessly fighting three well-trained men of war who seemingly shrugged off all attempts to be slaughtered. More Gerudo were dying than they could afford.

Zelda screamed as Timner came to his senses and realized where he was. He grinned maliciously as he grasped Link's neck and began choking the life out of him. "I have you now boy! You cannot escape this time!"

An arrow whizzed into his back, merely grunting from the sting, he continued his stranglehold on the boy. Link was straining to breathe amidst the man's crushing grip; he tried to kick out with his feet but only managed a weak shake of the foot. His vision was starting to dim as Timner was laughing in triumph. He was finally going to kill this meddlesome boy!

A blow to his head affected a release on his grip; Link hacked in racking spasms as he tried to gulp in precious air. Timner looked up to see the young, red-headed girl looking furious at him. One glare wilted her expression as he punched her across the face. She tumbled off the side of the bridge managing to only grab one rope suspension line; she screamed in terror as her feet dangled thousands of feet over the rushing waters.

The rest of the Gerudo let loose their captives as Zelda ran to Malon to assist her from her predicament. Timner replaced his hands around Link's neck and resumed squeezing the life out of him; He did not notice until the spear was through his heart that he had been hurt.

Saria had hung back as her captors surged forward to strike the man down who was choking Link. If this was the taste of battle and what it was like; she wanted no part of it. Sora huddled next to her neck for comfort as they gazed on the horrific mêlée unfolding before them.

"Cut the lines!" Nabooru yelled as she signaled the rest of her women to fall back. It was clear they were not going to win a battle against men who refused to meet the Goddesses.

She turned to see the young boy she knew being strangled to death; she clutched a spear from one of her scouts and ran across the bridge ramming it into the man's heart. He turned to her with a look of surprise; he had released the boy once more which was a relief to Nabooru. The man stood up with purpose; with a forceful cry of pain he dragged the spear from his chest with a sickening shuck. Nabooru was incredulous at how these men could seemingly receive lethal strokes in stride.

The bridge swayed dangerously as the two girls on the edge screamed; Zelda had almost pulled Malon from the edge. Nabooru and Timner were locked in battle; her scimitars flashing in the sunlight as she blocked, parried, stabbed, and sliced through Timner. He made futile attempts at gouging her with the spear tip but she was too nimble to be caught. Another scream from the girls as she knocked the man against the sides of the suspension ropes, swinging the bridge at an awkward angle.

The rest of the Gerudo were still cutting the lines; Nabooru was prepared to go down with the intruders if need be. The protection of the fortress was of the highest priority. All were willing to die for that purpose.

Talamir caught another Gerudo off guard as he cut through her abdomen watching the blood spill out onto the ground as the woman slumped over in shock. He apparated a bow into his hands as he readied an arrow; the boy was his target. The red-headed woman did not matter.

Recovering, Link rolled over onto his stomach as an arrow thrust itself into the board plank he had been lying on. He quickly glanced up to see Talamir placing another arrow onto the drawstring; with little time left he dashed over to Zelda. With one heave from the two of them they lifted Malon over the edge as all three ran across the bridge towards the remaining Gerudo guards who were unsure themselves what to do.

Apolloni leapt onto the bridge to assist her elder sister in fighting the man; Timner was clearly outmatched in skill and he knew it. With each parried blow he stepped further back towards the edge of the gorge, closer to his brother. One final snap signified that the bridge had been cut. Both elders leapt and grasped the rocky ledge on the other side; Timner fell with the bridge down into the gorge. He was enveloped in the rushing rapids in seconds.

Talamir cursed their luck as he noted his other two men walk up beside him. No matter, he thought, I can still accomplish my goal. He raised his bow and took careful aim at the boy; he let loose the arrow as it honed in on its unfortunate target. A splatter of dust and warmth brushed Talamir's face as he glanced over at one of his men being turned to ashes. With a jolt he spun around to see two old witches on brooms flanking a formidable man arrayed in nothing but sack cloth.

Another blast from the central man vaporized his other companion into nothing but atoms. Without a further thought, Talamir dove into the gorge and took his chances with the craggy rocks below. The man stalked over to the edge and looked down; with a disdainful huff he grabbed the blubbering old man he had brought with him. With a grand heave he threw him clear across the gorge and was caught by several Gerudo on the other side.

Apolloni looked on with delight as Nabooru turned away in disgust; Ganondorf had returned. With a flurry of magic incantations and drawings imprinted into the air, the three of them floated over the gap and landed safely onto the other side. Ganondorf surveyed the scene as his eyes riveted on the four children; he took specific note of the young blond-haired child that looked remarkably like a boy. The child looked familiar but he couldn't place where he had seen the kid.

A cry erupted from Link which startled the group. He was holding a young girl in his arms, crying as a shaft protruded from her stomach; Sora was squealing in panic as she tried her best to staunch the flow of blood from the wound. Saria had stepped in front of Link to protect him…


	21. Chapter 20 - Practical Medicine

**Chapter 20 - Practical Medicine**

The Gerudo fortress was impregnable to all but the craftiest of thieves; and even those few eventually got caught. Guards were stationed at every known corner of the compound to prevent entry to their private domain. It was built and carved into the surrounding rock over the centuries; small square holes chiseled into the brick and mortar acted as primitive windows into the interior. Inside every corridor was a drab, plain, but strangely warm set of hallways which linked and interweaved with each other. Little was placed on the walls for decoration; if anything was deemed fit, it was usually the skulls, skins and other mementos of the kills the Gerudo had made.

It was here that the strangers were finally allowed in after eras without a single foreign agent; the group was ushered through the halls with Ganondorf in the lead. One of the Gerudo women had picked up Saria and was carrying her; Link and the rest of the group were escorted under guard and had no choice but to follow. Malon was unsure of where they had taken her father and was praying for his safety. It was clear that they had not suspected Zelda was a girl for they treated her just the same as Link; slight disdain but not outright hostility for they were still children after all.

Ganondorf turned around to the group as he reached a juncture, he indicated with his arm down the corridor to his left, "Take the injured in here and see to their wounds Nabooru. Let it be known that I am gracious to guests within my home."

He left them with a disconcerting smile as he stormed off down the opposing hall with the witches slinking along in his wake. Nabooru directed the guard to quickly set Saria's tender frame on the adobe slab in the center of the room. Saria had been extremely quiet the entire time; her eyes had begun to glaze with shock from her injury. She simply withdrew into herself; it worried Link greatly to see his friend like this.

"Get back." Nabooru commanded as she placed Zelda, Link and Malon in a corner of the room. There was an inlaid alcove in the wall which could have been a bed; Link hopped up onto it to rest his weary legs, the other two followed suit. They all leaned over, craning their necks to look around the Gerudo healer to see if Saria was going to be all right.

"Set up some heat." The healer directed Nabooru, "We will need something hot to seal the wound once the arrow is removed."

Nabooru strode over to the nearby hearth jutting out of the wall; seemingly built out of muddy clay. The interior seemed to be made of red brick plastered with cement refined from a process they learned from the old scientist at Lake Hylia. They said that man was good for something; for it surely wasn't sex! Why Ganondorf would bring that man into their domain, she could only wonder.

Shaking her head, Nabooru heaved hard on the wind press spiking the flames of the hearth higher. She grabbed a thin piece of metal and set it inside the brick grill and left it there to get heated. With her task accomplished she walked back over to the medic who was examining the puncture wound of the arrow.

"Good." The female nodded to herself, "It went straight through her. The arrowhead is sticking out the back; we can easily snap it and take both ends out cleanly. I will need some Nayru weed."

The medic pointed to a jar on a high shelf just beyond Nabooru, she turned and found the bottle she was indicating. It had a small amount of bluish leaves that gave a small, incandescent glow. What an odd plant, Nabooru thought. Shrugging she opened it up and gave some to the woman examining Saria. She snipped a few leaves off with her nails and threw them in a pestle, she then grinded them to a fine pulp before flexing her fingers for the trickiest part of the operation.

"I need you to hold her down," she gestured to Nabooru, "she will probably struggle a good deal at this next part."

Saria being abnormally still, let herself be rolled onto her side by the two women as Nabooru calmly placed a firm hand on her shoulder and another on her leg. Sora hovered over the entire debacle with rising alarm; her light flickering in greater degrees of agitation. With a breath, the healer snapped the back end of the arrow shaft in two as Saria let out a cry of discomfort. Once the shaft began slowly pulling out from her body did the writhing begin; Nabooru forced the screaming girl to be still as the last bit of the arrow slipped out of her body.

Flung back into reality, the pain hit Saria like a thunder clap as she thrashed this way and that. Sora literally fell out of the air as she was struck with the shared pain of her lifelong companion. Link leaped out of the alcove and dove to pick up Sora from the ground; one of the Gerudo guards at the entrance raced in to stop his advance. Link raised his hands in surrender as the guard slowly brought him back on his feet, her spear prickling his neck.

"I am just going to grab her fairy. That's all." Link gingerly nodded down at the wriggling fairy.

The guard merely shook her head, "You are still a prisoner until I'm told otherwise. Get back and sit with the others."

Scowling, Link sulked back to the wall recess as Zelda gave him an ardent look; she knew they were being overly cautious about the whole affair of strangers in their midst. The guard, untrusting of her new captives, decided it prudent to stand guard next to the pain-wracked fairy on the ground. Her eyes were drawn to it; none of the Gerudo had ever seen a fairy before and it was utterly fascinating to them.

"Nabooru, keep her steady! I need to insert the weed quickly into the wounds!" The medical female shouted.

Nabooru increased her grip on the flailing Kokiri girl. The medic quickly took a glob of the weed and stuffed it firmly into the back wound; digging her fingers in deep to make sure it was securely inside the body. She grabbed the girl's belly and quickly laid her on the back as she inserted the second batch of the herb into the frontal opening. With a gesture to Nabooru to keep the Kokiri steady, she walked over to the hearth and picked up the hot metal rod.

Malon's eyed widened at the radiant red end of the metal pole; she swiveled over to Link and looked at his eyes. He was just as anxious as she was about the whole ordeal; he was biting his lower lip in uneasy anticipation at what was going to be a bad scene. Zelda's body went rigid as her hand found Link's and gripped it tightly. They all knew what was coming and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

The Gerudo healer looked over at the three children with sympathy, "Please understand this is for her own good."

Nabooru watched the Kokiri's eyes expand as the sizzling metal rod dipped towards her belly to touch the bloody puncture wound. Saria shrieked in agony and thrashed to be free of her captor's grip; the healer merely pressed the burning rod deeper into her skin and held it there. Sora was rolling on the ground emitting sparks of dust; Link longed to run over and comfort either one of them and was infuriated that he could do neither.

With another rough turn, both women rolled Saria over as she screamed again when the metal touched her back wound. Malon pressed her face into Link's shoulder trying to block out the images of Saria throwing her body across the operating slab. With one last gasp it was over. They flipped the Kokiri onto her back and let her lay there crying; her mind reeling at the intense feelings coursing through her body. Never had she felt anything of the like in her entire life. Pain was not something a Kokiri feels.

"It is done." The Gerudo medic nodded her head; replacing the rod back into the hearth. "The weed should help heal any organs punctured inside of her and the wounds are sealed for infection. She just needs a few days of rest and she'll be good as new."

Nabooru nodded to the woman, "Thank you. You may leave."

With a bow the healer left the room without making a sound. Nabooru clicked her fingers to establish one guard next to the Kokiri while she directed the other to remove herself from the fairy and post by the entry. She knelt down and picked up the dainty sprite, caressing it in her smooth hands. Gazing at the miracle blooming in her hands, Nabooru gently laid it to rest on the chest of the Kokiri girl. Instantly she calmed and was still; her breathing was starting to slow indicating she would ultimately be alright.

Nabooru, satisfied with the Kokiri, turned to the three children. She strolled over to them with the grace of a feline, Zelda noted; her movements were actually beautiful and articulate. With hands on her hips she appraised each one in turn before speaking to Link.

"I remember you boy, what was your name again?" Nabooru queried.

"Link." He said flatly. He was not sure what they were going to do with them.

"Ah yes!" She clapped her hands in remembrance, "You saved me from doing a foolhardy thing back at our temple. For that you always have my gratitude."

"Will you let us go?" Link asked hopefully; trying to give her his best puppy look to hopefully thaw her heart.

She gave a lilting laugh as she patted him on the head lightly, "Absolutely not. Just because I gave you a free pass to leave unhindered through our domain for saving me does not warrant a second time; especially since you willingly came back to me yet again! Mmmm..no." She mused with a finger to her lips, "I think I'll keep you and enjoy the man you'll become!"

Link blushed furiously as Zelda's mouth plunged open in shock. Malon turned pink with rage, "You can't do that to him! You let us free right now! We did nothing to-"

Malon yelped as Nabooru flicked her mouth hard with her fingers. With a condescending tone she looked down on Malon, "You do not speak to an adult in that tone. Any Gerudo child knows her place and does not speak out of line. Since you are with us now, I suggest you start learning that quickly."

Malon already hated the woman and just wanted her gone. Nabooru took another look at Malon's face and noticed her nose had been twisted at an awkward angle. A sudden movement startled Malon but by then it was already too late to react. Nabooru had lunged in grasping the back of Malon's head and with her other hand clutching her nose; with a sharp yank, an audible crack was heard throughout the room. Malon shrieked in anguish, clutching her nose which had started to freshly bleed again.

"There." Nabooru nodded, "It would have done you no good to have your nose heal like that. I'll take your screaming as an apology and as thanks."

Leaving the whimpering girl cradling her face, she turned to the other two children. "I cannot let you leave. I don't have the authority to decide that anymore."

Zelda chimed in, "Is it because of Ganondorf?"

Nabooru cocked her head at the strange looking boy, "How do you know about our king, Ganondorf?"

Zelda stuttered faintly at the unexpected question; she should have known better than to reveal her knowledge! "I…er…live in the castle and heard what had happened and…"

Nabooru saw through the lie, "Children are also taught not to lie in our culture. Our punishments for lying can be quite severe." She gave a stern look at Zelda, "Such as cutting out your tongue."

Zelda's tongue rolled back into her mouth with a lump, lying was not her strongest suit. Nabooru looked them over once again and guesstimated their ages. "Speaking of which," she added nodding to Link and Zelda, "You two are close to breeding age within four to five cycles. Until then, I think I can convince the other elders to keep you in the interim. Manual labor should suffice until such time your duties become far more interesting."

Link and Zelda's eyes met as they gave each other a sidelong glance; it was clear in her eyes that she knew she was being mistaken for a boy. With her ruddy tunic, breeches and slicked back hair tied in a short pony tail she could be confused for a lad if one wasn't looking close enough. With an insignificant shake of the head Link mouthed not to reveal she was female just yet. They didn't know what they would be up against and what they'd be forced to do.

"And you," her attention fell back onto Malon who was shooting daggers at Nabooru, "you're within apprenticeship by about two cycles. You are free to play with the other children under strict supervision until such time you are of age; then you are to follow all orders and instructions from your superiors and ultimately your sponsor who will be your master."

Malon's mouth dropped as she was affronted with being treated like a child. She could help out with horses and other animals too! She crossed her arms and fumed at Nabooru, she was not going to respond to this horrid woman; she sniffled slightly before wiping some blood from her upper lip onto her dress.

Nabooru returned the gesture folding her arms, "Shall I break that nose for you again?" Stunned, Malon shook her head vehemently, Nabooru continued, "Then I suggest you stop giving me that attitude. We have strict rules here on how everyone should act in accordance to their superiors. Learn them well and you'll go far here."

"Don't you hate Ganondorf?" Link interjected.

Nabooru shot him a look that sent him shuffling further back into the wall recess, "My opinions I voiced about my lord, Ganondorf, are irrelevant to the situation at hand. Regardless of my feelings on how he rules our kingdom, he is home now. I must obey his wishes and follow his orders." A slight shiver traveled through her body; Link seemed to be the only one aware of the visual change in her demeanor.

She grumbled something under her breath and turned to the two guards. "You carry the Kokiri and take the other girl with you. Place them in some quarters; you heard Ganondorf, they are our guests for now until we are told otherwise. So please make the accommodations nice."

Turning around to Link and Zelda, Nabooru was unaware of Malon sticking out her tongue behind her back. Link had to stifle a chuckle lest she figure something was amiss. The guard gently picked up Saria and with a jerk of her head directed Malon to follow her out of the room; Sora lay cradled in her companion's arms, rubbing her chest in-between her tiny fingers.

"You boys will share a room," she paused momentarily, "we actually…don't have any rooms reserved for such visitors. So you will have to make do with what we have."

She nodded over to the remaining guard and they followed their escort out of the room, Link turned around as Nabooru called out after him with a wicked grin, "I will definitely be watching you Link. You are going to grow into a very handsome man."

Link quickly spun around as he kept his eyes to the ground; what was it with all these females muddling around with his brain? Link tilted his head away from Zelda as they followed the guard down the corridor; he didn't want her to see his rosy cheeks at the thoughts swirling around in his mind. First it was with Malon in the stable at Kakariko, he really didn't know what they were doing but he liked it. Then Zelda who always looked sad whenever he mentioned Malon; now Nabooru trying to tease him about the man he was to become. Why did he get all this attention? He just didn't understand it!

"In here." The female guard roughly intoned as she shoved both Link and Zelda into an enclosed room and swiftly locked the door behind them.

Link assessed the room in which they were thrust into, it was pretty bare bones; he imagined Saria and Malon having much nicer accommodations considering they were girls. The walls were comprised of brick and mortar that was peeling in various places in-between bricks. There was a single wash basin and a bucket in the corner for bodily needs. Zelda gasped slightly at the lack of privacy the room had. Opposite the door projecting from the wall was a chimney-like fireplace which has seen better days; thankfully there were some logs nearby and some kindling to help start a fresh flame.

Zelda regarded the wooden plank attached to the wall by bolted chains; she walked over and slumped down on the unfeeling wood, "So are we guests or prisoners?" She exhaled.

Link shrugged, "A bit of both I guess." Surveying the room for other beds, he decided, "You can have that bed if you wish Zelda. I can sleep against the wall."

She quickly hopped off in embarrassment at having claimed it first, "Oh, I'm sorry Link. No, you take it!"

He raised a hand up and gestured for her to sit back down, "No, it's okay. You're the girl, you have the better bed."

"I'm a boy, remember?" She smiled.

Link grinned back before giggling, "Yeah, I guess you are. I can't believe they think you're like me!"

They both laughed at that. He walked over to the logs and examined the kindling. Nodding to himself he turned to Zelda, "I think I can make us a fire in a little bit if it gets chilly in here."

Zelda simply nodded as she lay down on the hard wood; it wasn't exactly comfortable to lie on. She could even feel one of the protruding nails digging into her side unpleasantly. Laying there she simply watched as Link stood up from the fireplace and walked over to the bucket; he stood there a few seconds before looking back in her direction.

"Um, Zelda? Can you turn around please?" Link asked.

She lifted her head up, "Huh? Why?"

Link sheepishly grinned, "Because I have to pee."


	22. Chapter 21 - Sacking of the Castle

**Chapter 21 - Sacking of the Castle**

He stepped over the charred remains of the corpse lying at his feet; the acrid smell of burning flesh was blowing on the winds. Ash flew through his hair and attached itself to his clothes. Hyrule town was burning. The man skimmed the central plaza in disgust; they didn't even put up a fight. Most of the town had been evacuated, save for a few elderly who couldn't travel and those too stubborn to leave their homes. He regarded the castle burning on the higher hill overlooking the town, this certainly would not do.

The man turned to his commander, "Thanan, see to it those fires are put out at the castle. There are valuable resources we need there. I do not want them to be laid waste."

"Yes my general!" Thanan gave a swift salute and was off like a shot; shouting orders to nearby soldiers to help assist in dousing the boiling flames.

General Naar paced over to the side streets leading to his ultimate objective. Even in the dwindling twilight he could see the barrier surrounding the temple. It was a shimmering, translucent field that encompassed the entire grounds of the building; its luminous, orange glow lit up the surrounding area with its light. Several of the men were huddled at the base of the barrier off to one side; they were fiddling with various contraptions.

"What is this?" Naar demanded, frightening the men at his sudden appearance behind them.

One of the braver men stood up amongst the others and gave a hurried salute, "We aren't exactly sure sir! This was here when we arrived. It destroys anyone that touches it."

"Really?" Naar was intrigued. He strolled up to the crackling aura; he could palpably feel the ripping energy coursing through the field. Almost imagining it, he was sure he could see the barrier almost bulge outwards in attempts to touch him. With a heave, he grabbed the neck of the soldier nearest him and threw him into the field. The sudden scream was instantly silenced as the man vaporized into nothing more than a bloody mist.

"Fascinating!" Naar commented, crossing his arms in thought. "Whoever did this is extremely talented. Quite remarkable." He mused to himself.

Naar swept aside the men, cape billowing in the wind of the raging fires, completely indifferent to their frightened stares at his passing. It was clear that they were not going to get through that barrier by any means they had at their disposal. They needed more knowledge about this problem; there was still a lot they didn't know about this temple. Too many questions and very few answers!

His thoughts were distracted when two men galloped up the main street sopping wet. Each leaped off their horses and stalked over to Naar, saluting briefly to their general.

Naar kept walking, "I assume you've come to tell me of your success?"

Keeping pace with him, both men hesitated slightly before the blond one spoke, "We were ambushed by a very powerful Gerudo man and two witches."

Dual swords sliced through the air as each man groaned in swift, sudden pain. Talamir's torso slumped off his waist as his face slammed into the cobblestone street. Timner fell face forward trying to catch himself as he was divided at the knees. Both men were cursing in the pain of their failure; Naar was heaving with rage at these two imbeciles.

Normally he would have destroyed these two idiots for their multiple disasters long before now. Why did he choose to make that stupid vow to their mother? She had died in childbirth; each boy had grown to full maturity in the womb and had strained the woman every day. When the time came for them to be delivered, complications arose which prevented all from surviving; the doctor made the hasty decision to save the children from certain death. In her final death throes she made him vow to her to protect his nephews. Naar hadn't expected things to turn out the way they did or he would have flat out refused.

With a puff of evaporating mist, the swords were gone as Naar looked down upon his idiotic nephews. What a disgrace they were to the grand campaign; couldn't even kill a single boy! Not bothering to review his gory handiwork, Naar turned away. Talamir and Timner were struggling with voracious zeal to reconstruct their bodies.

It was Talamir that whined first, "But Naar, he was a powerful user of the dark arts!"

Naar kicked Talamir's face so hard his upper body did a flip through the air as he hit the ground groaning. "Why is it that this infuriating child keeps getting away? There must be someth…did you say a male Gerudo?"

Naar knelt down and lifted the moaning Talamir up by the chin, "There was a Gerudo man there? And two witches?" His voice commanded attention, even Timner stopped attaching his legs as he raptly looked towards the conversation.

Slightly gasping from the pain of being lifted by his face alone, Talamir managed to rasp, "Yes…he had short red hair and a ruby inlaid into his forehead."

Naar dropped his nephew with a grunt, "So the successor to the throne rises." Naar ruminated more to himself than to the grumbling men at his feet. "Now things are getting interesting."

Timner whispered to his brother as he dragged his right leg over to his bloody stump, "You should know when to shut the hell up around him."

Talamir continued to rub his bruised face as he dragged himself over to his lower body, "I wish I could, but I keep forgetting." Timner merely shook his head in disgust; why did his brother have to be so senseless?

Talamir cringed in throbbing pain as Naar smashed a boot heel into his arm, preventing him from reaching the remainder of his body, "You should be thankful I am bound by my vow to your mother or I would have new commanders!" Naar spit in Talamir's face as he continued with venomous resolve, "Unfortunately for me, I have to uphold that vow or you two would be nothing but ash!"

Talamir cried out as Naar twisted his heel in further, "Now get up and get yourselves to the castle to assist Thanan in dousing the flames. No more failures or I shall string you both up in chains; a body part for each chain!"

Gasping as Naar released his arm from the pressure, Talamir limply crawled over and reassembled himself. Timner was whole by this time and helped his degraded brother up onto his feet. Naar had already left them and was heading towards the castle, his lengthy, white hair swirling about his imposing figure.

"I truly think he hates me brother." Talamir grimaced as he held his side during the excruciating process of restoration.

With his brother's arm wrapped around his neck, Timner assisted him in walking a ways, "He regrets both of us. We probably shouldn't have been born in his eyes. Only Ballos holds him to his pact, otherwise I'm sure we wouldn't be here."

Talamir sneered at the comment, "Yes, I guess we should all be thankful of this wonderful 'gift' that was bestowed upon us."

Timner noted the sarcasm in his brother's voice, "You know it was the only thing we could have done to save our people."

"But at what cost?" Gently pushing away from his brother, feeling a bit steadier on his feet, "Is this the way we wish to live? To be remembered by?"

Timner looked around the town, at the broiling fires and smoking remains of the remaining citizens who chose to stay. He sighed, "We don't have a choice anymore, and our hands are tied. This is who we are now."

Each man was silent as they walked onward towards the castle to assist in quenching the raging pyres.

* * *

><p>The castle had fared better than the rest of the town; the majorities of the fires was secluded in specific sections and were not spreading as quickly to adjacent areas. Various sorcerers were stationed on the upper hill and surrounding walls, casting spells to drown the heat of the conflagration; success was evident as Naar treaded up the hill to examine their progress. He spied a slender figure giving directions to several soldiers who raced into the castle to secure the interior.<p>

Thanan was nowhere near the build of Naar but he held a commanding figure that inspired dread in all who met him. His grace and etiquette both on and off the battlefield was exemplary and wormed its way into Naar's good graces over the course of years. Showing up shortly after the national pact was formed, Thanan was an anomaly to Naar. He did not know his origin or his heritage; he merely assumed he was a fellow Nevachrean, especially now with his sharing of their abilities.

Thanan was also Naar's favored commander; they shared similar interests and much of the same humor. It was clear to those who viewed the pair that Thanan had secured his position as the literal right-hand man to the general. However, there were oddities about his character that even Naar had to take note of. Several specific tastes and preferences of Thanan put him on edge and gave the impression that he was not all there. Despite this, Naar could always rely on him to accomplish any task; he was invaluable.

"Any word on the status of our goal?" Naar questioned as he walked up beside Thanan.

Thanan barely gave Naar a hint of recognition at his entrance; he was quite comfortable with his general's presence and seemed to have no fear of his volatile disposition. This quiet confidence both infuriated Naar but granted the man great respect in his eyes; where most would cower with fear, Thanan would bravely stand up to him. He had some guts, Naar had to admit.

"It is still intact sir. Would you like to see it?" Thanan gestured towards the front gates.

With a rough nod, they were off down the path. They entered the main hall and were directed to a side passage by Thanan. Naar took the opportunity to behold the vast splendor that was Hyrule castle. Colossal marble pillars adorned the edges of the hall as impressive tapestries hung along the walls. Naar sneered at the opulence displayed in front of him; the sheer arrogance of the place revolted him. He turned to the side and spit on the tiled floor.

It was a few more turns and another staircase leading to an upper floor before they stopped presently at a set of double doors. With a grin, Thanan took both handles and pushed the frames apart revealing the vast library within. Even Naar gasped at the wealth of knowledge housed within the room. The chamber had three separate floors with ladders enabling access to each landing. Shelves filled with books reached up to the arched ceiling high above them.

"Extraordinary!" Naar exclaimed as his eyes expanded at the vast store of information contained within those tomes.

Thanan smiled, "Most of them are written in Hylian script, so they will need to be translated. But I assure you that whichever books you require we will get our sages on them right away!"

Naar stepped over to a nearby shelf and extracted a single, tattered tome and gazed at it; he swiped off the years of dust from its cover and felt the engraved ruins along its surface. He looked over at Thanan, "Do you think it's here? What we need?"

Thanan merely shrugged, "Hard to say in this mess. It might be days before we find what we are looking for, or it could be years. That is a lot of books to navigate through." He waved a hand at the rest of the room.

Naar agreed as he opened the book; several of its pages were loose at the bindings and were slowly falling out. Various deposits of silt and unknown flecks slipped off the pages and fell to the floor as he carefully skimmed the book. Such odd letters, he noted of the Hylian script. Surely there would be something in this vast library that would tell him of the fabled Triforce. He shuddered in anticipation, he was so close to his goal, but there were still many hurdles left to achieve it!

Shutting the book tight he placed it lightly on the nearby reading table, he walked back over to Thanan. "I want all of our sages locked within this room until they finish their job of translating and transcribing all these books. Notify me if they find anything with regards to what we seek. You can allow the prisoners to bring them food and provide any necessary entertainment if they please. I am retiring to my tent, see to it that nobody disturbs me; there is a highly interesting female that I'd like to get to know better."

Thanan licked his scarred lips longingly, "Speaking of entertainment sir, there was found some lovely horses in the stables and two of them are quite able-bodied. Would you mind if I took one of the mares as my own?"

Naar studied Thanan's eager eyes with curiosity, what a sick individual he was. What atrocious things went through that wicked mind of his? It really didn't matter what strange passions the man had; as long as he maintained his usefulness, Naar really didn't care. He certainly was an odd one though.

Naar waved a dismissive hand, "Go enjoy your horse. May she treat you well."

Thanan saluted and practically pranced out of the library down the corridor. Naar had to admire the man's enthusiasm, just wish he would channel it to more worthwhile pleasures. With a reverent grace, he slowly shut the two doors to the library and proceeded down the hall. He stepped back outside and examined the town below him. The fires were slowly abating; they had conquered the capital.

The army had reached the gates of the town and were situated just outside on the plains; poisoning the very ground with the tramping of a million boots, refuse and urine. The grass beneath their feet was nothing more now than churned mud and filth. Naar swept through the massive throng heading for the primary tent towards the center of the encampment. It had high wide-swept wings held up by arching poles at each of its corners. Emblazoned banners were strewn across ropes that traveled back to the center pillar that provided stability to the entire structure.

Naar swiped the flap aside as he looked upon his prize with glee; she turned around shocked at his appearance and frantically crawled backwards to get farther away from him. He merely laughed as he grabbed a leg and dragged her across the ground before flipping her onto the bed of furs.

"Now let's see how unique you truly are!" Naar leered at the poor girl.


	23. Chapter 22 - Interrogation

**Chapter 22 - Interrogation**

He had no idea how long it had been since he was placed in the cell. It was cold, lifeless and dry; his throat was parched at the lack of water he had received. He had tried railing against the bars the instant they tossed him in here but they were thick metal poles unyielding to his strength. With one final gasp of exhaustion he slumped to the ground and slowly watched the fading light of day cast its shadows across the room from the tiny portholes carved into the brick.

It was like reliving a nightmare he had long since forgotten; a slight constriction in his chest started to form as panic began to set in. Would he even be able to escape this time? Memories came flooding back at the treatment he endured so many years ago; the only time they were remotely nice to him was when they forced him to their beds. Once they were finished with his body they'd cart him off only to dump him back into one of the cells, awaiting the next time he was needed in that way.

One woman fancied him more than the others and kept asking for his company almost weekly. He wasn't stupid; he could tell the difference after a time between the women in their internal caste system. This woman was definitely of the highest tier in their society and was far more loving than the rest of the women who had used him; what was strange about her was that after copulation, instead of immediately sending him off to the dungeons, she would ask about his life and how he lived outside of their fortress. She seemed utterly fascinated about what lay beyond her borders but was powerless to actually go out to achieve it.

Over time her swollen belly began to emerge as it was clear their carnal evenings had produced a baby. The nights with the woman were some of his more pleasant memories of this place; she actually treated him like a real human being. Pregnancy was never an issue and was actually desired among the Gerudo; although Ganondorf was in power at this time and had access to any of the woman as he pleased, each Gerudo was secretly hoping for another boy to carry on the lineage of the king.

They would spend nights talking about what it would be like in the 'outside' world raising the new unborn child. The woman would continually ask questions regarding how one would live on a ranch, tending to animals she barely had any concept of. When they had finished their talks, they would make love once again and then have him sent on his way back to the cell. He tolerated the jibes and abuse from the other women as long as he knew he had a supporter.

One day the child was born; it was a girl like the rest of the children birthed to the Gerudo. She had slightly tanned skin but it was clear some of the paleness came from the father. The baby only had a few wisps of hair but it was evident she would follow in her mother's footsteps with a brilliant mane of red tresses. Once the child was born, he was denied access to the woman from then on; his task accomplished, he was transferred to another woman to impregnate.

The nightmare descended again as the mistreatment from the other women increased tenfold. It was almost a year of spiraling madness before he was summoned to his child's mother; it was a clandestine meeting. She wanted to show him the beautiful child they had produced and give him some small solace that what they had done together was not in vain. He passionately expressed his distaste to leave his daughter in a society that would condone such abhorrent, deviant behavior. The woman merely shrugged, it was what they've always known; it was how they survived.

After bedding him one last time, instead of sending him off, she finally let him sleep beside her that night. It was long after she had fallen asleep in his arms when the idea sprouted in his head; he gently slipped out of the furs and walked over to his baby girl. She needed a life that was better than this. Crooning softly to the child as he cradled her in his arms, he quietly exited the room and rounded his way through the corridors. He had very slim hopes, if at all, that he would actually escape but he had to try. He was also certain that if he were caught escaping with one of their babies he would most certainly be killed; he was willing to take that chance.

A sudden unlocking of the bolted door at the end of the room jerked him away from his memories. He remained where he was, watching the three women enter the chamber. Two were leading a third with one of them carrying a wooden chair while the other had a loop of rope. They unshackled the chains and lock around the prison door as they swung the bars wide with a squeak. A candle was lit by the third woman as the light played across her face.

Backing up involuntarily as he recognized the face of the third woman; it was the mother! What new devilries was he going to be subjected to now? The two servants set the chair in the center of the cell as the other roughly grabbed him up off the floor. They pushed him down onto it and started tying the ropes around his body securing him to the chair. With a quick snap of fingers, the leader of the three directed them to wait outside the door to the chamber.

As the wooden door shut with a crunch, the woman gracefully walked up to him; she had an air about her of grace and majesty. If she wasn't a Gerudo and the implications that name held, many a man would literally throw themselves at her; not that she'd mind he wagered. She grabbed a lock of her long hair and gently swirled it around in front of her before finally letting it rest on her breast; was she actually trying to entice him? After all this time?

"Mmm…Talon, you've really let yourself go." Nabooru smirked as she looked at his plump body.

"Humph!" Talon seethed, "I had nothing left ta live fer! All I had was my daughter. She was all that matter'd!"

Nabooru crossed her arms in contempt, "Is this how you treat your benefactor? The one who enabled you to escape with _our_ daughter? Don't you forget that I gave birth to her, you ungrateful wretch."

Talon turned away from her face, "At my expense! Ya didn't ask what I had want'd, ya simply took!"

Nabooru grinned but did not move, "It is what we do. We need children to keep our society alive." She quivered slightly in disgust at the next thought, "Ganondorf can only be in so many places at one time." She finished with a grimace; she always did hate their visits together.

Talon remained staring off into the corner as he flatly questioned, "So why did ya help me escape? What did it serve?"

"I saw something different in you; something I still can't place. An inner furnace that warmed me to the core; most men would be clamoring to be in my robes before the day was done. But not you. You did it because you were forced to."

Nabooru stepped up to him and with a finger to his chin guided his eyes back to hers as she softly whispered, "It wasn't until I asked about your true desires and pleasures in life that your attitude changed with me. Over time I grew to respect the man who now sits before me."

Talon's demeanor did not change, "Ya still haven't answered my question!"

Nabooru's eyes softened, "I guess a part of me wanted our children to live out there in the world. You convinced me of something I never thought possible. So I helped you."

A glimmer of hope emerged in Talon's eyes, "So will you let us go if we ask?"

A charming laugh erupted from Nabooru's throat at his outrageous suggestion, "Oh, Talon, you are hilarious." With a deft movement she was on his lap; legs wrapped around his waist as she breathed in deep his manly scent barely inches from her nose.

"What are ya doing?" Talon exclaimed, surprised at the sudden change in Nabooru.

"I was willing to let you go that first time Talon. However coming back of your own free will? I don't think I have any choice but to keep you here. With Ganondorf back, I don't have much clout in setting you free." Nabooru hummed, gently nibbling on his ear.

Talon saw the conversation going south quick, "Nabooru! I'm not the man I once was…I-"

She leaned back to admire him, "Mmm…you're right about that." She sniggered, "I've never been with a fat man before but I'm willing to try new things."

Talon blushed furiously at her laughter, "That's not the point! We were on a mi-"

She silenced his protests with a rushed kiss. She grabbed the back of his head and pressed in with her lips; tongue slightly invading his mouth as she reveled in the feel of his body pressing up against hers. She withdrew briefly, "It has been a long time," she began huskily, a primal urge slowly taking over, "we can talk later."

Talon was quickly being silenced in the overbearing heft of her feminine wiles; he almost wanted to give in to this but knew his daughter came first. He shook his body as violently as he could against the ropes holding him still. Nabooru let out a note of disgust at the interruption as she glared at him, unwilling to let him go.

"What man?" She demanded.

"I refuse ta be a prisoner again!" Talon heaved, "I would rather die than become that!"

Nabooru gazed at him a moment considering something, "You know," a guttural tone slipping back in, "I can probably get approval from the other elders to make you my personal manservant. There is precedence for such a thing." She began to kiss his cheeks once more and licked his lips, "All you have to do is ask and you belong to me. No one else will dare touch you and all children we make would be ours."

Talon was being overrun with her female urgency, it was all he could do to keep himself above the depths of his own passion; it was just a simple thing to just give in to her and embrace the oblivion of pleasure. She reached down with one hand and felt his pining member and moaned in anticipation of what was to come. She deftly started unbuckling the belt around his tunic as she kept one hand pressed on his head forcing him into the kiss, tongue reaching in to caress his; the feel of his mustache tickling her nose and exciting her further.

It was like a bolt to the heart as an image of Malon's face flashed through Talon's mind; he knew what he had to fight for. He jerked backward so hard that the two of them fell backwards as the chair thumped against the ground. Nabooru rolled off with a cry of fury at his insubordination to her needs; she leaped atop him and expanded her hands ready to rake her nails across his face.

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now for insulting me!" Nabooru breathed heavily, rage apparent on her face at having been denied the carnal pleasures of the flesh.

"If ya kill me, ya'll never receive the love of _our_ daughter…ever." He stated it plainly; it was a clear threat.

She relaxed the grip on his throat as her clawed hand descended slightly, "Is she here? Was she one of the four children you brought?" A look of worry glossed over her face.

Talon coughed a bit as she released his throat entirely, "Yes, and her name is Malon."

Nabooru leaned back against his knees as a slight tear trickled down her cheek, "And you brought her back here…"

Talon merely nodded. Nabooru's voice was shaky with an oncoming grief, "You foolish man. I thought you would have left her to live her life out there." She gestured to the windows, "Now that she is here, there is no possible way she can be free. She will most likely be inducted and become one of us."

He softened at her despair of hearing the news, "I believe ya can still fix things and bargain our release. We need ta get away from the Nevachrean army."

His reference galvanized her senses, "Yes, the army." She nodded her head, wiping away her tear. "Why did you come here with four children? Who are they?"

Talon, slightly uncomfortable with her still sitting on him, shifted; the weight of them both was pressing his knuckles hard into the brick floor, his hands were slowly becoming numb. "They were children placed into my charge ta take care of. We were directed ta seek refuge here with the Gerudo."

Nabooru looked down at him in astonishment, "You were told that? Did they not know who we are?"

Talon grunted, "I thought the same thing; but she was adamant."

Nabooru grinned, "She?"

He shook his head, "Not like that. She was a Sheikah. She was planning ta meet us here after we had been secured safely behind your borders."

"Where is she now?" Nabooru asked.

"I haven't the foggiest." Talon admitted.

Nabooru regarded intently his eyes as she asked, "And of our daughter? How is she?"

Talon smiled at describing the light of his life; the one good thing to ever happen to him. "She is the most beautiful angel! She loves animals more than anything and has aspirations ta become a horse trainer one day. Her long, red hair is such a delight ta gaze upon…reminds me of…"

Talon stopped his reminiscing as he noticed Nabooru placing a hand to her lips in dismay, she whispered, "So it was her."

"What?" Talon was befuddled.

Nabooru rose up off of him and brought his chair back onto its legs. She quickly untied him and released him from the chair. Swiftly crossing the cell, she re-shackled the prison bars before he had a chance to catch up with her. She gave one last look at him, her feelings evident in her eyes.

"Thank you Talon. I am going to see _my_ daughter." She smiled wanly as she left him.

Talon pounded against the bars as she whisked by the lit candles; flames wavering in the wind of her passing. "Nabooru! Don't you dare touch her! She will never be one of you! Get back here! Nabooru!" He yelled after her, but to no avail. He sagged to the ground weeping at what was to become of his daughter. He felt his life was over yet again.

Nabooru gently shut the door behind her, blocking out the ravings of the man she had once known intimately. She glanced to the sides and realized the guards she had placed outside the door were no longer there. She had little time to ponder the thought when a hand grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the door, jarring it on its hinges. The deadly grip lifted her off the ground as she blindly kicked the air trying desperately to remove the hand strangling the air out of her.

"You always were a troublesome woman, Nabooru." A voice churned in the darkness.

Her hands feebly grasping at his fingers, Nabooru croaked, "G..Ganon..dorf!"

He stepped into the light as the flames played across his features; his crook nose casting evil shadows across his cheeks. Sidling up next to him was his personal whore, Apolloni. They flashed each other a glare of loathing before Ganondorf's grip redirected her eyes back to his. Apolloni merely smiled at the mistreatment of her fellow elder; they were never on good terms and had always disagreed at council meetings. The fact Nabooru was their de facto leader when Ganondorf was gone infuriated her.

Ganondorf cocked his head at Nabooru, "You never were one to follow the rules; always tweaking them so that it suited your needs." His grip tightened around her neck as she choked, "Must I remind you who is king of the Gerudo? I am your master and you obey the laws I set down! Do you understand me?"

His rage blasted into her face like a hurricane, she could do nothing but weakly nod. His grip loosened as she slid down the wall, coughing as she gasped in precious air. Apolloni moved forward to hurt her as well; Ganondorf merely stretched out an arm to prevent her. Nabooru realized her error and there was no point in making her suffer further. Ganondorf tolerated his subjects far too much he knew, but they were all still family; like any family there were several members you had to bring under your heel.

"Nabooru." Ganondorf demanded with a quiet menace to his voice, "Did you discover anything from that man?"

Recovering with one final hack she looked up into his eyes with lethal intent; she knew that he outmatched her, but it didn't stop her from glaring at him. "Yes…they were sent to seek refuge here by a Sheikah."

"A Sheikah, you say?" Ganondorf mused, "That explains the disturbance I felt amongst the sands tonight." He chortled, "Funny how she would consider us as being a viable alternative."

"What shall we do with them, my lord?" Apolloni gleefully chimed.

Ganondorf's gazed flickered to Apolloni; she was a striking woman in her own right. Not as gorgeous as Nabooru, but her brunette hair was intoxicating to him; it was rare that any Gerudo was born with anything but red hair. Apolloni had risen through the ranks quickly and was rival to many of the other elders in her sword skills; she was second only to Nabooru, a fact which broiled her rage to no end. Her only flaw in Ganondorf's eyes was her hot-headedness; she would jump to action before it was prudent to do so.

"Release them." Both women were frozen in shock at this unexpected command.

"My lord?" Nabooru questioned.

"Release them, but do not let them leave the fortress. They may be prisoners, but they are also my guests." Ganondorf explained, his tone implying that he should not be questioned.

Apolloni's anger started bubbling, "I don't understand! We never released anyo-"

Ganondorf struck her to the ground with a backhanded slap, "Do not question my intentions again!" Nabooru simpered as Apolloni clutched her cheek in shock, "They will have proper quarters established and will have limited range of movement. I will direct later the places in which they cannot go. For now, see to it that they are fed and taken care of."

Nabooru bowed low, eager to get back into Ganondorf's good graces and to spite Apolloni further, "As you wish my lord. Why the sudden change of heart?" Nabooru dared ask.

Ganondorf considered a moment before responding, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

With a gruff parting he paced down the hall, receding into the darkness.


	24. Chapter 23 - Truth or Dare

**Chapter 23 - Truth or Dare**

Link awoke with a jolt as a hand clamped down over his mouth; with a yelp of surprise he quickly rolled off the wooden bench that doubled as bed and landed in a half push-up on the brick floor. He flipped up onto one knee as he looked at the person who awoke him; standing mere feet away from him was Impa. His shoulders visibly sagged at relief for he thought it was someone or something far more heinous. It was then he realized he had been sleeping on the bench rather than the floor. He peeked over to the bed and saw Zelda still sleeping soundly with her back to the room; he blushed furiously as Impa eyed his reaction.

"H…how did you get in here?" Link rasped trying to find his voice after having been shocked out of deep sleep.

Impa gave a little huff as she folded her arms, "I am Sheikah. I go where I please. It appears to me that you like getting close to girls Link."

A small grin spread across one side of her mouth, but she tried her best to hide it as Link stuttered, "She said she was cold, so I started a fire." He indicated the smoldering logs, the initial flames having long since gone out. "After a while the chill started to settle in, so she asked me to keep her warm. I didn't know what else to do, so I just laid next to her to make sure she was warm. I wasn't-"

Impa laughed softly, "I knew what you had done Link." She waved a hand to dismiss his fears, "I was simply teasing you. I understand this is an interesting time for children as they start to grow into the adults they will become. You must be carefully guided through that or you will make poor choices."

Link stood slightly dazed; still unsure of what she was referring to, "So I'm okay?"

"You're okay." She smiled warmly.

Link ran into her arms and gave her a joyous hug as she gratefully accepted the embrace; she placed one hand on his hair and gently smoothed it down. Impa was the closest thing he had to a mother; especially since she was there when his true mother died in the Lost Woods. Impa had buried her body near one of the roots of the great Deku Tree and after having made sure he was safe with the other Kokiri in the village, left him to his fate. It was what his mother wanted.

Link unrelenting in his hug looked up into Impa's eyes, "Where is Epona? Did she make it here safely?"

Impa tickled the back of Link's ear as he giggled at her touch, "Yes little one. She is currently resting in the stables as we speak. I dare say the stable girl will get quite the surprise this morning when she sees a new tenant." Impa smiled at this thought.

Link looked around the room but did not see any portholes opening out into the night sky, "What time is it Impa?"

"It is just past the zenith of the moon; it will be a few more hours before dawn breaks." Impa answered.

They released each other and stepped back a few paces before Link went over and squatted next to the fireplace to tend to the logs hopefully promoting further heat. "Did you find out what they are going to do with us?" Link was hoping for some good news.

"I'm afraid not." Impa said with some discomfort, "I had hoped the meeting with the Gerudo had gone better. I miscalculated and for that I am sorry. Placing you in these prison rooms was not my intent; my knowledge of how Gerudo do business is somewhat limited."

Satisfied that more heat was generated from the fire hearth, he got up and paced back over to Zelda. "They placed her in here with me; they thought she was a boy. Could they not see she wasn't?" He looked up to Impa for answers.

Impa breathed a sigh of relief, "I was not sure if my stealth haze was sufficient enough to throw off the Gerudo. The Sheikah have many abilities, one of them being able to modify our appearance just enough to look like someone else. There are limits to this, such as being unable to change our hair color." She ruffled the top of her gray hair, "I don't think I could pass off as anyone but an old lady now."

Link laughed at the comment, "Yeah, I can see that!"

Impa shot him a dirty look, "You dirty scrub. You watch your manners!" More laughter from Link, Impa simply shook her head and let the matter drop. "Anyway, I had placed the stealth haze on Princess Zelda in hopes they would mistake her for a boy."

Link beheld Zelda still lying on the bench, her chest slowly rising and falling with each breath. "What purpose did that serve?" Link was baffled.

"I had hopes that if things didn't go according to plan and they considered you prisoners, I wanted her thrown in here with you." Impa explained. "I knew you could protect her until such time I was available to be by her side."

Link clasped his hands behind his back as he looked at the ground, "You had that faith in me Impa?"

"Yes, I did." Impa warmly spoke. "Enough talk, I imagine tomorrow is going to be a long day. Go lie down next to Zelda and keep her warm. I will remain in the corner. I will wake you as the sun rises."

Link watched as Impa leaned up against the wall at the opposite end of the room and slowly meld into the shadows. Satisfied they were being watched over, he lay down next to Zelda and rolled over; he observed the back of her golden hair and marveled at how Impa could deceive everyone into thinking Zelda was a boy. He closed his eyes and within minutes was gone.

* * *

><p>A sharp hiss forced him to spring his eyes open; he rolled over to see Impa placing a finger to her lips as she merged with the shadows. Clanking of keys were heard outside the door as a key was forced into the lock and turned. Zelda was startled awake as the chamber door opened wide letting light from the outer hall seep into the room. Standing in the door frame was a Gerudo elder, marked with the Ruby engraved on her forehead. She quickly motioned for both of them to follow her.<p>

Link quickly looked back but saw nothing but an empty corridor; but he knew that Impa was somewhere behind them slowly trailing their group. Slightly blinded as they passed by some recessed windows in the brick; Link looked out and saw the morning sun slowly cresting the peaks of the canyon that the fortress lay in.

The brown haired Gerudo stopped abruptly at a door and susurrated a command to have them enter; still unsure if they were in danger, they quickly entered the room. Directly ahead of them in the center of the circular room was a fire pit recessed into the floor; crackling flames shot upwards as the heat from the room washed over them as they arrived.

Beyond the pit was a throne of wood and metal; crowning the seat like a halo of thorns was the lower jaw bone of some large beast, teeth still intact. Various furs draped over the cathedra while various fabrics were hung off the sides like vile decorations. Lounging in all his supposed magnanimous glory was Ganondorf; one leg slung over one of the arm rests as he leaned back against the seat of the throne; a servant girl was slowly feeding him grapes, a rarity in the desert. He was adorned in the full regalia armor of his tribe; a lightweight suit of mail with intricate designs of blacks, browns, reds and oranges.

To his left were five elders of the Gerudo tribe, with Nabooru sitting closest to Ganondorf. With a look from him, Apolloni excused herself from Link and Zelda and proceeded to the right hand side of the throne; she sat cross-legged next to Ganondorf, his heel aligned with the height of her head. Nabooru's stare was not lost on Link as she tracked Apolloni across the room. Only once the brown haired Gerudo elder had taken her position did Nabooru turn back to the two boys.

Off to Link's left were Malon and Talon, they were seated off to the side on some cushions, clearly not in a position to interfere with the council meeting. Link's fingers were briefly squeezed by Impa before her hand disappeared; his rising fear quelled slightly knowing that she was near. With a jerk of his head, Ganondorf indicated they were to take their positions on the provided cushions just in front of Talon. It was obvious that based on the seating arrangement, Link was the sole focus of the gathering.

Link shifted uncomfortably in silence as the apprentice poured several cups of steaming tea; she offered one first to Ganondorf before turning to each of the elders. They each graciously accepted a cup of the brew; each holding the little cup in both hands as they waited for the girl to serve the guests. Link set the example by taking a proffered cup; waiting for his friends to take one as well, all he could think about was how it was burning his hands.

With a casual wave of dismissal from Ganondorf, the apprentice bowed low and exited the room, securing the door behind her. Lowering his foot off the armrest and sitting tall, Ganondorf raised his cup high into the air.

"To our honored guests." He drawled.

All eyes were on them as they tentatively lifted their cups; with a gulp Ganondorf downed his tea as each of his elders followed suit after him. Feeling it prudent to wait until they had finished, Link swallowed his; he almost hacked as the scalding fluid seared his throat. Although he managed to drink without incident, Malon was not so lucky; several frowns were shot her way as she spluttered up some of the tea.

"To business then." Ganondorf decreed. "You are the boy they call Link, am I correct?"

His manner demanded an answer, Link merely nodded. Here he was sitting mere feet away from the greatest foe he had ever faced, drinking tea with him as if they were friends. His mind reeled. Just how much of the future did I really change? He wondered.

Accepting this nonverbal answer, Ganondorf continued, "You have had extensive experience with these Nevachreans as I'm told. Can you please tell me more about them?"

Link took a moment before his courage caught up with his voice, "I have fought them several times, yes." Ganondorf leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs as he clasped his hands under his chin; he grunted to have Link proceed, "Nothing seems to kill them. I have sliced them apart, cut open their bellies, sawed off their heads, and I even blew one up with a bomb! They just keep coming back."

Ganondorf showed no sign of emotion; he sat quietly absorbing it all in. Unsure of what else to do, Link continued, "They have a general that leads them, his name is Naar. He has three men working close with him, Talamir, Timner and Thanan. They can bring weapons into their hands from nothing; they can make horses appear out of thin air. I don't know what else they can do."

"What were you looking for in the east?" Ganondorf interjected.

Link froze at the question, how did he know he was traveling in the east? After a pause, he could see Ganondorf growing restless from the wait; he surged on, "I was tasked to find the three stones of power. I-"

A squeak emitted from Zelda as she tried to warn him from revealing too much of their plan. One glower from Ganondorf put Zelda in her place; she wilted back onto the cushion as she dejectedly looked at the ground. Link was revealing their hand and there was nothing she could do to stop him!

"Proceed." Ganondorf said with a low growl in his throat.

Link swallowed hard, he was quite unsure of how much he should say now. Just how much did Ganondorf know? How much would Link be losing if he told him everything? Ganondorf's eyes burned into his own; the sheer intensity of his gaze sent chills down his spine. He was searching the truth in Link's eyes as he spoke. Unbeknownst to the group, Ganondorf was in perpetual communication with the elder Gerudo as he listened to Link speak.

"Uh…I was tasked to find three stones of power." Link began again, a slight tremor in his voice. "One we already have, the Kokiri Emerald with Saria." Link blinked twice; he was unsure if he saw a flicker of light play across the ruby on Ganondorf's brow. "We had the Zora Sapphire before I was captured; now it is in Naar's possession. The Gorons traveled further west with the Goron Ruby towards the Xaagar Mountains. They are far from our reach on the other side of the army."

Link briefly looked back to Zelda as she returned his weak smile; thinking he was done expounding his story he leaned back slightly in relief. He was slightly unnerved when Ganon brought him back into the discussion.

"And these three stones of power, do you have any idea what they do?" A wry look was all it took for Link to assess that Ganondorf knew the answer to what he asked.

Link's mind scrambled as he tried to find some way to cover up the truth; how much had Ganondorf known of the Master Sword and Triforce before they stopped him? Without any other recourse, Link plainly stated, "Yes."

"I find that highly intriguing that you know as much as I do on this matter. May I go so far as to say you know a great deal more, Link?" Ganondorf paused just before saying the name with purpose.

Link gulped. The entire situation was unreal. "I don't believe I do…sir." Link hastily tacked the respectful title at the end.

An uncomfortable pall descended on the room as the only sound heard was the snapping of the fire. Silence screamed throughout the room as the two leaders of the discussion stared each other down. Link's will was placed to the test as a strange force emanated from Ganondorf; worming its way through his body, seeking the inner secrets of his mind. Link's teeth began slowly grinding together, it was all Link could do to keep from gasping from the mental intrusion.

Ganondorf was irritated he could only get brief shattered images; nothing coherent would surface from the boy's mind. His telepathy only truly worked with others of the stone; he could get a clear picture of what a person was thinking or seeing if they were connected to him through the rubies. His attempt to pry into the boy's mind was met with little success; he did know that Link was keeping something back from him, but it was unclear as to what.

Changing his tactic, Ganondorf shifted the conversation to one of plans, "Well it seems simple enough. It is evident that these stones of power have what we need to combat this foe. We will send riders northwards around the army and secure the ruby from the Gorons. Then we have several regiments of Gerudo to sneak into the army encampment and reacquire the sapphire. With the emerald already in our grasp, we should have all three in our possession. What happens next?"

Link saw through the ploy, Ganondorf was rephrasing the question in such a way that any answer he gave would either be seen as a lie or the actual truth. He gritted his teeth for he knew he was losing the trial of wills, "We bring them together at the Temple of Time." He hoped he didn't have to reveal that the Royal Family ocarina was needed to complete the ritual.

"Why would we go there?" Ganondorf probed.

Damn him! Link fumed. Ganondorf was leading Link right into giving everything away! He was sent back in time to stop this from ever occurring and here he was giving away the very secrets that would bring him back into power again! If he lied or tried to leave the meeting, he knew it would end badly for him and his friends; he was trapped like a rat in a cage and he saw no way out.

"It is the only way to access the Master Sword." Link admitted.

"Who would wield such a holy relic?" Ganondorf relentlessly pressed.

Link turned briefly to look helplessly at the others; Talon and Malon merely shrugged their shoulders for they hadn't the foggiest what the real answer was to the question. Malon didn't even know what the Master Sword even was! Zelda subtly shook her head and mouthed a silent 'no'. She knew it was Link who could wield the Master Sword, the hero that the sword had chosen. A curt rumble from Ganondorf drew him back to the conversation at hand.

Link sighed despondently at revealing the truth, "Me."

Malon let out a gasp, as Talon grunted in surprise.

Ganondorf's eyes widened slightly at this, "You." He said flatly.

Link nodded, "Yes. I pulled out the Master Sword."

Ganondorf rose from his throne and slowly walked over to Link; looking down on his miniscule form, Zelda was worried Ganondorf would crush Link with his bare hands.

"Yet it lies dormant in the Temple of Time still, sealed from entry. You did not pull it out yet did you?" Ganondorf led with the question, prompting an expected response.

Link thought he saw a way out of this, "Yes, I'm sorry. I thought I pulled it out, but I didn't. I was mistaken."

"Liar!" Ganondorf bellowed as he snatched the collar of Link's tunic and dragged him into the air inches from his face. Talon rose to attack Ganondorf when a raised hand from the Gerudo king slammed him down into the cushion with malevolent energies. Malon whimpered as her father cried out in agonizing pain. Zelda rose with a start but was thrust onto the floor with two blades at her neck; Apolloni grinned down on Zelda eager for her master to give the word.

"You already pulled the sword out before. You came back from the future didn't you?" He shook Link roughly, tossing his dangling legs to and fro, "Didn't you?!"

Link could only wheeze at Ganondorf's grip; he tried to claw his fist off his tunic, but his efforts were fruitless. Ganondorf continued his tirade, "Do not think you can lie to me boy! I know more than you think! So that is how you knew when and where to stop me, it had already happened before! So what occurred then? Did I manage to claim the Triforce as my own and you were sent back to stop me from succeeding? Answer me!"

Ganondorf violently shook Link as his head wobbled brutally from the shaking; he felt a massive headache creeping up the back of his skull. "You succeeded, yet…you failed." Link managed to utter.

Ganondorf dropped Link onto the cushion as he released Talon from his magical shackles. Malon rushed to her father's aid and pushed him back up against the wall to relax. With a snap, Ganondorf ordered Apolloni to resume her former position; she grimaced at the lack of blood spilled that day and skulked back to the other elders. As she sat down she sheathed her scimitars into their scabbards behind her back as she eyed Zelda with malice.

Ganondorf merely stared at Link, with a monotonous tone, "Explain."

Gently rubbing his sore neck, Link defiantly spoke, "You are not balanced Ganondorf. True, you succeeded and touched the Triforce…but you still failed. For you to have the full power of the Triforce, you need to have stable balance of power, wisdom and courage. You lacked that and so it split leaving you with only one piece of the whole!"

Ganondorf seethed at Link's insolence but he couldn't deny the information being yielded, this was invaluable and it explained a lot he didn't know about the Triforce. With a roar of rage, Ganondorf swirled around and raked his hands through the fire; flames shot up to the very ceiling of the chamber marking its passage with a black spot of soot. He was so close to figuring out his claim to the Triforce only to be stopped by something he couldn't control! Something he hadn't even considered in his most complex plans; the fact that the Triforce had a failsafe.

"Leave me." His voice was hushed but his intention was clear.

Zelda quickly braced one of Link's arms over her shoulder as she guided him out of the room; his legs wobbling with each step. Talon and Malon quickly followed suit; eager to be away from that awful man and his harem of cohorts. No sooner had they got outside the chamber that two guards rushed up to them.

"You are to follow us to your new accommodations." One of the females directed.

Link's mind was a bowl of mush. There was nothing left to give. The encounter with Ganondorf took all the mental fortitude Link had in him; he was exhausted from the meeting. Zelda stumbled as his legs gave out and he fell to the floor unconscious.


	25. Chapter 24 - A Prophecy Foretold

**Chapter 24 - A Prophecy Foretold**

Link's eyes flickered open to the dull sense of being touched; he couldn't quite place where he had felt the warmth of sensation. A tender squeeze of his hand finally woke him out of his lethargy. He groaned as the aching in his head beat something fierce inside his brain. Saria was standing next to him looking on with worry as he lay on the bed recessed into the wall. Sora buzzed in from atop her hair and landed directly onto his chest; with arms crossed, she leaned over to scold him.

"You scared all of us half to death fainting like that! If I was any bigger, I'd spank you like the bad child you are!" Sora scolded with an agitated flash of her wings.

Link smirked, "You weren't even there you little brat!" Sora gasped with indignation as Link continued before she could interrupt, "And it is a good thing I'm bigger than you, your swats hurt enough as it is!"

"Link!" Saria exclaimed.

"It's okay Saria, stand back. If he wants to be knocked out again, I can make that happen!" Sora started to roll up the leaves adorning her arms as she marched across his chest to pop him in the nose.

With a quick flip off the table, Link landed on his feet just as Saria hopped away from his sudden movement. Sora flew off to avoid being flung through the air with the force of his body. She was zooming back in for another pass when Saria stopped her; with a vexed huff Sora flew to Saria's shoulder and landed gently. Leaning against her ear, Sora shot a glare at Link.

Saria merely shook her head as she grinned, "Why must you always tease her like that Link? You two have been at each other's throats since you could talk!"

"Because she's just so funny to tease!" Link sat back onto the slab laughing.

"Humph! I've always persisted that Navi take another Kokiri rather than some Hylian. But would she listen?" Sora snorted, flicking her nose up in the air.

Pierced by the weight of her words, Link looked down at his feet in misery at the memories of Navi flooding back. When Navi first came to him that one morning, he had never been so excited in his entire life; finally a fairy of his own! He was to be a real Kokiri! Things never did seem to turn out the way one imagined them. He couldn't understand why she left him so abruptly without even saying a word; their job done, he had expected they would go off to live the rest of their lives together, two souls bound as one.

"That was a bit much Sora!" Saria chastised the sprite.

Sora's wings drooped, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize what I had said! I didn't mean it."

Without even looking up, Link sighed, "Yes, you did Sora. You said what you felt."

Sora hovered over to Link and softly flicked off the tear trailing down his cheek before nuzzling in the warmth of his neck. "I apologize from the depths of my little heart! So…do you forgive me?"

Link merely shifted his gaze to see the imploring look in Sora's eyes; he sat there in silence. After a moment she flew further into his view before asking again, "Do you forgive me?" Link still held his tongue and simply stared at the fairy who was trying her very best to look innocent. With a frenzy of wings, she buzzed closer to his face, "Do you? Do you? Do you? Do you?"

With each question Sora shifted her position and poked a finger into Link's cheeks; after the fourth time he couldn't stand it anymore. He broke out laughing as he swung his arms wildly through the air to defend himself against the rogue fairy that refused to leave him alone until he accepted her heartfelt apology. He buckled over onto the slab as the fairy assaulted his body, tickling him from top to bottom continually asking him, "Do you?"

"Saria, help! Call off your fairy, please!" Link howled with suffering.

"Nuh-uh!" Saria shook her head and folded her arms, "You teased her first and started this mess; you accept her apology first!"

"Saria! No…help!" Link's body went spastic as Sora dove into his sleeve and went for the armpit.

The chamber door slammed open abruptly emitting a shriek from Saria at the sudden explosion of sound; Talon trampled into the room looking for the unknown threat to Link's safety. Eyes swelling at the image of Link writhing across the adobe slab in abject agony, he rumbled over to assist in any way possible.

"Link! Tell me where it hurts! How can I help?" Talon exclaimed nervously.

Sora shot out of Link's tunic and down into Talon's with a yell, "No one is safe from my wrath!" She cackled maniacally.

"What the? Agh…No!" Talon yelled realizing what was really going on before dancing around the room trying to get the rabid fairy out of his clothes. Link heaved as he recovered from the intense tickling, laughing continually at Talon's plight.

Although Saria enjoyed the exciting show, she knew it was time to stop, "Sora. Get back here."

Sora emerged meekly from under Talon's collar and flew over to her companion. She exhaled, her hands cringing in mock villainy, "You're no fun! I almost had them at my mercy!"

"I know you did." Saria laughed as she held her hand out for Sora to land on.

Link turned to Talon after the merriment in the room subsided, "So what happened? Where have you been?"

Talon, trying to catch his breath still, "Phew…well ya collapsed on us Link. We thought ya had some fever or somethin'. Ya were taken here ta rest. You've been out fer an entire day m'boy!"

Link marveled at the news; it had only been early morning yesterday when he spoke with Ganondorf, "I've been out that long?" Talon and Saria nodded, he turned to her, "When did you get better?"

"Just this morning, I've been awake for a few hours." Saria explained, "I heard about what happened to you so I decided to stay by your side."

Link beamed affectionately, best friend indeed. With much appreciation, "Thanks Saria, that means a lot to me." He looked back at Talon, "So where are the others? What happened while I was out?"

Talon clapped his thigh, "Well wouldn't ya believe it! The Gerudo started being nice ta us; they gave Malon and me a funct'nal room with two beds," he paused briefly to indicate the alcove Link was sitting in, "well, as much as ya could consider those beds. And…erm…they put you and Zelda together as well." Talon looked slightly disapproving of the notion.

Saria interposed, "It is Zander now."

Talon grumbled at the correction, "Yes. Impa came ta me last night ta assist in keeping up the ruse. They all still think Zelda is a boy; we are ta call her Zander whenever we are in the presence of the other Gerudo. Malon is still restin' in our room, but Zelda might be off wandering the grounds."

Link's eyes widened at this news, "We are free to move about the fortress?"

Talon nodded, "Indeed, it is the darndest thing. Whatever it is ya said in there with Ganondorf must have changed their minds! Sure, the women still give me stares but they don't bother me none!" He seemed visibly relieved at this. "We can't leave the fortress though. Malon already tried that and was denied."

A rustle at the door focused all eyes onto Nabooru who filled the doorframe with her voluptuous body. Talon's face went red but hid it well with his gruff demeanor. The woman gazed in at the occupants before her eyes settled specifically on Link.

"Good to see you awake my young man." She grinned as she crooked a finger to signal him to follow.

"Wait a minute! Where ya taking him?" Talon was instantly suspicious.

Nabooru shot him a look before explaining, "You two may follow if you wish. There is nothing I'm going to show him that I wouldn't show the others. There are no secrets here."

"Humph!" Talon puffed as he stomped out of the room after them.

Nabooru weaved the group through the hallways of the fortress, slowly progressing deeper into the rock from which the fortress was carved. The frequency of guards became apparent the further they went. They saluted their leader as she swept past and nodded briefly at her guests. Some of the more stringent Gerudo felt violated at the intrusion of males in the fortress and gave glares at Talon. Link looked back awkwardly but Talon merely groused his disdain for them. Saria tugged on his shirt sleeve to snag his attention, it was given to her almost immediately.

"Yes, what is it Saria?" Talon questioned.

Saria looked up at him with penetrating eyes as she tried to catch up to his longer gait, "Why did you decide to follow us and see what Nabooru has to show us? Why are you angry all of a sudden?"

Knowing that she was still a young girl, he tried to control his fury. He breathed in deep and continued walking after the group for a while before turning to Saria again. "It's a long story, one I'm not rather keen on tellin' right now. Sorry for being gruff. But its adult business; nothing fer ya to be concerned about."

Saria, having living in a forest with other kids her age, had no concept of social etiquette. Having never backed down from a question once she asked it, she persisted in her best child-like voice, "Why did you decide to follow us and see what Nabooru has to show us? Why are you angry all of a sudden?"

Talon stopped in mid-stride clenching his fists, he was on the edge of his nerves. He must have patience with this little one, he reminded himself. "Never ya mind Saria." He growled and continued on. She had no need to know his private affairs and what the Gerudo did to him. He kept his eyes forward on Nabooru as she guided Link onward through the passage.

Saria was more curious than ever; completely missing the cues that Talon did not want to talk about the issue, she caught up with him and tugged once more on his sleeve, "Why did you decide to follow us and see what Nabooru has-"

Saria squealed as Talon roughly swooped her up by the shoulders and brought her level to his eyes. She winced at his strong grip and shied away from his intense brown eyes which seemed to be staring into her very soul. Sora flapped quickly into his face to ward off his fury.

"You put her down this instant, you big brute!" Sora demanded, her light flashing dangerously.

Talon's eyes glazed as he realized what he was doing; shaking his head as if to brush off whatever had come over him, he gently put her down. Mumbling a quick apology, he resumed walking faster so he could keep pace with Nabooru and Link who were slowly gaining distance on them. After a time, following the twists and turns of the fortress, Talon replied without looking at Saria; knowing full well that she was listening to his every word.

"If ya want ta know, I plan ta have a chat with Nabooru tonight outside her room. If ya want ta sneak by and eavesdrop our conversation, that's fine by me." He spun around to face her before whispering, "Just do not tell a soul! Understand?"

Saria nodded energetically as she finally got an acceptable answer to her question. They resumed walking towards the end of the corridor where Nabooru and Link were waiting somewhat impatiently for them. As they arrived, Nabooru drew out a key from the folds of her inner leggings right in front of Link, which made him blush. Talon caught this and knew she did this on purpose, like everything else she does. She gave Talon a wicked smile before turning to the door to unlock it; she pushed it open to reveal darkness inside.

She ignited the torch hanging on the wall just outside the doorframe and went inside first. She gestured to Link and the others to come in as she strapped the torch into a wall receptacle to keep it secure. It was a simple white-wash room of hardened clay quite unlike the rest of the Gerudo fortress. The space was small enough so that the lone torch illuminated the entire chamber. Adjacent to the torch was a wall mural which appeared to be the subject of Nabooru's attention.

"I brought you here to see this." Nabooru pointed at the mural. "This was discovered not more than a month ago; however with recent events with Ganondorf, Naar and other things…" She paused.

Talon interrupted before she could continue, "So what's the big deal? It's just a painting your people made at some point in time."

She threw a dirty look his way before promptly ignoring the comment, "This was not made by us, or rather by anyone alive in our domain today. We found this single room while we were expanding the fortress; our builders stumbled across it. It is as if someone or something built this room by itself in the solid rock, closed it up and left it here with this mural on the wall." She stopped to marvel at the thought as it sank into the minds of the others, "Some of my fellow elders believe this is a holy place and that this mural is some kind of prophecy. What is most striking about this is that it is written in no language I have ever seen."

Link asked the obvious question, "Why show us this? Isn't it a bad thing to show outsiders what you think is a holy place?"

All eyes swiveled to Nabooru. She regarded Link with an acute eye before speaking deliberately, "We Gerudo are only versed in a very limited range of languages. I was hoping one of you might have some clue as to what it all means."

Talon purported firmly, "So you're showing this ta us without Ganondorf knowin'?"

Nabooru curtly nodded, "I do things my own way. Although," she cogitated with a smile, "it does get me in trouble at times."

Saria had been quiet this entire time but she was the first to approach the mural; her mouth moving in unseen words as she placed a hand upon the wall. Nabooru's eyes cautiously followed the Kokiri's movements as the girl traced her hand across the mural. Link was clueless as to what was going on, he wasn't sure what Saria was seeing or understanding.

"Do you know what it says?" Nabooru inquired.

Her eyes fixed on the painting, Saria intoned in a voice that was deeper than her own yet still retained a quality of child-like innocence, "The one who stands outside of time shall claim the Triforce of Power as his own." Her hand touched the figure floating high above the plains in the sky; the most striking feature of the man was the bloodshot eyes. Saria's hand shifted over to the other figure in the sky opposing the first, "A demon of the old world shall claim the world's hope and wage war amongst the living."

Link shivered as he looked on the second figure, the only thing that was evident was the expansive set of black wings jutting from its back. The others started to notice Sora flittering about Saria's head, getting more and more agitated.

"Make her stop! Please make her stop!" Sora squeaked.

Link made a move to pull Saria out of the dream-like trance she was in but Nabooru stopped him; she wanted to hear this. Talon frowned at her but she paid him no mind.

Saria droned onward unaware of the dispute in the room, "Wyrms from the deep shall rise again to rain fire and brimstone onto the land, guided by their masters." Her hands trailed the lengths of the drawn bodies resembling serpents spewing flames onto the people below. "Two armies shall come together in a bloody tide that will shape the world for the Twili to rise again."

"The Twili?" Link had never heard the term. Nabooru merely shrugged.

With the prophecy complete, Saria collapsed to the floor in a heap. Link surged ahead to catch her fall as Sora was near hysteria at what had transpired. Nabooru stepped past them as she examined the mural once more; with this new information it started to make some sense. Talon looked down at Saria in obvious concern.

"I think I'm going ta take Saria back ta her room" Talon murmured. With a pregnant pause in which he stared at Nabooru, Talon lifted the unconscious Kokiri smoothly into his arms and carried her out of the chamber.

Nabooru and Link continued to stare at the mural. He gingerly placed a hand on the wall next to the flying man with dark wings. Almost expecting it to bite him, he was relieved to discover that nothing happened as his hands pressed against the cold wall. It was merely a painting on the chill, alabaster wall. His eyes were drawn inexorably to the man with the bloodshot eyes; he couldn't quite place where he recognized that defining feature.

Almost mesmerized by the painting, Nabooru disrupted his reverie, "This is clearly the Nevachrean army." She pointed at the army on the right, raging across the plains. "They are all similar in nature and some of them don't have arms or heads. That might allude to how they can't die." She looked over to the army on the left but was confused, "This army is made up of a variety of men, none of them the same. I do not know what country this army represents."

Link pointed to the wyrms flying through the air, "What about these?"

Nabooru placed a hand to her chin as she considered, "I don't think it's possible. I believe those may be dragons, but they all died out at the hands of the Gorons centuries ago." She gestured to the two combatants in the air, "I haven't a clue who these represent." She turned to Link, "Did you know Saria could read this script?"

Link shook his head, "I had no idea." He truly didn't. Saria had shocked them all with her perfect understanding of the mural.

Nabooru turned back to the painting, "I'm glad I know what it says, but none of it seems to be anything positive."

Link chuckled nervously, "You can say that again."

She smiled at his mirth even during this time of uncertainty. Suddenly a guard was heard running down the hall before barging into the room; Nabooru glared at the intrusion only to see a necklace of pure obsidian around the guard's neck. Necklaces were meant to convey immediate meanings based on the seriousness of the message. All Gerudo messengers wore a necklace pertaining to the information they were carrying, with white being the least important while red was the highest priority reserved only for threats to the very core of their society. Obsidian was just beneath red; Nabooru rushed up to the messenger.

"Lady Nabooru! A young girl is being held at the front gates by an envoy from the army." The guard reported.

Nabooru grimaced at the news, "I thought it was important, why did you come to bother me about some envoy and his petty hostage? Just fill them with arrows and send them on their way." Link smoldered at Nabooru, she simply ignored it.

The guard stammered, "The envoy says it is a Kokiri girl he wishes to deliver to us in good faith."

Link's jaw dropped, another Kokiri was still alive! He dashed out of the room before Nabooru could stop him. Both Nabooru and the messenger chased after Link as he made his way to the front gates. In their rush to meet this unknown threat, none were aware of Saria's fairy still lying on the ground; her light was dimly glowing in the waning radiance of the torch. Sora's breaths were heavy and slow as she was rooted to the floor in terror as she gazed up at the one thing no one else saw. High up in the corner of the mural just outside the range of the flickering flames was a huge circle with a grinning mouth.


	26. Chapter 25 - The Message

**Chapter 25 - The Message**

All crossbows were aimed at his heart; the man looked on indifferently at the commotion he had caused. Slumped over the pommel of his horse of darkness was a nude form unrecognizable under its tangled mess of hair. He had made no move to retreat or proceed further into their deadly range; instead he was waiting on someone who could actually make a decision. He skimmed the ramparts as he saw movement out of the corner of his eye; the young boy, Link, had surged to the edge and was looking down upon him.

Link's rage bubbled to the surface as he saw Thanan sitting arrogantly on his horse, completely at ease with the stares of a hundred killers ready to fill him with arrows. He noticed a small body drooping in front of the man; one of his hands was casually placed on her back to keep her steady in the saddle. Link wanted so badly to slice that hand off and prevent him from touching another Kokiri again.

Nabooru managed to catch up with him at the top and gazed over to see the object of everyone's interest. The man smiled back at her revealing the ghastly scars at the corners of his mouth, realizing she was one with enough authority to speak for the others. Urging his horse forward several paces, several of the women shifted uneasily as they awaited direction from Nabooru. The tension in the air was thick as the sun beat mercilessly on their heads.

"Finally, here is someone who can make a damn decision." Thanan mocked.

Nabooru stepped in front of Link, brushing him to the side as she confronted the man from on high; Link sidled over down a few guards to get a better view. "What do you want with the Gerudo? Speak fast or your life is forfeit." Nabooru commanded.

Thanan let out a laugh, "How I love threats, they sound so very hollow when spoken by someone who can't deliver."

Nabooru bristled; she was not used to being ridiculed so insouciantly like this. She raised one hand as several archers aimed down their sights in preparation for the shot.

Thanan rolled his eyes, "Oh please, spare me the bravado. Shall I show you just how useless this all is?"

He swept his hand through the air at them. With one swift movement, he summoned a rapier into his opposing hand and sliced off his arm at the elbow. Some Gerudo gasped in shock as his forearm fell onto the sand, blood spilling from the open wound over the unfortunate body in front of him. Nabooru narrowed her eyes as he casually stabbed the arm from the ground with his rapier and roughly placed it back onto his stump. Within minutes it had fully healed without so much as a mark outside of the dried blood around the initial cut.

The rapier vanished into a black mist as he spread his arms out wide with a flourish, "You see? It is useless to kill me; for I cannot die. So shall we get to business?" Thanan leered at Nabooru.

At a signal from Nabooru, all sentries lowered their crossbows. "What is it you want with us?" She demanded; her voice laced with venom.

"I've come to offer a truce between our peoples. I see that you are well supplied, armed and defended. We do not wish to fight you if we do not have to." Nabooru scoffed, but Thanan pressed on, "If we can come to an agreement, we can live side by side in prosperity. As a good will token, we are returning one of the few Kokiri left alive. We do not wish to see any one race wiped from this good, green earth." His voice was like silky poison.

Nabooru took one look at the tattered corpse he called a Kokiri and vilely laughed, "That's rich! How can we expect you will treat us any different than that pitiful thing you have there? How do we know we can trust you?"

Thanan leaned over, resting his arms across the poor Kokiri's head before remarking, "You don't. But I assure you that if you do not agree to the truce, you will end up like this pathetic piece of flesh."

Nabooru's resolve stood firm, "No deal. Leave now or suffer consequences."

Thanan sniggered, "Have it your way, my lady." Emphasizing his last words to her, he grabbed the body in front by the hair; with a heave he threw it towards the closed gates. It hit the ground rolling before coming to a rest with arms and legs splayed at awkward angles. Some of the women were disgusted at his treatment of what appeared to be a little girl.

Thanan mockingly bowed in the saddle, "Consider this a gesture of good faith from me. Until the next time we meet, fare thee well!" With a smirk he wheeled the horse around before galloping down the path and leaping over the gorge.

Link surged down the brick steps and started banging on the barricaded doors demanding they be open. No one would listen to him and simply ignored his pleas for assistance; his hands started to ache from hitting the doors so hard. Nabooru calmly descended the steps and presently stood a pace away from Link; looking at his abject misery at not being able to reach his Kokiri friend.

"You need to learn the ways of our people and fast Link." Nabooru intoned, "We simply just don't open our doors for any visitor that comes to call. First we secure the area and make sure that man is gone and then make sure that what he left us isn't a trap."

Although Nabooru's comments made perfect sense, it didn't help rationalize the situation at hand; one of his friends was out there and possibly needed immediate medical attention! Link slammed his back into the door in frustration as he slid down to the sand; sitting there with his knees up to his chest, he started crying. Nabooru merely looked on, allowing him to release his grief; it would do no good to coddle it or ease it away.

Zelda walked up to Link and knelt down beside him, holding his hand close to her heart; word had gotten around the fortress of the encounter at the gates. Link looked up at her and noticed her attire had changed; the Gerudo had make-shifted some clothes for a young boy. She wore loose ivory leggings that billowed out with the breeze; a plain leather belt separated the leggings from her white shirt which sported a huge v-neck down to her navel.

Link colored furiously at the amount of skin she was exposing; she seemed to notice his reaction and leaned in close to whisper, "They still think I'm a boy, this is what they chose for me to wear."

Link nodded numbly, "I know Zel…Zander." Zelda smiled at him when he called her by the new name, "Just not used to you wearing those types of clothes."

She looked down on herself briefly, "To be honest, I'm not overly comfortable with it either, but Impa has a reason to deceive them. So let's keep up the lie shall we?"

Nabooru regarded the two boys from a distance as they sat together whispering; something was obviously going on between those two, she just couldn't figure out what. Several minutes went by when a scout leapt down from above and relayed a message to Nabooru. With a gesture of her hands, the two guards began opening the gates. She quickly shooed Link and Zelda off to the side and assigned a woman to be beside them to ensure they didn't escape.

Link tried to avert his eyes as best he could, but he could do nothing to quell his boiling anger at the sight before him. The Gerudo woman had returned from retrieving the body; she wasn't holding a Kokiri, but a pitiful husk of flesh. The girl had no energy left to move; barely enough strength for even a little modesty. A small grimy rag was tied scantly around her waist for she lacked any other form of clothing; even that barely covered anything at all.

There were bruises, cuts and swollen blood pores spread all across her body; she had been badly tortured. What infuriated Link more was the sickening trails of blood that stained her inner thighs and covered her womanhood. From what he could tell, she had been cut up and her very dignity had been mutilated beyond recognition. Link turned away to wretch, it was too much.

Zelda gasped at the sight and turned to lean on Link as she sobbed bitterly. This was not the Kokiri girl they were expecting; it was a mere piece of meat. Cut up, eaten and spit out for the dogs to scavenge. Forcing herself to look again at the poor girl only intensified the waves of nausea that was creeping into her stomach. It was beyond anything she had even heard of, beyond any torture imaginable.

Nabooru was stunned into traumatized silence at the gruesome sight that was before her. The Gerudo women expressed sympathy and rage in their eyes, for they know how great one's womanhood is and to have that mutilated is of the utmost disgrace to the Gerudo. As they turned the poor girl into a more fitting position in the guard's arms, they noticed some writing carved into her back; the vile pigs felt it sensible to tell them her name in blood, Kiera.

Nabooru barked, "Who would do this abomination to this poor girl?! This is an outrage! No man or woman who did this should come away unscathed!"

Link cleaned the remainder of the bile from his mouth before standing back up to his full height on shaky legs, nausea still tempting to claim hold of him. "I think I know who did it." Link offered.

Nabooru's gaze swept down on Link like a hawk attacking its prey; She pounded up to him with wrath in her eyes as if she didn't recognize him; so clouded was her emotions.

Link winced under that scrutiny but continued, "General Naar, the leader of the Nevachrean army. I believe he is the one who could have done this."

Nabooru fumed, "Then by my honor, I shall avenge this poor girl. When I am through with Naar, he'll be begging me to cut it off! That filthy cur!"

Zelda composed herself and tried very hard not to glance in the direction of the poor Kokiri husk, "I think this is a message."

With seething anger in her voice at having things explained to her by a boy, Nabooru snapped, "What?!"

Link filled in for Zelda as it seemed she was about to be attacked, "If you knew how big this army was," Nabooru's head swiveled to Link, "then it is reasonable to assume all prisoners are kept near the center of it. There is no way she could have escaped on her own without some help. I was also a prisoner of that awful camp, they simply wouldn't let any of them go without just cause. They would like to use them then lose them. I believe Naar did this on purpose to send us a message."

Nabooru grilled Link angrily, "And what message would that be?"

Link merely shrugged. After a few seconds of silence, they all were startled when a deep voice bellowed out behind them.

"What is going on here? Close the gates now you idiots! Why are we all standing around here giving anyone a chance to slip in here unnoticed?" Ganondorf roared.

Within seconds the guards were manipulating the mechanisms that swung the gates closed. Ganondorf strode up to the group as they looked on uncertainly at what he would do next. His piercing gaze swept past Nabooru and Zelda, held briefly on Link before turning to the object of everyone's concern. Ganondorf looked visibly shaken as he scrutinized the lifeless body in the woman's arms; never had he seen such brutality, he would never consider doing this to any of his people. Steeling his eyes he stepped forward to the woman and gestured to transfer the body into his arms.

"Who did this?" He demanded. Link marveled at how gentle he was being with the Kokiri; he had no idea that Ganondorf actually had compassion!

Nabooru stepped forward, "My lord, it has been reported that General Naar of the Nevachrean army has done this."

Ganondorf was about to speak when a small movement guided his attention to the pitiable creature in his arms; the girl was still breathing! Eyes darting to the nearest guard, "You, get all of our healers and gather them together. Go! Quickly!"

Ganondorf looked up at the parapets before shouting, "Everyone take up battle positions around the fort and have a perimeter of 2 miles on all sides. No one goes in or out!" He swung his chin in Nabooru's direction, "Take two of your best swordswomen and take all the apprentices to the upper archery range, they need the practice. Train them daily from now on!"

He finally looked over at Apolloni who had just walked up beside him beaming at his commanding form, "Go grab that excuse of a man that we brought and see if the coot has come up with the weapons we asked for. If he needs anything for his experiments, make sure he gets his hands on it! If these weapons are as good as he says, I do not want it falling into the hands of the enemy."

The Gerudo scattered in all directions to carry out his orders. Ganondorf took one last look at Link and Zelda before turning back to the fortress with the Kokiri in his arms. They were left alone as the rest of the fortress was abuzz with activity. Unsure of how much a hindrance they would be to salvaging the poor girl, they walked off in silence. At length they wandered over to the stables at the far end of the compound; the sun was starting to set as they walked into the musky building. Several horses neighed at their entrance but it was not them they had come to see.

As they rounded one of the stalls, a cheerful whinny directed their attention to Epona; she had spotted Link and was overjoyed at seeing him once again! Next to her was Malon, calmly grooming her fur with an oak brush. She turned to the visitors and smiled at the two of them.

"Hey, you two." She emitted warmly.

"Did you hear what happened?" Link asked.

Malon merely nodded. How could one not hear about the intruder at the front gates bringing along a Kokiri prisoner? She simply chose not to go with the others; it would serve no point in seeing something like that. Malon kind of knew what to expect based on what had almost happened to her at that horrid camp and she was not willing to see the end result of it; far better to stay here in the solace of the animals around her.

Realizing she wasn't going to fully answer, he changed the subject, "Whatever happened to your horse you were going to raise?"

"You mean Harden?" She brightened, "He is over in the next stall! You want to see him?"

Link nodded. Excited she dumped the brush in Zelda's hand as Epona nickered irritated that her brushing had stopped. Malon paid her no mind as she grabbed Link's hand and began to lead him out of the stall.

"Excuse me?" Zelda broached.

"Hmm?" Malon turned around quizzically, clearly not seeing a problem.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Zelda asked, quite annoyed.

Malon had forgotten her manners! Of course Zelda never worked on a ranch, she wouldn't know what to do with that. "Okay, you see, your hand goes through this loop and-"

Zelda jerked her hand back from Malon's, "I know what it is and what to do with it! I'm just wondering why I'm stuck here with the horse. What if I wanted to see Harden too?"

Link remembered the conversation he had with Zelda at the castle almost a week ago; it seemed like ages to him. He could see the altercation turning south quick, he quickly butted in, "Um…maybe we can come back another time to see him, right?"

Malon looked slightly unnerved but recovered, "No, it's okay. Let's all go to see Harden."

She grabbed the brush from Zelda and tossed it aside onto the hay as she led them both to the next stall. Epona whickered at the sight of her owner leaving her without so much as a hug, but she dared not get up due to the splints on her legs. As the three walked over, Link noticed the plain, white dress Malon was wearing as she led them; so they had redressed her too. The only one not fully dressed as a Gerudo yet was him! Lying down sleeping soundly was Harden; they quietly came up to him and sat next to him. He woke with a start as they placed several hands on him; he calmly fell back asleep as they began stroking his luxurious fur.

After a few moments Link stated, "I still think it's a stupid name."

Malon shoved him roughly as he fell backwards giggling, "You stop that! It is a perfectly fine name!"

Zelda chimed in trying to be a part of the conversation, "I agree with Malon, it is probably better than anything you could come up with."

Malon glanced at Zelda in surprise before smiling, "I like her already!" She turned back to Link, "That's right! I doubt you could come up with anything better!"

Link sat back up with a stupid grin on his face, "How about Appa?"

Both girls scrunched their noses at his awful suggestion, "Get real Link!" Malon laughed.

"What?" Link shrugged with his hands up, "I can make perfectly fine name suggestions! I named Epona didn't I?"

"Nuh-uh, fairy boy!" Zelda looked a little hurt at Malon calling him that special name, "If you remember, I had named her that long before you claimed her as yours!" Malon laughed.

It was like watching two best friends fight, but not really mean it; she looked back and forth at the banter between the two of them. Zelda couldn't compete with the history these two shared, she felt like a third wheel to the trio. She desperately wanted to be a firm part of Link's life but things always got so awkward with Malon around. Why did she have to be friends with him?

It was unclear how long they had talked, but the last rays of sun were filtering into the stall as Impa quietly emerged from the shadows, practically scaring Malon half to death. "Does she do this often?" Malon exclaimed after she caught her breath.

It was Zelda's turn to laugh, "I'm afraid so."

Impa was not laughing, she had come to bring a message to the group; they all grew quiet as she spoke, "The doctors could do nothing for the Kokiri girl. She is dead."

Zelda gasped as she placed a hand to her lips; Link's eyes began to well with tears as Malon took solace in rubbing Harden. Was Saria really the last Kokiri remaining in the world? How would their race ever come back from this devastating blow? All three of them were lost in their thoughts at the gravity of Kiera's death. The girl Link had known growing up but whom the other two barely even knew.

Impa gently placed a hand on Zelda's shoulder, "It is time you retire to your room Zelda."

Zelda torpidly dipped her head in concession at Impa's advice; she stood up and turned to Link with a hopeful tone in her voice, "Are you coming Link?"

He moodily declined, "No thanks." He picked himself up and walked over to Epona's stall. "I think I'm going to sleep out here with my horse."

Malon chimed in, "I think I'm going to stay out here and sleep next to Harden tonight too."

Impa cleared her throat, "No Malon. You are coming with me back to your father."

Malon stomped her foot as she crossed her arms, "What, Link can stay out here and I can't?"

"That's correct." Impa confirmed coolly.

Impa motioned for her to follow; Malon stormed off after them pouting as the three made their way back to the fortress compound. Link was a bit disappointed that he wouldn't have someone to talk to tonight but figured it was for the best. He stretched out beside Epona and leaned back against her belly. She reached around and nipped at his hair lovingly as he stroked her neck.

"At least I have you to keep me company, huh girl?" Link said as he scratched the underside of Epona's chin; she neighed in pleasure.

After a few minutes of bonding they settled down to sleep. Link shifted to get more comfortable against Epona's side before draping a nearby horse cover over him like a blanket. Within minutes he could sense a low rumble behind him; he grinned knowing she had fallen asleep already. He was left alone to his thoughts. It was several hours before he finally shut his eyes and slept.


	27. Chapter 26 - Visitors in the Night

**Chapter 26 - Visitors in the Night**

It had been a long, tireless evening. The healer flopped onto the nearby chair as she rested her head on the slab that had acted as the operating table. They all had worked briskly on the poor Kokiri girl, trying to save her life. It seemed the more they repaired the wounds, more would simply expose themselves and start leaking blood and pus. Many of the healers had despaired several times during the whole process; a few couldn't even finish, so repulsed they were at what had been brutally done to the girl.

It was just starting to get dark outside when the poor Kokiri breathed her last, it was almost heartbreaking. She sluggishly turned her head over to one of her caretakers before sweetly smiling; that woman could do nothing but cry as the dying girl comforted her saying 'it would be okay.' With one last shudder, the Kokiri had exhaled and then lay still. It shook the healers to the core at what had transpired in front of them.

In time, all the healers flowed out to their respective quarters for the night; leaving the one woman the little girl had talked to crying by her side. Slowly drifting off into slumber, she was awoken by a slight sucking sound; as if someone was inhaling with water in their mouth. The Gerudo looked around for the source of the sound before identifying it coming from the dead Kokiri corpse in front of her.

The healer's eyes popped open as she discerned various blood pores gone from the nude body; the girl's skin was slowly healing itself at an unnatural rate! A tart odor immediately filled the air as some squishing was heard; the woman stood quickly as the chair was knocked to the floor in her haste. What in Din was going on here? She noticed some black fluid seeping from the girl's womanhood; intrigued, she went to have a closer look.

* * *

><p>"You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?" The melodious voice crooned.<p>

Link jerked awake at the sound as he scanned the stables for its source; fumbling with the horse cover draped over him, Link tried to sit up proper as he strained to see in the dark recesses of the room with only the candlelight to go by. A rustle to his right riveted his attention where he saw a youthful man sitting on a nearby stool examining a mask; Link yelped before flipping over trying to gain distance between them. Epona was strangely quiet, if not still sleeping.

Involuntarily reaching behind his back for a sword that wasn't there; Link was up on one knee ready to spring on the intruder. Breathing heavily he interrogated the man, "Who are you? What do you want?"

Without bothering to look up from the mask, the man replied in a sing-song voice, "The first is irrelevant, the second is a bit harder to answer."

Wary of the unknown visitor, Link stayed where he was. "Answer what you can." Link insisted.

"What I want…" The man began slowly, "is to restore balance."

Link cocked his head at this unexpected answer, "I'm sorry?"

The man tilted his head to look over in Link's direction, it was so subtle that he barely noticed the movement until the man's gaze was on him; Link shivered unwillingly. The man smiled at Link before humming, "Mmmm…yes, I believe the balance you severed; quite fascinating how you were able to do such a thing."

Link was at a loss for words at the accusations this man was pitching at him. "I…don't understand."

Carefully fondling the mask cradled in his arms, whether out of habit or a nervous tic, Link was not sure which. "Because of you, I am required to set in motion pieces that must do their role for the greater good. You are that first piece Link." The man stated with sincere firmness.

"What are you going to do to me?" Link asked suspiciously, he still wasn't sure who this man was or what he wanted; all he knew was that he had a familiar look about him.

The man looked back at the mask, "To you? Nothing. I am, however, going to give you something."

With this innocent gesture of holding out the mask, the flood of memories burst forth from the dam in Link's head; the mask staring him down was unlike anything of this world. Fractured images flashed behind his eyes of a doomed world, people dying, souls that needed healing, and above all a grand apocalypse from the sky. The horned mask with the bloodshot eyes burned holes in Link's retina; it was hideous to gape at, but he couldn't force himself to look away.

"Go on, it is yours to protect." The man urged the mask forward insisting Link accept it.

The man's voice hurled Link out of his spiraling dread as he looked up at the man, finally recognizing him for who he was, "You! I remember you now!"

"Do you now?" The man questioned, the smile smeared across his face unchanging.

Link's eyes flicked down to the mask briefly before looking back at the man, "I don't want that. It is dangerous and I know what it can do."

A trifling crease appeared on the man's brow but did little to diminish his seemingly cheerful demeanor, "I'm afraid that is not an option you have Link. You will take it and you will keep it safe."

"Wasn't the evil inside it destroyed?" Link said bewildered at how the mask could still be filled with malice.

"Was it?" The man stated vacuously.

Link shied away from the mask as it was held out further his direction, "Why can't you keep it? What makes you think I'd be able to keep it safe?"

The man turned away as if deep in thought, "I recall that I was robbed once of this precious mask. I do not wish for that to happen again. Because of who you are, where you are and where you must go, the mask is safest in your possession at this moment in time."

With much trepidation, Link asked the question he was dreading the answer to, "Am I supposed to wear this mask?"

The man laughed heartily, "Ho, ho, ho! I do not believe that would work out well for you. No, the true bearer of this mask has yet to be revealed. I believe you will be the one to find its rightful owner."

"Then what do I do with it?" Link asked.

"Who knows?" The man shrugged, his smile widening, "I trust your judgment when that time comes. Now take it."

Link edged closer to the creepy man and tentatively stretched out a hand; he couldn't quite force himself to fully grasp the mask, so the man finished the job for him and shoved it onto Link's outstretched arm. Instantly the whispers from the mask inundated Link's mind; the eyes seemed to glow as they tried to suck him into a decision there would be no escape from.

"It will only take a moment…place it on…there is no harm in that." The mask soothed.

Link felt himself slipping forward towards the mask when the man brought him back to his senses, "I'd watch out for its lies if I were you. Keep it hidden, keep it safe. Always travel with it; only then can opportunity present itself." He chortled softly to himself.

Link trembled as he set the mask down, eager to be free of the murmurs in his ears. "So no one is to know I have this mask?" Link queried, feeling a bit better after having released the mask from his grip.

The man nodded in agreement, "That is correct." He lifted a finger, "There are also several other points I must impress upon you before I see myself off."

Link feared what more would be asked of him by this strange man, "Is it more masks?"

The man shook his head, the smile never changing, "When you come of age Link, you must leave here and head southeast to Nevachrea; what you will find there will be of grave importance to this world."

Link sighed, "Why can't you just tell me outright what I'm looking for?"

"Ho, ho, ho! My dear Link, I merely tell you what you need, not what you want. Learn the difference." The man promptly corrected.

"So is that it?" Link exhaled, wanting this cryptic conversation to be over.

A small shake of the head sagged Link's hopes, "I'm afraid not. You must further convince two mortal enemies to make peace or you may never overcome the impending doom that will befall Hyrule."

"You mean it hasn't already?" Link said exasperated.

The man simply kept his grin; with a grunt he heaved himself off the stool. He leaned over to pick up his satchel of masks and slung it over his shoulder. He turned to Link before departing, "I am placing a lot of trust in you to help restore the balance; I pray that my faith is not misplaced. Shall I deliver the mask to your room for later?"

"What?" Link was perplexed at what the man had meant.

Just then a high-pitched scream rent the air, jolting him out of his nightmare. He quickly looked over to where he had laid the mask down but it was no longer there. Link breathed a sigh of relief; it was all just a dream. Another scream followed the first galvanizing him to action; he flung off the horse cover and bolted out of the stables.

* * *

><p>Her eyes opened for no apparent reason, but her dream was horrifying. She couldn't get the pictures and the dissonance of sound out of her mind. It was boring a hole of insanity that she could not escape from; beating wings; the flapping of wings. What did it mean? The malevolent grin loomed into view, always taunting her. The wings beating louder and louder until she thought her ears would burst. The figure turned and revealed a face she did not want to see; it rushed towards her with the intent to kill. She woke up.<p>

Saria lay on her bed a few minutes waiting for her breathing to slow down; her forehead was perspiring with sweat. She rolled out of her stone bed and hopped the short distance to the ground. She poked at her clothes on her left breast, "Sora? You awake? Come out!" She checked.

Nothing. She thought that was strange. Ever since their reunion, Sora had never been too far away from her. Sora was always there when she needed her; a dear and loyal friend to confide in. The fact she was nowhere nearby was a bit disconcerting. Her heart thrummed its strings trying to locate her; Sora wasn't too far away, but the response was weak. She was a little despondent about the whole matter but decided not to press the issue. If Sora wanted some space to herself this evening, that was her business; it was just odd that she was gone at all.

Suddenly remembering the talk she had with Talon earlier, she carefully sneaked out of her room; unsure if the Gerudo had orders to keep her there for 'rest.' She stifled a laugh at how easy it was to get by the guards with her small form. All Kokiri had the innate ability to make themselves invisible; or rather force a way of perception. They had the talent to appear quite uninteresting to anyone who wasn't looking closely at them. So those who were gazing in their direction wouldn't see anything of interest and would not be able to distinguish them from the background. It required some mental effort on the Kokiri to maintain the ruse however; mass distraction would ruin the effect.

Recalling the path she traveled with Talon earlier that day just before she visited Link, she navigated the multi-level fortress to where she thought Talon's room was. Sure enough, rounding the corner, she spotted Talon just outside his chamber apparently waiting for someone. She quickly ducked into a doorway as he glanced in her direction; doing her best to appear dull as she peaked out to listen in on what could be unfolding.

It seemed like hours Talon stood waiting there; Malon was obviously asleep. Saria had to stretch numerous times to get the kinks out of her body from standing so long. Finally footfalls were heard echoing out of the corridor opposite Talon; he rose up from his reclining position against the wall to face the visitor. As expected, Nabooru came out of the darkness into the torchlight and stood a pace away from him. An unrecognizable look was on his face; it was almost apathetic.

Nabooru spoke first in silky tones, "When I first saw you, I had almost thought you had come wanting another child."

She laughed while Talon merely grumbled, "I will admit, I am grateful fer ya assisting us in escaping. I did not want her ta be raised by the Gerudo. She is my daughter and I want her ta be raised in my-"

Nabooru raised a hand to silence him, "I understood then as I understand now. It is hard to let a loved one go, especially your own child. You must understand. I've had over six children already, so I really can't feel that much of an attachment to any of them; even more so when they are living here with me in the fortress and I can go see them whenever I please."

"Do ya use them like ya use the other apprentices?" Talon spat with disgust.

Nabooru had to suppress a laugh, "For Din's sake no, we all are aware of each other's children; we split the wealth of the young between other Gerudo. It is our way; it is what we've always done. The children are community property of everyone but our own. We must be willing to give up our offspring for the sake of the rest."

"Sounds like a messed up society ta me." Talon griped; arms still folded tight across his chest.

Nabooru looked away briefly before confirming his assertion, "I agree that not all aspects of our culture are ideal; but we must survive somehow. It is not easy living in a society that can only give birth to a single boy every few hundred years. Even then, that king who is borne to us may not always lead our people in the right direction." She bowed her head as she thought of all the practices Ganondorf instated since becoming king of the Gerudo.

Talon looked slightly guilty after hearing her confession, "It's been tough on us at the ranch. I had ta always hide ta Malon the true origins of her mother. I was 'fraid that if she knew her heritage that she'd want ta leave me and come here ta be a Gerudo. I…I didn't want ta lose her. So I lied ta her saying ya had died in childbirth."

She smiled fondly at Talon and placed a caressing hand to his cheek, he did not resist. "Poor man, I did not mean to have your life stolen from you for over a year. I did not mean to bring hardship in your life."

He looked into her eyes with the start of tears, "It is not ya fault, it is the other women who captured me and abused me. Ya were the only one who listened ta me."

Her eyes creased in love for the man standing in front of her, baring his heart, "We've grown soft as a people. Back then we would have killed intruders on the spot; now we only take them prisoner, induct them into Gerudo society or use them as breeding stock if they are male. You realize that if it weren't for my interference that one night, you probably would have been killed."

Talon brushed her comment aside, "I'm sorry fer being rude earlier. I'm happy ya did what ya did. If it weren't fer ya, I wouldn't have my beautiful daughter Malon. I wouldn't trade her fer the world."

Saria held back her shock as Nabooru and Talon embraced with a passionate kiss; memories of their long nights years ago coming back in waves. Their arms feeling familiar bodies that were intertwined so long ago; their internal lust reawakened within the two of them. Talon realized what could happen and forced himself to push away. Nabooru looked slightly hurt.

"You do not like me anymore?" She asked confused.

Talon sighed, "No. It's not that. I just don't think we should be havin' another child during such grave times."

Still holding him in her arms, she nodded in agreement. "You know we Gerudo drink a special herbal tea so that doesn't happen." She playfully smiled at him, hoping to entice him once again.

Talon's eyes bulged slightly, "That's possible?" Nabooru grinned wickedly.

"We Gerudo decide when to have a child." They parted as another thought crossed her mind. "Talon? Can I see my daughter? I mean…_our_ daughter?"

With a warm smile he gently pressed the door inward and showed her in. Talon left the door slightly ajar guessing Saria was nearby; not missing the brazen opportunity, she hustled to the door and peeked through the open crack practically giddy at watching something secret.

Nabooru slowly stepped up to the bed where her little girl was sleeping soundly. Her brilliant, red hair splayed out across her pillow; shimmering even in the dim candle light. Nabooru knelt on one knee and put her hand over Malon's small arm. Silently she watched her daughter's chest rise and fall with controlled breathing. Nabooru smiled as she felt a trickle dance across her cheek. The daughter she gave up to Talon was back home with her; she didn't know why this child of hers was special. Why was this girl more unique than all the others she birthed? Why was she effected so?

Presently, she rose up and whispered into his ear, "I've made arrangements with the elders to have you as my personal manservant if you so desire." She backed away as he stared at her dumbfounded.

"What does that mean?" Talon probed.

Hands behind her back, teetering like a young school girl, she explained thickly, "It means only I can have you. You will not have to put up with anyone but me."

Saria strained to hear the rest of the conversation as they whispered heatedly with each other for a few minutes. Talon turned around with a start and grabbed a few of his effects off his bed alcove before being led out by the hand by a very excited Nabooru. Saria shot backward as they flew out of the room. Talon stopped briefly and quickly glanced down the hallway behind; he thought he saw a glimmer of green in the darkened corridor. With a smile and a curt hand gesture, it was quite clear she was not supposed to follow them.

So that was it? Saria wondered. Nabooru and Talon were once lovers and Malon is their child? Did Malon know? She wondered what they were going to do next; she wavered on the edge of deciding to shadow them. With one final puff of breath, blowing the bangs out of her eyes, she decided it best to go looking for Sora instead. She had been gone an awful long time now and she was starting to get worried.

Saria wandered the halls for several minutes trying to remember the multitude of turns they had taken earlier that day; the last place she remembered being with Sora was at that strange wall mural. After a time, she became aware of a slight pitter patter of bare feet. She stopped to look around the empty corridors for the source but found nothing; the sound had stopped. Slightly unnerved, she continued on through the dim passage; lit only by the occasional torch. Where were all the guards?

The tapping of feet intensified just behind her; Saria swerved around only to see nothing but an empty corridor. The padding of feet had stopped. Saria had not known much about fear living in the Lost Woods all her life; she was quite uncomfortable with the foreign emotion welling up in the pit of her stomach. Ignoring the growing knot in her belly, she cautiously paced down the corridor.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Saria's voice trembled.

A scrabbling of nails above her head made her shriek in terror as a brush of wind blew the flames from the torches ahead of her. Something had climbed the walls and was scuttling along the ceiling; Saria didn't know how she knew this just that it became fact. She gawked at the ceiling only to see bare brick. Another skittering of sound behind her made her scream.

Saria started running down the passages without a care of where she was going. Her heart was crying out desperately for Sora to come; she felt a meek response initially, but it slowly grew stronger as she ran. She stopped at a T-bone junction of halls and ducked behind the corner of the wall; she pressed her back up against the cold stone, breath coming in ragged gasps. She was terrified and she didn't know why! Where was everyone? Crystalline tears formed in her eyes as panic set in.

It was then she noticed the female body lying on the ground at her feet; it was a Gerudo guard lying face up, her glazed eyes turned to the ceiling looking at nothing. Saria had to smother a swell of nausea when she discerned that the woman's stomach had been disemboweled; it seemed something had been feasting on the organs. Saria turned away in revulsion as she knew whatever killed this woman was tracking her down.

A flicker of torchlight at the junction signaled the entity's arrival; Saria was paralyzed with fear, she couldn't move from the wall. A scratch from the hallway she had left jolted her from inaction. She leaped out facing back down the darkened hallway trying her best to sound menacing, "Don't c…come any c…closer! I c…can fight!" The threat came out hollow and she knew it.

Saria stood in the center of the passage breathing heavily; it was deathly quiet. After a few moments of indecision, she turned around to leave this awful area. She stopped suddenly, there in front of her with gore stained hands and blood streaming down her mouth and chin was Kiera. Her beady eyes penetrated Saria. Kiera tilted her head at an awkward angle; as if considering what to do with her. Saria opened her mouth to scream.


	28. Chapter 27 - Shutting Out the World

**Chapter 27 - Shutting Out the World**

Blood-curdling screams echoed throughout the night as it reverberated down the multitude of corridors littering the fortress. Link sprinted through the hallways, closing in on the source of the shrieking; the closer he got the more it sounded like Saria's voice! Anxiety rising in his chest, he skidded around a corner as he nearly bumped into a contingent of Gerudo guards, also enroute to the calamitous racket.

The shrill screaming intensified as Link came upon the awful scene; bile churned in his stomach as he saw his friend, Saria, being eaten alive. The Gerudo guards stopped short as they beheld the grotesque spectacle. The Kokiri girl they had all thought died was fully healed and whole but was covered in blood and gore. She was greedily raking her nails into Saria and yanking out entrails before greedily chomping them down.

Link's vision went red; surprising a nearby guard, he snagged one of their spears from them and charged forward intent to impale the abomination of a Kokiri onto it. Kiera looked up too late as Link ran her through with the spike. A look of disbelief spread across the girl's face before she slumped over onto the shaft. Link let the end drop with the weight of the body but maintained control of it as his fury subsided. He dared not look at his friend who seemed to be still alive but in shock of what was happening.

A sickly intake of breath engaged his attention back onto Kiera just as the rest of the guards caught up with him; they were surrounded on both sides by Gerudo, all unaware of the danger they were now in. "Oh no…" Link cried.

Kiera's head flipped up as she took hold of the shaft, holding the stare as she slowly dragged herself closer to Link with each squelchy pull. "You…left…me!" She rasped each word on the intake of each breath.

This wasn't happening! How did Naar turn the girl into one of them?! He promptly dropped the spear and let it hit the floor, stunning Kiera briefly. With effort, she stood up with the wooden shaft clearly through her body and snapped the front end before flinging it aside. Kiera leapt through the air and tackled Link to the ground, her claws raking his skin drawing blood as her teeth gnashed at his face; it was all he could do with his arms to force her away from him.

"Help!" Link yelled.

The Gerudo roused to action as they surged in at once trying to separate the two children; instantly Kiera flipped around to one of her assailants and bounded into her arms. Rapidly wrapping her arms and legs around the poor woman; the Kokiri bit deeply into her neck before tearing off a chunk of flesh with her teeth. The woman screeched as she collapsed to the floor under the weight of the diminutive girl.

Surging off the falling body, Kiera hurled herself into another Gerudo biting her nose as the woman yelled in pain; blood started spurting everywhere as Kiera wound her way through each woman inflicting grievous wounds on everyone. She flipped in midair as a scimitar sliced just inches under her feet. She hit the ground lightly before she started clambering up the wall. Impossibly skittering along the wall like a demonic spider, she bypassed several Gerudo and went straight for Link.

Link yelped as he saw the nude figure of Kiera soaring straight at him; her claws bared, her bloody mouth gaping in a furious scream. Her cry was throttled as her body was cleaved in two; both halves fell to the floor with a sickening squash. Link looked over in appreciation at the woman who had saved him; she was breathing heavy, resting on one knee as she nursed the patch of skin on her arm that had been violently torn off.

"You…left…me!" Kiera gurgled as blood frothed at her mouth.

Link fell backwards onto his rump as he scrambled to get away from the profane Kokiri. She was slowly dragging herself to him on her arms as the legs squirmed towards their master in anticipation of being rejoined once more. Freaking out as she seized one of his feet he slammed his other boot into her face; a crack was heard as he broke the nose. Blood started to stream out of her nostrils but it did little to stop the inevitable truth; he was going to be eaten alive too.

"Help! Help! Help!" Link started screaming with every kick to Kiera's face; it was becoming quite unrecognizable now. The lower body had already settled back onto the torso and was slowly crushing itself together. With one final kick he knocked her hard enough to release his foot. He fumbled on all fours trying to flee from this nightmare; but Kiera was insanely swift. She heaved herself onto his leg and sunk her teeth into his calf; the pain was agonizing as he felt the teeth burrow deeper into his skin. Kiera moaned at her victory as she prepared to rip off the delicious meat in her mouth.

"Get your head down boy!" A resounding voice echoed through the hallway, without a second thought Link lay as flat as he could onto the cold stone. Kiera halted her immediate meal to glance up at the new intruder; Ganondorf stood firm in the center of the corridor calmly aiming an arrow at her face.

Kiera roared in fury as she bounded off the floor at Ganondorf intent to kill; the arrow sailed through the air and buried itself between her eyes. Looking cross-eyed at the arrow penetrating her skull for a moment, the effect was almost immediate. Ganondorf quickly grabbed Link roughly by the arm and dragged him further down the hall as he commanded any remaining Gerudo who could move to do the same. The Kokiri's body started expanding in bulbous boils until she had begun to fill the entire corridor with her disgusting mass. One final scream erupted in the hall before she exploded in a hail of ashes and blood.

Link lay there stunned at what had happened; giving him little time to ponder, Ganondorf brought him to his feet. "Humph," he scoffed, "The only way to truly kill these creatures is to make sure not a single scrap of them is left. Doesn't matter how they are killed just that not one piece is left whole."

"Ho, ho, ho! That old man's weapon isn't a failure like we thought." Kotake cackled as she emerged from the shadows behind Ganondorf; scaring Link in the process.

"He, he, he! Right you are sister. I believe this shall come in handy for our forces!" Koume agreed.

Link didn't have time to understand the whole explanation, Kiera was dead and Saria was injured. He limped down the passage to where she lay. His eyes creased with dread as he looked upon her fading form; her innards had been violently ripped from her bowels and some were mangled beyond repair. He crumpled to the ground beside his friend as the tears flowed unabated down his face.

Saria's head meekly turned to Link as a smile glossed over her features; it was apparent she couldn't feel any pain anymore. "It's okay Link, it doesn't hurt. I actually feel fine." She assured him.

Link wept bitterly, "You are not fine Saria…you're dying."

Saria looked away as if distracted, "Sora is almost here. I can feel her coming; don't worry Link. It'll be all right." Her voice was so innocent, so childlike; he almost wanted to believe it himself.

A flicker of light heralded the entrance of Sora who raced to her companion's side. She looked upon her dying soul mate with utmost love; this was beyond anyone's ability to heal. Link wasn't aware of how calm Sora was in the midst of the events that had occurred. Sora touched down gently on Saria's chest as she hugged her face in her little arms. Saria warmed to the touch but did little else to acknowledge her fairy's embrace. Sora serenely rose from the dying body of Saria and fluttered over to Link.

"Link, the great Deku Tree long ago gave all of us fairies a special gift before we were bonded with the Kokiri who was to be our eternal companion." The sprite explained.

Link stared numbly at the fairy, clearly not understanding, "I…don't…what?"

Sora smiled forlornly, "We may not always have seen eye to eye Link, but remember me for the good times? Okay?"

With a quick peck on his cheek, she left the bewildered Link to his thoughts as she turned to focus on Saria. Ganondorf and the others stepped up behind him to look on as the remainder of the Gerudo picked up their wounded and trailed off towards the medic ward. The little sprite was busy at work utilizing unseen forces to propel Saria's organs back into her body; the strain was evident on her little face as she struggled to maintain her concentration.

With one last look at Link, Sora mouthed a soft goodbye as she spread out across Saria's chest directly over her heart. The glow of the fairy intensified as a slight buzzing was heard; static electricity surged through the air as Link's hair began to stand on end. The witches gasped in shock at what they thought was impossible. The expanding luminescence enveloped Saria entirely and they all had to look away from the blinding light.

The corridor dimmed again as Link beheld Saria fully healed with only a soft glow pulsating within her by the heart. Sora was gone. In time even the glow faded leaving nothing but flickering torchlight. Ganondorf was intrigued at the interesting turn of events and waited to see how it would play out; the witches hissed at each other in whispers of explanations on how this was conceivable.

Saria awoke as if from a deep, restful slumber; unaware of what had happened around her. She gazed around at the four of them before settling her eyes on Link. They both shared a smile as they took solace in the fact they were together again. With a dawning realization, she looked around at the bloody mess and random viscera littering the hallway; her eyes began to grow as the memory of the awful event began to seep back into consciousness.

"What happened?" Saria asked tentatively.

Ganondorf intervened before Link could respond, "Nothing, my dear girl." He knelt down beside the Kokiri, offering an arm to assist her off of the floor, "Merely a nuisance that has been taken care of. You are safe now."

The witches stared at each other confounded as Link's mouth plummeted; his experiences with this awful man had not painted a delightful picture of him in Link's mind. He had not considered the whole person aspect of who Ganondorf was, his motivations and his values. Everything he knew about this man was completely one-sided. Was he really all that bad? How much change did he really impact on the future of these people?

Gratefully accepting his help, she was lifted up onto her feet. She felt a yearning in her heart but couldn't find what she was looking for, "Where is Sora?" Saria asked.

Link stood still; he really had no idea how to explain what just happened. Saria was startled, taking a few steps back as words rang out in her head. _Do not fear Saria, for I am here with you always. I am now a part of you and will never leave your side again. All you have to do to find me is search your heart and I will be there._ Saria gripped the front of her shirt and gripped tightly as she cried happily at the words flowing through her mind.

"Saria?" Link questioned with concern, "Is something wrong?"

She opened her eyes to assuage his worry, "No. Sora is still with me; inside me somewhere. I don't really know how, but she will always be with me now."

Ganondorf merely rubbed his beard as he considered what transpired with the Kokiri and fairy, "Fascinating." Ganondorf conceded. Link and Saria turned to his imposing figure, "You were on the verge of death but your fairy sacrificed herself to save your life; now she lives on inside you?"

Saria nodded, it seemed the most logical explanation. Kotake stepped forward, "This is impossible, not even our strongest magicks can bring a dead person to life!"

Koume stood beside her sister pointing at Saria, "This is unnatural to the laws of our world. What have you done?"

Ganondorf swept the two accusatory witches back with a rush of wind, "Silence you old goats!" Link wanted to snigger at what he had thought was a joke; one look at Ganondorf's face indicated otherwise, he was upset with the two croons.

"Old?" Kotake squawked, "I'm 382 years old! I'm still young!"

"Liar!" Koume refuted, her red crystal flashing, "You are the same age as me! We are both 402!"

Their squabbling erupted forth before Ganondorf bellowed for them to be quiet. He pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose as he fought to remain his composure. He looked up at nothing in particular as he spoke mostly to himself, "So they have forced my hand. We have no choice."

Ganondorf signaled the two witches to accompany him as they made their way outside the compound. Link and Saria followed the Gerudo king. Saria stumbled slightly as she drew in deep gasps; Link immediately came to her aid and held her up.

"What's wrong Saria?" Link worriedly asked.

"I don't know." Saria's eyes were wide, staring at the ground. "My back…"

Still holding Saria to keep her from falling, Link looked at her back and noticed something extraordinary. Four body length gossamer wings were unfurling from her spine. They slowly spread out in a clover pattern, reflecting the multitude of light around them. Link was entranced at her new appendages as he excitedly explained what was happening.

Saria stood up and tried to look behind her but could only see the edges of her newly molded wings; she tested them slightly and found she could manipulate them. She giggled in delight as she started flapping them intensely to see if she could fly; she managed a few inches before losing control and falling to the ground. They both laughed as she attempted it again with little success.

Link shook his head in astonishment, "Saria, you are more beautiful than ever."

She looked down blushing at his compliment. _What a sweetie he is!_ Sora intoned in her mind. "Thank you Link." Was all Saria could say.

With a jerk of his chin, he indicated they should catch up, "Come on, let's see what Ganondorf is up to. We can show the rest your amazing wings later!"

They caught up with Ganondorf on the parapets overlooking the gorge of the valley. He was in a heated debate with the two witches as they hiked up the steps to their level.

"You already have one in effect my son….lord! Erecting another would be highly dangerous!" Kotake warned.

"Having two on your heart would be a great strain and could possibly kill you!" Koume agreed.

Ganondorf slashed a hand through the air buffeting them all with a surge of power, "I understand the implications! Just do it! We need to defend this place until we are ready! I am the king of the Gerudo and you will obey me!" He stormed.

If they were anyone other than who they were, he would have killed them on the spot. The fact he needed their assistance in this infuriated him to no end. Ganondorf prepared himself as the witches reluctantly agreed to start the blasphemous ritual. Drawing symbols in the air, a hum of energy started encircling Ganondorf as crackling bolts of magick shot forth from his body. A slow dome of malicious energy coalesced high above their heads before slowly descending, encompassing the entire Gerudo domain.

Ganondorf fell to one knee as the strain of maintaining the huge aura penetrated his heart. The beating felt unbearable as two different barriers tugged at his inner soul. Within moments the ritual was over; Ganondorf collapsed to the ground panting heavily. So much power was resting in his body; it took all of his effort to maintain both the barrier here and the one guarding the Temple of Time. He would be highly vulnerable for the duration of these auras, he knew.

Beating footsteps prompted Link to turn around; he saw Zelda and Malon running across the inner enclosure sands to meet up with them on the rampart. They all embraced affectionately as the two girls marveled at the new wings Saria has sprouted. She enjoyed showing them off and was flapping them furiously, much to Malon's delight.

Zelda walked up to Link to ask the obvious question as she viewed the domed barrier overhead, "What happens now?"

Answering her question for Link, Ganondorf picked himself up off the ground, "Now we wait it out. We prepare a plan to fight back." He was still winded.

Link interjected, "What about the rest of Hyrule?"

Ganondorf glared at the insolent boy who dared question his decision, "What about them? We leave them to their fate. My concern is for my people. You should feel fortunate that you are under our protection for the time being." He gestured beyond the barrier, "I could have thrown you out there to fend for yourself."

Without another word, he swept past the children with the witches in tow. They continued watching until they had disappeared into the fortress. Impa silently stepped out of the shadows behind them, placing a calm hand on Link and Zelda. They all turned to face her.

"What happens now Impa?" Zelda asked.

Impa merely shook her head, "Nothing now. We are trapped here until Ganondorf lifts the barrier. We are now part of their world. We must adapt and support them as best we can. But do not be deceived, we fight for Hyrule, not for the Gerudo. Remember that."

They all nodded as they looked out over the gorge through the shimmering light. A silence descended upon the group as they gazed upon their homeland for what seemed like the final time. Nobody wanted to admit what was apparent in all their hearts: Hyrule was lost…

* * *

><p><em>In battle, in the forest, at the precipice in the mountains,<em>

_On the dark great sea, in the midst of javelins and arrows,_

_In sleep, in confusion, in the depths of shame,_

_The good deeds a man has done before defend him._

_- Bhagavad Gita Scripture_

* * *

><p><span><strong><em>END OF ACT 1<br>_**


	29. Chapter 28 - Transitions

**Chapter 28 - Transitions**

It had been a long, hard day of training; his toned, muscular body brimming with sweat. Link stood in full confidence holding the trident in both hands as he waited for his opponent to make the first move. The midday sun beat mercilessly on their bodies as their skin had tanned over the cycles. He stared at his opponent as a teacher looked on the engagement with scrutiny. At a signal, she moved first; running at him with great speed, she leveled her javelin at his heart.

Link quickly sidestepped her first lunge as she twirled around to reattempt her jab; he brought the trident down, catching the shaft of her javelin, pushing it to the ground. Infuriated, she utilized her weapon as a vaulting stick to leap over him; landing behind him, she quickly swung her foot around tripping him. He landed hard on his back and immediately rolled to the side as she sliced the metal tip into the earth.

Recapturing his breath from the brutal fall, he reacquired his weapon as she yanked hers out of the ground. She surged forward in another endeavor to pierce his heart; he swooped under the whistling blade as it nicked part of his ear. Wincing at the sudden pain, Link continued forward with his rush and smacked his palm squarely into her stomach. She doubled over from the blow as he proceeded past her and finished the job by smacking her on the rump with the butt of his trident.

She crumpled forward planting her face hard on the dirt as her weapon slipped from her grip and clattered onto the dusty ground before her. Link seized the opportunity and leapt over her defenseless body and placed the three prongs of the weapon into her back. With a cry of rage, she kicked back at him hard with one leg as he was forced to kneel from the blow; she quickly flipped around onto her back, knocking the trident out of his hands with her arm.

She bowled him over and straddled him; her arm across his neck digging in to cut off his air. She smiled smugly as Link squirmed trying to get her weight off of him as she slowly suffocated him to death with her arm slowly crushing his windpipe. With one final movement, Link placed both hands above him flat on the ground and to the shock of both student and trainer, flipped his legs over with her on top a full 180 degrees. She cried out when her back hit the ground and he was the one in control.

Unable to catch a breath after the heavy thump, she could do nothing as Link grinned maliciously. He rushed forward and bound her to his lips; she struggled fruitlessly against his barrage of passion as he continued to assault her with his kiss. Her arms banged uselessly against his chest; he merely chuckled deep in his throat as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Resistance was futile after that and they both knew it.

Within moments their hands were fondling each other and limbs wrapping around like tangled vines. The teacher hastily ran up to them to put an end to the ruckus; as much as she wanted to watch the show, there was protocol to follow! The Gerudo yelled, "Stop it you two! This is a training session, not a make out session! You take that crap behind closed doors!" Link lifted up from the kiss with a dazed grin as the trainer continued to yell at them. "Get off of her Link! Malon, you lost this time. We'll try again tomorrow."

Still chortling from his victory, he stood up and walked back a few paces to allow Malon to get back on her feet. It had been a long seven cycles living with the Gerudo; Malon had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Her succulent breasts were covered in a white sash across the chest with straps over her shoulders to keep it in place; leaving her arms and midriff bare for the training. She wore the standard ivory pants to be expected of an apprentice of the Gerudo culture, laced tight with a plain leather belt at the waist.

Many Gerudo had noticed how beautiful she had become and wanted to bed her weekly. Talon made a plea to Nabooru to spare his daughter the Gerudo custom of sharing apprentices among the women for pleasure; it was all he could do to keep her from becoming nothing more but fodder for the fellow women. She was not born to this life and she shouldn't have to suffer for it. After many meetings and deliberations, the council finally agreed that she should be the exception; much to the chagrin of many a woman who fantasized over Malon in the depths of the night.

In fact, Link observed as Malon walked over to her shirt lying on the ground, she was looking more like a Gerudo every day; her skin had tanned to the point it was quite similar in hue to any of the other dark skinned Gerudo. Her brilliant, red hair rivaled the other women in the community as it reached down just below her waist. It was during their second cycle living with them that Malon noticed Nabooru was growing a swollen belly; she was shocked to discover she was to be expecting a sister!

After the baby was born, it was revealed to Malon that Nabooru was her real mother; it had come as quite a blow to her. Up to that point, they were never on the best of terms and she made a point to avoid her entirely those first several cycles. Nobody could console her for days; she moped around the compound unable to bring herself to the ultimate truth about her heritage; these women were her blood and kin on her mother's side.

In time, she came to accept her lineage and eventually grew to be on civil speaking terms with Nabooru; there was always a level of mistrust between them but it was never outright hostile anymore. Talon was completely at peace with his new living situation; having been regulated to just one woman, his life eased considerably among the Gerudo. Malon could do nothing but be happy for her father for the love he had found.

A budding romance was growing between her and Link and a lot of the women could see it too. As they grew up together in the fortress, Link and Malon gleaned hints and ideas as to what actually happened between a man and a woman in the privacy of night. Like a few rebellious teenagers, they had attempted many times to sneak away and confirm the knowledge they had learned from their raunchy Gerudo benefactors.

Just as they were in the throes of their passion, Impa, Nabooru, or some other irritating woman would find them and put a stop to it before it was ever consummated. It gnawed at them that they couldn't express what they felt for each other deep inside on a physical level; the most they ever came to it was kissing and fondling with clothes on. After the first few times of being caught, Nabooru put a stop to it by making sure Malon had a constant Gerudo companion wherever she went; the two were not pleased at this prospect.

The trainer ensured Malon had everything she needed before heading over to Link; she placed a tender hand on his shoulder as she congratulated him, "Good job out there! You learn faster than most women! I think you will be a fine warrior."

Link flushed at her praise, "Thank you."

The woman briefly glanced back to make sure Malon was out of earshot before whispering, "As much as I see that you two like each other, it is still up to the elders who is eligible to have a baby. Women don't just decide for themselves to get pregnant, they must get consent from the council before claiming a man to be the donor." Link nodded, it was odd that he was getting advice on sexual matters from a woman who was technically his superior.

With a glint in her eye she leaned in a bit further as they strolled down the hill toward the compound, "Besides…there is no exception for you yet. Why the council hasn't allowed access to you as breeding stock, I have no idea. When the time comes, you may not be able to decide the women you'll be sleeping with weekly!" She crowed at her teasing; Link looked away hurriedly to avoid her sensual stare. He jumped slightly as she squeezed his butt before walking on ahead waving bye.

Malon stepped up behind him and watched as the woman headed down the path, "They are constantly swooning for you, aren't they?"

Link smiled, "So are you."

She gave him a huge shove as they laughed, "You jerk! I completely had you there before you cheated!"

Sticking his tongue out of the corner of his mouth he teased, "The moment I had you in my arms, the fight was over. Just admit it, you can't resist my charm!"

He leaped sideways as he deftly avoided a misaimed swing. She kicked forward hoping to strike a shin but met nothing but air and his laughter. "You're horrible Link! I don't know why I put up with you!" The words sounded terrible, but Malon's face told a different story.

As the mirth subsided they walked down the incline a ways in silence before Malon spoke up, "You are a handsome man Link." He flicked over to see her deep in thought; eyes on the ground. She hesitated before continuing, "I…I hope that when my time comes, that I'm with you." She dared not look up for fear of being embarrassed by his penetrating gaze.

"Who cares about their rules?" Link asserted. Malon brought up her head in shock. "We may be in their domain, but that does not make us Gerudo. We can love whom we want."

"But I'm half Gerudo Link. That is a part of me I can't change. My mother is one of the elders of the council. I even have a little sister who looks more tanned than I do! Other than my father, our family is firmly entrenched in the heritage of their culture!" Malon exclaimed.

"Yes," Link said calmly, "but does that obligate you to follow their laws?"

Malon tilted her head as she directed her eyes back on the path, "I'm not sure. Ganondorf is their king and ultimately the enforcer of all their rules. Would he even allow it? Would we be punished for going outside the bounds of their strict law of pregnancy?" She sighed heavily.

It was true, ever since Ganondorf had erected the aura around their domain, food, water, and other resources began to grow scarce. Pregnancies were limited to only a few a year to avoid the problem of having too many mouths to feed. It took intense effort, but Ganondorf was able to let several scout groups to leave to scavenge for more supplies, and very rarely men (the few that were left); the stories they came back with were not encouraging to say the least.

The army had fully settled into Hyrule town and had claimed the castle as their main functional base; other regiments of the horde split off and occupied other areas including Kakariko and Lon Lon Ranch. The southern route through the desert to the Negev Marshlands seemed to be the only road left open to the Gerudo to sneak additional provisions into their kingdom. It wouldn't be long now before even that was sealed off and they eventually starved to death. Naar was playing a waiting game with the Gerudo; after seven cycles, he was slowly winning.

Link shrugged as they walked on, "Probably Malon, but I don't want any of the other women. They are all the same and I share none of the same passions as I do with you."

Malon giggled, sweeping back her ponytail, "True, but I don't think they want to be with you for your personality. They only want you for your body, it's about the only good attribute you have!"

"Yeah." Link agreed, after a moment of thought, "Hey!"

Malon ducked away from Link's arm as he meant to grab her around the neck, "There is more to me than just that!" Link rebutted.

With a flourish of red hair, Malon was running down the hill with Link in hot pursuit; several of the positioned guards looked up from their bored stupor to see the two teenagers running down. They shook their heads in tolerance as the two ran by quickly, kicking up sand and dirt. Malon was squealing in delight as Link roared down the pathway trying to overtake her; he may be stronger and more skilled with weapons, but she was nimble and faster than he was.

"Malon!" A tiny voice cried out from a doorway.

Skidding to a halt, she swirled to the adorable voice, "Lil sis! Come here, you!"

The little girl hurtled forward into her big sister's outstretched arms in one, big, loving tackle. They swirled around and around with the force of their hug as Link finally caught up to them. He smiled as he looked on the joyful meeting. She was every bit as pretty as her bigger sister; her head encircled by a blazing mane of red hair complete with eyes of the deepest blue. Her petite body was darker than Malon's and gave more credibility to her lineage; whenever she smiled, as she did now, the biggest dimples would form on her cheeks.

"Hi Link!" She waved at him ecstatically as she looked over Malon's shoulder.

"Hey Giana. You are looking absolutely stunning today!" Link extolled.

Giana's little face flushed something fierce as Malon turned to him, holding Giana against her hip with one arm. "Well, I have to get going now Link. I need to clean up after today's training." Malon affirmed.

Nodding his head, Link agreed, "Me too. It was a good work out. Thanks!"

"Bye Link! Play with me later?" Giana looked at him bashfully.

"You know it little princess!" Link laughed. Giana giggled with glee at his little pet name for her. She truly felt like one whenever Link was around.

"Okay heartthrob," Malon rolled her eyes, "time to get going!"

She spun on her heel and headed indoors to bathe; Giana was furiously waving back at Link the entire way. Link chuckled at how cute she was; he had to say this much, Talon and Nabooru sure made some awesome kids!

"I still have trouble believing you've grown up so fast. You're not the boy I knew." A voice said behind him.

Smiling, he turned around as he beheld Saria. She hadn't aged a day since she left the forest; she had to look up into his face to talk to him. Not liking that prospect much, she learned how to utilize her wings functionally; she was on level with his eyes, flapping her ethereal wings to keep aloft. Some of the Gerudo seamstresses made brand new Kokiri clothes for her with an obligatory Gerudo flare; spiraling stripes of ivory swirled around her green tunic with the texture of patchwork leaves. It looked silly at first until she put it on; then it seemed it was always meant for her.

Link waved a hand to brush off her comment, "I'm still the same boy you've always known. I'm just bigger now and know more things."

Saria smiled as she put a finger to her lips, "That remains to be seen."

"Not you too!" Link sighed.

"Oh?" Saria looked amused, "Did Malon tease you too today?"

_As well she should!_ Sora fumed in Saria's mind, "Shush you!" She hissed.

"What is she saying now?" Link asked, pointing to her head.

"Just agreeing with you, that's all." Saria lied innocently.

Link raised an eyebrow but disregarded her blatant attempt to quell the argument with her internal fairy. Ever since Sora had bonded in a literal sense to Saria seven cycles ago; she was prone to having conversations with herself daily. To the Gerudo who were not there to witness the miraculous event, they all thought she had gone a bit batty after having come back from the brink of death. 'Must have been a brush with the afterlife that made her this way'; they would whisper amongst each other. Saria paid them no mind and continued her regular talks with Sora.

Another surprising development that shocked Link, Zelda and the others was her growing friendship with Ganondorf. Ever since that night, he had taken a real liking to her; he was overly protective of her and would always spoil her rotten, much to the dismay of anyone in attendance. It didn't help Saria's disposition towards everyone; she began to feel slightly entitled to the exquisite treatment she was receiving. Link always made sure she was brought down a few notches every time they met; it is what any true friend would do!

"So, what's up with you today?" Link nonchalantly asked.

"Oh, nothing." She purported. Fluttering after him as he walked across the sand to his quarters, she spoke coyly, "So when are you and Malon finally going to get together?"

Link stopped in his tracks as he gazed up at the sky in exasperation, "Ugh! Enough with that question already! I've told you millions of times that we can't be together because of the Gerudo laws."

Saria grinned, "That's not what I saw last night!"

Link twisted in her direction in shock, "You saw us kissing?"

Saria swiftly glanced away before saying in a cherubic voice, "I don't know."

His mouth contorted in a mixture of a sneer and a smile; ultimately undecided what it should do. "You little sneak!" He accused, "You kept watching, but didn't alert us to Impa coming?"

A small grin emerged on her face as she kept her bubbling merriment in check, "Maybe."

"You know," Link started, waggling a finger at her, "it isn't nice to peep in on people in their private moments!"

Saria turned to him feigning shock, "What? Are you saying I can't see that when I'm never going to experience it in my life? Look at me!" She gestured to herself. "I'm not getting any older, that will be a part of life I'll never get to have. Would you honestly deny me of at least viewing my best friend experiencing it?"

Link shivered slightly at the proposition, "As good a point as that is," he quickly looked away, "it's still kind of weird."

"Not as weird as you two fumbling around like a bunch of overgrown Deku Scrubs trying to slip out of clothes." Saria said flatly.

"Hey!" Link fumed affronted. "That wasn't necessary."

"You two seriously need to pick better times and places so you won't get caught all the time." Saria offered.

Link began storming indoors, leaving her to catch up, "I can't believe I'm listening to this talk from you! The last thing I need is love advice from a Kokiri that hasn't had any."

Saria broiled at the comment, "Excuse me? Come back here Link!"

He was practically running down the corridors, passing alarmed Gerudo who were befuddled as to why Link was running away from a very angry, flying Kokiri. Finally arriving at his door, he slammed it shut behind him and inserted the bolt. Within moments Saria had started pounding on the door; Link hooted with elation at having outrun Saria to his room.

"Open this door Link!" Saria buzzed crossly.

"I'm taking a bath now! Let me bathe in peace!" Link yelled from inside the room.

Link stripped and blissfully stepped into the warm bath water that filled the body-sized barrel in the corner of their room; every day after training, the apprentices usually went to each room and restocked each bath with warm water for the occupants. He jerked and quickly looked around the room, he had completely forgotten that Zelda was his roommate; he breathed a sigh of relief as he discovered the room to be empty, it wasn't the first time he accidently forgotten she was there when he went to bathe. Those were awkward moments.

They had kept up the ruse of Zander but it had taken a huge toll on Impa, who had to maintain the guise over Zelda through the cycles. She looked weary and worn down from keeping her presence secret from Ganondorf and the rest of the Gerudo; she couldn't train daily and her abilities and skills suffered as a result. It had not been an easy time for Impa. Most nights she would stay in their room and watch over them as they slept; during the days, they were unsure of where she went.

Once Zelda turned her 15th cycle, another strange thing occurred; late in the evenings as he was settling down to sleep, Impa would emerge and request Zelda's presence for several hours. Link never knew where they went or what they did, most evenings it would be close to midnight before they returned; both exhausted and tired. One night he decided to follow them to see what went on under the cover of darkness, he never could catch up to them; either because they blended in with the shadows or simply gave him the slip. Zelda had slowly drifted away from him as a friend and he had no idea why.

Saria's pitiful wail broke him from his thoughts, "Will you please let me in?"

Link happily replied, "No."

After a few moments of silence, "Do you love me Link?"

Link suppressed a belly laugh, "Of course I do Saria."

"Am I still your best friend?" Saria asked for confirmation.

"Always." Link returned.

"So can I come in now?" Saria asked wistfully.

"Still no." Link replied smiling.

After a few minutes of silence and letting the water ease his aching muscles, he heard some scrabbling on the other side of the door. Within moments he knew she had left. Well, he thought to himself, that was quite the unexpected conversation with Saria! He snickered to himself as his head submerged beneath the surface of the reinvigorating water.


	30. Chapter 29 - Separating the Two

**Chapter 29 - Separating the Two**

Ganondorf swept his hand across the table in rage; vials and tubes were scattered to the floor, shattering into many pieces. The trembling old man before him quivered in a bundled heap as he whispered mercies. Ganondorf was enraged at the lack of progress the imbecilic scientist had made over the course of the past three cycles and was not afraid to show his displeasure about it. He stared him down from on high as he stepped over to his whimpering form.

"What do you mean you can't make anymore?!" Ganondorf bellowed.

The old man shriveled further into the folds of his clothes as he did his best to cringe away from Ganondorf's wrath. He stuttered almost incoherently, "I…I can't make a…anymore! I…simply don't h…have enough venom!"

Ganondorf placed two fingers on the bridge of his nose as he sighed deliberately at the incompetent man, "Did you not ration it between all the weapons? Did you use too much per weapon?"

"N…no!" The man exclaimed, "I made sure I used just enough per arrow and sword to make it effective!"

The last seven cycles had been rough on the Gerudo; although they were safe behind the aura Ganondorf had erected and was keeping alive through great force of will, the army periodically made attacks to weaken the shield. It had little effect on the barrier but impressed great burden on his heart with each blow they connected. The women were able to utilize the new weapons to fire beyond the barrier to explode several of the men on the spot with the powerful venom; most stayed outside of their range after that. In time, their resources were getting limited as the remaining venom to apply to their weapons had run out.

"Perhaps he is telling the truth, my lord." Kotake offered as she stepped up to the sniveling man.

"Agreed sister, I do not sense any lies in his words." Koume confirmed.

"What do you witches know?!" Ganondorf screamed at them. He quickly had to compose himself, he had been under a lot of stress recently and it was taking its toll on his mental sanity.

Both witches shied from his ire but remained in place, confident that he would not hurt them, even in the deepest of his rages.

A small voice from the doorway seemed to instantly pacify the room, "Are you frightening that poor man again Ganondorf?"

Only one person called him that name so casually, he looked up relieved that she was there to calm his spirits. Saria walked into the room and stooped low to place a reassuring hand on the old man; she smiled at him as he looked up at her blubbering with despair.

"I…I'm telling you the truth! There is simply no more venom!" He cried, "Oh, I just wish I was back at my home on Lake Hylia conducting my experiments in peace!"

She knowingly nodded her head, "I know Terrance. I'll make sure the 'bad' people go away." She smothered a giggle as he looked upon her graciously and in awe; as if she was an angel in disguise come to save him. In some ways, she might have been mistaken for one with her wings.

"Oh look Koume, it is the master's little pet!" Kotake scoffed.

"Come to do the master's bidding and be the good little girl that she is!" Koume sneered.

"Leave." Ganondorf seethed, it was hardly above a whisper but the meaning was clear. Both witches huffed as they shuffled their way out of the room; each one giving evil glares at Saria as they passed.

"Ganondorf, he says he has no more venom, do you not trust him on that?" Saria said informally as she strode up to his hulking form; deliberately staying on the ground as she looked up into his eyes from her diminutive height. Over the cycles, she had learned how to manipulate his moods and knew exactly what to do to quell his anger.

His grimace softened at the sight of his little, personal angel. Ever since that miraculous event seven cycles ago where Saria came back from the threshold of death; he had taken her under his wing as almost a private daughter. Ganondorf had seeded many daughters over his time as king, but they were all the same and held no meaning for him. Saria was someone unique and forever unchanging; something about Saria made him want to protect and treat her with special significance. The events with Kiera did little to help matters and only strengthened his resolve to make sure the same thing did not happen to Saria.

Ganondorf sighed at the seemingly simple logic of her words, "You are right. We need to send another expedition out and acquire more venom from the beasts of the marshlands to the south." He quickly nodded his head before sweeping his cape behind him as he headed for the chamber door, "Old man, see to it that you clean up this mess, you are free to go back to your room after that."

Terrance flubbed unintelligibly as he scrabbled across the ground trying to pick up the mess Ganondorf had made; Saria gave the old coot a heartfelt look before following Ganondorf into the hall. He didn't have to be so mean all the time; she was trying her best to be that positive influence in his life. Saria reasoned that because he had a terrible upbringing he had turned out this way. She was determined to help stem the tide.

"How do you fare today my little fairy?" Ganondorf spoke, with obvious affection in his voice.

She colored at his little pet name for her, "I'm doing very well, thank you. I got to watch the trainees practice in the field up on the hill today."

He confirmed her response with a grunt, "I don't expect you to fight, but did you learn a lot from observing?"

She nodded vigorously as they turned the corner into another corridor, "Oh yes! I find the art of warfare fascinating. The skill and technique used is almost like a dance in itself."

Ganondorf's gaze flicked over to the Kokiri with some concern, "Agreed, but that is one aspect I hope you will never have to put into practice. You've experienced enough already in this war."

Saria tilted her head as she thought about his concern for her, "But I want to fight! I want to feel useful to everyone! Why won't anybody let me prove myself?" She sighed.

He stopped dead in his tracks as he turned to her; he quickly knelt down and placed both hands on her shoulders. She stared intently into his eyes, imploring him to reconsider, "Saria, you are young and still innocent. Something I think we have all lost in this war. I would like to keep it that way." Ganondorf explained smoothly.

She began to whine in frustration, "But I never age Ganondorf! I might be older than you!"

He guffawed hard at her statement, "As true as that may be, my objective is to protect the last remaining Kokiri in this world."

Saria was astonished at the gravity of his words, "I just want to help; to fight alongside my friends. Link and Malon are already training up to be fine warriors while I'm merely sitting on the sidelines." She persisted.

Without missing a beat, Ganondorf followed up with a question, "You saw them train today?"

Saria nodded in the affirmative, "Yes, they are really close. They play with each other all the time, both on the battlefield and off." She continued rambling about the two of them, unaware of what she was revealing to Ganondorf.

Lost in thought, Ganondorf rose up to his feet, "Thank you Saria for telling me this; I am glad they are such fast friends."

Saria smiled, happy to be of some help to Ganondorf, "So what now?" She asked inquisitively.

"Let us retire to my room, I wish to hear one of your beautiful songs." Ganondorf requested.

With evident happiness in her face, she paced down the hall alongside him as she began singing a ditty of the forest. Her melodic voice carried down the halls and soothed anyone within earshot of her innocent ballad. Ganondorf kept walking only half listening to the harmonious tones; his thoughts were on Link and Malon. Things were getting more serious by the day; it was time to separate those two and keep what belonged to the Gerudo.

* * *

><p>Link quickly stashed away the whispering mask under his pillow as the door shifted open slightly; Zelda quietly entered before shutting it without a sound. She tiptoed over to her bed and was rustling to get under the covers to relax her aching bones. She yelped a bit as Link startled her with his unexpected voice.<p>

"Where do you go all these nights Zelda? Don't think I haven't noticed you sneaking out with Impa. Do you go train? Do you moonlight as the eternal defender of our kingdom? What do you do?" Link began interrogating.

"Please, Link, just drop it." Zelda sighed, wanting nothing more than to rest her head on the pillow and drift into oblivion.

Tonight was different, maybe it was his practice with Malon that day that gave him confidence to speak further on the matter, "I will not drop it. You've had me worried for several cycles now. What is it that Impa is teaching you? It's obviously something!" He persisted.

She sat up in her alcove as she stared over to his position across the room, separated only by a table in the center of their chamber. "We just go out and have long talks, ok?" Zelda exasperated.

"Long talks." Link said flatly, clearly not believing.

"Yes." She confirmed with determination, "Now please turn around, I need to dress for bed."

Link obliged as Zelda began stripping her sweaty clothes off her body; she wished she could bathe but dared not in Link's presence, it was no longer proper anymore. Over the cycles, she had developed into a very striking woman; her curves had accentuated and her chest had blossomed lavishly. It was extremely hard to hide her monthly flows from Link when they started just three cycles ago.

She unclipped her blond hair and let it flow down to her buttocks; it was normally silky smooth but was caked with the grime and dirt of the day. The intense effort of both Impa and Zelda in keeping up the Zander ruse was taking a toll on both of them. As Zelda grew out of puberty into a fully developed woman, more Gerudo were starting to notice strange inconsistencies with Zander. During her times of month, she basically had to become a hermit to avoid attracting suspicions from the local populace. It was unclear as to why Impa choose to keep Zelda's identity a secret, but Link figured it had something to do with Ganondorf and what he might do with her.

Zelda emitted a small squeak as Link's hands enveloped her arms; gently kneading the muscles underneath her skin. She quivered at his touch but did nothing to dissuade his advance. He spoke calmly behind her, "If long talks are all you two are doing, then why are you sweaty? Why have you grown these muscles you did not have before? You are obviously training."

"This is scandalous Link. Please let me dress." Zelda shivered not from the cold (for the room was quite warm) but from the closeness of Link to her naked form.

"Answer the question Zelda." Link insisted, "You owe me that much after years of pulling away from me. Are we not friends?"

She turned her head to the side to get a glimpse of his face but stayed with her back to him, "Of course we are still friends." She hesitated, "There are just some things I cannot tell you."

"Will you tell me what you can?" Link proposed an alternative.

Slowly bowing her head she began, "Yes." Keenly aware of his hands still kneading her arms, she began, "It is true Impa and I have been going out at night to train. She is getting old Link and is the only Sheikah here. She has no idea if any others are left alive outside the barrier. She fears that, in time, she will no longer be able to protect me."

She turned around to face him; it took all of his willpower to keep his eyes on her face. She was intimately close to him as his arms were wrapped around her shoulders; he forced his mind not to wander as he focused on the conversation. "But I can protect you Zelda." Link offered.

She shook her head as she smiled at his assertion, "I understand and I believe you would do your best. Impa wants to ensure that I can defend myself. She is training me in the ways of the Sheikah so that I can be protected even after she is gone."

The puzzle pieces were starting to come together; it made a lot more sense now. Of course Impa would want to do that. Link asked wistfully, "May I come join and watch your training? I'd love to learn."

Zelda shook her head again as he frowned at her refusal, "That is something she expressly told me; the ways of the Sheikah are secret to all but themselves. Since I am the object of their protection, she felt it necessary to break that tradition and train me in their ways. She's told me so many things…about…" Zelda halted as she realized she might be saying too much.

"I understand now that you can't explain everything Impa has conveyed to you. I won't force the issue." Link assured, Zelda seemed visibly relieved. "But will you please promise me that you won't hide something like that from me again? We are friends and I don't want to lose you."

Zelda beamed warmly as a tear flickered down her face; Link went rigid with shock as she hugged him tightly. The feel of her warm body pressed up against his played havoc with his mind; her breasts compressed across his chest were quite distracting.

"Thank you so much for understanding Link!" Zelda cried into his shoulder. It had been hard on her all these cycles of keeping this secret from him. Telling him evaporated a huge encumbrance off her chest; she was finally free to be herself again with him. She hated the sneaking and the lies.

After holding each other for several minutes, Link could feel Zelda slowly gripping his shirt. Confused he leaned back to look into her face; she regarded him longingly as she was nervously biting her lower lip in indecision of what she should do next. A split second decision urged Zelda to place her lips onto his; Link's eyes shot open as she pressed into the kiss. Her hands began raking down his shirt in an attempt to rip it off his back as her body crushed into his with an inner primal need.

Link's senses were assailed with a swirling spiral of confused thoughts; he had barely any time to react to this sudden change of events and did little to halt Zelda's advance. This was something completely new for the two of them; he wasn't exactly sure how he should take it. His lack of resistance was enough incentive for her as she began to pull off his shirt, revealing the ripping muscles across his chest and abs. Her hands danced across them as Link shuddered at her touch.

Link felt guilty cooperating in this; all he could think about was that Zelda was still a princess of Hyrule. They were friends, should they be doing this? She began to nudge him towards his bed as she planted kisses over his face and neck; slowly unloosing the strap that held his pants up.

As they slumped to the ground revealing his obvious interest to her, she surged ahead with conviction; more certain than ever what she wanted to do. He was absolutely gorgeous and a strapping specimen of a man; why she never attempted this before she had no idea. She leaned him onto his back upon the furs as she began to slide over him.

"Zelda…I…" Link fumbled with his words. This was not happening! It seemed too unreal.

"Yes?" She responded huskily as she slowly trailed her kisses down his chest, getting lower with each kiss. Her hands were already massaging his inner thighs, scant inches away from the object of her desire.

"Uh…we…can't…Malon." The effect was immediate and as drastic as if he had dumped a basin of cold water over Zelda. Link cringed at her expression when she drew back from him; hurt echoing in her eyes as she stared at him. He had said the wrong thing and they both knew it.

She promptly got off of him roughly and proceeded over to the barrel; its water chill from sitting through the evening. "Link, I would like it if you were to turn around while I bathe." Zelda said icily. The rancor in her voice was apparent as she slipped into the water, gasping slightly at the temperature of it.

Muddled and disoriented, Link rolled over facing the blank adobe wall. His thoughts were jumbled as he tried to make sense of what just happened between the two of them. Did he just ruin something that they just repaired? Was it wrong for him to deny her something like this? Do friends really act this way when they got older together? The questions swirled about his mind as he heard the lapping of water from Zelda's bathing.

The last thing Link remembered was smacking his pillow to make the mask shut up.


	31. Chapter 30 - Setting Forth

**Chapter 30 - Setting Forth**

"You know what I can offer." It lulled in its enticing whispers, "All you have to do is just put me on. It is that simple."

Angry at its constant rambling to strap the mask on, Link shoved it deep down in the rucksack before piling various fabrics and clothes on top of it. The less he had to see of that horrid mask, the better. He had thought it impossible to come back to his room that night many cycles ago to see those bloodshot eyes regarding him from atop his bed in the darkness.

To keep its constant murmurings out of his head and to keep it hidden, he kept it concealed under the pillows and furs of his bed; lacking any other reliable place to put the dreadful thing. Most nights he hardly dreamt at all; the few nights he did get some decent sleep it was nothing but the stuff of nightmares. The horrific beating of feathers filled his ears as a multi-winged creature descended from the sky to consume him whole. Some nights he woke up screaming, glistening with sweat; Zelda was concerned but decided not to push the issue of him recounting what he dreamt.

Impa came up beside Link, startling him slightly, "Is everything okay, Link?" She asked with some unease.

He simply shrugged his shoulders, "I guess."

Impa had grown visibly older in the past seven cycles; it was clear in the wrinkles sprouting across her face. She was still fit and looked quite deadly despite her haggard appearance. Her close watch over their sleep had grown less frequent of late; they had gone multiple weeks at a time without seeing her at all. Her hair was no longer slicked back into a ponytail but had developed down her back and fell about her head in tangles. Link worried about her overall mental state; she mostly kept to herself and continued to take Zelda out on training every evening; he felt she was pushing herself too hard.

"You guess? You sound more annoyed than you are letting on Link." Impa persisted.

Link exhaled as he tied the drawstrings to seal the pack shut, "I just don't know why Ganondorf thinks this plan will work. Why, all of a sudden, does he think this could actually work?"

Just the previous day, Ganondorf had called to meeting all the elders; he invited Link, Talon, Malon, Saria and Zelda to the assembly. Ganondorf demanded that they attempt the collection of the remaining spiritual stones beginning with the Goron Ruby to the east. Link argued that it was foolish to think they could easily acquire the Zora Sapphire deep in the enemies' clutches. Irritated, Ganondorf explained that they were entrenched in planning that campaign and would ultimately have a solution by the time he returned with the ruby.

Pacified but not entirely satisfied with the answer, Link had no choice but to agree to the mission. Ganondorf ordered that Talon and Malon were to stay there at the fortress, for they were now family to their society. Saria was not to leave his side; she was not allowed to accompany Link on this journey. He offered a contingent of Gerudo guards led by his favored elder, Apolloni. She leered at him as Link sat disgusted by this decision. Zander offered his services and was waved off as being acceptable to join; Ganondorf didn't really care one way or another for the boy.

Impa placed a motherly hand on the youth, she was so proud of the man he had grown into. She knew he would never consider her his true mother, but she was flattered to be his honorary aunt. "To tell you the truth Link, I believe it is to get you out of his hair." She spoke softly.

"But why?" Link asked, slinging the pack behind him, looping his arms though the straps.

"I do not know. I believe there is more here than meets the eye. I will be staying behind to investigate further." She confirmed.

Link turned to her, eyes pleading, "Can't you come with us Impa? What about Zelda?"

She pressed a hand to her forehead as she attempted to stall a headache from encroaching in full force, "I'm afraid I cannot Link. I am confident Zelda can handle herself now; I've taught her as much as I can. She will be able to assist you better than I could at this juncture." She sighed.

He stood awkwardly at the pregnant pause between them; he didn't feel comfortable telling Impa what had transpired between him and Zelda several moons ago. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about Zelda accompanying him on this mission. She had already packed earlier that morning and was already waiting for him in the inner courtyard of the compound. With one final glance around the room to ensure he didn't forget anything, he adjusted his belt and sword scabbard. Link gave one last look at Impa before embracing her in a big hug.

"I'll miss you Impa. Please be safe here." Link said, shutting his eyes so tight that it hurt.

Impa wrapped her arms around him; tears of joy began to form at the thought of her brave, young nephew going out on his own, now fully a man. "I will miss you too Link. You go on ahead, I will stay here and await your return."

At length, they parted and Link headed for the door. He turned to give one last look at Impa but saw nothing but an empty room. He let out a breath despondently before setting forth down the hallway towards the midafternoon sun. Covering his eyes as the blinding sand pierced his irises with the refracted light from the sun; he noticed a huge gathering at the entrance to the desert.

His friends had gathered off to the left side of the portcullis, Ganondorf and the regiment of Gerudo was standing off to the right. All eyes were on him as he uneasily walked down the incline to the base of the grand gate leading to the expansive sands beyond. He moved over to his friends to say goodbye to each of them in turn; Ganondorf should have enough patience to allow him that comfort.

"Well, my boy! You've sure grown into a fine young man! I shall pray fer ya safe return Link!" Talon guffawed as he clapped Link on the back; Link rubbed his shoulder softly at the painful smacks.

The last seven cycles had done Talon some good; he had worked out every day with Nabooru. It was a herculean effort on his part but you couldn't even tell he had been obese. His swelling arms were practically overflowing out of his tight clothes; he had made a point to have the seamstresses make him larger clothes. Nabooru put a quick stop to that, she liked her bulging man just as he was; tight fitting clothes and all. He was not thin by any means, but Talon had filled out his physique akin to that of a body builder.

"Thanks Talon." Link smiled warmly at the big man. What a proud father he was of two precious daughters. Link continued, "I hope your time comes again that you can be allowed to have another beautiful child; may you be blessed by the Goddesses and fruitful."

At this, Link bowed slightly as Talon flushed in front of Nabooru who was standing next to him, Giana in her arms. "Aren't you the charmer?" She spoke alluringly. "I will certainly miss seeing your delectable face around here Link. However Ganondorf's rules are law and we must obey." She paused, her gaze flicking over to Ganondorf briefly, before continuing, "Despite this, I sincerely hope you make it back safely."

She went to say more but a flash of pain crossed her face as she brought a hand up to her forehead; gently massaging her ruby. Giana looked up at her mom in confusion, "Are you okay mommy?"

Nabooru grimaced as she reassured her daughter, "Yes little one." She set Giana down on her feet as she walked over to Ganondorf irritated.

"Link! You'll come back to play with me right?" Giana happily shouted as she rushed into his arms.

Link picked up the petite girl and wrapped her in his loveable hug; planting lovely kisses all over her cheeks, "Of course! How could I stay away from such a pretty face like yours?"

Giana cackled with glee as she tried to evade his affections, "You're so silly Link!"

"Not as silly as you are, little princess!" With a growl he pretended to bite her neck and eat her up, she squealed in delight as she squirmed in his arms. "Mmm…so delicious! I think I'll just eat you up right now!"

"Ahhh…Sis, help!" Giana cried out jovially, her laughter carrying on the wind.

Malon strode up to the two of them, "I don't think I can lil sis," she began, arms crossed, "You look quite delicious to me too, I just might ask him to save me a piece."

Link took one quick glance at Malon with what looked like an evil grin before commencing the attack, "Well, it's decided then! Onto the main course!" Giana's body went convulsive as his fingers tickled her every which way. After a time, Malon knew it was time to put an end to the festivities and ordered them to settle down; even Talon asked why she was being a poor sport, he was relishing the show.

Giana finally resettled back into Link's arms as she gave him a serious look, "Please promise you'll come back. I don't want you to die."

Link's heart broke at her words, he faked a smile as he comforted Giana by poking her on the nose, "For you, your faithful knight will come back to serve his little princess once again!"

Giana giggled as he finally set her down; one of the Gerudo led the bouncing girl back into the fortress for bath time. Link looked on blissfully before finally facing Malon; he didn't even get a chance to say a word as she hurtled into his arms. Their bodies intertwined as they embraced warmly. He could feel her body heaving with the sobs being dealt into his chest. She had been furious when she was commanded not to join Link on this journey; she refused to be consoled for hours. It wasn't until Giana came out to cheer her big sister up did she finally come around.

They parted from the hug but did not release their arms from around their bodies; they looked at each other speaking what did not need to be said out loud. They were being separated for a reason. Neither of them had any idea when they could be together again; that thought tore them apart from the inside. Link was at a loss for words, for he had none to express how much he loved her at this very moment.

She nodded, understanding the look in his eyes. She raggedly spoke, "Just come back to me alive, Link." With that she let him go and walked over to stand behind her father Talon; leaning into his comforting presence, overcome with grief to say more.

Saria stepped up to him, one foot in front of the other, hands clasped behind her back; the pure image of an angel. "I really wish I could be with you on this trip. Now that I'm no longer bound to the forest, I just want to travel and see the world!"

Link smiled at her enthusiasm, "I hear you Saria. I wish my best friend could come with me too. It'll be boring without you and Sora there to keep me company."

Saria flushed at his compliment, "You know Sora isn't around anymore."

Link ran a hand through her delicate green hair, "She is in here, and I'm sure you'd let me know everything she has to say to me. Right?"

Saria laughed, "Right! Just be safe out there for me Link." After a pause, "That's from Sora too."

Link bent over to pick Saria up and hug her deeply in his arms; Saria pressed into his body and enjoyed the comfortable warmth. Link let go only to find that Saria was still stuck to him, her wings beating softly to keep her aloft now that he was no longer supporting her.

"Um…Saria? Can I go now?" Link queried.

Without even opening her eyes, Saria hushed him, "Just a few minutes more Link. I want to remember this moment."

Rolling his eyes he clasped his arms around her back so she could rest her appendages. They finally parted as Saria walked over to stand with his other friends. Link finally turned to Zelda who was also wearing a white traveling tunic made of lightweight fabric that could breathe in the wind; she also carried a rucksack like his, most likely filled with extra clothes and provisions for the journey. They smiled briefly before walking together over to Ganondorf.

"Are you about done with your valedictions?" Ganondorf huffed. Without waiting for a response, he swept a hand over to Apolloni, "This will be your guide to the southern marshes. Apolloni, one of my best warriors, will ensure your safety. With her are three of the highest trained women we have outside of the elder council, Aveil, Lorva, and Merin."

Link looked at the company he would be traveling with; outside of Apolloni and her unique brunette hair, the other three looked interchangeable. All three carrying the distinctive traits of the Gerudo but none being singled out in any specific fashion; the four of them were dressed in violet robes and travel sandals. Each woman had a pack of her own filled with supplies; one woman even had two large bundles strapped to the top of hers, it was explained that they were tents one could set up while on the road.

Link nodded at them in greeting, the three women practically swooned at his attention. Apolloni simply sneered at his friendly advance; it was clear that she was not happy with this situation. She must not have volunteered for the job, indicated by Ganondorf's dismissal of her.

"Nice to meet you all officially." Link began cordially.

"Save the introductions for later." Ganondorf interjected, "You can have plenty of time to get to know them later." Link blushed as the three women smiled and winked their eyes in his direction. Ignoring them entirely, Ganondorf pressed, "I can only open a part of the barrier for a few minutes; all of you must go through immediately before it closes again. Do you understand?"

Confirmed with a nod, Ganondorf ordered the portcullis opened; grinding gears and years of sand fell off the metal bars as the spiked gate rose slowly into the air. He paced up to the shimmering wall of malice and raised his hands in the air; crackling energy sparked from his fingertips as he slowly pressed his arms into the barrier. A cry of agony rent the air as his entire body pulsated with dark forces; he almost staggered with the sheer effort of opening a portal large enough for one person to fit through.

Panting for air, Ganondorf screamed, "Go now!"

Apolloni led the procession as the three Gerudo women followed her out of the aura; they reveled in the rays of the sun as it beat firmly onto their skin. No longer having to suffer through filtered light as it passed through the barrier, they enjoyed it thoroughly. Zelda passed through next with Link leading up the rear.

A sudden shout twirled his attention around, "Stop her! Malon! What are ya doing?!"

Unacknowledged by anyone in attendance, she had picked up a pack she had hid the night before and was running full tilt towards the open barrier. Ganondorf risked a glimpse behind as he saw her running for the opening; to prevent her escape he began to slowly pull his hands back from the aura. Malon squawked as she saw the portal slowly closing. One of the guards made a grab for her pack as she hurled past but grabbed only air. With a final slide across the sand, Malon surged through as the aura slammed down into the dirt mere inches from her head. She had made it! She was on the outside with Link!

Shrieks of horror and despair erupted from beyond the aura as Talon and Nabooru rushed up to it. Talon cried out to Malon through the barrier, "What do ya think ya doing?! Have Ganondorf open this back up!"

"I cannot." Ganondorf grated, panting heavily on the ground exhausted. "It will be several moons before I am able to accomplish that again."

Apolloni smacked Malon to the ground with a vengeance; she leaped on top of her incapacitated form and grabbed a fistful of hair. She jerked Malon's face to her own before spitting on her cheek, "Why did you do that you worthless wench!? We can't afford to carry your weight with us!"

Link sprinted to assist Malon when a raised hand from Apolloni spurred the other three women to draw their swords. He raised his hands in submission as the three women bared down on him with calm menace. "Do not interrupt Link, this girl knew what she was doing and now she is to pay the price of her insolence!" Apolloni spat.

"No she will not." Ganondorf confirmed, able to hear everything from beyond the veil, "But there is someone who will."

Ganondorf lumbered up off the ground and stalked over to Talon. He signaled several guards to bind him to a nearby post which seemed clearly marked for something unpleasant. There were old stains of blood, baked into the wood from the scorching sun. Nabooru surged up to Ganondorf to demand that he release her man.

Without looking he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground, legs kicking in fruitless fury. He spoke mercilessly, "I've tolerated your idiosyncrasies long enough Nabooru, it is time you learned the price one pays for disobeying their king's laws." With a casual flick of the wrist, he tossed her aside like a rag doll. She collapsed to the ground, coughing from his grip, struggling to breathe in precious air.

Apolloni observed what was going on and liked what she saw; she forcibly flipped Malon onto her stomach before roughly slamming back down onto her spine. Yanking her hair back with a fist, she forced Malon to watch the unfolding spectacle. Zelda attempted to intervene but was also blocked by one of the other three. Link and Zelda gazed on in dismay as they knew what was to come.

Talon was stripped to his waist as they tied him to the pole, his hairy back bare for all to see. Ganondorf raised one hand as a Gerudo emerged from the guard tower with a whip firmly in hand. "Twenty lashes to the father. May it serve as a lesson to both what happens when subordinates disobey me!"

Saria trilled as she flew through the air towards Ganondorf, trying to scream sense into his mangled brain, "Stop it! He did nothing wrong! Just let them go! What's done is done."

"Indeed." Ganondorf agreed. He fought Saria as she attempted to grab his arm; he flung her off and sliced it down through the air. "Now!"

The crack reverberated around the brick walls as two women screamed in unison. Nabooru shrieked as she fought against her fellow Gerudo who were holding her back steadfastly; she was rolling on the ground in madness. Malon could do nothing but cry as she watched her father endure the public beating. Each resounding crack forced another shout from Talon as another glistening line of blood formed across his back. Saria was a sniffling heap of tears as the final lash hit home. Talon had sagged against the poll and was dangling from the ropes tied to his wrists, rubbed raw from the tension.

Saria's indignant cry did little to bruise Ganondorf's demeanor, "I thought you were better than that!" With a sniffle, she flew off towards the compound.

Ganondorf watched indifferently as the women dragged Nabooru back to her quarters, hysterically wailing the entire way. His eyes swept the scene before landing on Talon. He directed one of the guards to leave the beaten man where he was, "Let him rot for the night, cut him down in the morning. Let him be an example to the rest." The woman saluted before dashing off.

Ganondorf strode up to the barrier, "Apolloni, Saria was right. What's done is done. Take Malon with you. Whether she survives or not is up to you. I trust your judgment." With a shared smirk between the two of them, he rotated around and confidently walked back to the fortress.

Apolloni released her hold as she let Malon up. She jeered, "I guess we have excess baggage now. Do try to keep up. I will not wait for you."

Malon shot her a glare but did not chance a response. She gratefully accepted the hugs from Link and Zelda as they rushed towards her; they silently cried together at the fate of her father. A click of the tongue from Apolloni warranted a scathing look; she merely smiled back at Link, uninterested in his hurt feelings.

"Come along lover boy, time is wasting and we need to get going!" She signaled the other three women to follow as they trudged off through the sand.

Without speaking a word to each other, the three of them walked off hand in hand after the Gerudo warriors. Malon turned one last time to see her father still kneeling at the base of the pole; he had looked up briefly to see her go. She mouthed silently to him, "I love you daddy."


	32. Chapter 31 - Loss of Innocence

**Chapter 31 - Loss of Innocence**

His hips kept shoving hard and fast; his firm manhood thrusting into her velvety folds, piercing her inner depths with vicious abandon. She barely flinched anymore when his teeth bit into her skin, leaving deep marks that sometimes trickled blood; it had all become common place to her. She merely stared at the ceiling, enveloping his body in her arms as she felt his massive frame glide over her.

The man's lust was insatiable; ever since that night seven cycles ago, he had visited her each night to plow into her tender body. Over time he relocated her permanently into his tent so that she may share his bed. The first time had been almost unbearable; his throbbing phallus punctured her womanhood with the force of a battering ram, the furs were stained red with the innocence that was lost.

As she grew older, she had developed into a beautiful woman as he put it. He would praise her, saying she got better with age; he showed his appreciation for her form by visiting her several times daily to satiate his undying hunger for her unique flesh. She had been the only female they had caught; the rest either escaped or were killed in the initial attack. That made her valuable to him.

With one final, animalistic growl he slammed his member deep into her slick juices; he moaned into her neck as he spilled his seed, convulsing as he expended the last reserves of his strength. The man slumped on top of her, enjoying the wet feeling of warmth her inner chamber provided before finally slipping out and rolling to the side.

She shivered slightly when the feeling of his demonic fluid came dribbling out of her cleft; slowly pooling between her legs, she would have to be sleeping over that mess this evening she knew. It had become clear to the two of them that she was unable to get pregnant by his seed, or from any Nevachrean; this appealed greatly to her captor, it made these conjugal visits far more appealing with the lack of a consequence to take care of.

"You amaze me every single time." The burly man admitted.

"Thank you Naar." She said monotonously. She had learned to keep inflection out of her voice when talking with him; made her less of a target in his eyes. It did little when he was angry over something however; the scars and gashes across her skin were testament to that.

Guessing correctly what her thoughts were, he leaned over and stroked her right eye. She flinched as his fingers trailed across the scar stretching from her nose, through the lids of her eye and ending just above her brow. Naar had done that in a fit of rage the other evening; he had come into the tent storming. Summoning a blade, he proceeded to slice her across the face before tossing her onto the bed; penetrating her thoroughly with his manhood so violently it drew blood.

"I am very sorry for that, my dear. I will try better next time to control my anger against you." Naar soothed as he gently moved his hand to her belly, gently massaging her navel. He softly mused, "It is a shame we are unable to have a child. I hadn't thought of having one in many cycles."

Several cycles ago, she would have had to fight hard to suppress a snort at this ridiculous notion that this despicable man actually cared about having children; now she knew better. She allowed him to have his flights of fancy; it prevented him from getting angry with her if she enabled him to fantasize his desires.

"I wonder what he would look like." Naar wondered, still massaging her belly, "I would train that boy to grow up wise, powerful and strong like his father."

"Of course he would be." She acknowledged flatly.

Naar grinned at her agreement to his musings; he rolled over to his back staring up at the ceiling with her. He chuckled, "You know you can be more open with me. If I had wanted to kill you, I would have done so long ago."

"What would you have me say?" She asked petulantly.

Naar clasped his hands over his chest as he thought about it, "Tell me what desires you had…before the war. What did you wish for in life?"

This was a cruel joke, she thought, and he knew it. Asking her to tell him about things that no longer mattered; things that were beyond reach for anyone, especially her. This time she did smother heavily a snort at his preposterous question. It had been so long ago, she could barely remember a time when she wasn't with Naar. Trying to remember things that happened ages ago was like pulling away cobwebs in the dusty corners of her memory.

Giving in to his wicked pleasures, she morosely stated, "I had wanted to be married to someone my father resented. I wanted to grow old with him and have many children. I know that is not going to happen now."

Naar was examining her with a critical eye as she spoke, "You wanted to be married? Would that truly make you happy?"

She finally turned her head to him, regarding his pupils carefully. What was he playing at? His face was dead serious. "What do you mean?" She was confused.

Naar was startlingly swift; he swung over her supple form and charged his still pulsing member into her flesh. She groaned in the sudden shock of his warmth invading her deep recesses. It was unusual however; he was being remarkably gentle, casually measuring his thrusts to a slow rhythm that she could grind to. She began pushing her hips up to meet each deliberate plunge; she had long since learned what he wanted in the bed, both when he was rough and when he was gentle. But what did he truly want right now?

Naar propped his upper body with a fist on either side of her, gazing down into her purple irises. "If that is what my lady desires, I can make that happen." Naar promised.

She blinked a few times; this was wholly unexpected, "I'm sorry?"

He sniggered as he continued his slow grind, "If a marriage is what you want, I can marry you. You will be my wife. You satisfy me like no other woman can!" At this, his pushes became faster in tempo.

Turning her head, she gazed over to the open tent flap; enjoying the slight breeze that filtered in from the cool night. It had been odd to her; they had captured the castle with the majority of it still intact. Yet they still had not fully moved in to enjoy the luxuries of its bedrooms, dining halls and other accommodations that went with it. She wagered it was the intimate familiarity of the road, of being in tents that kept Naar coming back to these trappings.

"You flatter me, Naar. I do not wish to burden you with such an extravagancy." She softly spoke.

"Nonsense!" His driving slowed down; she had stopped meeting him at each thrust. Realizing his displeasure, she raised her hips to initiate the rhythm again. Satisfied she would be obedient, he continued, "It is the least I can do to please the woman whom I share my bed with. It is decided, I will make the arrangements to see us wed properly." Naar beamed at this brilliant idea.

"You are most gracious, Naar. I appreciate what you do for me." She had fallen back into her compartmentalized world. She could focus on the conversation if she ignored what was going on below her breasts.

He speared her welcoming folds as they sensually wrapped around his member, pulling him deeper with inviting caresses. Within moments he screamed in pleasure as another load shot into her depths; he jerked several more times before sagging over to the side. She gasped faintly as the cold air rushed in as he slipped out. Shivering slightly as she felt more of his seed coalescing with the growing pool beneath her; she kept her mind focused on the conversation at hand.

"You are truly a delightful creature." Naar murmured to himself.

"So what news of the south?" She questioned abruptly. There was no fear of him sharing his plans with her; she was a good sounding board for any ideas he had in mind for the campaign. He knew there was no one she could talk to and she kept all his secrets deep within the recesses of her mind. She had become something of a confidant of his; more so than his three commanders, whom he had begun trusting a little less of late.

Naar sighed, completely relaxed with how the night was going. He reached up and rested his head on his hands as he gazed back up at the ceiling of the tent. "None yet, Talamir and Timner have yet to return. I do not know why the supplies have dwindled. Something must have happened. I do not think it is bandits, although I cannot rule out that possibility."

"With an army this big, can you really, honestly, expect to supply them all for this long?" She offered her opinion.

Naar shrugged, "My intention was never to keep these men alive. We have no need for water or food anymore. If we die of starvation or dehydration, we simply revive mere hours later. So what does it matter? The only thing left to us is the pleasures of the flesh; it's the one thing we can still enjoy." He smirked, "And killing, that also can be pleasurable."

One side of her lip rose up in disgust at his casual talk of the war, "Why did you send them? It is clear they can't get things done as you ask."

Naar huffed, "The road back to the capital is long, and it'll be at least a cycle before they return. All the more reason to send them there, gives me some peace and quiet for a time."

"Where is your other commander? The weird one?" She inquired.

Naar busted out laughing hard at her comment, "Oh…you can say that again! I don't know what is wrong with that man. If he wasn't so efficient at what he does, I probably would have had him killed out of spite. He is unusual, to say the least." His laughter slowly died down enough for him to continue, "I sent him off to the east several orbits ago. His goal was to find the Goron Ruby and bring it here. I do not envy that man right now, I absolutely abhor the cold."

She nodded absently. Indeed, the far eastern mountains of Xaagar were known to be some of the most frigid ranges in the entire kingdom. Constant blizzards and buffeting snow battered the craggy mountainsides; it was hazardous to even the most intrepid and skilled explorers. The Gorons had smartly chosen to hide deep in the halls of those frostbitten caverns that littered the rock. It would be an irritatingly annoying task to root them out and ultimately find the prize they were seeking.

"I do not worry about his success." Naar continued; unaware of her thoughts. "Unlike the idiot twins, I believe Thanan will pull through and claim what I seek. It has been a long time, but I believe we've finally found where the Gorons are specifically hiding."

"And what of my kinsmen?" She asked pensively.

Naar glanced over to her expressionless face; he was unclear as to the motive behind her question. He deigned to answer it regardless, "Like a pack of rats, they've scattered to safer ground. I have not been able to track them since that day." His fist clenched in wrath, she shied away in fear of being hit once again. Seeing her reaction, he released the tension and let his hand fall to the side. He gently fingered the folds of her silky fins that protruded from her arm.

"I am sorry." She offered.

"Bah!" Naar dismissed her apology, "We'll encircle them one of these days; it is only a matter of time. What infuriates me more is these blasted Gerudo; they have long since discovered how to kill us permanently. Their arrogant king has erected a barrier we can't hope to penetrate! They ultimately have to come out at some point or they'll die starving."

"They have been coming out." She let slip.

In an instant he was hovering over her, face inches away from hers. "What was that? How do you know this?"

She simpered at the thought of knowing more than he did. "Some of my scouts have sent back word to me that they are sending several teams of no more than three or four Gerudo at a time to bring back supplies every orbit."

It was over two cycles ago when Naar finally allowed her to roam about the camp unhindered. She had been broken in to the point she no longer wanted to escape; she knew it was fruitless and she would be hunted down like the dog she was. He had shrouded her in a body-length robe she could fasten at the neck; she draped the hood over her odd-shaped head to cover the features that might shock normal men.

Sweeping through the tents in her navy blue cloak, she was left alone by most of the lustful grunts present in the encampment. The few idiots who dared to cop a feel were sliced to ribbons by her sharpened fins that extended from both forearms and calves. One egregious man paid the ultimate price for quickly stuffing two fingers between her legs as she had walked past. She melted his face off completely with her viscous acid; she had grabbed another man by the face and poured her lethal venom down his throat in a deadly kiss. Both men never recovered and had to be burned to ashes.

A few more similar events occurred before the men ultimately decided it was not worth risking their very lives to feel up Naar's Dark Mistress. It was a term a few brutes had coined but it quickly spread throughout the encampment. Whenever she wandered through the campfires, they all gave her a wide berth and smartly chose not to engage her in anything but civil introductions.

In time, as she proved her loyalty to him in small matters, Naar began to trust her in more important tasks. He inevitably gave her command over a battalion of soldiers and pronounced her his fourth commander; much to the vexation of his other three. Naar had not allowed her to be sent out on missions like Thanan, Talamir and Timner; but with all three of them gone at the present, he seriously considered it.

"When did they see them leave?" Naar pressured.

She looked directly back into his eyes before answering, "Just this afternoon. It was a larger group than any previous. It appears they are doing more than just scavenging for supplies."

Naar rolled back over to her side, "Interesting." After a long period of silence, he began again, "Ruto, I want you to lead a contingent of assassins and track this group. If it is as you say, that their mission could be beyond scavenging, I want to know what it is."

It was Ruto's turn to rise up over Naar, this was wholly unexpected! "You mean it? You'll actually let me go to track this group down?"

Naar nodded, noting the look of intensity in her eyes. "If that is what you wish, yes. I trust you will not disappoint me; for when you get back, the preparations for our wedding should be complete. Come back victorious." He was taking a big risk here, but after seven cycles of being with this beautiful creature, he had formed some sort of twisted mutual trust with Ruto.

Eager to be on his good side, Ruto straddled his massive bulk and glided his engorged member back into her slippery fissure. Naar groaned with her unexpected turn of compliance; he gripped each of her cheeks as he gently pulled her lower body fully down onto his shaft. She grinned at his reaction, "I would be honored to lead this excursion. What would you have me do if they pose a threat to us?" Ruto asked.

Naar closed his eyes enjoying the sensations of her grinding, "Kill them all. Leave none alive."

Ruto nodded as she increased her pace, her scales softly slapping against his skin with the intensity of her effort. She was extremely excited about finally leaving the camp; not that she had any intention of escaping just to hide away. She knew Naar would have the assassins with her for insurance, if she stepped out of line for even an instant, he would order them to kill her. No, she wanted to leave for a different reason; she was hoping beyond hopes that Link could still be out there. Her true husband; that one, single thought kept her sane all these nights. She closed her eyes blissfully as she imagined Naar being someone else; her body rocking hard against his.

Naar bucked his hips into her as he reached his third climax that evening. She splayed over him exhausted as he gazed up into her eyes. "You are one, magnificent creature Ruto…my Dark Mistress."

"I know." Ruto intoned, her mind lost in thought.


	33. Chapter 32 - A Night Under the Stars

**Chapter 32 - A Night Under the Stars**

It was dark by the time they reached the desert colossus. It was unknown how long the monolith had stood at the edge of the desert; guarding the realm from an unseen menace. The Gerudo had made pilgrimages yearly to worship the Goddesses and perform rituals to increase their crops, fertility or anything else they needed assistance with. The loathsome Kotake and Koume presided over these gatherings and made their residence within the temple.

The colossus had been carved with meticulous detail into the immense pillar of stone; it was shaped into a woman sitting cross-legged with her arms outstretched with palms upwards welcoming all who came to her. The carcass of a snake draped over her head as its tail meandered down her torso covering her left breast, leaving the other bare to the elements. Link and the group had to stop briefly to admire the impressive sight; it simply took Malon's breath away at its sheer magnitude.

Despite the initial cursing and complaining of Apolloni over Malon's inclusion into their expedition, she ultimately had to concede that the girl's skills were acceptable. Leevers were a prevalent hazard in these shifting sands; malignant plants that emerged from the soil with thorns adorning their bodies like a crown. They preferred to attack in groups and encircle their victims before slicing them to shreds with their sharp spikes. Some Hylian scientists had made the theory that they were an offshoot of the Peahat and that they could even be related by genus. Malon had proven her mettle to stand amongst the rest of the women as she plunged her spear deep into the quivering mass of leaves and thorns.

Apolloni surveyed the scene as she gazed down across the sands before the colossus; she spied an escarpment with a visible path that scaled its heights. She nodded her head as she pointed in the direction of their destination. Leaping down off the rocky knoll they had decided to rest on for a time, they followed their navigator towards the far crag. They carefully rationed the water canteens between the seven of them; especially now that they had an additional person to account for in their supplies.

Within the hour they were almost upon the steep pathway that would lead them up and over into the marshlands. A tinkling of rock alerted Zelda's attention to the ledge above them; she thought she saw some shadows against the clear night sky before they darted out of sight. She surged ahead to the front of the group to warn Apolloni of the possible threat.

Without even looking up where Zander was pointing, Apolloni spoke with some irritation, "Yes, I've known we were being followed since before we came to the desert colossus. We are being tracked."

Zelda questioned fearfully, "Why are they not attacking?"

Apolloni shrugged before hefting herself onto the rock face, searching purchase for her limbs, "I've no idea. They are probably only there to keep tabs on us. If they were a threat, they would have attacked by now. Now get climbing."

Sweat rolled off their bodies in waves as they slowly scrabbled up the treacherous cliff face. Several times Zelda or Malon lost their footing or missed a precious handhold and nearly fell several hundred feet to almost certain death, if not incapacitation. It seemed like hours before they finally heaved themselves over the ledge and onto flatter ground.

Apolloni was impatiently tapping her foot as Link, Zelda and Malon attempted to recover from the arduous climb. They had trained for combat, not for acrobatics up steep mountains. The other three women merely smirked at their exhaustion. At length, she finally decided to set up camp a bit further up the sloped path underneath an overhang; with their backs to the rock wall, they could view the environs from a place of strategic comfort.

They quickly erected the two tents and placed them towards the back of the overhang. The three Gerudo warriors had instigated a fire from the scant pieces of wood they were able to find in the local area; it was crackling heartily by the time they settled down near its heat. Malon and Zelda sat on either side of Link; more for comfort than anything else, they hardly knew the other four women. Aveil, Lorva and Merin looked at Link and Zander in longing but dared not sit any closer to the trio for fear of Apolloni's wrath; they opted to sit closer to their leader directly opposite Link and the others past the fire.

Uncomfortable with the pervading silence, Zelda offered to make conversation with their escorts, "So what is the story behind that structure?" She asked, turning briefly around to get a glimpse of its gargantuan silhouette.

Merin looked briefly at Apolloni trying to read her inscrutable face; after receiving no confirmation either way, she turned to three youths and began to explain, "That colossus has been there since before any of the Gerudo can remember. It has served as a holy place of worship; every 500 cycles, the current ruler of the Gerudo selects two special elders to serve as loyal stewards of our traditions and practices. They are brought here and learn the secret arts of magick, divination and many other mystical powers. Kotake and Koume have been the loyal servants of the Goddesses for the past 400 cycles."

Malon whispered quietly to Link out of the corner of her mouth, "Something tells me they have been serving more than just the Goddesses."

Link snickered at her comment before being cut short by Merin, "What was that?"

He shook his head briskly, "Nothing. Continue please." He perched an elbow on his leg and rested his head in his palm, leaning forward feigning great interest.

Lorva shot Malon a dirty look as Merin haltingly continued, "We travel there once a cycle to sing, dance and praise the Goddesses for the coming harvest, among other things. The two caretakers of the temple usually come out as a medium between us and the Goddesses, to tell us what we should do for the coming cycle."

Link picked up on a quick dodge on Merin's part, "Among other things?" He inquired further.

Merin stuttered, "Well…we…er…"

"We have big orgies." Apolloni blurted out coolly.

Zelda spit her current mouthful of jerky at the fire, making it hiss and spit. Malon and Link's faces went pale at the subject. Zelda spluttered, "You…what? In the open? With only women?"

Aveil flashed a devious grin as she crawled past the campfire to sidle up next to Zelda, gently stroking her arm with her fingers. Zelda's eyes bulged at the hunger in Aveil's eyes, "Oh, you like that idea Zander? We do bring men we've captured to the yearly celebration and pass them around like cattle; it is utterly delicious." Aveil licked her lips as she inched closer to Zelda's face. Zelda quickly grasped Link's hand tightly in hers; an action not lost on Aveil. "Not to worry, with just you two strapping men, we can have the yearly orgy right here and now!"

Without permission or reason to hold back, Lorva and Merin crept over to Link and Zander. The three of them began fondling the smooth male bodies of the group; each woman yearning for what lay beyond the clothes covering their nude forms. Malon started up indignantly as she attempted to pull Merin off of Link.

"They're not just some cattle to pass around like trash! They have feelings too!" Malon exclaimed. She knew the reasoning was shallow, but her mind was jumbled with visions of seeing her two friends being physically assaulted.

Merin swiftly turned to Malon; quickly knocking her to the ground, tongues locked in a one-sided passionate kiss. Merin disentangled herself from the struggling girl to gutturally whisper, "If you're feeling left out, you can have me tonight. I don't mind being with another woman."

"That's not what I mea-" Malon's protest was cut short as her mouth was assailed by Merin's lips; her tongue quickly sifting in with impunity. Malon could do nothing but struggle against the woman's stronger physique.

With Apolloni doing little but sitting alongside the fire; knees up to her chin watching the whole spectacle, it was open season on the three youth. Lorva surged her hands into Link's ivory robe as she massaged his muscular abs. Aveil began smothering Zander with her salty kisses; trailing her lips along his neck down to the chest.

The women's appetites were rapacious; they had not had physical relations with men in many cycles. Their inner urges overcame their senses as they sought to tear the clothes off their squirming victims. Zelda was panicking; she felt Aveil slowly weed her invasive hands towards her crotch. It would be only a matter of time before she couldn't keep the stealth haze active any longer.

"Link!" Zelda managed to cry in-between attacks on her mouth.

Link twisted his head away from the vagarious Lorva to see Zelda's face flickering between Zander and her true face. She was struggling to maintain concentration amid the confusion of having someone violate her in such an intimate fashion. A sharp click of Apolloni's fingers snapped Lorva and Aveil out of their sexual reverie; they look at her dazed, unsure of why she wanted them to stop.

"Merin, stop!" Apolloni ordered as she noted the two still going at it.

Breathing heavily, Link turned to Malon and was shocked to see she was clinging onto Merin, passionately returning the kiss with fervor. Apolloni's commands grew louder and impatient as they continued to slather over each other; Malon's legs were already draped over the woman's hips.

Zelda tentatively tried to get Malon's attention, "Um…Malon?"

Malon opened her eyes, unaware of where she was or how she got there. She blinked twice before looking at Merin above her; their eyes lost in a sexual haze. Malon unconsciously moved her mouth closer before seeing Merin ripped away from her. Apolloni grasped the back of Merin's robe and threw her to the ground; shattering her mood.

"Merin, you stupid woman!" Apolloni kicked the Gerudo hard in the stomach, causing her to buckle over into a fetal position in pain. "You stop when I command you to!" She turned to glare at the other two; they both visibly shrank from her ire. "This is not what we are here for! We are not a pack of wild dogs in heat! All of you get into my tent, now! We are retiring for the night!"

The three Gerudo quickly fumbled over to their tent and quietly slipped in through the flap. Malon shakily got up before attempting to head over to the Gerudo tent; Apolloni quickly placed an arm in her path.

"Where do you think you are going, wretch?" Apolloni spat with acrimony.

Bewildered, Malon looked into Apolloni's seething eyes, "You want me to bed in the tent with the boys?" She asked oddly.

"That is not my concern. You are simply not going to be sleeping with any of us." With a shove, she pushed Malon onto her rump. She gently massaged her backside, as tears slowly began to form in her eyes. Apolloni exhaled in disgust at this display of weakness, "Suck it up you wench! This is not the first time you've been hurt. Either sleep with the boys or sleep outside, I don't care."

Apolloni turned on her heel to join her fellow Gerudo before stopping just short of Zander, she turned her head to look down on the youth, "Besides, I think you'll be in the majority in that tent." Without another word, she continued walking. With a swish of fabric, she was gone.

Zelda's heart went cold at the allegation Apolloni left them with; did she see through the disguise while Aveil was on top of her? She swiveled to Link who was also thinking the same thing. Malon crawled over on her hands and knees before plopping down next to Zelda; a slightly pensive look displayed over her features. Malon's attention was split between the two, confused as to what they were alarmed about.

"What's going on?" Malon asked.

Link turned to her to stare a few moments before recomposing himself, "Uh…I think Apolloni saw through Zelda's disguise." He whispered.

Malon's mouth shot open as her face pivoted to Zelda, "When did it happen?"

Zelda dipped her head in shame, "I…I think it was when she was…feeling me down there." She gasped slightly at the appalling nature of it; Malon nudged closer to Zelda and placed a comforting hand around her shoulders. Zelda immediately turned into Malon's shoulder and began weeping bitterly, staining her clothes with tears. "I couldn't keep the spell up fully…it was too distracting." Zelda continued muffled into Malon's armpit.

Malon embraced Zelda fully as she stroked her blond hair to soothe her angst; she looked over at Link in despair, she had no idea how she could comfort Zelda any further. Link shrugged but made a signal that she was doing a good job and should just be there for her. Within minutes Zelda had exhausted her humiliation and settled down sufficiently so that she could attend to the matters at hand.

"We have to get ready for bed." Zelda sniffed, moving away from Malon as she wiped away her tears.

They were at the threshold of the tent when they noticed Link was not following them. Malon turned to him curiously, "Aren't you coming in to sleep?"

Link gave her that special smile of his, "You know that wouldn't be appropriate." He nodded in Zelda's general direction.

Zelda huffed, "Like that ever stopped us from sharing the same room for over seven cycles."

Malon had to agree with Zelda, "Yeah…you shared a room with her. What's the difference now?"

Link's face screwed up weirdly at her ridiculous suggestion, "Well, there's two of you now."

"So?" Malon persisted.

"So…I shared a room to keep up the ruse." Link softly spoke.

"Well, aren't we doing the same thing here?" Zelda probed.

"True, I could go into that tent with you to maintain the ruse, but then that would leave her outside." He gestured towards Malon.

It finally dawned on Zelda what he was getting at. "I see. Well there seems to be one solution to this whole mess." She turned to Malon and gently prodded her inside the tent, "You take the tent and we two boys will sleep under the stars."

"Like heck you will! We'll all sleep outside then!" Malon surged past Zelda before she could protest. With a running leap, she skidded next to Link who looked genuinely surprised at her decision.

"So it's a real camp out then?" Link offered; eyebrow rising in disbelief.

Zelda shook her head at the whole situation, "Looks like you'll be having company tonight then Link." It was useless to argue with Malon once she had decided to do something.

Link grinned as he took his bedroll and expanded it out next to the rock wall; utilizing his pack as a makeshift pillow, he pounded it into a form that seemed like it would be comfortable to rest his head on. The two girls followed suit and set up their bedrolls in the same fashion; one on each side of Link's sleeping space. Lacking any real spot to ultimately change into their sleeping clothes, they opted to just slip into their bags and get comfortable.

Within minutes, the girls had rolled their bags against Link's furnace of a body. "Why must you be so warm all the time Link?" Malon complained.

Link fidgeted awkwardly as he moved his body in-between the two girls who were crushing against him, vying for his warmth. "Hey! You two stop it. I'm trying to get comfortable here!"

"So are we!" Zelda argued; she snuggled closer to Link, suddenly feeling quite cold as the night breeze ruffled the fabrics of their bedrolls.

At length they finally settled into some semblance of order; the girls practically clinging onto him through their bedrolls, basking in the radiating heat from his body. "Are you two quite done?" Link sighed annoyed.

"No." Malon stated.

"But this will suffice." Zelda confirmed.

Link groaned in frustration at the two indecisive women; couldn't they just fall asleep as soon as their head hit their pillows like normal Hylians do? After what seemed like hours, he could finally hear the two of them softly snoring next to him. He smiled as his thoughts wandered; surrounded by two of his best friends, he felt he had little to fear of the future. In time, his eyes started to droop; he was gone.

They made quite the sight to see the next morning; the three of them were all crammed into Link's sleeping bag.


	34. Chapter 33 - Contemplations on Existence

**Chapter 33 - Contemplations on Existence**

Saria lay draped over the strapping mare, her cheeks pressing into the horse's neck as she gently swirled the fur between her fingers. Epona agreeably endured the slender body resting across her back; so gratified was she filling her belly with the fresh hay that the Gerudo caretaker had brought in that morning. With nothing else of his to truly take comfort in, Saria was content to hang out with his horse; the one thing that reminded her of him.

Ever since that horrid day earlier in the week, Saria cut herself off from the majority of the Gerudo. She refused to get anywhere near Ganondorf or anyone from his entourage of supporters; especially the elders. Nabooru had come around a few times to see if there was anything she needed but Saria simply ignored her. She didn't want to deal with anyone; she was too hurt at the whole situation.

They had cut Talon down the next day from the whipping post; he was dehydrated and near delirium when they placed him in the medic quarters. To add insult to injury, Ganondorf forbade Nabooru from visiting him these past few moons. She was free to roam the compound as she saw fit, but eyes were watching her movements closely. It was clear that she was no longer the trusted elder within Ganondorf's inner circle. She had stumbled onto one of their council meetings one day realizing she had been uninvited.

"What is all this?" Nabooru demanded, voice rising in alarm.

Before her, were the remaining four elders communicating with Ganondorf; who was sitting casually across his throne, carelessly swirling a glass of wine in his hand. She had not felt the summons from within her ruby for days; he was communicating with the others without relaying his thoughts through her. It was evident they were being secretive about their meeting when she did not detect voices before she barged into the council chamber; they were communicating only through the rubies.

Ganondorf turned his head to face Nabooru; a look of disregard plainly written across his face. "With all you have been through Nabooru, I did not feel it pertinent to trouble you with these matters."

She repeated him with incredulity, "Did not feel it pertinent? What matters need addressing?"

Sipping down a swig of the wine, Ganondorf licked his lips before responding, "It does not concern you right now Nabooru. Until such time you can prove to me your loyalty, I cannot have you take part in any decisions that affect the outcome of our people."

Nabooru stood rooted to the spot as she looked at each of the elders in turn; although their backs were facing her, each of them were glaring over their shoulders at her. Stunned by the vehemence in their eyes, Nabooru felt truly alone in her own home. Did no one trust her anymore? Was there truly no support?

"I am an elder of the Gerudo people." Nabooru stated with a slight tremor in her voice. "My objective has always been to the-"

Ganondorf quickly raised a hand to silence her, "I suggest you not complete that sentence Nabooru. You should leave, now." His voice was soft, but his tone was intense. His eyes bored into Nabooru's daring her to contravene; she did not disappoint.

"This is ridiculous! I will not stand-" Nabooru's outrage was cut short as she screamed in agony; she stumbled to her knees clutching her ruby in her hands as Ganondorf pierced her mind with the force of a thousand daggers. With a raised hand, he blasted her across the floor; smashing into the opposite wall knocking several hanging pots to the ground, shattering their contents upon the rock. Ganondorf calmly paced over to her struggling form as he steered her body up the wall to eye level.

"You have one final warning Nabooru." Ganondorf threatened, mere inches from her face. She could barely concentrate on his words at the intense pain splitting her brain open. "You disobey me or do something to displease me in any way, I will have you executed. You can be replaced. Do not forget that."

Releasing her from the vicious energies coursing through her; Nabooru dropped to the floor whimpering from the assault. Ganondorf did little to assist her out the door; resuming his position back on his throne, he continued the intense deliberation with his remaining elders. Nabooru staggered back to her room crying the entire way; she hadn't seen him since that confrontation. Saria recalled that being the day before yesterday; she had observed the entire scene from out in the hallway. She hadn't the courage to stop Ganondorf. She thought she could change him; now she wasn't so sure.

Saria continued to stroke Epona's flank; enjoying the rippling muscles underneath the fur. Relaxing in the warmth from the brown mare, she recalled her last moments with Link. She closed her eyes and remembered their final embrace. Her memory of it was so vivid that she sometimes would mistake it as happening the day prior. With no one else to really turn to, she felt as alone as Nabooru; her only friends being Epona and Harden.

Both horses had grown into fine steeds; Epona's legs had fully healed and her splints were removed in the first cycle since coming to live with the Gerudo. Although there were only scars to show for the injuries that were inflicted upon her, she would always have a slight limp to her gait as she walked. That would be something that would never go away.

Harden had also developed into a beautiful brown stallion; he was an energetic beast who loved to play. He would always want to bolt around the compound whenever they went to ride him. He loved the feeling of the wind in his mane as he galloped laps around the upper archery range overlooking the fortress. His friskiness also got him in trouble with Epona; during her times of month he would get agitated and try to mount her. She would have none of it and would quickly buck and bite him off.

Saria smiled at the memory of Malon trying to encourage the process; she spent half a day talking to Epona on how it was important to continue her species. The mare listened with amazing restraint, giving the girl her undivided attention. Just when Malon thought Epona finally understood what was expected of her, when the time came for the mating, she'd chase Harden clear out of the stable nipping at his hooves. In the end, they gave up trying to breed the horses and just let them be content to enjoying the single life.

"You can come out now." Saria blurted out to no one in particular. She shifted her head so she rested her opposite cheek against Epona, watching calmly as Impa stepped out from the shadows.

"How did you know I was there child?" Impa smiled as she glided up to Epona; gently stroking her neck; Epona nickered in greeting before resuming her delicious meal.

Saria shrugged as she continued to sift the fur between her fingers, "I can feel the energies of those around me." She briefly pointed to the spot where Impa emerged from, "I could feel your heartbeat resting over there."

"Extraordinary." Impa breathed as she continued rubbing Epona. "What other things can you do that you aren't telling us?" She questioned.

Saria continued to lay across Epona's back; she remained silent for a time before answering quietly. "I don't know. Sometimes I'm not sure myself if I'm a Kokiri anymore. I have all these strange thoughts swirling about in my head that I've never had before. Sometimes I feel like I'm not even myself."

_You stop that silly talk right now Saria! You are a Kokiri, born and bred. That will never change!_ Sora admonished her.

"But I was…once. I don't think it is who I am anymore. I'm…something different altogether." Saria seemed quite miserable. Impa chose to remain silent and let Saria argue with the fairy's voice inside her mind.

_What are you worried about becoming? As long as you have me with you, you'll never have to fear anything! I'll make sure you don't go doing stupid things!_ Sora encouraged.

"I'm scared of never growing old; of seeing all the people I love wither away and die around me. I'm afraid of never being treated for the adult I am; of people judging me based on my appearance. I've lived a longer life than anyone here!" Saria exclaimed.

"I beg to differ, young one." Impa murmured.

Saria shot a scathing look at Impa's interruption before resuming her talk with Sora, "I'm anxious that I'll never experience events that most adults do during their lifetimes. Things were so much simpler when we lived with the Deku Tree; all my friends were with me and we never had to worry about growing old or dying. Now that I could very well be the last Kokiri left alive, how am I to go on?" Saria began to weep bitterly.

Sora's voice in her head was silent; there was no answer left to give to her troubled thoughts. Impa moved to comfort the poor Kokiri by placing a tender hand on her back. Saria's reaction was violently unexpected; she smacked Impa's arm away as she leaped down quickly from the horse, startling Epona in the process. She floated to the ground and began walking away from the stall.

"Just leave me alone!" Saria screamed.

Harden looked up from his rest as she stormed past his booth; confused but unwilling to leave his comfortable position, he rested his head back down. Impa chose to follow the fuming Kokiri at a distance as she stalked outside the stables into the night. She followed the girl down the hill towards the portcullis at the western edge of the compound. Saria slumped down to the sand next to the bloody post that had been Talon's punishment; she drew her knees up and buried her face into her arms howling with despair. Impa's heart broke as she looked upon Saria's pitiful form; wings wrapped around her like a shawl.

Impa scanned the area to make sure there were no guards being attracted to her wailings before kneeling next to the Kokiri. "What is it you want most Saria?" Impa probed with honest sincerity.

Stifling her ragged sobs, she composed herself enough to respond, "I just want someone to love me; someone who will never go away or die! I had once thought Link would be my best friend forever, but he is growing older and will soon leave me." Saria made a sweeping motion with her hand. "Like everyone else does."

Pulling back her tatty locks, Impa sat down next to the Kokiri; she did not offer physical comfort, she learned her lesson the first time around. "We all eventually die Saria. It is a natural part of life." Impa explained.

Saria derided, "Ha! Except me. I must be unnatural! We were told by the great Deku Tree that we would wither away and die if we were to leave the forest. Now that Sora is with me, I am unable to die normally. I might as well go throw myself onto a sword and end it all!"

Impa pivoted her head to Saria in stunned silence; just what emotional damage had been done to this girl by Ganondorf's beating of Talon? What innocents have lost their internal drive for happiness because of this dreadful war? She could see Saria slowly falling into a vicious spiral of anguish and hopelessness; if it was not reversed soon, she feared the worst for her young friend.

_You don't mean that Saria! Link will come back and it'll be all right. You'll see!_ Sora intoned desperately in Saria's head.

"Just shut up!" Saria yelled at her inner voice, wishing she could escape from Sora for even just a little while.

Impa knew very little about the Kokiri race; her limited experiences had been during the great war with Nevachrea decades ago. Escorting Link's mother to her final resting place, she had encountered the enigmatic children. After leaving Link in their capable hands, she took it upon herself to research everything she could find that was recorded on the Kokiri. Even the vast libraries of Hyrule revealed little of value. There was one passage however, that sprang to Impa's mind that might help this poor girl.

Impa suggested in a motherly tone, "What if I told you that there might be some way to keep a part of Link with you forever?"

Saria lifted one of her wings so she could look at Impa, "Are you serious?" She asked skeptically.

Impa beamed affectionately at her, "I can't say with certainty, but I believe there may be a way."

Eager to discover the knowledge that Impa held, Saria crawled into her lap and looked longingly into her eyes. "So how do we make him stay forever?" She asked elatedly.

Impa wasn't exactly sure how she should relate the idea across to her, "Well, it involves procreation."

Saria's wings wilted at the thought, "I don't think that would work so well. Besides he thinks the idea of it weird."

Impa laughed softly, "No child. Not in a physical sense. I recall reading something about the fairies of the Kokiri being the main elements of the process."

_Say what?!_ Sora yelled.

Cringing at the loud voice booming in her head, Saria asked with some confusion, "I don't follow Impa. How does someone like me have kids?" The thought hadn't really occurred to her; it wasn't as outlandish thinking about it as she thought it might be.

"Well," Impa began reticently, "I was hoping Sora might enlighten us on that subject more than I could."

"Sora? Do you know what she is talking about?" Saria said to herself.

_I haven't the foggiest! I think she is plain nuts. I mean, will you look at that hair!?_ Sora mocked.

Saria giggled, "Yeah, her hair is pretty shabby!" Impa frowned at the potential insults Sora was chucking her way. Saria saw the look and waved a hand to dismiss her disapproval, "No, she is just teasing you Impa. Sora has no idea what you are talking about." Saria confirmed.

"Is she positive she knows nothing about this?" Impa pressed, she was hoping that all fairies of the Kokiri would at least know of this.

_Tell her I'm serious. I haven't a clue about how we help you have babies! A Kokiri hasn't been born to the woods in centuries!_ Sora said with unwavering confidence.

"So then I really am the last of my kind." Saria's countenance fell.

Impa could deduce Sora's response by Saria's expression. She pulled the Kokiri into an embrace; Saria did not resist this time and let the Sheikah's arms envelope her quivering body. Placing her cheek on her green hair, Impa whispered, "I'm so sorry, I was hoping beyond hopes that it would have been possible." A tear dribbled down her face.

"It's okay." Saria said trying to sound merry, "I know you were just trying to cheer me up. Thank you for that, at least."

"Anything for you child." Impa crooned as she patted the Kokiri's hair.

At length they parted as Saria looked up into Impa's purple eyes, "I have to get to sleep now. Ganondorf always checks my room each night to make sure I'm in bed safely." She sighed.

"He still cares for you?" Impa asked inquisitively.

Saria nodded her head, "Why does he have to be so mean? He's always so gentle with me, why can't he be that way to my friends?"

"I do not know. I sincerely hope your presence can influence things for the better, but do not trust he will change just for you." Impa warned.

Saria smiled as she left Impa's lap and headed back to the fortress; she turned around to wave goodbye but beheld nothing but the shadows along the brick wall. Slightly despondent at her absence, Saria turned around and trudged to her quarters. Unbeknownst to the two of them, two pairs of eyes had been watching the entire conversation from above the grand gate. A shimmer of the air revealed their presence as the spell lifted.

"Ho ho ho, I thought there was a rat slinking around the fortress!" Kotake cackled.

"He he he, I felt her presence for so many cycles, but could not prove her existence!" Koume chortled.

Kotake walked over to the edge and looked down at the sands, hoping to spy where the Sheikah had slunk off to, "I do not see her anymore sister. She has given us the slip yet again." Kotake whined.

"Quit your moaning! She will make a mistake in time and then we'll have her!" Koume crowed jovially.

Kotake summoned her broom with a flourish into her hand, "Shall we report this to our lord, Ganondorf?"

Koume brandished her broom between her legs as she began floating off the ground, "I should think not. He has enough on his plate already."

Kotake tapped a finger to her jutting chin, "You may be right sister. He needn't be bothered with such petty annoyances."

"Let us fly then and enjoy the night!" Koume squawked.

They flew directly at the barrier, both arms outstretched as they blasted a hole through the aura. They sailed past the malicious energy as the gap sealed itself whole in their wake. They screeched in glee, twirling through the air on their brooms; soaring off into the crisp, cool night.

Ganondorf emerged from the shadows of a doorway as he regarded the witches slowly dwindling on the horizon; they were planning something. They had blocked telepathic communication with him for a reason; he just had to figure out why. With a huff, he spun around and entered the corridor; he wandered the passage deep in thought as he made his way to Saria's room for his nightly rounds.


	35. Chapter 34 - Enter the Cyn'Taak

**Chapter 34 - Enter the Cyn'Taak**

It was absolutely miserable; Zelda surged up from the muck spluttering as she spit out the vile sludge from her mouth. Loose footholds and sudden drops in the murky water of the Negev Marshlands caused many of them to stumble and fall face first into the filthy bog. The group had been slogging through the swamps for the better part of two days after descending from the ridge bordering the desert. The stagnant air was sweltering, making clothes stick to their bodies and their skins perspire copiously.

The worst part was the flies; as big as their fingers and swarming them like they were dead carcasses. Malon erratically flung her arms through the air as they continually bit her to pieces; she even yelped a few times as their bites hurt something fierce. Apolloni cuffed her several times ordering her to be quiet; she feared that Malon was attracting far too much attention to the group.

"Will you quit your bawling?! You want to have the entire swamp brought down upon us?" Apolloni hissed.

Malon sniffed as she brushed off a nipping fly, "I can't help it! They won't leave me alone."

Merin licked her lips, "It's your sweet blood, honey."

"Shut it." Link ordered, irritated at the whole situation.

"You don't talk to her like that!" Aveil stomped up to him, affronted at his cheekiness.

"We're in this together. Let's just get through these awful swamps." Zander offered peaceably.

"Agreed. Now get a move on!" Apolloni growled.

"Says the person who denies her tent to anyone but her own kind!" Link snapped.

Apolloni plodded up to Link, splashing Lorva in the process with each step, "You want to say that again to my face?" Her voice seethed.

"Gladly." Link puffed up, taking on the challenge. "This entire trip, you have been an incorrigible tyrant. You've put Malon down constantly despite the fact she's held her own in several battles already!" Link gestured to Malon, who was currently too busy swatting the flies to truly appreciate the compliment.

"And you have a liar in your midst." Apolloni fired back. Leveling her gaze at Zelda, she pointed in her direction, virulence spitting from her mouth. "That man is a female! I saw her the moment her disguise failed! Just what is it you are hiding from?"

Within moments, Zelda dropped the guise; there was simply no reason to maintain it any longer. If the other Gerudo were shocked at the revelation, they did not show it. "How is this relevant to the issue at hand, which is your bad attitude?" Zelda snorted in contempt.

Apolloni backhanded her across the face; Zelda sailed into the water with a splash at the force of the blow. Within moments Link's sword was out and aimed directly at Apolloni's neck, a bead of blood caressing its tip. The other Gerudo immediately sprung onto Malon and Zelda; their scimitars at the ready, eager to slice them from ear to ear. Malon deftly dodged the first swing; she swung around while unslinging the spear from her back. Doing her best to ignore the teeming flies, she held her ground against the two Gerudo before her; each one looking for a weakness in her defense.

Apolloni assessed the situation with her eyes; a slow, raucous laugh began to emerge from her throat. She sneered, "It looks like we are at a stalemate, my dear boy. What will you do now? You know if you kill me, they will die as well."

Link called her bluff, "I don't care. At least you'll be dead." He stated flatly.

The barking of frogs and crickets were the only sounds heard for several moments; his response was clearly not what Apolloni was expecting. She wanted him to back down. He still held the upper hand with regards to her life. Did he not value his friend's lives? Was he simply conning? What was his game?

"Drop your weapon and I'll see to it that no harm will come to your…two females." Apolloni churned, placing deliberate emphasis on the last two words. Her eyes filled with hate as she stared into Link's, awaiting his ultimate decision.

Link simply twisted the sword lightly into her neck, sending stinging pain down her throat. "I think not Apolloni. Your women release them first; then we'll talk." Link pressed calmly.

She was furious but at a signal, the other women backed down from Malon; Lorva helped Zelda back onto her feet as they looked on to see what Link would do. Malon breathed a sigh of relief but continued to hold her spear at the ready; she did not trust these Gerudo. At length, he withdrew the sword, allowing Apolloni to feel her prick of a wound; spiteful rage was evident in her eyes, but Link cared less what she thought of him.

It was clear Apolloni was considering another assault when a quick splash from the water near them alerted the group to the rustling in the trees. The Gerudo's eyes got wider as the crackling of branches grew louder. She hastily ordered the entire group to dive into the nearby shrubbery to hide; Zelda leaped into the closest scrub along with Malon and Merin. Link dove into the larger bush with the other three Gerudo.

Within moments, the shaking of the branches stopped just above their heads. Two pairs of scaly feet slammed to the ground within inches of their faces; looking out through the brush, they saw two hulking beasts unlike any they had ever seen. The most notable feature beyond their slick sheen of greenish-blue scales was their scorpion-like tail. It's piercing barb casually shifting back and forth across the moss covered ground. Along the length of their spines was a matted mane of red fur that hung over their sides haphazardly; trailing up over their hunchbacked shoulders down onto their heads. They had rows of razor sharp teeth jutting out at awkward angles from their crocodile-like snouts.

"Wat 'ave we 'ere? Som' tas'y mors'l?" Its deep voice boomed out, jolting the group at its surprising vibrato. The creature would have sounded so ridiculous if it wasn't so deadly looking; none dared laugh at its ludicrous voice. The hulking creature grasped the limp body in its massive, clawed fists; Link could see that the corpse was a Zora. He hadn't even noticed the body lying by the edge of the water during their heated argument.

"Ey ya! 'Ou 'et me 'ave som' too!" The second creature snarled at its partner. A raging war erupted between the two behemoths as they began to yank on the cadaver, each wanting their fair share of the meat. With a roaring cry, the Zora was ripped in two with a sickening splatter; brownish blood spurted across the ground as unidentifiable flesh and viscera flew in multiple directions.

"Wat 'ou do 'at f'r?" The left one snapped, viscid saliva dribbling over its gaping maw; its tail rigid and poised to strike the offender of its meal.

"I solv' 'ur prob'm! 'Ow we 'ave two 'ieces!" The right beast laughed; an odd, guttural, belching sound that resonated deep within its throat. It was almost disgusting to listen to.

Apparently satisfied with that answer, both creatures ripped into their halves of the carcass; rending flesh from bone and sinew as they gulped down portions of the Zora in whole pieces. Strips of dangling flesh hung loose about their jowls; looking at the blood slathered over their faces as they relished their fresh meal, Zelda began to feel nauseous but couldn't bring herself to look away. Everyone was deathly still; making every possible effort to remain quiet. Every muscle in their bodies began to feel sore at the tension coursing through them; so rigid they were, lying flush on the damp ground, the moisture soaking their clothes.

The crunching of bone was what set Malon off finally; a low whimper escaped her lips before Merin immediately slapped an arm over her mouth. Link's gaze flicked over to her as Merin tried to force the girl to remain calm; it was too late, the beast nearest to their shrub had ceased twitching its deadly tail. Cradling the rest of its meat in one hand, it raised its snout into the air sniffing heavily. The other creature stopped munching on the remainder of the spine as it noticed its partner's reaction.

"Wha' 'appen'g 'ow?" The creature quaked in annoyance at the disruption of its meal.

A deep, rumbling growl filtered up through the second creature as it started looking around, "I 'ought I 'eard 'ome'hing." It continued sniffing the air again.

Beads of sweat were trailing down Merin's face as she forcefully smothered Malon's body with her own; hell bent on keeping her both quiet and still. The behemoth began turning to inspect the nearby shrubbery; it scraped its claws through the branches as twigs and leaves drifted down onto the group's prone bodies. Its beady eyes were sifting through the tangled mass of verdures, unable to see through to the ground.

With the speed of an arrow sailing through the air, the creature jerked its upper body towards the ground as its whip-like tail slashed through the brush. The poisonous barb punctured the dirt a foot away from Zelda's elbow; she was terrified beyond belief, she didn't feel like she could have moved even if she wanted to. Within seconds, the tail retracted out of the shrub as a lone bullfrog bounded out of the undergrowth. Merin grunted softly as Malon bit hard into her palm; her mind in a state of utter panic.

"Wat we 'ave 'ere? My fav'rit' 'ish!" The beast looked upon the frog with delight. Both creatures sprung for the hapless amphibian; each intent on claiming the snack for themselves. They crashed into the brush nearly trampling Zelda; Merin quickly released Malon briefly as she yanked Zelda by the collar over to her as the two scaly bodies crunched into the brush. Without missing a beat, she clapped her hand back over Malon's mouth as she opened it to scream.

The small yelp went unnoticed as the two behemoths snarled and snapped at each other; rolling through the underbrush with impunity, oblivious to the fact that the bullfrog had managed to leap into the water and escape. Apolloni aggressively signaled Merin to transfer bushes; Merin grabbed Malon tight and rolled with her quickly through the open. Zelda frantically scrambled after them as they dove into the larger scrub. Their original hiding place was immediately crushed under the colossal weight of the warring monsters; rolling and growling at each other, their tails viciously striking both air and ground.

One beast eventually got the upper hand and overturned the opponent onto its back; it slammed its gaping jaws tightly over the windpipe, teeth sinking deep into the scaly epidermis drawing greenish plasma. The floundering creature thrashed under the crushing weight of its partner as it twisted its head to look directly at Link through the underbrush. This movement proved to be fatal for the repulsive beast; its large eyes bulged as it endeavored to alert its attacker of their presence.

With one, swift, ripping yank, the conquering behemoth shredded the entire throat; rending off a gargantuan chunk of bloodied meat before gulping it whole. The losing beast twitched spastically as it gurgled on its own frothing blood; the victor quickly dunked its snout directly into the gaping hole in the neck and began drinking the steaming blood with a revolting slurping sound. Zelda could handle no more; she shut her eyes tightly as she crushed her ears with her hands to block out the awful sound of its feasting.

Link continued to gawk in horror as it drained its partner dry of the greenish fluid before moving onto its belly; it raked its claws deep into the flesh and tore off a sizeable portion of the ribbed underbelly of the unfortunate beast. Filling its tooth-filled maw with slick intestines, it began sucking them down into its gullet at an alarming rate. Link finally had to look away or his gag reflex was going to get the better of him. It was over in mere minutes although it had seemed like hours since these monstrosities arrived.

Evidently satisfied with its meal, the disgusting creature sighed throatily as it licked its snout of entrails; its forked tongue covering the length of its face in a repulsive display of gluttony. As if to insult the mutilated corpse, it swiftly perforated the dead creature multiple times with its tail; the tip of the barb dripping with a green, venomous liquid. It picked up the remainder of the Zora with its mouth before giving one final snort at the carcass it had just marred. Flexing its rippling thigh muscles, it bounded high into the air and gripped a thick branch in its clawed hands; with the effortless grace of a monkey, it swung through the canopy swinging from branch to branch.

The rustling of the trees grew fainter as it moved further away from the group; after a few more minutes of tensely waiting in the undergrowth, they finally deemed it safe to depart from their cover. The sounds of the swamp were slowly returning now that the danger had passed. Merin finally let Malon go as she shuddered uncontrollably at the massacre that occurred before their very eyes; Link decided it best to ignore her and let Malon recover at her own pace, he was still quite unnerved himself. He walked up to the torrid carcass, the stench hitting his nostrils like a hurricane; he looked at the massive bulk and estimated its height to be taller than he was by several feet.

Wrinkling up his nose at the ghastly sight of its innards being displayed for all the flies to consume, Link asked, "What in Din's name were those things?"

Lorva walked up beside him, "Those are the Cyn'Taak."

"The what?" Zelda asked, preferring to stay where she was; she would rather not get any closer to that loathsome body.

Aveil filled in for Lorva, "They are the sentient beings that live in these marshlands."

Malon burst out in a yell, "You call that sentient?! One of them killed the other and ate it up!" Merin rushed over to Malon's side to calm her down as her breathing elevated in frequency at the memory of it.

Apolloni scoffed, "I will have to admit you are right there Malon. The Cyn'Taak are a rather cantankerous species, prone to cannibalism and general violent tendencies. Calling them sentient might be too generous of a description."

Aveil bowed her head in agreement, "If it weren't for their venom found in their tails, we'd have little use for them."

Link twirled to Aveil in shock, "You mean the poison we've been putting on our weapons to explode soldiers in the Nevachrean army, they came from these things?!"

She nodded before continuing, "Our variant is a bit more potent. Thanks to the scientist we picked up from Lake Hylia, we managed to expand on its properties so that its victims could explode."

Zelda hesitantly ventured to ask, "If that is your variant of their venom, what does it do normally?"

Merin looked up from Malon, assured that she was sufficiently calm, "It causes its prey to swell up in swollen blood boils. The victim ultimately loses its ability to move and typically slumps to the ground helpless."

Link asked fearing the answer, "What purpose would that serve?"

Merin grimaced at the thought of her response, "You noticed how entranced it was when drinking the blood of its partner?" Link nodded. "They are chronic blood drinkers; it is like an aphrodisiac to them. The boils force most of the victim's blood supply to the surface where it can easily be popped and drunk quickly." Merin finished.

Without warning, Malon pitched over and wretched the contents of her stomach. Merin placed a hand on her back, gently rubbing it down as she allowed Malon to empty her belly. She had to admit it had made her queasy too, the first time she encountered these creatures. She quickly pulled out a piece of cloth to assist Malon in wiping down her mouth.

Apolloni examined their surroundings as she resituated her backpack; she didn't like the location they were in, it was too exposed. She should have realized that before they entered into that petty argument. With firm conviction she stated, "We need to keep moving. This body will attract a lot of unwanted attention and we do not want to be here when that happens."

Link had to approve of the idea, "Zelda, Merin, can you please help Malon up and assist her until she is able to walk on her own."

Apolloni glared at him for his sudden role reversal as leader; she went to rebuke him when Lorva intervened, "I'll help too! I can understand the shock of seeing those things for the first time."

Aveil glanced in his direction and merely shrugged before walking over to Apolloni. Link scrutinized them as they heatedly whispered to each other. He was quickly sizing up in his head whom he could trust of the group; Apolloni was obviously out of the question, she was volatile and unpredictable. Aveil seemed to be her greatest confidant and most likely couldn't be trusted either. He looked over to Lorva and Merin as they picked up Malon, who seemed quite shaky on her feet. Lorva was a mystery, she was kind and generous to them one moment and violently opposed the next; he wasn't sure what to make of her. Merin seemed to be the most trustworthy and genuinely seemed to care for Malon, especially after their…encounter together that first night in the desert.

Apolloni took the lead followed by Aveil and Lorva; Merin walked with Malon while Link and Zelda brought up the rear. They made good progress through the swamp the remainder of that day; however there was still no acceptable location to set up camp that night, it was all deemed vulnerable by Apolloni.

They finally came to a thicket of greenery where the ground became much firmer under foot; they brushed aside the twigs and branches before coming to a clearing. In the center of the copse was an abandoned stone structure; its fluted columns splayed out across the grove with only a few still upholding the overall structure. Excessive vegetation and growth had overtaken the majority of the temple; it was evident that no one had set foot here in many cycles.

"This is where we will stay for the night." Apolloni stated matter-of-factly.

Without much contesting, the rest dazedly unslung their packs and began setting up their sleeping arrangements in the interior of the temple. It seemed to be split up into three different chambers; there was one primary chamber which housed various busts of unknown gods or goddesses. Two side chambers seemed to compliment the first but appeared to be either living quarters or an eating area; they were not sure which. Apolloni and the three Gerudo took one side chamber while Link and the others took the opposite.

They slipped out of their clammy clothes; modesty between them all lost by this point. After having placed some breathable, dry fabrics against their skin, the three moved out to the main chamber to find that the Gerudo had already set up a small fire at the far end opposite the temple entrance. They all piled in close to the flames as the warmth seeped into their chilled bones; the damp of the swamps had sunk in and was freezing them in the cool, night air.

Malon, having fully recovered from the ordeal, looking around curiously, "What do you think the purpose of this place was?"

Aveil spoke with indifference, "No idea. This was here before we first discovered the Negev Marshlands. Does it ultimately matter? We have a roof over our head and a place of relative safety to sleep in."

Malon continued to stare at some of the busts adorning the alcoves that lined the sides of the grand hall they resided in, "This had to be a holy place of some kind; it feels almost," she paused trying to find the right word, "reverent in here."

Apolloni scoffed, "Now it's just a way station for our scouts as they pass through these swamps."

Link leaned back against one of the stone hewn pews, "So you all were aware of the danger of going out each month and bringing back more venom from these Cyn'Taak? How did you all actually do it? I doubt those creatures would have willingly given you vials of the stuff." He probed earnestly.

Merin shuddered, "You don't want to know."

Zelda had to agree with her before Apolloni butted in with the awful truth, "There is a reason we always come back one less woman from each expedition."

Silence descended onto the group as they let that thought sink in.


	36. Chapter 35 - Lover's Quarrel

**Chapter 35 - Lover's Quarrel**

Link opened his eyes to darkness; he had no idea what woke him. He tilted his head to scan the environs of the chamber they were sleeping in. Nothing but silence greeted him. Assured that nothing was amiss, he laid his head back onto his pack. Ignoring the incessant whispering from the mask, he looked down at the two women sharing his bedroll.

It was awkward that first time waking up on the ridge overlooking the colossus to find Malon and Zelda snuggled tight against his furnace of a body. Merin had given him a look of envy as he stuttered to explain the misunderstanding. Each of them had flushed profusely as they awkwardly slipped out of his sleeping bag that morning.

Over the course of the week they descended into the marshlands, they had grown accustomed to sleeping together as a tight mass of warmth; keeping out the chill of the night as they slept out under the stars. The two women appreciated him for the comfort he brought to them, their silent protector as they fell blissfully asleep by his side; three friends against the world.

Link jerked his head up again to scrutinize his surroundings; he had definitely heard something coming from the main temple hall. Moving as stealthily as he could, he gradually inched his way out of the bedroll. Zelda and Malon stirred briefly but remained thankfully asleep. Finally scooting free of the bag, he rose to his feet; he thought better of placing on his sandals, best to be as silent as possible.

Link gripped the handle of his sword and gently drew it out of its scabbard. With calculating steps he edged closer to the archway leading into the worship hall; a term Malon had coined before they went to bed that night. His back against the nippy marble, Link quickly craned his head to get a good glimpse of the exterior chamber. Insignificant slivers of moonlight drifted in from the temple entrance, barely reaching past the vestibule leaving the rest of the hall in complete darkness. Not even the smoldering embers of the dying fire provided much light to his eyes.

Cautiously entering the room, Link's eyes darted to each corner of the room but detected nothing. He had hoped it was nothing more than one of the Gerudo stoking the fire for a bit more heat. After a few tense moments, Link finally relaxed his guard; he stepped over to the sizzling logs and nudged them slightly with the nearby branch. Several embers flew into the air as a small flash of light illuminated the nearby pews.

Soundlessly placing the sword beside the fire within easy reach, he sat down next to the rekindled flames; holding his hands out to capture some of the escaping warmth. Link gazed out over to the entrance and gauged that it was high moon by the angle of the filtered rays drifting in. A small intake of breath from behind jolted him from his thoughts; he quickly grasped the sword as he spun to confront the intruder in their midst.

The tip of his blade was feet away from the dark figure; standing silently just beyond the reach of the dim light. He shifted uncomfortably onto his knee as he waited for the prowler to make the first move. A strained period of silence separated the two as each stared at the other. Link swiftly glanced around to see if there were any more trespassers but could detect none; whoever it was appeared to be alone.

"You are even more beautiful than I remembered." The female voice gasped, the knot in her throat finally enabling her to speak.

Link's eye twitched as he recalled a vague familiarity with the voice; he couldn't exactly place it. "Who are you?" He inquired cautiously.

"Do you not remember my sultry voice, my love?" The figure continued with audible passion creeping into her speech.

Link slowly rose to his feet, keeping the sword leveled directly at the chest of this peculiar intruder. "I'm afraid I don't. I do not know who you are and I highly suggest you leave now." His calm demeanor belied his violent intent; his overwhelming confidence drove her mad with passion. He was all she had dreamed of and more!

"Well, perhaps looking upon my form will help restore your memory, my love." The prowler stepped out from the shadows to reveal the navy blue cloak enveloping her body in shadow. The first indication that this was not a Hylian was the webbed feet protruding from the base of the fabric.

"Will you stop calling me that? I do not know you." Link's voice wavered but he remained firm in his resolve; barely a muscle moved as he maintained his threatening stance.

The woman's voice was hurt, "You are so heartless Link. How could you forget your beloved so easily?"

Link's eyes went wide with the memory of their final moments together; their brief wisp of a kiss before their violent parting. Princess Ruto drew back the hood and let it fall to her shoulders; she was regarding him with a loving eye. "Ruto?" Link stammered almost incoherently. "But…how? I thought you were dead!" He finally exclaimed.

"I was, but Naar rescued me and brought me back to life. He healed me. Now that I am whole again, we can finally be together as husband and wife." She began to take a few steps towards him in relief at having found him at last.

Link's eyes quickly narrowed; he jabbed the sword forward to keep her at bay. She uttered a cry of protest at this unexpected insult. "Stay back Ruto. Are you one of them now? What did Naar do to you? Why are you truly here?" Each question was like an arrow piercing her heart; was he really going to forsake her like this?

"He let me go to find you. Now that you are here, we can run away together; just you and me! There is nothing stopping us from living happily together." She reasoned with him, a slight quiver in her voice; from fear or from desire, he wasn't sure which.

"I'm sorry Ruto, I truly am. But I cannot trust anything Naar says or does; that includes sending you to find me." With each word, he was slowly backing up past the fire; he was hoping he could make it to the room with the Gerudo to wake them up.

With slow, deliberate movements, Ruto reached up and unclasped the brooch holding the cloak; she casually let it crumple to the stone floor as Link's eyes swelled at her nude form. Zoras were naturally naked by nature but Ruto was a special case; she had developed into a fine woman unlike any of her kind. Her buoyant breasts were glistening in the faint light of the fire, her nipples erect from the chill air. The flow of her curves drew his gaze downward into the darkness between her thighs. The delicate fins protruding from her arms and legs were twitching in anticipation.

She grinned at the effect she had on him; maybe it wasn't hopeless after all. "You are my husband. It is your right to claim this and whisk me off to wherever you desire. Just say the word and I am yours." With the grace of a feline, she carefully paced towards him; one foot in front of the other, rocking her hips in a sexually enticing fashion.

Link's mouth instantly went dry as he stumbled over words that simply would not come to his mouth, "We were…never married Ruto."

"Of course we are my dear. You took from me my most precious possession, the Zora Sapphire. You then sealed the marriage by kissing me before you left; we are forever bound." She drew nearer to him with a lusty look in her eyes; his sword was almost touching her skin at the place where she stopped.

"Ruto…there are others with me. I will alert them if you do not back down." The tip of his sword was jittering slightly at his nervousness; she mistook it for excitement at being so near to her again.

Ruto gently placed a hand on his sword before he could react and smoothly brought it down to his side, "Shhh…they don't have to know about our little rendezvous."

She smirked at his indecision; taking the advantage, she pulled the sword out of his hands as she pressed her body up against his. Link uttered a small cry of protest as she forced her lips onto his; the kiss threw lightning bolts through her body, the feeling coursed across her skin making her want more. Rapidly placing his sword on the nearby pew, she slammed him up against the stone wall; assailing his mouth with her salty tongue.

His squirming against her advances delighted her senses and awakened her longing for him. She crushed her body into his with renewed vigor; slowly dragging him down with her to the floor so he could be deliciously on top. A sharp stab of pain forced her to stagger back from him, her lips gradually starting to form red as the blood dribbled out of her mouth; he had bit her!

Link shuddered in revulsion at the taste of sea water in his mouth; biting her hard on the lips was the only thing he could think of to do. He didn't want to hurt her; she was still his friend…in a sense. "Please Ruto." Link pleaded, "Don't do this. Either help us on our mission or leave."

"I cannot. You either come with me to Naar or come with me to be my husband. You have no choice. You took the Zora Sapphire and secured the pact!" She accused; still nursing her stinging mouth.

Link shook his head sadly, "I'm sorry Ruto. I do not have the Zora Sapphire anymore. I was captured by Naar and he took it from me. It is him you should be asking."

A flash of rage surged across her face, "You're lying." She found it hard to believe.

His heart broke for her; how much did she endure these past seven cycles? "So Naar didn't even tell you he had it in his possession? You've been duped Ruto. I am not your husband; by all accounts it might as well be Naar."

His indictment galvanized her fury into action; she surged towards him, her nails poised to rake his skin. Quickly reacting to her rush, he sidestepped past her; swiftly knocking her to the ground with a prompt kick to her rump. She flew sprawling onto the floor with an audible thud. Link tensed waiting for a counterattack but received nothing; she lay across the floor weeping. Her anguish melted his resolve to continue the engagement.

"Ruto? I'm sorry you had to find out this way." He knelt down next to her; his hand hovering over her back, unsure if he should really place it on her scaly skin.

With swift ferocity, she hurled up into his face; knocking him to the floor and pinning his arms above his head. "No!" She spat vilely. "I refuse to believe it! You are lying to me to get out of our marriage! I will not allow it." She hissed.

She suffocated his intake of breath with her mouth; jamming her slick tongue deep into his throat, almost gagging him with its length. He twisted his body violently forcing her into a roll as he emerged on top; jerking his head back from her invasive kiss, Link quickly gasped in exquisite air. He proceeded to rise up from her prone form when she quickly tripped him; his ribs slammed into the stone pew as he hit the ground hard.

Shaking from the pain, Link attempted to crawl towards his sword; she heaved herself onto his back pushing the wind out of him. She leaned in close to his ear, swiftly licking the base of his lobe, "If you won't give it to me freely husband, then I shall consummate our union by force!"

Link slammed his head backward, smashing into her face with the force of a piston; she cried in agony as she recoiled backwards from the pain. Quickly bucking her off, he scrambled over to his sword; he nearly had it in his hands before she was upon him. Ruto gripped his hair and crashed his head into the pew; his vision went blurry before she rammed his head into the stone again. He blacked out completely from the concussion and slumped to the ground limply.

Ruto stood over his unconscious body breathing unevenly. This did not go as she had planned; she did not expect him to be so antagonistic to her. Did he really change that much over the cycles? Did he not remember the love they had for each other? There was not a day that went by that she kept dear to her heart the memories of them together. No matter, she thought, he was here now and ripe for the taking; it was time the wife finally enjoyed the spoils of marriage.

She gently rolled him over onto his back examining his bruised head; a slow stream of blood had emerged from the hair on his scalp. It didn't look to be extremely serious but she was no doctor. For all other intents and purposes, he was still breathing and alive; that was what mattered. With the initial inspection complete, she slowly began to slip her hands into his ivory robe; her moist fingers drifting over his abdomen, relishing the feel of his smooth skin.

Ruto's body shuddered in yearning for this; she had waited many long nights pretending Naar was him. Now that she finally had him, she could barely contain her excitement. Rapidly unfastening the leather belt around his waist, she separated the two halves of the robe; disappointed, she discovered it converged just below his navel and then onto the leggings, what an odd outfit.

Casually pulling his arms out of the sleeves, Ruto finally managed to inch the leggings below the object of her longing. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked upon it in wonder; was this how she always imagined it? She softly caressed it in her quivering hands; she thought her heart would burst with the gravity of the moment, it seemed completely unreal to her. She giggled uncontrollably for several minutes as she fondled Link's manhood; she had to pinch herself to be sure she wasn't dreaming.

Finally calming herself down from her emotional high, she took another look at it. She frowned slightly, it wasn't erect like Naar's usually was; that could be a problem. Ruto let it flop down as she thought back on how Naar showed her how to entice him after he was spent. Licking her lips, she recalled what he had forced her to do on many occasions; would that work here when he was passed out? Every time, Naar was awake when she took him in, Link's might not react the same way!

Gingerly spreading his legs apart so she could situate herself between them; she leaned over his phallus and gave it a quick lick. No response. Odd, would she have to do more? Taking cues from her past experience with Naar, she separated the soft appendage from the ball sacs and placed it fully in her mouth. Ruto slowly began to swirl her tongue over its silky texture sucking slightly as she did so.

After a few minutes of this, she became giddy with success as she could feel it growing harder in her mouth. Within moments, his manhood had grown to full length at her coercive sensations. The myriad of memories flooding her mind of Naar took over as she plunged her face onto his shaft. She suckled in earnest taking it fully into her throat with each thrust of her head; lost in the remembrances of being forced to do this, she assaulted Link's member with gusto.

Link moaned slightly, but did not stir; she flicked her attention to his face but could not decipher if he was awakening just yet. Ruto was beginning to enjoy this, he was far nicer than Naar; he simply laid there for her to relish. She lightly massaged his sacs as she intensified her speed, sucking deeply with each stroke. She would keep going until she received what was expected of her. She would be the good, little slave and take what her master gave her.

Another groan from Link forced her attention again up to his face, he was coming around! There probably wasn't much time to finish this! Link struggled to lift his head up, wincing at the throbbing pain streaking through his temple. His eyes locked onto Ruto's, her mouth fully enclosing his manhood. Like a thunderclap, the sensation of what she was doing rushed through his body.

She impaled her mouth down to the hilt which finally sent him over the precipice. He jerked multiple times, his virgin seed gushing down her throat. She greedily gulped the thick nectar as his engorged member shuddered uncontrollably between her lips. He moaned in ecstasy at the unnatural, foreign feeling; he had never felt something like that before in his life! What did she just do to him? All thoughts of the pain in his head evaporated.

Ruto calmly drug her mouth up the length of his shaft teasingly as it exited her lips finally with a little slurp. His body jolted briefly as she crawled over him until her eyes were level with his. "That was but a taste of what a wife can do for her husband." Ruto crooned.

"Link? Where are you?" Malon's groggy voice sent sharp daggers of fear into his heart. His sexual groaning probably woke her! Link began to wiggle out from under Ruto's oppressive body; she simply flopped onto him, stalling his escape.

Ruto petted his nose with her finger, "Oh, let her come see us Link. A husband and wife should never be ashamed of doing what comes natural. We should let everyone know the good news." She began grinding her hips up against his swollen member, not quite in but dangerously close.

As wonderful a feeling Ruto bestowed upon him was, the fact that it was her slightly nauseated him. Link begged the Goddesses that Malon not see him in such a compromising situation; he struggled harder against her wet, scaly body.

"Link?" Malon's eyes went wide as she saw them. "What…are you doing?"

Link grimaced in misery, the Goddesses were so cruel. Malon staggered over in shock at what she was seeing. Link was practically naked with some…unknown woman on top of him! Tears began to well up in her eyes; did he so casually sleep around with females that she meant nothing to him? Who was this mysterious woman? Just what else wasn't he telling her?

Link's brain scrambled for an excuse, "Malon…it's not what it looks like! She assaulted me! I can-"

"Hush now, my husband." Ruto clapped a clammy hand to his mouth as she leered over at Malon. "And who is this? Some sideline hopeful wishing she could have you? It's too late dear, we've already been married." Ruto grinned menacingly at her, daring Malon to retaliate.

Malon's jaw dropped as her eyes moved between the two, disbelief evident in her eyes, "Link, is that true? Please tell me that's not true!" Her voice quivered with bubbling anger.

Link began to shake his head in confirmation but Ruto held it firm beneath her weight; her breasts slowly suffocating him. A fit of hysteria gripped Malon as her vision went red; she ran for Link's sword, quite visible in the darkness, laying several paces from where she stood. Ruto swiftly brought two fingers to her lips and whistled a high pitched tone. An arrow shaft sailed through the air; burrowing itself into Malon's arm forcing her to drop the sword with a clatter. Within seconds, another arrow lodged itself between her ribs; the force of the blow flinging her body against the nearby pew.

Malon's mangled shriek of pain awoke the remainder of the group; the Gerudo surged into the temple hall weapons brandished and eager to kill. Zelda flew out of the archway with a metal rod in hand; a gift to her by Impa. Ruto regarded the motley crew coolly as she assessed their supposed bravado. She gave Zelda a smirk before blowing a kiss in her direction; Zelda cried in disgust as she realized who the Zora woman held captive beneath her.

"Did you really think I would come here on my own?" Ruto taunted.

Ignoring the pitiable wailings of Malon, hunched over the stone oblivious to the events raging around her, Ruto whistled again. Six black-garbed men filed into the temple with grace and agility; their lithe forms were covered from head to toe with dark fabric, their eyes the only thing visible on their bodies. They aimed their bows at each member of the group; taking aim at their hearts.

"You will let me leave with Link and none of you shall be harmed. You have my word." Ruto promised.

Apolloni snarled, "You've already shot one of my own! You call that being unharmed?"

Ruto increased her grip around Link tighter as he continued to tussle for air between her breasts; she looked over indifferently at Malon, "She chose her fate. Her death is of her own doing." Ruto purported.

"If she dies because of you, all of you will die." Apolloni threatened. "If you try to take Link away, all of you will die." She spit fervidly to the side to indicate her disgust.

Ruto creased her eyes in amusement, "Then I believe we are at a stalemate then, my lovely Gerudo."

Moments went by as nobody said a word; not a single body twitched. The only sounds were the ragged wailing of Malon, her hand grasping the shaft that had punctured her ribcage. Her eyes slowly glossing over in shock; cooling numbness began permeating from the wound.

A faint rustling was heard off in the distance; several of the assassins had noticed it too. Ruto glanced over from Apolloni to look out into the swamp, she was unsure of what could be making the sound.

As the scraping of branches and snapping got louder, Zelda's eyes grew wide with fear. "Oh no, no, no, no, no! Not now…not now!" She whispered in despair.

Ruto shot her an irritated glance, "What is it now?" She exhaled.

Merin's stare beheld the object of their fear. Ruto's attention riveted on the three hulking silhouettes blocking out the moonlight as Merin said one word, "Cyn'Taak."


	37. Chapter 36 - Flight From the Dark

**Chapter 36 - Flight From the Dark**

That one word incited Link to action; he reached up above his head placing his hands level on the ground, with one arcing motion he flipped over. Knocking the breath out of Ruto as he slammed down on top of her; she coughed profusely at the sudden reversal. Link staggered slightly as he lifted himself up onto a nearby pew; keenly aware of his nakedness as Lorva looked at him with interest. Do these Gerudo think about sexual things even in the middle of battle?

Swiftly jamming his arms through the sleeves, he scampered over to Malon, quickly hefting the sword at her feet into his hand. Her eyes were staring at him but it was clear she wasn't seeing him; so lost in her own world, she couldn't focus on anything but the pain. The Cyn'Taak were still perched at the entrance to the temple, still undecided on what to do with the bounty that was placed before them; they had never encountered such a feast that so conveniently presented itself.

Ruto recovered first from the shock of beholding the creatures, she snapped at her entourage, "Quickly, aim for their eyes and mouths!" She knew just by a glance that most attempts on their leathery skin would be fruitless with their weapons.

Every assassin swiveled around releasing their arrows at the beasts. Several rebounded off the tough hides while two hit their marks; two Cyn'Taak got an arrow into the eye each. The behemoths bellowed in rage at the unexpected lethality of their prey; within moments they were charging into the confined hall, their tails whipping around in vain attempts to strike their nimble victims.

Pandemonium broke out amongst the combatants as the Gerudo leaped up off of the Cyn'Taak and crashed swords with the garbed assassins; each had quickly dispersed their bows in favor of swords. Link hastily signaled Zelda to assist him in dragging Malon back into the side chamber before it became impossible to do so. Zelda turned sharply before rolling behind an iron pew; the injured Cyn'Taak had missed her foot by an inch as its deadly barb scratched uselessly against the floor.

They each took one arm and began running through the hall towards the side arch; Malon's cries of pain incurred the wrath of the nearest monstrosity. Link quickly asked for help, "Aveil! The Cyn'Taak!"

Aveil swept low tripping her current opponent, causing him to fall backwards onto his rear. She quickly observed the creature surging in for the kill and nodded in confirmation; she leaped off the prone attacker as he recoiled at her weight, she continued running towards the group attempting to thwart the creature's efforts at scoring an easy meal.

Aveil's beaten adversary swiftly flipped up onto his feet, but it was too late for him. A stinging spur slammed him back to the ground, flooding him with its potent venom. The man's body began to swell profusely with bloody splotches and boils; he continued to expand until he was nothing but a globe of blood-filled abscesses. Smelling the intoxicating scent, the two nearest Cyn'Taak broke off the attack as they collided onto the hapless victim; their gnashing teeth snapping the boils as they began to guzzle him dry. His screams reverberated throughout the hall.

The Gerudo promptly ignored the dying man's mangled death throes and continued towards the beast that was advancing towards Link. Aveil deftly leaped onto the back of the creature before ducking low onto its vertebrae; holding on for dear life to the knotted mane trailing up its back. It swerved around trying to grasp at her legs as its tail irrationally struck out in random directions; its rage was evident when it began striking itself trying to pierce Aveil. At the final puncture just inches from her face, she sliced her sword upwards through the soft tissue of the tail. The beast roared in agony as its tail flopped around uselessly, greenish blood spurting through the air.

Taking a cue from their first casualty, she quickly ripped the amputated barb from the scaly back of the Cyn'Taak; Aveil hopped off and hurled the deadly appendage at the nearest Nevachrean assassin. The man's eyes dilated in surprise as the spike pierced him directly in the heart. He crumpled over to the ground as his body began puffing into disgusting cysts. Aveil sneered in delight at her effective kill; that should keep the other two Cyn'Taak busy with their bloodlust.

Finishing the job she had started, she ducked low over the flailing tail as it whipped through the air; she brought her sword upward through the creature's right arm as it spun around trying to locate her. The arm fell to the ground with a squishing thud as its bellows grew more primal; the beast was almost uncontrollable in its actions, its sole purpose now was to destroy the threat to its existence. It rampaged towards Aveil at blinding speed.

She stood calm and firm until it was almost upon her. She let herself drop to her back as she thrust the sword upward into the air, letting the creature's momentum disembowel itself on her sword as it ran over her. The creature slowed to a halt before shuddering; its innards squirted out of its abdomen onto the floor with a splatter. She confidently stood up as she looked back on the despicable Cyn'Taak crashing to the ground, legs twitching in its final moments of life.

Link and Zelda had finally managed to prop Malon up onto a nearby pillar next to their packs; Malon had ceased moaning and was simply hanging her head listlessly. Link cursed at their situation, they had not the medical supplies to help her here! He quickly examined the two wounds and realized that the arm was an easy fix; the one lodged in her ribs would be the harder of the two to rectify. Grunting with the effort, he snapped the end off and pulled the remainder of the shaft through Malon's arm. She cried out in pain but did not fight him. Link quickly snapped off the majority of the shaft piercing her ribcage but dared not pull out the remainder.

Link stood up and gripped Zelda's shoulders tightly, "We have to get out of here and quick, take only what we need!" He directed her firmly.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that." Ruto's vexed voice echoed from the archway.

She stalked over to them, her fins rigid and flexed for the attack; Link recognized the lethality of those attachments. Normally when a Zora was calm, their fin projections would be soft and flexible; when they were agitated or in battle, they grew firm and one swift cut could slice through bone. Ruto drew up her arms, splaying out her fins in full display as she prepared for the assault.

Zelda pleaded with Ruto, "We don't have to do this. Please just let us go."

Ruto scoffed, her eyes shifting briefly to the main chamber as another blood curdling cry rang out through the night; she was down to three men now. The Gerudo were apparently holding their own quite well. "It is too late for me. I cannot turn back now!" She yelled as she rushed towards Zelda.

Zelda flicked up the metal rod, pressing a button on its base, severl spikes shot out from around the tip. With the grace taught to her by Impa, she ducked the first swing of Ruto's arms as her fins carved through the air above her head; Zelda leaned forward utilizing her opponent's momentum to upend Ruto as she jammed the rod up into her inner thigh. Ruto cried out as Zelda flipped her in the air; she crashed to the ground in a heap, blood spooling from the lesions on her leg.

Recovering from the upheaval, Ruto swirled her legs in an arc catching Zelda off guard; the leg fin sliced through Zelda's calf as she went to a knee in pain. Link slashed forward with his sword intent to put an end to Ruto's life. Gyrating on the ground, Ruto flipped up heads over heels, disorienting Link as she sailed past his blade whistling through the air towards the floor. She gripped his chin with both hands before utilizing her motion to flip him vertically around full circle; he crashed face first onto the ground, the throbbing in his head returning with a vengeance.

Not giving her an inch of regaining the advantage, Zelda dashed in leading with her rod; Ruto saw through the feint and sidestepped opposite of where she was expected to react. Zelda's eyes grew wide as Ruto's arm connected with her neck, staggering her backwards several paces. Ruto leaped onto her and bit deep into the shoulder; Zelda cried out in distress as the Zora's teeth sunk into the flesh.

Zelda twirled around and crushed the Zoran princess into the wall; her teeth releasing from her skin enough for Zelda to pull away. She hastily raked the tipped rod across Ruto's face knocking her to the ground. The Zora grew still, lying unconscious, her cheeks slowly being covered with her own blood. With one final cry of anger at their attacker, Zelda roved over to Link and assisted him back onto his feet; he tripped a few times, still woozy from the blows to his head.

Link lurched over to his pack and slumped over it; he flipped over onto his back and placed his arms though the straps. "Zelda." He breathlessly said, "I might need some help here." He extended his arm towards her.

Pulling him up off the ground with her good arm, she fastened up his dangling belt and quickly sheathed his sword back into its scabbard at his hip. Link blushed at her bold actions but understood that it was out of necessity she was assisting him. They both turned to Malon with despair; they did not have a clue how they were going to carry her out of here, let alone keep her with the group in this condition.

"Are you just about done yet?" Apolloni jerked her head in glaring at them all. The roars of the Cyn'Taak had subsided; the Gerudo having decapitated them while they were feasting on the entrails of their masked assailants. Lorva and Merin were finishing off the remainder of the assassins; each driving their scimitars deep into the chest of the final man.

Stark silence permeated the temple as everyone calmed down from the disastrous encounter. Zelda was nurturing a bitten shoulder and sliced calf; Link was still shaky on his feet from the concussions inflicted upon his skull as well as soreness along his right side. Apolloni and Aveil were fine; Lorva and Merin suffered minor scratches and bruises but seemed otherwise fit to fight. Quickly packing up their belongings, they all gathered around Malon's incapacitated body; each breath coming out as a shallow whine.

"I saw we leave her here." Apolloni suggested with malice.

Link stepped up to her and confrontationally rebutted, "You may, but Zander and I will not!"

Apolloni huffed, "Call her what you will," casually dismissing Zelda, "you are responsible for Malon's fate. If she falters or fails to keep up, I will personally knock you out and take you with us."

Link blinked several times astonished, "Just me? Why?"

"Because my orders were to only-" Apolloni's eyes squinted cleverly as she saw through his probing question. "Never you mind. Let's go!"

With nimble movements, they navigated through the maelstrom of bodies, viscera, organs, flesh and blood pools. The reeking stench of the freshly minted cadavers was overpowering as they sifted through the corpses. Link struggled to keep Malon cradled in his arms as he sprinted after the group. Within minutes he was faltering; he shifted her weight so that she lay across his shoulders with arms and legs dangling alongside his neck. Satisfied with this new position, he strove to maintain his place behind the group.

A stream of viscid fluid streamed past his shoulder; boiling the ground on which it fell with its acidic properties as it landed mere feet from Lorva. She shrieked as a drop of it splashed onto her ankle, quickly eating away at her skin. Link knew exactly what happened and swerved to the left to avoid the second incoming torrent of acidic juice.

"Ruto! No!" Link yelled as he spun around to face her.

She was wiping her mouth clean of the vile substance; leaning heavily on the fluted pillar supporting the entrance, she glowered at him with what looked like hatred. It was then Link noticed that none of her lacerations had healed; she was still badly limping from the injuries they had inflicted upon her. It dawned on him that she was not yet like Naar and the others! She could still be saved!

"Link? What are you doing?!" Zelda susurrated; unnerved as to why he was stopping to talk to the detestable Zora.

Ignoring her plea, he appealed to Ruto one last time, "Please Ruto. Come with us, we can help you recover from your wounds."

Seething at the wench nestled atop his shoulders, she spit a wad of blood out of her mouth; she laughed bitterly at his pathetic bargain. "What could you possibly offer me? There is no escape from him. You can't protect me...no one can!"

Link's heart yearned to reach out and comfort Ruto; it was clear she felt she was beyond saving. His eyes widened as Ruto puffed her chest up, the gills on her neck flaring; she was going to attempt another attack! Link shouted, "My beloved, no! Ruto, don't do this to your husband!"

The deception worked brilliantly, Ruto doubled over hacking as the bile lodged in her throat; slushing out of her mouth as it splashed upon the ground, killing any greenery it hit. Her body quaking between coughs, she managed to sputter, "You are…a cruel man, my…husband."

Ruto screamed in misery as a trident wedged her right forearm against the stone wall; Link's attention wheeled to the source of the arcing throw. In the water were three Zoras; helmets made from crab carapaces adorned their heads. Their leader was weaponless but motioned to the other two to retrieve the princess. They swiftly slithered out of the murky water and apprehended Ruto.

"What are you doing? Unhand me at once!" She shrieked. They bound her hands behind her back with a set of coral hand cuffs; every movement jabbing its sharp spikes deep into her wrists, releasing poison that slowly drained her energy. Her head hit the ground as her body twitched in agony at the toxin coursing through her veins.

Apolloni fervently yelled, "What are you doing? Leave that witch to die by their hands!" She grasped Link's arm roughly and began pulling him away; he jerked out of her grip violently as he paced up to the tall Zora in the water. His build was lankier than most Zoras Link had encountered, but his muscles indicated years of intense training; he certainly looked the capable warrior. The man was calmly waiting for Link to draw closer; regarding him with a critical eye.

"Are you going to kill her?" Link inquired of his intentions.

The Zora smiled at his genuine concern for their princess, "Be assured Hylian. No harm will come to her while under our care."

Link nodded in relief, "Where will you take her? What do you intend to do?"

Spastic rustling of trees in the distance heralded the entrance of more Cyn'Taak; the Zora glanced nervously off in the direction it was coming from before turning back to Link. "I am afraid this is no time for pleasantries. I pray that the Goddesses protect you this night."

The Zora turned from Link to help his two companions usher the limp Ruto into the muddy water. They all turned to submerge as Link called their apparent leader back, "Please, before you go! What is your name?" Link probed.

"Veraca." The Zora said warmly.

"Link." Link returned. They briefly shook hands.

The Zora turned back to the water before speaking softly over his shoulder, "I suggest you leave quickly Hylian. The Cyn'Taak will be upon you soon. Do not fear for Ruto's safety, we will take her away from here. Farewell, my friend." Link blinked as the Zoras dipped under the surface of the water and were gone; ripples gliding across the surface being the only indication they had been there at all.

The crashing of the trees shook Link out of his trance; the swaying of branches across the water indicated the direction they were approaching from, he could just barely see their dark shapes swinging through the tree limbs. It sounded like a lot more than just three of them! He spun around, gripping onto Malon tightly as he ran past the group. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed several of the revived assassins crawling out of the temple; grousing at their escaping quarry. Link grinned; they would at least slow down some of the Cyn'Taak.

"Finally!" Apolloni jeered exasperatedly.

Zelda fell in step alongside Link; sharing a brief smile between the two of them. She glanced at Malon in worry; the poor girl was passed out cold, unaware of the madness around her. Lorva hitched one of her arms around Merin's shoulders as they brushed through the undergrowth of the thicket, the acid still burning a hole in her ankle. Apolloni and Aveil surged to the front as they directed a course for them through the thickest part of the foliage.

A belching roar signaled that they had been spotted; they increased their pace through the vegetation. Branches whipped at their faces and arms drawing thin lines of blood as they rushed past; adrenaline the only thing preventing them from simply collapsing in exhaustion. A sudden incline forced a cry from the group as they tumbled and rolled aggressively down the hill; landing on rocks and sharp sticks jutting from malicious shrubs the entire way down.

Everyone crunched hard onto the moss-ridden ground; Malon flew out from Link's hands flipping hard onto her back. Her eyes sprung open at the sudden pain, her cry splitting the night. The rest of the group groaned, struggling to recover from the violent tumble down the hill. Zelda shook the dizziness from her head; she looked around the copse they had landed in, the most notable feature being a gigantic weeping willow with a hollow at its base.

Several growls above them presaged the Cyn'Taak appearance. Terrified, Zelda crawled forward frantically on her hands and knees towards the hollow; its entrance wreathed in a myriad of roots. She stopped just short of the entrance as she heard some sharp snorts and snapping from inside; with emerging horror she realized just exactly what they had found.

Link cursed as his ribs hurt; he managed to stand and noticed Zelda frozen to the spot. "Zelda?" He began with apprehension, "What is it?"

Zelda slowly twisted her head to look at him; eyes wide as she saw the Cyn'Taak sliding down the slope behind Link, "We've stumbled upon their nest."


	38. Chapter 37 - The Southern Raiders

**Chapter 37 - The Southern Raiders**

Several screams of terror pierced the night; the Cyn'Taak had found the recomposed assassins and were happily gorging on their newly found renewable food sources. That thought did little to comfort Link and the others as they fearfully backed up against the willow tree. In front of them were six Cyn'Taak, all growling deep in their bellies waiting to spring onto their hapless prey.

"Link, you take the one on the far right, Merin and I can-" Apolloni began directing with a hint of mania in her voice.

"Shut it." Link interrupted. "There is no way the five of us can tackle six fully grown Cyn'Taak and you know it." He had discounted Malon who was definitely in no shape to fight and Lorva who was still cringing in pain at the acid slowly boring a hole through her entire ankle.

After several more moments of indecision, Zelda observed something, "Link, why aren't they attacking?"

"I don't know." Link admitted, although the Cyn'Taak were closing the distance between them, they did little to give away their intentions. They were not striking for a reason.

Merin quickly looked around and her eyes rested on the hollow at the base of the tree; inside were writhing little bodies of infant Cyn'Taak, their eyes still glossed over with a murky film. She gasped, "The babies! They are not attacking because we are near their young!"

Apolloni spat, "Impossible! Two of them tried to kill each other, they are cannibals!" Her usual calm demeanor in battle was shaken considerably.

Dawning realization flowed into Zelda as she turned from the babies back to their mothers, "They are female. They protect the young from the males and everything else!"

Link nudged closer to the wriggling mass of infant Cyn'Taak, "So you're saying they are not attacking us for fear of hurting the offspring?"

Zelda nodded, but dared not take her eyes off the Cyn'Taak, "That's what I'm saying."

Link knew what he had to do, it was completely insane and went against all rational thought; he spun around and quickly grabbed the nearest baby and gathered it into his arms. He was extremely careful in binding its twitching tail to its back with a finger. A shriek of outrage affronted his ears as the mothers glared at him for the grave insult he had performed; they snarled and snapped at him but dared not get any closer. Lorva crawled over to Malon to comfort her as she wailed; her eyes wide with terror as she watched the Cyn'Taak.

"'Ut the 'hild 'own! 'Ow!' The lead Cyn'Taak uttered, vehemently pointing a claw down to the ground to indicate what she wanted.

Link grinned, this was probably hers. "Not until you let us go will I give it back to you."

The Cyn'Taak roared and attempted to swipe at him with her claws; he immediately placed the child in front of him. She withdrew her monstrous talons at the moment she saw the child hurtling towards her from within his grip. She moaned in agony of not being able to rend the insolent piece of meat into ribbons. Her tail began twitching anxiously; she was considering catching them off guard with a quick piercing of venom.

"'Ive 'er to 'e an' 'ou 'an 'eave!" The mother Cyn'Taak pleaded with little conviction. It was clear she was goaded him into a vulnerable position.

Link backed up further towards the edge of the clearing, "Like I would trust a Cyn'Taak to keep its word!" He laughed nervously. A low grumble arose from the mother's belly at his refusal.

As one entity, the group continued to back up away from the deadly Cyn'Taak. Apolloni was dragging Lorva along with her while Malon had been picked up by Merin. Zelda was by his side, visibly shaking with fear as the behemoths edged closer. It was becoming clearer that their hostage of the child was doing little to stop the inevitable advance of the creatures. They were going to die and they knew it. One of the females lumbered over to the hollow; resting a clawed hand onto the roots, it gazed in with relief as its young had not been harmed.

Link held the squealing bundle under his arm as it squirmed fervently trying to escape his grasp. His other hand lay open next to his sword; fingers itching to grab it but realizing it would be a fruitless gesture. The need to escape and to live was overpowering; this was not how he had wanted to die; to be filled with venom, ballooning into nothing but a bloody snack for these creatures. The thought of Zelda's intestines being ripped out of her belly and promptly swallowed was almost unbearable; he looked over to Malon and couldn't stomach the thought of her being eaten alive by these repulsive creatures.

A strange feeling began sweeping from deep within Link; at first he gave it little thought until the surging energy began flowing down his arm into his fingertips. A sudden horse braying startled them all; Apolloni swirled around to see three black stallions standing there triumphantly where there had been none before.

Link's eyes opened wide at the glorious sight, "Quick! Load the wounded onto the horses!" He shouted.

The lead Cyn'Taak bellowed at them escaping; within seconds Lorva cried out in pain. Apolloni promptly dropped her charge as she saw the barb imbed itself deep into Lorva's foot; the unfortunate Gerudo began swelling up into excruciatingly painful blood boils. Ignoring her screaming companion, Apolloni leapt up onto the nearest black mare while she hauled Aveil up onto it behind her. Merin assisted Link in slumping Malon's body over the back of the other.

"What about Lorva?" Merin demanded, looking intently at Apolloni.

"She is lost, leave her!" Apolloni hastily ordered.

Merin scowled at Apolloni as she lifted herself onto the horse alongside Malon; Link helped boost Zelda onto the third horse before handing up his deadly package. She gingerly took the scaly child into her arms, being overly cautious of its flicking tail. They kicked the flanks of the horses and went galloping off into the forest; the majority of the marshlands behind them. The danger to their young having passed; the Cyn'Taak leaped upon the screaming Lorva. It was over within seconds.

The lead Cyn'Taak did not give into the bloodlust that had so easily claimed her brethren, her child was being taken from her. She charged on all fours with rage after the kidnappers who had violated her family. Her guttural cry was heard for miles around as she trampled through the underbrush, knocking down weak saplings in her wake. Her eyes were red for the male of the group; for the one that dared touch her baby.

Within minutes, they cleared the tree line and were racing across open plains. The land was unfamiliar to Link; he looked around by the light of the moon to see where they were headed. The open fields were flatter than the rolling hills that surrounded Lon Lon Ranch; several boulders and rocky knolls dotted the landscape at random intervals.

In the distance they spotted a small hamlet with a few twinkling lights perched around the buildings; they pressed their horses hard in that direction. A roar from behind caused Link to twist around; the mother Cyn'Taak burst from the brush with a flourish and was urgently hunting them down. The Gerudo had noticed the rampaging creature as well, for they sped up their horses.

Merin chanced a swift glance behind; it was clear the Cyn'Taak was gaining ground on them. It was far more agile and faster than the horses by far; its massive bulk did nothing to curb her fear as it careered towards them. "We're not going to make it!" Merin yelled.

"Shut up!" Apolloni rebuked without looking at her. "We are going to make it! Just ride!"

They were coming up upon a rather large boulder that seemed to pierce the sky with its rising spire; swiftly passing it, they heard a loud squawk of malice just behind them. Zelda skimmed back to see ten hooded riders on horses emerge from the shadow of the rock; they had been lying in wait for trespassers! The Cyn'Taak surprised them as it bowled over two of the horses emerging from beyond the rock; its tail slashed through the air stabbing various bodies in the process.

The other eight riders split around the debacle and continued on their initial track of chasing them. The sound of whinnying and men shouting indicated the worst for them; surprisingly to Aveil who had turned to watch the whole spectacle, the Cyn'Taak ignored its swollen victims and kept to its firm course. She cursed at their luck; she had hoped it would be enticed by that much blood.

Zelda cried into the wind towards Apolloni, "Who are those people?"

Apolloni shouted back, "The Southern Raiders. We know of them. They attack innocent people, kill them and steal all their belongings."

Link uttered an oath under his breath, "Great! Just what we need right now!"

He acquired Merin's attention and signaled her to follow him back; drawing out her scimitar as he drew out his weapon, they swerved around in an arc to confront the raiders charging towards them. They surged forward at the center of the pack, keenly aware of the Cyn'Taak storming just yards beyond them. The lead rider crowed a battle cry as he lifted his spear intent to skewer Link off his horse; Zelda held tight onto Link's waist, struggling to keep the frantic infant under control.

"Get down!" Link commanded Zelda.

She drew her head low to one side of his body as he leaned over the opposite side of his horse; he swerved his horse left as he slashed his sword at the midriff of the incoming rider. The pike swished harmlessly over his head; the momentum of the horse carried Link's sword straight through the man's body. The horse ran off aimlessly as its rider's torso slumped off the stallion and hit the ground.

Zelda screamed in fright as Link twisted the horse around violently; the Cyn'Taak's claws raked through her leggings, narrowly missing her skin. The Cyn'Taak skidded, kicking up turf and dirt trying to slow its speed; it scrambled trying to regain its thrust chasing after Link's horse, intent on the kill. Merin had already lopped the head of one of the raiders as she sliced the snout off of a galloping horse causing it to topple over, flinging its occupant into the ground.

The Cyn'Taak scraped its claws through the legs of a nearby horse that had circled around to attack Link's. The horse pitched forward; with lightning reflexes, the Cyn'Taak caught the poor man in its grip. With a swift snap of its jaws, the beast had ripped the man into two bloody pieces; his cry of pain was cut abruptly short. It violently tossed one of the halves at Link with alarming accuracy. They ducked under the grotesque piece as it sailed over their heads; the beast quickly threw the other half towards Merin.

Merin did not catch the warning in time; she turned to see the bloody legs of a mutilated raider flying towards her. The body knocked her off the horse; she hit the ground with a crack. She moaned in agony as she felt her elbow twist at an awkward ankle. Her horse bolted in panic with Malon still flaccid over its back.

"Apolloni?" Link yelled, his eyes skimming the chaos. He frowned as he saw her and Aveil riding off in the distance towards the hamlet they spotted earlier. That stupid woman! She left them to deal with this mess! He quickly scanned the rest to take stock of where they were; there were four raiders on horseback with one on the ground. Merin was struggling back to her feet as her horse was riding off. The sight of Malon still drooping over the horse galvanized his decision to follow her.

A thunderous boom from his left yanked him back to the present; he spurred his horse to weave right as the Cyn'Taak pounced. It missed them by feet as it landed on the ground with a growl; its tail swung after them scarcely missing the mare's swishing tail. His goal was to retrieve Malon before she got further away from them. Ignoring the crashing booms of the Cyn'Taak chasing after them, he merged through several raiders as they rushed in to attack. One unfortunately got in the way of the enraged mother and both horse and man were flung into the air with the force of her passing; each landing with a sickening crunch.

"No!" Link screamed as he saw dozens of more riders emerging from the shadows of the nearby boulders that dotted the plains. How many riders were there? He began to cry at his inability to reach her in time. The lead rider of the new group swiftly came alongside the freaked horse; swiftly dismounting Malon, he transferred her onto his pommel before stabbing the hapless horse with his pike. The horse vanished in a mist of black vapor.

With a cawing yell, the man signaled several of his men to follow him to the village in the distance; the rest he had ordered to kill them. Link watched the stream of violent men galloping towards them with rising alarm; Link swerved around on the horse to assess the situation behind them. Merin was surprisingly holding her own against the remaining three riders; she had just dismounted one of the men from his horse before driving her scimitar deep into his belly. The rioting Cyn'Taak was merely upon them, murder evident in her eyes; the entire situation looked hopeless.

Link turned forward to face the looming horde before looking up at the sky in desperation, "Fuck it all! Zelda, hold on tight!" He yelled back.

"What are you doing?" She squeaked upon seeing him goading the horse into a full blown sprint at the mass of riders charging towards them.

"The only thing I can do! Attack!" He shouted with grim determination.

Ignoring the pounding in his head, he urged the horse onward into the center of the mass; his sword at the ready. Link prayed quickly to the Goddesses knowing this could very well be his last moments. He brought his sword out to the side, ready to slice through the nearest rider. He was shocked when several arrows whisked through the night and struck the leading edge of the horsemen; the riders were blown off their steeds by the force of the arrows. Link observed their bodies swelling in carbuncles; were the arrows tipped with Cyn'Taak venom?

Link had little time to think as the horde split around them; to do as much damage as possible he jerked his horse into the nearest rider before parrying the attacker's spear. He jabbed forward with his sword, puncturing his chest before yanking it out for another strike on the subsequent rider. The Cyn'Taak plowed into the mass, flinging horses and men around like rag dolls; it had lost sight of Link and his horse, its fury evident in its cry.

He swerved the horse around as he sliced the neck of another raider; Zelda was frantically holding the Cyn'Taak child in her arms. Why was she still carrying this thing? She looked up over the multitude of horsemen to see a new group of six riders, each were armed with a bow and were firing with impunity amongst the crowd. Perched on the back of the lead horse was a taller man who had rescued Merin from her predicament; she had her arms wrapped around his waist and seemed thoroughly exhausted.

"Link!" Zelda pointed to direct his attention, "Make way for that group of riders. I have a feeling they are friends."

Link perceived what Zelda was referring to and incited his horse towards the new group; Zelda quickly shoved Link down onto his horse as he cried out startled. She had saved his life as one of the raiders heaved a spear through the air at his head. It passed between them harmlessly, jamming itself into the nearby dirt. The rider cursed as he flew past behind them.

Link flicked his eyes back to understand what just happened, "Thank you." He mouthed back to Zelda before continuing his rush towards the new group of six.

Merging with the new batch of horsemen, the leader signaled them to fall in behind him; with lack of any better direction, Link brought the horse around to rush in with the charging group. His eyes bulged as the man propped himself up to stand on the saddle of his galloping horse; he was perfectly perched on top of the stallion. He handed the reins to Merin who swiftly took them to help guide the horse forward. With the simple grace denoting years of practice, the man withdrew two swords from the scabbards across his back; each sword had an odd, hooked end which Link couldn't readily decipher their use.

The other five riders continued firing their bows into the tangled mess of raiders; all of which were circling the Cyn'Taak, intent on killing the creature once and for all. Its pitiable cries broke the night as multitudes of spears impaled its flanks, drawing blood with every stab.

The first thing Link noticed about the archers was that they were very young looking; their bodies were small and undeveloped. They were children! His eyes swiveled to their leader, calmly balanced on his running horse; he looked only slightly older than he was!

Link scrutinized the young man; he was wearing form fitting clothes. His torso was wrapped in a bluish tunic that was strapped up by the crossed scabbard draped over his form; on each shoulder was a bronze pauldron, no doubt stolen from previous opponents. He wore several belts at haphazard angles around his waist; holding up tights that had an intricate design flowing down the outside of his legs. The man wore thin, furred boots that reached just above his ankles. The most noticeable thing about him was his brilliantly purple hair; its sheen visible even in the moonlight.

Within moments they had come near the herd, encircling the Cyn'Taak like moths to a flame. Slightly crouching just before the leap, the man bounded from the saddle onto the nearest horse; sweeping his hooked sword low as it caught its rider by the neck. With an upward heave, he leapt to the next horse; the previous occupant hurtling head over feet into the air before slamming onto the ground.

Clashing into the startled riders, they turned to the new threat with zeal. Link deflected and blocked various jabs while quickly disarming others; they plowed through the ranks, the child archers eliminating men left and right with their poisoned arrows. Link marveled at their limber leader as he hopped from horse to horse, knocking each tenant off their saddle with a flip of his hooked swords. He made a full loop around the majority of the crowd before leaping back into the saddle of his own buck right in front of an astonished Merin.

Their unknown savior impelled the horse around towards the tree line as he yelled off to his partner, "Jim, cover our backs, will ya?"

The young boy gave him a thumbs up before surging back into the fray; the southern raiders had all but given up the battle. Some made half-hearted attempts at killing the youth. In the end, the raiders dispersed and began making their way towards the small town glowing off in the distance; leaving the massacred Cyn'Taak corpse where it lay. A small, gurgling wail emitted from its throat as it spotted Link on his black mare; the small infant in Zelda's arms had settled down considerably but returned the call with a howl of its own. Zelda couldn't help but feel remorse for what they had done to the child and its mother.

With the immediate danger finally passed, the young man sheathed his awkward looking swords back into his cross scabbards; he turned his head briefly to indicate to Merin she should steer the horse back towards the marshlands. Link propelled his horse alongside the leader; Merin and him shared a brief smile, it was clear her arm was very tender but she was doing her best to hide it.

"Hey." Link hailed the youth; the man turned his violet eyes upon him. "Why are we going back to the Negev? We were trying to escape the Cyn'Taak."

Leaning forward in the saddle, the man was apparently enjoying the ride. He simply smiled back, "What better place to hide from those Nevachreans than in the most dangerous place possible?"

Link had to admit the man made a good point, "Do you have a place of shelter to go back to?" Link queried.

The youth shook his head in the affirmative, "Yes. Follow me and I shall take you there."

"What about Malon?" Zelda whispered to Link.

"You mean the girl they took?" Zelda jerked at his uncanny hearing; undaunted by her expression he continued casually. "I wouldn't worry about her too much just yet. They will probably take a day or two before they figure out what to do with her; Plenty of time to rescue her."

Link was unsure about this man's casual attitude towards Malon's predicament. Trying to appear friendly and appreciative, Link began warmly, "Thank you for your assistance back there. My name is Link."

The man turned to him with a beaming smile, "Nice to meet you Link! I'm Kafei."


	39. Chapter 38 - Conspirators in Crime

**Chapter 38 - Conspirators in Crime**

The uproar they had caused in the camp was notable; the two of them landed amidst the multitude of burly men, demanding that they be taken to their leader. None of the men needed any more incentive to slice their throats than that. The first few attackers were either frozen into blocks of ice and immediately shattered or burnt to nothing but ashes; the rest of the brutes stayed a healthy distance back after that first skirmish. With great reluctance, they escorted the two hags to the central, spired tent residing towards the front of the horde.

Naar glanced up from his locket; quickly snapping it shut before tucking it back into his armor, wiping a swift tear from his cheek. Mentally steeling himself for dealing with the arrogant interruption, he stormed up to the guard before snapping, "I requested that I was not to be disturbed at this time! Why do you bring this mess in here?" Dismissively flicking his hand in the direction of the two females.

"You should honestly have a bit more respect for your elders!" Kotake fumed as she sidestepped past the guard and brazenly entered the tent.

"We come with great tidings and this is how we are treated? Tsk, tsk, sister, they really do need to be taught a lesson!" Koume scoffed as she followed behind her sister; Naar's eyes opened wide at their shameless behavior.

"You have five seconds to explain what it is you are doing here before I reduce you to nothing but dirt!" Naar threatened with growing malevolence to his tone.

"Ho, ho, ho, quite a temper we have on this one!" Kotake joked with her sister.

"He, he, he, I think we've dealt with this before, haven't we?" Koume agreed jovially.

Angered at their impertinence, he swiftly summoned a gladius before swinging it down upon the head of the nearest hag. The sword shattered in his hand as it struck the barrier the witch was able to conjure at the last second; shards went flying everywhere as Naar was knocked flat onto his rear from the blow. Within seconds he blasted them both with a beam of pure energy; the two sisters retaliated with a blend of their magicks. The two forces collided at the center of the tent, pulsing outward a huge shockwave that reached the furthest edges of the camp. The guard was knocked completely unconscious by the discharge.

"You have some skill you filthy witches, I will give you that!" Naar exclaimed.

Naar knew power when he saw it. The two witches were calm and determined to win the battle of wills. He always respected opponents who had as much power as he did; he respected them even more when they finally fell to his blade. With great exertion, he stood back up to his feet and pressed forward towards the women; his power palpitating in waves towards their combined energy. Little beads of sweat began to form on their temples; clear signs that he was ultimately winning, he smirked as they attempted to redouble their efforts.

The fire witch ducked out of the conflict before levitating off to his right; she conjured a fireball and hurled it at him. He rolled out of the way silencing his own attack. The ice witch free to move once more, attempted to head him off at the pass. The table behind him burst into flames as the chair in front hardened into solid ice. Both witches were floating in the air summoning more balls of deadly magick; with the deftness of decades of practice, Naar called two daggers into his hands.

He swiftly threw them at each witch; so concentrated they were on casting they didn't notice the daggers until they were embedded into their shoulders. The magick evaporated into the air as they collapsed to the floor. Naar huffed as he paced up to the miscreant hags; he was going to enjoy killing them. He hadn't felt this challenged in a good, long while.

"Stop! We can help you!" Kotake raised up a hand; erecting a quick barrier around them both.

Naar raised an eyebrow at this unforeseen twist; he had half expected them to be assassins making a futile attempt on his life. "Go on." He commanded calmly.

A quick wave of Koume's hand dispersed the blades entrenched into their arms. With the pain mostly gone, she hobbled up onto her feet; still beyond the protective aura being produced from her sister. Lightly brushing down her robes, she stared up at the imposing general. With a slightly haughty tone, she began, "We came not to be your enemies, but your allies. We have come to help you eliminate one of your greatest problems."

Naar had a feeling what problem that could be, based on their ethnic garb. "You have my ears, do continue." He grabbed a chair that wasn't frozen and slid it beneath him before sitting coolly. "Could you diffuse the magick you've made in my tent?" He motioned to the flaming table and frozen chair; his voice was courteous but it was clear that it was not to be disobeyed.

Feeling more comfortable at his changed demeanor, they whisked the spells into oblivion. The table was scorched but was still serviceable; the chair didn't fare as well. Releasing the aura that surrounded them, Koume stepped forward with her sister; they maintained a healthy distance of several paces between them and the general.

"We feel it would be mutually beneficial that we help you secure the Gerudo nation." Kotake began.

"We know of a way we can eliminate Ganondorf's barrier so that you can invade and harm him." Koume offered.

Naar conjured up a glass of wine; reclining back into the chair after taking a sip, he looked equably at the two witches. "And why would you offer me this deal? What is preventing me from just killing you two outright and still accomplishing my goal? They'll eventually have to dismantle that shield if they hope to survive the next cycle. They have to be low on food and water; something I'm sure you two are perfectly aware we don't need." He leered as he took another sip of the delicious wine.

"Says the man who dines on fine drink." Kotake muttered under her breath.

"Indeed sister, what a-" Koume started.

Startling them both, Naar spoke over their hushed conversation with veiled menace, "I drink because I enjoy the taste, not because I personally care for its value for sustaining my body. Either explain the reasoning for your offer or die by my hand, I personally don't care which."

Kotake snorted indignantly as he nonchalantly sipped again, "We firmly believe that Ganondorf is leading the Gerudo on the wrong path to prosperity."

Koume chimed in with a cackle, "We want to make sure we are on the winning side in return for sparing our people."

"Traitors then." Naar mused. "Well then, I don't see any reason not to hear you out."

Kotake dove right into her explanation, "We can dispel the barrier around our fortress; for we are the ones who created it."

Koume filled in the remaining details, "Ganondorf is the centerpiece of the spell; without him, the entire aura falls apart. It is physically taxing on his heart."

Naar rubbed his beard absently as he listened to the two crones, "So the barrier around the Temple of Time is of your doing?" They both nodded in agreement; Naar continued after their affirmation, "I've spent the last few cycles reading up on the Master Sword, the Triforce and many other delectable pieces of history and knowledge. Removing the barrier isn't the only obstacles in my path."

Kotake waggled a gnarled finger in the air, "That is where we can assist you. You mayhap have heard of a youth named Link?"

A low grumble signified the fact; Koume chortled at Naar's grimace as the memories of the boy returned, "He has just recently been sent on a fool's errand; a quest for the remaining sacred stones not currently in possession of the Gerudo."

Naar gauged if he should reveal the location of the sapphire, ultimately deciding it wouldn't do him any harm. "A fool's errand indeed, I hold the Zora Sapphire. That deplorable runt would have to come to the heart of my army to wrest it from me. He would not get within leagues of my person before being cut to ribbons."

Kotake flashed a nasty grin before bravely stepping forward towards Naar, "Might I suggest we enable Link to complete his mission?"

Naar's chair flung backwards as he shattered the glass onto the floor; he stood up to his full commanding height, eyes glowering at the two unfazed witches. "What would ever possess me to allow that whelp to access the Master Sword?!"

Koume raised both hands up in mirth; she was clearly enjoying his anger at their proposal. "Naar, please sit back down and let us explain the plan to you. My sister and I have gone over this a dozen times, it is flawless."

Their heated conversation had gone on late into the night; the sun was just cresting the horizon as the two witches sailed off into the morning blue. Several brutes looked up from their morning meals wondering what the shrinking specks in the sky were.

* * *

><p>Their horse had vaporized several miles back, catapulting the two of them onto the ground. Their quick reflexes prevented any serious injuries from occurring as they lightly landed on their feet. Apolloni had willfully left a hopeless situation; she wasn't sure if the mission could be completed now, but they had to try. Aveil shared a knowing look before they set off on foot towards the small village at the base of the gradual decline.<p>

It took the better part of an hour to reach the hamlet; there were over a dozen buildings enclosed behind a wall of wooden pikes. There appeared to be only one entrance to the town, guarded by several garbed men armed with spears. Opting out of engaging in unnecessary battles, the two Gerudo vaulted over the back wall of the town; they landed silently on the dirt paths of the village, quickly dashing to the shadow of a nearby structure.

Their ears pricked up at the sound of stomping hooves rumbling closer; they darted from shadow to shadow getting a good view of the gated entrance. The sentries blew a bugle that echoed through the chill, night air. The gates swung open with creaking moans; a large group of horsemen entered in, neatly filling out the town courtyard with their bulk.

Apolloni's eyes centered on their leader; she observed the body resting over the pommel of the saddle, it was Malon. She narrowed her eyes as the rider slumped off the horse with slovenly abandon. He signaled several of the guards to drag Malon off of the steed and carry her into the nearby house. Without further delay, she motioned to Aveil to follow her around the perimeter of the walled settlement; they slinked up to the back windows of the building, making sure to stay out of the light of the hanging lanterns.

The two women peeked over the window ledge; they regarded the situation as the man ordered the two guards to roughly dump Malon's limp body onto the bed set up in the far corner. It was clear Malon was not doing well; she was lethargic and barely able to stay awake. If the arrowhead was not removed soon and any internal damage healed, she would most certainly die before the night was out. The man spoke gruffly to his two sentries, loud enough for the two Gerudo to eavesdrop.

"I need the doctor in here now! She is no use to me dead!" The man cawed.

Both men quickly saluted before hastening out into the hall, hailing the doctor. The leader was tapping his foot impatiently; after a few minutes, an old man came in with a bag full of medical equipment. Promptly ignoring the aggravated man standing by the door, the doctor slowly strode over to the bed where Malon lay.

"How long has she been like this?" The specialist asked in hushed tones, surprise evident in his voice.

"How should I know?!" The leader snapped. "Can you fix her?"

The medic shrugged as he turned back to the poor woman, "Perhaps, I can't guarantee anything. She seems to have been injured a good while ago."

"Just make her better again. I have need to speak to her tomorrow!" With an irritated snort, he stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him.

The old man shook his head before dedicating himself to the task at hand. He examined the broken shaft still lodged in Malon's ribcage; he bowed his head in silence a bit, as if praying for her soul before the invasive operation. The doctor opened up his medical bag and pulled out a syringe the size of his hand; swiftly stabbing it near the arrow lesion, he injected the entire contents into Malon.

The man, who was clearly a surgeon, fastened to his head a pair of odd-looking scopes; he manipulated them in front of his eyes before leaning in close to her chest. Lacking any sort of modesty, he cut through her ivory robe and tore her clothes apart; revealing her round firm breasts. Completely oblivious to her budding sexuality, he brought forth a scalpel and began to make an incision on either side of the wooden shaft.

Aveil gently squeezed Apolloni's hand as she looked on the operation; despite killing multitudes of Hylians and other foul beasts, she still felt slightly sick at the sight of someone operating on another. Annoyed at Aveil's weakness for these sorts of things, Apolloni jerked her hand away from hers; Aveil wilted at her reaction but dared not turn away from the window.

The surgeon placed an unknown device into the crevice of the incision he had previously made; he started cranking the opening wider with every turn of the device. Malon's eyes shot open as she began shrieking bloody murder; the doctor yelled for several sentries to come hold her down. They gripped her arms and legs firmly; she thrashed around as the man slowly opened up the body cavity to unnatural lengths. Aveil bit her lip hard as she looked on with misery at Malon's plight.

Seeing the objective in sight, the man reached into her body and slowly withdrew the entire shaft with spear tip intact from her ribs. He held her torso still as he examined closer the injury the arrow had wrought. He sighed in relief, it had only punctured one of her lungs and not her heart; the procedure would be significantly simpler. Cranking a few more rotations on the device, eliciting shrill cries from Malon, he set to work immediately on repairing the damage to her lacerated lung.

Aveil tugged on Apolloni's leggings; her head snapped to her subordinate with exasperation. "What is it?" Apolloni hissed.

"Can we find a place to turn in for the night?" She queried; exhaustion palpable in her voice.

Apolloni sighed before looking around the village for potential locations, "I don't think the people in this village will be agreeable to us staying with them openly." She spotted a nearby stable where the men were filtering in their horses for feeding and rest; she pointed off in that direction. "We'll sleep in there for the evening. Follow me."

They slipped back into the shadows and disappeared into the night.

* * *

><p>The first rays of light filtered in from the window, the blinding light tracking across her face. Malon blinked dazedly as she attempted to move her arm to shield her face from the glaring sun. She groaned in anguish when violent stabs of pain flashed through her ribs; she couldn't even hold her tender side for it only brought more pain. She dejectedly dropped her arm to the bed, content with letting the agony subside slowly over the course of time. She noticed she was covered up in plain white sheets and was lying in a bed inside what appeared to be a log cabin.<p>

"So you are finally awake, my dear." The brusque voice startled her greatly; forcing her body into more spasms at the shock of the jolt. She grated heatedly.

"Where…am…I?" Malon racked her body with each individual word; her breath coming out in forced gasps.

The man was silhouetted against the window; his features in darkness against the glaring sun shining just beyond him. He was purposefully hiding his identity from her. He appeared to be a tall, gangly man with a light bit of paunch to his belly; he had his hands clasped behind his back and he hunched over ever so slightly, a physical birth defect no doubt. She could tell by his outline that he had a very elaborate mustache but she couldn't decipher any other details about him.

"After all these long cycles, you have stumbled across my doorstep; to think that I would meet you here of all places!" The man squawked enthusiastically.

Malon shut her eyes briefly, she didn't feel well enough for these stupid games. "What…do…you…want?" She exhaled sorely.

The man laughed heartily, sounding like a dying crow. "What do I want? You know, that is a very good question! I haven't fully decided yet! Finding you amongst those Gerudo was a real stroke of providence for me. Tell me my dear Malon, where is your father?" A slight hint of menace entered his tone.

Malon studied his shape carefully at this question; who was he? How did he know her name, not to mention her father? Her breathing getting increasingly labored, she managed to croak, "Who…are…you?"

"Ah yes, the inevitable question presents itself! I can't believe you could have forgotten me so easily. If I recall, it was both you and that stupid Kokiri brat that got me fired and left me homeless! Penniless!" The resentment clear in his voice as spittle crossed the room from his accusations.

Malon's eyes grew wide at the realization of who stood before her; the man slowly came into view as he walked towards her bedside. "You!" She exhaled.

"Yes me, so glad you finally recognized me! The 'greedy, backstabbing' Ingo! The one you got fired! It is so good to see you after all this time Malon." He leered at her prone form.

Malon couldn't take anymore; she swiftly passed out…


	40. Chapter 39 - Little Listener

**Chapter 39 - Little Listener**

It had been almost a week since his imprisonment; the dull, metal bars made the memories flood back with a vengeance. His diet was drastically transformed for the worse; they had fed him nothing but plain water and lukewarm gruel. His body had changed little in terms of overall bulk, but the hunger pains hurt something fierce in the depths of the night. They had left him to rot in the cell with nothing but the tattered tights in which he was whipped in; the scars across his back had just started to fade finally. Nobody came to see him but the occasional guard who delivered his food; they wouldn't even allow him to talk to Nabooru or their daughter, Giana.

A creak at the door penetrated his thoughts. Talon looked out the grim window to see the morning sun just cresting the canyon walls; he sighed, it must be breakfast time already. The figure who strolled in was not the one he had been expecting. He stood up with a start as the diminutive girl walked in holding a tray of steaming porridge, a bit hotter than he was used to but he'd gladly accept it. She turned to him with a forlorn smile on her face, her wings slowly wavering behind her.

"Hey Talon." Saria smiled weakly; she had clearly seen better days for her eyes were bloodshot as if she had been profusely crying.

Talon surged up to the bars, gripping them tight. "Did they hurt ya any?" He asked her extremely concerned.

She shook her head before responding, "No. I've actually been treated very nice. I'm more worried about you. Have they let you see any of your family yet?"

He bowed his head low, clearly wrought with anguish at his situation; it would at least be somewhat tolerable if he could see his family once a day. "No. I haven't seen anyone but the Gerudo guards. They don't even mess with me at all except ta bring me food."

Saria slipped the tray through the bars as best she could, Talon assisted her. "Well here is some warm food for you." She flushed slightly. "I made it myself with the help of the cooks. I said I had wanted to bring you food today. No one really had any objections."

Talon beamed at her tenderly. "Ya are such a sweet girl. I am glad ta have ya as a friend."

"Thank you." Saria said shyly. She hadn't been complimented much the past week, having excommunicated herself fully from the majority of the population in the fortress.

Talon took a spoonful of the gruel and was pleasantly surprised at the flavor; most times it was tasteless and utterly disgusting. He only gagged it down because he needed to keep his energy up. His eyes widened with surprise, "What flavor did ya put in this?" Talon asked interested.

Saria leaned over to look at the bowl, "See those green flecks? I put some basil in there. It was one of the few spices I recognized on the shelves."

"It is absolutely delicious!" Talon complimented. He began spooning it in with zest, gulping the slop hungrily.

"I'm happy you like it." Saria beamed as Talon feasted on her cooking. The feeling was something unique and different; she had never cooked for anyone before in her life and it was gratifying to have someone appreciate what she did.

With one final slurp, Talon had finished the entire meal. Appreciatively handing back the bowl to her through the bars, he inquired. "Do ya think ya can do this every day?"

Saria looked away fleetingly, "I'm not entirely sure. I don't think I can if Ganondorf is around to see me do it."

Talon nodded in understanding, "I understan' Saria. Don't get in trouble on my account." His face became animated at this valuable opportunity. "How is Nabooru? What news do ya have about Giana?" Talon asked eagerly.

Saria grinned at the last question with Giana, "That little girl is quite rambunctious. She can always be found rollicking around at the upper archery range with the young colts. She has as much fondness for animals as Malon does."

Talon tentatively asked, "Does she ask about me?"

Saria's countenance fell slightly, "She does. They simply tell her you are on a trip and that you'll be back soon."

He cursed at this blatant lie; promptly apologizing for saying such blasphemies in front of Saria, he continued, "I'm furious fer them lying ta my own daughter about where I am! Can ya tell her what's happened to me?"

Saria shook her head disconcertedly, "What purpose would that serve Talon? You want her to worry about her father? How would that help her?"

Talon grimaced in agreement, "Ya right. I apologize fer asking that of you. Can ya at least tell Nabooru I am okay?"

Saria warmed up to that notion, "I can do that." She sighed deeply, "Well, I better get going then."

She reached through the bars and placed a tender hand on his cheek; he gratefully pressed into her tiny palm, holding it tight against his face with his hand. They stayed connected for several minutes; tranquility flowed around them as they embraced each other's company. With a soft gasp, Talon released her hand as she drew it back between the bars. Leaving him with one, last, angelic smile, she turned and headed out the door shutting it gently behind her.

Saria paced down the halls knowing exactly where she was going by this point; her ultimate destination was Nabooru's quarters. She knew a route that would take her past the council chamber. She tended to pass by that room far more often these days in hopes she could glean some sort of valuable information that would be of use to her friends. After returning the bowl and tray back to the kitchens, she proceeded down the network of passages that would lead her right past the council room.

She was within several paces of it before she realized her efforts had not been in vain. She quickly ducked to the side of the doorframe just out of sight. She craned her head around the corner to see the two vile witches, Kotake and Koume. They were alone in the room with Ganondorf, who appeared to be listening intently to their dialogue. What were they plotting now? She pricked her ears up higher trying to hear their hushed whispers better.

"Ho ho ho, he has bought the ruse wonderfully my lord!" Kotake cackled.

"He he he, he truly believes we are out to betray the Gerudo!" Koume hooted.

Ganondorf grunted before responding, "That is just as well. Without his assistance in this matter, I don't think we have a chance of winning. The key is to keep him into thinking you are cooperating. If Link cannot complete this errand, our plan fails."

"Why does it have to be that insolent whelp?" Kotake smoldered.

"Why can it not be you who uses the sacred stones to access the Master Sword?" Koume questioned roughly.

"Because I am not as stupid as you two hags." Both witches grumbled affronted at his jab at their age. "I've done my research and the boy has definitely filled in some blanks for me about the issue. The Master Sword chooses its wielder. I am quite confident that it is not me."

"So what do you propose we do? We let him make it all the way to the Master Sword?" Kotake quizzed nonplussed.

"What if Link accesses the Triforce first, where does that leave us?" Koume wailed.

Ganondorf waved a hand in dismissal at their protest, "You need not concern yourself with that. I have a plan that will ensure that the Gerudo claim the Triforce for themselves."

"What?" Kotake cawed. "You will not reveal your plans to your most confident advisors?"

"The two women who spent years rearing you up in the dark arts and raised you from a babe?" Koume offered.

Ganondorf derided, "Do not try my patience. I owe you two witches nothing. What I keep secret is my business. Now leave me!"

A gust of pure energy washed over the room; knocking both witches back a few steps. They looked at each other uncertainly before stepping out of the chamber. The door slammed shut swiftly behind them; smacking Kotake presently on the butt. She jerked forward with a start; she did little to conceal her vexed anger. Saria immediately crouched low in the shadows of the hall, drawing her wings tight against her body; hoping her innate ability to appear inconspicuous worked in her favor.

"That man is riding our culture into the ground sister." Kotake fumed, gingerly rubbing her behind at the smarting sting.

Koume sniffed in displeasure, "Agreed. The previous kings were much more agreeable to our will. He cannot be tamed."

They swiftly whisked past Saria's position; she huddled closer to the ground watching the two crones sweep by. Her heart beat faster as they stopped just feet away from her; the witch with the flaming red crystal swirled around, her eyes flickering back and forth down the hall. Her sister turned to investigate why they had stopped.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Kotake probed.

After a few moments, Koume shook her head. "I believe we have that rat listening in again."

"She'll slip up eventually and then we'll have her!" Kotake scoffed.

Gazing down the corridor one last time, she turned and continued their walk. "Indeed so sister. We need to make sure," she continued with their original train of thought, "that the good of our people come first. Regardless of the king that rules them."

"Shall we grant an assist with the next pregnancy among the Gerudo?" Kotake offered.

"I'm afraid so. I believe the current king has outlived his usefulness. It would be so unfortunate if something…untoward should happen to him." Koume chortled.

Both witches laughed all the way down the hall. As they receded behind a corner; Saria bolted from her hiding spot and dashed through the winding pathways before slamming up against Nabooru's door. She was pounding so hard she feared she might wake everyone else in the fortress; for it was still early in the morning. Aside from the night shift, most Gerudo were still in their beds at this hour.

Nabooru swiftly opened the door; her eyes expanded at Saria standing before her, she quickly signaled the Kokiri inside. She put a finger to her lips before directing Saria's attention over to the alcove where she shared a bed with Giana, her daughter. The little tyke was sleeping blissfully under a blanket of furs; her little snores the only sound in the room. Saria looked rueful at having been so rude for banging on her door; Nabooru dismissed it quickly.

Nabooru offered a chair that Saria gratefully accepted before sitting down. "I'm so happy to finally see you again Saria." Nabooru began, grateful to finally make contact with the reclusive Kokiri; ever since the incident with Malon, she had neglected all exchanges with everyone. "What brings you here this morning? Is there anything I can do for you?" She seemed genuinely concerned for Saria, which helped stem her fears about coming to her. She observed Nabooru adjusting her wraparound top as it had dipped low over her breasts during the night.

"I think something awful is going to happen soon here." Saria blurted out abruptly.

Nabooru placed a hand on the Kokiri's shoulder as she noticed her wings flittering restlessly, "It is going to be okay Saria. Just slow down and tell me everything." She feared the worst and closed her eyes as Saria confirmed her suspicions.

Saria shakily began, "Kotake and Koume seem to have made contact with the invading army. They were on Ganondorf's orders to deceive them; that they would assist in defeating the Gerudo." Nabooru's eyes grew cold at the news but allowed the Kokiri to continue, "They are working towards permitting Link to succeed in his quest for the sacred stones. They want him to pull out the Master Sword!"

Nabooru cursed at the treachery of the two witches, "Why the Master Sword? Is the army's general in agreement with this?"

Saria shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. I only heard that he would be cooperating with the witches in this."

Nabooru leaned back in her chair while she thought about the situation a bit, "So Ganondorf sent them to trick the army into helping Link fulfill this failure of a quest in return for the surrender of the Gerudo. However, they were under orders by Ganondorf to propose this deal. Am I getting this right?"

Saria dipped her head in agreement, "That's not the worst of it!" She said intensely.

Nabooru made a motion for her to continue, "I'm listening." She said calmly; although her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and plans.

"Ganondorf has something up his sleeve he did not reveal to the witches. I don't know what it is, he won't tell them. The two of them are also plotting about removing Ganondorf from power as well! They don't believe he is a good enough leader anymore!" Saria exclaimed; she nervously looked over at Giana as Nabooru shot her a frown at the volume of her voice.

Nabooru got up and paced around the room; her musings swirling around like a maelstrom. So Ganondorf was playing both the witches and Naar. Naar was playing along with the two crones to manipulate Link in exchange for the Gerudo; and Kotake and Koume were playing everyone as fools. There was a lot of treachery afoot and Nabooru and her family were caught in the middle of it. Something evil was looming on the horizon and it would not be long now before the Gerudo were at its doorstep; she needed to act now or all would be lost.

Nabooru turned to Saria still waiting patiently in the chair, watching her as she stalked up and down the room in silence. "Saria, I need you to secretly pack several rucksacks with supplies; hardy meats and cheeses, several canteens and clothes. See to it that Epona and Harden are ready to travel at a moment's notice."

Saria absorbed all the direction in, "Shall I notify Talon of all this?" She asked quizzically.

Nabooru stared at the Kokiri a few moments; not realizing the young girl actually had access to Talon. Presently she nodded, "Yes. Make sure he knows as well. We will pick him up last when it is time."

"May I come along too on this endeavor?" Impa clucked as she emerged from the corner of the room.

Scimitars were instantly drawn as Nabooru leaped across the room to seize them off the rock slab that served as a table. She stood in front of Giana who was startled awake by the sudden commotion. She began rubbing her eyes as the sleep slowly wore off.

"Mommy? What's going on?" The little girl asked groggily.

"An intruder. Stay behind me!" She commanded. The girl's eyes popped open at the sudden shift in her mother's tone. She instantly curled up backwards against the wall of the alcove; fruitlessly bundling up covers between herself and the perceived threat.

Saria flew up between the two of them; her hands out to ward off any blows Nabooru might inflict upon Impa. "No! Do not fight! She is a friend. She was with us when Link first came to the Gerudo. She has been with us ever since!"

"A spy!" Nabooru spat, advancing on Impa who seemed unfazed at the bravado and chose to remain silent and still.

Saria buzzed angrily in Nabooru's face as the Gerudo attempted to push the flying Kokiri out of her way. "Don't hurt her!" She yelled.

"Leave me be Saria! I need to handle this Sheikah spy!" Nabooru shouted angrily.

Impa slammed a Deku Nut onto the ground blinding them all; Giana let out a shriek from fright at the unexpected flash bang. Impa quickly disarmed the Gerudo elder before tossing the swords off to the side; they landed with a clanging ring onto the brick floor. Impa continued calmly, "If my intent was to harm you or your daughter, I would have already done so seventy times over. It is clear to me we have to work together to assist Link."

Nabooru leaned a hand up against the wall to maintain her balance; stars were still dancing across her vision. "What makes me believe you?"

Impa simply crossed her arms, "Nothing. You either choose to believe me, or you don't." She slipped out an ocarina from the folds of her clothes, Nabooru fixated on the object as the Sheikah held it aloft. "This is a treasure of the royal family blessed by the Goddess Hylia. This is one of the key elements needed to acquire the Master Sword." Impa pointed to the dimly glowing emerald hanging around Saria's neck by a leather strap. "We have another piece right there under her possession. I heard the entire conversation. If we can get to Link and assist him in accomplishing his mission, we can be the sole deciding factor that upsets all their plans."

As much as she hated to admit it, the Sheikah had a point; fully recovered from the surprise flash, Nabooru walked over to comfort Giana. "So what is it you require of me?" She spoke evenly.

"Nothing." Impa stated flatly; deftly tucking the ocarina back into her hidden pocket. "Just continue what you are doing with Saria. Your plan does not need to be changed. Just know that I will be going with you when you leave." She paused momentarily before adding, "You are right Nabooru. There is a storm coming, and we best be ready for when it hits."

Without another word, she opened the door and vanished into the corridor. Giana meekly crawled over to the edge of the bed before acquiring Saria's attention, "Is it still too late to ask for you to play with me?" Giana asked hopefully.

Saria beamed at the adorable girl, "Of course not!" She extended a hand which Giana appreciatively accepted; hopping down from the bed she ran out ahead of the Kokiri who followed her out. Saria turned around one last time to look at Nabooru; they shared a look before she rushed down the hall chasing after the wildly active child.

"Hey! Wait up Giana! You're too fast!" She opted to fly after the giggling tyke than have to run after her.

Nabooru stewed in her room for many hours before finally coming out for breakfast.


	41. Chapter 40 - The Bomber Gang

**Chapter 40 - The Bomber Gang**

The morning dew rested heavily on their shared bedroll; Link looked over to see Zelda sleeping next to him, cuddled up to keep warm during the night. He had no idea how long he had been awake; the tree canopy surrounded them, sheltering the group from hostile eyes. He rolled over onto his stomach and leaned over the edge of the platform; it was suspended above the ground in the massive tree branches. It was quite an ingenious setup.

They had rumbled into the tree line in the early hours of the morning, the sky had not even begun to brighten with the coming sun. Kafei adroitly leapt off the horse before chivalrously offering his services to help Merin down to the spongy floor. The man was amazingly friendly and offered to take the baby Cyn'Taak off Zelda's hands as he directed Jim and one other child to help catch her as she slipped off her mare. Link declined the help and hopped down himself.

Kafei handed the twitching Cyn'Taak infant to the nearest child who looked particularly revolted just holding the creature. He walked directly up to Link before clasping his arm in a warm embrace before bringing him in for a full hug; Link stood rigid at the unexpected brotherly affection he was receiving. "Glad to have other people who aren't afraid to stand up to those Nevachrean brutes!" He beamed warmly as he stood back admiring Link.

"No…no problem." Link stuttered as he tried to reorient himself with the unfolding situation.

"Whoa!" Kafei jumped back as Link's horse vanished into black vapor, leaving nothing but four rotten hoof prints imprinted on the ground. "Is that normal with your horse?" He asked, slightly unnerved at the sight of a disappearing stallion.

Link scratched the back of his head, not quite sure what to say. "I'm not really sure what is going on. You see, it's not even mine." He finished sheepishly.

Kafei clapped a hand on Link's back with veneration, "Stole it then? That's okay, we don't judge here! All is fair in the war against these bastards, right?" He laughed heartily at his assertion; Link was a bit unsure about that viewpoint.

Merin interjected herself into the conversation, "Is there somewhere we can rest for the night? We are exhausted."

Kafei dashingly took her good arm and kneeled low kissing her hand reverently, "How rude of me not to extend decent hospitality to honored guests! Please, let me show you our home!"

Kafei gently led Merin through the five children who were busy guiding their horses into a makeshift stable made up of nothing but branches, leaves and natural foliage. Each young boy looked up smiling at them; Link and Zelda grinned back as they followed Kafei through a small opening between two oaks which had grown rather close together.

Stepping over the entwined roots, their eyes opened as they saw the most extraordinary sight. It was a grove surrounded by tightly knit trees forming a protective barrier around a central tree that stood at its center. An intricate system of pulleys and winches scaled the grand majesty of the massive oak in the center. Looking above their heads, there was a small network of wooden platforms complete with custom shelters where these boys went to sleep every night.

"You did all this?" Zelda asked amazed.

Kafei nodded before bringing Merin to the nearest hoist, "It took several cycles to complete this, but it is our home. We are proud of what we've accomplished. Please put your foot though this loop Merin." He guided her toes through the ring tied at the base of the rope resting on the grass; he slipped his foot alongside hers. "Hold onto my waist with your good arm."

She obligingly slipped one hand around his back; with a signal to Jim who unlocked one of the rotating handles situated on the ground, they began rising in the air. Merin yelped slightly as they lifted off the earth and began floating up towards the platforms in the canopy. She gripped his body tightly as he chuckled at her alarm; she gave him a dirty look. It melted the instant she saw the sincere warmth in his eyes.

Kafei smoothly set her down on the wooden planks as they reached the top; he looked back down the dizzying heights at the rest of the group. "Jim, help the others up will ya? Thanks!"

In time they all were standing around in a circle beside the massive trunk at the top of the elevated platform. Resting his hand casually on the pommel of his sword, Link complimented Kafei, "This place is amazing. I simply can't believe you've been living here under the nose of the Cyn'Taak and the Nevachreans."

Resting his fists onto his hips, Kafei took a deep, satisfying breath before replying, "Well, it wasn't easy. This grove was an extremely lucky find." He gestured around them to the circle of trunks protecting the copse. "They are so tightly compacted together the Cyn'Taak can't fit through between them; and we are so high up and secluded most of those dumb swine from Nevachrea can't even find us!"

All five of the children had removed their face scarfs; Zelda observed that all of them were young boys roughly around the age of ten cycles. Their eyes belied their physical form however; it was evident they had seen many horrors in their short life spans and it had changed them for the worse. What awful things were these kids forced to do just to survive in this mad world? One of the boys walked quietly over to Kafei and tugged on his leggings urgently.

Kafei looked down at the child with fond, fraternal love, "Yes, I hear you Ashley. You are right, it is time for bed." He looked up to Link before gesturing him to follow with a crooked finger, "We have an empty spot just for you two if you'd like."

Link and Zelda shared a brief glance; did they really make it seem obvious they were together? Link shrugged before following Kafei. They strolled across thin, unsecured planks that connected the more solid platforms against the surrounding trees; Link examined the layout and deduced it to be more of a hub and spoke design similar to a wheel found on a wagon. He was curious as to why the scrawnier, connecting boards weren't nailed down like the rest of the canopy structure. Zelda swooned slightly at traversing such a narrow walkway; one small mistake and she would be plummeting to her death.

"I know it isn't much, but I hope you find things to your satisfaction nevertheless." Kafei presented their sleeping space with a flourish. Zelda placed a hand to her lips to hide her smile; the space was quite quaint. It was nothing but the boards underfoot and a small conglomeration of greenery; twisted and curled into a small half-dome like shelter. Link promptly set his pack down; he unfurled the bedroll out, measuring to ensure it would fit fully under the foliage.

Satisfied with the result, he looked up at Kafei. "Thank you so much for taking us in. I can't express how much I appreciate you for saving us back there."

Kafei swung his palm down in jolly dismissal of the compliment, "Think nothing of it! I'm just happy to save more innocents from those barbarians." He turned to Merin before offering his elbow; she looked utterly flabbergasted, she had no idea what he was expecting her to do. Seeing her confusion, he clarified, "You place your arm through mine and I will guide you to your sleeping quarters."

"Oh…right." Merin fumbled with the gesture; she was utterly lost in this new feeling of being catered to, of being treated like a real lady. As Kafei cordially led her back to the central spire of the homestead, she glanced behind to look at Link and Zelda. Her expression was one of terror; she was out of her element and had absolutely no idea how to act around this caring gentleman. The two of them laughed as they waved her on to enjoy the preferential treatment.

Kafei steered her across to another spoke; she stopped brusquely at seeing the multitude of fabrics, blankets and even a pillow already situated on the platform. Gingerly massaging her elbow she looked at him with uncertainty, "Is there someone already sleeping here?"

He looked up from fluffing the coverings to see her concern at having to take someone else's sleeping spot. "Oh, this is my bed. You are free to sleep here."

"You don't mind…sleeping with me?" She asked hesitantly; for some abnormal reason, she felt her natural instinct to jump the handsome youth oddly inappropriate.

Kafei laughed gaily at her suggestion, "No darling!" His surprising use of endearment brought a flush to her cheeks, "That would be horribly forward of me. I will bunk with one of the boys tonight. Don't worry about it."

Merin gripped one of her arms as she glanced off; suddenly shy about the whole situation but not sure why she should be. "I don't mind…honest."

"You are funny." Kafei said, brushing off her clear invitation.

Somewhat miffed at the rejection, she disregarded her initial response and let him cross the thin plank back to the hub; whistling as he meandered over to one of the other children's bedspreads. Merin didn't know exactly what had come over her; the youth's calm, charming demeanor had completely won her over, nullifying her rational sense. She carefully slipped under the blankets, making sure her sprained elbow was in a position it wouldn't hurt during the night. The last thing she remembered before passing out was the scent of dragon lilies.

* * *

><p>Link felt something prick his back, jolting him out of his reverie; his eyes opened in alarm. He twirled over screaming at the infant Cyn'Taak who had perched itself on his spine. The repugnant thing went flying off before hitting the wood in a barrel roll; a small yelp emerged from the surprised creature. Zelda looked over to see Link breathing heavily as he stared at the infant Cyn'Taak; its cries of hunger broke the early morning calm.<p>

"Where did that thing come from?!" Link exclaimed nervously.

Both Link and Zelda jerked their heads back to look behind them as Jim walked up to explain, "I thought it was your pet. Kind of odd to have one of those things around, but hey, who am I to judge? So I put it at the back of the covering for you while you slept."

Zelda's mouth dropped open, "You did what?"

"I could have been killed!" Link yelled, getting angrier by the second at what Jim did.

The boy threw his hands up in the air in surrender, "Hey, hey, hey! Don't get upset. Those things aren't truly dangerous until they reach a few orbits of age; right now that thing probably has not a single drop of venom in its body!"

Link's breathing began to calm down from his near hyperventilation; so that was why nothing bad happened when he felt the prick of the creature's tail. That made things a lot easier in handling the infant Cyn'Taak knowing that they didn't have to be so careful with its sharp barb; it still might hurt if it struck someone, but at least the venom was not there to harm your innards.

Link perceived that it was agonizingly hungry; its pitiful gurgles made Zelda's heart melt. "Is there anything we can do for the poor thing?" Zelda inquired of Kafei who had come over due to the commotion.

Link swiveled his head in her direction, "What? You want to feed this thing?"

Zelda sat up straight as she gave him a stern look, "Well, of course! We stole it from its mother and got her killed, so now we are responsible for it!"

Link was about to contest that course of action when Kafei intervened, "I know just the thing to satisfy the little tyke! Both of you; come follow me." After a brief pause, "And bring that thing with you too."

Presently they all made it safely back to the ground utilizing the intricate pulley and weight system the children had devised; the smell of roasting sausage and other delicious scents was wafting through the air. They practically followed their noses to the crackling campfire over which was placed a resourceful metal grill held up by stakes. On top of the metal were several slabs of meat sizzling alongside a frying pan with several cracked eggs cooking.

Merin was already down by the fire enjoying her breakfast as she laughed and joked with several of the boys. She looked up as they approached and waved, "These boys are hilarious Zander! They have some of the funniest jokes!"

Zelda smiled at the woman; it seemed her arm had recovered well during the night. She turned her head to Kafei, "You boys are really creative. It truly is incredible what you did here with very little." She complimented.

Kafei accepted her praise graciously, "Thank you Zander." Catching on to her name quickly from Merin. "Please sit down wherever you like by the fire. One of my boys will serve you."

He assisted her down on the nearby stump they utilized as a stool; the young boy, she recalled his name being Ashley, came over shyly before handing her a plate with steaming breakfast. "Thank you." Zelda said. The boy merely blushed, smiled and ran back to the fire to grab Link his food.

Link regarded Kafei as he confidently sauntered over to a corpse; at first glance it looked to be a freshly caught deer. It appeared he had been hunting early this morning; they had already carved chunks of flesh off its flank, it was probably what they were eating.

Clasping a bowl in one hand, Kafei quickly brought out a dagger with the other and sliced the neck of the carcass. Quickly placing the bowl under the flowing blood gushing out of its neck, he captured a good amount into it.

Zelda was slightly intimidated when he placed the bloody bowl in front of her; she looked up into his eyes, "What do you want me to do?"

Kafei grinned at her convivially, "You wanted to feed this thing, right? I'll show you how."

Link swiftly swallowed a piece of deliciously spiced meat before speaking, "You've done this sort of thing before?"

Kafei turned his eyes onto Link, "Not personally no, but I know what those creatures need to survive."

Guiding Zelda by the hand, he brought her over to the squirming Cyn'Taak child; its tail was flipping around frantically. Its eyes had not fully lost its milky film; it was still unable to see and was wailing for someone to feed it. Kafei instructed her to set the bowl down for the hysterical creature; together they helped guide the blind infant towards the bowl. Kafei had to physically place the snout into the blood before it sensed that there was actually food there. Within seconds it was greedily lapping up the frothy liquid with sickening slurps.

Zelda shivered slightly at how disgusting they were, even as babies. Deciding to leave the child alone to its meal, she walked back to her stump wondering why she felt the urge to take responsibility for that thing. Kafei swept past her and snatched up a plate Ashley offered him; after a quick thanks, he moved over to an opposing stump before sitting down comfortably.

"I must apologize for not introducing everyone here early this morning; it was late and we all needed our rest. Now that we've gotten comfy here, how about we go around the circle?" Kafei suggested, gesturing towards the group indicating they needed to start first.

Link began initially, "To tell you the truth, I grew up in the Lost Woods northeast of here among the Kokiri. I left of my own volition and found my place among the Hylians of Kakariko Village." He omitted a lot of information; cautious in revealing too much to people he barely knew.

Zelda followed his lead by providing as little as possible, "I was born in Hyrule's capital but moved into Kakariko Village where I met Link." Link shot an askance look as he realized she was lying heavily; an expression that was not lost on Kafei.

Merin chimed in, happily enjoying their company, "I'm from the desert to the west. I'm a Gerudo and I am escorting these two." She indicated Link and Zelda before she shoveled down another spoonful of egg.

Kafei placed a palm across his chest, "I'm Kafei as you probably know by now. I am the leader of this small band you see here. We grew up together in a small town located in the Ordon province. We're not related at all, but we're like family now. We used to call ourselves the Bomber Gang! Since I was the oldest of the group, I was naturally the leader." He gestured to the boy nearest him, "And this is my second in command, as it were." He smiled warmly.

The boy waved his hand vigorously; he had placed over his head a red bandana which covered his brown, tangled mass of hair, "I'm Jim! I help take care of this place and make sure all the horses are well fed and taken care of."

The kid next to him attempted a weak wave before speaking; nervously running his hand through his blond hair, "My name is Ivan. I help Kafei with hunting down the food. I also know how to brush down the horses." He sniffed noisily through his rather pug-like nose.

The next one in line smiled at all of them before hopping off his stump and shaking hands with each of them; Zelda had to laugh at his excitable manner. "My name is Toby! Glad to meet all of ya! I'm the cook of the group. I make very fine foods! Do you know how to cook?" He looked at each of them eagerly in turn; his expression faded as he realized that he was the only one who had the talent. He scurried back to his seating arrangement with a sigh.

The fourth boy was slightly off-putting; he jerked his head to glare at Kafei, "Why do we have to let girls stay here?"

Kafei shot him a look, "You stop that right now Clarence! These are our guests! Besides, with them here, we can finally attempt the operation we have been planning for orbits! Do you just want to throw away their help?"

Link began to interject, "Well, I wouldn't be so sure about that. We'd have to first figure out-"

Kafei held up a hand to stop him from speaking further, he turned back to Clarence, "Girls or not, we should treat them nicely. Yes?"

Clarence crossed his arms furiously as he pouted; puffing the red bangs away from his eyes, "Whatever."

Kafei threw his arms up in frustration, "Again, I am sorry for Clarence. He is the mechanical genius here." He indicated the pulley and winch systems. "He helped create those and maintains them daily. Without him, we wouldn't have any place to call home."

Zelda indicated the final brown-haired boy on the end who was sitting amazingly quiet and still. "What about you, what was your name again?" She smiled warmly at him; he simply blushed and looked away without saying a word.

"That is Ashley, he is mute." Kafei explained; upon seeing the pitying look on her face he proceeded to clarify, "Oh, not like that. He was very talkative when he was younger."

"Did something happen?" Link probed; he knew a perfectly healthy child like Ashley wouldn't just stop speaking for no reason.

Kafei looked down undecided on how best to explain, at length he retold the story, "As I said earlier, we were all born in a small village in the Ordon province. The Nevachrean army invaded our home seven cycles ago; we didn't stand a chance. I was out hunting with Ivan at the time when we spotted smoke back at the town. We managed to get back in time to rescue Jim, Toby and Clarence. Unfortunately we couldn't get to Ashley in time." Zelda gasped as she imagined the worst.

Kafei continued, "The soldiers knocked him down; he played dead so they wouldn't harm him further. We were watching from the tree line; we saw he was awake the entire time the slaughter was happening. His own parents were murdered in front of him." Merin inhaled suddenly at the brutality of it. "Mistaking him for a dead corpse, they dragged him to the pile they had built in the center of the town. They packed down the dead villagers on top of Ashley as they set fire to them and every building in the village."

"I went in quickly to drag him out of there and escape with the gang. Ever since then he has not spoken a single word." Kafei finished with a ragged breath.

Link nodded in understanding, "I don't blame him. We've all lost loved ones in this war."

"Indeed." An unnatural look of anger flashed across Kafei's face at the remembrance of his beloved. "For orbits we searched for a way to make it to Kakariko Village. I had a fiancée there, her name was Anju. By the time we reached the town, it had been devastated; all of its men, women and children were slaughtered." Seemingly lost in his own thoughts, Link looked on concerned as Kafei's breathing became labored. "And then I saw her; sprawled out behind the chicken coop, sliced up and bloody. They had raped her, mutilated her, and then killed her. And for what?! Their own selfish desires?"

Several tears began streaming down his face; angry at his outburst, he wiped them away viciously. "I'm sorry. It is sometimes hard to remember the past." He brought out a dragon lily from within the folds of his lavender tunic; he twirled it around, marveling at its simple beauty. "Now all I have of her are the memories we shared."

They all ate the rest of their breakfast in silence.


	42. Chapter 41 - Lingering Doubt

**Chapter 41 - Lingering Doubt**

They had spent the better part of the day going over the meticulous plans that Kafei and his crew had devised. Sprawled out over the nearest stump was a scroll of parchment with which a crude map was drawn out on its surface. Kafei was leaning over it, studying it intently with the bangs of his violet hair hanging down. He looked up to see Link coming over to investigate what he was up to; he smiled as he motioned for Link to come see the operational plan.

"I'm overjoyed to see fellow Freedom Fighters in these dark times." Kafei began happily, "This is something remarkable that Toby has provided us."

He gestured to the drawing laid out on the wood; Link glossed over it. It appeared to be a highly detailed map of a walled town. "Is this something you took or was it made by Toby?" Link prodded.

Out of nowhere, the excitable youngster bounded from beyond the central tree and skipped over to the two of them. "It was me! Aren't you amazed at my awesome drawing skills?!" He asked animatedly.

Kafei laughed at the boy's antics, "Indeed. This little bugger snuck his way into the town all by himself without us knowing one night! He evaded the Nevachrean guards and mapped the entire place out on this parchment! He is my favorite spy!"

"Ha! I'm your only spy!" Toby rebuked, sticking a tongue out at Kafei.

Kafei ruffled his hair lovingly, "All the more reason for me to be protective! Go on, get!" He said, feigning anger at the elated boy. "Link and I have to talk about some adult stuff now!"

Toby cackled as he dashed off; Link shook his head at the amount of energy the little boy had. "So you said Freedom Fighters? Aren't you the Bomber Gang?" Link quizzically asked.

Kafei raised a finger in correction, "No longer. We are the Freedom Fighters of Hyrule. Our goal is to take back the land that was desecrated and to protect those Hylians still left that are innocent. This village here," he indicated the map, "is but one of many Nevachrean strongholds that must be stamped out."

Link wanted to be sure of the overall plan, "Are there any women and children in that town?"

Kafei paused briefly before responding, "Not that I have seen. Only the horsemen we encountered last night go in and out of those gates. I do not know what their purpose is for being here, but it seems they are assaulting caravans filled with goods and taking it for themselves. We need to put a stop to it." He nodded his head in firm conviction.

"So what's the plan then?" Link offered; eager to be done with this mission so he could rescue Malon from the clutches of these evil men.

Kafei's face lit up with enthusiasm as he dove into the tactical scenario, "Well, my boys will assault the front gates from a distance so that they can launch their arrows into the compound without exposing themselves greatly. Utilizing them as a distraction, you, me, Zander and Merin can vault over the backside of the town here." He pointed to a rather odd looking corner section of the village. "There are some prepositioned bales of hay we put there a few moons ago. We can utilize those to hike ourselves over the pike wall. Our goal is to make it around the perimeter of the village to the main gates; take out the guards there and open it up for my crew to surge in and all of us bring the entire town to its knees."

Link glanced over to see Kafei's eyes burn with intensity, "So we bring the men to justice and then what? We are going to save Malon too, yes?" He wanted to be sure to voice where his overall motives lay.

The look evaporated as Kafei turned to beam at Link, "Of course. We will save your bonny lass from their evil clutches!" He laughed jovially.

Link couldn't help but chuckle at his good nature, despite talking about these serious matters. "So how long have you known these boys?" Link inquired.

Kafei sniffed before looking off in the direction of several of the youth; most of which were playing some form of cards. "Honestly? Since they were born; I knew their mothers and fathers. Our town was a tight knit group where everyone knew everybody."

"Those communities are the best." Link mused; reminiscing his time with the Kokiri.

"I agree." Kafei nodded in agreement. "There was no crime, no strife, just pure love for one another. We lived off the land and tended the cattle and sheep; our major export from our town was furs and robust cheeses from our cows." He snickered as he recalled the competition, "Well, that was before Lon Lon Ranch was set up closer to Hyrule Castle. The majority of our product lost its value since then. Not that I was bitter about it," Kafei corrected upon seeing a look from Link, "it was just business. I understand that. What about you? You mentioned you grew up with the Kokiri."

Link beamed at being asked to talk about his former kinsfolk, "Yes, I was left in the care of the Kokiri by my mother. She died of the wounds inflicted upon her by the previous war with Nevachrea." Kafei cursed an oath as he impressed a hand on Link's shoulder in comfort. "It's okay. I grew up happy there; granted I was ridiculed to no end by the other Kokiri for not having a fairy." Link smirked.

Kafei cocked his head interested at this twist, Link continued, "Every Kokiri is born and a fairy soon comes to them; they are then forever soul mates. Companions unto death if need be, except that Kokiri never grow old and thus never die by natural causes. One day when I was nine cycles old, a fairy came to me; her name was Navi. Outside of Saria, one of the few Kokiri who never teased me, she was my best friend. The one person I could talk to and share my deepest thoughts and feelings."

"What happened to Navi?" Kafei asked, concerned as Link's countenance fell upon speaking her name.

"That's the thing. I don't know!" A small, glistening tear formulated at the corner of his eye. "One day, she just left me without saying a word. I was ten cycles old. I've tried looking for her since, but have been unable to find her."

"That's tough man." Kafei consoled weakly. "So where are the Kokiri now?"

Link looked away roughly, "Dead. All but Saria, the one Kokiri I managed to save."

A distorted look of rage crossed Kafei's face as he heard this appalling news, "It was those despicable swine, wasn't it?!" At Link's confirmation, Kafei stormed off a few paces, violently kicking an idle rock. "Why can't they leave well enough alone?!" He yelled, causing some of the boys to look up from their game nervously.

He waved them down to assure he wasn't mad at them; they resumed their playful game as if nothing had happened. Kafei surged back to Link, "I do apologize for my outburst. Sometimes I can get quite heated at the injustices I see in this world. It appears we've both lost people dear to our hearts in this war." He brought Link around to face him; holding each shoulder firmly in hand. "That makes us brothers in arms, ok? We won't stop until we take back Hyrule for the ones we love!"

They brought their heads together, sharing this moment of camaraderie; at length they parted smiling, each feeling a lot better. "I have to organize a few things in my pack and figure out what I'm going to need to bring with me." Link explained.

Kafei nodded as he watched Link ascend into the treetops through the pulley system, "Don't forget, we leave at dusk!" Kafei shouted at him.

Kafei shook his head in relief; things were finally starting to come together for their plan. With extra manpower at their backs, the impending raid looked like it would actually be feasible. Sighing, he walked over to the three boys and sat down on the vacant stump before asking what the game was.

* * *

><p>Zelda had left the sleeping Merin up top in the canopy; she was still resting from her injured arm. She claimed it would be fully healed by evening and that she would be able to contribute. Zelda was skeptical about her assertion but let the matter drop. As she descended to the forest floor; a light fluttering resounded in her chest. She was not fully used to the intricate system the youth had in place here; she still got dizzy from the heights at which they slept.<p>

Not meaning to snoop, Zelda was curious about what else they had here at the camp. She began to wander over to the makeshift stable; it was a clever design of firm branches curved in an arc, each shaft pitched into the ground by tied off stakes. As covering for the horses, the boys had placed multitudes of fern fronds, foliage branches and other materials to keep out the elements. It was also placed ingeniously between several trees so that if you weren't looking for it, it would effectively blend in with the environment.

She stepped into the enclosure feeling the drastic change in temperature past the threshold; the six stallions were generating a lot of heat, there was no worry of them getting cold during the night. Zelda ran her hands across their luxurious fur as she threaded through them, she reached the back of the structure feeling quite at peace.

Zelda noticed an odd stack of branches and fronds heaped in an awkward mound in the far corner. Curiosity got the best of her; she paced over to the pile and knelt to the ground to get a closer look. Lifting up some of the greenery, she was surprised to see multitudes of clothes, swords, bows, boots and other personal items. Was this their stash of plunder they retrieved from the Nevachreans?

"What are you doing here?" A harsh voice rang out behind her.

"Don't scare me like that!" Zelda yipped. She exhaled unevenly as Clarence came stomping up to her; his arms crossed in defiance at her gender.

"You're not supposed to be in here with the horses. Get out!" The rude boy shouted.

"Excuse me? You need to have some more manners!" Zelda started, standing up to her full height; her long since forgotten royal instincts kicking in. She was about to launch into a tirade against this disrespectful brat.

"I don't need to have nothing! You aren't my mom!" Clarence spat.

"That's enough!" A voice boomed from the entrance of the enclosure; Kafei stormed in before roughly grabbing the irritated boy by the scruff of his collar. "What did I tell you about being nice to ladies?!" With a quick shove outside, the boy stamped off scowling.

"Is he always like this?" Zelda asked flummoxed.

Kafei's attention lingered on the irate boy a few moments more before turning to Zelda, "I'm afraid not darling." Zelda checked her expression at the pet name, "I don't know what's gotten into Clarence. Granted, there haven't been any girls here since we first escaped from Ordon; so I didn't really know he was capable of being so rude. I do apologize for him."

Zelda smirked, "You apologize way too much for things that aren't your fault. You are not their parent; they are responsible for their own actions now."

He laughed at her allegation, "I think you may be right, but sometimes I feel like one to them. That I have to protect them, ya know?"

"Understood." Zelda settled; she looked over at the heaping mound of valuables. "So what is all this?"

Kafei glanced over at the pile, "Oh that? Those are things we've claimed back from those barbarians. Some I recognize as belonging to folks who used to live with us in our village. One day, I hope to return all this stuff back to their rightful owners, if not to someone more deserving than brutes." Shaking off the thoughts swirling in his head, he extended an elbow to Zelda, "Shall we head out? I think it's about feeding time again."

Trembling faintly at the prospect of nourishing the disgusting Cyn'Taak, she gracefully accepted his outstretched limb. "So tell me about Anju." Kafei gave her a look of surprise at the sudden broach of topic. "Tell me how she was and how you two met."

Slowly making their way over to the far side of the grove, Kafei began slowly. "My father was the mayor of the small village of Ordona. We were a major exporter of furs and cheese."

"Cheese?" Zelda asked dubiously. "Was it the smelly kind?"

He laughed, "As a matter of fact, it was!"

"Oh, I loved that kind. We would so rarely get it. Most others I knew didn't care much for it, but the taste was absolutely delectable!" Zelda's mind relished the thought of eating that wonderful cheese again.

"At least we are on some common ground there." Kafei chuckled. "Well, one day I was tasked to deliver furs to one of our biggest clients in Kakariko Village. After my delivery, I decided to explore the place; I had never been there and I was highly interested in what it was all about. It was then that I saw her; she was sneezing her brains out trying to handle these chickens."

"Chickens?" Zelda giggled.

"Yes! Chickens! She couldn't handle holding them. She would always call them her little 'Cuccos.' I walked over asking why she was forcing herself to do something she was allergic to." Kafei explained, his face lightening up at the recollection. "She told me that was her family trade; she didn't know how to do anything else!"

"So was it the big, honking sneezes?" Zelda grinned.

Kafei guffawed heartily, "Yes! The big, honking ones!" He made a gesture of a huge spew coming out of his mouth; throwing his whole body into the motion. They both laughed at the ridiculousness of it.

Presently they came to the sleeping infant; it had its scorpion tail wrapped around its body for warmth. A low gurgle issued from its nose with every breath it took. Kafei picked up a pouch of blood hanging from hooks he had pounded into the tree earlier that day; he had drained the remainder of the deer and separated it into individual meals for the creature. He was surprisingly thoughtful for the beast.

Transferring the blood into the bowl they had used earlier, he continued his story. "Every chance I got, I would come up to Kakariko to visit Anju on my deliveries. We would spend afternoons overlooking the town by the windmill. It was there on that rise where dragon lilies grew."

The Cyn'Taak brayed worriedly as Kafei gently shook it awake; he guided it to the bowl again before dipping its snout into the blood. Satisfied as it began drinking, he resumed. "It was discovered that the scent of dragon lilies dispelled her allergic reaction when handling her chickens. So one day, I decided to make a small bouquet of flowers fashioned into a pin she could wear on her blouse." He tapped the left side of his chest. "That way, whenever she could feel her sneezes coming, she just had to sniff her pin. It also helped remind her of me." Kafei smiled warmly.

"That was very sweet of you." Zelda said admiringly.

A slight red flushed to his cheeks, "It was nothing. Anyone would have done that for the one they love."

"Not everyone." Zelda beamed knowingly.

Kafei's expression wilted, "We were due to be married the next orbit. It never happened." Zelda placed a calming hand on his back; he bobbed his head trying to forget the hurt. Quickly changing subjects he indicated the Cyn'Taak. "So are you really planning on keeping him?"

"It's actually a her." Zelda corrected.

He cocked an eyebrow at her firm stance on the matter, "How do you know that?" He smirked.

Her eyes popped as she realized what he was implying; she dared not dignify that with a worthwhile response. "I don't know." She said flatly.

Kafei laughed, slightly spooking the feeding infant; it cried once before resuming its sordid meal. "I'm sorry, that was rather bold of me to insinuate. Have you come up with any names for it?" He pressed ahead as he saw the quizzical look, "If you plan on keeping her, then you have to name it, right?"

Her mind piqued at the thought, she turned to the slurping beast and stared long and hard at it. So many options and names to choose from; but what would ultimately fit something so outside of her realm of experience? After a good deal of thought, the perfect name slotted right into place; for some odd reason if fit the Cyn'Taak so well, she couldn't really explain why.

"Xavier." She spoke with a calm whisper.

"Really?" Kafei looked genuinely surprised. "Why that?"

"It was the middle name of my grandmother." Zelda said; slowly peeling back the layers of her memory.

Putting a hand to his hips as he turned to her, Kafei asked with obvious interest, "What do you remember about her?"

"Just a little bit. She died when I was very young." She narrowed her eyes trying to recall.

"Is that all you remember about her?" Kafei pressed.

"Just images really, feelings. She was very beautiful. Kind, but sad. Why are you asking me this?" Zelda probed.

Kafei looked down with remorse, "I have no memory of my grandmother; nor of my mother. She died in childbirth; I was the cause of her death." He gritted his teeth mercilessly.

Zelda's heart broke to see him in such misery. Kafei had a wonderfully joyous exterior, but deep inside was a lot of pain and hurt. She wondered if there was any way to truly heal his fractured soul. "That was not your fault; being born isn't your fault. Your parents wanted you."

"I realize that." Kafei shrugged; trying hard to ignore his emotions. He looked up at the reddening sky through the canopy. "It is almost time; I suggest you get ready for the evening. Wake up Merin. We leave within the hour." Giving her one last smile; he jogged over to the nearest rope and ascended into the treetops.

"May the Goddesses watch over your heart Kafei." Zelda intoned softly. She slowly walked back to the central tree, deep in thought.


	43. Chapter 42 - The Nature of Ingo

**Chapter 42 - The Nature of Ingo**

Malon had rested the majority of that day; too weak to do much else, she laid in bed enjoying the sun streaming in from the window. She discovered they had stripped her naked; she also noticed her shredded clothes draping over the nearby chair, a huge gash down the front. Did they have to do that to fix her? She figured they didn't do anything sexual towards her, so for that she was thankful.

The shock of seeing Ingo after eight long cycles had been quite a blow to Malon; her mind was still reeling from the absurdity of it. When Link came back from the future, as he always liked to tell it, one of the first things he did was identify Ingo as a liar and a cheat. Indeed the man had been embezzling money on the side off of every delivery they had made. Within short order, Talon fired him from the position and sent him packing; the only decent thing they did was provide him a horse and some provisions for wherever he was to go next. Talon didn't really care, as long as it wasn't at Lon Lon Ranch.

She had awoken again; time was fuzzy and she had no idea how long she had been passed out. A woman was sitting on the chair with a bowl of oatmeal; seeing Malon awake, she moved closer and began spooning the food in with a motherly touch. Malon could barely lift her head up, so the woman helped prop her upper body. Grimacing as she was moved into a position that felt worse than simply lying down, Malon eventually accepted each spoonful.

"Who are you?" Malon asked, speech coming much easier to her now.

The woman smiled as she dipped the spoon back into the oatmeal, "Orauna. I believe you've met my husband already." She spoke warmly.

Malon spluttered as food spewed out of her mouth at the woman's reveal; she began coughing so hard the woman had to set the bowl down to assist Malon. The pain in her chest was excruciating. "You…are married to Ingo?!" She yelled mystified.

Orauna's smile never left her face, "Yes. He is a good man. We've been married for six cycles now. Did you know him before?" She asked inquisitively.

After resettling, she gratefully accepted another spoonful of the delicious porridge, Malon answered, "You could say that. He once worked for my father at Lon Lon Ranch to the north of here. He was fired for stealing money from us."

Orauna cocked her head at this, "That honestly doesn't sound like him." She shook her head briefly, "Even if it was true, he is not that way anymore." She placed another spoonful in Malon's mouth before she had a chance to offer a rebuttal. She pressed on, "He is the mayor of our small town and does right by its people."

"What does he do now?" Malon prodded.

"He helps protect this town from the bandits and army sympathizers. If you want to know more, you will have to ask him. He is looking forward to speaking to you again when you are better." Orauna informed.

Malon examined Ingo's wife with a critical eye; she wasn't pretty by any means, but she was still very comely. She sported strawberry blonde hair that curled at her shoulders; her eyes were a dusty shade of brown, complete with a button nose. She was wearing a full length blue dress with white frills along the bottom and at the arm openings; it was buttoned down to the middle of the chest. It was simple, yet elegant; fitting for the wife of the mayor. The most notable point of interest was her swollen belly; Malon guessed she was at least seven orbits pregnant.

"You are with child." Malon pointed out.

Orauna beamed, rubbing her belly, "Yes, it is to be our second child. Our first is Lloyd. He will be seven cycles old in just a few orbits; he can't wait."

Taking another mouthful, Malon leaned back completely bewildered. Ingo was now a family man? The thought had never occurred to her that it could even happen. The only memories she had of him was of a cantankerous, creepy man who would leer and yell at her constantly. He was very disagreeable and always looked shifty, no matter what he was doing. This new side to the man was quite foreign to Malon.

"How many families are there here?" She asked.

Orauna slipped in the final mouthful, "Ten families. There are a lot of men and young boys here." Her expression wilted, "Although that number was considerably reduced last night. A lot of good men died yesterday."

Malon vaguely remembered some sort of skirmish while she was fading in and out of consciousness. "What happened?"

Orauna shook her head as she held out a hand for Malon to stop; tears were coming to the woman's eyes. "I'm sorry; the pain is still too near." She got up and moved the chair back to the wall and began heading out. She stopped at the door before turning to look at Malon again, "I don't know who your friends are, but consider yourself saved. Ingo did you a favor bringing you here." Without explaining herself, she swept out of the room.

* * *

><p>How long ago had that conversation been? Malon had fallen asleep once more. A small poking at her arm woke her. She turned her head to see a young boy with dirty brown hair; he was staring at her with obvious interest. Something about his facial features reminded her of Ingo; at length she decided it was Lloyd. He smiled at seeing her awake; the warmth in his eyes comforted her greatly. To still see such innocence in this mad world was refreshing; Malon missed her little sister.<p>

"Are you a fairy?" Lloyd asked excitedly, never taking his eyes off from hers.

She smiled, humoring him, "What makes you say that?"

His eyes flicked nervously down the bed before riveting back onto her face, "Um…well…because I heard fairies never wear any clothes."

Malon jerked her head to look down and saw that her chest was exposed; she must has tussled the covers partially off while she was sleeping. She quickly brought the covers back up to her neck; she giggled slightly, wincing at the pain it caused before replying to the boy. "No, I'm not a fairy. I'm just a girl from Hyrule."

"I like you." Lloyd stated. It wasn't exactly a compliment; it was just a fact to him. "Will you marry me when I'm older?" He asked.

Malon suppressed the urge to laugh because it would hurt too much. "You are cute, but I think I'm a bit too old for you."

Undaunted by her refusal, the strong headed boy continued, "Well I can grow older! Mommy always said that boys and girls grow every day. One day, I'll be as tall as you!" He finished with a confident smile. His innocence was infectious; Malon had missed that these past few moons.

"True." She grinned at the delightful boy, "But what if I already have a husband? Like your mommy has with daddy? You'd need to find someone else."

Completely missing the point, Lloyd pressed onward, "Well he could just stay at home while I take you riding on horseback!"

"You're cute." She reached over to ruffle his hair.

He frantically waved her hand away from his head, "Stop! Mommy does that all the time and I hate it!"

Malon merely smirked. "So you like horses, do you?"

Lloyd practically quivered with excitement at being asked about his favorite pastime. "I do! I really, really do! Daddy lets me brush his horse and feed it! Its tongue feels so funny when I feed it apples." His eyes aglow with the remembrance.

"I have a horse too." Malon revealed, "He is a handsome stallion. I raised him from the time he was first born. His name is Harden."

Lloyd's eyes bulged, "Will you take me riding on your horse when we're married?!" The boy asked elatedly.

Malon wheezed softly, it was the only way she could laugh without hurting her chest, "We're not getting married, but I can definitely take you for a ride on him."

The boy beamed from ear to ear. A gruff voice from the doorway shot the boy to attention, "Lloyd! Give that woman some space! Go on, get outside!"

Ingo stalked in through the doorway and aggressively pointed a finger out to the hall. The boy gave one last, wistful look at Malon before trudging past his father. Content with his son's obedience, Ingo turned to give a glaring look at her. He paced over to the chair before dragging it gratingly across the floor; placing it directly next to her bed, he plopped down unceremoniously onto it. The chair creaked under his weight; Ingo had gained a few more pounds than when she last saw him.

His tangled mess of brown hair was only matched by his slovenly shaved mustache; it extended beyond the bounds of his lips and was quite comical looking. Ingo had a gangly appearance despite the extra pounds; he was not thin by any means. Draped over his protruding beer belly was a plain, brown shirt overlaid with a fur vest that buttoned in the middle via leather ties. A pair of white tights completed the entire debacle with muddy, black leather boots.

Leaning back against the chair with one arm resting over the back, he leered at her for a few moments. "I have to admit," Ingo graveled, "I was quite surprised to see you here, of all places, after so many cycles."

Malon, slightly unnerved, spoke, "How did you know it was me?"

Ingo scoffed as he gestured to her hair, "No Hylian has that shade of red. A Gerudo is the only person I know of that could be born with that hair color. And you did not look like any Gerudo I've seen. It wasn't hard to guess who you were."

An unsettling thought flashed across her mind; she hesitantly ventured, "Did…did you do anything to me…while I was…?"

Snorting with scorn, he barked, "You mean: did I rape you while you were asleep? Oh Malon, if I had wanted to do that, you would have been raped ten times over. Not to say you aren't pretty to look at." Ingo sneered at this comment, looking upon her covered form.

Instinctively, Malon brought the covers up tighter around her at this seeming violation of her dignity. "What did you want of me?" Malon asked apprehensively.

"You? Nothing…unless you know where your father is; where is he these days? I do wish to speak to him." He chortled with an undercurrent of menace.

Malon decided it best not to reveal the whole situation to Ingo, "We split ways after a time. I was traveling with someone down here."

"You mean Link?" Ingo stated; clearly startling Malon at his knowledge. "Don't take me for a fool Malon. I recognized the brat the moment I spotted his sandy blonde hair; like I could forget the face of the person who changed the direction of my life." He huffed. "So he's your sex buddy now, eh?" He sneered.

"What…?" Malon stuttered, trying to make sense of his accusation.

"Oh, don't be so modest. It's okay to tell the truth, we're all friends here aren't we?" Ingo simpered. "You two both eloped; you ran away from your father with him. Is that how it went?" He laughed manically as she vehemently shook her head at his allegations.

"Either tell me about why you came or just leave me alone." Malon demanded with false conviction; she just wanted the torment to end. Her lungs were starting to hurt again.

Ingo went silent for a few minutes looking at the wall; seemingly lost in indecision. At length he spoke; his tone noticeably softer, "I guess to talk to someone who knew me for how I used to be. Nobody here would understand where I'd be coming from; nobody but you."

Malon eyed him warily, but decided to be still and let him continue. "I have to actually thank you and Link for getting me fired." Her eyebrows rose at this unexpected compliment. "The economy of Nevachrea had tanked, so I had originally come to Hyrule looking for work and a new life. I truly believed I had found it at Lon Lon Ranch; unfortunately it was run by an incompetent proprietor who couldn't keep his damn ledger straight!"

"Excuse me?" Malon gasped; offended at the insinuation he was making of her father.

Ingo's eyes flared as he jabbed a finger at her, "You better shut that pretty, little trap of yours before I change my mind how we treat you!" Pleased with cowing her, he surged onward, "As I was saying, everything I had done for Lon Lon Ranch was for the betterment of the business! For ten, damn cycles I slaved away for that abominable man! Talon refused to see my talents and always had me doing menial tasks; me, Ingo!"

He let loose a note of disgust; with a wave of his hand, his expression drained. "No matter; I was out of a job and was wandering lost in what I was to do with my life. Since I was a Nevachrean, born and raised, I felt it prudent to head back down south to restart. I traveled as far southeast as the capital of my country; it was nothing like I had expected it to be." Ingo grimaced at the thought. "A state of martial law had been instated in Glaun'rung. The army had been poised for war and was on the move; there was nothing there for me but to join their ranks."

Ingo scoffed at this notion, "I knew it wasn't for me; I was not going to throw away my life for some stupid cause! So I came here to Yolland, my home of birth. Very few people recognized me as I came riding in on my horse; provisions nearly gone and dehydrated. They tended to me and brought me back to good health. In time, I met my wife, Orauna. Within a cycle we were married and had our first child, Lloyd."

A genuine smile crossed his face; it was so alien for his face that it looked almost odd being there. "To tell you the truth Malon, if it weren't for you and Link, I would not have my family. They are truly the light of my life."

"You're welcome?" Malon responded diffidently.

"Did you like my son?" Ingo asked abruptly.

Malon nodded her head vigorously; afraid to upset this potentially volatile man. "So, why were you attacking us?" She could deduce what had happened last night; eager to change the subject.

His face frowned at her question, "Yolland has been fortunate for the past seven cycles; we have managed to evade the eyes of the army. They have left us well enough alone. In time, ambassadors and messengers have visited our town and requested materials and aid to the cause; many folks believed assisting this dangerous endeavor would be the death to our families."

"What did you do?" Malon grilled.

"The only thing we could do; I helped establish a militia and trained every able bodied man and youth who could fight. We noted several caravans from neighboring towns traveling to the frontlines to deliver weapons, provisions and other war necessities. Our ultimate goal was to intercept these deliveries and return the goods to their rightful owners. We had been succeeding for the last two cycles. Last night, we mistook you for part of the main army." Ingo explained.

"Why did you just take me?" Malon probed; a bit afraid of what the answer could be.

Ingo grunted at her anxiety, "Our intention was to take you all in and interrogate as to why you were there to begin with; if you aren't with the Nevachrean army, who are you with?"

They had gotten to the crux of the matter at last, "We aren't with them." Malon assured him quickly.

"I figured as much." Ingo said; crossing his arms. "No matter, I have a feeling that boy will come for you eventually. Maybe we can talk then about the true purpose of why you are here in Nevachrea."

Malon lightly bit her lower lip before tentatively asking, "Are…you like them?" Seeing his inquisitorial gaze, she clarified, "Are you unable to die?"

Ingo bellowed out a hearty laugh, nearly making Malon leap from the bed in fright. He fought heavily to control his amusement in-between words, "Goodness, no! I know exactly what you mean though. That is something that is not natural to our people; I honestly have no idea how they do it. What we do know is how to kill them; you must make sure not a single piece of them is left. The easiest way is to burn the bodies, but you must be quick about it!" He sniggered.

His shoulders slumped as if a great weight had been relieved after having divulged his life story to her. Suddenly, a horn resonated through the window; Ingo's eyes snapped outside, eyeing the dwindling sunlight as it bowed below the western mountains. He swore an oath as he stood up; a guard ran into the room before stopping suddenly several feet from Ingo.

"What is it now?" Ingo snapped.

After a quick salute, the man quickly relayed the news. "It is the Southern Raiders sir! They are attacking from the west; there are five of them on horseback!"

"Man the gates! Do not let anyone out! They have yet to breach the walls all these orbits, they will not do so tonight!" Ingo snarled.

Both men swept out of the room; Ingo only stepping back as Malon called out to him. "Ingo, who are they?" She inquired.

"The Southern Raiders!" Ingo spat in contempt. "The very people your boyfriend rode off with last night!" Without another word, he dashed down the hallway leaving Malon alone filled with looming dread.


	44. Chapter 43 - The Crossroads

**Chapter 43 - The Crossroads**

Night was descending on the open plains surrounding Yolland; the group stayed under the cover of the trailing shadows on the eastern side of the village. Link noticed several things that worried him; there were various plows, baskets, crops and other farming utensils set aside against various rocks and boulders as if their owners would be coming back to them any moment. Some of the harvest was even fruitful and was producing corn, cabbage and other appetizing yields; this all looked too fresh and time consuming to be the work of bandits.

They tethered their horses to a firm sapling boldly growing in the shade of a large stone. Kafei knelt down, peering around the rock to view the town from this vantage point; they were no further away than five minutes on foot. At the sound of the horn, Zelda pointed out the group of boys riding in from the south; their goal was to direct the town's attention to the west. Giving them a few more seconds to attract the guards, Kafei signaled them to follow as he surged ahead through the tall grass, crouching low.

Quickly butting up against the hay bales Kafei confirmed would be there, he flipped himself up to the top of the wooden pikes. Peeking over the edge he spied only one sentry still manning this corner, but his gaze was directed towards the primary gate entrance. Kafei looked down and made a gesture indicating what he saw before slipping over the wall and landing softly on the elevated catwalk lining the interior of the fortification. Link, Zelda and Merin quickly followed suit.

Kafei unsheathed his dual swords and slinked up behind the unsuspecting sentry; feeling something was amiss behind him, the guard spun around spear at the ready. Kafei flowed upwards with one sword impaling the man's chin with the hook; with a quick turn, he heaved the guard over his shoulder, slamming him to the wooden catwalk with a thud. In one smooth motion, Kafei set aside the second sword before reaching for a dagger at his belt and driving it hard into the man's heart.

It had all happened within a span of a few seconds, but Link caught the smooth lethality of Kafei's movements. They swiftly descended the plank stairs down to the dirt below; staying to the edge of the wall and in the shadows as best they could. Several cries from the town guards indicated that some of the arrows had hit their intended targets. Zelda grimaced as she could only imagine those poor men swelling up with blood cysts.

They rounded the corner of a building only to find two men surging out from the nearby doorway; each group stopped in their tracks momentarily before they galvanized into action. Link ducked under the swipe of one man's sword as he rammed his own deep into the ribs of the guard; he quickly slumped over the weapon before Link drew it back out. Zelda had quickly incapacitated her opponent; his body inert on the ground with multiple lacerations to the face and neck, the spiked rod firm in her hand.

Kafei nodded to them in appreciation of their skills before moving back along the outer wall. A low whistle from above caused them all to roll out of the way, looking aloft for the new threat. Apolloni and Aveil leaped down from the rooftops with feline grace as they surprised Kafei with their guile.

"Why aren't you burning them to ashes?" Apolloni hissed.

"Are these friends of yours?" Kafei asked the group, eyeing the new arrivals warily.

Merin nodded, "Yes, they are my sisters. They too, are Gerudo."

Seemingly relieved at that, he motioned for them to follow, "We will have time to burn their corpses later; we must first get to the gate to let in the cavalry. Only with their assistance can we overtake this town and drive the Nevachreans out!" Kafei explained with firm resolve.

Aveil reasoned that was a good plan as any. She looked out across the courtyard from between the buildings to see the vertical capstan that was adjoined to the primary gates. "Seems easy enough. Leave it to me."

Without another word, she bounded through the shadows and down the spiked barricade until she was within meters of the winch. The rest waited with baited breath as they watched her inch her way towards the device. Most of the guards were entrenched below the cover of the upper parts of the barrier; frantically dodging the poisoned arrows being rained on them by the five boys.

Two unique screams pierced the relative calm; one came from clear across the courtyard. A lanky man was screaming at his men to redirect their attention to Aveil; pointing at her location as he charged forward with several of his sentries. The other came from behind them from the very doorway the two guards they had just killed emerged from. Without thinking, Link spun around and dove his sword deep into the woman's chest. The trident clattered to the grass as their eyes locked for one torturous moment.

It was a woman. That one thought stood out in his mind; there are families here. Gravity took over as she slumped to the ground, slipping off his sword with a sickening gasp. Barely alive, she crawled over to one of the men they had slaughtered and placed a tender hand over his face before fading herself. What did he just do?

"Link." Zelda caught his attention, pointing at the other cadavers. "They aren't getting up. Why aren't they reviving?"

Link had no words to answer Zelda's question. He looked to Kafei for direction but all he got was a brief dismissal of the situation as he turned his head to look back towards Aveil. She had already begun turning the capstan instigating the reinforced gates to swing wide; by this time the entire town guard was aware of an interloper in their midst. They were running down the stairs with swords and spears drawn ready to strike her down.

Aveil's instincts to fight back were kept in check; she promised she would get the gate open for Apolloni and the others to kill the Nevachreans, she kept turning. Seeing the situation spiraling south fast, Apolloni cried out for Aveil. Her calls went unheeded as the first sword thrust its way into Aveil's breast; grunting in agony, she continued turning the wheel. At long last, the gate was completely open. Apolloni screamed as Aveil crumpled to the ground, skewered and stabbed by multitudes of weapons.

Another scream swung Link's head towards the building that the gangly man had appeared from; a pregnant woman with a blue dress was chasing after a young boy, probably no older than Giana's age. Zelda saw the dilemma too, her eyes flicked back towards the gate as the five Bomber boys were thundering in. The boy was running straight for him!

"Daddy! Daddy!" The boy cried happily, "They are back! The horses are back!"

The man turned in dismay to see his son dashing past him. He yelled, "No Lloyd! Get back here!"

Kafei lied to them! These people weren't part of the problem! They did not revive like the soldiers of Naar did! Making a split second decision, Link was hurtling across the open grass plaza towards the young child; intent on scooping him up and jumping out of harm's way. Time seemed to slow as Jim led the charge into the small hamlet; shooting a nearby man with a lethal dose of Cyn'Taak venom.

Several sentries were confused and attempted to waylay Link; he deftly leaped through their swings and kept running. Taking it as a cue to attack, Kafei and the two Gerudo surged onto the battlefield and began cutting down the men left and right. It was a massacre beyond anything Zelda had imagined; she lingered back in the shadow of the structure, unwilling to go out into this macabre spectacle.

It was too late. Lloyd has reached the front horse as Jim brought its front hoofs down on the young boy's head. The remainder of the boys trampled the lifeless body as they flowed into the main town square. Both Ingo and Orauna shrieked as they witnessed the unthinkable. They rushed to their fallen child, weeping bitterly at their loss. Link skidded to a halt as he turned to assess the situation; the battle had already been won.

Within moments, the rest of the women, children and the smattering of men remaining were rounded up and thrown to their knees in front of the central town hall. The five Bomber boys were slowly circling the crowd; their bows leisurely set aside on their laps, available to be drawn at a moment's notice. Apolloni had already reached Aveil's side; she moaned in misery at what she found there. Aveil was dead.

Link spoke just loud enough for Kafei to hear him; his tone was deadly. "What did you just make me do Kafei?"

Turning to him, an unknown frenzy still present in his eyes, Kafei explained haughtily, "What do you think? We just struck a great blow to the Nevachrean Empire today!"

Merin looked at the two of them with uncertainty; she was not sure if what they had done was right either. "Is this truly what this was all about?"

Zelda stepped up beside Link with anger in her eyes, "These people are not your enemies. You are focusing your anger on the wrong opponent!" She pleaded with him.

Link tagged on to her sentiment, "I have met General Naar and his army. I know what these men are capable of. These innocent villagers are not who we should be fighting."

Kafei turned to Link, stabbing a sword in the direction of Ingo who was at the front of the group of scared women and children; seething hatred was burning in the man's eyes for Kafei. "Are you saying that I should just let these murderers and rapists go? The very ones that killed my family and my fiancée? The ones that killed Anju?!" Kafei shouted, spittle coming out at his words.

"You cannot blame these villagers for something they didn't do!" Link yelled back.

"Why not?" Apolloni sneered as she swept past Link and Zelda; standing beside Kafei, she drew her scimitar in readiness to strike. "These infidels killed Aveil! Why shouldn't they be punished?"

Zelda tried to reason with her, "It is not right to blame the entire townspeople for the death of one person. Aveil chose her fate and these children should not have to pay for it."

"Did we not come here to stop Nevachrea? Does that not include killing every last one of them?" Apolloni rebutted.

Kafei chimed in behind her, "Is that not what we are fighting for? For freedom from tyranny? Are we not brothers in arms Link? Do we not achieve victory by killing them before they kill us? Is that not winning?" His eyes were unreadable; he was completely lost in the moment.

"No." Link said firmly. "It's how we win that matters. Doing this, slaughtering innocent women and children who had no part in the overall war, makes us no better than they are."

"So you're going to side with them?" Kafei tilted his head incredulously. "You are going to let these butchers go for what they did to the Kokiri? To your mother?" His bubbling rage had completely surfaced.

Zelda began to weep for Kafei's soul, "You are directing your hatred towards the wrong people. Come with us Kafei. Join us and we will show who you should really be fighting!"

Link turned his gaze upon Apolloni, "It is clear to me that you were never with our group to assist me in finding the sacred stones. It is also obvious that you need me for something important once we reach the heart of Nevachrea; I can assure you Apolloni that if you do not stop this madness with Kafei, I will refuse to go with you to accomplish your task. I would rather die than go any further with this farce." He finished his statement by turning to the side and deliberately spitting on the ground.

Ingo was listening intently to see if there would be any way out for his wife and unborn child, "If you are heading for Glaun'rung, I have contacts there that will enable you to get in undetected! Just please leave my wife and-"

Kafei slammed the butt of his sword into Ingo's face; Orauna screeched as she saw her husband collapse to the ground, blood streaming from his nose. "Shut up!" Kafei yelled.

Link took a few paces before stopping; he noticed Jim holding his bow at the ready, an arrow nocked aimed at his chest. "What's it going to be Apolloni?" Link had already given up on Kafei; it was clear there was no hope to quell his churning wrath. "Are you going to obey Ganondorf and utilize me for whatever he has planned, or give in to your anger and avenge Aveil?" He glared at her decisively.

Apolloni gritted her teeth in ire; she weighed her options between siding with Kafei whom she barely knew or Link, Merin and Zander with whom she already had a mission to complete. She locked onto Link's eyes as he indicated with his gaze the nearest Bomber boy next to her; she turned slightly to see Ivan lazily watching the crowd, seemingly disinterested in the entire proceedings.

"Enough of this!" Kafei spat vituperatively. "Are you with me brother or not?" He glowered at Link, waiting for him to make the next move.

Link slowly shook his head, "We're done Kafei, you are harming innocent people. If you continue, I will be forced to stop you." To signify his resolve, he gripped his sword tightly and brought it up, pointing it directly at Kafei.

Kafei cried out in fury as he slammed his hooked sword into the forehead of Orauna; her cry was cut brutally short as the blade penetrated through her skull into her brain. With one swift motion, he rammed his other sword into her swollen belly; lifting her off of the ground with both swords, he flung her body across the plaza. Various children cried out in fright at this despicable act of ruthlessness.

"Then you shall die along with these murderers!" Kafei roared.

At a signal, all four boys drew their bows and loosed their arrows into the mob of screaming women and children. Numerous bodies ballooned into boils as Kafei began slashing indiscriminately at them; exploding each victim into a bloody mess. Blood squirted and sprayed everywhere drenching Kafei in its frothy film; he was manically laughing all the while. As one Link, Zelda, and Merin spurred into action as they joined the melee.

Apolloni ducked low to avoiding a twirling arrow and sliced the knees of the nearest horse. It pitched over as Jim was thrown forward into the ground; he had barely any time to recover before she sunk her scimitar deep into his belly. The youth gurgled on his own blood as he feebly called out for Kafei. The man swiveled around to see one of his boys being executed before his eyes and he cried out in indignation.

The entire crowd that had been held hostage bomb bursted; the horses were spooked at the swarm of people running in all directions. The boys sent volley after volley of arrows into their ranks; many missing their mark. Within seconds, Link was upon Kafei bringing his sword down on his head. With lightning quick reflexes Kafei crossed the two swords and caught the descending strike between them; swiftly pulling them apart, he yanked Link's sword out of his hand before tossing it aside.

Link dove to the ground to recover his weapon as Zelda swept in with an attack of her own; Kafei parried the initial strike as he kicked her in the stomach. She buckled to the ground; she immediately rolled before Kafei could land the finishing blow. Promptly pulling the hooked sword up from the dirt, Kafei whirled around to ram it into Link's returning blow; Link had recovered his sword and was evenly matched in strength to Kafei. They each pressed against the other, none gaining ground.

Merin leaped onto Ivan's horse as she tossed the hapless youth to the ground; he landed with a sickening crunch as his glazed eyes looked up at her. His neck had been twisted at an awkward angle by the fall. Cringing at having to kill a young boy, she focused her attention at the other remaining riders.

Clarence was merciless with his arrows; slinging one after another into the panicked mob. Toby had dismounted his horse as Apolloni brought the poor beast to its knees; effectively lopping off its head to end its misery. Ashley was slowly backing his steed up towards the front gates, unsure of what he should be doing.

Assessing Clarence to be the prominent threat, Merin incited the horse into a gallop towards him. The boy sensed the aggressive movement and shifted his aim towards her; he let fly the arrow directly at her heart. It would have certainly hit if she did not rear the horse up in time; the arrow shaft punctured straight into its belly as she back flipped off the poor creature. It whinnied in agonizing distress as it collapsed to the ground under the weight of its abscesses.

Kafei had linked the two hooked ends together and was swinging them around to keep Link and Zelda at bay. Each of them tried to get past his defenses but Kafei was too swift. He snarled as he advanced upon Zelda; with blinding speed he gripped the linked sword as it swung back around over his head and unlatched them, swinging vehemently in her direction. She hopped backwards narrowly avoiding his pinpoint swipes.

A scream emerged from the major structure of the town; Link jerked his head in response, it was Malon! Kafei heard the cry too, for he hastily kicked up dirt into Zelda's eyes before running past her towards his objective. He spun around with hate in his eyes as he gripped a nearby lantern that was hanging off a peg by the doorframe.

"Is this where your bonny lass is being kept Link?" Kafei mocked.

Link dodged an errant arrow shot by Toby as he looked on in despair. "Kafei, don't do this!"

"I think you and I both know we are past the point of no return. This is for Hyrule!" With a cry, he hurled the lantern into the window; the shattering of the glass heralded the dull glow of flames catching.

Whatever it had struck, it was flammable and it was spreading. Link knew Apolloni and Merin had their hands full with the three lingering Bomber boys, so all he had to rely on was Zelda. They had to get past Kafei, into that house and rescue Malon. A bead of sweat ran down his temple, the fires were now visible through the window. Malon's screams were getting wild.


	45. Chapter 44 - We Are the Monsters

**Chapter 44 - We Are the Monsters**

"Zelda, now!" Link yelled as he threw his sword directly at Kafei's head.

She sprinted across the grass, crouching low, as she came up on Kafei. The youth sidestepped the thrown weapon as it smacked into the wooden façade of the building. Springing towards Zelda in a spinning motion to gain momentum; Kafei crashed his sword down onto Zelda's rod as she brought it upwards. The force of the impact caused her to bow to a knee; she was shocked at how innately powerful Kafei truly was.

"Merin, help!" Link shouted as he surged past the dueling pair, hoping Zelda would be able to last long enough for them to find Malon.

Merin's head jerked up as she deflected another arrow from Clarence; his undivided attention was focused on killing her, thankfully his supply of arrows was quickly dwindling. She noted that Toby was hastily running away from Apolloni, who was trying in vain to slice him to ribbons. The crafty Bomber boy was rapidly gathering any unspent arrows that had been strewn across the plaza and tossing them back to Clarence for more ammunition. She looked back to see Link dash into the building which was slowly catching fire; she cursed an oath before hurrying after him.

Link rounded the corner of the doorframe to find Malon lying naked on the floor, blankets draped over her in varying ways of chaos; it was clear she had tried to get up from the bed and fell to the floor. She looked up into his eyes as he entered; a look of panicked relief flooded her face at the sight of him.

"Link! Please help me!" Malon screamed; struggling to inch across the floor, her lungs breathing fire.

Merin swept into the room and took stock of the situation; the flames were raging at one end of the room and slowly creeping its way towards them. She raised a hand to signal Link she would take care of Malon. She wrapped the blanket covering over her nude form; Malon let loose a few whimpers at the rough handling but did nothing to stop her. At length, she was decently covered enough to be moved.

"Link, I need you to help get Malon onto my back." Merin directed as she knelt down to one knee. Link swiftly propped Malon up onto her back; with both of Malon's arms locked around her neck she stood up before charging out of the door with Link in tow.

They emerged from the building to a cacophony of sound; the rest of the women had retreated to their homes only to return with spears, swords and other elements of steel. All were intent on annihilating the bandits that had so brutally killed their men. Link's gaze flicked over to where his sword was left in the wood only to find it missing. Ingo had apparently recovered and was fighting alongside Zelda in pushing Kafei backwards off the wooden walkway lining the front of the building.

Evaluating the situation, Kafei felt it was time to leave; the operation had been a failure. "Clarence, round up Toby and let's get out of here!" He shouted into the din.

The young boy nodded in assent; quickly spurring his horse around, he galloped past Toby extending a hand down for him to catch. With a quick heave, he pulled his brother in arms up onto the back of the steed. They met up with Ashley at the front gates, who simply remained where he was; his eyes soaking in the carnage.

With a vengeful cry, Ingo slashed down with Link's sword; intent to ravage this impudent man for murdering his entire family. Kafei easily caught the telegraphed attack with a hooked end before sliding the weapon out of Ingo's hand; he retaliated by jamming a boot into Ingo's stomach causing the older man to buckle. Sweeping low under Zelda's swipe, he tripped her; crushing a fist into her chest in mid fall, the ground flying up faster into her back. She coughed as the air rushed out of her from the impact.

With a laugh, Kafei surged past Link in a dead sprint towards Ashley's horse. With one bounding motion; Kafei tackled the rump of the horse, vaulting himself into the saddle before stealing the reins from Ashley. Goading the horses into a run, the four youth raced across the plains towards their hide out. Link ran out of the gates cursing them the entire way; at length he stopped to catch his breath, infuriated at the betrayal.

Firm conviction in his eyes, Link spun around and stalked up to Ingo; recognizing the man for who he was at last. "Will you protect Malon?" Link demanded; it was not a request.

Ingo drew himself up to full height as he casually held Link's sword in one hand, "What makes you think I'd cooperate with you? You let those butchers in and decimate my entire family! Why shouldn't I kill Malon right now?!" He spat spitefully.

Link's eyes flared; his voice a low growl, "I was deceived by Kafei. I will ensure that your wife and child are avenged."

Seeing the deadly look in his eyes, Ingo backed down, "Very well. I suggest you don't come back here unless you've killed them all." He snorted before handing back the sword to Link, pommel first.

"Thank you." Link nodded at his cooperation. He turned quickly to Merin who still had Malon hoisted on her shoulders. "Please stay here with her. The rest of us will go after Kafei. Understood?"

Without another word, Zelda and Apolloni followed Link out of the gates; their destination were the horses they had tethered beyond the rock. Ingo stood absently staring as their forms disappeared from view. His gaze swept over the town as he took stock of the damage that had been done. Ignoring all other stimuli, he walked over to his wife. Slumping over her dead body, he wept. He had no idea how long he laid there.

* * *

><p>The three riders were bolting across the flat fields, their quarry in sight. They observed the boys flow into the tree line before vanishing from view. Apolloni shifted on her horse as she motioned to Link and Zelda; she warned them that the boys could utilize the cover of the trees to their advantage. They nodded in understanding as they pressed forward.<p>

Her suspicions were correct; several arrows careened from between the branches. An archer had perched himself in one of the trees. As one, they diverged the three horses into three separate tracks; complicating the overall firing solution for the sniper. Link and Zelda made a careless mistake as they spurred their horses closer together; one arrow stuck the foot of her steed. Link promptly grabbed Zelda from the blistering stallion, plopping her down behind him as they swept past the unfortunate braying of the doomed animal.

Within moments they broke the line of trees and were covered in shadow; their eyes darted back and forth trying to steer the panicked horses through looming trees that appeared just seconds before they needed to swerve to avoid them. Link could hear the clopping of other hooves somewhere behind them; the raiders had waited at the edge of the forest and were now chasing them down.

Link's eyes brightened as he got a devious plan, "Apolloni, Zander, follow me and make as much sound as possible!" He shouted back at them.

"What? Are you nuts? What in Din's name do you think you are doing?" Zelda asked nonplussed.

Apolloni caught on to what he was doing, "He's trying to summon our cavalry. Zelda, just do what he says!" Both Link and Zelda turned in shock at the use of her real name; Apolloni grinned, "Don't think I didn't catch that slip back at the village Link!"

Anxious but not really worried about the reveal at the present time, Link turned back around and charted a course for the grove of trees; each of them yelling at the top of their lungs like lunatics. They spied a sliver opening that denoted the entrance to the grove; it was going to be tight but they urged their horses onward to leap through the gap. Each horse whinnied in irritation as they cleared through the trees, scraping their flanks against the rough bark.

Kafei and the other three boys dismounted their horses; that became clear as they calmly stepped through the opening into the copse. Kafei's hooked swords were drawn while the other three boys had their bows at the ready. Link and the others had dismounted from their horses before stepping forward to meet the Southern Raiders; their voices raised in unison.

"Would you stop yelling like a bunch of idiots!" Kafei grimaced.

A slight crashing of trees in the distance confirmed what Link was hoping for; he made a sign for Apolloni and Zelda to stop. The Cyn'Taak had heard their cries and were inbound with enthusiasm. The youth also had heard the incoming danger; Toby and Ashley were whimpering slightly at the impending menace.

"You brought this fate upon yourself Kafei." Link calmly stated, leveling his sword towards the young man.

Listening to the crashing of the trees creeping closer, Kafei sniffed in indifference, "We're all going to die here anyway." He scoffed as he stepped forward a few paces, "We could have done something revolutionary brother. It is a shame you did not choose to join me in the fight for freedom!"

"That is not freedom!" Link stabbed the air in the direction of Yolland, "Killing women and children who have no part in the war is not revolutionary; it is murder!"

A sudden burst of nickering, snarling, snapping and squishing was heard from outside the grove; the Cyn'Taak had found the horses the boys left outside the clearing. The animals' pitiful cries were agonizing; they all listening in silence to the horrible spectacle. The behemoths were feasting on the innards of the poor creatures while they were still alive. In time, multiple Cyn'Taak were plowing their clawed hands in-between the scrunched trunks; the space too narrow for their wide girths to fit through.

"So it has come to this." Zelda began shakily, "After all you've been through, is this how you are going to honor Anju's memory?"

"Don't you dare speak her name, wench!" Kafei fumed, jabbing a finger at her. Clarence smirked at the reaction.

Link edged closer to Zelda before whispering, "Cut all the ropes down but one." She looked upward and immediately understood what he was getting at. Link turned to face Kafei directly, "You know what I think? I feel Anju is spitting down on you from above. She would be ashamed of you!"

That did it. Kafei rushed forward with a screaming cry; Link pushed Zelda backwards as she caught her foot into the loop. Kicking the winch system, she rose into the air as the counterweight came slamming down. Apolloni dodged the first two arrows before closing in on the three boys. Ashley promptly dropped his bow and ran for cover; terror apparent in his eyes. With two quick movements, she disarmed Toby and knocked Clarence to the ground.

Aware that Kafei was adept at removing weapons from his opponents, Link changed his tactics against the man's skills. He stepped aside from the first swipe before bringing down his sword onto the hook; with a quick flick of the wrist he flung the weapon towards the fire pit. Kafei cursed as he flipped away from the incoming strike. Link signaled to Zelda to begin cutting the ropes as he took another up into the treetops.

Seeing an opportunity to eliminate one of her opponents cruelly; Apolloni grabbed the scruff of Toby's shirt as she dragged him screaming across the ground. She quickly riposted Kafei's lunge before sweeping below his twirling counter; she aimed a quick heel to his knee, shattering it with the force of the blow. Kafei cried out as he crumpled to the ground clutching his injured leg. As much as she wanted to finish the brazen youth, the opportunity that had presented itself was slowly dwindling.

Dragging the flailing boy, she grabbed the nearest rope and jammed the loop around the boy's neck. With a gratifying kick to the nearby mechanism, she sneered as the counterweight pulled the strangled boy into the air; his legs convulsing in jerky movements. Within moments, Toby hung still at the base of the elevated platforms, lifeless. With murder in her eyes, Apolloni roved onward towards the unconscious form of Clarence.

Kafei watched in disbelief as Toby was choked in midair. Yelling in wrath, he grabbed both swords before limping over to the nearest tree. Ignoring the ravenous roars of the Cyn'Taak that had surrounded the grove, he utilized his surprising strength to scale the tree. Placing each sword hook into the trunk, he swiftly climbed the tree to the upper canopy. Zelda stood amazed at his agility; reality sinking in, she cut the last unused rope watching it flutter to the ground below.

Kafei swung up onto the bedding platform before pacing across the narrow plank to the central tree spire; his homicidal eyes were on the two of them. "You've destroyed everything I had to live for!" He screamed at them.

"Good." Link refuted coldly, "Then this will make things easy."

"Link!" Zelda gasped, shocked at his heartlessness.

"Very well Link. To the death then!" Kafei confirmed his course of action.

The clashing of steel above her was but a dull stimulus to Apolloni's ears; her eyes were on Clarence. The young boy had already recovered and was meeting her assault with a short sword ready in hand. Chortling at his cheek, she drew out her two scimitars and advanced upon the youth. Clarence bobbed and weaved through her spinning slashes; effectively avoiding all of her attacks. She grunted in admiration at his natural ability to evade.

The boy spun around aiming a blow to her legs; she leaped over the swing before smacking him with the butt of her sword as she landed back onto the grass. He sprawled forward but immediately rolled out of the way of the incoming thrust. The boy jabbed his sword towards her belly; she caught it between the two scimitars and pressed forward with urgency. The imbalance knocked him off his feet; throwing the sword out of his grip.

Apolloni advanced forward bashing her foot into his head dazing the boy; she looked over toward a small opening to the thicket and smiled with sadistic glee. Smacking him once more across the head to ensure he would be sufficiently incapacitated, she picked the youth up and carried him over to the slathering Cyn'Taak, eagerly clawing through the gap between the trees.

"May you pay for the death of Aveil!" She cried, pressing the boy through the opening.

Clarence realized his predicament too late; he spread his legs and arms out against the trunks to stall the inevitable. Apolloni shouted in anger at his refusal to die; she pushed harder towards the impatient Cyn'Taak. The boy screamed in misery as the claws began slashing through his abdomen; tearing out chunks of flesh and viscera with each swipe.

His body went limp as a crimson barb flashed in impaling itself deep into his head; utilizing the few seconds of leverage, Apolloni pushed the body further until it wedged itself tight against the two opposing trees with the corpse's expanding form. The Cyn'Taak dove its snout into the nearest blood boil and began feeding hungrily on the fleshy organs of Clarence. Laughing manically, Apolloni swirled around; where was that other boy?

Zelda was out cold on the ground; blood slowly trailing down her face, staining her blonde hair a dull shade of pink. Kafei flashed an evil grin as he kicked Link back onto the bedding platform; his sword tumbled down to the ground below. Kicking out the unbolted plank off, watching it plummet, he laughed at Link's helpless situation.

"You've got nowhere else to go Link!" Kafei leered; spreading his arms wide to reveal redundantly that Link was trapped on the spoke platform with no way off but down.

"I wish things could have been different. I knew you once," Link started, reminiscing his times in Termina. That seemed like ages ago. "I saw you and Anju together. You were happy."

"Liar!" Saliva spitting from his mouth as he screamed, "You are no better than those Nevachreans you so claim to hate!" With deathly calm, he turned around to reach for a bow perched up against the central spire; he turned to Link before serenely nocking an arrow. "Good bye brother." Kafei spoke coolly.

Link's primal urge to survive instigated that familiar feeling deep within his core; he could feel the inner energies surging up through his chest, flowing out down his arms. He had felt this once before when those three horses appeared from nowhere, allowing them to escape the Cyn'Taak. The materialized black, leather bow in his hand startled Kafei long enough to jolt his aiming; the arrow sailed through the air, whistling through strands of Link's hair as it thunked into the trunk behind him.

Without missing a beat, Link spun around yanking the arrow from the bark before slinging it back to Kafei. The arrow rammed through his chest; Kafei fell to his knees as carbuncles began filling with his life blood. He screamed in ire as his eyes were filled with hate for Link; he could do nothing but gurgle on the massive flow of red essence foaming at his mouth.

"I pray that the Goddesses take pity on your soul Kafei. I can rest easy knowing that at least your partner in Termina is happy; that your better half has made her happy." Link stated with little emotion; he felt like a piece of him had died this day.

Zelda had awoken and was standing behind the disfigured Kafei. With a nod from Link, she nudged him off the platform with her foot. He screamed the entire way down before impacting the ground, bursting in a huge explosion of blood, guts and flesh.

Link directed Zelda to remove a loose plank from another spoke and place it down so he could cross back to the central platform. Quickly grabbing their packs from their sleeping spaces, they took the remaining rope back down to the forest floor.

Zelda started as she saw Apolloni dragging the final boy by the hair over to the nearest Cyn'Taak. "Stop!" She cried.

Apolloni jerked her head in their direction; her expression was animalistic and contained no traces of humanity. "What?!" She snapped.

"Don't kill him. The battle is over; no more innocents need to die." Zelda pleaded.

Roughly tossing the quivering boy to the ground, she turned to them crossing her arms in frustration, "I highly doubt this child is that innocent."

"That may be true," Link agreed, "but it is clear he doesn't want to fight."

Ashley dared not move from where he was thrown down; he covered his ears with his hands, trying to shut out the guttural sounds of the raging Cyn'Taak which had encircled the grove. Link regarded the situation before making his decision.

"Take what you can; we ride out of the primary opening on the horses." Link gazed over at the stallions; they had huddled next to the center tree, their eyes wide and noses flaring. "I will ride with Apolloni, Zelda you take the boy."

At Zelda's insistence, Link grappled the crying infant Cyn'Taak, which had been huddling beside the fire pit, and passed it up to her on the horse. Efficiently mounting the steeds, they situated themselves before grabbing several nauseating chunks of Kafei. Throwing the disgusting limbs through crevices on the opposite end of the grove; they utilized the distraction of the Cyn'Taak bloodlust to provide an opening to ride through. The horses neighed in pain as the bark of the trees scraped across their skin; they landed back to the ground with a thud and surged onwards.

Within moments they broke the tree line and were heading towards Yolland; the Cyn'Taak did little to chase them across the plains, preferring to stay behind to kill easier prey. The cool, night breeze felt refreshing on their faces as they pressed across the flowing grass, blowing in the wind.

Link turned to see Zelda crying, "What's wrong?" He asked concerned.

"Why did it have to come to this? Where we are killing children just to survive?" Zelda moaned.

"War makes monsters of us all." Apolloni blurted unceremoniously.

They rode in silence back to the town; the events of the night weighing heavily on their hearts.


	46. Chapter 45 - Breaking the Barrier

**Chapter 45 - Breaking the Barrier**

"And you simply play all day?" Ganondorf asked disbelievingly.

Saria nodded her head, "It's all we knew how to do. Life was much simpler back then." She mused.

Saria had finally gotten over her initial depression at seeing Talon being harshly punished; now that she had a firm plan in place with Nabooru and Impa, she felt a lot more comfortable being around Ganondorf and keeping up the charade. There were nights she didn't know if she could go on; lying was a concept completely new to her.

Whenever Ganondorf asked what she had been up to, she regaled him with a variety of trivial things she did that day; regardless of how inconsequential they were, Ganondorf continued to listen with an attentive ear. He would never interrupt and would also allow her to finish whatever she had to say. It was only recently that he started inquiring again about the nature of the Kokiri.

Ganondorf grunted, "That is a luxury we simply don't have here in the desert."

Saria turned her head to Ganondorf as they walked down the corridor, "Why can't you simply have that here? Giana seems happy enough playing around with me." She offered.

A brief smile broke his lips at her suggestion, "No Saria. We always have to be vigilant when living in the desert. When the sun rises into the sky, a punishing wind sears these lands, causing any unprotected soul to perish. When the moon climbs in the dark of night, a frigid gale pierces our homes and kills the unwary. No matter when it comes, the wind carries the same thing…death. That is why we cannot rest on our laurels at any waking moment."

The Kokiri thought on that for a few moments; her wings slowing down their rhythmic beat as the gears in her head turned. "Well don't you use magick? Don't those witch elders have magick to change that wind?" She suggested.

Ganondorf scoffed at this notion, "Those witches wouldn't even know what to do with that much power even if they had it! No, our magicks do not pass beyond the bounds of nature; there is only so much we can do with it. Now if only I had…" He let his fist and the conversation drop. "It need not matter." He continued down the hall in silence.

The pair swept past a corner before a slight whiff caught Ganondorf's nose; with one swift spin, he grabbed the woman before slamming her into the ground. Saria shrieked at seeing Impa gasping for air as Ganondorf strangled her larynx; leaning over the Sheikah scrutinizing her.

"What have we here?" Ganondorf sneered; tightening his grip on Impa's neck.

Saria rushed up to them and began tugging on his arm, begging him to release her. "She is Impa! She has been assisting us all these cycles!" The panic of seeing her friend in misery made Saria remarkably compliant in revealing everything.

Without even looking up from Impa's eyes, Ganondorf demanded firmly, "Assisting you? How?!" The woman struggled further; to keep her in check, he placed one knee on her abdomen and began pressing in.

"She helped Link, Talon, Zelda and me escape from those awful men; she made sure we found refuge here with the Gerudo, she-" Saria abruptly stopped as she realized what she had just said.

"Princess Zelda, huh?" Ganondorf said just above a whisper; his eyes intent on the Sheikah below him, the life force slowly draining out of her eyes.

Saria clapped a hand to her mouth as she tried in vain to put back in the secret she blurted out. "Did I say Zelda? I meant Zander!" She tried to counter. "Please don't hurt Impa, she is a friend!"

Readjusting his grip on her neck, Ganondorf weighed his options at this juncture; how much would he benefit from having a Sheikah on his side if he purported to assist their cause? At length he relaxed his grip and released the knee that was digging into her stomach. "If she is a friend, then I should have no worries about her attacking. If she tries anything drastic; I will have no qualms in killing her."

Impa immediately rolled to her side hacking out her lungs, desperate to get air into her body. After a few gulps, she managed to stammer, "How…did you know I was there?"

Ganondorf gestured to her loins, "Your monthly flow; it is uniquely different than any other Gerudo I've lived among. You made a careless mistake coming around me this time of month." Impa flushed at his awkward reveal of her condition; she was right in keeping Zelda hidden away each orbit during these times, she would have been discovered long before now.

Saria was puzzled, "Monthly flow?"

Ganondorf rumbled, "Something you will never have to deal with child."

Saria bristled at his comment, "I'm probably older than you Ganondorf!"

He raised a commanding hand for her to be still, "Why did you not choose to go with the others? Why stay when your duty was to your Princess?" He questioned; clearly well versed in the matters of the Royal Family.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures Ganondorf. You should know that." Impa confuted; slowly rubbing her sore neck.

"You did not answer the question." Ganondorf snarled.

Impa was about to expound on her statement when she noticed Ganondorf's attention was riveted elsewhere. He looked beyond her down the corridor; clearly getting a message they were not receiving. She looked at him curiously and saw brief flashes of inner light dance across the ruby on his forehead; was it some way of communication?

"No." Ganondorf breathed. "It is too soon! Why are they implementing it now?" He roared.

Befuddled, Saria and Impa stumbled after Ganondorf as he raced down the corridors before flowing out into the glaring midday sun. Covering his eyes with his arm, he looked towards the sky and saw Kotake and Koume hovering just outside the aura. What were they up to? Several seconds passed before a huge shudder shook the entire compound. Ganondorf collapsed to the ground in agony as his heart beat frantically.

"What devilry are they causing? This is not what we agreed to!" He yelled.

Saria sidled up to him as she placed a comforting hand on his contorted form; he was clearly in a lot of pain, clutching at his chest as if his body was going to explode. Impa observed the witches high above them, they were drawing archaic diagrams in the sky and chanting in unknown tongues. A chill rolled down her spine as she realized what was coming.

Quickly taking Saria aside, Impa directed her firmly, "Saria, now is the time to put our plan into action; you secure the saddlebags and horses. I will see to it that Nabooru, Giana and Talon are with me when we meet you at the stables."

Saria nodded nervously as another shockwave rocked the foundations of the fortress, causing one section of the structure to cave in; several screams were heard before being silenced. The barrier was undulating in waves as it pulsated weakly; they could see clearer what lay beyond the malevolent shield. Impa dashed back into the fortress, hoping her objective had not perished in the previous collapse; Saria scrambled over to the stables to secure Epona and Harden for the journey. Ganondorf was barely aware of their absence as he writhed on the ground, clutching his chest in agony.

The next pulse shattered the barrier like a pane of glass; a huge beam of energy from the two sisters punctured the dome, blasting a hole through. Shimmering faintly before fading completely, the sun's rays finally touched down on the compound for the first time in many cycles. Ganondorf's heart stopped beating for all of a few seconds; he gasped in relief as a great weight was lifted off his body. He no longer had to maintain two individual barriers.

_My lord! The enemy is attacking en masse; there are hundreds of them flooding the valley! They have constructed a bridge to cross the gorge on their own!_ The telepathic message from an elder manning the front barricade was panicky; he groaned as he shakily got to his feet.

_Hold them off! Utilize the new weaponry the old man crafted for us. Do not let any of them through!_ Ganondorf ordered; he could feel the elder wincing at his strength of will.

He could see the guards clambering across the parapets setting up battle positions; at the first signal, the initial volley of arrows sailed through the air. They had improved upon the original formula of the poison; instead of swelling the victims up before exploding, it bypassed the initial stage altogether. Within seconds, Ganondorf could hear slight puffs accompanied by men shouting as they most likely dove for cover.

That was not the only weapon they had created in the last few cycles; an apprentice was wheeling out several barrels filled with bombs. Inside each weapon was a concentrated blast of both poison and magick; Kotake and Koume were especially proud of this weapon. The Gerudo elder lit the first one before lobbing it into the mob; it exploded with incredible force. Any unfortunate grunts who were nearby were immediately vaporized, which caused a chain reaction with anyone else who happened to come in contact with their atomized ashes.

He knew they would be able to hold out for a time before needing assistance; gazing up at the sky, it was clear the two witches weren't going to float idly by on their brooms. They were gliding over to where the approaching Nevachrean army had reached an impasse; each witch began lobbing magick bombs wreathed in flames and ice onto the heads of the Gerudo. Every unfortunate soul to be caught in their blast were swiftly immolated or frozen solid.

Ganondorf cursed their names and reviled the fact he was even raised by such traitors. Dismantling the barrier themselves was not part of the plan; nor was destroying it this early. He was expecting at least a fortnight to situate all the various pieces to the master puzzle before commencing the operation. Kotake and Koume were blocking all attempts at telepathy; he couldn't even get through to them.

Leaving the valley in the capable hands of his subjects, Ganondorf moved ahead with the final touches; albeit prematurely. Sprinting down the decline, he swept past the whipping post and climbed up the ladder on the side of the massive portcullis structure leading to the desert. Skipping every other rung, he reached the top; efficiently turning the mechanism, he lifted it just enough for a grown woman to creep under.

As his boots hit the dirt, he noticed a small flicker of light bobbing in the darkness of the stables perched up against the canyon wall. Furrowing his brow at this oddity, he paced over to the entrance and looked inside. The light had vanished, but he was confident in what he saw. Ears perked at the neighing of the horses, he investigated the stalls before coming to the final two.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ganondorf demanded of the Kokiri.

Saria yelped in fright as she dropped the final bag to the dirt with a clang. She spun around trying her best to look innocent. "I was…just trying to make sure the horses were set. You know, just in case we needed to escape." She feebly broke a smile at him.

"You're a terrible liar." Ganondorf said disparagingly.

She was going to rebuke his statement when Nabooru rushed into the stables, shadowed closely by Impa and Talon, who held a frightened Giana in his arms. It became apparent they had hastily thrown on a simple, white shirt over his chest for cover; they had expedited their flight from the fortress. Ganondorf's eyes widened in anger at these unforeseen events; too many things were gyrating wildly out of his control this day.

"My lord, Ganondorf!" Nabooru faltered; the abruptness of their meeting compelling her into formalities as a matter of habit.

He sneered at her, "What have we here? Trying to escape while the rest of us were under attack?" He advanced upon the group coldly; his hand out to the side drawing devilish energy, preparing to decimate them all.

"Ganondorf, stop! Please!" Saria screamed; she soared in-between them, holding her hands out like a shield. This would not happen again!

"They are deserters to their people; the penance is death!" Ganondorf raged; swiftly brushing the flying Kokiri to the side. Giana began crying as she buried her face in Talon's chest; he looked on with firm resolve that this might be his last moments.

"We are leaving so we can help Link!" Saria divulged angrily.

The swirling magick crackled in his hand as he stopped in midstride, Ganondorf turned his face to Saria with sly cunning in his eyes. "You are leaving to assist him? Did I not send several Gerudo to ensure the task would be accomplished?" He questioned; probing deeper into what Saria knew.

She looked helplessly at Impa and the others but received no confirmation; they simply stood there waiting to see what Ganondorf would do. Sighing she did the only thing she could do well, tell the truth. "We are bringing Link the emerald I have around my neck," she placed two fingers on the radiating stone, "and an ocarina that Impa has."

Ganondorf's eyes twisted to Impa as she shot a glare at Saria. "Is this true?" He probed flatly.

"It is. It would be pointless to have Link collect the other two sacred stones without the third and the ocarina to bind them together. Did you truly send him out not expecting him to succeed?" Impa shot back; her eyes a deathly calm.

"No, I did not send him on a mission I did not think he could complete." Ganondorf responded; his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and ideas. This wasn't exactly what he had in mind when first formulating this strategic move. Now that the witches had disrupted the original mission, maybe this was another way to fulfill the original objective? He needed to adapt to the changing situation or all his efforts would be for naught.

At length he released the energies sizzling around his outstretched hand; a collective sigh of relief was exhibited from the group. "I will join you then." Ganondorf intoned; much to the shock and dismay of Nabooru and Impa. Far better to take matters into his own hands and help accomplish the mission than to sit back and let Kotake and Koume have their victory.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Ganondorf boomed, "Don't just stand there like a bunch of imbeciles! Get everyone onto the horses and let's go!"

Roused into action, Nabooru leaped up onto Harden as Talon handed up Giana to her; straddling the fretful horse comfortably, she leaned back against her mother for comfort. Impa put one foot in the stirrup and hoisted herself onto Epona; after so many cycles of inactivity, she was bucking at the opportunity to flex her legs. Talon took another brown mare in the stall next to Harden while Ganondorf mounted his black stallion. The aged steed was nipping at the bit in anticipation of the ride. Ganondorf patted the neck of the beast soothingly; speaking soft words into its ears, it calmed down almost immediately.

"Saria, you are riding with me." Ganondorf spoke; his tone did not give much leeway to refuse.

Reticently, Saria fluttered over to him; she inhaled suddenly when he reached out to grapple her and sit her roughly in front of him. She felt horribly stroppy as the Gerudo king wrapped his arms around either side of her to grip the reins of his horse. With a quick flick of the leather strap and a kick to the flanks, the horses bolted out of the stables into the courtyard.

Ganondorf brought his horse to a halt and looked upon the primary fortification of the fortress; he could hear the recurrent pounding of a battering ram hitting the wooden gates. It would only be a matter of time before they broke through. Looking higher to the ramparts, he noticed how few there were left of the defenders; he quickly summoned each of the four remaining elders.

_Retreat to the colossus! Gather as many women as you can and make your way through the desert. Bring the old scientist with you!_ Ganondorf strummed; that old man seemed to have a knack for weaponry. It would be a waste to let him fall to the enemy.

Content with the confirming responses, he huffed and directed Nabooru and the others to follow him to the portcullis at the opposing end of the enclosure. Talon tried to direct his gaze away from the bloodied post that was nearby; thankfully Nabooru redirected his attention when she was called upon to climb the ladder to the mechanism that would lift the gate higher so the horses could get through.

The first group of women were just reaching the gate as Impa guided Epona under the spiked, metal bars; they were dragging the blubbering, feeble man with them. Several were already on horseback themselves. Ganondorf nodded to them as he signaled an elder to come follow him. He pointed out a small device tucked in the corner between the brick and the rock wall.

_This is a bomb that will collapse the gate unto itself. Use it when the last of us is through; that should slow them down, enabling you to get to the colossus to set up defenses._ Ganondorf directed.

_Understood, my lord!_ The aged elder acknowledged.

"Mommy? Where are we going?" Giana asked fearfully looking up into Nabooru's eyes.

"Shhh, dear. We are going somewhere safe. Just rest in my arms." Nabooru soothed.

Ganondorf stared at the two of them absently before regaining his senses; at a command, he ordered the group to follow him through the desert. The elder watched the four horses ride across the dunes until they were nothing but pinpricks of black. A sudden eruption blasted a shockwave through the ground under her feet; her attention snapped back across the compound to see the army flooding in through the mangled barricade.

Those women better get over here quickly! We have no time left! The old woman stood idle as she waited. Seeing several groups of Gerudo sprinting towards her, she moved over to the device to ignite it.


	47. Chapter 46 - Turning the Wheels

**Chapter 46 - Turning the Wheels**

Naar crumpled the parchment in his fist; he was livid at the news. They had needed the fresh supplies of clothes and food. Not that the men actually needed the food to survive; but it was one of the few pleasures he could give them to stall an outright mutiny. There were insufficient females remaining to go around the camp, many having died off due to abuse or disease. Limited things were left to keep the restless men occupied and their head kept in the war.

To distract their mundane lives when it wasn't spent raping, killing and pillaging, Naar instituted an age-old tradition back in Nevachrea. A sport they used to play before the war; before Hyrule reneged on their agreement and left their nation to rot. It was a simple game comprised of two goals and a ball; the object was to kick, head butt, or throw it through the hoop at the opposing end. The rules were also simple: you could not travel with the ball and anything went with regards to how the other team was treated; this lead to the game ultimately becoming a blood sport, much to the excitement of the men.

The game occupied their artless minds and their inner, bloodthirsty natures; it helped stave off the inevitable sedition. Naar needed those sacred stones soon; Thanan had sent word earlier that he was closing in on the ruby's location but the local dragon population seemed to have waylaid his search significantly. The Gorons also were not making things easy on Thanan; they had lost many good men to their formidable might.

Things had not gone according to plan at all this week; the letter was the last in the line of irritable circumstances that enraged Naar. True to their word, the witches dispelled the barrier blocking the Gerudo kingdom. They were ready to strike with a full regiment of five-thousand men; over half of those lost their lives permanently in the assault. Although the siege was successful, those irksome Gerudo merely fell back to a far more defensive position. Sealed away in their desert colossus, that realm of influence was at a standstill. Now this, Naar threw the letter across the tent.

"Is there anything else you require?" The messenger offered apprehensively.

Naar merely waved him off with a gesture; so deep in thought he had abandoned all notion of torturing the poor bastard. Talamir and Timner had written the report; his initial assumption of bandits had been correct. What was disconcerting was that there appeared to be two factions of bandits; one set was merely stealing the supplies while the other merely torched them completely along with the men. Could there be uprisings already in the homeland? If that was the case; he might have to travel home and take care of this situation himself.

He shivered at the thought of being back in Glaun'rung; of being near Barrachas. He owed that man a great debt for revitalizing their nation and giving them the capability to sustain this war over the cycles. However that man was a very disturbing individual; even more so than Thanan, who was an enigma himself. Barrachas served as Nevachrea's high priest; something the country never had prior to his appearance. Naar made it a point to avoid the man at every opportunity, only deigning to meet with him if the situation demanded it.

His mind drifted back to thoughts of the Triforce; mulling on the plethora of ways they had conceived of to acquire it. The ancients who built the Temple of Time were very methodical in setting up its defenses. There seemed to be no clear way of gaining access to the Sacred Realm without following the one and only path described in the translated texts at the castle: through the sacred stones and further therein, the Master Sword.

Naar had read the manuscripts multiple times to grasp their meaning; even if they successfully accessed the Master Sword, it would reveal itself to no one but the Hero it had chosen. Maybe those two crones were onto something; all signs pointed to that young boy he met seven cycles ago. To think he had him under his power and had no idea how vital he was to the overall campaign; it made him furious just thinking about it! He had to agree that assisting Link seemed to be the only viable alternative in getting what he desired.

Naar reached into his tunic and brought out a smudged, bronze locket that hanged around his neck. Staring at the small object in his palm, he hesitated even opening it. At length, he unsnapped the clasp and flipped it open to reveal the smiling face within. Angrily brushing the tears that were welling up in his eyes; he looked on the woman's gentle features. He placed a calloused finger on her picture.

"I will make things right again, beloved. You will be avenged." Naar shut the locket roughly; locking out the memory of the past. "It is time I recall my imbecilic nephews. They have been gone long enough."

With renewed conviction, he stuffed the accessory back within his clothes before walking over to the tent flap. Naar hailed the nearest sentry who was casually sitting with his crew by a crackling fire; the man jogged up before stopping just paces from Naar, giving a quick salute.

"Find me a messenger and send him to my tent immediately." Naar boomed.

"Yes, sir!" The fidgety guard affirmed.

"Oh, one more thing." Naar placed a firm hand on the man's shoulder; it was obvious he wasn't to refuse the next command either. "How many females do we have left?"

The man grinned in relief, "Only a few more Hylians and one Kokiri."

Naar swore an oath, "Is that all? It seems they have become quite the commodity these days." The sentry nodded, joining in the mirth of Naar's quip. "Bring me the Kokiri; it has been a while since I've had their kind."

Waving the man off, he retreated back into his tent; with Ruto gone, and failures being met at every turn, he was in serious need of some physical comfort. With some careful handling on his part, this Kokiri might actually last longer than Kiera did. He sniggered at the thought, had it really been that long? He ruminated. No matter, this will bring back fond memories for him; he walked over to the chest at the foot of his bed and pulled several stakes and shackles from it. Yes, he would have to be quite gentle with this little one.

Where are you Ruto? May you come back with good tidings when all else has gone sour.

* * *

><p>"So they've found refuge in the colossus?" Veraca asked inquisitively.<p>

"Yes, it appears they are preparing a small party to advance to the east." The scout reported dutifully.

Veraca stepped a few paces away, placing a hand to his chin in thought; the water lapping at his thighs was soothing to him. "Why just the one group? Do they not want to evacuate their entire nation?"

The Zora merely shrugged, "I cannot say. They are sending their leader along with this band however."

Veraca furrowed his skin; or what would count as eyebrows for a Zora. "That is strange Leelan." He turned his head to look at the attentive subordinate; it had taken many cycles of dedication and ambition for Veraca to attain his position as general of the Zoran army. Veraca continued, "That a leader would abandon his subjects so easily." He tapped a finger on his chin thinking, "There must be more at play here than we are seeing. He must be confident in what they have there or he would not leave them in the lurch like that."

"After seven cycles being behind that barrier, it is hard to say if anything that he does makes any sense." Leelan offered with modesty.

Veraca laughed at Leelan's witticism. "You always could make me laugh, even in the worst of times. You are a good friend." He said with welling emotion.

"You are too kind, Veraca." Leelan said, bowing low. "If I may take my leave?"

"Of course, I have other matters that I must attend to." With a final wave goodbye, he watched his childhood friend submerge beneath the water and swim off down the river.

Sighing, Veraca turned around towards the waterfall pummeling the surface of the water just behind him; with a leap, he dove through its curtain and into the flooded tunnel beyond. Gracefully undulating his body with the current, he sliced through the water into darker passages. Flipping through several more turns, he emerged from the cool liquid into a network of caves. Several torches had been placed in coral sconces to provide light to the otherwise pitch black gloom.

Stepping out onto the moist surface, letting the water drip from his scales, he moved over to the door at the far end. He returned the salute of the two sentries on either side of the door; he was not looking forward to this meeting. Amiably taking the keys offered by the guard, he began unchaining the locks around the door bolt. He felt it silly to have so many for just one person; but considering where she had been these past seven cycles, precaution was a virtue. Presently he stood outside the door, slightly unwilling to go in, but knowing he must; exhaling, he pressed on the door and walked through.

The onslaught was almost immediate, as it usually was. "You cannot do this to me! Let me go this instant! Is this how you treat your Princess?!" Ruto wailed at her captor, frantically scrambling back against the far rock wall.

"Must I keep reminding you? You are our queen now." Veraca had grown exhausted with this conversation; it seemed she continually ignored everything he told her each time.

"If I am your queen, then release me and face the punishment of your treason!" She spat with scorn in her voice.

"That I cannot do your highness. You are not yourself. Until such time I can verify you are of sound mind, will you be able to lead our people once more." Despite all her attempts to get him wrathful, he refused to play into her games. He knew that the process would be long and arduous for him, but as the sole survivor of the royal line, he had to make the attempt to rescue her fractured mind.

She laughed hysterically. "When _you_ decide I am of sound mind? Ha! That will never happen! You are keeping me here to torture me!"

It broke Veraca's heart to see his queen in such distress; just what did those bastards do to mark her this way? It would be one thing to have physical signs, those were easily rectified. It was quite another to have that mark on a person's soul; those could not be fixed so straightforwardly.

"Ruto, let us begin again." She stuck her tongue out at him in defiance as she rolled her eyes; this was another thing she did to infuriate him. It was not working. "Do you remember what your duty is? The oath you made to your father?" He pressed onward as if she had done nothing.

She placed both hands across her head, as if warding off some impending blow. "No! I don't want to hear it anymore! It never meant anything!" She screamed.

Breathing deeply, Veraca remained calm in the face of her impotent fury. "You are to uphold the tenants of our culture and respect our allegiance to the Hylian Royal Family. You are to ensure the protection of our most sacred possession for the coming hero, as the prophecy states." He had memorized and recited the line for her daily that he almost lost track of what it meant himself.

In a single moment of clarity, she ceased her flailing and opened her eyes wide. Veraca wondered if he had finally got through to her this time. "My most sacred possession…Link has it! Yes! He has it!" She repeated excitedly.

Veraca cursed under his breath; his meetings usually stopped here when his name was mentioned. It was clear to him that if they were to make any progress at all, they were going to have to make her forget Link ever existed. He was hindering her ability to recover; he was an object she had latched onto all these years. It was her safe haven, a circle of solitude in a world gone mad. It had to be eliminated.

"Veraca, is it?" Her soothing voice jolted him out of his ponderings; she had approached uncomfortably close, an ardent look in her eye.

"Yes, do you remember me?" Veraca asked, hoping that some recollection would surface and at least make this meeting a triumph.

She smiled, "I remember you now. You were that lanky boy who always got shy whenever you were around me." She crooned softly as she slinked closer; puffing her breasts out in an enticing manner.

"Yes, that was me." Although relieved that some headway had been made, she was getting alarmingly close. They should probably restrain her for these visits from now on.

In a sudden motion, she pressed him into the wall; her breath coming in ragged gasps as she began grinding her body up against his. The feeling of his scales against her body was uniquely thrilling to her; she had only been with Naar, a Nevachrean man, but never one of her own kind. This would definitely be a new twist.

"So how do Zora do it these days?" She cooed lustily in his ear, "I wouldn't know, will you teach me?"

"You are not yourself Ruto!" Veraca shouted; roughly pushing her down to the ground. She looked up at him stunned. He had never lashed out at her like that. She smirked; she had finally found a way to ruffle his gills. She hastily got up as she saw him swiftly exiting the room. She slammed up against the door as it shut in her face, leaving her alone once more; a single torch the only light in the barren room.

Ignoring the frantic shouting and pounding, he turned to one of the guards, "Make sure the next time I come tomorrow that she is restrained." After a brief pause, he added. "And make sure none of the men go near her."

The guard cocked his head curiously, "Why is that sir?"

Veraca looked briefly at the shaking door, "For one, she is our queen. And second, she is too seductive. It wouldn't be good for her or for the men if I find out about it!" The guard took his firm command to heart as he straightened up in salute.

Nodding that all would be handled the next day, Veraca dove back into the cool waters. Swimming along the dark tunnels, thoughts swirled in his mind. Their current method of helping Ruto was failing; it was not getting them anywhere. Now with a firm idea on how best to tackle this problem, he swam on with renewed vigor.

* * *

><p>It had been several days since they left the desert colossus, but Saria recalled it as if it was yesterday. They had ridden hard that day to make it before nightfall; the looming monolith was an impressive sight for her. Being out of the forest and only seeing nothing but the Gerudo fortress for cycles on end, she was quite exhilarated now that she was finally traveling the world. Their first stop took her breath away. The sheer magnitude of the sculpted rock mesmerized her senses; she quickly flew up to the engraved figure and examined the intricate detail that had gone into it.<p>

They didn't stay long; Ganondorf navigated the confusing corridors of the temple and brought them to a storage room where they could supply themselves with weapons and any armor they thought they would need. Within hours, groups of women arrived at the colossus in batches. Soon the entire temple was teeming with Gerudo and one unfortunate Terrance. Saria tried to help console and talk to the bewildered old man, but he merely babbled to himself in crazy nonsense; his sanity had slipped considerably.

As the group was making the final preparations and securing the newly stocked saddlebags onto the horses, Saria felt a small tremor in her body. Sora also felt it too. Feeling the waves of pulsating energy, she wandered through the maze of rooms and passages to an open arena. Her mouth dropped open as she walked out into the moonlight.

The entire amphitheater was open to the sky with six pillars of elaborate design; each one had a different symbol on it. In the middle was a gigantic stone of purest midnight; it seemed to suck the light out of the very air. Shuddering, she directed her attention to the dais in the center of the enclosure, there was a strange stand with a black mirror placed on it facing the stone.

Curious she stepped up to the platform only to find a small figure sprawled out on the brick. Sora leaped in her heart as she saw the unconscious being. She rushed over to hapless individual and picked her up gently. Its eyes fluttered weakly as it gazed at her face unseeing. Its skin was so cold and complexion so pale; she immediately held it tight against her chest to warm the poor thing.

Saria never did tell anyone what she found on the back side of the monolith; she mounted up with Ganondorf as they rode off in the direction of the Negev Marshlands. In time, they made camp just beyond its borders before attempting the trek through the swamp the next day. She huddled deep into her bedroll and peered into her shirt at it.

"Are you going to be okay?" Saria inquired.

"Yes." The weak voice murmured, "Just keep me warm for now, okay?"

Saria nodded before getting comfortable in her sleeping bag.

_You know he is going to want to know._ Sora said accusingly.

"I know…but just let me have my moment, okay?" Saria said, slowly drifting off to sleep. Sora grumbled in her head.


	48. Chapter 47 - The High Priest

**Chapter 47 - The High Priest**

The cloaked figure watched intently as the mage apprentices slowly chipped away at the sides of the mask. For cycles they had etched off slivers from the chiseled features of the mask; ever since Barrachas brought it into the country. It had the face of a Hylian man but was adorned with intricate war paint of brilliant blues and browns across its cheeks. The color of its eyes was unnervingly black, as if unseeing. Adorning its crown was molded white hair complete with a cyan cap; it was unlike any mask ever seen on this world.

For many orbits now, their supply of soldiers had grown thin; they were resorting to shaving off fragments from the mask less often of late. The previous wheelbarrow of cadavers they brought back from Hyrule were too far gone in decomposition to be of any use. He fumed at them for not getting this single requirement right; he ordered the bodies to be dumped out at the back of the temple to be burned along with the others.

At length the mages completed their task and collected the four pieces of wood they successfully managed to shave off the mask. For the most part, it was still intact and had almost all of its original shape; the bottom portion of the cheeks was where they chose to do the carving. Gathering them together in one bundle, they reverently held it out to Barrachas for inspection. Scrutinizing the small splinters of wood, he nodded his head in approval before accepting them from the apprentice's outstretched palms.

He directed the black robed mages out of the room before deferentially closing the door to the inner chamber. Gripping the shards in his hand he swept down the corridor, his midnight cloak billowing out behind him. He was a disagreeable man with a striking roman nose and piercing yellow eyes; he had only a few wisps of brown hair on his head, which was usually covered with the cowl he usually wore. The rest of his body was concealed with a black cloak with elaborate runes engraved on the front seams, reaching all the way down to his wooden sandals.

Barrachas ignored the moaning that came from the walls as he stalked down the corridors. Upon his arrival and instating the Nevachrean religion of Ballos; they had erected a temple with brick made from straw and mud. Hardly a worthy material for one such as the 'god' he followed. Nevertheless it was better than nothing. When they ran out of straw or mud they gathered more from the surrounding country; while they waited for the materials to be delivered, they continued work on the temple and utilized bodies instead. Even in un-death; they still served their purpose well.

Swiping away the grasping hands as he passed by one particularly egregious corridor, he entered the altar room where the floor was perpetually slick with blood. He wore the wooden sandals purposefully so he would not slip on the torrid mess. Placed on the central platform was a fresh body, one of the few they managed to pluck from a nearby village. It was fresher than most cadavers he had worked with recently; it would have to do.

"Is the sacrament ready?" Barrachas intoned; not looking at the robed tyro standing by the altar.

"It is, my master." The man wheezed; the stale air of death was lethal to the lungs of the mages who made this temple their home.

"Then let us begin." Barrachas smiled; he loved bringing new life into this world from what was once dead. It was one of the few joys he had.

Taking the cup of decaying blood, he washed it over the dead man's body; making sure it covered every inch of skin. It was a nauseating job but it had been done so many times he barely thought about it anymore. Once finished, he flipped the man over onto his back with the assistance of the mage. Opening the mouth of the carcass, he embedded one single sliver into the tongue. Within moments it absorbed itself into the mouth and dissolved completely.

"Chain him." Barrachas directed.

Hastily, the tyro did as he was commanded; an air of urgency was needed here. The body began groaning as its internal organs began pumping back to life with the fresh blood from the re-beating heart. The apprentice redoubled his efforts and with a sigh of relief shackled the final limb to the platform.

The man's eyes sprung open as it turned its head towards them; it immediately began struggling against the chains while screaming incoherently for their blood. Barrachas sneered at the brute; it was always like this every time. They awoke with a rapacious hunger to kill and eat; the first few attempts at this rite had been disastrous and the revived cannibals had broken loose into the population. They took far more precaution with reawakening the dead these days.

Barrachas smirked at the thought of seeing the almighty Naar in this state when he first died. He was unsure if the ritual would be successful and offered to have it tested on his men first as a matter of experimentation. In time, the majority of the able-bodied men who died were taken into the temple for reanimation; they stole bodies from neighboring countries they had conquered, all of them adding to their collective might.

Promptly discounting the raving man on the altar, Barrachas looked over the myriad of other platforms set up in the room; there was a time they were enlivening hundreds of men in a single day. At this rate, they would be running out of people to indoctrinate into their army. He grinned; they might even have to start resorting to the women if they ran out of bodies.

"Keep him chained for two days or until his hunger settles down. Release him and send him directly to the quartermaster to ensure he is equipped and trained. He will have lost some skill since his death." At the apprentice's nod, Barrachas turned and left the chamber.

Stuffing the remaining slivers of wood garnered from the mask into a pouch at his belt; he proceeded past the macabre halls and out into the sunlight. Standing dazed for a few moments, he looked around to orient himself in the town square. It was a hovel of a city; one that never fully recovered from the dismantled pact with Hyrule. The buildings were in a haphazard array of completion; some were refined brick and mortar while others were straw huts. There was no consistency to the chaos.

The only thing that was constant was the brick wall they had erected around the entire city of Glaun'rung when they first commenced the war efforts. Many soldiers were manning the ramparts throughout the day and even into the long hours of the night. There were few men left in the conurbation that were not inducted into the transference of Ballos. They were either deemed too weak to be of use or were old and feeble to begin with; considering the times, they might even consider those able bodies a viable option.

Barrachas paced across the plaza, ignoring the burbling fountain that barely retained its vigor. Making a line towards the primary pub in town; he swung the front gate flaps wide as he entered the dim lit shack. The proprietor looked up in alarm, mustache bristling; upon seeing who it was, he immediately looked back down and resuming washing the glasses. A filmy residue clung to their sides as he dried them off; the only water available being tainted.

Barrachas saw the two men he was looking for and strode over to their table; picking up the skirt of his robe before setting himself down on the chair, he glared at the two of them. These two idiots were always a thorn in his side and Naar seemed to agree too.

It was these two men that even suggested the blasphemy that someone attempt to don the mask of Ballos. Barrachas had wanted them executed on the spot; Naar quelled the situation but proceeded to inquire what would happen. Furious at this heresy, he needed Naar to agree to his plan and thus had to prove the point. Taking a replaceable soldier, he ordered him to put on the mask. Within seconds, the man's body had melted into a mass of blood, bones and goo; Naar subsequently agreed with the transference option.

"Well?" Barrachas snapped, "Have you stopped the bandits from stealing our caravans and brought back their bodies?"

Talamir snorted in his drink as Timner leaned forward to answer the priest, "Unfortunately no. They keep giving us the slip."

The high priest huffed irritated, "Those supplies don't come cheap anymore. We are slowly running out!"

Talamir set his tankard down on the table with a belch, "We were tasked to return back to the frontlines this morning."

"What?!" Barrachas bellowed; making the bartender nervous and his waitress jittery.

"He wants us to return to Hyrule and lead the final charge in eliminating the Gerudo." Timner explained calmly; it would do no good in upsetting the priest.

"That fool doesn't even know how to wage a proper war! He needs to abandon Hyrule for it is already conquered. He should move north into their neighboring ally so we can reap the riches of their land and acquire more units for our nations' might!" He clenched his fist at them.

Talamir and Timner gave a sidelong glance at the other; it was clear that the objective of Naar had not been revealed to Barrachas. Naar still kept a few things close to the vest and did not trust the high priest to keep his word in ushering Nevachrea into a new age of prosperity. They continued to sip their drinks as they let the man rage; it would be unwise to reveal Naar's ultimate purpose in Hyrule.

Presently, the priest had wound down from the tirade and his breath was shallow from the exertion. "I came here in hopes of building a community dedicated to Ballos; what I find here is a nation who is unwilling to convert."

Talamir chimed in, "Granted, you enabled us to initiate this war; so in essence, you have directed our attention away from your primary goal."

Barrachas shot the man daggers; Talamir quickly redirected his focus back down into his drink. The priest placed a hand to his creased brow, "If Naar would simply stop this foolish nonsense in Hyrule and move onwards, we could end this farce."

Timner said smoothly, "You know he won't leave until he feels the wrongs Hyrule has done him have been righted."

"He was our king, we must still follow him." Talamir maintained.

"Was!" Barrachas said, pointing a finger at Talamir, "He was your king. He forfeited that right when he chose to be general of this grand army."

"I'd still follow him." Timner mumbled into his drink as he took a swig.

The priest shot him a look before drawing out the mask slivers and placing them on the table with a maroon cloth. "Here are the latest shavings from Ballos. Be sure he gets these; the bodies they send back are too far gone to be of any use. Better to recruit new volunteers at the front."

Talamir nodded as he carefully wrapped up the pieces in the cloth before placing it in his belt pouch. "Thank you, we'll make sure he gets these."

Barrachas kicked back his chair in rage as the waitress stumbled and dropped a tankard of beer all over his cloak. The young girl scrambled up from the floor and apologized profusely; she had meant to bring over the drink and set it in front of him.

"Please forgive me master! I did not mean to upset you!" Her voice quivered slightly.

Ignoring his sopping robe, he examined the young woman with a critical eye. She was an oddity in the midst of mediocrity; she couldn't have been any older than 16 cycles. They still reproduced in this nation? His gaze lingered on her budding form, just reaching the cusp of maturity. He flicked his focus over at the bartender; the terror in his eyes belied his intent. He had kept her safe and hidden here in this bar disguised as an old hag; if she had been discovered sooner, she would have been sent to the frontlines as entertainment. It had been a long while since he had a young one; they were always the sweetest tasting.

"You are a pretty, little thing are you not?" Barrachas murmured; placing the back of his hand along her cheek. She shivered at his revolting touch.

"I am nothing without Ballos. He gives life to us all." She intoned dutifully; hoping it would appease the high priest with her piety.

"As you will give yours to me." The priest mocked.

Her eyes looked at him curiously before he surged in; locking his lips onto hers. Her irises bulged as she felt his invasive tongue pierce her throat, digging deeper into her body. The feeling was violating as she felt his muscled appendage wriggling deeper into her chest. Her screams were muffled as she panicked and banged her fists into his chest as the tongue tore through the fibers of her innards.

Her body went limp as Barrachas secured the object of his desire; he slithered his tongue out of her mouth with her weakly beating heart resting on it. With a slurp, he drew the fleshy organ into his mouth and swallowed it whole; he allowed the poor girl's body to collapse to the floor lifeless. The proprietor bowed his head onto the wooden counter; he had lost another of his girls in just four orbits. Tears began forming in his eyes at her death.

Licking the rest of the blood from his lips, he said satisfyingly, "That was sweeter than I remember."

"And…that was disturbing." Talamir said; setting his tankard down, unable to drink any further.

"There is something not natural about you." Timner agreed with his brother tensely.

There were many abnormal things about Barrachas that intimidated the brothers to no end; this occurrence being the latest in a long string of unnatural happenings. Naar was right to keep things from the high priest; he was a dangerous man, if he ultimately was one at all. He had brought so many unholy things into Nevachrea that seeing stuff like this was hardy shocking anymore. Regardless, it was such a waste of a good female.

"That's what they all tell me." Barrachas rumbled; obviously content with his profane meal. He turned to the two brothers before waggling a finger at them. "Make sure he gets those." Without another word, the priest parted the swinging bar doors and was gone; dismissing the soft weeping of the bartender who had gently wiped away the spittle of blood trailing down the girl's lips.

"What should we do with the girl?" Timner proposed.

"We burn it with the others." Talamir said morosely; the owner scowled at them but dared not rebuke them.

Timner sighed in longing, "Such a waste…"


	49. Chapter 48 - The Long Journey South

**Chapter 48 - The Long Journey South**

"Yes, that's it. You don't have to suffer the misery any longer." The soothing voice whispered in his ears.

Link was sitting a fair distance away from the campfire; but well within the reach of its light. He dared not go any further or the protection of the Cyn'Taak would be negligible. The pack of Wolfos were lingering around the edges of their group; biding their time for an opportunity to strike. It was only by the grace of having a Cyn'Taak among them that they tarried along the border, whining and panting with hunger.

It had been a week and a half since they left Yolland with Ingo and Ashley in tow; within that short span of time, Xavier had grown in size substantially. She was just about the height of Link's head when she stood; the Cyn'Taak was still too young in orbits for any real venom being produced in its wicked barb of a tail. Thankfully the Wolfos had no way of knowing that fact and elected to steer clear of its massive bulk. She was sleeping comfortably near the fire, with her tail wrapped around her like a blanket; her gurgling snores quite loud in the oppressive gloom of the night.

In his hands he gazed upon the mask of Majora; he had finally put a name to the memories he had once blocked long ago. Of a land called Termina lying in an alternate dimension; a place he stumbled across in his journey to find Navi. In this weird reality, there were duplicates of every person he had ever met; some were the same, others were quite different than his previous experience with them.

His meeting with Kafei and the Bomber Gang brought back a multitude of remembrances; they were like night and day. The Kafei and kids he knew in Termina were carefree and kind; courageous and daring. They had a certain passion for life that was infectious. His encounter with this reality's Kafei was quite different and it bore a permanent mark on his soul for having experienced it.

The flood of horrible experiences came crashing down on him in the past week; he recalled first the raping of the Kokiri and his childhood home. He remembered the destruction of the Zoras and his subsequent capture just beyond the doomed Kakariko Town. No doubt Hyrule Castle and the Gerudo at this point had fallen; and now Kafei. His heart ached with so much grief that he couldn't bear to go on.

Link began sneaking off at night to regard the mask with growing awe; how easy it would be to simply just put it on and forget all the cares of the world. To let the host take control of his mind and allow him to seek vengeance on the vile men who dared disrupt his world. Each night, the whispers grew stronger in his ears and permeated his thoughts. The bloodshot eyes stared into his soul and promised solace in its depths.

"I just want everything to be the way it was." Link droned just barely above a murmur.

"And it can be; all my power will be at your disposal if you but put the mask over your face." The mask lulled.

He barely noticed his head slowly slipping down as his hands began raising the mask higher. The urgency in its very fibers were reaching, stretching out to grasp Link's face and claim it as its own. How simple it would be to just place it on. His eyes were so close to the interior of the mask he could make out the individual patterns of the material it was carved from. Just a few inches more, he thought, and he would feel the cool, loving embrace of the mask.

"Link, is everything all right?" Malon called out to him; only a few paces away.

Link shuddered, startled at her sudden interruption of his thoughts; with a quick movement, he stashed the mask back into his pack before closing the flap. A silent howl of rage echoed through his brain as the mask fumed at being denied yet again. Straightening up, he twisted his torso to get a better look at her; she walked over before sitting down beside him.

"Yeah, everything is fine." Link mumbled hastily.

"Fine, don't tell me fairy boy. Just don't expect me to tell you the truth when it matters!" She countered hotly; even though Link could see it was a jest.

"Don't be like that Malon…" Link began.

She punched his arm roughly, but not painfully. "Oh, I'm just teasing you Link! If you don't feel like telling me just yet, that's fine. It's just that you've been rather aloof lately."

His gaze flickered briefly to his pack before resting back on her face, "I guess I'm just in a bit of a funk. Seeing Kafei, or rather, our world's Kafei, really made me happy for once. However, with the way things turned out…" He let the sentence hang, knowing full well she knew the story. Indeed, after a few days of recovery, Malon was eager for news as to what happened while she was sleeping. Zelda informed her meticulously along the journey.

She placed a comforting arm around his shoulders as she rested her head on him. "I understand your feelings; but it was his choice to make. He had to bear the consequences of his own actions." Malon reasoned.

"I understand that; but I can also see his point of view too. With the people of Yolland doing nothing but standing by while their own country destroys other nations; are they no better than them? By condoning the action, does that make them equally responsible?" Link refuted, confusing himself in the process. It was all so complicated.

"I don't have that answer Link." She sighed deeply, unsure of how to comfort her dearest friend. After a time, she broached the subject that had been on her mind; seeing this as a perfect occasion to question him. "Could you tell me what exactly you were doing with that fish woman?" Malon asked tentatively.

She could feel Link tense up slightly at her inquiry; a few moments passed before he responded haltingly, "I don't exactly know myself. Her name is Ruto and she was…maybe is, still the princess of the Zoras. She liked me." At a glance from Malon, he pressed, "Well, she liked me a lot. She thought we had been married."

Malon gasped, raising her head to look at him. "Were you?"

Link scrunched up his nose, "No! I like her as a friend and all, but seeing her in that light just gives me an unsettling feeling."

"So what happened then to have you become naked under her?" Malon grilled ruthlessly.

If it had been daytime, she would have surely seen him blush. "She knocked me out." He placed a hand by his temple. "The last thing I remember was falling to the floor. When I awoke…" He gasped slightly as he recalled the scene. "I…I don't know; she did something to me."

Malon laid her head back down on his shoulder once more, "What did she do?"

It was clear Link felt prickly with the topic, "It felt good but sickening at the same time. Like I had been violated and there was nothing I could do about it. Now I just feel odd about the whole situation." His shoulders slumped.

She hugged him tighter with her arm before responding, "I understand, I'm sorry I ever doubted your intentions. It was just so shocking to see that though. You do not have to tell me any more if you don't want to."

Link nodded his head absently as he sighed in relief. His gaze swept the rolling fields and spied several sets of eyes looking back. "They just keep following us, don't they?" He gestured over to the pack of Wolfos sitting on their haunches in the distance; quickly changing the subject.

Malon shivered from something other than the wind; she looked out into the blackness at the creatures. "I'm sure glad we have that sin…syn…" She struggled with the pronunciation.

"Cyn'Taak." Link corrected.

"Yes!" She exclaimed happily. "That. I'm glad we have it, but does it have to be so…repellant? The way it feeds is just disgusting!"

Malon had been in a pain-induced coma for much of their encounter and escape with the Cyn'Taak, so they had to explain where the small infant had come from. Once she saw how they were feeding it, she had to go somewhere to retch. After a time, she got used to the unusual sight and was now actively participating in hunting down deer, elk and other wildlife game to feed its voracious appetite. Indeed, they had to hunt whole animals several times throughout the day to satisfy its ravenous hunger.

Link looked back to see the sleeping behemoth resting comfortably by the fire; Zelda was leaned up against it talking with Ingo. "Agreed, but Zelda says we had to take responsibility for it now that we've torn it from its mother and got her killed. Now that I see what it does for us, I think it was a wise decision; better to have something that dangerous to be on our side than against us."

"So, you ready to turn in for the night?" Malon quivered, this time from the slight chill.

Thinking a few moments more, Link finally stated, "Yeah, let's head back to the group."

Looping an arm through his pack, he assisted Malon up from the faintly dampening grass; they walked back over to the fire pit hand in hand. Zelda looked up briefly from her conversation to smile at Link; her eyes lingering slightly on the two of them holding hands. Her countenance fell mildly at the sight, but she kept the happy look for their sakes.

Leaving them to set up the bedroll that they would all share together as they had done in the past, she turned back to Ingo. She was fascinated with the simple life he had lived these past few cycles. Ingo delighted her with tales of his boy, Lloyd, and all the crazy antics he would do to upset his mother. She laughed when he recounted one time he had brought home several frogs and stuck them in a pot pie Orauna was baking; she was not thrilled to see the end result of that meal.

Although he was not downcast in telling tales of his now deceased family; there was a certain sadness to the man. Ingo refused to leave Yolland without first burying his family and those of the villagers properly. It was just as well since Malon required several days of bed rest to recover fully from the painful operation on her lungs. There were only half a dozen men left in a town with nothing but women and children; the Southern Raiders had taken their toll on the poor hamlet, and it was dear.

Feeling some sense of obligation in joining their cause, he offered to lead them to Glaun'rung far to the southeast. He claimed contacts from within the capital that would enable them to sneak in undetected and finish whatever task that they were to complete. Apolloni had been a bit vague on the topic; preferring to instead keep her distance from the rest of the group. Ever since Aveil's death, she was not quite herself; if there ever was such a thing with her.

"Your family sounds charming Ingo." Zelda complimented with sincerity.

Ingo mused in gloomy thought, "They were." He sighed; he looked up at her with a smile. "It is not every day one gets to tell his personal life story to the Princess of Hyrule."

Ever since Apolloni had routed their secret over a week ago, they dropped any pretense of hiding the fact. From then on, everyone knew her for who she truly was, Princess Zelda. With any lack of information about the whereabouts or wellbeing of her father, she might as well have been queen. Queen of a dead, conquered country; she scoffed sometimes at this and was quite hard on herself for not being able to do more to defend her kingdom. This course of action about striking the very heart of Nevachrea seemed to be the only viable option left to her.

Apolloni had divulged little of the overall task Ganondorf had set upon her; but it required Link specifically because of his heritage. How exactly it was revealed that he was part Hylian, Sheikah and Nevachrean was unclear; Link had a hunch it could have been the earnest nature of Saria during her long talks with Ganondorf. She never could tell a straightforward lie to save her life.

"Well, I'm always interested to hear people's life stories. I feel that I learn new things from others every day." Zelda flushed at his praise.

"That is a good trait to have in a ruler; I feel you will go far. That is, if we reclaim your kingdom." He finished at seeing the defeated look on her face.

The conversation having reached an abrupt end, Ingo excused himself and set up his sleeping bag on the opposite side of the fire. He was still not comfortable being so near the Cyn'Taak. He walked past the young boy they had taken with them; Ashley shriveled away from Ingo's blistering glare.

He was not forgiven yet of trampling over Lloyd; Ingo was utterly merciless with taunting the boy and berating him for every bad thing he did. Zelda and Malon offered to make peace between them but were promptly told off by Ingo; they ultimately dropped fixing the harsh treatment of Ashley, for they needed him for the final leg of their journey. Merin cringed each time Ingo cuffed the youth behind the ears when he slipped up carrying some of their bags off the horses each night.

Ashley scampered over to the Gerudo woman who had become somewhat of a surrogate mother for him; for some inexplicable reason, Merin felt her motherly tendencies kicking in whenever she was around the boy. Never being chosen to get pregnant by the elders, she went for cycles without knowing what it was like to have children. She was already in her thirties, past the prime for child bearing, and she had given up all hope in becoming a mother. Taking the young boy under her wing, she felt renewed as a woman and within the short week they had traveled, was quite protective of him.

"Did you water and feed the horses?" She asked him as he settled in next to her. He merely smiled at her and nodded his head.

"That's good. You do a great job Ashley." She beamed at him as he shyly looked away from her approval. Merin wrapped him tight in her arms and gave a kiss to his hair.

Zelda looked on in yearning as she observed the two of them setting up their bedroll together. Ashley had taken it upon himself to cling to Merin and they slept combined in the same bag; like a mother hen and its young. The Gerudo had certainly changed for the better since adopting the wayward youth; it was clear to all involved that Ashley was a victim in the whole affair. The only one who didn't bother to see it was Ingo.

Turning to Link and Malon, she saw they had just settled comfortably in the roll; he was looking in her direction, an obvious question written on his face. She shook her head convivially; yes, she was coming to bed! He grinned as she got up and made her way to their conjoined sleeping bag; swiftly slipping in and settling herself next to his furnace of heat, they relaxed together and looked up at the stars.

Ingo frowned as he regarded the trio, "I would never have thought Talon's daughter and the Princess of Hyrule would be so scandalous in sharing a man like that." Disdain in his voice; even after so many nights watching them sleep together, he still couldn't wrap his mind around the concept. He had only known one woman, Orauna.

Merin offered an explanation as she looked up from her bag, "I don't think it is as you say Ingo." He looked at her incredulously. "I've spent a good while with those three already and I don't think there is anything funny going on there. I see it as three friends enjoying company together; that and body warmth, it does get quite cold at night."

Ingo grunted, "I can see where you are coming from; it is just odd seeing it from my perspective." He paused, thinking about who was talking, "Coming from you however, it doesn't mean much! Your culture is based around nothing but your sex." He pouted.

Merin smiled as she overheard the soft snores of Ashley next to her, "That may be true, but it also gives me more credibility." Ingo shot her a look but she pressed on, "I know what sexual looks like," She gazed upon the three friends happily whispering to each other as they pointed out constellations, "and that is not it. To think that I could be as happy as them; to have friends like that."

Ingo mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath as he rampaged into his bedroll; within moments he had his back turned to the group and was fast asleep. Merin looked out across their camping space. What a motley crew they were; two Gerudo (three if you counted Malon), one Hylian princess, one Nevachrean, one triple-half breed, one Hylian boy and a Cyn'Taak. She shook her head in amazement; she would have never guessed when leaving her homeland that she would be here in this place with this crew.

Merin gazed over to Apolloni; she had situated her bedroll further away from the others, well outside of the heat the fire was producing. She exhaled despondently; with Lorva and Aveil gone, she had little else in common with her sister Gerudo. It was clear there was a difference in loyalties between them and Apolloni had begun to treat her like the outcast Malon was.

She focused her attention to the three of them huddled together; the two women had already fallen asleep, their arms draped over Link's chest. She could discern he was still awake but staring up at the stars. What was he thinking? As much as she longed to be with a man; to have him warm her bed and fill her body with his manhood, she knew deep in her heart she would probably never have Link. There were already two who had laid claim to his heart; even if he could not see it, it was obvious to her.

"At least I have you little buddy." She whispered softly to Ashley as she snuggled in tight, keeping the boy warm. Putting her protective arms around him; she soon fell fast asleep. An infuriated howl of the nearby Wolfos pierced the night; it went unheeded among the group, for they had a Cyn'Taak to protect them.


	50. Chapter 49 - Princess of Twilight

**Chapter 49 - Princess of Twilight**

"What?" Kotake snorted groggily righting herself quickly on her broom; it had become apparently clear she was nudged out of her stupor.

"You were sleeping once more sister. Were you dreaming again?" Koume chortled; having some personal humor at Kotake's expense.

Kotake looking around her and realized they were passing over the eastern mountain ridge bordering the desert; they were trailing it down southward towards the colossus. The moon was just cresting past its zenith. Memories of the previous days had come back to her in a flash. They had eradicated the Gerudo Fortress defenses; allowing the Nevachrean army to surge in and take command over their once proud home.

Slightly appalled at how their people, those that were left behind, were treated; they sailed back to General Naar and demanded answers for this abominable treatment. Naar dispassionately handled their complaints with ease; casually dismissing it merely as the friction of war during a very heated time, he assured them that in future engagements and interactions with the Gerudo things would proceed more smoothly and respectfully. Mollified, the witches accepted the answer and whisked off into the night.

"I was." Kotake murmured; her thoughts adrift among the dark corners of her memory. "I had a vision, I believe."

Koume's eyes expanded with interest, "Oh? We haven't had one of those recently have we sister?"

Kotake shook her head in agreement, "No we have not."

"Do tell. What did your vision consist of?" Koume asked eagerly; eyes glistening with anticipation.

Sailing through the air on their brooms; Kotake surveyed the mass expanse of desert and spied the looming monolith in the distance. They began angling towards that direction as Kotake began recalling her dream. "It was the strangest thing sister. We were fighting against that youth, Link, in the temple of the gods. He was using our own magick against us!"

Koume gasped in dismay, "That is not possible." She thought about it some more. "Do you think that is what will happen to us if we continue to assist Ganondorf and Naar in this endeavor to support Link?" She probed hesitantly.

Kotake shook her head slowly, "I don't believe it was something that will come to pass. I feel like it was a vision of a former life; or maybe it was another reality. I can't be certain which."

"How odd." Koume grated. "There are so many mysteries surrounding that young man; so many prophecies are built up around his birth. Many don't seem to make sense; yet all of them pinpoint him as the lynchpin to the future."

Kotake bowed her head in assent, she was also well aware of the prophecies Koume spoke of. The future was forked into various paths and almost all of them were dark and ended in nothingness. Only one seemed to offer any sort of hope for the Gerudo; it was quite unclear as to Link's involvement, only that he was essential to the survival of their people.

The moment Link returned from the future, they felt the repercussions of his actions; they didn't quite understand what had happened or who it was that traveled through time, but both witches became keenly aware that the future had been altered. Their first suspicion was when Ganondorf was imprisoned and that fake letter forged in their name was found on his person. They suspected it had something to do with this time traveling individual; they kept a close eye on the castle and eventually pinpointed the anomaly.

"Regardless sister," Kotake crooned, "we must assist this impudent boy; it is the only way we will gain access to the Triforce."

Koume swore an oath, "None of our magicks amount to anything compared to what the Goddesses laid down. If we had no need for that whelp, we'd simply access the Master Sword ourselves!"

Kotake grunted in approbation, "Speaking of which, if we are to reach Nevachrea tonight, we must speak with her."

Koume understood who she meant, even without the name ever being spoken; meetings with this individual were tenuous at best. "Hmmm, looks like we must fulfill our end of the bargain to get what we require."

Touching down on one of the outstretched hands of the statue carved into the monolith; the two witches entered the temple. They startled several Gerudo with their appearance; despite their involvement in the siege at their fortress, none of the women dared confront them on the matter. Giving the two a wide berth, the Gerudo filtered around the two sisters as they stalked down the passages of the inner complex.

Kotake and Koume stopped briefly at the makeshift laboratory set up in a side chamber that was filled with cobwebs and caked with dust. The golden brick glowed softly amongst the warm torches littered along the walls providing the only source of light. Terrance was readjusting his oversized glasses on his nub of a nose; irritated whenever they slipped off. He glanced up from his work to see the two crones waltz in pompously. He sniffed in disgust and turned back to his intensive work.

"Have you made the final adjustments to that weapon yet?" Kotake warbled with disdain for the enfeebled man.

"We need to have the bomb ready by the time we finish our errand to the south." Koume clarified the timeline.

"Bah!" Terrance flapped his hand; their noses twitching in crankiness at his visual insult. "You can't rush art. How many cycles have I made weapons for you? How many cycles have I been unpaid for my services? How many cycles have I-"

"Silence!" Crowed Kotake; her voice furious, "Your life hangs by a thread and you dare to insult us, you old coot!"

"It is Mr. Mizumi to you!" Terrance blubbered; he finally had enough of the mistreatment by these rapscallions. "A good look in a mirror will sort out who is older, you old bags!"

"What?" Flustered Koume, "How dare you insinuate our ages are anything above two hundred!"

"Humph!" Terrance grumbled with clear animosity. "I frankly don't care how old you are. You can go croak on your own wrinkles!" With a huff, he turned his back on the two witches and continued his experiments; this was clearly the wrong thing to do.

Terrance gasped in shock as his right foot was encased in ice; disabling him from moving from where he stood. "You will learn to respect the elders of the Gerudo; especially those that have watched over and guided this great nation throughout the cycles." Kotake sneered; a deadly glint in her eyes.

Terrance screamed in agony as his foot melted away in the burning fire from Koume; leaving nothing but a seared stump. Lacking balance, he crumpled to the ground in a heap; his glasses flinging off onto the brick floor. The implausible notion of losing his foot was flooding his brain, allowing him to focus on little else but the pain.

"You will get up and you will continue working on our pet project and there will be no more complaints!" Koume seethed; with a jerk of her hand, she utilized her magick to sling Terrance back up onto his feet before ramming him over his work bench.

Groaning from the new injuries, Terrance struggled shakily up to a standing position; employing both hands on the table to keep his weight balanced. He shot the two witches a scathing look that they promptly ignored. With a flourish of their elongated sleeves, they hobbled out of the room clearly in great humor at his misery.

"I think that went well sister." Kotake cawed jovially; she cocked her head as they walked down the corridor. "Do you think we were a bit too harsh on him?"

"Nonsense!" Koume refuted. "He is just a male; moreover he is not our king. Who cares what happens to him? Just so long as he gets the job done!"

They both chuckled at this simple truth; they continued on their singular objective, making their way through the winding passages and chambers of the complex temple which was the last refuge of the Gerudo during these dark times. Their ultimate goal was the mirror room; the exterior amphitheater was built into the backside of the colossus many millennia ago before even Kotake and Koume took over their predecessors' jobs as spiritual leaders of the Gerudo.

Both women were initiates in the arcane arts when tasked with leading the future of the Gerudo nation; there would always be a king of the Gerudo, one who would lead their people to continued prosperity. However their precursors involved them in one of the greatest secrets of their tribe; through the use of the dark magicks acquired from a uniquely different world, they were able to control the birthing of all male children. By keeping the culture wrapped around one king who could be controlled; they could manipulate the male to what they desired the Gerudo to achieve.

Unfortunately for Kotake and Koume; something along the way went awry. Cycles of plotting and planning, ciphering down the genetic lines to produce the ultimate Gerudo male provided them one of the most rebellious kings ever conceived. Neither witch could understand where they went wrong with their calculations; their intense prophecy readings turned up nothing, it was as if the man was possessed by an inner desire to rule outside of what they insisted for him.

They gazed upon the black stone standing at one end of the central enclosure with reverence; they stepped up to the central dais before looking at each other with uncertainty. Rotating the mirror so that it faced the rock, they sketched special pentagrams in the air as they summoned the dark powers of the Twili to activate the portal.

The inner blackness of the mirror sprung to life; multitudes of circular arcs spiraled in tightening rings across its surface. A beam of grey light flared across the arena from the depths of the mirror, resting on the opposing stone; stretching deep into the rock beyond what looked visually possible. A revolving, spherical hallway of mysterious energy appeared. Neither witch had ever dared to enter the realm of the Twili; they knew very little of that world and were uncertain of how to return from that dreadful place.

In time they began to see a shadowy figure slowly walking towards them from the inner gloom of the twilight corridor. The dark skinned woman was cloaked in a midnight cape; a black snakeskin belt held up a murky sash wrapped around her waist that did little but cover one leg fully. Elaborate runes that shone an iridescent blue adorned the two gauntlets that she wore on each arm; it was clearly ceremonial but neither Kotake nor Koume could read the unknown script. Her lengthy, auburn hair was hanging down past her shoulders and clasped together by an indescribable brooch; she truly looked the epitome of royalty.

The instant her foot touched the moonlit stone; her physical manifestation disappeared, warped into the shadows on the floor. The two witches tracked her movements intensely as she swept from shadow to shadow, getting closer to their position. Within moments they felt the unsettling sensation of something stepping into their innermost being; they looked down to see the outline of the woman's shade rise up between the two of them.

"What is it you want of me? As I've told you before, there is nothing further I can teach you without the payment we agreed upon." The woman spoke proudly.

"We need to know your secret art of teleportation." Kotake spoke; feeling awkward talking to a shadow on the ground.

"We have need of such magick to transport to somewhere far away." Koume finished; aware that this woman was sly beyond measure, best not to reveal their entire hand.

A lilting giggle echoed throughout the amphitheater; causing facsimiles of laughter that made her mirth sound utterly eerie. The shadow responded slowly, with clear mocking tones, "After four hundred cycles and you just now decide you want to learn that from our tribe?"

Flustered at her cocky attitude, Kotake fumbled slightly, "We just never had a need for such abilities until recently."

Koume added hastily, "We humbly ask that you teach us this hallowed magick; like you've taught us all these cycles, Princess Midna."

Both witches felt it prudent to be deferential to this creature of twilight; they each bowed low to the shadow in their midst. A cackling laugh reverberated through the shade before simply replying flatly, "No."

Kotake's bulging eyes snapped open, "What?"

"Why not?" Koume intoned, with a slight hint of a whine.

"Not without that which you promised me. I am a patient woman, but your incessant stalling is trying my fortitude." The two hags groaned as each clutched their chest; a heavy burden was placed on their hearts and it was getting harder to breath. "Do not forget who taught you everything you know to further your own fruitless ambitions. Your petty string pulling of the Gerudo is of no consequence to me; I assisted you only so that you may act as my hands to acquire that which I desire: the Fused Shadow."

The witches trembled at the might of the Twili's power; the Fused Shadow was an accursed relic that was created ages ago, in a time long since forgotten. It was the physical manifestation of magick so dark and dangerous that it was destroyed; split into several pieces, they were given by the Goddess Hylia to the light spirits that pledged allegiance to her. They were to guard these profane artifacts until the end of time. This unholy expression of magick was once used by an ancient race known only as 'The Interlopers'; beings that were intent on claiming the Triforce for themselves.

Midna continued caustically, "If you do not have what we agreed upon, then our conversation is over. You have wasted my time."

Both witches felt her presence slipping from their shadows; Kotake cried out in desperation, they still needed her assistance! "Wait! We have one piece."

A slight hesitation was felt in the darkness, Koume surged onward with the remainder of their news, "It was not easy to kill a light spirit for this piece, but we give this to you in return for one more session to learn your arts."

Between the two of them, they produced a black, horned helmet; its presence seemed to suck the very light from around it. It was fractured around the bottom revealing only one unblinking eye where it would have gone over the bearer's face. Malevolent energies were spiraling outward from its structure; a vertex of dark magick was permeating the air around the trio. Kotake and Koume could feel the yearning of Midna as her shadow reached upward to grasp the object.

"So do we have a deal?" Kotake said smugly.

A chill rustled their robes as Midna's shadow left their own; they saw it further down the enclosure near the black stone. "I'm afraid not. I asked for the entire Fused Shadow, not just a single piece. I've assisted your nation well beyond what I should have, now is the time I claim my due. I will hold onto this piece as insurance that you will come with the other three. Once I have all four pieces rightfully back where they belong, then I will deign to teach you further; not until then."

"That's not fair! We worked hard for that piece!" Koume snarled, pointing a gnarled finger at the flitting shade.

"Your troubles are not my concern." Midna said coolly. "If you truly cared about the livelihood of your people, like I do mine, you would spend less time on this war and more time getting me the last three pieces. Only through the assistance of the Twili can you hope to defeat this threat." If they could see her face, she would be smirking cruelly.

"So are we to just abandon all those in our care to go chasing after these things?" Kotake asked flummoxed.

"They are spread out all over the land; it would take orbits to find them all!" Koume smoldered; blast this princess! They had simply no leverage on her at all!

Midna reformed within the spiraling vortex stretching inward deep into the stone; she turned to smile at them. "Then I suggest you start flying; time is not on your side." She raised her hand to close the portal but stopped midway. She turned her head to the witches before interrogating, "Do you know of a light dweller who came through this way five moons ago?"

Kotake and Koume looked at each other quizzically; they shrugged before turning back to Midna. "Nothing we have ever heard of." Kotake offered.

"Was it someone important to you?" Koume probed; eager to find something to blackmail against this woman.

Midna barely shook her head, "No. This light dweller came to us asking for information; leaving only just recently. I was curious if you knew anything about someone using this portal without your knowledge." At the bewildered looks of the two crones; Midna gathered all the information she needed. "I thought as much." With a wave of her hand, the portal closed and the light from the mirror faded. The surface of the rock was flat once more; leaving the two witches alone in the silence of the night.

* * *

><p><em>So when do you think we should tell the others?<em> Sora intoned in Saria's mind.

Saria hummed nonchalantly as she laid out her bedroll in the particular way she liked it; standing up she looked down at the bag satisfied, she nodded before responding back. "When we get closer to Nevachrea; I don't think we should trouble them just yet."

_You know Impa would recognize who it is._ Sora affirmed jestingly.

"Are you saying I should reveal our visitor to her now?" Saria asked.

_Yes. At least confide in the one person who would understand the significance._ Sora proposed.

"Who are you talking to?" The voice said from within her shirt.

Gasping, Saria peeked down inside her shirt to see her little guest; she had completely forgotten that she had the visitor placed inside her tunic. It had been a long time since she talked so casually to Sora openly like this. For those not well versed about what occurred seven cycles ago; it would appear to any bystander that she was quite loopy talking to herself.

"I'm sorry. I can't believe I never told you!" Saria tittered. "Quite a few cycles ago, I almost died." The little voice inhaled at the news. "I know! But Sora saved me, which is why you don't see my fairy anymore. She is inside me now; I can hear her speaking to me. She can be very noisy sometimes." She added as an afterthought.

_Well, if you want me to stop talking, I will! Just don't expect me to speak again, even if you want me to!_ Sora pouted.

"Oh, don't be like that Sora! I didn't mean it." Saria laughed. Her smile slowly faded as she got nothing back but silence.

"Did she leave you?" The voice asked.

"No." Saria said gloomily. "She can't ever leave me. We are joined as one now; her thoughts are mine, her feelings and emotions are extensions of me. Sora is just a bit upset right now, she'll come around eventually."

"Sounds dreamy." The little voice bubbled. "I went looking for ways how to do that."

Saria peeped down into her shirt once more, "Wait. Don't all fairies know how to do that?"

"Well, yes…that is true. But mine is a special case." The voice explained.

Saria looked up at the others; Giana was helping Talon feed Epona and Harden while Nabooru was setting up their bedrolls for the night. Impa had chosen to sleep off by herself next to a wayward tree; Ganondorf started the fire with his magick and was slowly increasing its strength. They had traveled hard these past few days; allowing little room for rest. They were within a few more moons of the Nevachrean capital of Glaun'rung; only a few more days until Saria could see Link again! How happy he would be!

Saria smiled, "Yeah, I get what you mean."


	51. Chapter 50 - Gaining Entrance

**Chapter 50 - Gaining Entrance**

She yelped as she sucked hard on her thumb; she had pricked herself with the needle when she was threading the weave. She couldn't recall how long it had been since she started this project, at least a few orbits before leaving the Gerudo Fortress? Grumbling at her lack of memory, she stabbed the needle back into the fabric; trailing her path up the seam to connect the two pieces together. She took the fabric with her, hoping she would find time along the way to work on it for him.

"What are you doing?" Link asked quizzically, craning his head to look over her shoulder.

Malon shrieked as she stuffed the project into her knapsack; he clapped a hand to her mouth to prevent unfriendly ears from hearing, although it may already be too late. "Don't scare me like that!" She huffed as he withdrew his hand.

"What were you working on?" Link smirked, pointing at the bag; he had obviously seen something but couldn't really decipher what exactly it was.

She grinned back, "None of your business!"

"And you picked now, of all times, to start working on it?" Link asked incredulously.

Indeed, they had traveled far these past few moons; finding Glaun'rung had been relatively easy, even with Ingo's help. They simply traveled eastward until they hit the roving line of traveling brutes and then headed south from there. The closer they got to the capital, the sparser the groups of men became; either they had finally reached the end of the army or there were acquiring less bodies to add to it.

Despite a few minor skirmishes with the horde upon being discovered as they traveled southward; the journey had been relatively smooth. Xavier was to account for most of that; wild animals avoided them outright and preferred easier prey. The Cyn'Taak had already proven itself a worthy addition to their team as it tore into the hapless men. Link and Zelda were worried that after it got its first taste of blood from a Huma, it might begin looking at them differently; thankfully it considered the two of them its parents and the rest of the group, its pack.

They were now within walking distance from the walls of Glaun'rung; they were hidden amongst the shrubs on the outer fringes of the tree line just west of the city. Ingo had advised them to wait in concealment as he boldly stepped forward to gain entry into the capital; that had been several hours ago. It seemed he was let in easy enough, but now as the night wore on they were getting worried. It was then that Link noticed Malon was missing and went to go find her; she was illogically working on something.

Malon gestured with her hand towards the city wall, "It's not like I have anything better to do! He's been gone for several hours and who knows when he'll show up again! I felt it a good time to work on something personal of mine." She finished with a defensive look.

"Well, if it's that important, then I have to see it!" Link said with glee.

"Oh, no you don't!" She jeered as she flopped over her pack as he pounced on her.

Within moments, they were a flurry of limbs as Link tried to reach around Malon and dive his hands into the bag. She utilized all the strength she had just to keep him away from it. The tussle quickly devolved into fits of laughter and mayhem; with one final roll, they laid on the grass next to each other, winded and beat.

As their merriment slowly winded down, Link turned his head to face her; Malon's eyes were shining even in the darkness. He smiled; she would have never been able to romp like that over a week ago, her wound had healed nicely. Perching himself up on an elbow, he leaned over her with palpable intent in his eyes; she looked up longingly and did little to resist. Ignoring their current situation entirely, they merged together for the kiss. After having been denied for so long, on this trip of being close to each other alone; their inner furnaces were lit with an unquenchable thirst. Link pressed his lips hard onto Malon's as his tongue fought for entry; she wrapped her legs around him tightly as she positioned him over her.

"Din have mercy! You picked now, of all times, to be doing this?" Apolloni hissed, just feet away.

In a flash, Link rolled quickly off of Malon as the two of them flushed embarrassingly. Link was the first to speak up, "Sorry, I guess we got carried away. Is Ingo back yet?"

"No, he isn't." Apolloni grimaced. "I swear you two are like a pack of female dogs in heat!" She simply shrugged, "Not that it matters anymore. Grab your things and come back to the group. I do not need to be losing track of you now Link." She gave him a knowing look as she turned around scornfully and stalked off towards the tree line where they had set up vigil.

Link groaned in agony at his hard member; as much as he wanted to ignore Apolloni's commands and finish what they started, he knew she was right. They needed to be present for the current situation, not lost in their own personal fantasy world together. He glanced over to Malon and could tell she was in agony as well, her breathing coming out in ragged gasps.

"Come on Malon, grab your bag and let's rejoin the others." Link murmured dejectedly.

"Yeah…okay." Malon said monotonously; her mood instantly deflated.

They filed through the undergrowth, pushing aside branches and leaves to find Apolloni sidling up next to Zelda. Although in an attempt to whisper, it was clear she was trying to be loud enough for everyone to hear. "I found them frolicking together behind a bush back there. No sense of responsibility or duty, those two." She sneered at them as Zelda's eyes locked onto his.

As childish as Apolloni's comment was, the effect it had on Zelda was immediate and devastating. Merin watched with interest while Ashley simply looked bored; Xavier was dozing against a nearby tree and cared little for the petty squabble. Zelda's eyes emptied as she beheld the two of them sheepishly walking up beside her; what had she expected? Apolloni could sense the complex relationship between the three of them and in her wicked way, exploited it to the max extent possible.

She wanted to cry but held it in check bearably. Zelda knew she shouldn't be angry at the two of them; they were all friends but Malon and Link appeared to be more than that. Why shouldn't they have their happiness together? What was it about those two that was making her feel so jealous when she really shouldn't be? Did she really feel that strongly about Link? Did something awaken inside her for him during that one night she almost had him?

"That was uncalled for Apolloni." Link scowled at her.

After a laugh, she responded maliciously, "I only call it how I see it. You were too busy wanting to fuck than to keep your head in the task at hand."

Zelda gasped at the foul word Apolloni used; Merin stepped in pointing a finger at her, "You do not use that word around Ashley!"

Apolloni whipped around as she spat with venom, "And what would you know about protecting a young boy from the immoralities of this world? You are not his mother! So stop fucking acting like it!" Merin winced again at Apolloni's deliberate use of the word.

It appeared that they were going to come to blows when Malon interjected, "Look! Ingo is coming back!"

With one final glare at Merin, Apolloni shifted her attention back to the city. Malon was pointing at two men who were shrouded in brown cloaks; if one was Ingo, he had been given a cloak since being inside the capital. They appeared similar in build and almost had the same walking gait; the left man carried a lantern in his hand but had it unlit. Within minutes they reached the trees and filtered into the group, arranging themselves in the center.

Lighting the lantern, both men took off their hoods; to the astonishment of all, they looked exactly alike. Upon closer inspection, there were some slight differences, but it was unmistakable they were brothers. Ingo spoke first to clear up the matter, "This is my brother, Francis Gorman."

Francis bowed his head in greeting as he surveyed the group. His mustache twitched when he regarded the snoring Cyn'Taak up against the nearby tree; his eyes lingering slightly longer on Xavier before turning back to everyone, "My brother, Ingo, says you have need to sneak into the capital city? Why the devil would you want to do that?" He exclaimed mystified.

"I did not know your whole purpose in coming here, so I did not know what to say." Ingo apologized to Apolloni. All eyes gradually went to her; she had been holding back on their mission here in Glaun'rung. Now was the time to reveal it.

Apolloni glowered at them all; her thoughts racing on how best to keep her appointed task clandestine. Her focus moved to Link before she haltingly explained, "We need him because of his unique genetic make-up. We believe he is the key to exploiting the unnatural power the Nevachrean possess."

Francis scoffed, "You mean summoning weapons?" With a flurry of movement, both Ingo and Francis brandished swords; each of them drawing it on the startled Apolloni. "Every Nevachrean male has that ability. So clearly that is not the unnatural power you speak of." Francis smugly gloated as he vaporized the weapon into mist; Ingo followed suit.

Apolloni shot him a look, "No." She stated scathingly. "I was referring to the fact that Nevachreans can't die. Ganondorf has confirmed that the source of this power lies somewhere in that city." She gestured off towards the imposing wall.

"Oh?" Francis simpered. "And where did you learn that interesting piece of information?"

Merin piped up helpfully, "From Kotake and Koume, Ganondorf's-" She was immediately silenced by a frown from Apolloni; she realized she had spoken too much.

Noting the exchange between the two, Francis continued undaunted, "That assumption is false, not all Nevachreans are immortal. If you were to kill Ingo and I, we would not regenerate. You are correct in that what gives them this unholy power resides inside the city. Only those who are volunteered," He laughed as he spoke the word, "for the army get to have that special 'honor' bestowed upon them."

Ingo clapped a hand to Link's shoulder and nudged him towards his brother, "This is Link. All claims point to the fact of his triple blooded heritage: Hylian, Nevachrean and Sheikah."

Francis rubbed his mustache keenly as he observed the youth, "Interesting. Young man, have you been able to summon anything you couldn't explain?"

Link nodded, "I was able to summon three horses and then a bow."

Francis's eyebrows rose at the mention of the horses; those were extremely hard even for the layman to apparate. "Impressive. Can you demonstrate to me now by calling a sword?"

Link held out his hand as he tried to call upon the inner energy he knew was there; waiting deep inside. Try as he might, he could not apparate anything more than a few puffs of black vapor. The surging feeling he got when he had need of the horses or bow was lacking; he could not force it to come to the surface. At length, he dropped the arm to his side and shook his head with disappointment. "I'm sorry. I don't know how I did it. It simply happened." Link offered.

Francis nodded his head, "As expected, nobody masters the skill without some formal training. I can help you with that."

Apolloni rudely interrupted, "What does this have to do with getting inside the city?"

"If Link is as important as you claim he is, then wouldn't it be judicious to ensure that his all-important heritage is useable?" Francis rebutted her with a sneer; he turned back to Link, "My boy, if you are willing, I would be happy to teach you what I know so you can call on your power should the need ever arise."

A smile broke across Link's face as he nodded, "Thank you Francis. Thanks to both of you."

Ingo scoffed, "Don't thank us yet! We haven't even infiltrated Glaun'rung yet!"

"That reminds me." Francis walked up to the sleeping behemoth. "We will not be able to take this creature in with us. He will have to be left out here."

"That's a she." Malon corrected under her breath.

Zelda gasped with a start, "You mean all alone? Xavier has never been all alone before! Should someone stay out here to watch over her?"

"I hardly think that is necessary." Apolloni derided.

Francis considered the interesting creature, "As much as this Cyn'Taak fascinates me, it would completely blow our cover. It has to stay outside the city. Besides, these things usually live in the wild, don't they?"

"Xavier has been with us the past few weeks; we are not sure if she would be able to handle herself alone." Malon explained.

"Well, isn't that a pickle." Francis concurred.

Merin looked down as she felt Ashley tugging on her robe; she regarded his movements as he pointing to them and then to Xavier. Understanding his idea, she revealed it to the others, "Ashley and I can stay out here and take care of her."

Francis looked over at the young boy, his eyes glazing over with the beginnings of tears. He had completely missed the fact there was a young boy with them; such innocence was to be protected. "Yes, as much as I'd love to bring Ashley into my home and warm him up with some good food and a warm bed, I feel he would be safer outside Glaun'rung. We never see children anymore; if one simply showed up out of the blue, I dare say it would raise suspicions."

Seeing the look on Zelda's face, Ingo moved to placate her fears, "My brother and I know the city like the back of our hands; we can move in and out as we please. We will supply fresh food and drink to them here in the woods nightly."

Francis bowed his head in satisfaction, "Well, that is settled. Let us get the rest of you beyond the walls." As the group dropped their packs to leave in the care of Merin and Ashley, Francis turned to Merin and handed her a pouch. "Look inside, it isn't much, but it'll get you two through the night." He beamed warmly at her reaction of gratitude.

Taking those who were coming into the city with him, Francis traveled further into the forest. They came across a game path that meandered out to a hidden grove; situated in the middle of the clearing was a covered wagon which was in remarkably good shape. He blew a low whistle into the woods; within minutes, two spotted horses emerged from the path. Francis directed the lot of them to insert themselves into the empty barrels towards the front of the carriage as he drafted the two steeds to the front of the wagon.

"Why must we hide in these?" Zelda asked scrunching up her nose; the barrels smelled like decayed beer.

Ingo filled in the details for Francis, who was busily fastening the reins to the bits in the horses' mouths. "My brother is an owner of a bar, one of the few left in the city. He sometimes makes trips to resupply his dwindling stock; they usually only check the back few barrels, so try to keep to the front ones just behind the seats."

Once preparations were complete, Francis hopped onto the back of the carriage and inspected each of the barrels; the first few towards the back were filled with colored water to pass for beer, the smell of the wood did the rest. He checked on each of his passengers before closing the lids and sitting up front alone, Ingo had hid within a barrel as well. With a quick snap of the reins, Francis maneuvered the horses out of the woods and onto the nearby road; making it plainly obvious he was there.

The clopping of the horses and the gravely sound of wheels churning the dirt alerted the sentries to the incoming intruder; they flashed their torches to neighboring guards as they directed their attention to the wagon. Several men rolled on out through the opening gates as they leisurely made their way over to Francis, raising a hand to signal a halt in his advance.

Casually inquiring about his business, they inspected the first few barrels at the back of the carriage; after a sniff, they seemed satisfied and waved him on through. Francis guided the wagon through the dirt-caked streets, along various roads towards his pub and inn. Finally stopping the horses at the side entrance to his wine cellar, he quietly signaled for them to remove the lids and step out into the shadows of the building.

"So do you do this often?" Zelda asked; thankful to finally be free of that horrid smelling container.

Malon agreed as she straightened out her green dress; one that had been given to her by Ingo. It was one his wife once wore; she was very flattered and grateful to receive it. "It seems you are well prepared in the unlikely event someone wants to get into the city." She spoke accusingly.

Francis chuckled, "Actually, this method was used to ferry people out of Glaun'rung. You are the first people who actually wanted to get inside!" That knowledge quickly put an end to their inquiries.

As Francis helped them file inside the inn, Link asked, "This seems a bit much. I thought you said you knew this place inside and out; why did we have to go through all this just to get inside?"

Francis pointed to a nearby corner of the wall several dozen meters away from his pub, "See that guard tower? There is a lack of guard patrol every night around that tower. I can use a ladder to get to and from the city from there. I felt since I didn't know what all your talents and skills were; I figured the safest bet was to go with the big group option."

Link grinned, "I think you might have underestimated who you were dealing with."

"Clearly." Apolloni chimed as she brushed past the two of them and headed into the building.


	52. Chapter 51 - Reunion at the Gates

**Chapter 51 - Reunion at the Gates**

It was a morbid sight; Zelda had to hold her lunch as she beheld the horrific temple. Multitudes of bodies were encased in its structure, still alive and in constant throes of misery; the moans from those unfortunate souls were heard for blocks around. The twisted structure rose up in haphazard spires centralized around a grand dome; several sheets of human skin were draped over the curved surface like some disgusting display of artistry. The ungodly mix of both organic and inorganic material to construct this abomination of a temple was repellant to her.

"Why do they keep them alive?" Zelda said with a slight rise to her tone. "What purpose does it serve?"

Francis grunted as they peeked around the corner of the condemned shop, "Well, for one, they use the bodies as a means to strike fear in the hearts of the simple minded villagers who remain in Glaun'rung; no one would dare approach the place, so they are left relatively unchecked in their daily activities. Second, due to lack of materials at the time, Nevachrean bodies sufficed for the job." Seeing Zelda grimace, he explained further, "They keep them alive because if they died, their corpses would ultimately decay and cause the entire structure to become unstable; indeed it is a fate worse than death."

Link spotted several black robed figures emerge from the one and only temple entrance they were able to detect. "What about them? They seem relatively unarmed."

Francis shook his head knowingly, "I wouldn't try it. They may be apprentices under Barrachas, but they are highly skilled in the dark arts."

Apolloni cursed under her breath, "If there was only one of them, I could probably dispatch him singlehandedly."

"I'm sure you could." Francis humored her with a smug look.

Ignoring her scowl, Link pressed further on a topic Francis glossed over, "Who is Barrachas? You speak as if he is the leader of their order."

"He is…in a manner of speaking." Francis nodded. "A very…unpleasant fellow. He trusts no one, not even his own acolytes. Barrachas entered into Nevachrean history about twenty cycles ago, well before my first child was born. Whatever he did, enabled Naar and the rest of his entourage to become immortal; he set up shop here in the capital and instigated Naar to build that profane temple. I do not know what goes on inside, but sometimes late at night I can hear the screaming."

Malon shivered at his tale; she waited for the robed figures to disappear down an opposing alley before speaking, "Is this some sort of perverse religion? What do they worship?"

Francis shrugged as he motioned for them to retreat back behind the cover of the building. "They call him Ballos; I have never heard of such a god nor seen any of its powers. Barrachas came to Nevachrea looking for converts and he found it in Naar. Utilizing his kingship, Barrachas was able to swiftly convert many to his cause. I don't know what his final aim is; all I know is that his ambitions are quite different from Naar's."

"How do you know all of this?" Link asked; it was clear the man was quite knowledgeable in the ways of the enemy.

Francis crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall, he began recounting, "I'm an owner of both a pub and an inn; you hear all sorts of stories, rumors and gossip when you are in my profession. My brothers and I moved here about twenty five cycles ago during the heyday of the army. There were many volunteers traveling from far and wide to come sign up with the greatest army the world had ever seen."

He continued as Link and Zelda gave him surprised looks, this would put them right at the time the first Nevachrean invasion occurred in Hyrule. "Many were promised glory, riches and land. All supported the invasion of Hyrule and signed up eagerly to accomplish the mission. My brother Ingo was the smartest one of us, he knew this could only end badly; he proceeded northwards into Hyrule to start a new life there. Given the vast resources and militia of Hyrule, it was obvious who the clear winner would be."

Francis pondered a moment before speaking further, "My other brother, Regan, was drafted into the army and went northwards. We do not know what became of him. I chose to smartly stay in the capital; if I was to keep my head on my shoulders, I needed a job that was in demand. Setting up a pub to please the soldiers and local populace secured my position in the city. Granted, they no longer need sustenance with the way things are going, but simply tasting what is no longer useful to them is a comfort; so here I am still bartending."

"That matches up with when my mother had me." Link murmured.

Zelda looked at him forlornly, "As did mine." Zelda added, "If I recall, my father made a pact with the Gerudo king at that time. He was an old, feeble man; basically on his death bed from what I've been told. Utilizing the new, rising male of the Gerudo as keeper of the pact, the Gerudo set up a barrier between our country and Nevachrea."

Francis indicated his assent, "You are right. After we were sealed off from your country, the entire nation fell into ruin. It was then that Barrachas started turning the dead into unholy murderers. Naar gave up his kingship and preferred to command his legions as their general; he left the ruling of his country to Barrachas, something I feel was a mistake."

"Is that why Naar doesn't care about his country anymore? It seems all he cares about is conquering Hyrule." Link mused.

"I agree," Apolloni muttered, looking around the dilapidated streets; her mouth contorted disgustingly as she noticed a man open up his shutters from an upper floor window and toss out his bucket of feces onto the dirt below. "This city is a place of squalor and seems hardly defended outside of the barrier wall and the few regiments of troops that man it."

Francis looked over at the piling mound of steaming refuse under each window, "There is so little here of any value anymore that it's hardly worth defending. The only thing Barrachas covets is what lies inside that temple. That much I do know. With him and all his followers, they don't need much else in the way of protection."

Malon had been absently listening to the conversation as she continued to stare at the macabre structure in the center of town; she quickly tugged on Link's sleeve as she pointed at two armored men exiting the building. She only saw them for a few moments, but she would never be able to forget their faces. Link turned to see what she was referring to and stopped dead in his tracks; Talamir and Timner were here…in the capital with them!

"Francis!" Link hissed. "You didn't tell me Talamir and Timner were here!"

His eyes popped open as Link spoke the names, "I didn't think it was relevant! Where are they headed?" Francis asked nervously.

Link popped his head around the corner again, "It looks like they are headed in the direction of your pub."

"We must return quickly! They are regulars at my establishment! Ingo is filling in my place, but if he goes to serve them, his cover will be blown and most likely ours too!" Francis squawked.

The group immediately scrambled down the narrow alleys and streets; leaping and dodging over disgusting piles of excrement and urine; the smell was overpowering but they gagged it down and continued their frantic pace. Every few blocks, they looked down perpendicular backstreets to gauge how far along they were in comparison to the brothers. Talamir and Timner were minutes away from the pub as the crew busted in through the entryway shutters, startling Ingo half to death.

"What is it?" Ingo exclaimed, mustache quivering. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes!" Francis yelled. "Get upstairs to the bedrooms and don't make a single sound! No one is supposed to be occupying those rooms at this time! You too Ingo!" He violently pointed up the stairs as they blundered up and crammed into a single room, slamming the door quickly behind them.

Francis had just stepped alongside the counter as Talamir burst through the entrance. The two brothers sidled up to the bar and smirked at Francis. "Well, you will be glad to hear that we leave today. We thought it a good idea to come have one last drink, on the house. What do you say?" Timner sniggered.

"As you wish." Francis absentmindedly spoke; he grabbed two tankards and began filling them from the tap.

Talamir raised an eyebrow at this peculiar reaction from him; normally Francis would have some witty, disparaging remark about their bad natures. Something was obviously bothering him, "Oh, don't be so down Francis! That was only your second daughter, you can always make more right?" His tone was intended to sound concerned, but they all knew otherwise; Timner started guffawing, pounding his fist on the wood.

Francis shot them both daggers as he slammed both tankards in front of them, "Just drink your fill and get out." He demanded.

Timner recovered from his laughing fit and joggled a finger at him, "You better watch yourself Francis. If you piss us off, I'm sure Barrachas would love to know you have a third daughter somewhere." They both laughed uproariously at this. They loved to torture him to no end.

Francis' eyes welled up, "Please, just get out."

Talamir gulped down his drink before setting the tankard back down, "Very well, be good Francis and we won't have to reveal your little secret."

They both turned to go as Timner finished his drink; they were almost to the door when a loud creak from above gave them pause. Timner turned to Francis before quietly uttering, "Are there any tenants in the house at this time?"

Trying his best not to look guilty, Francis quickly replied, "Not tonight, no. This is an old building, sometimes it makes odd sounds; you know, from the settling."

Timner looked back up to the ceiling, trying to pinpoint where he heard it, "Indeed." After a moment, he shook off his suspicions and headed out with Talamir. "Farewell Francis, we head north. Keep the hearth warm for our return, eh?" The two of them laughed the entire way outside.

Giving himself a few minutes more, Francis finally collapsed onto the bar counter, panting heavily with anxiety. Once he had sufficiently calmed down, he headed upstairs and opened the door to where the group was hiding. Zelda, Link and Malon were perched on the bed while Apolloni had taken up residence over by the window; Ingo was sitting in a chair by the dilapidated vanity. They all gazed over at him as he entered the room.

"Is everything all right?" Ingo asked of his brother as he quickly got up and moved over to embrace him affectionately. Given that his own family had died at the hands of Kafei and the third brother unaccounted for, that left Francis his only living family member. The warmth of Ingo's familial love for his brother ran deep.

"Yes, they are leaving this afternoon to report back up at the front." Francis said with a relieved sigh; things were about to get less hectic around here. Barrachas and his tyros rarely came in to his pub, so it had only been the last few orbits with Talamir and Timner that were tense.

"Who is buried out back?" Apolloni asked, gesturing towards the freshly dug grave in the pitiful garden below the window.

Francis choked up briefly as memories returned of her ghastly death at the hands of Barrachas. "That would be my eldest…or rather my second eldest, Olivia. That garden was her personal project; I encouraged her to pursue her passions. I do not know what happened to her older sister."

Malon cocked her head at this confusing description. "You had two daughters?"

"Three." He corrected. "My oldest, Terra, was taken from me by the army and sent to be used as entertainment for the troops. That was seven cycles ago, I do not know what has become of her."

Malon shivered at the thought; remembering the brief glimpses back when she was captured, she had a vague idea of what happened to poor Terra. In fact, she might have even seen her and not realized it. "I understand. I'm sorry."

"And that one?" Apolloni said unceremoniously, jerking her finger at the window.

Zelda scowled at Apolloni for her lack of tact, "He's already lost two daughters, why must we bring up the pain for him yet again?"

Francis held up a hand to belay the inevitable tirade Apolloni was about to unleash, "It is okay. It is probably good that you all should know how vile these people are. I lost Olivia to Barrachas only a week ago."

"Did he kill her with his magick?" Zelda probed.

"Worse." Francis looked dejectedly at the floor, "He ate her heart."

"What?" Link gasped shocked, Zelda and Malon had similar reactions. Apolloni merely snorted before looking back out the window at the grave.

"I don't know what Barrachas is, but after all the unholy things I have seen in my time here, I would not doubt he is something else entirely." Francis intoned dubiously.

"You mean he is not a man?" Link said, trying to confirm the suspicion.

"I don't know, I can only speculate. I have seen him do things that I would consider unnatural; the death of my daughter being one of them." Francis walked over to the vanity and sat down on the chair heavily, its legs creaking under his weight.

"You said you had three daughters, where is your third?" Zelda asked; a bit worried for the fate of his final offspring.

His face had aged considerably in the past few minutes as he turned to Zelda, grief clearly in his eyes. "She is safe at the homestead. Even if she were old enough to help me in the bar, given what has happened recently to Olivia, I doubt I'll ever bring Lily here again." He placed his elbows on his thighs as he covered his face with his hands, "What a wretched life we live; where my last daughter can't even leave the house for fear of being taken away or killed or worse!"

Zelda bounded off the bed and placed a hand on the man's shoulder; weeping bitterly into his hands, he did little to resist her consoling touch. "I'm so sorry." She said clumsily; it all started to make some sense, Francis had warned the females not to leave the inn in broad daylight. He knew little of their skills in battle, so he was simply being cautious as well as considerate for their welfare. Her heart boiled with rage to see what Barrachas had turned this city into.

"They are here!" Apolloni tersely stated, rising tall. All eyes were on her as she looked out of the window, scrutinizing beyond what she could see of the wall; she was strangely communicating without even talking. Zelda looked closely and could almost see flickers of light dance within the ruby encased on her forehead. After a moment, Apolloni turned to the others, "Ganondorf is here with a few others, he did not expound on them. They have encountered Merin and they are about to kill Xavier."

"What?!" Zelda and Link yelled in unison.

Apolloni huffed arrogantly, "Apparently, they think the Cyn'Taak is another mindless beast and it's acting quite aggressive towards them. Ganondorf is furious with Merin for defending it."

Zelda rushed to the door before being called back by Francis, "Xavier will not back down until she knows Link and I are safe!" She said anxiously.

"Why in blazes would a Cyn'Taak listen to you?" Francis asked skeptically.

Link followed Zelda out before turning to him, "We took the creature from its mother some time ago; we are the only beings it has been with." He gave an askance look to Apolloni, "It sort of…considers us its parents."

"Gracious! And you are simply intent on leaving out the front gates as you are?" Francis cawed.

"No," Link refuted, "we are going over the wall which you pointed out last night."

"By Farore's light! Do you want to get seen?" Francis declared, as if talking down to a child. "I told you that the guard relaxes their watch during the night. It is the middle of the day!" Exasperated at the rashness of youth, he heaved himself off the chair and tramped over to the doorway, pushing the two of them out of the way. "Follow me, we'll ferry you two out of here the same way you came in: through the front gate. The rest of you stay here and keep watch. Ingo, run the bar for me while I'm gone, ok?"

A flurry of activity followed with Apolloni and Malon setting up the new rooms according to Francis' specifications while Zelda and Link prepped the wagon that was parked in the alley. Ingo wiped down the bar and set up the pub for the evening clientele, of what little there would be. Within minutes, everything was in order and Francis was rousing the horses from their apathy; with a clap of the reins, they were off.

Francis had to quickly fabricate a logical explanation as to why he was leaving yet again so soon after his previous delivery; he hoped that the current cadre of sentries didn't come to his bar tonight and see a carbon copy of him tending it. With their dull witted minds falling for the false story, he urged the two steeds onward down the path until they rounded the bend where they could safely navigate back into the sheltered copse.

No sooner had they pulled into the grove and released themselves from the barrels could they hear Xavier snarling. Link and Zelda sprinted through the thicket, branches swatting their faces, towards the commotion. They both yelled for everyone to cease fighting as they stumbled across them; Merin was violently parrying blows with Nabooru, who was just as intent on killing Xavier as Ganondorf was. The beast was attempting to stab the Gerudo king with its barbed tail, but he irritatingly dodged every attempt.

Saria screamed Link's name as she saw him, forcing the others to terminate their altercation. Zelda rushed to Xavier's side and gently rubbed the trembling belly of the monstrous Cyn'Taak; it was very agitated and seemed to resist calming down to her soft touch. Ganondorf backed off as he perceived the threat nullified; with a huff he turned back to his horse and relaxed up against it, watching the others with a wary eye.

Saria rushed into Link's arms as he crushed her in a bear hug, elated to finally have his childhood friend back in his life. With a squeak, she pushed away from him, almost forgetting her little visitor inside her tunic. He looked at her quizzically, "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head, joyful to be in his arms again, "No, just happy to see you is all."

Link let her go and allowed her to fly beside him as he walked over to Talon who was still sitting on Harden, covering a frightened Giana in his arms. He beamed as he walked over to them and placed a hand on her shaking, petite arm, "Hey princess. You are safe, your knight is here."

At his voice, her head jerked up; tears still in her eyes, she leaped from the saddle into his arms, "Link! Link! I'm so glad it's you!" She sobbed into his shoulder; it was evident this trip had been hard on her.

"It's good ta see ya, my boy." Talon grumbled affectionately. Link merely nodded, holding the little bundle of joy in his arms.

"You keep some strange company, Link." Impa crooned behind him, gesturing towards Xavier.

He smiled dangerously, "I do what I can!"

Impa laughed at his humor. "Cheeky as always. I swear I'm rubbing off on you." She ruffled his hair as he playfully swatted her hand away. "There is someone who dearly missed you." She moved aside to reveal Epona behind her.

As if waiting all day for this moment, Epona rammed her snout into his hair and began nipping fervently; neighing with pleasure as she tried to get as close as possible to her master without trampling him to death. "Hey, stop Epona! That tickles!" Link laughed as Giana giggled at seeing her shining knight being assaulted by his own horse.

"So what now?" Zelda turned to Francis, ignoring the playful banter of Epona. Francis seemed flummoxed at how he was going to conceal all these people.

"Too many women, too many children and too many people." He sighed. "We can't simply take the wagon back in, it is far too soon. We will have to wait until the cover of nightfall to reenter the city."

"What is the problem?" Ganondorf rumbled. "You have a dark wizard at your disposal; we can simply walk through the front gates now."

"And they have dozens that won't die easily." Francis exhaled discouragingly.

Ganondorf massaged his beard a few moments, "That does change the plan slightly. Very well, we will follow that course of action and wait until darkness."

"We're all coming, right?" Saria asked hopefully.

Francis smacked his forehead, "No…you're all going to be the death of me."


	53. Chapter 52 - Reawakening the Past

**Chapter 52 - Reawakening the Past**

"I want no part in what is going ta happen tomorrow." Talon grumbled, soothing down Giana's ginger hair as she slept calmly by his side.

Impa nodded her head as she pulled up the covers on Ashley; his eyes drooping with the weight of his exhaustion. Despite the fact that they were kept inside the inn for the past few days, Francis found much for the kids to do. They had been cleaning and reorganizing the rooms; the place had never looked cleaner and if the plan ultimately succeeded tomorrow, Francis would be the proud owner of the first building to be refurbished in Glaun'rung.

"I understand Talon." Impa soothed calmly, pressing a gentle hand on Ashley's forehead before murmuring a few small words; within seconds the boy had passed out and was in blissful slumber. "These children are the future of the world we are going to create for them; the less they have to see of these horrors, the better."

Ingo grunted in agreement; he had been sitting in a chair along the opposite wall watching the bedtime rituals of the two children. "As much as I hate to admit, even Ashley deserves a chance to live a life free from the strife Naar and his army have brought."

Talon gave an inquiring look towards Ingo; the two of them had always had a strained relationship and their reunion a few nights ago was no different. It wasn't until the second day that they finally spoke to each other and settled their differences; it was tense for a while, but it seemed all had been forgiven on both sides. Malon had been thankful that Talon was equitable enough to work with Ingo and his brother in assisting Ashley and Giana around the inn.

Ingo's reflections over the death of his family still ran deep and he never did trust Ashley with anything of value and was overly protective of Giana despite the little girl already having a plethora of guardians at her beck and call. During the rare times they allowed the two to play out back near the garden, he would always be watchful of the boy. Ingo gradually loosened his vigil on Ashley as he saw how dutiful he worked around the place, tidying up the pub even into the wee hours of the night.

"I think I'm gonna turn in fer the night." Talon grunted as he lifted his legs up onto the bed and scooted closer to Giana; nestling her tiny body into the crook of one of his arms. Hiding out in the inn for the past few moons had taken its toll on everyone; nerves were shot and tensions were high. "Give my regards ta the rest, I'll watch over the young'ns up here."

Impa smiled as she quietly stood from Ashley's bed and strode over to the door; she looked in Ingo's direction expecting him to follow. The man took one final look of regret at Talon and Giana, resting peacefully in their bed before standing and following Impa out into the hall.

"I know this will sound odd," Impa began as she lightly closed the door. "but there is something I must do with Princess Zelda tonight and we will not be attending the meeting. Please see to it that the others understand."

Ingo smiled as he brushed his mustache with his forefingers, "You have my word, my lady." He spoke chivalrously.

"Thank you." Impa beamed; being around Francis truly did do wonders on his brother, she mused.

The two of them contentedly strolled down the hallway; taking the stairs one at a time as they looked through the rails at the group gathered at the largest table in the pub nearest the roaring fireplace. It was getting uncomfortable living in close proximity to Ganondorf and Apolloni together; they were slithered up next to each other in the corner chair, her body disgustingly draped over his lap like some parasite. Her disposition had improved considerably since Ganondorf's return; there was some odd sounds emanating from their room each night, Impa shuddered at the thought.

Link was sitting opposite Ganondorf with Malon and Zelda flanking him; Saria, not to be left out, sat in a chair kitty corner to Link's position. Francis had called the meeting tonight after extensive reconnaissance on the Temple of Ballos, as the group seemed to have coined it. More acolytes were getting suspicious at the unusual activity within his pub and the time was soon coming before their cover was busted. The time to strike would have to be soon.

All eyes turned to Impa and Ingo as they reached the bottom step. She turned to gently rap her fingers on Zelda's shoulder, snagging her attention. Zelda looked up curiously, "Yes?"

"We have to go somewhere princess." Impa said softly, whispering so as to not be overheard.

Zelda looked confused; it had been a long time since she was referred to so formally in conversation. "Is something wrong?" She asked nervously.

Impa smiled as she shook her head, "No, but there is something we must do tonight, for we may not get another chance at it."

"What are we to do? How do you know this?" Zelda asked, slight anxiety rising in her voice at Impa's calm determination.

Impa exchanged a knowing look with Saria, who was straining to listen in, before continuing, "Let's just say a little fairy told me."

Link, who was close enough to hear the conversation, cocked his head at this peculiar statement, "Can I come with you two?"

Impa frowned in disapproval, "I'm afraid not, Link. Maybe in the future, you may, but for now your presence is required here." She gestured to the rest of the group sitting around the table. "Don't worry," she continued as she saw the apprehensive look on Francis' face, "Zelda and I are well versed in ensuring we are not seen. You do not need to worry about us out there."

With one final touch on the arm, Zelda got up from the table. She gave one last look around; Ganondorf's face was impassive, she couldn't read what he was thinking. Apolloni merely raised her lip in derision at her. With one final glance back at Link, she smiled and turned; Impa and Zelda left the bar shutters swinging as they disappeared into the night.

Noticing flickering lights deep within Ganondorf's ruby but disregarding it, Link initiated the meeting. "Impa and I have been tracking the movements of the apprentice wizards for a few days now; we know where a few of them live and sleep. We have seen no sign of Barrachas, or at least anyone that fits your description Francis." The man nodded in acknowledgement. "I'm guessing the priest lives in the temple itself."

"I can attest to that." Francis offered. "I've only ever seen him out around town if he was on business with Talamir or Timner. I don't recall seeing him outside of those rare occurrences."

"So what do you propose we do?" Saria asked the obvious question.

"I think," Link pressed urgently, slanting forward on his elbows, "we should dispatch several mages in their beds while they sleep." Malon gasped at the cruel nature of it; even if they were horrible men and deserved such a fate, she never expected the idea to come from Link. He pointed a finger at Ganondorf, "I will need your assistance in this matter. Since they can regenerate, I will need you to blow them to dust. Using the Cyn'Taak poison is too noisy and will cause a disturbance."

"It is not that simple." Ganondorf growled. "There are limits to my magick; I can vaporize these fools with the assistance of Kotake and Koume, both of whom are not here. If I try hard enough, I can remove one wizard, maybe two. Beyond that, it would be best off burning the corpses; but that takes time and draws attention. It all depends on how many you want killed."

Link looked around the table before deciding on the number, "Three should do fine. Zelda, Malon and I will take their robes as a disguise and-"

Apolloni's eyes flashed at this absurd idea as Ganondorf interrupted, "Apolloni will go with you; I will only kill three." His tone was firm and not to be contested.

Link glared at the Gerudo king before resuming his thought, "Fine, Apolloni, Zelda and I will go into the temple in disguise. We will do our best to blend in and find this…object that gives these men their unholy powers."

"What then?" Francis asked critically. "Have you even thought that far ahead? I called this meeting thinking that after several days, you might have come up with something better. Once you acquire this object, if there is even one, what will you do? Destroy it? Sneak it out of the temple? Use it yourself?"

Link sat there cursing himself silently; he hadn't considered what he would do once he acquired whatever it was Barrachas held dear inside the temple, he was only focused on simply getting to it.

Francis sighed, his hand pressed to his forehead. "You're a good kid Link. Smart, resourceful and very skilled, however I feel that sometimes you aren't very bright in the planning department." Malon scrunched her nose at his backhanded compliment.

Link was about to rebuke Francis when Ganondorf huffed indicating Apolloni remove herself from his lap and stand beside him; he leaned towards the table as he spoke gruffly, "Since it seems I am the only one with any real authority to make decisions here, I am going to tell you what we are all going to do."

The conference went on for another hour; heated disputes about the new plan shot back and forth. In time, a compromise was made and a resolution to enact the plan the very next day was agreed upon. At the conclusion of the discussion, Ganondorf signaled Apolloni silently to follow him upstairs to their single room; she obediently submitted and shadowed him up the stairs.

"I'm nervous Link." Malon admitted as the two brothers left the pub and went to Francis' home, to his youngest daughter Lily. "I'm afraid for you tomorrow."

Link embraced her tenderly, "It'll be okay. Just keep those horses ready for us in the stable, ok?"

They had just recently brought Epona and Harden into the city on Francis' recent 'return' to the city. It was clear the guards paid very little attention to details since they did not bother to ask where the two spotted horses went; they were left in the forest in the care of Nabooru and Merin, clearly content living off the land than consenting to eat the dried hay heaped in the stalls.

A significant part of the plan was dedicated to escaping the capital regardless if things went flawlessly or not; they were still unsure of what the local populace would do if they were discovered. Malon was to saddle up the horses and fill their packs with the help of Ingo the next morning. To be ready at a moment's notice to assist Link, Zelda and the two children onto the stallions. Ingo and Francis promised they'd summon any remaining horses that were deemed necessary for the rest to make good their escape.

"Do we have to work with him?" Malon said, glancing at Saria. It went unsaid who she was referring to.

Link squeezed her supple body tighter, "I share the feeling Malon. I don't think we have a choice right now; he has talents we could use. And besides," He withdrew from her as he raised a hand up; with intense concentration, he managed to conjure up a single dagger of obsidian into his palm. "What little I can do probably won't be enough." He vaporized the blade into mist as he let his hand drop; the little training he did get under Francis wasn't sufficient to be of any real worth in the looming battle.

_Should we show him now?_ Sora asked determinedly in Saria's mind.

"No, not yet Sora. It is against her wishes, we have to respect that!" Saria spoke abruptly, bringing Link and Malon out of their conversation.

"Whose wishes?" Link asked.

Saria's wings went rigid as she backed up, clasping her hands behind her back. "Nobody! Sora is just talking nonsense right now." Before Link could ask about her obvious fabrication, the Kokiri grabbed Malon's hand and practically dragged her to the staircase. "Come on Malon! It is a big day tomorrow and we need our rest."

Link lifted an eyebrow at Saria's abnormal behavior. Malon fumbled behind the diminutive girl as she turned around briefly to say good night. The two had been sharing a room these past few moons; they seemed to get along well. Talon slept in the same room as the two children while Link had a room all to himself. Impa and Zelda shared the final room at the end of the hall; now that the ruse was up, it no longer seemed appropriate to be sharing a room with the princess of Hyrule.

He looked out the window; where were they tonight? What were they doing? Sighing, he resigned to another lonely evening and trudged up the stairs to his bedroom.

* * *

><p>The two delivered that night's food to Nabooru and Merin; they each accepted it gratefully. Merin had offered to stay behind with Xavier again while insisting that Ashley get a warm, comfortable bed. He shouldn't have to tolerate being out in the wilderness any longer, especially now that the cold southern winds of fall had started to blow. Nabooru, still untrusting of her, decided to stick around to keep a watchful eye on her fellow Gerudo. She was unsure if Merin was still under Ganondorf's sway and did not want a stray agent of his wandering around unattended.<p>

Xavier greeted Zelda warmly as it clumsily instigated a hug; since being around Hylians and not of its own kind, it had tried mimicking certain actions. The sight of such a creature rumbling up to her with arms and claws spread was quite unnerving. As disgusting as it was having its slithering tongue licking her hair, she couldn't help but feel joyful at having something love her so unconditionally.

After some trivial small talk, Impa roused Zelda from the discussion and prompted that they continue on their appointed task. With a final wave goodbye, they delved deeper into the forest. Zelda asked where they were headed but was greeted by nothing but a shake of Impa's head. They pressed further into the trees until they came across an abandoned temple; it looked similar in nature to one they encountered in the Negev Marshlands but appeared better maintained.

"What is this place?" Zelda asked.

"It is a sacred place of rebirth." Impa intoned; a faint trace of a smile on her face.

"Rebirth of what?" Zelda was completely lost.

They made their way inside the structure and proceeded further into its depths. "A rebirth of your memories, my princess." Impa replied calmly.

"I don't understand." Zelda carped, wiping away a spider web that had swathed itself over her hair.

"You will Zelda. I have been waiting cycles for this very moment. It is the reason I was born. That all Sheikah are born." Impa did not wait for a response from Zelda, but surged deeper.

They encountered various creatures of unspeakable lethality; between the two of them, they made short work of the dark denizens that had taken residence inside the temple. At length they reached a final chamber that was pitch black save for a small shaft of light piercing the gloom from the ceiling where the brick had eroded and fallen away revealing the moonlit sky. The central vestibule housed a lake of purest water; so clear was its surface that they could see the ground beneath the watery veil.

"You must purify yourself in the water Zelda." Impa said purposefully.

Zelda looked around in awe; as deteriorated as it was, the room held a certain beauty to its features. "Who created this place?" She asked in amazement, noticing remnants of statues that could have depicted a gorgeous woman, or was it a Goddess?

"You did Zelda." Impa said ardently.

Zelda jerked her head in shock, "But I don't remember…what?" She couldn't wrap her mind around Impa's declaration.

"You created many places with your nature embedded across the lands, not just Hyrule. I was surprised to find the location of this place just recently. I had given up all hope of ever fulfilling my purpose." Impa beamed as she looked on the pristine lake with relief.

Zelda turned back to the water, "What am I to do?"

"Bath in it, Zelda." Impa said, pointing to the cool liquid lapping at the brick steps just a few paces from them.

"With clothes on?" Zelda asked uncertainly; she didn't like the idea of coming back sopping wet and leaving an obvious trail back to the inn, no amount of Sheikah magic could cover that.

"I should think not, but I don't believe it matters either way." Impa shrugged.

Zelda began stripping off all her clothes, gently folding them and laying them aside the steps. Shivering slightly at the chill dampness of the chamber, she placed one foot into the water and gasped at how unusually warm it was. Lacking much more incentive, she dove head first into the luxurious heat of the lake; her nude form cutting through the warm liquid. Presently she stood up from the lake and turned to Impa, water running down her body in rivulets.

"Okay Impa…I've bathed now. I don't feel any different." Zelda was wondering if Impa was mistaken about this place.

Impa waded out towards Zelda, having already undressed herself. She came up to her and pressed a motherly hand on Zelda's shoulder. "I want you to trust me on this. It will be alarming to you, but I assure you that it is necessary."

"I trust you." Zelda said; a slight tremble in her voice.

Impa smiled before placing a firm hand behind Zelda's back and with the other on her forehead, she dipped her back into the water. Submerging her entire body, Impa kept her there. At first it felt good; the warmth of the water seeping into her body, then the urge to breathe began creeping in. Zelda attempted to rise up for a breath but was firmly held in place by Impa; she then turned to struggling, her legs kicking out in panic as water began filling her lungs. She screamed in the water as Impa closed her eyes and gritted her teeth; she hated doing this to her.

Darkness crept into her vision as the blurred face of Impa faded from beyond the veil; the pain in her body was agonizing as water gurgled into her nose. With one final gasp, she was on a mountaintop beholding barren plains of molten fire. Zelda swirled around confused, looking at the unknown landscape before her. Flashes of lightning and thunder pirouetted across the sky; the azure blue blocked out by a thick layer of billowing clouds.

She turned her gaze down into the valley and saw millions of demons; hordes of them. They were indescribable horrors that were attacking Hylians, Gorons, Zoras and more; rending them apart, eating them, and even turning them inside out. It was a scene from a nightmare, a dream she couldn't wake up from. She saw multitudes of demons gathering together to assault one last vestibule of light, a single village.

With a shuddering crack, the entire earth shook beneath her. The town began slowly rising into the air; various demons hanging on for dear life before finally falling to their doom thousands of feet below. Zelda watched in awe as she saw the floating island rise higher through the clouds and then out of sight.

A ring of steel and screams of pain jolted her attention back to the valley where a lone man was fighting off the throng. Adorned with a brilliant green tunic and cap that stood out contrastingly from the desolation around him, he was a beacon of hope in the midst of chaos. His sword rang true with every slice, limbs and heads flew in all directions as blood sprayed through the air. The man tirelessly ravaged through the mass before finally being struck down by an errant pincer impaling him through the chest.

Zelda wanted to scream out to the courageous, young man but was cut short as she heard a deafening roar behind her. She twirled around to see an abomination, crawling on six grotesque feet of purest black, oozing blood from its fingernails. The creature approached her with a grin spread across its snout, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth inside its maw. Trailing along its back was a mane of raging fire; an unquenchable blaze that was revolting to look at.

The beast gazed briefly behind her as the man's heart was ripped beating out of his chest. Its cackle made her skin crawl, "It seems, my Goddess, that your champion has fallen."

She burst out of the water screaming; splashing and spluttering up water, Impa helped Zelda to her knees. She cringed and hung onto Impa for safety, a focal point of sanity in a world seemingly turned upside down. She became sobbing uncontrollably for minutes, unable to get the awful images out of her head. Where was she? What was that awful creature?

"Impa." She spoke; her teeth clattering not from the cold but from abject terror. "I saw a terrible vision. It was dreadful."

Impa soothed Zelda; stroking her hair calmly, "I know Zelda, I know. It was a memory of your past, reawakened."

Zelda shook her head violently, "If it is part of my past, I want no part in it! Please don't make me remember it again!"

"There is but one other place we must visit." Zelda continued shaking her head fervently, but Impa persisted, "For the sake of our world, you must remember who you were. Who you are. The fate of Hyrule and of Link depends on it."

The mention of his name calmed her; giving her focus. "Will knowing my past truly help him?" She asked fearfully.

Impa placed her cheek on Zelda's head, "Yes, I believe so."

Zelda withdrew and looked up into Impa's face, "You said a little fairy told you to come here."

Impa nodded, "Yes, someone who has a piece of you in her. Like all fairies."

Zelda's eyes grew intense as she asked, "What is her name?"


	54. Chapter 53 - Intimate Encounters

**Chapter 53 - Intimate Encounters**

She lay awake in her bed staring at the ceiling; counting the wooden boards above her and how many comprised the roof of their room. She tried sleeping but could not seem to force herself to dream; closing her eyes for any length of time did little to calm her jittery nerves. Everything had led to this night and tomorrow they were going to strike the heart of Nevachrea and potentially cripple their wicked regime.

Malon turned onto her side and looked across the small room at Saria. The Kokiri was sleeping soundly with her gossamer wings turned to her. She never did see Saria sleep on her back, only on her sides or stomach. Malon figured that made sense because of her awkward appendages; it would be rather uncomfortable to be slumbering on them. She wondered what it was like to have something so unnatural sprouting out from behind her shoulder blades. Would it hurt if she suddenly developed wings?

Strange thoughts permeated her mind as she tossed and turned under the covers. She didn't usually have this much trouble napping and could more or less fall asleep easily. Her thoughts kept going back to her personal project she had just finished the morning prior; she had been tirelessly working on it for orbits. With it finally done, she was just waiting for the right time to finally show it to him.

Malon sat up suddenly in her bed; if it wasn't going to be tonight and tomorrow was a disaster, then she might not ever get to present him his present! With this clear objective in her mind, she looked over at Saria to ensure she hadn't awoken her and quietly slipped out of bed. Readjusting her ivory nightgown which had rolled up due to her tossing, she tiptoed towards the door. Gracefully gliding through the small opening she made for herself, she gradually shut the door without so much as a sound.

Breathing a huge sigh of relief, she paced down the hall in her bare feet until she came to Link's room several alcoves down; the lights from the hanging lanterns in the hall were dim as the candles had burned low to the base of their wicks. Taking a small breath of courage, she gently rapped on his door and stood waiting with anticipation. After a few minutes of silence, she knocked again slightly louder and stood back expectantly.

The door opened to reveal Link half naked; his rippling torso uncovered and his waist and legs sheathed in white form-fitting tights. She giggled as she quickly looked away, trying to maintain an air of propriety. Groggily waking and realizing who it was, he muttered an apology and quickly tossed on a simple loose-fitting shirt of grey.

Coming back to the door and leaning heavily on it for support, he gazed at her sleepily, "Yes Malon? What did you want? It's the middle of the night."

She continued to giggle; he sure was cranky when he didn't get his rest! She grinned mischievously as she spoke coyly. "I have made a present for you that I think you'll like."

Link pressed his forehead into the door with exasperation, "Malon, I don't have time for these games. Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

Malon's lips formed into a pout, "Fine, be that way. I guess I won't show you my personal project you so desperately wanted to see a few moons ago!" She whispered heatedly.

His pupils bulged open as he looked at her from the corner of his eyes, "You mean you're actually going to show me?"

She clasped her hands behind her back as she swayed back and forth innocently, "As long as you show me that object you keep hiding in your pack whenever someone was around."

A look of worry flashed across his face before he molded his expression into one of mirth, "We'll see about that. You show me your present first then we'll talk about what I have in my pack later."

Seeing as this was as good as she was going to get from him on the matter, she hastily agreed. "Fine. Follow me then!"

Grabbing his hand unevenly, she tugged him along down the hallway; he was somewhat in a slight stupor as he stumbled down the stairs. She had no idea he slept so completely; during the long days on the road she usually fell asleep before he did. She chuckled as he tried to smooth out his disheveled hair, following her towards the rear of the pub.

Escaping out the back entrance of the inn, she scanned the environs for any sentries that could be patrolling the wall near them. Seeing no sign of life, she urged Link onward across the moonlit path to the stables which was adjacent to Francis' pub, built alongside the wall. The only reason the structure was still standing, Ingo had said, was because of the lone horses Francis kept for his liquor runs to the nearby provinces. If it had not been for the practical use of those animals, they would have been eaten like the rest for nourishment. Such was the famine that was prevalent in Nevachrea.

They entered the stables quietly as they walked down the rows to where their horses were being held. Epona and Harden each nickered in joyful greeting at the two of them as they rounded the bend to their stalls. Epona gingerly nipped at Link's shoulder as she playfully nudged his chest with her nose; he laughed as he brushed down her neck and gave her an elated hug.

"I've missed you too girl. It's been too long since we've rode the winds, haven't we?" Link asked; Epona whinnied a response in the positive.

After a brief greeting with Harden who seemed more interested in Epona's reunion, Malon examined the saddlebag hanging off his side. Turning around with one arm underneath Epona's neck, gently stroking her soft fur, Link watched Malon attentively as she was taking dozens of fabrics and utensils out of her pack and setting them aside. At length, she found the items she was seeking; she meant to take them out straight away but on a sudden thought she turned to him sheepishly.

"Will you close your eyes please?" She asked excitedly; upon seeing him lift a part of his lip in a rascally leer, she exclaimed, "I'm serious! Please?"

Making a huge fit of an expression to her demands, he dutifully closed his eyes in an exaggerated fashion; she sighed, sometimes he could be quite the handful. After some rustling, she instructed nervously, "Okay, you can open your eyes now."

His mouth dropped open as he beheld what she was holding, it was an adult sized replica of his Kokiri clothing; hand stitched from scratch down to the finest detail. He had no idea if she got the specifics from Saria at all or if she was that observant of his former clothes as a child. Link was utterly stunned at this amazing display of dedication and love for him; to recreate something that was such a part of his identity and present it to him. He laughed astonished as she held out with her free hand a green cap.

"My Goddesses, how did you…? When did you…?" Link could barely speak; his mind was completely blown at this compassionate gift.

She timidly bit her lower lip as she asked, "Do you like it?"

"Like it?" Link stammered, "I love it!" He took them from her hands, feeling the soft, cotton fabric between his fingers; it was slightly more airy than his original, he figured it would breathe a lot better in the heat.

"I've been working on it since before we left the Gerudo. I had Saria assist me in the design of it." Link looked at Malon in wonder as she confirmed his suspicions. "And I had Zelda get me the size measurements." She blushed.

It took a moment for the words to sink in, "Wait, what?" Link probed, "How did she get my measurements?"

Malon swiftly looked away to Epona as she haltingly spoke, "Well…you were living with her for quite some time; changing in front of her and all." The colors of her cheeks turned even further crimson. "I think she just guessed from all the times she saw you…erm…naked." For some reason, talking about this seemed horribly embarrassing and she had no idea why.

Link gave her a wry grin as he asked, "Do you mind if I try this on now?" Slightly thrilled at the prospect.

"Sure." Malon actually wanted to see how well her handiwork fitted him, "Wait, what are you doing?!" She gasped as he began taking his shirt off in front of her.

Tossing the blouse to the ground he looked at her roguishly, "What? Zelda is allowed to get my measurements for the last seven cycles and you aren't?"

She giggled manically as she held a palm to her lips in shock, "Link! You are such a bad boy!"

Taking this as his cue for consent, he expeditiously pulled his tights off his waist; he brought them down to his ankles before kicking them off with a flick of his foot. Malon's eyes widened as she gawked upon his nude form; this was the first time in her life she had seen Link, much less a grown man, naked. Her gaze traveled inexorably toward his loins, where the object of her curiosity and speculations lay. She didn't know what to make of it; was this how she always pictured it?

Ignoring her obvious staring, he slipped the green tunic over his head and brought it down past his thighs. He strapped the provided leather belt around his waist and slapped the cap over his head, adjusting it so that it fit comfortably. He turned to her as he spread his arms out wide with a beaming smile, "How do I look?"

"Beautiful." She murmured; entranced with his gorgeous body, the outfit fit him a little tighter than she remembered but it didn't matter.

Link looked around expectantly, "Did you have any boots to go with this?"

Malon shook her head, "I'm sorry, I only made the clothes."

Link shrugged as he looked down at himself, moving his belt slightly to be more centered. "That's fine. I guess I can substitute any old boots I have." He looked back up to her with gratitude. "Thank you so much for this Malon. You have no idea what this means to me."

He startled Malon as he hugged her tightly; pressing his body close to hers. After a pause, she relaxed into his embrace and wrapped her arms around him. "I've missed you." She whispered into his shoulder.

Link leaned his head back to look at her, "Missed me? I'm right here."

She smiled as she shook her head, "No, I mean…I've missed sleeping next to you these past few moons. You…comfort me, help me sleep."

He smirked, "Is Saria's snoring keeping you up?"

A small squeak emitted from beyond the stable entrance, Link jerked in that direction. He was only brought back into the conversation as Malon continued; oblivious to the unknown noise he had heard. "It's not that. She is actually a quiet sleeper. She does talk to herself at times though."

Link chuckled, "Yeah, it is because of Sora. She lives on inside of her, so sometimes it does make her seem a bit loopy."

Malon slapped a hand onto his chest, "I know that silly! It is just…sometimes it seems she is having two conversations at once, it's so odd."

Link raised a brow at this; that did seem a bit peculiar. "Well having a fairy merge with a Kokiri hasn't been seen in Hyrule since…ever. So I'm sure there are some side effects that are just now emerging." He said goofily.

She smacked his chest yet again, "Oh, you're terrible. You stop talking about her like that."

"I do because I love her. She is my best friend in the whole world." He said languorously.

"And I'm not?" Malon scoffed; pretending to be hurt at his words.

Link looked down into her blue eyes, radiant even in the light of the one lantern hanging precariously from the ceiling of the stable. "No…you are something more to me Malon."

She became acutely aware of his firm body pressed up against hers; the feeling of something bulging, poking at her lower abdomen. "Link?" She questioned; a look of yearning in her eyes.

Link gently pressed his lips against hers, holding her body tight against his. The instant their mouths met, she was lost; she knew she couldn't resist his advances. Within moments they were pressed up against the wall, hands frantically running up and down each other's bodies. Cycles of pent up sexual tension exploding in a flurry of mad movement; Epona whickered in surprise as they roughly brushed past her.

"Sorry girl!" Link excused himself as they found the empty stall across from Epona; it seemed to have a healthy heaping of hay that would do well as a cushion. Link released Malon as he went over to the clothes she had set aside and spread them out across the straw in an attempt at makeshift bedding.

Malon tittered, "You sure know how to woo a girl." She couldn't help but laugh at his spontaneous attempt to make her comfortable in a stable, of all places!

"Well," he started, looking genuinely hurt, "It's not like we'd have much success elsewhere!"

"True." She agreed.

As if deciding in unison, they both divulged themselves of their clothes; standing naked in front of each other for the first time in their lives. Link's attention diverted to the entrance as he thought he saw a flicker of movement. Malon turned to see what he was looking at.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

He shook his head, "Nothing. Just paranoid, I guess. We've never gotten this far before."

Grinning, she examined his handsome features; he was thin, yet muscular. His abs were toned and his legs, two pistons of strength. His manhood stood firmly erect; perfectly perched atop two cylindrical balls with a halo of blonde hair encircling it. Link, in turn, was appreciating her voluptuous form. He admired her flaming, red hair showcasing the curves of her body and hips; her pert breasts luminous in the candle light. Pink areolas drawing attention to her stiff nipples; he wondered what it would be like to feel them. Looking further down to her divide, he saw an inviting slit crowned with curled ginger.

"So…what's stopping us from going further?" She enquired deviously.

Needing no more incentive, he swept her up into his arms and laid her down onto the splayed clothes; she giggled at his urgency. Her humor was replaced with longing as his lips trailed across her neck down to her breasts. She gasped in shock as he took one bud gently into his mouth and began sucking with tender fervor. Massaging the neglected breast with his other hand, he casually rubbed his member against her leg; teasing her with its presence.

Malon exhaled pleasurably, "Where did you learn to do this?"

With a final lick to the nipple sending shivers down her spine, he looked up at her. "I snuck around several times and watched some of the Gerudo do this."

She inhaled with shock, "You didn't!"

"I did." Link grinned evilly, "Like you said, I am a bad boy!"

Without waiting for her response, he dove lower to her loins and spread her legs apart. She whined briefly at this sudden change in interest but moaned in delight as he fingered the folds of her womanhood open, giving enough room for his tongue to press warmly onto her burgeoning blossom. Malon cried out as his rough, yet squishy tongue swirled around sending spasms of energy spiraling through her limbs.

"How close…ahh!" She stopped in midsentence as an especially egregious lick sent her quivering. Recovering from the onslaught, she continued, "Did you have to get to learn this?" She finished, forcing every fiber of her being to focus on the words she was saying.

Link just laughed under his breath as he continued his assault on her pink bloom; dipping his tongue downward before sticking it swiftly into the minuscule hole. She bucked wildly under his mouth but he kept up with her movements and continued to flick his tongue into the opening. Malon's hands unconsciously went to his head; pressing him harder into her crotch, not wanting him to stop.

"Did you have sex with any of them?" She knew this was the wrong thing to say the moment it left her lips. He stopped as he looked up at her.

"No, of course I didn't. Why would you ask that?" Link murmured; somewhat offended.

Malon whimpered in hunger, "I'm sorry…I didn't mean it. Please take me. Please!" She pleaded.

Not wanting to let the little slip ruin the moment, he leaned over her; resting a hand on either side of her body, taking her form in, memorizing it. He began moving his buttocks lower as he pressed in to enter her. She winced slightly as she prompted him to stop with a hand to the chest, gently pushing him away.

"Um…" She smiled with her eyes closed, trying to suppress a laugh, "You're a little low there."

"I'm…what?" Link looked down. He sniggered; his aim was a bit off. Maybe he should look where he was going.

"Not much of an expert on this part are you?" She simpered.

He shook his head meekly as he guided his member to her glistening folds; with a gentle nudge he began pressing his fleshy sword into her wet sheathe. Her eyes flared open at the sharp pain; her gaze locking onto his eyes firmly as she gripped his back tightly. She cried softly as he continued to gently make his way deeper into her body; gasping as she felt his sacs touch her skin. He was fully in!

The feeling of fullness was exhilarating; the pain slowly began to ebb away as he lay there filling her crevice with his pulsing manhood. Malon exclaimed incoherently as Link began to withdraw his member from her moist chamber, only to moan in ecstasy as he plowed it back into her. Link began delicately kissing her neck, slowly building a smooth rhythm with his thrusts. In time, Malon began to anticipate when he would push in and began raising her hips to meet his advance.

Slivers of pleasure danced across her rosebud and throughout her inner being as his plunges became more urgent; sweat was gleaming off their bodies at the shared exertion. She could feel him building to something explosive; if she wanted to exploit the idea she had in mind, she best do it now.

"Link?" Malon whispered; he mumbled something unintelligible, "Can we try something please?"

"Huh? What is it?" He looked at her confused, his pace slowing down slightly.

"Can you ride me like a horse?" She asked tentatively; fearing he'd reject the idea out of hand.

"I'm sorry, what?" Link asked flummoxed.

"Get off please." Groaning in agony as he slipped out of her damp furnace, he obliged her request. She gulped at the sudden chill that entered her womanhood at his absence; her only thought was to get him back inside. Malon got on her hands and knees and offered her rump up for his viewing pleasure. "Can you mount me?"

"Like a horse?" Link questioned completely taken aback at this bizarre request. "You are so weird." He laughed.

"Will you?" She looked back at him, wiggling enticingly.

Spurred on by the wicked nature of it, he squatted over her before maneuvering his stiff spear back into her cushioned corridor. They both groaned in unison at their rejoining. Lacking firm balance, he held her hips to keep himself steady as he began thrusting back into her massaging folds.

With each withdraw, he felt her insides sucking him back in; he began panting with eagerness as his plunges grew swifter and rougher. Lost in the feeling of his lunges, she began smacking back onto his skin with each drive; maintaining the rhythm he had set. She bit into her arm to keep herself from screaming from the pleasure. Malon wanted to shout exuberantly from the rooftops at the feeling of Link violating her deepest secrets.

His grunts began to turn labored as his pounding turned deliciously violent; she could feel herself rising to a crescendo that permeating across her lower abdomen and that danced up and down his rock hard member. With a hoarse cry, he smashed himself deep into Malon spilling his seed into her womb. Feeling the intense heat rushing into her body, combined with the convulsive jerks of his manhood, Malon leaped over the edge and cried into her arm as her corridor constricted around him sadistically.

They collapsed onto the haphazardly strewn clothes; hot, sticky and sweaty. They both rested next to each other, panting as their minds reeled with the amazing thing they had shared together. Sighing as she felt a delightful soreness between her legs, Malon closed her eyes wanting to drift off to sleep. She jolted faintly as she suddenly felt a slight leaking from her loins; she looked down to see white fluid dribbling down into the hay. Was that what he put into her?

She leaned back, resting her head on his arm as he glanced over at Epona. She was giving him a knowing look, nickering in an odd tone while stomping her hoof. "Don't give me that look." Link began to reprimand the horse.

Snorting in derision and promptly turning away from the two of them, Epona clopped over to Harden's stall and flicked her tail at him. The mare curved to give Link a defiant look, daring him to do any better. To Link's surprise, he saw the frisky Harden walk around to Epona's backside and sniff her; with a grunting heave, he lifted himself onto her rump and began searching for her opening with his elongated phallus.

"Malon…look!" Link nudged her as he pointed in the direction of the two mating horses.

Her mouth dropped open in disbelief. "How did…? I've been trying to breed them for cycles!"

Link laughed, "Maybe all they needed was a demonstration on how it was done?"

She slapped his chest tersely, "Oh, you're horrible!"

He cackled, "It was your idea to have me ride you like a horse!" He finished with a poke to her nose.

"I didn't know it would lead to this!" She gestured to the two horses; already grunting in the throes of sexual pleasure. With a final whinnying cry, Harden gushed his load into Epona before slipping out satiated. As if finally done proving a point, Epona flicked her tail at the two of them before returning to her stall.

"I'll take that as a challenge Epona." Link grinned.

"Take what?" Malon said, lost as to what he was referring to.

She yelped as he swooped on top of her and plunged his stiff member deep into her. "Again? We just got done!" Malon giggled.

"We may not get another chance like this again. I'm taking advantage of it!" Link crooned as he rhythmically pulsed in and out of her, enjoying the new feeling of the slick wetness of his juices mixed with hers sliding across his throbbing sword.

Their quiet laughter could be faintly heard from outside the stables as the small Kokiri departed the building; pressing her back up against the wooden boards, she slid down until her butt hit the dirt. Raising her knees to her chest, she gripped them with her arms as she began crying. So this is what she was missing out on; what she'd never be able to experience. It looked so…natural and loving; a special expression of love she could never have. Despite her peeping on the two of them without asking, she silently thanked Link for giving her this vision of physical happiness.

"Why are you crying?" The little voice asked. "Shouldn't you be happy for them? I am. It's not every day you get to see your Kokiri soul mate making love."

Saria had to stifle a snicker at the obvious statement, "Yeah, I know." She said, wiping away the tears. "You probably never see it at all." She said bitterly. "Is there any way I can experience something like that? Impa said there might be a way."

The little voice paused for quite a while. Listening to the grunts of the two lovers in the stall, Saria wondered what it was like to be in Malon's place. At length, the voice answered, "If that is what you wish, I did read something about how it can be done while I was in the realm of the Twili. It is actually quite easy to do, but there is a prerequisite before it can happen."

Ignoring the orgasmic cries of the duo, Saria took the small fairy out of her tunic and held it in the palms of her hands. Her eyes gazing intently into the blue glow; Saria asked earnestly, "How can it be done? What needs to happen first?"

"I must be merged with him." The fairy stated flatly. Saria blinked but the little sprite pressed on, "However, for that to happen…"


	55. Chapter 54 - Under the Cover of Black

**Chapter 54 - Under the Cover of Black**

The operation had proceeded flawlessly. Ganondorf swirled the ashes across the floor with his boot, grunting in satisfaction at his display of power. Apolloni and Zelda quickly got dressed into the black robes that the vile acolytes wore; even Link was impressed at how uncannily accurate Ganondorf was in eliminating the three tyros without harming what they sported. He held the heavy fabric in his hands and wondered how they survived in this heat with these overbearing shrouds.

"Why in the world do you insist on wearing that garish outfit?" Apolloni sneered, gesturing to the Kokiri outfit Malon had created for him.

He scowled at her before responding, "It represents a piece of my life that is dear to my heart. Something you'd never understand."

Zelda stepped up behind Link to frown at Apolloni, daring her to rebuke him. After a moment, the Gerudo backed down and indicated his cap, "Well that will be troublesome when you put on the cloak."

Link shook his head curtly, "No it won't." He unfurled a portion of the robe revealing a deep pocket, "I can simply place it in here. In fact…there are quite a few pockets."

Indeed, as they began searching through the robes, it became clear that the small pieces of bones, feathers, and other indescribable things were spell components. Hastily discarding the obscene objects, Link draped the heavy material over his head and let it drop to his ankles. They each placed on the wooden sandals that the mages wore. Link stood slightly unbalanced at the unnatural height the foot adornments afforded him.

"If you are quite finished with your fashion show, we need to move onto the next phase of the plan." Ganondorf rumbled; sweeping out of the bedroom door and into the hall. Zelda trailed after him wondering how the Gerudo king would know about such events since the only ones she heard of had been conducted within the castle walls of her kingdom.

Emerging into the light of the rising sun, Ganondorf shifted towards the long shadows cast by the nearby buildings. If this plan was to work, he had to remain hidden and unseen; the three imposters had to be visible at all times. Swiftly moving as a trio with Link in the lead, they kept their heads down and their hands stuffed inside their cloaks. As expected, the few townspeople they did meet rapidly switched sides of the street and gave them a wide berth. Zelda began to understand what it was like to be feared.

Link glanced over at the stables as they passed Francis' pub; he could just barely see Malon peeking out at them from inside, hopefully she had those horses saddled up by now. Flicking his eyes up towards the nearby rooftops, he saw Saria flittering from building to building; trying her best to remain unobtrusive and utilizing her inherent ability to appear trivial and unimportant. Who knew where Ganondorf was at this point, he had lost track of where that man went. He knew that once they entered the temple they were on their own. The clouds had started to come in; he could feel a storm brewing.

They could smell the rank stench of decay well before they could see it; rounding the bend of the alley, they came across the plaza with the wretched Temple of Ballos sitting at its center like a bulbous parasite. Ignoring the weak burbles of the pitiful fountain that probably was once the majestic centerpiece of the town, they made their way directly across towards the entrance. Link's nerves were on edge as he cast furtive glances all around; they were too exposed but knew that pretending to be one of them was their best defense.

The incessant moaning of the pathetic Nevachreans who framed the entrance sent chills down Zelda's spine. As they drew closer, their pleading and crying became more urgent as their hands reached out to grab their robes. Several managed to snag firm grips on them as they attempted to bypass their violating hands; with a few panicked jerks they entered the gloom of the temple. A heavy pall rested on their hearts as they stood in the dim light, letting their eyes adjust. Rippling waves of dread rolled over their inner souls as they stood there; just barely inside the structure and they could already feel the evil emanating from further within.

The corridor split into three distinctive passageways; none of which gave them any indication of the correct way to go. Simply choosing the middle path, Link surged ahead with Zelda and Apolloni in tow down the groaning passage; deftly avoiding any hands reaching out for some quantum of solace from their eternal misery.

Link could feel the grip of Zelda's hand on his arm constricting the closer they moved down the hallway; there was no adornment to the walls, merely ensconced torches and the protruding bodies as décor. They came to another cross section and stood undecided where to go. Where were all the mages? Why have they not encountered anyone? At the insistence of Zelda who could feel an evil presence traveling in their direction from the left, they quickly headed right.

"How can you feel these things Zelda?" Link whispered to her.

"I don't know, ever since last night, I began sensing things that I could not before." She murmured.

"What did you and Impa do?" He asked inquisitively, rounding another bend of hallway making a beeline for the double doors looming on the right side.

She shook her head, unwilling to recount her horrible experience, "It doesn't matter right now. But whatever I am feeling, it's trying to find us. It is almost as if I'm familiar with its nature." She shut her eyes trying in vain to block out the images flashing through her mind.

"Will you two be quiet?!" Apolloni hissed. "If it is searching for us, we don't want to lead it straight to us by talking!"

Link opened the double doors and almost slipped on the floor; Apolloni quickly shot out her hand and caught him before he fell. The entire floor was covered in blood and various altars were set up throughout the expansive room; she could see discarded corpses and amputated limbs littering the floor. Zelda drew near what appeared to be a cadaver chained to the adjacent wall by heavy bolts; he was leaning forward while standing, allowing the chains to hold him steady.

Link spotted what she was approaching and spoke in alarm, "Zelda, I think you should back away from-"

She bounded back, stifling a scream, as the unconscious man woke up raving. Snarling and biting at thin air, his only thoughts were to rend her apart and eat her organs. Zelda backed up, horror in her eyes as she viewed the blood drenched man with animalistic hunger in his irises; she bumped against Link who wrapped his arms around her tightly to comfort her.

"Link, please, let's get out of here. This place is evil." She squeaked, teeth chattering uncontrollably.

He nodded his assent and swiftly guided them out into the hallway; Zelda frantically tugged on Link to continue heading down the passage away from the shouting lunatic. The feeling of demonic presence was drawing nearer, no doubt attracted to the sounds of the revived man. Quickly sprinting down random corridors, Link was getting anxious about several things; where were all the people who were supposed to live or work in this temple? Why did it seem much larger on the inside than what it appeared on the outside? Did they really have the most current intelligence about this place, or were they set up?

Trying to control the frantic beating of his heart, he barged into the nearest set of doors to his left; quietly shutting them he turned to see a rather curious object. The rest of the room was veiled in shadow but the central platform was lit by freshly minted torches; all visual cues commanding their attention towards the lone mask perched on an altar of bones. Link couldn't believe his eyes as his consideration rested on the mask he thought he'd never see again. He had no idea what it was called, but it helped him tremendously during his last battle with Majora in what was once the doomed world of Termina.

"Is this the focal point of what you are feeling Zelda?" Link asked mystified as he slowly stepped up to the dais.

Zelda moved up beside him and shook her head, "No. I actually can't feel anything from this mask. It is not the source of the evil."

Link knelt down to examine it and observed several spots on its lower cheeks that indicated the acolytes were shaving off splinters from it. Why would they do such a thing? He couldn't make much sense out of it; however something deep down in his soul, he knew this was the reason the Nevachreans were able to regenerate every time they died. With a nod of his head, he picked the mask up.

"What are you doing?" Apolloni susurrated.

He turned to her as if she was clueless, "If Zelda can feel that it is harmless, shouldn't it be okay to pick up?" Link looked down at his black robes. "I feel fine."

"I'm amazed you two have survived this long lacking such common sense!" Apolloni chided.

"I agree. It has been extraordinary how you've eluded us for so long." Muttered a voice from the shadows.

The three of them spun around to greet the unwanted visitor; Link's eyes widened as he saw that there were two of them. "You!" He exhaled fiercely.

"Yes, us." Talamir said calmly, brushing back his black hair from his eyes.

Casually running a hand through his blond hair, Timner stepped alongside his brother as they blocked the exit to the chamber. "I knew it would be a grand idea to stay behind and figure out what Francis was up to."

"What did you do to him?" Zelda asked fearfully.

"To him?" Timner asked with mock surprise. "Nothing, but we held his youngest daughter for ransom. Knowing that, he spilled the beans on your entire plan."

"No!" Apolloni spat malevolently.

"Deny it all you want, but the fact of the matter is that you were sold out. Francis loved his daughter far more than he trusted all of you." Talamir smirked.

Zelda dug her nails into Link's arm drawing blood; he winced at the sudden pain of her grip. He didn't have to wait long to see what she was freaked out about; a cloaked man ambled through the doorway from beyond the brothers. They obediently shifted to the side to let him pass, held in his arms was an unidentifiable mass.

Looking at them with beady, yellow eyes, the man spoke in what sounded like a laughing wheeze which made Zelda's skin crawl. "Unfortunately for Francis, he trusted the wrong people." The man cackled gleefully.

Link gasped as the robed figured thrust the package he was carrying towards them. It hit the ground before rolling, stopping just inches from his boots. Zelda wanted to heave as she saw the hollow casing of flesh that was once a little girl; her eye sockets were empty and the body was deflated as if her innards had been scooped out leaving nothing but the husk. Apolloni swore an oath as she glared at the vile man.

Link curled his lip in revulsion as the man licked his lips, "She was especially delicious this morning." He insouciantly went on as if this subject matter was something ordinary, "Usually I go straight for the heart which stops their squirming, but sometimes I just love their expressions when I pick them apart piece by piece."

Unable to go any further, Zelda retched the contents of her stomach as Apolloni quickly shifted away from the sloppy mess. After recovering from the upheaval, she turned to him with hatred in her eyes, "What…are you?"

Placing a hand to his chest, he introduced himself caustically, "I am Barrachas. You've no doubt heard of me." He signaled to the two brothers; they quickly spawned swords and were bearing them down on Link and Apolloni. Barrachas surged forward towards Zelda before grasping her chin roughly in his hand, forcing her to look at him. "You are such a pretty thing."

She trembled as he pulled back the hood from her cloak to reveal the golden, gleaming hair; his eyes bulged at the delectable morsel. A forked tongue slithered out of his mouth and weaved its way through the strands of her hair. Link rushed forward to attack the profane priest. Barrachas' crooked hand shot up in Link's face; contorted and decaying, it seemed like the skin was sagging off the bone structure underneath. Link screamed in agony as a crushing weight slammed into his heart, buckling his knees. Apolloni grunted as she also fell to the floor, waves of dark energy pulsing through them both.

"Can I not trust you fools to keep these imbeciles at bay while I enjoy my dessert?" Barrachas emitted severely.

Not wanting to disobey his command, Talamir grabbed Link around the neck and yanked him back onto his rear holding a sword to his chin. "Look alive Link, you are going to want to see this!" The man sniggered with glee.

Timner held the writhing Apolloni in his arms; removing her hood, he dug his nose into her hair and sniffed. "You smell great; I cannot wait to have you all to myself." He chortled under his breath.

Talamir shot him a look, "We always share the women, brother!"

Timner shrugged in indifference, "We can always do family style; it matters not to me." The two of them shared a cruel grin at this.

"Will you two be silent?!" Barrachas fumed. "I wish to relish my scrumptious treat in peace." Zelda's eye expanded in horror as the priest removed his hood revealing his jaundiced head; whispery strands of hair splayed out in distorted forms. "Do not be afraid," He said, a small guttural sound reverberating in his belly. "It is just a simple kiss and it'll be all over."

Zelda wanted to scream, to run away, but she could not; he was holding her rooted to the spot, unable to flee from her inevitable demise. He clasped her cheeks and brought her lips to his; in an instant his tongue was slithering down her throat, eagerly seeking out her delicious heart. Her screams were muffled against his invasive appendage. The priest seemed in a state of euphoria at exploring her inner being. A small groan from inside his body indicated he was ready to do something horrible to her.

"Zelda!" Link managed to shout; Talamir cuffed him across the head and dug the blade deeper into his neck drawing a small bead of red.

At her name, Barrachas stopped his disgusting intrusion; he slowly withdrew his tongue and turned to Link. Zelda was released from her imprisonment; she crumpled to the floor, hacking up what felt like her lungs. The priest waved Talamir off with a hand as he gripped Link's neck and lifted him clear off the ground; the man's strength was unnatural. He couldn't even struggle against his overbearing power.

"What did you call her?" Barrachas growled.

Struggling to breathe, Link managed to choke out, "Z…Z…Zelda."

Promptly dropping him, Barrachas spun to Zelda and knelt down to her side, lifting her face to look at him again, an evil leer spread across his face. "Of course…why didn't I see you before? This simplifies things considerably. Why bother with the war at all when only one soul will do!"

Timner cued in on the priest's statement, "What do you mean? Aren't you here to help us win it?"

A huge shudder rocked the temple's foundations as dust sifted down from above; the moaning of the undying rose to a fever pitch. The magic hold on them all had been lifted. Apolloni flipped up to her feet as she screamed at Link, "They are here! The witches are here! They are assisting Ganondorf now!"

Barrachas snarled, "Enough of this! I have what I seek! Talamir, Timner, it is now time to give your life in service to your god Ballos!"

The looks of confusion were apparent on their faces as the unholy priest's fingers twisted into abnormal configurations. Within moments the two brothers rose up from the ground, helpless to do anything. Their raw screams pierced the air as their chests split open revealing the cavity within; the rib bones wavering outward like disgusting worms seeking nourishment. With a flick of his hands, Barrachas smashed the two brothers together; their ribs intertwining, sealing their bodies as one.

Their shrieks turned into howls as fleshy snouts erupted from their mouths, pushing the skin away from their faces. Rows of pincer-like teeth clacked together as the cries turned inhuman. Bloody spikes exploded from their hands and feet; the combined horror hit the ground on all eight of its pointed legs. With one final bellow, a pronged tail burst forth from underneath them, spraying blood across the room; the tip of it slammed to the floor revealing its true nature to that of a dermis covered mace.

Link staggered back in shock at the abomination Barrachas had created in front of them; even Apolloni was taken aback at the otherworldly nature of it. The priest placed a firm hand on Zelda's head; she immediately fell unconscious. Link went to grab her but leaped back when the monster crashed its tail onto the floor just inches from his face. The force of the impact cracked the brick and left a sizeable indentation; Link noted that it would be unwise to make contact with it.

Heaving the prone Zelda over his shoulder, Barrachas waved a hand to Link, "I believe this is where we must part! It was nice knowing you!" With a laugh, he dashed out of chamber and down the hall.

"Zelda!" Link yelled.

"Focus on saving ourselves first!" Apolloni castigated.

Another quake rippled through the temple as the outer assault continued on the blasphemous Temple of Ballos. Link looked back up at the towering creature nearly filling the entire room; its two snouts dripping with caustic saliva. Its dual roar was deafening; with speed not befitting its size, it lunged towards Link with both jaws gaping.


	56. Chapter 55 - The Evil Revealed

**Chapter 55 - The Evil Revealed**

Rolling to the side as the gnashing teeth clamped onto thin air, Link yelled out to Apolloni, "Quick, hand me one of your scimitars!"

She pugnaciously shook her head as she drew them out of their fastenings, perched cumbersomely beneath her robe. Link leaned to one side as the sharp spike of its leg landed past his shoulder, creating a sizeable hole in the brick flooring; the end of each appendage was funneled down to a sharp nail-like penetrator. Furious with the Gerudo's refusal at his request, he sprinted weaving through the wriggling legs as the creature circled around trying to locate its prey.

"You stupid woman!" Link roared; he slid underneath its bulking mass deftly avoiding its club of a tail swishing over him. His goal was to snag the mask and escape from the unholy temple; Apolloni's safety was moot at this point.

The Gerudo back flipped over a roving leg as it rammed into the ground, intending to impale her to the floor. She sliced upwards at the closest snout which had made a sweeping dive to snap her in half. Blood spurted from the wound as the sword sliced off its nostrils. The beast toppled back onto its eight legs thundering with the sudden pain. Another shudder shook the temple as Apolloni lost her footing; looking up she bounded sideways to avoid the stamping tail.

"Dear Goddesses!" She exclaimed as she beheld the beast recovering quickly from the injury. Within seconds it was fully healed without a single scar to show for it. "What in Din's name is this creature?" She scanned the chamber for Link only to find he had vanished. Her eyes narrowed as the dropped mask was no longer in the room, the only remnant of his escape was the crumpled robe discarded on the floor.

Ducking under another bite that aimed to rip her head off, she dashed into the corridor and tore down the passage. Gracefully avoiding the reaching hands of the undying, she retraced their steps back to the entrance. A booming crash erupted behind her as the conjoined creature demolished the bricks of the door frame before smashing into the wall opposite trying to skid to a halt. Contorting its two halves to rest several leg prongs on either wall, it began skittering down the hallway like a demonic spider after her.

Apolloni rushed ahead of the snapping maws and emerged free from the temple into a cacophony of sound. A pitched battle was raging through the town plaza; Ganondorf was holding his own against several robed mages who were sniping from the rooftops. Kotake and Koume were circling above raining destruction and hate; efficiently incinerating unfortunate souls or melting them into nothing more than small puddles. Impa was roving through the crowd of cloaked tyros slicing them in half and ripping out their organs, anything to delay their inevitable reconstruction.

Apolloni scoffed in disdain, they were betrayed; the apprentice wizards were merely hiding, waiting to attack only after they had entered the temple! A horrible grinding noise issued behind her; glancing briefly, she ran towards Ganondorf as she struggled to remove the awfully stifling cloak. Finally free from the musty clothing and only adorned with her fresh-breathing Gerudo robe, she brandished her scimitars and began slicing heads off the nearest targets; townspeople or not did not matter to her, they were all Nevachrean and deserved to die.

The front façade of the temple exploded in a flurry of flying bricks and bodies; the debris flew through the air, slamming into nearby structures, crushing various people and smashing the pitiful fountain. Ganondorf's eyes grew as he regarded the raging beast; it swung its two snouts in various directions trying to pinpoint its lost prey. Upon seeing Apolloni fighting alongside him, it began scuttling over screeching in rage.

Ganondorf swiftly erected a shield warding off the nearest magick blast before vaporizing the despicable tyro on the spot. Twirling around to fire a pulse of dark energy at the monster, he smirked as it ripped off two of its legs causing it to topple over in shrieking agony. Its multitude of limbs writhed in the air like some disgusting insect. His mirth at its misery was short lived when he noticed new spines growing out of its stumps. He grunted in pleasure, this was going to be a lot more fun than he thought.

Link was dipping and plaiting through the chaotic mess, nimbly avoiding several magickal discharges that would have killed him. He looked up to the rooftops and saw Saria trembling with fear, unable to move from her position; it was clear no one had noticed her small form.

"Saria!" Link called out to her.

She looked down with fear in her eyes, "Link! Please save me!"

He shook his head, "I'm sorry, I can't. You have to help us. Do you see the front gates?" He pointed down the row of streets to the fortified wall, she numbly nodded her head. "You have to open them and let Xavier, Nabooru and Merin in! We need their help!"

Link proceeded to say more but had to dive behind some stacked crates as the wall next to him exploded in a flood of boards and bricks. Cursing at the contemptible mage, Link's inner furnace broiled with hate; without even thinking, he conjured up iron knuckles that encased his fist, each tip ending in a barbed spike. He tore down the street before slamming his fist into the man's chest with a loathsome cry; tearing through bone and sinew, he gripped the object he desired and ripped the heart beating from the man's chest.

Saria yelped in shock at Link's sudden brutality, her voice jolted him from his rage-filled haze. Link looked down at his blood drenched hand in stark clarity at what he had just accomplished. He dropped the heart to the ground as if it was something abhorrent. The man clutched his chest as he collapsed reaching out for his missing life force. Link stepped back a few paces as he considered the viciousness of his action; he was actually starting to enjoy it.

Kicking the heart clear away from the man's outstretched hands; he gazed up to Saria. "Now! Go open the gates now!" Without a further confirmation, she flew from the roof and sailed over to the outer wall. Satisfied that they would be getting additional assistance as well as provide a way to escape, he kicked the man hard in the chin knocking him unconscious. That would buy them some time before he recovered his heart.

Link noticed Ashley pacing up the street towards him; bow in hand with arrow nocked and a quiver with a dozen more. "Are you going to help?" The boy nodded silently. "Are those tipped with the poison?" Link pressed further; the boy continued to affirm his questions. "Very well, follow closely behind me and let's deal with these bastards." Link grinned as he apparated a short sword in his hand.

Adjusting the mask of Ballos on his hip loop, confirming it secured to his waist before moving, he dashed off down the lane as Ashley shadowed him closely. Link glanced up at the second floor window as a mage spilled out of the frame, falling to the ground screaming; his body enlarging with blistering blood boils. Link turned around to thank the young boy, Ashley merely bobbed his head.

A roar from the opposite side of the plaza directed their attention to Xavier bounding into the fray, flipping unsuspecting wizards and stabbing others with her deadly tail. Several bolts of magick redirected themselves to smack the Cyn'Taak directly in the face. It recoiled back from the pain but ultimately shook off the spells. Link opened his mouth in wonder, the Cyn'Taak were magick resistant! His eyes riveted on a few men racing towards the beast with spears ready to gut the creature through; the Cyn'Taak were definitely not impervious to weapons however!

"Merin!" Link yelled out as her and Nabooru materialized from beyond the row of buildings flanking the plaza. The Gerudo turned in his direction, quickly slicing off the head of the nearest mage. "Xavier will protect you from their magick. You protect her from their weapons!" Without asking for expounding information, she gave a curt nod before launching into the nearest opponent.

Nabooru ran up to Link's side as they faced the behemoth encompassing the focus of everyone's attention; it attacked anything in the vicinity, making no distinction between friend or foe. The twin snouts of teeth were currently in a heated battle over a hapless mage. Their combined might tore the man in two, each maw greedily swallowing down its half of the body with a sickening guttural gulp.

Seething with broiling wrath, Link gripped his dark sword with anger. Giving a single gesture to Nabooru they bounded towards the conjoined abomination. Ashley trailed behind them providing cover fire from several rooftop snipers, many crumpling where they stood as their bodies filled up with bloody carbuncles.

Ganondorf growled at the intrusion to his engagement but said nothing as Link surged in lopping off the nearest leg. "That is for punching Malon and getting us captured so many cycles ago!" Link brimmed with ire.

Accepting a lift from Nabooru, he leaped onto the creatures flopping bodies; or what was still recognizable as Talamir and Timner. Bending low as the nearest opening of gnashing teeth swept over his head trying to snag him at the neck, he carved the sword upwards in a curving motion, cleanly slicing off the head. "That's for letting Barrachas escape with Zelda!" Link cried with manic fury.

The repellant head arced through the air before hitting the ground, thrashing and shrieking. Not wasting time, Link hopped off the beast bringing his sword down on the remaining neck that had swooped low to bite at Nabooru. Utilizing gravity as his ally, the sword cleaved through the entire fleshy mass, spraying noxious blood across the two of them.

Link landed on the ground roughly before standing up to his full height, spitting on the despicable head bellowing at his feet. "And that's for my own damn comfort!"

"Link, watch out!" Nabooru pointed.

He grabbed her and hurdled to the side; they landed crudely on the dirt as the sharp limb punctured the ground where he once stood. They looked on in disbelief as two snouts squirmed out of the neck remnants, biting and clawing at the air with their gnawing teeth. Link sighed; was there no end to this? It seemed impossible to do any lasting damage against this thing.

"Get out of here!" Ganondorf rumbled; jerking his head in the direction of the stables. Seeing the confused look on Link's face, he growled, "You have more important matters to deal with. Let me and the witches deal with this!"

Ganondorf kicked the dirt near them before facing the recovering monster. A scream alerted Link to the unfolding situation Ganondorf alluded to; he bounced to his feet as he saw Barrachas gallop out of the front gates with Zelda across his lap. He was riding Harden! Malon was fruitlessly running after him crying with indignant passion.

Nabooru and Link stopped short of the weeping Malon, "What happened?" Link asked concerned as he noticed a stream of blood falling from her hair, painting the side of her cheek and neck crimson.

"I don't know!" She sputtered. "The man ran into the stalls and knocked me out before I could do anything to react! Before I knew it, he was riding out of there with Harden!"

A single drop on the head made Link regard the sky, the storm was about to break which would make it harder to see Barrachas on the plains; if they were going to chase him, they needed to do so now. Placing two fingers to his lips, Link whistled for Epona, within moments, she was at his side rocking her head in anticipation of the ride. Both Link and Nabooru hoisted themselves into the saddle as Link took the reins.

"I wish Harden would respond to my calls like that." Malon spoke forlornly.

"Maybe you should teach him a song he likes." Link murmured, indicating Epona.

"I did! He just doesn't respond to anything!" She cried.

"Stay here and be safe Malon." Link intoned; giving her a heartfelt look.

She nodded her head as she watched them race off towards the open plains. Ganondorf scrutinized the exchange before calling the witches to him. They floated down and landed primly beside him. "Yes, my king? What is it you ask of us?" The two crowed in unison.

"I think it is time you revealed your true natures. Your king has need of your services." With a wave of his hand, he warded off the hobnailed tail; blasting it clean off its body. The two crones looked at each other uncertainly but with a bow, they did as he requested. Clasping their hands together, a dull glow emerged from between the two sisters as incantations were uttered; the luminosity grew brighter as the two witches merged into a single being.

Ganondorf smirked as he confronted the horror with the joined witch elders behind him. "It's up to you now Link. I've got this one." Laughing at the fiend's impotent thunders of anger, he dashed in to strike the first blow.

* * *

><p>The sky was pouring in torrential waves as they galloped across the open plains. Link's objective was in sight. Barrachas was heading northward, to the army or to the distant mountain range, Link could not be sure. Saria noticed their exit from the capital and chose to follow them from above, her wings beating wildly against the swift wind currents of the storm; she could just barely make out their shapes in the rain.<p>

Barrachas noticed their pursuit and hurled streaming bolts of lightning from his hands. Link swerved Epona to avoid the deadly beams of electricity as they crackled through the air. Not to be destroyed before reaching his goal, Link's inner hatred apparated a bow into his hand. Nabooru was surprised to see such skill; did something happen that made Link so adept at conjuring weapons?

With the grace of his many cycles of practicing, Link nocked an arrow to the bow and fired. Flying true, it hit the unholy priest in the shoulder; its force knocking him clear off Harden. The bundle of robes and limbs flung to the ground, rolling as it hit the turf. Without any clear direction, Harden slowed its gait before curving around to come back towards them.

"Shouldn't you help Link now?" Saria squealed.

"There is nothing I can do to help him right now!" The little sprite said; her blue glow peeking out from above the collar of her tunic.

"What is that man?" Saria asked hesitantly as she saw the dark figure slowly push himself off the ground and remove the arrow shaft.

"It is a demon from long ago. Link has no hope of defeating it." The fairy said dismally.

Zelda was just coming to as she noticed Link ride up beside her on Epona. Sitting up more firmly on Harden, she shook her head as if to dispel any remaining traces of magick left in her head. Fully awake, the three of them turned to the wretched priest; hunched over at an abnormal angle, he glared at them with his yellow eyes.

"You fools have royally pissed me off!" Barrachas' voice grew deeper, its tone reverberating as if several voices were speaking as one. Several spines pierced the man's back before spreading out to their full length. Utilizing the freshly opened wounds as leverage, the man reached back behind and gripped the sides of the lacerations before pulling the skin apart; ripping and tearing the husk of epidermis off its body revealing the grotesque brown mass beneath. Link sat on Epona horrified as the creature discarded the fleshy disguise like trash.

The horses nervously stamped their feet in the presence of this unnatural was spindly in appearance, its skin hanging off its bones like it had been starved for centuries. There were brown spikes dotting its spine and trailing down the outer edges of its arms and legs. The head was oblong in shape. Its short muzzle ending in a circular orifice with a circular band of teeth, its sunken yellow eyes glowered at them with revenge.

"Oh dear Goddesses." Zelda breathed. "It's a Hunger."

"A what?" Link asked stupefied; he couldn't take his eyes off the thing.

"A demon from the old world. It eats anything to maintain strength and mass." She muttered dazedly.

"How do you know this?" Nabooru asked nervously; she had never faced a demon before and was quite unwilling to attempt it now.

"I don't know." Zelda hissed. "I just feel like I've seen something like this before. Whatever you do, don't get near it. Any part of its body can-"

Zelda screamed as the Hunger reached out its arm, elongating it to impossible lengths before plucking Zelda swiftly off Harden. With the other arm, it grappled the horse around the stomach; the horse's eyes bulging and its nose flaring in panic as the demon's nails dug into its flanks, the horse kicked and whinnied with fright. Nabooru yelled as the demon's stomach split down the middle, opening to reveal the grisly mouth within.

Within seconds, it stuffed Harden into its belly before the disgusting maw closed itself crushing the terrified horse. Bile rose in Link's throat as the outline of the horse was still frantically kicking from inside the Hunger. A sick, crunching sound was heard accompanied by one last final cry from Harden; the outline distending from the Hunger's abdomen contorted and turned in upon itself perversely as the demon gleefully digested the poor horse. Link blinked twice to confirm his eyes were not deceiving him; the demon's body was slightly larger than before, more muscle mass had emerged from its body. The skin was no longer drooping and seemed to fit more smoothly on the bone structure underneath.

"Harden!" Zelda screamed.

Strengthening its grip on the princess, the Hunger's forked tongue emerged from the round opening. "As much as I would love to eat you, you are far too precious a prize for that!" It turned its focus on Link, "As for you, I could make an exception."

Link barked in shock as the Hunger's free hand stretched wide, the limb expanding outward in a mouth with its throat tunneling back down the arm. He tried to steer Epona away from the nauseating, toothed cavity. He grunted in pain as the teeth sunk into his flesh, the Hunger brutally yanked him off of Epona. Nabooru quickly grabbed the reins and maneuvered the horse clear away from the demonic beast.

Link's green cap flew off as the demon rammed him to the ground, its teeth piercing deeper into his waist. He cried out in agony as the Hunger stalked closer to his prone form, its legion of voices gutturally giggling in manic pleasure. "You pitiful mortals. You honestly believe you can defeat the hordes of the Undying? You couldn't win then and you can't win now! If it weren't for your precious Goddess Hylia, your race wouldn't have prospered!"

Its deleterious saliva dripped down on Link's face, slightly burning him from its searing heat. "What are you talking about?" Link tried to press down on the limb encompassing his body. It only further tightened its grip making him yelp in throbbing pain.

The Hunger observed Nabooru hanging back on the horse, she was unsure of how best to tackle the demon. Its beady eyes flicked back to Link, pressing him deeper into the grass with its appendage. "That stupid fool of a general truly believed I was here to help his cause! All I needed was the souls of thousands…tens of thousands to revive my master! All had to be united by a single common element."

Zelda cried out as the Hunger bent low to grab the mask of Ballos from Link's waist; with a flick of its neck, it flung the wooden fascia a good distance away. "What better way to spit in the face of her champion than to use elements of his visage to corrupt the innocent?" It gurgled happily at this. He craned his neck to look at Zelda, her eyes wide staring at his grotesque form. "With the essence of Hylia in my clutches, there is no need for this stupid war!"

"Hylia?" Zelda murmured uncomprehendingly.

"No matter." The Hunger crooned; the voices emitting from its throat sending imaginary bugs skittering across Link's skin. Its pupils locked onto Link's own as its stomach split open in a disgusting display of slaughter; blood dripped from the gaping jaws as bits of remaining horse flesh fell to the ground.

"Link!" Saria screamed from above; blinking the rain from her eyes, she soared down at blinding speed hoping she could get there in time.

Its sniggering pulsated the ghastly innards of the demon; it taunted Link cruelly, "Eating you whole would be such a clean death for you. No…I think tearing you apart and having your friends watch you die before I devour them is far more appealing!"

The three women screamed as one; the mouth clutching Link collapsed on itself splitting Link cleanly in half. The Hunger raised its arm high in triumph as the chunk of Link's body slowly traveled down its arm to be consumed in its belly. His body split into two, he looked down in shock at his legs that lay several feet away from him. Link's only thought as he watched his life force gushing out from below his rib cage was that he was dying.


	57. Chapter 56 - A Piece of the Goddess

**Chapter 56 - A Piece of the Goddess**

"Hey! Listen! Stay with me Link!" The little voice drifted through the air.

His eyes fluttered open, rapidly blinking away the rain pounding onto his face. He turned his head to see a blue glowing light beating towards him. He wanted to reach his hand out for the radiant globe of luminescence, but he couldn't manage to lift his arm up from the soaked ground. All he could hear was the roaring of the Hunger as it swung its cavernous, clawed hand at Saria. She was whizzing to and fro, kicking it in the face before zipping off out of its reach. An inner courage sustained her fury as she assailed the ineffectual demon; its speed was no match for her lithe movements.

"Navi?" Link croaked disbelievingly. "Is that really you?" He coughed violently, blood spurting from his lips.

"There, there, it's going to be all right Link." The little fairy landed gently onto his chest. Kneeling down onto her shins, she grasped his face in her hands and laid her head on his cheek. "I've missed you so much Link, I'm sorry I left so suddenly when I did." Tears began streaming down her tiny face.

"I never…hated you for it." Link rasped, in-between deep, gasping breaths.

Her salty tears still dripping onto his skin, she wailed, "All Kokiri live forever with their fairies; a product of the gift given to them by Hylia. I was uncertain about the Great Deku Tree's command to become your fairy Link, but over time I grew to appreciate you, respect you and love you. But I couldn't bear the thought of you dying and leaving me alone without a partner forever and ever!"

Link looked at her shining body out of the corner of his eyes; turning his head hurt too much. "I'm sorry…to disappoint Navi, but I think I am dying."

Navi rose up from his cheek and looked at him sternly, "Link! This is exactly what I've been waiting for!" Receiving the expected response of confusion on his face, she pressed onward, "I left you looking for a way to become one with you. Every fairy can do this with their Kokiri. It is a natural part of what they are. A single blessing handed down by Hylia to protect the Kokiri should something bad happen to them. However, there was no documentation on how it could be done and if it was even possible with a Hylian!"

Link smiled at her single-minded determination to be with him forever, "Can…it be done?" He wheezed, more blood dribbling down his chin.

She nodded vigorously. "I traveled to the far corners of this land, to the very heart of another realm that I dare not speak of here. It was there in that perpetual twilight that I found the secrets of the blessing we were bestowed. You had to die Link, to be on the cusp of the afterlife before my soul could find its way inside the hole that has now opened up within yours. I'm scared Link, I don't know what will happen when we merge. I don't think this has happened ever!"

A tear came to his eye, "You did…all that for me?" She bowed her head in affirmation and brushed his cheek with an affectionate kiss. "I trust you Navi." Link rattled, blood slowly filling up his lungs; with one final gasp, he closed his eyes.

Taking a ragged breath, Navi stood up on his chest and found the right spot where his heart would be. She laid down on her stomach and pressed her face up into his tunic, hearing the last slow beats of his heart. Tears flowing unendingly, she whispered, "I will always love you Link."

Closing her eyes she gave herself over to the energy within her. She could feel it release into the ether and latch on to Link's departing soul. Her little frame gasped as it locked onto his spirit and brought them together inside of him; she no longer felt her body dissolving into his chest. Blinding light surrounded the two souls bounded together in final matrimony. Link gulped in his first breath of new life, a burning warmth broiling inside his heart. He could feel Navi's loving essence flow throughout his body, down his limbs and into his mind; she was with him forever until death claimed them both. Moving his toes, he could feel new vitality in his legs, miraculously reattached via Hylia's blessing.

Navi's last words echoed in his head; he shut his eyes tight trying to block out the flow of tears, "Thank you Navi, for everything."

* * *

><p>The Hunger contorted in rage at the holy light that seared through its skin; so painful was the luminous glow that it lost all focus on attacking Saria. Releasing Zelda from its grip, she rolled across the ground back up onto her feet; in a flash she was making a run for Nabooru and Epona. At length, the blooming light faded leaving a fully whole Link. The demon looked incredulously at the man he had just severed in half. What manner of power was this?<p>

Stumbling slightly as Link brought himself to his feet, he looked at the demon with burning vengeance in his eyes. A cry of pain doubled him over onto his knees; the Hunger snickered in delight, this would be an easy kill, this time it would swallow him whole. The demon stopped short as Link's scream grew primal and a ripping of skin could be heard.

Two wings of purest white sprouted from beyond Link's shoulder blades, unfurling in majestic beauty behind him. They were no longer than the length of his arms at the wrist and they reached no further down than the top of his legs. He staggered to remain kneeling as the excruciating pain from the transformation slowly ebbed away. Hobbling back up to his feet, he turned his head to view the new additions.

"She did it…she actually did it!" Saria exclaimed; beautiful crystalline drops streamed unchecked down her face.

"Link? How…?" Zelda and Nabooru were rooted to the spot at the unexpected, extraordinary event.

"Impossible!" The Hunger seethed. "A piece of the Goddess lies within you! This is inconceivable!" Its voices rising to a fever pitch.

"Believe it Barrachas." Link spat, splaying his wings out wide in a threatening pose. "I will kill you and every last follower you have!" With the innate power surging through his heart, a sword of holy, blazing fire erupted into his hand; its flames licking the very air with anticipation of the kill.

"No…No!" The demon raged; it swung its arm in a right hook, elongating its length as the clawed hand opened up to reveal the tunneling canal within.

The intrinsic sense from Navi deep inside of him allowed Link to sidestep the clumsy attack easily. Swiftly bringing the burning sword down on the limb, the demon howled with agony as noxious, black blood sprayed across the grass. The wriggling limb slowly shriveled away to nothing before disappearing into dust. A look of fear was in the creatures eyes as it gazed with trepidation at the blazing sword Link wielded.

Knowing full well that any further attempts to harm Link would result in failure, it turned its eyes instead towards the horse and its occupants. Scampering across the ground on three spindly legs, its head split open into a gaping maw intent to swallow Nabooru whole. It leaped across the horse, clutching Nabooru's face with its teeth; it fell to the other side dragging the screaming Gerudo to the ground with it. It began the swift process of stuffing the woman deep into its belly to be digested quickly.

"Die you evil spawn!" A man's voice yelled.

The demon tilted its head to look at the incoming rider galloping in on a spotted horse with one eye. It hurriedly tried to stop the incessant kicking of his meal, both legs still dangling out of its head and her shrieking resounding inside its belly. Turning to the new threat, it gobbled up the rest of Nabooru into its stomach, reshaping its head in the process. Link sprinted towards the abominable creature, trying to flap his wings, hoping they'd provide some additional haste. He knew they only had seconds to save the struggling form of Nabooru who was still kicking out from inside the demon.

Francis rode in on the spotted horse before leaping off with trident firmly in hand. With a war cry, he rammed the steel into the Hunger's face, slamming it to the ground with the impact. Link dashed up to the struggling form of Nabooru and with a steady hand began slicing the stomach of the demon open with the tip of his sword. The beast thrashed and raged at the holy fire scorching its insides. Within moments, Link gripped the slimy hand of Nabooru and yanked her from the bloody cavity.

"Insignificant mortals!" The Hunger bellowed; struggling to wrench the trident from the stubborn Francis, who was all too eager to keep twisting the weapon into its visage. Zelda screamed from atop Epona as she witnessed the demon curl up onto itself and envelope Francis whole; encasing him in a mound of brown, spiny flesh. A muffled cry went up from within the beast as his outline contorted and crumpled into assimilated nothingness.

Without wasting a moment, Link stabbed through the writhing mass with his sword, immolating the beast's skin. Its guttural cries rent the air as Link pierced it again and again with the light of Hylia. He didn't stop until tears were flowing and the unholy aberration was nothing but a pile of dust at his feet. Francis was gone.

Zelda brought Epona around and gracefully glided off her flank; Saria touched down nearby before walking towards the group. Nabooru preferred to sit where she was and praise the Goddesses that she was still alive. She didn't care that she was an awful, sticky mess.

"He betrayed us…but he came back to save us." Link said uncomprehendingly.

"Maybe he felt regret for what he had done and chose to redeem himself." Zelda offered.

Link shrugged his shoulders, dissipating the sword with a flourish. "Perhaps. Is this what it has come down to? Is this what we are up against? Demons?" He turned to her for answers.

Zelda shook her head, "I don't know Link. I wish I knew more, but I don't."

Link jolted, startled as he felt a tiny hand filter through his feathery wings. Shuddering from the foreign touch, Link shook his extensions. Zelda shielded herself from the droplets of water he flung off. "I like what Navi has done to you Link." Saria giggled as she attacked his feathers once more.

Twirling away from her violating touch, he tried to fly back but lost the flow of movement and tumbled to the ground in a heap. Recovering from his fall, he sat back up, grimacing from the impact of landing on one of his new additions. "Stop that Saria. They are really sensitive!"

She chuckled as she stepped up to him, "You're still not used to them. Neither was I when I first got mine." She turned to look at her gossamer wings, flapping them in jest at his inability to utilize them. "That's okay," she smiled, "I can help you learn to use them."

Gratefully accepting her hand, he stood back up. Examining the sky, it appeared the storm had finally broken; patches of blue were peeking through the grey. "So what do we do now?" Link asked, walking over to pick up the tossed mask of Ballos.

Nabooru pointed over towards Glaun'rung, "We go back and assist the others."

* * *

><p>Ganondorf smashed the head of the final robed mage before vaporizing the rest of his body. The witches had separated once more and were lounging back on their brooms, perfectly at home in the air floating above the chaos. He grunted in apprehension as he spun to the front gates, only to relax as Link and the others trudged through the gates, clearly exhausted. The witches had to rebalance themselves as they beheld the new wings Link was sporting; even Ganondorf huffed in surprise at the unforeseen turn of events.<p>

Malon ran up to Link, her eyes were searching their party fervently, "Where's Harden?" A tremble rose in her voice.

Zelda and Nabooru decided it best to ride Epona onward back to the stables as they left the two of them alone. Link grasped her shoulders with his hands. Her eyes darted between his new appendages but did not question yet, her mind was on her horse. He sighed heavily, "I'm sorry Malon, Harden's dead." It would do no good to tell her how he died.

"Dead?" She repeated numbly. "Dead? Dead! Dead!" Her repetitions got more agitated with each passing. He wrapped his arms around her tightly as she beat into his chest, weeping bitterly. Without realizing that he was doing so, his wings enfolded them both; enclosing them in a circle of personal grief.

Aggressively bursting out of his arms and pushing his wings away, she ran away crying. Link stared at her retreating form, heading for the inn. _I'm sorry Link._ A voice chimed inside his head.

"Navi?!" He exhaled happily. "Is that you?"

_Yes. I am with you always now. I see what you see and I can alert you to things you can't._ She spoke softly.

A smile broke out on his face at this abnormally wonderful concept. "Just like old times?" He laughed joyfully.

_Not quite, but sure._ Navi spoke, most likely with a smile if she had been physically present.

Shaking his head with astonishment at this new development, he paced over to the gathering group. Ganondorf was lounging off to the side with Apolloni; several gashes streaked across her abdomen and arms but she seemed more or less okay. Merin was leaning up against Xavier who had fallen fast asleep and was gurgling blissfully. Ashley was sitting cross-legged by her feet, leaning up against her legs with eyes drooping heavily. It seemed the battle had taken its toll on everyone.

Link glanced around the carnage that had transpired in the plaza, "Are they all dead?"

"Ho ho ho! They all are." Kotake cackled.

"He he he! Blasted by our magick they were!" Koume chortled.

Link looked down at the ground despondently, "Francis betrayed us…but then gave his life up to help us kill Barrachas."

Ganondorf snorted with disdain, "Just as well. At least in death he proved himself useful."

Link shot him a look, "At least he died a hero."

Apolloni scoffed, "And what is a hero these days, hmm?"

"Knock it off." Merin exasperated; eager to shut her elder superior up. Pointing at his unfurled wings she inquired, "So what happened there?"

Embarrassed at being suddenly so different from the rest of them, he nervously gripped one arm as he recounted, "…And I think because of that, Navi is now inside me and I grew these."

"You are an interesting subject Link." Ganondorf smiled; a second later it was gone making Link wonder if it had graced his face at all. "Nevertheless, we must pick up the pieces here and figure out what our next step is. Just because we cut off the heart does not mean the rest of the body perishes, there are tens of thousands of troops between us and Hyrule now. We must start thinking about how to be rid of them and ultimately of General Naar."

"I support my lord's sentiment, we must prepare for another mission." Apolloni agreed arrogantly.

Lightly brushing his hair, Merin woke up the sleeping Ashley, "Come on sleepyhead, we better find us a bed to sleep in."

The boy pouted at being woken but obediently followed her orders, the two of them dawdled off towards the inn where everyone else seemed to have gathered. Without bothering to look at Ganondorf, Apolloni or the witches, Link patted the Cyn'Taak on the snout. It growled irritated but immediately dropped its demeanor as it saw Link; it eagerly began pawing his tunic trying in vain to give him a lopsided hug. He laughed at its clumsy nature as it tried to imitate what people so often did.

Xavier, satisfied with their reunion, lumbered after him as he headed for the pub. Link glanced over to the stables as they strolled by to see Ingo wiping Epona down with a brush, tears in his eyes. So he was told the news, Link thought. Indicating Xavier to stay outside since they certainly wouldn't be able to fit her bulk through the doorframe, he pushed the shutters aside and entered the gloom. A crushing bear hug lifted him up off the floor as Talon exclaimed with jolly cheers, Link yelped in pain as the man unknowingly squished his wings.

"Ah! Sorry there Link! I didn't realize ya had grown some new ones!" He guffawed heartily after roughly setting him back down. Link tried to reach back and massage the bases where they protruded but grew annoyed when he could not reach.

"Let me." Zelda soothed as she walked up behind him and gently rubbed the base of each wing with her dexterous hands; his shoulders went slack as he gave into the wondrous sensations he never knew existed.

"This feels wrong…" Link uttered not knowing why.

"It looks wrong." Nabooru laughed as she saw the euphoric look on Link's face.

Realizing the potential implications there, Zelda swiftly stopped the massage and blushed as she sat back down beside Nabooru, straightening down her breeches. "I'm sorry Link…I didn't mean to imply things like that."

Recuperating from the sudden kneading on his back, he beamed at her, "No, thank you. They feel much better now."

Impa came up beside him, "You really look worse for wear though." She smirked observing his stained tunic and boots.

"You should see the-" Link began.

Impa swiftly put a hand to his lips, "You've said that one before Link. Come up with new lines if you are trying to be funny."

Link looked dumbfounded at her rebuttal; her stern face couldn't hide the sneaking grin as she burst out laughing at his reaction. As if infected with her contagion, Link busted up laughing with her. Merin came back downstairs having bathed and put Ashley to bed and watched with eyebrows raised at the two manically laughing whackos, "Sheikahs have humor?" She asked flatly.

Zelda giggled, "Yes, especially Impa. I should know; she had been my caretaker since I was born." She gave a bemused look to the Sheikah.

Impa ruffled his hair before sweeping past to sit down beside Zelda. A shrieking cry diverted all attention to the stairs as Giana bounded past Merin and ran into Link's arms. He picked her up and twirled her around, her hysterical giggling infecting the rest of the crew who couldn't help but smile at the adorable tyke.

"Are you a real fairy now?" Giana asked, looking at his white feathers with wide eyes; her grubby hands pawing through them.

Wincing slightly at the weird feeling of having someone touch him there, he allowed the curious girl to continue petting the wings, "No Giana. But a fairy is inside me now."

Her eyes bulged as she tried to peek down his tunic. "Where?!" She cried, wanting to know.

"Not there silly!" He howled jovially; he held her firmly with one hand and placed her palm over his heart. "She is inside here."

"Oh…" She mouthed; clearly not fully understanding. "Will you play with me now?" Her obliviousness to the situation at hand knew no bounds.

Smiling, he shook his head, "Not right now, my princess." She flushed red at this. "Where is Malon?"

Her countenance fell at his question, "She's upstairs." She pointed sadly.

Giving a knowing look to the rest, he set the excitable girl down as she leaped into Impa's arms. Putting a hand on Merin's shoulder as he walked by her, he went up the stairs and down the hall. Stopping just short of her room, he took a deep breath before entering. She was lying on the bed facing the window, her back turned to him; he could still hear her soft sobbing.

"Malon?" He whispered; her crying stopped, but she still laid where she was. He drew closer to the bedside before asking again. "Malon? It's me, do you want to talk?"

"I didn't get to say goodbye." She chafed into the blankets.

Placing a consoling hand on her waist, he sat down beside her; the bed creaked in protest at their combined weight. "He was a valiant horse and defended Zelda to the end." Link had no idea why he lied, but he knew telling her the awful truth of his demise was not wise.

She sniffed before turning her head to look at him, "He truly did that?" She asked wistfully.

Link merely nodded. With sorrow written across her face, she reached out for him to lie down beside her. Shifting his weight to be behind her, he gracelessly maneuvered his wings so he wouldn't crush them beneath his body. Such bothersome things, they were!

"You really are a fairy boy now aren't you?" She giggled, a bit of mirth seeping back into her voice.

He laughed, "Yeah…I guess I am."

"Will you stay with me tonight?" She asked.

"What about the others?" Link queried softly, wrapping his arm around her waist to hold her tight.

"I don't care. I just want your company tonight." She breathed shakily.

No one dared bother the two of them as they slept together that evening, sharing in the grief of their lost friend.

* * *

><p><em>The Blessed Vishnu said:<em>

_Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds. _

_I have come to engage all people. _

_With the exception of you, _

_All those standing here shall perish._

_- Bhagavad Gita Scripture_

* * *

><p><span><strong>End of Act 2<strong>


	58. Chapter 57 - Fate of Their Friends

**Chapter 57 - Fate of Their Friends**

Veraca woke up. The Zora blinked his lids briefly before recognizing where he was. Turning his head to gaze upon his queen, he wondered how they got to this point. Ruto was sleeping peaceably next to him. The chains they had secured around her wrists were gone but the scars still remained. He grimaced at the things they had to do to get her to rights. For a brief moment in time, they had all but given up on having their queen ever come back to reality.

It had been over two orbits since they had captured Ruto from the Negev Marshlands. It had only taken just over an orbit to make any significant progress on repairing her fragile psyche. She was irrational and volatile towards them all, her mind only focused on either killing, sexually raping the males or her ultimate fantasy, Link. She had gone through so much virulent conditioning living with Naar that it was a miracle at all that she progressed this far.

It was only last week that mentioning Link's name in her presence did not prompt a reaction of rapture and complete cessation of the current exchange. Ruto was no longer obsessed with hurting others or fixating over Link, a prize she could never have. Unfortunately, she was still highly sexual in nature and it took everything in Veraca's power to enforce the rules of conduct around their queen. The older soldiers did their duties religiously, but the younger generations, still in their pubescent years, were in awe at the carnal attention their queen afforded them.

To avoid a royal catastrophe among the bloodlines, there seemed to only be one thing left to do to keep the royal bloodline secure, Veraca and his group of commanders assembled one evening to hold a conference on what to do with Ruto's increasing lust for males. It was the final linchpin in their plan to make her healthy, it also was the final obstacle they couldn't quite overcome. Whatever Naar had done to indoctrinate Ruto in this regard, he had done the job unbelievably well. None of the Zoras could wrap their minds around such a perverse addiction.

At length, they ultimately decided that to stymie the tide of rising issues revolving around her unique mania, they should appoint one person as her personal escort to satisfy it consistently. Much to the chagrin of Veraca, they all chose him to be her personal assistant in this regard. He was the general of their legions and well respected within the community; if there was ever to be a mate to Ruto to ultimately become their future king, they admitted he was the best choice possible.

Veraca was deathly nervous of their first encounter together and dreaded even being in the same room with Ruto that night. As she made her typical pass at him sexually, he accepted his responsibility to his people and did not resist. At first she reacted violently, thinking it was some sort of trick or another way to mock her; she was incredulous at his seeming compliance with her lascivious demands. In time, she accepted his acquiescence to the intimate act and laid him out that very night.

Knowing only men as her partners, she was like an innocent babe in the ways of how Zoras mate; they fumbled profusely in the first few evenings together. Although Zoras do indeed have phalluses that extend from their inner loins when aroused, it was not utilized in the same way Ruto was used to. The male merely places the phallus inside the female, injects his seed to fertilize her eggs and then removes himself. There is no prolonged method by which Zoras experience pleasure during mating, it is purely reproductive in nature and is treated more like an obligation to provide future Zoras to the community than anything remotely recreational.

Ruto was quite disappointed at the overall experience. Veraca was appalled at what she had expected him to do with his aroused member. Knowing that he was chosen to placate Ruto in this matter and so as to not have problems in public, he deigned to satisfy her demands. The weird sensation of thrusting in and out of Ruto was quite alien to him; long after he spent his initial seed flow, he kept going for her sake. After a time she finally exploded in ecstasy, their bodies warm from the exertion. It was far more work than it was worth as far as Veraca was concerned, but at the very least it subdued Ruto considerably in the weeks that followed. For that, Veraca was praised for having finally solved the final obstacle to bringing their queen to rights.

Gazing down her voluptuous body which was quite unlike any other Zora in recent memory, he began reminiscing their last few evenings together. It had been a nightly thing with her since they started, she was insatiable and he felt he was getting in far better shape simply doing this than his daily training regime. Veraca was finally starting to see the appeal of the way the land-walkers did things in bed and actually began enjoying the prolonged bouts of mating they shared.

Ruto's eyes flickered open. She smiled as she beheld his face next to her. "Good morning, my love."

Veraca beamed at the term of endearment she had recently coined with him almost a fortnight ago. "Did you sleep well last night?" He asked this question consistently every morning. Forming a pattern with her seemed to be helpful and kept her on a routine that she could focus on, even if the answer to the question was more or less the same.

"I always do when I'm next to you." She soothed; her voice soft and gentle. She reached a webbed hand over and massaged his cheek. Veraca closed his eyes as he lightly pressed into her palm.

"Are you ready to greet your subjects, my queen?" He offered smoothly.

Her body went rigid at the prospect; having mellowed since their first mating, she was beginning to think clearly and actually ruminate on what the future laid before her. She was personally terrified of becoming the queen to her people, to be that figurehead that everyone looked up to and obeyed. All she wanted was to escape from this dreadful requirement of her station. In the deepest thoughts of the night, she would sometimes imagine herself still in the arms of Naar. Those nights were few and far in-between these days, but she'd always wake up screaming from them.

"No." She whimpered; closing her eyes as if to block out Veraca's presence, childishly hoping that by not seeing him he wouldn't exist.

He dared not push her further, knowing full well that would shut her down quickly; he truly wondered what Naar subjugated her to night after night. Shaking off the last clutches of sleep, he rose up from the spongy bed and traveled over to the nearby coral dresser. Hefting his regal armor, he looked at it with unease; ever since his appointed pairing to their queen, it was dictated that armor be made more befitting his status. He certainly didn't feel like the king his people deserved. He was only chosen as king to bring complicity to Ruto, the last in the royal bloodline, and to help carry that genetic thread to the next generation. Being chosen as her mating partner seemed hardly a reason to name him king.

Sighing, he fitted himself with the shelled carapace, taking extra care to fasten the buckles to hold it onto his moist skin. He noticed Ruto had stepped up beside him and was watching him intently. "Did you feel like accompanying me on my rounds?"

She nodded dimly, "I don't want to be alone."

Taking it as consent, Veraca assisted her in dressing for the day. She was still unused to clothing since being primarily naked in Naar's presence. Despite the fact Zoran clothing was quite minimal in general, that it existed at all was foreign to Ruto. Placing the last clasp on her belt which held together her sparkling emerald dress, he stood back and admired his handiwork.

"You are truly beautiful." Veraca admitted truthfully.

Her cheeks flushed a dull color of green at his compliment; she also never got those when living amongst men for seven cycles. "Thank you." She stammered; knowing little else to say to his commendation.

The full extent of the day was occupied with overseeing the troops on their daily routines of training, each day Ruto was impressed with how well disciplined her people had become. Long were the days they lounged around in relative peace inside Zora Hall in the hills far northeast of where they resided now. If there was not a war currently presiding in Hyrule at this very moment, she would be quite surprised to see how militant her people had developed.

Upon seeing their reigning queen taking the time to visit them, every Zora would stop their current objective or task and bow low; many saying cordial greetings and endless praise. She accepted all with heartfelt appreciation, but inside she felt hollow and false to be accommodating such comments. Whenever she felt like she would swoon from the onslaught of being normal again, Veraca was beside her; he held her firmly and became that reassuring presence amidst the chaos.

Ruto gathered that the war was progressing further northward as the army moved its divisions westward through the Gerudo kingdom and eastward towards the Xaagar Mountains where the Gorons were still encamped. None of the Nevachreans knew or probably cared about the Zoras infesting the waterways of the Negev and further south and east; traveling as far as the great lakes just south of the Nevachrean capital, Glaun'rung.

The biggest news that day had come in the form of a scout who swam into the council meeting from a nearby tributary tunnel. The youthful Zora reported that a great victory had been claimed for Hyrule, the capital had been overthrown by a combination of Hylian, Gerudo and Nevachrean troops. The most startling news of this report was the name of Link being dropped. Veraca looked nervously at Ruto, but she hardly made any reaction to the update. Inside her heart, however, the fires of yearning were reignited.

The Zora commanders expeditiously decided they should send aid to the reconstruction efforts of the Nevachrean capital, in a show of good faith of their intentions. Sending several novices off to relay the orders, they adjourned for the day. The remainder of the evening went without incident and Ruto actually laughed at a few of the discussions being dialogued over dinner. Exhausted from the day, Veraca escorted her back to their room and shut the door quietly behind him.

"Can't we get another room? One without a door?" Ruto blurted abruptly, gesturing to the entry. She was used to tent flaps and prior to her capture, curtains of kelp as chamber coverings.

Veraca shook his head, "I am sorry my queen, but you know this is for your safety right now." Indeed, they still had to be careful of Ruto attempting to escape and potentially making her way back to Naar. At Veraca's request, the sentries locked them in their room together each night and unlocked it early in the morning prior to their awakening.

"Will you please call me Ruto now? We're lovers, for Din's sake!" She exclaimed throwing her arms up.

Veraca cocked his head to one side before questioning, "Technically, you are queen and I am your king by appointment. You are of royal bloodline and I am not."

Stifling a groan, she turned to the bed in crossness, "That may be true, but both you and I know that your children will be of royal blood. I can already tell my eggs are fertilized." Veraca suppressed his surprise at her certainty but allowed her to continue, slowly slipping off the pieces of his armor as he listened. "Once I lay them and they hatch, they will be the product of us. So stop putting yourself down and accept the role of the king that you are!"

He smiled inwardly as he countered, "As soon as you fully accept your role as queen and take up the responsibility of your people. Last I checked, you preferred to hide out in our room than show your face."

Ruto fumed for the rest of their bedtime ritual that night; at length they slipped onto the clamshell bed together, fluffing up the sponges they laid on. Casually bringing up the diaphanous covers over them both, Veraca laid down next to her, his eyes tracing the shells traversing across the ceiling in some crazy, haphazard design.

"Link is still alive, isn't he?" Ruto whispered.

Veraca's body tensed; this was the first time she had brought the name up in many moons. He was unsure of where this was going to go. "Yes." He confirmed haltingly.

"I'm not allowed to see him, am I?" She continued morosely.

"I'm afraid not at the time." He murmured tersely.

"He is something I probably can't ever have, isn't he?" A tremor of anguish percolated into her voice.

"He is not Zora. It would never have worked Ruto." She visibly reacted to him calling her directly by name. "Even if you did marry him, the royal bloodline would have died out. Only one of your own kind can fertilize your eggs."

Salty tears came to her eyes, deep down in her heart, she knew he was right. "I hurt him so bad Veraca. I don't think he will ever forgive me." She moaned in misery.

Veraca meant to embrace her to comfort her emotions; she gently pushed him away. "Maybe in time, forgiveness will come." He mollified softly. "For now, for you to do honor to him, you must keep your promise to your people and be the queen that they need right now."

They were silent together for a time. Veraca was almost asleep when he felt Ruto shifting down by his loins. "Ruto? What are you doing?" He asked dubiously.

Embarrassed but unwilling to back down from her course of action, she gently brought out his phallus and was stroking it between her fingers. "Please, will you let me do something for you tonight? I do not ask anything in return." She pleaded.

His heart broke to see the queen of the Zoras beseeching for something so trivial. "Ruto…whatever Naar made you do in the past; you do not have to relive it here." Veraca spoke earnestly, trying his best to ignore the sensations she was causing him.

Ruto nodded, "I know that, but you deserve so much better than what I can offer. The least I can do is bring you pleasure tonight, it's all I know how to do well."

Without a further word, she plunged her mouth onto his member. He gasped in shock at her wicked action. If it weren't for the many moons of practice doing land-walker actions such as redundant thrusting, he wouldn't have appreciated this pleasing act as much. Well versed in how such sexual mating could be agreeable, he had hardly the strength to resist and laid back in repose and enjoyed his queen.

* * *

><p>A screaming war cry reverberated through the mountain pass as the hammer splattered the man's brains out. Another arcing swing brought the massive sledge into several more targets, flinging them off their feet and into the nearby jagged rocks, impaling several in the process. The Goron seemed to be enjoying himself. Strapping the unwieldy hammer into the holder on his rock plated back, the imposing creature rolling itself into a ball and began plummeting down the decline; the business end of the sledge sticking awkwardly to the side of the rolling Goron. Laughing manically inside his ball, he aimed his trajectory down the hill so that he tripped up every single man on the way down with the hammer.<p>

Unfurling from his compressed state, in one fluid motion the Goron gripped the gigantic sledge and swung it around hitting the remainder of the opponents; many skulls were caved in those precious few seconds. Eyes darting around quickly, the massive Goron spotted a fleeing grunt. With an earnest guffaw, he ran after the poor sap waving his monstrosity of a weapon above his head like a lunatic.

The daunting being made of rock and stone was almost upon the hapless soldier when his body shifted to the side, cut cleanly in half. The Goron looked dejected at the fact his prey had been killed before he could finish the job. He glared up to the nearby rock as a Sheikah finished plucking chunks of flesh from her gauntlets, casually sheathing a sword in the scabbard across her back.

"That was my kill woman!" The Goron frothed.

"Then maybe you should be faster next time in offing him." She crowed jokingly.

The Goron couldn't help but grin in mirth at her cheek, "You are great fighters. I'll give you that."

"As are you Darunia, and all your kin." She looked down at the split man; groaning, he was already trying to put himself together. "You know this is fruitless, they just keep coming back."

Darunia guffawed heartily; scratching the back of his crown of a head, wreathed in spiked rocks that were as deadly as they looked. "True Cayla, but it is ever so fun to kill them over and over again." He stomped up to the pitiful man who was dragging his upper body back to his legs and promptly began crushing his spine beneath his heavy foot. "They just don't learn, do they?" The Goron king laughed.

"Sometimes I wonder if you Gorons have an overall plan on how to win this war." Cayla intoned, gracefully leaping down from the rock to stand beside the huge king.

Hooting with cheerfulness, Darunia brought the hammer down onto the man's head watching gray matter splatter across the dirt. "Ha! That'll slow him down for at least a few hours." He looked back up the mountain and spotted several other Gorons rolling down the hills, barreling through unfortunate Nevachrean troops who happened to stumble into their way. "Well, we are kind of isolated here. It is hard to get any news from the outside world."

Strolling up the hill, seemingly oblivious to the pandemonium around them, Cayla insouciantly continued the conversation, "You honestly cling to that futile notion that he will come back for the Ruby? I should think that after seven cycles the boy is dead and we should start thinking about saving what is left of our people."

Batting away a rogue body flying at him, Darunia grunted in protest, "Do not underestimate that boy's courage. He floored us all when he came in one day to alleviate the Dodongo problem that had plagued us for so long. He is my sworn brother. I am bound by the vows we took that day to wait for his return. I believe in him."

Efficiently lopping the head off the nearest soldier who dared look at her in vehemence, Cayla reinserted her sword into its sheathe. "You place all your hopes on a boy you've only met once. Do you even know his name at least?" She quizzically confronted him.

Tapping a finger to his chin, he had to admit that he quite forgot what the lad's name was. "You know? I'm not entirely sure." Darunia confessed.

"Hey, Darunia! Catch!" A fellow Goron joyfully blared, tossing a flailing body towards them.

In a flash, Darunia caught the chucked man, quickly snapping the man's spine against his knee before tossing him down the mountain to be impaled on the jagged rocks below. "And don't insult our ancestral obligations Cayla." He admonished the jaded Sheikah. "Just because you got separated from your princess doesn't mean you have to give up so easily on what you believe in! We were charged to uphold the protection of the Ruby until the messenger of the Royal Family came to claim it; was a shame he returned it to us though." He shook his head in disbelief.

Cayla huffed in derision; seven cycles with no word of Zelda was disheartening to both her and the rest of the Sheikah residing with the Gorons in the Xaagar Mountains. Impa was supposed to have joined them in the mountains, but they had heard nothing. Cayla had an elegant grace to her features and preferred to wear her hair in a long, tight braid that reached down to her knees. She adorned herself with the typical attire of her tribe, but over the years it had grown tattered in places due to the rugged life they had lived fending off the army all these cycles.

Both of their attention was diverted by a caller from on high; the look-out was pointing towards the east. Darunia squinted his eyes before Cayla called out what he couldn't decipher. "Dragons!" Cayla yelled above the din of battle around them.

Darunia chortled as they sprinted up the hill towards cover, "At least they'll permanently remove the existing threat right now!"

"If we don't get incinerated first!" Cayla laughed as she raced the Goron king up the mountain.

The serpentine creatures swooped down on the battlefield occurring on the slope; breathing liquid flames, they smote the helpless men against the mountainside. Many of the existing Gorons still vulnerable in the open chose to ball themselves up and ride off the side of the cliffs than face the burning wrath of their mortal enemies. They could survive the worst of falls, but would not walk away easily from dragon fire.

The two ran up into the caves at the peak of the incline, ducking swiftly behind the rock bend as raging flames surged into the cavernous abode. Darunia howled with merriment, "Now this is more like it!" Unlatching the hammer from his back, he waited for the inferno to die down before rounding the corner with weapon raised, cackling the entire way to the dragon's snout.

Cayla shook her head in humor at the Goron's joy in fighting. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned to her liege and bowed low. "My lord, it is not safe here. The dragons are at our doorstep again." She said reverently.

"Thank you for your concern." The man said softly, "Any word yet from the south?" He asked hopefully.

"No my king." Cayla spoke, her eyes still on the ground.

"Please, call me Harkinian. Formal titles mean little in this day and age." He sighed heavily, the years written across his face. "To think, the peace I helped create by unifying our country would be so tenuous. Very well, keep me informed Cayla." She bowed her head in obedience.


	59. Chapter 58 - Hard Work

**Chapter 58 - Hard Work**

His enraged cry permeated through the air; sweat was glistening off his naked chest from the toil. Link flapped his wings vainly in an endeavor to maintain his position in the air. He had jumped off a broken wall of rubble to gain momentum for the attempt. He screamed his fury as he felt the strength of his appendages give. Tumbling to the ground in a mass of feathers and limbs, he smacked the ground with his fists in futile anger.

"Why can't I do it Saria?!" Link breathed heavily; kicking up dust that wafted up into his nose which forced him to sneeze. "Damn it!" He shouted.

Rising up to a sitting position violently, he thrust his wings back behind him with an infuriated holler. Why were his wings so utterly useless? Saria alighted next to him from her vantage point above. She walked over to him before kneeling to face him on his level. Impa gazed on the proceedings impassively, preferring to lean in the shadows against the scattered remnants of the structure that had once stood by the edge of the lake.

Fluttering her ethereal wings calmly behind her, she placed a hand on his quivering shoulder. He was clearly angry at being unable to fly. "I'm not entirely sure Link. I honestly don't think your wings are strong enough to support you." She said, affirming her own suspicions.

"What?!" Link spat at her; far angrier than he should have been with Saria. He instantly regretted his ire the moment she backed away from him. "Saria…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you like that. I'm just so angry! What is the use of having wings if they don't work?" He exasperatedly exhaled.

"I beg to differ." Impa proposed, stepping out from the shade. "You have been training very well these past few weeks; you and Zelda both. In fact, I believe you are performing better because of your wings."

"I don't understand." Link fumed leaning back, resting his hands against the ground.

"You're faster, for one thing." Impa praised. "Whenever you jump or roll out of the way of my thrusts, you tend to travel further, or leap higher." Link turned away, taking in the majestic sight of the lake beside them; he knew she was right but didn't want to admit it. "Your wings may not be able to carry you along the winds, but try to think of them as a further extension of what you can do now."

"I'm sorry Link. I really wanted to share the sky with you." Saria said dejectedly.

"Tell you what." Impa offered with a smile. "See that tall wall over there? Try leaping up and over that utilizing your new ability." She pointed over to a collapsed building wall several meters away that was at least the height of two grown men; far too high to jump over normally.

Rolling his eyes not fully trusting in Impa's confidence in his skills, he grumbled pulling himself up to standing height. Cracking his neck before stretching out his wings, he breathed hard getting himself psyched up for the challenge. He bolted in a dead sprint at the wall. Within several feet of the brick, he bounded onto its unyielding surface. With a swift kick to push himself off of the wall and a flap of his wings, he vaulted himself over the great height.

A smile burst onto his face as he realized he had cleared the obstacle, it deflated the moment he saw the naked form of Zelda beyond the wall. She had just emerged from the lake from bathing after their training. She was just drying out her hair as her eyes widened at his sudden appearance. They both shouted in unison as he went flailing to the ground by her feet, a tangle of limbs and feathers.

"Damn it!" He roared; averting his eyes from the unclothed Zelda.

"Link!" Zelda yelped; hastily covering herself with her mound of clothes stacked nearby. "I thought you were training with Saria on flying?"

"I was." He said; remaining prone on the ground, facing away from her nude form as a sign of respect. "Impa asked me to see if I could use them," he jerked a thumb at his feathers, "to climb over that wall."

"Link? Is everything alright?" Saria inquired soaring over the debris; her eyes bulged at the unexpected scene. Her hand went straight to her mouth as she broke into a fit of giggling.

"Shut up Saria!" Zelda and Link said as one.

Pushing himself off the ground and walking around Zelda, he moved on towards the lake. "I think I'm done training for today. I'm going for a dip."

Impa poked her head around the wall and sidled up next to Zelda with a grin on her face. She took one look at the Sheikah before smacking her arm curtly, "You dared him to do that on purpose!"

The grin broke into a wide smile at Zelda's accusation. "What can I say? If you are to be properly trained by a Sheikah, it would do you well to be ready for any situation. Just because you are naked does not mean you should let down your defenses. I would have expected you to be on him in a heartbeat, dagger at his throat, regardless of your attire. You clearly have a lot to learn."

"Ugh!" Zelda thundered. "But did it have to be him? You could have easily done the same thing and I would have reacted accordingly!"

"Perhaps." She smirked, "But it wouldn't have been as effective." She chuckled as Zelda huffed, storming off to change into her fresh clothes in the corner.

Impa turned her head to Saria, "You should be thankful you don't sweat like the rest of us. I don't think you change at all." She mused.

"Nope!" Saria beamed cheerfully. "I'm actually happy about that." She moved her arms as she admired herself. "I like the tunic I have on now. The Gerudo made it for me many cycles ago. It holds a special place in my heart."

"Although sometimes you do need a bath." Impa scrunched her nose. "You should take one after Link gets out." After seeing Saria sticking her tongue out, she threatened merrily, "Either take one or I'll toss you in myself."

"Ha! I'd like to see you catch me!" Saria bluffed; lifting herself slightly off the ground.

Impa raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge little Kokiri?" The menace in her voice was apparent.

Saria gulped, "Maybe?" She said feebly. With a shriek of nervous laughter, she swooshed out of Impa's tackle and began whisking off across the ruined village with Impa in hot pursuit.

Link observed the two of them speeding through the rubble with a smile on his face; it was about time that Kokiri got a proper bath! Agitatedly, he maneuvered around in the water, trying to fold his wings behind him so he could dive deep below the surface and feel the cool rush flow over his head. For some irritating reason, his additional limbs were quite buoyant and it was annoying to try swimming at all with them attached to his shoulder blades. At least they seemed to not soak in moisture like he had expected them to, instead most liquids tended to run right off the feathers.

"Navi?" He spoke aloud to what appeared to be no one in particular. "Do you know why I have wings? Is this your doing?"

_I'm afraid not Link._ Navi's voiced chimed in his head. _I honestly had no idea how our merge would affect you; I wasn't even sure if I would survive!_ A little nervous giggle resounded in his head. _Just…consider it a gift from Hylia for giving you a second chance at life?_ She suggested.

Link sighed as he continued to tread water; it really was a beautiful day. There were only patches of clouds and the sun was beating down warmly. "Maybe I'm putting too much stock into them. I guess…" He struggled trying to find the right words. He had once hoped Navi could read his mind, but it was established early on she could not. He had to vocalize his thoughts to her. "I guess I feel that there has to be some greater purpose to them than there probably is."

_I think you are right Link._ Navi agreed. He could almost feel the shrug of her shoulders as she said it.

A tug on his leg startled him out of his conversation; a small splash nearby heralded the entrance of a Zora. Backing away slightly from the sudden visitor, he eyed it warily expecting it to strike at any moment. Although the Zora had a spear gripped in its hand, it raised a palm in greeting.

"Ahoy, do not be alarmed. You must be Link." The Zora's eyes darted briefly to the white wings Link was sporting. At a nod from him, the Zora continued, "I was told to come find you to act as an ambassador to your group for us."

"What for? Who are you?" Link probed cautiously.

"My name is Leelan. Our king has tasked us to assist your reconstruction efforts to rebuild Glaun'rung as a sign of peace between our peoples." The Zora extended his hand in friendship; Link clasped it firmly, suddenly remembering how clammy their skin felt. "It is agreed then, please see to it that they are accommodating of our presence. We will await word of their decision tomorrow."

With a flash of a fin, the Zora was gone. Link blinked a few times, had he imagined that entire conversation? As if to test himself, he asked Navi, "Did I talk to a Zora just now?"

_Yep. You are not hallucinating Link._ Navi pealed softly in humor.

"Good. At least I have you to back me up in that regard." He laughed.

A howl of distress diverted his gaze over to the shore as he saw a wriggling Saria thrashing against Impa's powerful grip. His mouth dropped at the spectacle, the Sheikah had not only caught the wry little Kokiri, she had stripped her naked and was firmly carrying Saria under her arm towards the water. With a roar of triumph, she dove headfirst into the water with Saria locked in her arms, shrilling all the way into the cool, refreshing liquid.

Link lumbered over, trying his best to swim over to them, his wings continually unbalancing his strokes. Impa popped out of the water first, followed shortly after by a spluttering Saria. "I hate you Impa!" She yelled.

Impa cackled with diabolical glee, "Don't ever dare a Sheikah! You had no idea who you were messing with!" She rammed her hand into the lake, splashing the gasping Kokiri with a tidal wave of water. Impa looked down at her sopping armor but dismissed it, "My clothes may be soaked, but it was worth it!"

"You are nuts Impa." Zelda accused from the shoreline; she had fitted herself with a free flowing dress of blue, with a side stitch of runes trailing down of gold and white.

"Don't I know it!" Link chipped in smiling.

"Oh…don't you start ganging up on me." Impa warned, waggling a finger. "I will dunk you under, wings and all boy! You may be skilled, but I am still the master here!"

Saria and Link shared a devious look before they surged in to assault the bellowing Sheikah. "Attack!" They yelled in harmony.

"Zelda!" Impa screeched as their hands began forcing her beneath the surface. "Get in here and save your teacher!"

"Nuh-uh!" Zelda shook her head swiftly. "You brought this on yourself. You deal with it!"

Grabbing the Saria and Link by the neck, Impa did a backflip in the water, plunging their faces into the lake in a somersault of death. They all came up spitting out water and laughing; it had been a long time since they enjoyed rare moments of respite like this. It was peaceful.

* * *

><p>They got back into the city just as the sun was setting on the horizon; its brilliant rays of gold and red basking the buildings in their comforting glow. Link was astride Epona with Saria sitting in front of him. She sometimes felt the inner urge to simply sit in the saddle with him and enjoy the ride, she didn't always have to fly. Zelda and Impa were riding the two spotted horses Francis had once owned before his death. They had given them the names of Fado and Tellah. Fado was the rambunctious one with Tellah being quite a bit more subdued.<p>

Link glanced up at the sky as he saw Kotake and Koume levitate higher into the air on their brooms before spiraling off with crowing laughter towards the distant snow-capped mountains to the north. He always wondered what those two were up to, he did not trust them. Ganondorf had been keeping to himself mostly, emerging from his secretive dealings to appear with Apolloni; who seemed to be willing to do whatever he desired. Link wrinkled his nose at the thought of that woman, her slow slippage of sanity began with the loss of Aveil and the only thing that kept her grounded these days was her king.

Dismounting from their horses, they guided them into the stables which had been recently refurbished over the course of the last orbit. Link, Talon and Ingo had worked hard each day to rebuild and touch up the majority of the structure. To ensure its lasting quality, Ingo even polished down the wood to a nice sheen. His pub and inn received similar treatment; it had been hard work, but the people of Glaun'rung were finally starting to recover from the infectious poison that Barrachas had brought to their community.

Zelda leapt back slightly at the restless snort from Ganondorf's horse Appa. The discovery of that name had been quite the hilarious event; Malon and Link were coming in to brush down Epona, Fado and Tellah when they saw Ganondorf grooming his black stallion. He presently ignored them as they entered and preferred to mind his steed over their company, which mattered little to the two of them.

On a whim, Malon asked if the horse had a name. Ganondorf was a bit taken aback at her interest but smiled nevertheless about her curiosity in his horse. After revealing its name to be Appa, Link looked at her with an air of smugness at having his original name suggestion vindicated. They could do nothing but laugh at the ludicrous nature of it all; Ganondorf merely growled and stalked out of the stables.

Giving Appa a wide berth, they tethered the horses to their individual stalls. Link looked forlornly at the stall beside Epona's that once belonged to Harden. Sighing, he turned around to the slumbering Cyn'Taak; Xavier had taken up residence with the horses, not that she minded it much. At first, the horses were alarmed and quite panicked in its presence. Over the course of weeks, they had grown accustomed to its company and even began to sleep near her as if drawing comfort from the snoring behemoth.

Not wanting to wake the sleeping Cyn'Taak, he motioned to the others to follow him out back to the inn. Link was still amazed at how much the creature had progressed in the past orbit. It was now capable of speech at a level that was far beyond anything he remembered her ilk ever producing. He figured being around men and women who spoke proper Hylian assisted in its amazing grasp of the language. It wouldn't be long now in its growing development that its tail would start producing potent venom; Link shuddered at the thought.

The four of them strolled into the pub, admiring the freshly greased shutter doors as they entered. Ingo had just begun to set down plates of steaming food at the table. Looking up to see them return, he smiled. "Welcome back everyone! Merin actually helped me cook this delicious meal tonight. She is quite the chef!" Merin, who was sitting beside Ashley, blushed from his praise; Ashley merely rolled his eyes at him.

Talon was sitting beside his daughter Malon. She beamed at Link as he sat down at the table next to her. Talon grunted slightly at this but did not comment, instead directing his attention to the food at hand. "Did ya have good training today, Link?" He asked passively.

Adjusting his wings so he wouldn't keep banging the back of Malon's head with them, he nodded. "Yeah, I think I'm getting used to these things." He motioned toward his new limbs.

Malon leaned back to check out his modified tunic she was forced to make him. "I see that the zippered design works well with your wings." She commented.

"I agree." Merin pitched in cheerfully, "That idea of yours Ingo was brilliant. I honestly didn't know how we were going to get shirts on Link after that." She waved a hand in Link's general direction.

Link shifted uncomfortably, he felt horribly out of place with everyone talking about him and his wings like it was something unnatural that had to be accounted for. "Let's just eat." He spoke flatly.

"Excellent idea, m'boy!" Talon puffed. "I am famished!"

It was an excellent dinner that evening, Merin and Ingo had prepared a succulent steak sidelined with mashed taters and steamed broccoli. Saria poked slightly at the steak before politely refusing it, preferring to eat the broccoli instead; she couldn't bear to eat animal meat. Impa and Zelda sat together eating in silence as they enjoyed the company of the others in the room.

Figuring this was a good time to bring up the Zora exchange, Link brought it to their attention of the potential help from them. Ingo thought it was a great idea and wouldn't mind the extra help in rebuilding the capital. Now that the ownership of the city had transferred hands back to its people, things could finally begin on the right foot this time. Link was in admiration of Ingo; ever since the death of his final brother and all of his kin, he took it upon himself to run the pub and inn in his stead, never once offering a complaint.

"Um…can I have some jam on this steak?" Malon asked abruptly.

Ingo's mustache quivered in confusion, "I'm sorry, what?"

She pointed to the steak, "Some jam. Strawberry, raspberry, doesn't matter. Do you have any?"

Ingo looked over at Talon about the idiocy his daughter was spouting; Talon merely shrugged before plopping a huge hunk of meat into his mouth. "It's steak, Malon. You don't put anything on it, you'll ruin the flavor." Ingo chided.

"Just do it Ingo." Talon implored in-between mouthfuls of meat chewing.

Ingo creased his nose in disgust but consented to honor her request. Ashley looked on in shock as Malon slathered the offered jam onto her steak. She sliced up a few chunks before gulping them down like she had been starving for cycles. Link went to say something about slowing down when she brought a hand to her mouth. She looked like she was going to puke. Quickly excusing herself, she rushed up the stairs. Link winced as they all could hear her empty the contents of her stomach in the room bucket.

The rest of them finished the scrumptious meal in silence before heading off to their respective rooms for their bedtime routines. Talon gave Link a hard look, "I think it's time you and I talked son." He said sternly.

Avoiding Ingo who was clearing the table, he brought Link to the side of the room by the roaring fireplace. "What is it Talon?" Link asked cheerfully, although he had an idea of what was coming.

"We need ta talk about the future of you and Malon." He rumbled gravely. "We all know ya like each other; that can be seen plain as day. Furthermore, it's not like I can stop ya two anyhow especially since ya two are of age…and," he coughed purposely trying to think of a way to avoid the subject, "since you've both done the deed several times now."

Link blushed as he looked away from Talon's penetrating eyes. Scratching the back of his head like a nervous tic, Link offered meekly, "We were going to tell you, but…"

Talon put up a hand to stop him, "Link, ya better be prepared fer the future with her. We all know ya are going on a journey with Zelda and all them, and that's fine. But I know she will want ta come with ya. My strong advice is ta ensure that she stays here and comes with us."

Link looked at him mystified, "What? Why?"

"She's got a lot more ta think about now, Link. Where ya are going is far more dangerous than where we are headed." Talon crossed his arms, trying to get it through the lad's thick skull.

"Don't tell me you think I can't protect her?" Link asked skeptically.

"It's not that." Talon placed a hand to his forehead, how could he say this? "She's caring fer two now, and ya are responsible!" He pointed a finger directly at Link's chest. Seeing the confused look on Link's face, he groaned. "Boy! Haven't ya learned anything all them orbits ya helped us out on the ranch? She's pregnant!"

A clatter of dishes erupted from behind the counter, as Ingo hastily wiped up the mess; trying to appear like a fly on the wall, completely eavesdropping on the conversation. Link's mouth opened in disbelief, he had some vague idea where babies came from but didn't quite put the connection together that making love with Malon would result in such a thing. Talon quickly helped Link sit down on the nearest chair as he stared off into the fire, lost in his whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. He was going to be a father!

Patting his shoulder gently, Talon smiled at the youth's reaction. "I understand this is tough ta take in Link. I won't deny ya access ta my daughter anymore, but ya gotta treat her right. Make sure she stays behind when ya leave. We'll take care of the child if it is born before ya return." The two of them sat there together for a time before Talon grunted, unsure of what else to say, "Well…good night Link. See ya tomorrow." Heaving his girth off the creaking bench, he rumbled up the stairs to go sleep next to Giana.

Passing by the glares of Ingo, Link walked numbly up the stairs as he headed for the room he shared with Malon. Their relationship was quite known amongst the group by this point; they had moved Saria out and placed a third bed for her to sleep beside Zelda and Impa, the Kokiri wasn't exactly happy at this prospect. When this roommate change transpired Link could hear Zelda crying in the next room the first few nights before finally tapering off; now he heard nothing beyond the wall adjoining their rooms after the three of them had gone to sleep.

Link saw Malon sitting at the edge of the bed that they shared, clothed in nothing but a lightweight ivory negligée. She beamed at him as he entered and began taking his boots off in the corner, "Good evening Link."

"Hey Malon." He grinned, as he turned around to offer his back to her. She hopped off the blankets as she walked over to him to help unstrap his tunic. Ever since the sprouting of his wings, she had to reconstruct his Kokiri tunic so that it zipped up and around the base of each. Gingerly taking the cloth off his back, she stood back and admired his physique. Catching her shameless stare, he looked at her sheepishly. "What?"

Malon smirked, "Nothing. I'm just lucky I have the best guy in the world." She crooked her finger, beckoning him to follow her to the bed. She swayed her hips enticingly as she paced toward the inviting covers.

_Nayru have mercy! Do I have to watch this again?_ Navi jeered.

"Well, if you don't like it Navi, you can just look away." He chuckled.

_You know I can't do that Link! I see what you see!_ She susurrated.

"Is that Navi talking to you?" Malon inquired; suddenly feeling diffident that someone inside Link's head would be watching them making love…who already had been!

Link nodded his head at her question before replying back to Navi, "Well then don't complain then. You are the one who merged with me. You're just going to have to put up with it. It's a natural part of life!" He laughed.

_Yeah I know. What was I thinking? I didn't really take into account all aspects of this merging; it seemed like a good idea at the time._ She huffed loudly in his mind. If he could see her, he visualized her arms crossed in a severe pout.

"Then it's settled." He undid his breeches and kicked them off, revealing his swollen member that was eager for release. After a quick thought, he added, "Just…be quiet during this?"

_Fine. I'm just glad I can't feel it, man that just gives me the willies._ She retorted.

"Is she quite done?" Malon crooned; already naked on the bed with her legs spread wide, her small tuft of ginger hair directing his attention to her lovely crevice.

"Yeah…" Link said dryly.

Link hiked himself up over her as he dipped himself quickly inside her folds, she moaned in pleasure as his full manhood reached her inner depths. It took some time and a lot of fumbling, but they had learned to make love with the addition of his new wings. She reached around his back and began rubbing the base of his appendages; it struck raw nerves in his spine which shot down his body making him groan in desire. She delighted in the fact that his wings were highly sensitive in certain areas to have this erotic effect on him.

Link was kneading into her womanhood, building a good rhythm when she suddenly pushed him away; forcing him to slip out of her with a slurp. "What's wrong?" He asked, both concerned and bothered at the same time.

"I'm…going to barf!" She managed to stammer before clapping a hand to her mouth and tearing towards the room bucket by the wall. Within seconds she retched into the pail what was left of her stomach. Link flinched at the sudden change in the sexual mood of the room.

_Lovely._ Navi mockingly rang.


	60. Chapter 59 - By Dawn's Early Light

**Chapter 59 - By Dawn's Early Light**

Link looked at the two masks in his hands. One was filled with malice and deceit, staring at him with its bloodshot eyes. The other was filled with nothing but sorrow, yet it seemed no spirit or energy resided within. He placed the mask of Ballos over his face once more, after a moment he brought it down with discontent.

Nothing happened when placing it on, he was almost positive it had something to do with it not being completely whole. He sighed despairingly; how could they possibly put the mask back together again when so many pieces of it were missing, with no hope of finding them? His eyes falling back onto Majora, he shivered uncontrollably. The other he dare not put on, despite its incessant whispers of power and glory.

"And now you have two." A melodious voice crooned.

Link dropped the masks onto the bed sheet; bounding out of the bed, he swiftly apparated a broadsword aiming it at the smiling man's face. The curious visitor simply sat in the chair completely relaxed at Link's outward display of hostility. Beside him was a rather large sack, bulging abnormally in places with its unusual contents inside.

"You." Link fumbled, trying to recall memories of this man. "I've met you once before."

"I should think you did." The man confirmed gaily; his grin never leaving his face.

Lowering his sword, Link snorted in disdain, "Are you here to give me another mask that haunts me with its lies?"

"No. I am here to ensure you follow the right path." He said enigmatically.

Link turned to the mask of Ballos, "Does it have something to do with this mask we found here? Did you come to take it?"

"I think not." The man spoke firmly. "You seem quite adept at handling it all by yourself."

Vaporizing the sword to mist, he flopped back down onto the bed, tired of these mind games the man was playing. "Then why are you here? And don't give me any cryptic nonsense!" Link shot him a glare that would have withered any other man.

The grin never wavering, the man bowed his ginger head in supplication. "Very well, I will plant the seed of destiny into your mind." Link was taken aback as the smile left the man's face. "You must kill Zelda."

"What?" Link faltered. He blinked his eyes, wondering if he had only imagined the sudden shift in the man's demeanor. Nothing remained except the grinning expression on that smug face. "What did you say?" He asked again.

"It is the only way to restore balance to this world." Pressing onward, ignoring the rising confusion in Link's face, "There will come a time when Zelda will ask you to do the unthinkable. I am here to implore you to listen to her. It is the only way." He hummed; absently picking an errant string from his breeches and flicking it off.

"What is your game?" Link interrogated lethally. "Don't you dare come in here and tell me that I have to hurt my friends." Violence flashed in his eyes; daring the man to continue in this direction.

The man casually shrugged as he leaned back in the chair, undaunted by Link's bravado. "It needn't matter, what was required to be said is done. The rest shall lie on you." He pointed a slender finger in Link's direction. Shifting his pointing towards the mask of Majora, he chimed, "Might I suggest you keep that mask secret until you are further north with your companions."

Link's eyes squinted mistrustfully, "How do you know where we are going?" He didn't remember the man being a part of their previous discussions regarding their future plans.

"Would it matter if I answered that?" The man smiled infuriatingly. "Your vow of silence is about to end. You must place trust in the friends you have around you if you want them to survive."

Link shook his head violently, "You are speaking in riddles again, old man!"

A look of shock danced across the visitor's face, "Do I really look that old?" Tilting his head to the side unnervingly, he tapped a finger to his chin. "I guess you could call me old of a sort." Presently standing, he brushed his clothes down before facing Link with a smirk, "You should really learn to be more pleasant to those who are trying to help you."

Link barked a harsh laugh, "Says the person who gave me one of the most dangerous masks I've ever known!"

Link gripped Majora in his hands and made to hurl it across the room when the man raised an arm in protest, "I suggest you think real hard on tossing your responsibility aside." The grin had evaporated from the man's face; replaced with firm resolve. "Carry both with you. In time you will discover their proper owners."

Link was tired of these mysteries and talk of destiny; he made his own choices, not bound to some fate he couldn't escape. "Leave." He spoke dangerously. "I don't want to see you again."

The smile returned as the man straightened back up. "Trust me Link. You won't." Grunting as he heaved the heavy sack back onto his back, he turned to Link one last time. "Now it's time for you to leave."

"What? Leave?" Link asked befuddled.

The grin never leaving his face, the man merely pointed to Link's wings. "Time for you to wake up."

Link jerked his head to inspect his wings, his eyes popped at the rivulets of crimson seeping through the feathers. Within seconds, gore began flowing out between the white plumes trailing down to the floor with gravity. Horrified at his bleeding limbs, he swiveled his head to discern that the man had disappeared. He slammed his hands to his face to cover the torrential deluge of blood spurting from his screaming eyes.

He floundered himself awake, only to realize he had fallen out of bed in a heap. Malon was still asleep above him, snoring softly. Groaning in aching pain from the fall, he meant to get up when he saw a pair of feet by his nose. He looked up into the searching face of Impa.

* * *

><p>She writhed under his terrifying glare. Multitudes of black wings were descending from the sky. A grinning visage of evil unveiled itself on the moon as it began plummeting down to the earth. A sword of purest white slashed through the air, severing her torso from the legs and decimating those around her. Lying on the ground with her life force streaming out from her body, she turned her head to see the glazed eyes of her daughter, Giana; her petite body ripped to shreds.<p>

Nabooru thrashed wildly off the bed shrieking hysterically. With a thud on the hard wooden boards, she twisted across the floor trying to erase the mental images still dancing behind her eyelids. Talon was on her in a heartbeat, struggling to keep her still and calm, "Darlin'!" He cried. "Wake up! It is only a dream!" He gripped her face as he forced her to look into his eyes.

"Daddy? Is mommy okay?" Giana asked fearfully; looking over the side of the bed, sleep still in her eyes from being awoken so suddenly.

"Shh, baby!" Talon quelled Giana before turning his focus back on his wife. "Nabooru, it was a dream, come back ta me!" His voice was firm and commanding.

Her eyes finally locked onto his with recognition, she began crying irrepressibly. "It was awful Talon." She gulped in handfuls of air, trying to calm herself down. "I had the most frightening vision. I fear something terrible is going to happen to Link and it will mean the death of us all!" She recalled the memory so long ago of Saria talking as if possessed, of detailing the prophetic mural on the wall they had found in the Gerudo Fortress. The dread in her pounding heart inherently knew that the prophecy was close at hand.

"Is it about the quest he is bein' sent on?" Talon prodded earnestly. "Is it a mistake that we are sendin' him?"

Nabooru shook her head ardently. "I…I don't know!"

She jerked slightly under his grip as a slight knock on the door sounded, "Is everything all right in there?" It was Impa.

"Please, let me go." Nabooru pleaded with Talon. "I must speak with her."

Unsure of her mental state, he reluctantly honored her request. He sat down on the bed next to Giana, assuring that mommy was simply going to take a short walk to clear her head; that she would be back in the bed with her soon. Pacified with his answer, she snuggled back up under the covers next to him, her eyes watching Nabooru intently as she left the room with Impa.

Without waiting for Impa to initiate the conversation, Nabooru dove right into the forefront of her thoughts, "I think I should go with Link on his journey north to acquire the ruby."

Impa was inwardly surprised at this statement but showed no outward sign of it, "That would put our group slightly larger than is warranted or advisable when traveling north into enemy territory." Their established traveling group to the Xaagar Mountains was large enough as it was if you didn't include the Cyn'Taak as part of it.

"I believe I had a vision Impa, one that recalls a prophecy I once heard recounted by Saria many cycles ago. I can't explain why, but I feel it in my heart that I need to be there for him on this task." Her voice was low, but the tone exposed her determination.

Impa cocked her head slightly as she considered the proposal, "That would change a few things to the overall plan." She turned her head to look back at her shared room with Zelda. "My place is by her side." Her eyes flicked over to the shut door of Ganondorf's dwelling. "I do not yet know Merin well enough to consider her reliable. We need a Gerudo tagging along who is loyal to us."

"I know, and you trusted me with that." Nabooru acknowledged the original pitch of her traveling with Ganondorf back to Hyrule.

Impa turned back to her, "I am confident in your allegiances Nabooru." She gestured to her family just beyond the opened door. "You have a husband and a little daughter to take care of. You are different than any Gerudo I have ever known."

"Then you have to trust me on this. I can't shake this feeling that something is about to befall all our best laid plans." Nabooru spoke with conviction.

After regarding the unwavering Gerudo, Impa relented with a crooked smile, "Very well. Then I shall relay instructions to Zelda regarding my absence. You must go tell Ganondorf that we are swapping positions and that you are going with Link instead."

As the ruling authority amongst the group, it had been Ganondorf who submitted the new plan to everyone. Since Link was still unable to apparate holy swords on a whim as was expected, their original plan of retrieving the remaining sacred stones to unlock the Master Sword was still their primary objective. They were to take a small group of which Zelda, Impa and Malon were apart of to head north to find the Gorons and secure the ruby.

Ganondorf, Apolloni, Nabooru and Talon were to head northwest to secure a viable way to access the Temple of Time and lay the groundwork for the final stages of Link's mission to retrieve the Sapphire from Naar himself. Once acquired, they were to meet up at the temple and have Link claim the Master Sword. Ingo opted to stay behind to look after Saria, Giana and Ashley while they were away, promising them a safe haven.

"Thank you." Nabooru whispered gratefully to Impa before setting off down the hall towards Ganondorf's room.

The door swung wide suddenly as she stepped up to it; Apolloni leaned up against the frame looking at her nastily, "What did you want?" She sneered.

Nabooru ignored the woman's naked form, "Change of plans. Impa will be accompanying you; I will be assisting Link in his endeavor for the ruby. If you want the details-"

"That will not be necessary." Ganondorf rumbled from the bed, the bed sheets lying loosely over his muscular form. "Do as you wish Nabooru. I care not for your presence or your reasons for the amendment to the plan. As far as I'm concerned, you no longer have a home among the Gerudo."

His words hit her in the chest like a sledgehammer. He could not have wounded her any graver than if he had tried to hurt her family. Despite her personal grievances against the methods with which he ruled over the Gerudo, she still considered him their figurehead and part of her kinfolk. The absolute dismissal from her king struck such a blow to her mind that she was at a loss for words.

Ganondorf grunted, "You may leave now Nabooru." He commanded firmly.

With a leering smile, Apolloni closed the door in her face. Nabooru stood numbly in the hallway unaware of her surroundings for several minutes. She jumped slightly as Impa laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Link, Zelda and Saria suited up for the journey. Link had several thin ropes tight across his chest, securing his wings close to his body with a green cloak clasped at his neck covering them.

"Where is Malon?" She inquired curiously.

"She is to stay here…on Talon's request." Link said hesitantly. "We didn't wake her."

"Why are we leaving so early?" Nabooru probed, as she looked through her door out the window; the night sky had just begun to brighten with the coming sun.

"For Malon's sake." Link said flatly.

Nabooru, getting the picture, nodded swiftly. "I will meet you out by the stables." She murmured; she paced into the room as the three of them swept past her. Talon and Giana had already fallen back asleep. She breathed a sigh of relief, it was better this way; she was not good at goodbyes. It wasn't until she began packing her bag that she realized that Saria had inserted herself into their group.

* * *

><p>Rapidly bounding down the stairs and out of the pub, she rounded the bend hopping over the fence enclosing the now flourishing garden. She noted the two burial mounds and sidestepped past them, preferring not to disturb the dead. Impa was leading Epona out by the reins with Link and Saria sitting astride her. Zelda trotted out with Fado who seemed eager to blaze across the plains, the saddle still able to accommodate another person.<p>

"'ello!" Xavier growled cheerfully. Nabooru leaped back in surprise, completely abandoning her attempt to spring into the saddle with Zelda. She had completely forgotten the Cyn'Taak could talk now.

"Hi…" Nabooru stammered. "I had overlooked that you were coming with us Xavier." She felt quite awkward talking to a beast.

"Wher'ver mom n' dad go, I go." She barked proudly; absentmindedly scratching her belly with her claw.

"Your…oh." Nabooru looked up at Link and Zelda and made the connection; she recalled them relating their encounter with the Cyn'Taak and how they were the first people Xavier ever saw. "That's…nice." She muttered, unsure of how best to address the creature. Keeping a wary eye on its wavering tail, she leaped up onto Fado and situated herself behind Zelda comfortably.

Content to stay behind now, Impa released the reins to Link before placing a gentle hand on Epona's neck. "Keep Zelda safe Link. I put my trust in you on this matter." He curtly nodded. "Keep your wings hidden and tied close to your body. We do not want the enemy to know who you are by sight alone."

Link shifted uncomfortably in his saddle at her words of caution. "It feels stifling Impa. Is this really necessary?" He asked hopefully; after so many moons training with Impa and utilizing his wings, it felt confining to suddenly hide them like he was a freak. He felt embarrassed at all the special accommodations they had to make for him because of his new limbs; he never asked for any of this.

"Until such time we are ready to reveal ourselves to Naar, we must remain concealed from his spies. We have to assume they are out there, roaming the countryside. Your wings would be a dead giveaway from afar." She explained calmly.

"I understand Impa." Link agreed sullenly.

"One last thing," Impa held up a finger as she riffled through her clothes. She pulled out a blue ocarina and placed it firmly into his hand. "I was intending to hold onto this since I was originally planning on traveling with you. Now that things have changed, it would be far more advantageous for you to keep ahold of it."

"Is this what I think it is?" Link said; the shadowy recesses of his memory beginning to clear as he recalled the object's function.

Impa smiled warmly, "I knew if your stories of the future ring true, you would remember this ocarina. If you have forgotten the melodies, Zelda knows them well and will teach you again." Link turned atop Epona to gaze at Zelda, who merely bowed her head in acceptance of Impa's statement.

Impa patted his thigh briefly before turning to Saria, "Be near Link and keep that emerald safe."

Saria beamed, "I will." She held a hand to the dimly glowing emerald chained around her neck. Impa had made the command decision to include Saria into their traveling group for several reasons; one was her natural, inherent ability to make herself trivial in the eyes of their enemies, which would mean their group wasn't exactly any larger with her added to it. Furthermore, keeping the emerald close to Link would make gathering all the necessary elements easier than scattering them.

Lastly, Impa stepped over to Fado and passed a knowing look to Zelda, "Who will assist me in reawakening if you aren't with us?" Zelda whispered.

Impa blinked quizzically at her question; quickly recovering, she reaffirmed Zelda, "Link seems to be the only viable option here. I have a bad feeling about this plan of Ganondorf's. I'm staying behind to keep an eye on the two of them." Zelda bobbed her head in comprehension. She knew whom Impa was referring to.

"Be safe Impa." Zelda mumbled sadly.

"May the Goddesses protect you child." Impa smiled as she reached up to caress her cheek.

Blinking back tears, she slapped the rump of Fado roughly, instigating the anxious horse into a trot. Saria waved back at her enthusiastically, Impa chuckled softly to herself as she returned the gesture. She stood there watching the four of them gallop off into the distance with Xavier lumbering behind for what seemed like hours. Exhaling softly at their absence, Impa strolled into the pub; ascending the stairs confidently as she made her way back to her room.

Silently opening the door, she slipped into the dark gloom as Ganondorf eyed her from the bed. With a flick of his hand, her image began to waver and distort; unashamedly naked, the spell dissipated off her body. Coyly making her way to his side, Apolloni leaped up on top of him and began grinding her hips against his.

"Did I do well, my lord?" She serenaded sensually.

"You were magnificent." He commended gruffly. "Did they fall for the ocarina?"

Apolloni licked her lips alluringly, "Yes. I made sure to give it to Link; Zelda would have recognized its falsehood."

"Wonderful." Ganondorf purred; placing his nose against her neck, breathing in her scent. "You have served your king well." She gasped eagerly at his firm grip on her rump, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. "Come serve your king some more and enjoy the rest of the morning with me."

"Anything." She hummed, lost in strength of his passion.

"Let us shape the battlefield to our advantage." Ganondorf growled as he took her.


	61. Chapter 60 - Abandoned

**Chapter 60 - Abandoned**

She stretched out yawning under the sheets. The morning rays filtering in through the window woke Malon from her slumber. She flipped over trying to discern where Link was, she didn't see him anywhere in the room. She frowned slightly at what transpired the previous night. She didn't mean to disrupt the mood. Feeling terrible about denying him, she swung her legs around and gasped slightly at the cool temperature of the floor. The cool nights of fall were wafting in and embedding themselves into the wood.

Shivering slightly from the chill, dawn air, she skipped quickly across the room to put her clothes on. Throwing on the pretty blue dress Ingo gave her an orbit ago; she looked at herself in the mirror, detangling the kinks in her hair with the provided brush on the vanity. Finishing up buttoning the top portion of the flowing dress, she admired her reflection. Beaming at her appearance, she vowed herself today to make it up to Link for the mishap the night prior.

As if on cue, the nausea started to build in the pit of her stomach. Her countenance sagged knowing there would be no point in leaving the room until it played itself out. Plodding over slowly to the bucket she had used countless times in the past week, she flopped herself down on the nearby chair hovering over it. Malon had no idea where she caught this flu bug, but no one else seemed to be catching it. For that she was thankful at least, she would have felt terrible if Link had contracted what she had. She was disappointed that she couldn't join the others this past week during training; she was just starting to enjoy herself.

Feeling the rising bile inside, she gripped the bucket and emptied herself into it. Wiping her mouth shakily, she cursed her condition and wished it would go away. Regarding the contents of the pail with disgust, she figured she should finally dump it out this morning. Shuddering with aversion towards the abhorrent task, she hefted it by the handle and walked out of the room.

Cruising down the stairs, she noted that it was strangely quiet in the inn, by this time of morning there were at least a few of them already downstairs eating breakfast. Stepping outside, she relished the soft breeze blowing in across the plains, quite different than the sweltering morning gusts that would sometimes billow through the Gerudo valley. Walking around the building to the back, she dumped the contents of the bucket into the prescribed refuse pile. Scrunching her nose in revulsion, she wished the people of Nevachrea could find a better way of dealing with their waste.

Hiking the pail underneath her arm, Malon decided to pay a visit to Epona and perhaps brush her down. Entering the stables, she noticed that its tenants had diminished; she paced down the row of stalls and noticed only Appa and Tellah still in attendance. She stood there curious as to where they went. Did they all head out to train this early? That was unusual. She yipped at the unexpected clatter of hoes and rakes; she twirled around to see Ashley motioning an apology as he stooped to pick up the mess.

"Oh, it's just you Ashley." She breathed with a sigh of relief, "How are you doing this morning?"

The boy merely smiled at her in response; Malon figured it was his form of a yes. She came over to assist him with the clean-up. He put out a hand warding her off as he pointed to himself.

"Did you not want my help?" She asked. Ashley shook his head and pointed to himself again. "I get it. It is your mess, so you're cleaning it up." The boy smiled as he nodded his head.

Malon surveyed the stables again and detected several fresh hoof prints leading out of the structure. It appeared that Epona and Fado were taken early this morning, maybe they were just training without her. She certainly missed sparring with Link and Zelda; but after having to stop several times to retch, they decided it was best she stay in Glaun'rung until she recovered.

"Do you know where they took the horses?" Malon inquired of Ashley, calmly setting down the bucket on a crate; realizing the moment it left her lips that his answer would most likely be insufficient.

As expected, he shrugged his shoulders; putting the final rake to rights, he smiled at her and turned to leave the stables. She tapped his shoulder to recall him back, "What were you doing just now before I came in?"

Grinning, Ashley walked over to Tellah and patted her on the neck, Malon quickly deciphering his meaning spoke for him, "You were brushing her down?" He nodded. She exhaled frustrated, "I really wish you could talk to me."

Ashley gave her a pensive look before leaving the building. Figuring their conversation had come to an end, Malon followed him out. The sounds of the awakening city were beginning to filter in from the nearby streets, she noticed several men already out on ladders refurbishing their homes and painting the freshly nailed boards. It truly was amazing what the citizens of Nevachrea could accomplish if they had a solid vision laid before them without any outside influences. Many wagons were being brought in, no longer for the war effort, but for the restoration of the capital. She chuckled softly to herself, to imagine what Naar would think if he could see this positive influence.

Malon's heart gave a flutter as she heard the cackling of two old hags. Her eyes darting around for the source of the sound, she hastily brushed up against the wall of the nearest building. She had heard the laughter coming from a nearby alley; one she could still smell the stench from, it clearly had not been cleared out of the previous days' refuse. Not knowing why she felt the need to be surreptitious about her movements, she craned her neck to look down the narrow street to see Ganondorf talking to the two witches, Kotake and Koume.

"Although your assistance was warranted here, I cannot trust your loyalty to your king." Ganondorf growled at them.

"You mustn't be mad at your servants!" Kotake pleaded; although Malon could tell it was all an act.

"We were merely nudging you forward with the next phase of our plan." Koume explained briskly.

"Nearly a full orbit early!" Ganondorf snarled. "The only reason I am not killing you now is because of your usefulness to my cause." Grinding his teeth as he added, "Even still."

"How merciful of you." Kotake bowed low; doing her best to keep the mocking tone from her voice.

"Very gracious of our king to spare our lives." Koume bowed with her sister.

"Do not shut me out again; I want to know where you've been these past few weeks." Ganondorf rumbled.

Kotake and Koume looked at each other with their bulbous eyes, unsure of how best to describe their exploits. They knew that lying to him outright could turn ugly, they also knew that inviting him into their minds would reveal the bigger picture; something they also did not want. Transporting their thoughts in-between their rubies, they agreed that allowing Ganondorf access to their minds from this point onward wouldn't be detrimental to their goals.

At length, the witches faced Ganondorf once more, "Agreed. We will not hide anything from our king. If you wish to know something about what we are doing, you may ask us." Kotake offered.

"As for where we have been, we have been traveling the Nevachrean countryside in search of additional sources and books on magick to further our own knowledge." Koume spoke with a smug tone.

Within seconds, the two witches felt Ganondorf's presence slam into their brains, their knees buckled under the strain of his probing. The two witches quivered as the feelers of his mind searched through the recesses of their memories and thoughts. Utilizing each other as support, they were able to erect an internal barrier that barred him from acquiring the most critical pieces of information locked within those memories.

Releasing them from the bondage of his mental assault, the two crones collapsed to their knees breathing heavily. "You need to drop this vain crusade with the Twili; their powers pale in comparison to our ultimate objective. You need to concentrate on setting the stage for Link. He should be the sole focus of our mission. If the books, scriptures and lore are to be believed, he is the only one who is capable of being chosen by the Master Sword; we have to trust to that and proceed as planned."

Unsteadily standing on her crooked legs, Kotake trilled, "What of the remainder of his friends, especially the ones who will accompany us?"

Readjusting her turban, Koume shrilled, "Are they necessary too? Do we need to string them along with what we hope to accomplish for the Gerudo?"

Ganondorf pondered on that thought for a moment before brusquely responding, "There are too many uncontrollable pieces; the more we get rid of, the better. We can then focus better on manipulating the few pawns under our control. Let's concentrate our efforts on Link, anyone else is extraneous. Deal with those we leave behind…after we depart Glaun'rung."

Malon let out a little gasp. She knew it was a mistake as soon as their eyes darted in her direction. Without hesitating, she began running back towards the inn as fast as her feet could carry her. She felt the icy hot mix of magick blast down the alley, destroying anything caught in its wake. She slammed into the shutter doors of the pub and bowled right into Impa, knocking them both to the ground in a heap.

"By Din, you look as if you've seen a ghost Malon!" Impa said smiling; gently rolling Malon off of her.

"They are planning to kill us Impa!" Malon shrieked madly, gripping Impa's blouse forcefully.

Her mirth faded instantly at Malon's allegation, "Tell me everything." She demanded urgently, helping Malon to sit next to her by the nearest table in the pub.

It was still quite early in the day and the place had not officially opened to the public, regardless Malon kept her voice to a whisper to avoid untoward ears from listening. "…and I think they are going to try something as soon as Ganondorf leaves." She huffed slightly trying to catch her breath, her heart was still racing.

Impa's gaze flickered back up the stairs to the bedrooms, "That explains their early absence."

Malon's eyes bulged, "What are you talking about?" A knot in the pit of her stomach began rising as anxiety kicked in, making her contemplate horrible scenarios.

"I am normally a light sleeper, but this morning I could not wake up easily. Given what you have just told me, I think I was bewitched." Her tone turned dark.

"I saw Epona and Fado missing too from the stables. Xavier isn't there anymore." Malon informed her apprehensively.

"So, Link, Zelda and Saria traveled northward on their own. Why?" Impa was flummoxed at the strange occurrences happening this morning and began to suspect that it wasn't just coincidence.

Giana bounded down the stairs happily as Talon leaned heavily on the bannister, seemingly waking up from a deep sleep himself. "Hi! Hi! Hi everyone!" Giana chippered; the little tyke leaped into Malon's arms before snuggling her face into her dress. "Hey big sis!"

Malon warmly embraced the little girl, giving her an emphatic kiss on the head. "Good morning, you little rascal." She smiled in spite of herself at her sister's bubbling personality, it wilted the moment she shared a look with Impa as she beheld her father struggling to awaken from his torpor.

Talon practically stumbling down the stairs, Impa rose and quickly closed the distance to him. She gripped an arm and tossed it over her shoulders before assisting the strapping man toward his daughters; setting him down beside them on a bench. He blearily slurred his speech, "Wheresh Nabooru? I didn' shee her thish mornin'"

Impa's eyes looked alarmingly at Malon, "Dear Goddesses, what is going on? Why would she leave with them?"

Talon shook his head elaborately several times, as if to clear his head. "She's gone? When did she go?" His words were slowly recovering.

"Mommy's gone again?" Giana asked cheerfully, not registering the seriousness of those around her.

Ignoring her sister's question, Malon pressed fearfully, "Should we all leave now and escape? Before Ganondorf comes back?"

Impa vehemently shook her head, "No, it would do us no good. With Kotake and Koume as well as Apolloni, he has all of us outmatched. We would not survive more than a few minutes."

Giana seemed to cue in on the overall mood of her family, "Daddy? Is something wrong?" A look of worry crossed her face.

"I'm not entirely sure honey." Talon said honestly; the murkiness of his mind finally clearing.

Impa smiled; threading Giana's hair with her fingers affectionately. "Nothing for you to be concerned with yet Giana. When the time comes, will you be willing to follow all instructions that we give you?" She spoke softly, but firmly to the child.

"Yes, ma'am!" She responded dutifully, a small crook of a smile reforming on her face.

"Hey everyone!" A cheerful voice burst from the pub entry. All eyes turned to see a hot, sweaty and sticky Merin standing with her hands on her hips. She wore a baggy pair of faded mahogany pants loosely tied at the waist with a belt; her breasts were covered with a small bandana tied tightly behind her back. It appeared she was up early this morning assisting the reconstruction efforts of the town. "Looks like everyone is finally up! When's breakfast?" She asked jauntily.

Impa's eyes creased with relief, "Good timing Merin! Breakfast is not ready yet, but would you be willing to play with Giana a bit while we prepare it?" She lifted up the wiggling Gerudo kid and set her down beside Merin.

"Would I?" Merin exclaimed in mock excitement, the girl giggled at her silliness. "I would love to accompany the most awesome girl in the world! Come on Giana! Let's see if we can go chase some rats!" After a stern look from Talon, Merin merely smiled imperturbably, "Well there is little else to chase in this town!"

With a unified cry, they went rampaging down the streets hooting the whole way. Impa eyed a dark figure heading their way and immediately turned to Talon and Malon, hissing in hushed tones. "Ganondorf is approaching. We will continue as if nothing is wrong, we will proceed forward as planned. Be alert and be vigilant." Without another word, Impa disappeared up the stairs and was gone.

Ganondorf burst through the shutters, a deep scowl splayed across his face. His eyes settled on them with contempt. "Talon, we leave tomorrow at dawn's first light. The sooner we get to Hyrule castle, the better." His commanding tone warranted no rebuke. The man merely nodded at the Gerudo king's order.

Interested in observing his reaction, Malon piped up with an acted exuberance, "Is there any way I can join you guys on this-"

"No." Ganondorf roared; startling Malon into silence. He had grown very volatile of late and was no longer appealing to be near. She couldn't quite place when his personality changed, but it couldn't have been all that long ago. What was the trigger? Giving her one final glare, he clomped up the steps in his heavy laden boots; she winced as they heard a door slam upstairs.

Puffing out a breath of reprieve, "I am gonna be honest with ya Malon. I am not lookin' forward ta traveling with that man." Talon shook his head miserably.

"Does sticking with the original plan mean I'm staying here?" Talon shot her a look. "Well?" She pouted, crossing her arms across her chest. "It's not like I can easily follow Link at this point!" She vented.

Hiding his true feelings on the matter, Talon simply smiled at her. "I'm glad that ya are actually. To tell ya the truth, I wouldn't trust either of my daughters with him." He jerked his chin in the direction of Ganondorf's room.

"What?" Malon burped lightly, trying to hold down the queasiness that was briefly scared away by Ganondorf's entrance. "You don't believe I can…" another belch, "…can take care of myself?"

Talon's brow furrowed as he saw the inevitable coming, "Is something wrong Malon? Do you need me to-?"

Covering her mouth rapidly, she dashed out of the pub sprinting as fast as she could towards the stables. She had realized she left the bucket back in the stall with Tellah. She didn't quite make it.


	62. Chapter 61 - Campfire Memories

**Chapter 61 - Campfire Memories**

Nabooru's breath caught in her throat as she gazed upon the majestic building that stood before her. "What is this place?" She breathed heavily.

The four of them had traveled northwards for several moons, riding hard for hours before stopping to let Epona and Fado rest. The relentless prowling of Wolfos was a constant detractor from what was mostly a relaxing journey. Xavier was employed several times to chase the despicable beasts off. Regardless of their multiple attempts at frightening them, the Wolfos always came back, lingering along the fringes of their group.

It was just that morning they broke the line of trees that commenced the forest resting at the base of the mountains north of Glaun'rung. They avoided the trailing army line, comprised of the last undying recruits, by heading eastwards for the better part of a day before turning north.

Nabooru was in awe at the stately beauty of the woodland realm. Living in the desert all of her life and rarely going to the Negev herself, being in the middle of trees stretching to the skies was stirring. Several times she had to be nudged roughly by Zelda when she was steering Fado off the game trails, completely absorbed in the sights and sounds of the woods.

The structure ahead of them lay in a hidden thicket surrounded by an elevated canopy resting on rising bluffs that bordered the building. The abnormal aspect of this entire construction was actually the hollowed out tree trunk that acted as a tunnel burrowing through the ring of rock that enclosed the copse, almost as if this was originally created by the hands of man.

Zelda hopped off the horse before walking toward the vine encrusted structure. Having switched into travel pants and a loose fitting green tunic, she looked not much different than Link. He proudly wore his Kokiri recreation that Malon so thoughtfully made for him, the only exception was the brown cloak he wore which covered his wings; which were tied tight to his back. Nabooru sported her traditional maroon Gerudo garb which V-necked down to her navel. With her dual scimitars strapped to a clasped holder hanging off her back, she looked ready for any confrontation.

"I don't know." Saria spoke, flying off of Epona. She inspected numerous statues in varying stages of decay or rubble. "But I feel no evil here…only a sense of peace." She delicately placed her hand on the cold stone of a fluted pillar.

"Good." Link said tiredly. Slipping off Epona, he unfastened his cloak, letting it drop to the ground. Undoing the knot on the rope secured around his chest, he tossed the twine to the ground with forceful purpose.

"What are you doing?" Zelda squeaked. "Aren't you supposed to hide those?"

Bending low to touch his feet, Link ignored her question as he spread his limbs out wide; stretching them smoothly as he flapped them gently. "Ah, that feels much better." Standing up to look at Zelda, he replied calmly, "True, but you try growing wings and then be forced to keep them cramped close to your body, unable to move them. Besides," he pointed up towards Saria who was still inspecting the remainder of the atrium, "if she says that it is safe here, I highly doubt I have anything to worry about."

She gave him a skeptical look, "Well, it never hurts to be cautious." She replied unsure of how else to refute his assertion.

Nabooru fastened the horse tethers to a nearby tree before walking over to the two of them, "I for one don't mind it. I've heard from Impa how useful those are to him when he is fighting. So if we do get ambushed here, then I wouldn't want him hindered in any way. I think it's a smart tactical move."

Glancing up at Saria who seemed content with exploring the ruins from her high vantage point, he turned to Nabooru, "Thank you. I'm going to go check out the area to make sure it is safe. Will you please start a fire?" Apparating a sword into his hand, he smiled at the two women before setting off around the perimeter of the enclosure.

Zelda stared after him for a few moments before commenting uncertainly to Nabooru, "He does seem happier out here in the woods."

"Isn't this where he was born and raised? That would make sense." Nabooru plied several packs off Epona and Fado.

Shaking her head tersely, Zelda replied, "Well, not exactly here. The Kokiri probably made their home further west of here, just north of Ordon." She looked around trying to orient herself, "Which I think we're actually quite near."

"Either way, it makes sense that he would be far more comfortable out here in the woods and with animals than around other people." Nabooru established confidently, reaching into her own pack to pull out a few artifacts she would need for building the fire.

Tapping a finger to her lips, Zelda ruminated softly to herself, "What a restless spirit. Link, where do you set your stake in the sand? Where do you call home now?"

Link had already arrived at the massive archway that divided the ruined structure from a separate chamber. The lack of a ceiling made the entire enclosure feel more open than it really was. Moss and crawling vines had invaded the cracks in the underlying edifice and gave a feeling of ancient veneration. He had stepped up to the center of the smaller vestibule where a raised podium lay, no higher than his shins.

His breath caught in his throat as he kneeled down to brush off the layer of dirt from the front of the pedestal, emblazoned on the stone was an effigy of the Triforce! Suddenly looking around him with new clarity, he began noticing more marks along the crumbling walls bearing the symbol of the Triforce, enveloped with what looked like wings.

"Navi?" He exhaled wondrously, "What is this place?"

_I'm not sure. I remember being here once before in my search. All I know is that I feel at home here, it feels…serene._ Her tone was practically singing with the joy in her voice.

"I feel it too." Link stood up; gazing around him with new found reverence for the location they were to call their temporary home for the night. "Navi, I have a feeling we are going to be quite safe here."

_Agreed._ She sounded.

* * *

><p>Link slammed the carcass of the elk in front of Xavier, who was practically salivating at the prospect of tearing her meal apart. He grimaced as she hastily poked it several times with her barbed tail. Thankfully it didn't balloon into a grotesque spectacle of blood boils. It would still be a few days, maybe weeks before that happened. Leaving the delighted Cyn'Taak to its meal, he strolled back to the campfire where the others had gathered, hanging out cooked meat from a previous kill earlier that day.<p>

Zelda scrunched up her nose as she viewed Xavier slurping down the elk's intestines; with a small hiccup of bile, she politely set down the piece of meat. "Ugh…I know you like providing food for Xavier, but did it ever occur to you that she might need to learn how to hunt things for herself?" Zelda offered; eager to get her mind off eating her meal that was no longer appetizing.

Link gratefully accepted the warm meat from Nabooru before sitting down next to Zelda, unconsciously wrapping one wing behind her. "I guess you do have a point." She winced as he tore a hunk off the grilled meat; talking in-between bites of his repast, he offered, "Next time I go out to hunt," More chewing, "I'll take her with me and I'll see if I can teach her to hunt."

"Ugh…could you please at least swallow before talking?" Zelda complained, scooting a few inches away from his smacking sounds.

Saria giggled, "Oh, he's always been like that. Ever since he was still young growing up around us Kokiri, he never learned manners to eat and then talk after." She crunched into a delicious apple she found previously.

"I know." Zelda moaned in despair. "I remember the many moons we tried to teach him etiquette in the castle. A lot of things took, but there were always a few manners that just never stuck." She placed her head in her hands as if embarrassed at their failure.

"You lived in the castle before Link?" Nabooru questioned curiously; she had been sitting cross-legged beside the fire opposite the two of them.

Swallowing his bite just so he could please Zelda and keep her quiet about the issue, he answered blithely, "For a time I did." He gave an uncertain glance at Zelda before continuing, "I wasn't overly comfortable with it, but I did enjoy myself during my stay."

"You said it was stifling." Zelda interjected, looking at him directly.

"And you have a freakishly good memory." Link retorted with a smile.

Nabooru leaned forward resting her head on her arm, elbow digging into her leg, "I can understand where Link is coming from. All my life I felt I was different from the rest of the Gerudo. I didn't feel overly fond of the way Ganondorf treated us as his subjects. His methods were cruel, manipulative but somehow, always just. I couldn't wrap my head around it. There was something off about my people, about where I lived but I couldn't put my finger on it."

"Ganondorf does have a sensitive side to him." Saria blurted out.

Zelda, who had just recovered from her nausea, was about ready to take a bite of her steak. Hearing this just made her queasy all over again. "What?" She scoffed. "Next you'll tell me he spoiled you rotten and was a good listener?"

Saria nodded curtly, looking down her nose at Zelda as if insulted, "As a matter of fact he was! He liked it when I sang songs to him. His favorite was a song both Link and I shared."

Zelda's gaze swiveled to Link, his mouth open in shock, "He asked you to sing our song?" He couldn't wrap his mind around the idea of Ganondorf enjoying music.

Saria beamed as she took another bite of apple, munching it between her teeth as she explained, "He was always so nice to me. He would take me on walks all the time!"

Teeth grating at Saria's chewing, Zelda fumed, "You're just as bad as he is!" She violently pointed to Link. The two of them busted up laughing, much to her vexation.

"Walks?" Nabooru cocked her head, "What did he think you were? A dog?"

"What?" Saria glared at Nabooru; the Gerudo only gave her a crooked smile.

Link waved his hand to eradicate the current line of dialogue. He could see it turning south quickly. "Enough of that." Turning to Nabooru, he resituated himself with his wings before asking the question that had been on his mind for the past moon. "Why did you come along with us in the first place?"

Realizing that Link made an excellent point, Zelda jumped in, "Yeah, it was my understanding that Impa was to be with me." She certainly felt that the Sheikah wanted to be beside her during her second reawakening. Why did she feel the need to say Link was a suitable replacement for her? It didn't make much sense. Link had no idea what he would be doing, let alone the purpose of it.

Nabooru sighed; she was trying to avoid the issue altogether, but knew it would be brought up one way or another. "Well, it started with a ghastly dream. I can barely remember much about it now. All I remember was dying. I saw the face of my daughter, Giana, dead." Zelda gasped as she placed a hand to her lips in sympathy for Nabooru, it sounded like a horrific dream. Nabooru pressed onward despite the reaction, "The strangest thing about the dream was black wings descending." Saria's expression grew pale at this as her wings slowed their incessant flutter.

Link shivered; his mind went instinctively to his own wings, but they were white, not black. "Do you have any inkling what it means?" He asked; the remainder of his meal completely forgotten.

Nabooru merely shook her head dismally. The memory of the dream had completely fouled her mood. "I'm afraid not. But it was the catalyst that spurred me to see if Ganondorf would be willing to change the plan and have me travel with you to find the ruby. I don't know why I felt the need to be with you Link, only that it was important that I do so. Strangely enough, he agreed without so much as an argument."

"Now that's odd." Zelda murmured.

"No it's not!" Saria chipped in. "Maybe he just saw the reasoning in the idea and went along with it?"

"Even so," Link put a hand to his chin in thought, "That doesn't explain why Impa would have chosen to stay in Glaun'rung. That threw me off as a bit weird too." He turned his face to look at Zelda. "Unless my memory is failing me, she was around you constantly, even when we never saw her. Aren't the Sheikah supposed to protect the Royal Family?"

Zelda knew it went a bit deeper than that, she was seriously hoping Impa could have accompanied her so she could find out the truth of their relationship. She simply nodded in response, "There was never a time when I was without a Sheikah watching over me. It feels weird to have her back around only to suddenly lose her again." She gazed off into the fire, her eyes going out of focus trying to see beyond it.

"That's the strange thing, I expected her to reject the idea outright, but she agreed without so much as a protest!" Nabooru exclaimed.

Zelda winced as she heard Xavier crunching on the remaining bones of the elk behind her. Blocking out the sounds of the Cyn'Taak's feasting, she pondered, "That is unlike her. She is very protective of me. To so easily hand off her duties to another…" Her voice drifted off.

Licking his fingers as he finished the last bite of meat, Link casually tossed out, "Well, what's done is done. I'm sure she had her reasons that you can ask her later about. For now, I think we should focus on getting a good night's sleep and see if we can make the foothills tomorrow past these woods."

Nabooru slapped her thighs as she picked herself off the ground, "That sounds like a great idea. Anyone want the last piece?" She held out the remaining strip of steak; upon getting negative responses from the rest, she shrugged before taking it with her. "Saria, did you want to help me set up our bed rolls?" She asked, smiling at the Kokiri.

"Yeah, sure." Saria said flatly; taking one last bite of her apple. She was a bit conflicted about the whole talk with Ganondorf. She knew he was capable of accomplishing despicable deeds, but she also knew that he was capable of being compassionate and generous. Why couldn't the rest of them see that?

Their small band had already settled into some semblance of order whenever they turned in for the night. Nabooru usually slept near Saria. The Kokiri shunned her own sleeping bag, preferring to use it as a blanket cover instead. She had grown used to sleeping with her wings and the thought of confining them inside a zipped up container of fabric seemed dangerous to her. Saria usually waited for Xavier to come lumbering over to them before settling up against the sleeping giant and falling asleep against her. The Cyn'Taak had grown extremely fond of the little Kokiri. For whatever reason, Saria seemed to have this calming effect on animals.

"Nabooru?" Saria asked suddenly as she lounged up next to Xavier who had come over to sleep beside them. Nabooru gave a small sound in her throat, indicating the Kokiri could continue. "Have you…ever wanted someone that you couldn't have?" She had no idea why she was asking this of the Gerudo, some wild flight of fancy was dancing around in her head.

"Well…there was Talon. But I don't think what you are asking applies to him. No, I don't know what you speak of." Nabooru answered. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Forget I said anything." She rolled over onto her side, facing away from Nabooru. The Gerudo stared at her a while longer, wondering if she should persist in drawing out more information from the mysterious girl. Finally resolving to let the matter rest, she slipped into her roll.

Resting her head on a clawed foot of Xavier, Saria watched in silence at Link and Zelda unfurl their bedrolls a few paces away. They were initially actually eager to relive their travels along the road; regrettably, trying to share the same bag didn't quite work out the way they had hoped. They figured this out the first night after leaving Glaun'rung. Sleeping on his back was completely abysmal in practice, trying to sleep beside him when he was either on his side or stomach was a disaster as well. In the end, they opted to set up their rolls beside each other and sleep separately; which worked out just fine for Link, who seemed to thrash about a lot more often in his sleep since the sprouting of his wings.

He grumbled as he flopped over onto his other side facing Zelda. "Is something wrong?" She asked with a bemused smile.

"Yes." He growled. "I can't seem to get comfortable! The worst part is that I can't lie on my back so I can watch the stars!"

"Would you like for me to describe them to you?" Zelda offered grinning.

"Don't make fun of me." He scowled.

"I'm not!" She said defensively, "I was…okay, so maybe I was a little, but you are just too cute trying to figure out what to do with your wings."

Link flushed at her remark, "You try living your whole life without these things and all of a sudden you have to figure out how you get them to work. Half the time, it feels like I have some measure of control, the other half it seems they have a mind of their own. You know, this is all your fault Navi." He accused irritatingly.

_Don't go blaming me for this. I had a hunch this would happen but I had no control over what transpired when we joined!_ She jingled affronted.

"Whatever." He sighed; not wanting to talk anymore, he was extremely tired. Collapsing onto his stomach, he arched out his wings so that they laid flat across his back with the tips touching the cool stone underneath them. Link's body jolted as he felt a soft hand rummaging through his plumage. He flipped his head around to behold Zelda smiling as she nonchalantly fondled his right wing. "Zelda, you know that feels weird." He squirmed uncomfortably.

She maintained her expression as she continued her gentle foray, "It looks weird seeing you with these. I'm honestly quite fascinated with them."

Link opened his mouth to say a witty retort, but closed it. Why shouldn't he let Zelda feel them? They were friends and he trusted her implicitly, he knew she would do nothing to harm them. Deep down inside, he felt he'd be curious too if she suddenly sprouted wings, Saria even let him feel hers when she melded with Sora. So odd that something he considered so unnatural would be so fitting for her, would they ultimately become normal for him too?

At length, he responded softly, "Then keep doing that, it's actually lulling me to sleep." Her soft caresses were actually having a soporific effect on him. She looked surprised before beaming at his consent. She took both hands and began massaging the thick bone at the top of the wing where all other underlying structures draped down from.

_Now comes the most boring part of my night._ Navi sighed in Link's head.

"Why's that?" He murmured, almost asleep.

_All I get to see is the inside of your eyelids until your brain conks out._ She chimed.

"You can't sleep?" He asked.

_Not until you do._ She affirmed.

He chuckled slightly; enjoying the delicate massage Zelda was gracing him with. "That's funny Navi." He never got to hear her rebuttal before shutting her down when he finally drifted into slumber.


	63. Chapter 62 - Flight of the Children

**Chapter 62 - Flight of the Children**

It had been several moons since Ganondorf left with his wretched whore of a Gerudo elder. Several moons since her father left with Merin and Impa. The five of them rode out on Appa and Tellah. With one freshly minted horse Ingo struggled to summon for them, he assured that the conjuration would last at least until they reached Yolland where they could secure another horse to continue the journey northward into Hyrule.

Malon was sweating profusely wiping down the floors of the pub, it had been a good night's work and they made a decent amount of money in tips. Many of the Nevachrean citizens were quite friendly and having a pretty waitress serving them brought the crowds in. Ashley was enlisted to help bring out the plates of food alongside Malon; it was all Ingo could do to keep up with the demand. He was bustling between the kitchen and the bar trying to accommodate all the orders. Malon assisted at the bar sometimes which he graciously accepted.

Giana was hired as a sort of public entertainer for the crowd. All the customers were delighted in watching her antics. The little girl twirled and danced across bare sections of the tables, in tune with the clapping of the crowd at the song she was singing. Already in the spotlight at a young age, the little Gerudo loved every minute of it. Malon would sometimes get lost just staring at her sister having fun, jostled back to reality by either Ingo or Ashley.

She dipped the rag into the water bucket before slapping it back onto the boards and cleaned off the remaining smudges by the entrance. It wasn't a bad life, she thought to herself. As much as she was upset that she couldn't go with Link and the others, she didn't mind working with Ingo. What a strange thought! For all her young life, she had this impression of Ingo that was negative in retrospect. She never imagined she'd be working alongside him and not hating him for it.

Having a family mellowed his temperament considerably. However, he was still gruff around Ashley due to his involvement in the death of his wife and child. Malon wondered if he would ever forgive the mute boy for his transgressions. However Ingo was always nice to her and Giana, she wondered if he ever wanted girls during his time with Orauna. The man had taken an especially joyful liking to Giana. That little girl could brighten his face no matter if she was doing something horribly naughty.

She groaned inwardly as she felt the rising surge of nausea perpetrate up her torso. Hastily grabbing the bucket of soapy water, she vacated the contents of her stomach into it. "Ugh. Why is this not going away?!" She fumed to herself aloud.

"Looks like you'll have to clean that bucket out and refill it with more water before you finish your job." Ingo said grumpily behind her, his arms crossed as he glared down at her.

Quickly wiping her mouth, she rebutted, "It's not my fault! I don't know what is going on with me! I think I'm sick."

"You are sick alright!" Ingo agreed roughly. Shooing her out of the pub to dump the pail, he continued his rant, "Carrying on with Link like you did, not even properly married. It is a disgrace. If you were my kid, I would have that boy barred from ever seeing you again!"

"I'm certainly glad I'm not then." She smiled at his displeasure at her relationship with Link. Turning to the side of the building, she dumped the bucket contents in the designated refuse pile.

Ingo huffed at her cheek, "Well, in that case, I hope you are afflicted with this for months to come. Not even willing to listen to common sense!"

Ignoring his bluster, she spoke softly to herself, "Now that I think about it, he might as well have barred me from Link by sending him away early." Malon suspected her father had some play in the fact Link left without even saying goodbye.

"Good riddance then! Best fix the indecent problem late than never! That man was always lazy in everything he did. Procrastinator to the extreme! Now I have to deal with another mouth to feed soon." Ingo blurted angrily.

Malon had meant to defend her father when she cued in on Ingo's last statement, "Another mouth? What do you mean?" She faced him fully; bucket held beneath her arm.

Ingo glowered at her as he flicked his eyes in her direction, "Are you really that daft? You are pregnant Malon and Link is the father!"

The bucket clattered to the dirt as the enormity of the news sank in, it all made perfect sense. She wasn't sick at all! She was pregnant! She was such a fool for being with Link that way without some sort of protection. Malon mentally kicked herself for not asking Merin to assist her in crafting the special herbal tea all Gerudo drink to prevent conception. She placed a hand to her belly, realizing it was now too late to stem the inevitable.

"Glad you just got that figured out." Ingo sneered. He didn't mean to be nasty to her, but simply gazing upon her visage reminded him of Talon and all the injustices he had done to him. Although they made peace with each other, there was always a lingering resentment there. "Are you quite done with your reverie so that we can finally finish up cleaning?" He inclined his head to the fallen pail.

She numbly acknowledged his order and picked up the bucket. They refilled it with water from the cistern, swirled it around with the soap sheets before returning to the inn to finish the night's chores. Malon yelped as she rammed into a Zora who was making her way out of the pub.

"Oh, I'm sorry miss! I didn't mean to startle you!" The Zora female was quite kind and had been their cook for the past moon. Her specific tastes in food made their way into the dishes she created. It caused quite a sensation with the local populace and multitudes of customers roved in nightly to taste her culinary masterpieces.

Malon scrunched her nose at the obtrusive woman, "It's okay. I didn't see you there."

With a quick apology and a bow, the Zora left them as she walked down the street to join her brethren who were all leaving for the night to soak their bodies in water in preparation for the next day on land.

Link had mentioned that Zoras were coming to help rebuild the capital of Glaun'rung, but she never quite made the connection between what they were and the name. Memories of the only Zora she had met back in the Negev haunted her dreams. It seemed like ages ago that nightmare occurred. She didn't really like to stereotype the cook into the same batch of Zoras she envisioned in her head, ones that would assault and hurt Link. However she couldn't help but feel some sense of animosity towards their race.

"Why are they here again?" Malon questioned carelessly, her gaze still on the retreating Zora.

Sensing the hostility in her tone, Ingo merely answered blithely, "They are here to help us rebuild. I think it is a great and honorable thing for them to do. It will help secure ties with Nevachrea once Hyrule is reclaimed again."

"I wonder if that will ever happen." Malon said incredulously.

Ingo swore an oath as they entered the pub and smacked into Ashley who was attempting to put away the brooms. "What in blazes are you getting in my way for?" Ingo roared as he cuffed Ashley across the back of the head.

The boy scowled at Ingo before bending over to pick up the fallen cleaning supplies. Without a sound, he swept past the two of them and placed the brooms in the closet just off the side of the bar. "You really shouldn't be so mean to him Ingo. He is only trying to help." Malon tried to defend Ashley; although she had to admit his disposition had grown sour since Merin left.

"Yeah," Ingo spat, "helping murderers to kill my family." Without uttering another word, he stomped up the stairs grumbling about some things he had to attend to before heading home for the night. She wondered what set him off this night, he was unusually bitter; not to say he wasn't disagreeable most of the time, but tonight it seemed he was more so.

Malon walked over to the sulking boy and ruffled his brown hair lightly, "It's okay buddy, I'm on your side." Ashley gave her a weak smile as they looked on the pub. It was remarkably clean after their last batch of clientele. "We did a good job, didn't we? I don't think anyone will notice that I didn't finish my chore tonight."

They looked at each other and grinned at her defiance of Ingo's demands, they weren't overly happy about the man being placed in charge of their welfare as the rest left to accomplish great things. He was a bit demanding and expected perfection in a lot of things, something neither one of them was all that eager to fulfill.

Placing an arm around his shoulder, she was surprised when Ashley leaned his head into her. Unsure of what else to do, she stood there holding him as he silently enjoyed her presence and warmth. At length, they separated. Giving her one last smile, he turned and walked back up to his room. Ingo had given them free room and board in the inn as long as they worked each day to upkeep the place and serve patrons.

One final look around to ensure that everything was in order, Malon headed up the steps to her shared room with Giana. When Nabooru and Talon left, it was understood that Giana should not be sleeping by herself in her room. Her sister wouldn't have had it any other way, practically begging Malon to sleep next to her. After enduring much earache from her incessant pleading, she made a big show of giving in to the demanding tyke.

Quietly opening the door to their room, she chuckled softly at her little sister. Giana had wrapped the covers around herself due to her thrashing during sleep. She was currently spread eagle on the bed with the blanket curled around her petite form. Shaking her head at the rambunctious nature of Giana's sleeping patterns; Malon began changing into her ivory nightgown. The girl instinctively curled up next to Malon as she slipped in beside her; by an unspoken pact, the two of them cuddled together under the blankets.

Malon stared out the window for a time, watching the rising moon travel up the sky. She was on the edge of slumber when a peculiar detail disconcerted her senses and dragged Malon from her lethargy. The breath from her mouth was visible, it was then she realized how chill the air had become. Quickly rising from the bed alert, she gazed around the room but saw nothing amiss. She knew it was going to be winter soon but didn't remember the nights being this cold yet.

A loud crack downstairs jolted Giana from her sleep, "Huh? Wazzat?" The girl asked sleepily.

Deep, grinding cracks were echoing throughout the structure. With an alarmed realization, Malon leaped out of the bed and threw on some loose fitting day clothes. "Giana, wake up!" She cried frantically, "Get your breeches and shirt on! We need to leave now!"

Giana squeaked as she was half naked from changing when their door busted in, Ashley looked in on the two of them. "You heard it too?" Malon asked; the boy nodded curtly. He already seemed ready to go, his bow slung over his shoulder with a quiver of poisoned arrows at his back.

They all jumped as another loud clap rumbled through the inn. Malon rapidly helped Giana get the remainder of her clothes and boots on before sprinting out into the hall. The chill in the air was almost intolerable. She could see parts of the wood along the edges turning blue. She placed her hands on the discolored boards and drew back in shock; the structure was turning into solid ice! Glancing down the hall, she could see that the entire corridor was freezing at an abnormal rate.

"Did you see Ingo anywhere?" Malon asked urgently. Ashley shook his head; the last he had seen of him was walking back out of the inn to retire in Francis' old home.

"Malon? Why is it so cold?" Giana spoke, her teeth chattering.

Pricking her ears up trying to listen carefully to the wind blowing in from the outside, she could just barely make out a small hint of chanting. "Not good." Malon spoke quickly.

Seizing Giana firmly by the hand, she dashed down the stairs with Ashley shadowing closely behind. Her foot slipped on the bottom step; swinging up in the air, she landed with a thud. She cried out as her hip ached something fierce from the fall. Gripping the icy bannister she attempted to bring herself back onto her feet; with Ashley's help they managed. The entire floor was quickly becoming solid ice, making it near impossible to keep a stable footing.

The three of them stumbled outside, relishing the warm air that flooded their lungs. Hearing a cackling from above, Malon jerked her head to view Kotake and Koume hovering just above the building. Kotake was busying murmuring in an unknown tongue, slowly freezing the entire structure.

"Ho ho ho. We were being merciful, allowing you to fall asleep to an eternal slumber in ice. Now things get complicated." She smacked her sister which joggled her out of the incantation.

"What?" Kotake crowed annoyed. Looking down at the trio, her sister vehemently pointing at them, her scowl turned into a leer. "He he he. Well this got interesting Koume. It appears the chase is on then?"

"Run!" Malon screamed.

Picking up her screaming sister in her arms, Malon dashed across the street into the nearest alley. A raging fireball smashed into the adjacent building setting it ablaze. Ashley ducked into a nearby doorway before firing off an arrow. The witches chortled at his impotence, deflecting his arrow easily. Frowning at this snag to his original plan, he decided it best to trail after the two girls and protect them.

"You can't run forever my sweetie!" Kotake sniggered as she blasted the entire backstreet with freezing shards of ice.

Koume surged up and over the rooftops as she tracked the running Malon, cueing in on the panicked screaming of the little girl. "Watch your head! Things are just about to heat up!" Koume tittered before raining down a hail of fireballs at them, demolishing carts, stands and exploding a nearby shack.

The two witches decided to split the difference; Kotake pursued the young boy while Koume stalked the two girls down the myriad of alleyways. It became quite clear to the populace that something was amiss. Any unfortunate souls who poked their heads out of their windows or stepped outside were treated to the witches' magick, killing them on the spot.

Malon ran screaming down the confusing maze of streets, "Please! Anyone! Someone help us!" The hysteria in her voice was evident as she ducked into the nearest walkway, narrowly avoiding an immolating blast from the vile crone.

Ashley had leaped to the upper levels of the city buildings and vaulted himself onto the rooftops. Within seconds he was taking aim at Kotake who was gleefully cackling at what she assumed would be easy prey. The hag raised her hand high in triumph, swirls of frosty magick formulating around her palm. His arrow rang true and ripped through her hand effortlessly.

"What in the name of Din?" Kotake looked disbelievingly at her arm which was beginning to swell with boils. She clutched her hand firmly, concentrating intensively on stemming the tide of the poison. "Koume! Help your sister!" She cried into the wind.

Sensing the insistence in Kotake's voice, Koume broke off the attack and sailed back to her sister. "What did that little demon do to you?" She exclaimed, bewildered at the carbuncled arm.

Angrily throwing a blast of flame down at the audacious boy, she turned to assist Kotake. Ashley deftly rolled out of the way of the destructive flames and landed gracefully on the dirt street. Looking up at his handiwork, he smirked before running after the last location he remembered hearing Malon scream.

"What is happening to me?" Kotake sniveled; her magick failing at preventing the inevitable.

Drawing out the energies from her, Koume confirmed her worst suspicions, "The boy has poisoned you with that arrow!" Snapping the shaft in two, she pulled the remaining end out of Kotake's palm. Watching despairingly at the encroaching boils that ran up the arm, Koume wailed, "We have to combine sister. There seems to be no other way to remove this toxin!"

Nodding her head in agreement, Kotake gritted her teeth, "Let's do it."

Ignoring the glowing fusion of light above them, Malon ran across the plaza. She had just about given up hope when she heard the snort of a horse, turning around she saw a black stallion earnestly pawing its hoof on the ground. She looked around for her benefactor and noticed Ingo slumped on the side of the ruined fountain, he had run back to investigate the commotion and had come across them.

"Go…take Ashley with you and leave without me." His breathing was ragged and sallow; apparating a second horse took its toll on his inner spirit. Seeing the concern on her face, he waved his hand violently, "Just go!"

Ashley caught up with them, his eyes locked onto Ingo's before he bowed in acknowledgement of what he had done for them. Ingo merely grunted in derisive mirth. Not wanting thanks from one of the murderers of his family, he looked away towards the newly formed witches. Without a word, Ashley sprang up onto the horse behind Malon and Giana. Not waiting for permission, he yanked the reins from Malon's hands and kicked the horse into a swift sprint. Giana looked back at Ingo with tears in her eyes.

"Just where do you think you are going?" A singular voice crooned behind them. Ashley gazed back briefly to see a beautifully formed woman enveloped in a black, armored corset; legs covered in billowing ivory fabric, complete with maroon tipped thigh-high boots. Clasped in each bare arm was a broom, its wicker either solid ice or roving conflagrations. The most unnerving sight of this figure was the multi-colored jewel emblazoned on her head; hair extending outward in two distinct ponytails, one of fire and one of ice.

Giana shrieked as she viewed the raging death blustering out from the end of each magicked broom. Malon encircled her sister tightly, tightening her grip on the horse with her legs as Ashley jerked the black steed in a hairpin turn down the nearest street. The sorceress glided easily over them before blocking their path. Veering the horse up onto its hind legs, Ashley attempted to turn the horse around. His eyes lit up in misery when he realized he wouldn't escape the street in time.

"Now our fun, little game of hide and seek ends here!" The woman sneered; raising her carbuncled arm to point her broom of frost at them. "I feel like taking a trophy home with us! You would look a lot better as a statue!"

Ashley winced fearing the worst as a screech reverberated up the walls of the buildings around them. Gingerly opening his eyes, he saw a trident jutting out from the stomach of the sorceress, droplets of red slowly curling around its shaft. Enraged at her attacker, the woman swiveled on the spot and vaporized the hapless Zora holding the weapon.

Malon gasped in confused relief as a multitude of Zoras emerged from the shadows, each armed to the teeth and closing in on the despicable witch. The nearest Zora waved his arm absently as he kept his eyes on the dangerous woman, "Go! We will handle this!"

Silently thanking the assistance of the Zoras, they brought the horse around and made way for the front entrance of Glaun'rung. Malon wept bitterly as she could hear the agonizing screams of the Zoras as they were incinerated or worse. Bursting out onto the open plains, they blazed a swift trail across the grass towards the nearest tree line. Her heart plummeted as realization sank in, what were they to do now? Where would they go?


	64. Chapter 63 - Changing the Pieces

**Chapter 63 - Changing the Pieces**

General Naar sat brooding on his makeshift throne, covered in the furs and skins of his victories, listening intently to the reports offered by his respective legion commanders. He had to suffice by appointing other, less skilled and able men to lead his armies northwards. Taking the cue from the council advisors that Barrachas sent with them about the increasing hostility and rumblings of mutiny within the ranks during the past orbit, he had to concede that the best course of action was to continue northwards beyond Hyrule and conquer the northern realms to satisfy the blood thirst of his men.

He didn't want to give up his hold on Hyrule when he was so close to his decisive goal, he knew that striking a deal with those Gerudo witches was a risky move but one that might ultimately pay off in the end. He had received reports that the witches had traveled southward towards the Nevachrean capital to assist the young Link in achieving his objective.

What infuriated him was the mysterious reason why Link was going to Glaun'rung at all, that was not where the Goron Ruby lay. The lack of reports for nearly an orbit also troubled him. He had heard no word from Talamir or Timner for nearly a cycle. He had considered going home to satisfy his hunger for knowledge as to what was transpiring in his former kingdom, but he knew that his work here was still too important to just abandon. He had a promise to keep to their mother and he intended on fulfilling it.

His thoughts drifted from the flowing reports being relayed, he had heard them all before. The Gerudo were still holed up in their colossal sanctuary and were providing a formidable defensive, it appeared to be a stalemate against that foe. He was not about to drop the invasion of the Gerudo nation merely because of a deal with its two prime elders that had yet to be satisfied.

Thanan's last report was a dismal one: they had lost ground against the Gorons when the dragons attacked their fortified position. What was more maddening was that the ruby appeared to be no longer in the king's possession. With little guidance where to go from here, that front was also at a stalemate. Naar was incensed that despite conquering Hyrule many cycles ago, he still hadn't achieved what he had originally set out to do!

He angrily waved off the commanders. Ignoring their passing, he brought out the locket that draped around his neck. Pausing momentarily before opening it to view the face within, smiling at him with beautiful brown eyes. Her long, flowing hair of tanned silver was as radiant in the picture as it was the day she died. Placing a calloused finger on the image, he blinked back the tears that began forming around his eyes.

"Please forgive me for a bit longer yet, my love. I have yet to avenge your death." Naar murmured before shutting the locket and snapping the clasp.

Shaking off his emotional weakness, he stood up and appraised his tent with scrutiny. He had been abnormally delighted to discover that there was more than one Kokiri left in the camp. He sent out an order through the troops to gather the remaining children and deliver them to his tent. He walked over to look down upon the last five remaining Kokiri, each of them staring at him with abject fear in their eyes. Their bodies shivering in the cool breeze blowing through the tent, the chill wind embracing their naked forms.

All the Kokiri were shackled by the neck and limbs to separate posts, each one splayed out in violating positions to be easily abused at Naar's whim. Their individual fairies were also brought into his tent, their cages lining one side of the canvas hanging from a support structure. The girl he had frequented most was in the center of the pitiful lot; her ginger hair disheveled and drooping in caked, bloody tatters around her face.

"Good afternoon Josclyn." Naar leered as he stepped past the quivering girls. He had long since forced the name out of her during their first few nights together. She was a strong, defiant girl who took several moons to finally break, now she barely resisted when he had his way with her.

"Now which one of these is yours? Would you please be so kind as to tell me?" Naar grinned maliciously as he walked over to the fairy cages and turned to look at Josclyn. After several moments of silence, he shrugged. "No matter, I'm pretty good at these guessing games. Now let's see…" He trailed off purposefully.

Raising a palm to every cage to pacify each fairy in turn, he savagely thrust in his hand and squeezed each fairy roughly until Josclyn squeaked with pain at their shared connection. "I think we have a winner." Naar smirked, keeping a firm grip on the sprite.

Walking over to the table, grunting as he sat down on the bench, he slammed the fairy down onto the hard wood surface forcing a gasp of anguish from Josclyn followed immediately by choking as the tightly chained collar dug into her throat. Flicking out a small dagger from his belt pocket, he looked down at the tiny sprite who was staring at him in horror. "I'm afraid I can't afford to have you flying around when I'm working." Naar smiled as he began slicing off the wings of the thrashing sprite.

Both Kokiri and fairy screamed in unison as blood began dripping from the Kokiri's back in reaction to the onslaught of Naar's precise cuts. At length the pain ceased and the fairy curled itself into a ball sobbing uncontrollably at the ruination of her striking wings. Naar barked an order to the guard standing outside the tent entrance, "Get me one of the council mages in here! I need him for the next phase of the experiment!"

Naar sat patiently as he looked on the weeping forms of the Kokiri and sprite. He was nothing if not thorough in his research and experimentations. He had failed to realize his objective with Kiera; she did not function as expected. Scouring over the few documents he was able to glean from pillaged city libraries, he realized where he had gone wrong with the procedure. Hearing reports of a flying Kokiri girl at the Gerudo fortress invasion only proved his suspicions that it could be done.

Presently a black robed mage entered the tent, causing an involuntary shudder from Naar, he never felt comfortable around any associates of Barrachas. He knew they were there to keep an eye on him and he didn't like it one bit, however as long as their agreement stood firm and Barrachas continued giving his assistance to their cause, he had no need to break the deal yet. The mage's yellow eyes glared at him from beneath its hood, the man surveyed the room with indifference paying little attention to the quaking Kokiri chained to the dirt floor.

"You called for me, my lord?" The mage said sardonically.

"I did." Naar scrunched his nose, irritated; he hated that these foul mages of Barrachas weren't afraid of him. He had longed to test his magical prowess against theirs but refrained due to being unable to discern the full extent of their powers, he did not like entering into a fight he had little foreknowledge of. Ignoring the impudence of the mage, he directed him over to Josclyn who seemed to squirm more in the presence of the black robed figure.

"The next part of this experiment, I need you to force the fairy to merge with the Kokiri after I've killed her. You need to keep them alive long enough for that to happen. Can you do this?" Naar's eyes bore into the man's irises, the mage simply nodded in understanding.

The abhorrent mage knelt down to the nude girl and unfurled his robes to reveal two wrinkled hands, the skin barely hanging on the bones. The pallid color of his palms was nauseating to look at, with the veins clearly visible under the epidermis. Each of the girls tried to shy away from the repulsive being but could not get far before gasping for air and whimpering as the collars and shackles dug welts into their skin.

Naar stalked back with the fairy before handing it to the mage who took the writhing creature and held it firmly in his fist. Without another word between them, Naar took the dagger and rammed it deep into Josclyn's chest, she gasped heavily as she felt the cold steel penetrate her heart. Within seconds she hung limp, held up inches from the ground by the chains shackling her to the posts, the fairy screeched an accompanying tiny yelp before lying still.

"Place the fairy in her now!" Naar demanded, slightly worried they may not be fast enough.

The aura of magick penetrated the air as the mage chanted in unknown tongues. Placing the lifeless sprite onto the laceration, a small glow began to form around the two wilted bodies. The luminescence grew to greater proportions, causing the mage to release his hold on the fairy and retreat to the far corner of the tent.

Naar, unhindered by the blinding light, turned his eyes back on Josclyn as the glow faded to see a fully healed Kokiri. Quickly acting on his hunch, he took out a small wooden sliver from a belt pouch. Opening her mouth, he jammed the piece of wood deep into her tongue, watching it slowly dissolve into the flesh.

A malevolent grin spread across Naar's face as he looked upon Josclyn's childlike face, her eyes fluttered open to view him curiously. He began laughing as gossamer wings slowly unfolded from her back, languidly wavering behind her. He had finally done it, now to test his theory. Taking his dagger, he sliced open her abdomen, watching the girl snarl and spit at him, wanting to tear him apart. Within minutes, the wound had closed in on itself, but the Kokiri was as cannibalistic as ever.

Naar turned to the black robed mage, "Once she finishes her initial bout of hunger, I will need you to bend them to my will. I have great plans for these five." The mage bowed low at the general's request. Naar walked over to secure another fairy.

* * *

><p>It had been a long few weeks traveling hard across the southern Nevachrean plains. The conjured horse gave out about a moon prior to reaching Yolland. If it weren't for the trained movements of Merin and Impa at the time of vaporization, they would have face planted the moment it was gone. Ganondorf and Apolloni surged ahead on Appa, promising they would make way for their appearance when they finally reached the village.<p>

Talon was chivalrous enough to offer Tellah to the two women once this occurred. Impa happily declined, preferring to walk the remaining distance. Merin seemed to be the only one to take advantage of his proposition. It was slow going with Talon and Impa keeping up with the trotting horse, but they finally made it to Yolland the next evening. As expected, Ganondorf had notified the villagers ahead of time and an available room was made ready for them when they reached Yolland.

They stayed a single night before heading out the next day. They procured an additional steed that Impa and Merin could ride on before setting forth towards the northern pass into the Lost Woods on the southern border of Hyrule. Ganondorf made a point to have the villagers relay a message back to Ingo and the others should they come this way that they were well and not to worry. Gratefully thanking them for their assistance, they turned northwards towards the Ordon province.

It was high noon when they spotted the first glimmers of the tree line signaling the end of the first segment of their journey. They merely had to travel up along the mountain path leading over the range on the border of Hyrule and into the forest beyond. Realizing they would reach the woods within the hour, they leisurely let their horses graze on the shimmering grass around them while they planned their next move.

"It has honestly been a pretty smooth journey, all things considered." Impa admitted as she gazed eastward at the small dots on the horizon, signaling the final vestiges of the abominable army.

Merin nodded as she patted Tellah lovingly, all Gerudo adored horses and considered them faithful companions and partners in war. "I'm surprised we haven't encountered any resistance thus far."

Talon frowned as he looked northwards towards the pass, "That may be true, but we must look out fer the army traveling over the pass. It is how they have been getting into Hyrule!" He warned.

Impa followed his gaze, "We might have to find an alternative route around. I don't think we'd be able to sneak by unnoticed by so massive a horde along that narrow pass." Lingering on the mountain range, she turned towards Ganondorf and Apolloni who were whispering in hushed tones next to Appa. She jerked her chin in their direction, "They've been oddly compliant. What do you suppose they are talking about?" Impa inquired doubtingly.

Merin shrugged, "I don't ask, I don't question. My role in life is to obey the laws of my elders and my king. Who am I to judge or query what my king does or desires?"

Talon crossed his arms as he stared at the two of them whispering, "Sounds like a confined life ta me. I didn't like it when I was living with ya all, and I don't like it now. Obeying mindlessly is no life at all." He asserted.

"Be that as it may," Merin started indifferently, "I still am bound by the laws of my tribe. Did you know I was initially sent on this quest to ensure that Link stayed true to his course at discovering and destroying the source of the Nevachreans' power? I was actually tasked to kill him if he strayed." She disclosed freely.

"I'm glad you didn't, I might have taken issue with that." Impa pointed out casually.

Merin smiled at the veiled threat, even if it was given in jest. "I'm glad I met him actually. He is a lovely boy and now that I think about what I was assigned to do, I actually question if I could now go through with it. Knowing what I do now about him." She stared off in the distance with a goofy grin on her face.

"Well," Talon started, "ya do seem ta be different than Apolloni. What made ya decide ta take that young boy in?"

Ganondorf growled, signaling them all to mount their horses, it was time to be off. Leaping into the saddle, Merin turned to Talon, "You mean Ashley?" She looked back as Impa vaulted herself onto the horse before responding. "I'm not exactly sure honestly. Every cycle, a few women are chosen by the elders to have children. You know this, it was enforced heavily in the past seven cycles. I would dream and hope that my turn would finally come, but it never did."

Spurring the horse onward, she looked dejectedly at the ground. "Please understand, not providing a child to the community made me feel like a useless person. My traits as a woman were never used to contribute to the overall tribe. It devastated me year after year when I wasn't picked." Tears formed at the base of her eyes as she thought about Ashley. "When I saw him, and what he had been through…I don't know, I just wanted to care for him as if he were my own. Barring any miracle that I'd be chosen as a mother, what other option did I have?"

Talon groaned lifting himself onto Tellah, who whinnied at his cumbersome weight. The last orbit in the capital of Nevachrea didn't do any favors for his overall figure, he had let his regime of exercise and training fall to the wayside. "I can understand some of ya reasoning there. I can almost consider Link ta be my own son sometimes." Talon huffed.

Impa beamed over at Talon, "Well, not that you have much of a choice now."

Talon guffawed at this, "Yeah, I'm afraid it is a bit far along between the two of them." He rode on a distance before speaking further, almost musing to himself, "I'm actually excited ta be a grandfather. I can't wait ta see what the child will look like."

Impa moved to say more but something unnatural drew her attention elsewhere, an aura of magick hovered in the air. "Ganondorf?" She asked to no one in particular. She swiveled to look behind them at the pair sitting astride Appa. They were unusually further back than normal. Seeing Ganondorf's arm raised, her eyes bulged in trepidation. She turned to Talon yelling, "Talon, move the horse now!"

"What are ya-?" Talon began confused, attempting to look back to where her attention was riveted to.

A black bolt of pure energy surged through the air, blasting a hole through Talon's chest. Blood sprayed through the air as the burly man slumped forward onto the neck of his steed, his eyes glazed over with the solidity of death. Merin screamed at the sudden ambush. Impa reached around her, grasping the reins from Merin's shocked grip and jerked the horse alongside Talon's. She glanced back at Ganondorf perceiving that he was preparing another spell.

Merin regained her senses quickly, she looked around Impa to shout back at her king, "What are you doing?! I thought we were doing this mission together?"

Ganondorf snorted in reply, "You have far too many liabilities to be trustworthy anymore Merin. There are simply too many moving pieces I cannot control in this delicate game of good and evil, therefore I must eliminate them before they become a hindrance. I am sorry." He looked genuinely remorseful for killing her as he unleashed his second blast.

Merin shrieked as Impa swerved the horse back to the right scarcely avoiding the magick lance piercing the air past them. Unwilling to leave the bleeding corpse of Talon on the terrified Tellah, Impa lurched the stallion back towards his steed before grasping the reins in her hands. Realizing her individual powers were no match for the Gerudo king, she goaded both horses onward towards the looming tree line in hopes that they would lose their killers.

Hanging onto Ganondorf, Apolloni crowed in glee as he incited his stallion into a gallop, chasing after them. Releasing bolt after bolt of impaling magick through the air, he cursed as each one narrowly missed its target by inches; Impa was adept at riding horses and knew just how to avoid each one of his attempted attacks.

Merin squawked when an errant blast shot through her shoulder, blistering it with burning lacerations. She flopped over onto the pommel of the horse, clutching her shoulder in agony. "Why...why?" She kept repeating over and over again. She couldn't begin to understand why her king wanted her dead, she was nothing if not faithful to him.

Impa kicked their steed hard in the flanks, garnering any remaining speed left in the overworked horse. She clutched tightly the reins of Tellah, hoping beyond hopes that Talon wouldn't slide off the saddle and hit the ground. She gasped surprised when a bolt flew past her head, nicking a few strands of hair burning them at the tips.

"You're only making it harder on yourself!" Apolloni shrilled from behind Ganondorf, "Just give in and accept your fate!" She chortled spitefully.

The Gerudo king tried to flank them by inciting his horse out past them on their left side, making them a far larger target than when he was simply following them from behind. Impa saw through his plan and urged her horse to the right shrinking their profile in the process. She grinned determinedly as she heard him curse behind them.

She swore an oath at their stupidity, she should have known they would have betrayed them sooner or later; the question was when? It all made sense now, Ganondorf had waited until after they reached Yolland so that if Link or anyone else came for them, they wouldn't think to look in Nevachrea for their corpses but head northward to Hyrule discerning they had made it there. The cruel bastard!

They broke the line of trees as a blast hit the hind leg of their horse, causing it to nicker in misery. The horse stumbled forward through the brush throwing both women off its back. It crunched into the ground with a sickening crack, blood flowing freely from its front legs. Its nostrils flaring in terror at the excruciating pain coursing through its body, it tried in vain to get back up onto its hooves but fell back down onto its injured limbs braying loudly.

Impa's gaze flicked to the motionless body of Talon, his eyes unseeing, looking at something no one else could see. Her focus shifted to Merin who hit the ground rolling, she was delirious with incomprehension at what was happening, she was rocking back and forth clutching her wounded shoulder. Their situation had deteriorated rapidly, she needed a plan and fast. She could hear the rumbling hooves of Appa getting nearer by the second.


	65. Chapter 64 - Going in Circles

**Chapter 64 - Going in Circles**

"Just admit it Link." Nabooru sighed, looking on the rocky crags and gullies of the highlands. "We're lost."

Link shifted his weight slightly as he perched precariously on the edge of the drop off, straight below him was a ravine with jagged pillars and what appeared to be a bleached carcass impaled on a rather nasty looking rock. Link sighed despondently, "Yeah, I'm sorry guys. I thought for sure we were going the right way." He looked off to the northeast. The tall snow peak appeared no closer than it had several hours ago. "I have a feeling the Gorons would be there, but I have no idea how we are going to get there!" Link moaned feeling miserable that he had gotten them lost.

Saria was busy hovering around above them, looking for alternate avenues they could use to progress onward towards the snowy peak. It appeared hopeless to her, the plethora of haphazardly strewn rocks and spires were jumbling together in her vision and everything looked more or less the same. Just when she thought she saw a pathway down into the ravine to get to the other side, she lost track of it when she zoomed to get a different angle. She raged at herself for being so useless.

"Let's not give up hope yet." Zelda said, trying to remain cheerful. She looked quite dirty like the rest of them. They had been clambering over stones and gravel the majority of the past two days with little progress to show for it. Her clothes were a complete disaster and dust was caked on all their belongings. "Everyone is depending on us to succeed in this, I'm sure the Gorons wouldn't lead you astray to fail. Darunia knew you would come looking for him here."

Link's shoulders sagged, "Yes, but I'm sure he was anticipating we were going to come from the west, not from the south. I'm sure finding their trail would have been a lot simpler the other way around." He pointed dismally off to the western sky, where the sun was just starting to fall on the horizon.

"Well, that's just great." Nabooru snorted. Exhaling loudly, she looked around and spotted an overhang that appeared to cover well from the elements; she indicated to the others of her discovery. "We might as well make up camp for the night. We'll try again in the morning."

The rest muttered at this idea but made no excuses or complaints. They all slumped their packs down, relieved to be free of their excessive loads. Link especially was grateful for having his back free from the overbearing burden that was placing stress on his wings. His appendages were aching and sore, he asked Zelda's assistance to untie them so he could unfurl them out from underneath his cloak.

They had let Epona and Fado loose in the fields as planned, Link tethered them together so they wouldn't go wandering off in separate directions but stay together. Epona was initially unwilling to leave without him. After a few hearty attempts at navigating the rough ridges and slopes of the foot hills, even the stubborn mare had to admit defeat. The mountains were no place for a horse. They knew this going into the mission. Ingo was to journey northwards shortly after them with Malon and Ashley to retrieve Epona and Fado and bring them back to Glaun'rung; everything seemed to be in order there. Link only hoped Epona didn't have to wait too long on Ingo.

Fall was quickly ending and winter was fast approaching; each of them could feel it, all except Xavier. For some inscrutable reason, the Cyn'Taak was indifferent to the changing climates, it seemed quite at home in either the sweltering swamps of the Negev or the cold bluffs of the Xaagar. Furthermore, her intellect improved by leaps and bounds throughout their journey, she was conversing with them on a regular basis and inputted her opinions on various subjects. Granted, her overall worldly knowledge was lacking and she couldn't relate to them on many levels, but that didn't stop her from trying her best to fit into the group.

"I 'hink it's gonn' be good day tomorro'." Xavier said happily, as she lumbered over to the overhang. Wherever they ended up camping for the night, she would also know just where to situate herself to help alleviate any wind. The Cyn'Taak would casually lick her finger and place it in the air to determine from which direction any gusts were blowing in from and then promptly positioned herself where she could be a formidable wind breaker, much to the appreciation of everyone else.

Link shook his head and smiled at the beast he had grown so fond of over the orbits. "Nothing ever gets you down, does it Xavier?" He asked.

"Nope!" She grinned bearing all of her teeth. To the uninitiated, it was a frightening visage but to Link and Zelda, it was one of great joy.

Saria plunked down next to Nabooru with a whine, she had been flying all day trying to assist them in finding the right path, all to no avail. She jealously looked at Link receiving a massage to the base of his wings from Zelda. "I certainly wish I could get a rubbing like that, I've been flying all day." She pouted.

Zelda looked at her and smiled, "Well, when I'm done with Link, would you care if I did yours too?" She had unintentionally become the de facto therapist for Link's wings each night, it wasn't anything they questioned anymore, it just happened.

Saria puffed up irritably, turning around to display her ethereal wings as she glared at Zelda, "Do you see any part that is physically connected with my body? They just hang there, I can feel that they are there but there is nothing to hold onto."

Leaving a protesting Link behind, Zelda walked over to Saria to inspect what she was talking about. Allowing her to touch the wings, Saria held them still. Gently feeling the delicate material they were comprised of, Zelda was surprised to discover that they were quite firm to the touch. Following it down to the base where it should have been connected just between the shoulder blades, she encountered nothing. There was nothing specific to grasp or hold on to, her brow furrowed in consternation as she began examining further.

Saria giggled, "Okay, now you're just tickling." She leapt away quickly before fluttering back to the ground facing Zelda.

Zelda crossed her arms perplexed, "I wasn't meaning to, I'm just surprised at how different your wings are from Link's. And you say they are sore and aching from flying all day?" Saria nodded vigorously. "Strange." Zelda said, mulling over the matter.

Nabooru, having ignored the entire conversation, had started a raging fire just a couple meters away from Xavier's resting spot for the night. "If you all are quite done, let's get some food started here so we can eat." She was feeling especially famished tonight, Xavier seemed to concur with her sentiment by licking her snout excitedly.

Zelda looked around anxiously, "Do you still think it's a good idea to be starting fires like that?"

The Gerudo elder looked around in the fading light of dusk, "I don't believe there is anything dangerous that we can't handle in these parts. Besides, there is nothing of interest here for the Nevachreans, that lies further north with the Gorons." Satisfied with her own logic, Nabooru continued unwrapping the last few packages of cured meats they had brought with them from Glaun'rung.

A look of worry began to form on Link's face as he watched Nabooru heating up the hunks of meat. "Don't you think we should begin rationing the food a bit better? We still have a lot further to go and I haven't noticed any real game we can hunt here for replenishments."

"Yeah," Saria chided, "I also haven't noticed any fresh fruit trees or any foliage that looks remotely edible in this pile of rocks. What do you expect me to eat, that?" She curled her lip as she pointed disgustingly at the flesh slabs that were just starting to steam. "You are just as bad as Talon with wanting and eating food, maybe he's rubbing off on you!" She added in carelessly.

Nabooru scowled at the indignant Kokiri, "If you don't like what I cook, then you can go without food for tonight then." Tempers had flared between them over the last couple moons, the journey had already taken a toll and it was clearly showing.

Zelda quickly stepped in the middle of the two holding her arms up to distance the flustered combatants, "Okay, let's just simmer down now. We've all had a frustrating day. Let's just settle down, rest and start anew tomorrow, all right?" She looked back and forth between the two of them. Sensing that the hostility had lifted slightly, she ruffled in their food pack and brought out an orange and a few leafy greens. "I know it isn't much, but we are running out of food for you Saria." She tried to smile, but it only came out half-heartedly when handing the food to the Kokiri.

"Thanks." Saria vacuously said, taking the proffered items from Zelda's hands. Determined to make a point, the Kokiri stalked away from the group and sat roughly on the cold rock next to Xavier, leaning back up against her bulk. At a nudge from Xavier's snout, she reached up and patted the beast's nose blithely, "Hey girl, I know you're there for me." She beamed at the hulking creature.

"Don't 'et that 'oman get you 'own Sariea," The Kokiri smiled at Xavier's attempt to pronounce her name, the Cyn'Taak could never quite get it. Regardless, it endeared the creature to her heart all the more. Her reaction went unnoticed by Xavier as it continued, "She just 'as issues." She nodded her head as if that settled the matter.

Saria couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the Cyn'Taak's simple rationality. "I guess you are right." She looked back towards the campfire at Nabooru, who was busy slicing up the meat to divvy it up amongst the group. "We shouldn't get so easily upset with each other. We're all in this together."

* * *

><p>Link's sleep was disturbed by an incessant ringing in his ears. His eyes fluttered open as he realized it was Navi drumming against his skull, warning him of the impending danger that surrounded them.<p>

_Link! Link! Hey, wake up!_ Her voice was insistent and forceful.

Encumbered with the languor of slumber still weighing on his mind, he rolled his head over to look at Saria leaning back against Xavier; who was still sleeping peaceably. Something seemed odd about the view but he couldn't decipher what. Link's eyes shot open when he recognized Saria was wide awake and gripping her bag blanket so tightly her fingers were white. Her eyes were bulging at what she was seeing, but she wasn't moving a muscle due to some horrifying terror just out of his vision.

Sensing several malevolent presences in the nearby area, he lifted his head to look back and over past the smoldering fire logs at Zelda. His vision blurred slightly, trying to focus on comprehending what he was seeing. Several spindly legs were rotating an object encased with what looked like strands of white rope. Trailing the spinning webbing to its source, his vision locked on the bulbous body of a giant spider ensnaring its prey.

_Link!_ Navi chimed loudly in his head. _There are several Skulltulas! Look, over there by Nabooru!_

Skulltulas were a specifically deadly type of arachnid that haunted dark crevices and deep underground recesses of the wilds. Their toxin was as deadly as any other venomous spider in Hyrule, but what made these variants especially egregious was the singularly, iconic hardened shell casing on their backs. What gives them their moniker was the shape of this carapace which protects its vitals. To inspire dread in it's, mostly Huma, victims, the shell closely resembled a Hylian skull.

Riveting his attention on Nabooru, Link grasped the notion she was being captured as well. His blood turned to ice as he understood the severity of the situation: Zelda was cocooned already and was slowly being dragged off! His body convulsed slightly at the sudden movement over his head. A swollen belly reeking of dead, rotting meat swung itself over his sleeping roll and began to spin delicate webbings around his body.

With a roar, he apparated a scimitar into his fist before driving it upwards into the fleshy mass of the fetid arachnid, it chittered in agony as Link swiftly twisted the sword into its belly. He deftly rolled out of the way of the collapsing Skulltula, its furry legs scrambling for purchase amidst the scorching pain permeating its stomach. Link was on his feet in seconds. Assessing the situation, he realized they were surrounded by several more Skulltulas, each the size of a grown man.

"Nabooru! Get up now!" Link shouted, kicking off any leftover strands clinging to his boots.

"What? What's going on?" Nabooru's eyes popped open and flicked around at the overbearing menace. She attempted in vain to flip to her feet but realized her lower half was completely sheathed in thick, sticky webbing. "Link! Come over and help me-" Nabooru screamed as the Skulltula above her sank its mandibles deep into her back; within seconds she was limp and unresponsive. The spider hastened its task of entombing the food in its silk, eager to drag it back to its nest before it could be stolen.

Cursing an oath, Link apparated another sword, smaller this time and tossed it to Saria. "Here, take this and start attacking!" Link exclaimed before conjuring a longer sword in his hand.

Saria yelped fumbling with the thrown weapon. The hilt slipped through her fingers, piercing the night with its clatter when it hit the ground. "Link!" She whimpered, "I don't know how to use these things!"

Link mentally kicked himself. He should have remembered that she had no formal training in warfare even after all these years. "Just do your best Saria! Wake up Xavier!" He suggested, sidestepping a graceless lunge before striking downwards at an awkward angle toward the arachnid's eyes. He cursed as the Skulltula turned its globular mass towards him, warding off the lethal blow against its thick, iron hide.

His command did not go unheard, within moments Xavier was fully alert and aware of the danger around them. She went into a furious rage as she saw Link madly slashing at several spiders at once, each one biding its time for an opening with which to sink their maxillae into his soft flesh. Bucking off a Skulltula that had attempted to clamber up onto her back, she whipped around and stabbed it viciously in the face with her barbed tail.

The Cyn'Taak stared befuddled at the uncanny reaction the Skulltula was having to her defensive counter; in seconds its lanky physique was bubbling in sweet smelling boils which traveled up and down its conglomeration of legs. Overcome with an incredible urge to eat, Xavier snapped the largest abscess open and eagerly drove its snout into the wriggling mass of limbs, drinking deeply the luxurious fluid.

"Oh thank Farore!" Link yelled in relief, "Your venom finally kicked in! Xavier!" The beast reared up from its gory meal at his call, its mind still reeling with the shock of its newfound ability and the intoxicating smell of fresh blood. "Help me now! You can eat later!" Link leapt back as the nearest Skulltula slammed its butt forward intending to impale him on its jagged spike that protruded from its rear end, it ranted in angry clicks when it struck nothing but stone.

Shaking her head from the bloodlust, she picked up the rent meal before her and threw it at the assaulting Skulltula adjacent Link. He barked in surprise at the bloody mess surging past his face before it smacked into the squirming spider before him, both bodies tumbled down the decline before resting in a curled heap of legs and webbing. Wasting no time, Link leaped down the slope before jumping onto the Skulltula, driving his sword deep into its exposed belly.

"Loo' out!" Xavier bellowed; lumbering down the hill swiping at the hind end of the final Skulltula, narrowly missing the foul creature.

Adapting to her warning, Link ducked low before crying out in pain. He hadn't taken into account the extra mileage his wings had to travel when evading; the pointed end of the Skulltula's leg rammed into his right wing, yanking him back through the air before slamming him down to the ground. He gasped for breath as the air was knocked clean out of his lungs at the impact. Link knew it was hopeless recovering from the fall, he screamed in torment as the Skulltula dug its spiked leg deeper into his plumage drawing beads of red.

Sensing its prey finally subdued, the Skulltula tittered exciteably before opening its maw in preparation to puncture its future meal and inject paralyzing venom. A scream sliced the air, Link looked up to see a small flash of steel impale itself through the eyes of the Skulltula. Mercifully releasing its unbearable hold on his wing, the arachnid skittered back futilely utilizing its front legs to remove the affronting object of pain.

Xavier dealt the finishing blow by slamming her tail deep into the creature's belly. Within moments the Cyn'Taak was feasting on steaming arachnid innards, seemingly enjoying every minute of it. Link ignored the ghastly sight and looked up to Saria who had flown above the carnage of battle. She was shivering uncontrollably with a look of horror in her eyes. Seeing no further threat in the vicinity, he motioned her down. After several attempts she finally acknowledged him and landed beside him.

Embracing the quivering Kokiri in his arms, he kissed her gently on the forehead, "You did great Saria. I knew you would."

His words of affirmation broke the dam gates, releasing a torrential downpour of tears. She sobbed into his stomach as she gripped tightly his tunic. "Why must things kill each other?! Why must the world be like this?"

His heart broke to see his lifelong friend in such misery. War, jealousy, death, rape, torture, all these things were foreign to Kokiri. Saria had been exposed to far more than any other Kokiri in existence. "I don't know, but you were very brave. You saved my life Saria."

She sniffed heavily before looking up into his face, "You mean it? I was really brave?" Link nodded smiling; she returned it before noticing the injuring wing, "Link! You're hurt!" She gasped.

Link adjusted his appendage slightly, it was rather sore now and it ached something fierce around the wound. If not treated soon, he wasn't sure he wanted to find out what kind of infection to the wing it might cause. "I'll be all right, but…"

He looked around quickly and noticed that the remainder of the Skulltulas had disappeared, dissolved into the inky blackness of the night. Saria's gaze darted between the bed rolls before stating the worst, "Zelda and Nabooru, they are gone!"

Link released his hold on Saria before dashing up towards the campsite, within moments he noticed two trails leading away from the scene towards a rocky crag further up the mountain. The spiders had dragged Zelda and Nabooru into their lair and would soon be gorging on them.

Looking down at Saria, he wrapped a single arm around her shoulders as he whispered warmly, "You ready to go after them?"

Her eyes still locked onto the dead carcasses of the Skulltulas, she nodded her head absently, "Uh huh..." She murmured.

Smiling, he turned around to shout back to Xavier who was blissfully feasting, "Xavier! We're going after them, get over here!"

_Do you think this is wise? We're already lost with no way of figuring out where the Gorons are and you want to get us in deep further by traveling knowingly into a Skulltula nest?_ Navi warned apprehensively.

"I'm positive. The way I see it, we're lost anyway, so following them isn't going to change anything. Besides, I hate being lost alone." Link sported a crooked grin as he shouldered his backpack before grabbing Zelda's. Without looking back, the three of them began tracking the trail through the cragged, rocky spires.


	66. Chapter 65 - Standing Watch

**Chapter 65 - Standing Watch**

She applied the final patches of dirt to the makeshift grave before sitting back on her shins staring down at what used to be her friend. Sheikahs were not prone to crying, but Impa could not help but shed a tear for her unfortunate friend. She had spent many long cycles living amongst the Gerudo in secret, but she always revealed herself to Link and his friends. She had grown to appreciate and admire the man, Talon. His steadfast determination and loyalty to his family and friends had won her respect.

Merin looked on beside her as she numbly scratched an itch on her elbow, her mind was still reeling over the betrayal of Ganondorf nearly a moon ago. If it weren't for the quick actions of Impa, they would have both been dead by his hands. It was clear that Ganondorf had been plotting this turn of events for many orbits, if not longer. Impa revealed to Merin her suspicions about the switch up with Nabooru, she couldn't exactly place why it was important that the Gerudo elder go with Link but that it was no coincidence that she did.

Ganondorf had tracked them for several hours along the forest paths before Impa found a secluded game trail which led them right into a thicket which accommodated them a perfect spot for hiding. Utilizing all her innate abilities to cover them in a fortified stealth haze, they were able to conceal both themselves and the two horses within the underbrush. Ganondorf and Apolloni were within inches of their position but were unable to detect their presence.

"Their trail ends here." Ganondorf growled as he jerked Appa to and fro seeking the next clue which would unveil where his quarry went.

Apolloni sniffed with disdain, "Does it really matter if they are dead or not? Our objective is-"

Ganondorf backhanded her off the stallion with a sweep of his hand. The surge of energy propelled Apolloni through the air and slammed her into the rough turf. Struggling to regain her breath, she looked up at him incredulously at his outburst. He merely continued surveying the environs without acknowledging her with a look. "Of course it matters if they live! They are quite skilled and adept at staying alive and will most undoubtedly get back to Link and warn him." He rumbled, "Furthermore, the Sheikah has something of value that I wish to have in my possession."

Apolloni regained her composure and got back to her feet, "You mean the ocarina?" She personally couldn't believe such a trivial musical instrument could hold such powerful sway over her king's ambitions.

Ganondorf roughly lent a hand before pulling her back onto Appa with a jerk. He nodded in reply, "Link will most likely retrieve the three sacred stones for me while I maintain control of the ocarina as leverage. With the Sheikah having gone to ground, we've lost that opportunity." He swore loudly. "No matter, we ride north. We still have much to do! All we can do is trust that the sisters will keep their end of the bargain."

Apolloni huffed, "Like they would honestly do that if it didn't benefit them personally."

He stifled a deep laugh kicking the flanks of his steed before guiding it out onto the open plains, heading northwards towards the mountain pass leading up, over and into the Lost Woods. It was several long hours before Impa declared it safe to finally discharge the haze and take stock of what they had lost. Talon was lying dead at her feet. She had left his injured horse, Tellah, to die a miserable demise at the edge of the forest, there was no way she was going to drag both a dead man and a panicking horse in its death throes through the woods.

The singular blast had ripped a clear hole through Talon's chest. It had burned through skin, muscle and bone leaving a gaping orifice that you could stick an arm through. The blood had congealed feebly around the edges of the wound but the majority had spilled out onto the ground, soaking it with its essence. Taking the only talisman redeemable on the man, she yanked off the simple necklace around his throat and stashed it in a side pocket of her armor. She then began the long, arduous task of preparing a burial mound for her friend.

"So all this was for the ocarina?" Merin stated flatly, her hand rising to absently pet Tellah as the horse nibbled on the nearby foliage.

Still kneeling by the grave, Impa took out the blue instrument and held it up to the filtered rays of moonlight wafting through the tree canopy. "Not specifically for the ocarina, but rather what it can open up." Impa clarified further. She turned it over in her hands before continuing, "Playing a special song known only to members of the Royal Family and by having in one's possession the three sacred stones freely given by its bearers can one open up the way to the Master Sword. It is said the sword is the gateway which leads to the Triforce."

Merin opened her eyes wide with shock. This knowledge was quite foreign to her. Her thoughts churned with the notion of being deceived. How much had Ganondorf and the elders concealed from her and the others? Were Lorva and Aveil's deaths in vain? Were they sent on some foolish errand which ultimately served some higher purpose that they were not privy to? How much of her life as a Gerudo spent in service of their king was a lie? What was the truth behind their culture and traditions? Experiencing the betrayal of Ganondorf and her elders, combined with the fact they were at odds with Kotake and Koume, the spiritual guides of their people, she didn't know what to think anymore.

Unknowing of the turmoil raging inside Merin, Impa pressed onward with her explanation. "The Sheikah are an ancient tribe that has descended down through the years with a singular purpose, to assist in the protection of the Triforce. To support the Royal Family in caretaking the sacred relics and to…" she paused briefly before supplementing her original thought, "protect those who are important." She smiled with a serene sadness.

Merin looked around morosely at their last remaining saddlebag which had been sheared clean through with one of Ganondorf's magick bolts, most of their possessions and provisions had emptied out across the grasslands in their mad dash to safety. "So what do we do now? Most of our supplies are either gone or ruined and we are now down to one horse." Merin pointed out obtusely.

Impa sighed before standing up, "Nothing but to keep going. Our mission has not changed, just the way we are to go about it." She ignored the confused look on Merin's face as she walked over to Tellah and sliced off the straps of the saddlebag, allowing it to slide to the ground. "We still intend to help Link by setting up his arrival for when he returns with the Goron Ruby; that has not changed. Now we simply go about it in another way since Ganondorf has forced our hand."

"I don't quite understand." Merin stated. She wasn't prepared for these situations; she was better served in a role where she knew what to do.

"I'll explain on the way." Impa smiled leaping onto Tellah's saddle. Situating herself firmly onto the restless horse, she reached down a hand to assist Merin up, "We travel light and we travel fast. If you are willing to help me and do honor to your people, I would sure appreciate it."

* * *

><p>Malon woke with a start when a sudden burden was swiftly plopped onto her sleeping form. Roused her from her slumber by the splayed form of Giana spread over her body, she groaned inwardly at her little sister's inability to sleep. The little tyke was lying on her back looking up through the canopy of weeping willows at the stars above with a goofy grin on her face. Winter was her favorite time of year and there was an especially nice dusting of snow on the ground around them that had fallen during the night.<p>

"What do you want Giana? Go back to sleep." Malon ordered crossly. The moon was clearly still high in the sky and it was nowhere near time to wake up.

Giana draped an arm across her forehead in mock anguish, "I just can't!" She whined. "The sky's awake! So I'm awake! So we have to play!" She kicked out her feet and arms at this last declaration.

Malon grumbled as she roughly pushed off her sister to the ground beside her sleeping roll. She was quite cranky when her sleep was interrupted early. "Go play by yourself." Malon ordered.

Giana's eyes popped open with a brilliant idea. Undeterred by her older sister's grouchiness, she proceeded to hop back onto her and whisper closely into her ear, "Do you want to build a snowman?"

Thrashing wildly at this obtrusive invader to her sleep, Malon glared at Giana. "Build a what? What are you talking about?" She sat up suddenly to give the little girl a stern talking to.

It was then Malon noticed that there was a thin layer of snow covering the ground around them and could see flecks of it intertwining with Giana's hair; it was clear the girl had rolled around in it previously that morning. She scooped up a handful of it beside her bedroll. It was wet but there simply wasn't enough to build anything quite like a snowman, let alone any sizeable mound.

She looked around them and marveled in awe at the drastic change that had overcome the Negev Marshlands seemingly overnight. There was a caked layer of white on the branches of the trees surrounding them and a thin sheet of ice covered the surface of the murky water; this was quite the drastic transformation from the first time Link and the others traversed this area. She could still remember the sweltering heat and unbearable flies that swarmed them as they stumbled through the bog, she much rather preferred the winter version of this area personally.

They had narrowly escaped Glaun'rung from the evil Gerudo witches, only by the assistance of the Zoras were they able to flee safely. Malon was still undecided on her feelings about the Zoras but she appreciated their help during that hectic encounter. Kotake and Koume had religiously tracked them across the plains and through various woodland patches. The conjured steed Ingo provided them had given out several moons ago. They moved on foot between the cover of trees only during the veil of night, they dared not leave concealment during the day or they would have been hunted down easily and killed.

It had been almost a week since their escape and the witches finally gave up on their quarry. After burning down several forests and freezing a few others, they seemingly lost interest and headed westward. Malon surmised they were returning to the desert colossus; for what reason, she was not sure. After discussing it with Ashley and getting no response other than a curt nod, she decided it best to follow the sisters back to the Gerudo and learn what they were plotting. She felt useless otherwise and only by discovering and possibly foiling any additional plans the crones had would they be able to help Link in some way.

Looking back down on her sister, she couldn't help but smile; the previous winter living with the Gerudo in the fortress had been the only cycle where even a light flurry of snow was experienced. It was gone the next day, but it made an indelible impression on Giana. Living in the desert, they never received any snow and so it was quite the oddity to see it that cycle. After explaining it to her what happened, the girl was extremely excited to see it once more. Giana could hardly contain her excitement at the phenomenon that was around her, this was far more than anything she had ever seen in her entire life.

"Build a snowman!" Giana chirped happily grabbing some fistfuls of snow and throwing it into the air.

Malon sighed at her sister's naivety, "We can't build one in this silly." She held up a small condensed clump of it, "There simply isn't enough of it to make anything worthwhile."

The girl's countenance deflated at Malon's logic, "Ok…"

Malon ran a hand through her sister's tangled mass of hair; she really should find a comb one of these days and straighten that drastic mess. "It's okay. I promise that when there is enough snow on the ground, we'll build one together. Okay?" She smiled at Giana warmly.

"Really? You mean it?!" The girl beamed. Malon nodded, much to the delighted squeal of Giana.

"Ssshh!" Malon warned, putting a finger to her lips. "There are dangerous Cyn'Taak living around here. We do not want to attract them with loud sounds."

The girl cocked her head dubiously, "Why are they so dangerous? Xavier is pretty nice." She was completely unaware of the lethality of those creatures, her only experience with them being Xavier. Xavier had taken a liking to any small child-like persons, playing with them and protecting them diligently; Saria and Giana being the two charges it felt personally responsible for.

Malon's shoulders sagged at trying to explain yet again how dangerous they were, "Giana, the Cyn'Taak are deadly. Their tails have horrible venom that will kill you. Most of them don't even speak as well as Xavier does. Link and Zelda picked Xavier up when she was just a baby; we are all she knows. Of course she would be nice and harmless to us."

"But why?" Giana pressed; her maddening questions boring a hole in Malon's patience.

Malon was about to demand sleep from the tyke when Ashley paced up beside them, bow casually in hand and quiver strapped to his back with a fresh set of poisoned arrows. She did not bother to ask where he had acquired more but assumed he had hunted a Cyn'Taak recently for its potent venom. She recounted the times each night he would sit by during his night watch and whittle away new arrows. The boy was amazingly resourceful and self-sufficient. She appraised him with a scrutinizing eye, admiring how his brown hair fell across his brow in curling locks. He would be quite the handsome man when he grew older, a pity he didn't speak.

"Is it my turn at watch?" Malon asked, knowing full well the inevitable answer.

Ashley nodded before setting aside his weapons and sitting beside Giana with a smile, he ruffled the little girl's hair before lying down. He opened up his bedroll to offer a place to sleep and keep warm; it certainly had gotten colder over the course of the previous week. Giana usually slept with whoever was not guarding over them each night, thus she happily accepted the invitation and leaped into the bag. Ashley looked up at Malon who was already stretching from her rough sleep on the ground. They shared a knowing look that Giana would be safe with him while Malon stood watch for the remaining portion of the night.

"Good night, you two." Malon waved as she picked up her spear and walked over to the nearby stump to sit.

During their exodus from Glaun'rung, she had paused midway through one night to locate a suitable branch to carve into a commendable spear. It did not have all the nice trappings like a nice metal point nor a leather-bound handle; she simply didn't have access to the expert craftswomen and the necessary materials to make a professional weapon. In the end, it did not matter, it was of sufficient length and it ended in a sharp tip that could penetrate flesh; that was all she cared about.

She had attempted to learn the ways of the scimitar and sword from Link, but she couldn't quite manage to get skilled at those weapons. She felt far more comfortable wielding spears. Reminiscing about her cycles at the Gerudo fortress, she smiled at all their sparring matches together. She even recalled the first time Link gave her a sword fighting lesson back in Kakariko village. She blushed in remembrance at what they almost did unknowingly shortly thereafter.

Sitting on the stump calmly, she placed a hand over her belly; and now she was pregnant with his child. What an odd thought. It seemed like ages ago, but lying in her bedroll with mental images of his naked body brought back feelings of yearning. Quickly glancing back to see the sleeping forms of Ashley and Giana, all tucked together cozily in one sleeping bag, she ruminated on a specific course of action and if she might get caught doing it.

Throwing caution to the wind, Malon hiked up her skirt and spread her legs wide as she maneuvered her hand between them and began rubbing her outer folds. She licked her lips in concentration while pressing a finger in deeper into her womanhood. Gasping slightly at the expanding nature of her opening, she allowed several fingers to slip into her moist tunnel. They were nowhere near the size that Link was, but she had to be content with what she had to work with.

Malon was oblivious to the sounds of the night for several minutes as she began rocking her hips in tune with the quick pulses of her hand, when a sudden crack of ice jolted Malon out of her trance. Swiftly withdrawing her slick fingers, she gripped the spear next to her and stood up; cursing softly at the ironically apt interruption to her pleasure.

She stepped towards the water's edge and looking out across its frozen expanse. She could tell that the layer of ice across its surface was not yet thick enough to step on. It was still early winter and it was hardly cold enough to freeze anything deeper than an inch off the top layer of water. Straining her ears to hear anything that might clue her into the location and nature of the sound, she looked out into the darkness, hoping inwardly that it was not a Cyn'Taak.

Another crack made her jump as the sound reverberated through the water and out across the bog; it had come from her right! She leaped over the stump and looked out across the water which stretched further beyond where she could just barely see the trees on the other side. She supposed this was more like a lake than the more common marsh tributaries they had been fording the day previously.

A cry caught in her throat as she witnessed a hand break through the surface of the water several meters away from the mossy shore. Grasping her weapon with white knuckled ferocity, she riveted her attention on the unknown intruder breaking their way through the ice layer. The dark figure stood up from the marsh, rivulets streaming down the sleek body as it stumbled its way towards the waterline.

It slumped over onto the ground as if exhausted. Malon looked down at the prone figure, her spear tip pointed directly at its head. The unusual shape of the head was what captured her attention, it was anvil shaped, almost like a fish. She noted that there were fins alongside the outer parts of the arms and calves. The figure, breathing heavily from exertion, looked up at Malon with tired eyes.

Malon's face contorted with rage as she recognized the Zora princess, "You!"


	67. Chapter 66 - Charlie Foxtrot

**Chapter 66 - Charlie Foxtrot**

Seething wrath broiled up inside her as she looked down upon the trembling form of Ruto, the Zora princess who had violated her love and almost had her killed. Malon wanted nothing more than to dive her spear tip deep into the Zora's heart and watch in delicious elation the life leave the wretched woman's eyes. It was quite unlike Malon to harbor such ill will towards someone, but when it came to Link, she felt very protective of her relationship to him.

"Who?" Ruto asked feebly. It was clear she had swum for countless miles and only now just stopped. She was on her hands and knees, limbs wobbling from the toil of the journey.

"You!" Malon repeated with virulence. "What are you doing here?" She raised her weapon level with Ruto's head, demanding an answer from her.

Without even looking at Malon, Ruto answered shakily, "Do you see them after me? Did I lose them?"

Malon was taken aback by the question, confused as to what the Zora meant. She looked up and scanned the frozen waters around uncertain of what Ruto was referring to. "What are you talking about? I don't see anyone."

Ruto sighed deeply before chuckling a bit at her success. This irritated Malon. "Thank the Goddesses! I was finally able to escape. They wouldn't let me leave. You have no idea how it is, being locked up as a prisoner and never being allowed to do what you want or be what you want."

Malon curled her lip in disdain at the Zora, "I clearly don't. Now answer me, what are you doing here?" She persisted.

Ruto finally looked up at her, "Where am I?"

"Why should I tell you?" Malon spat, still furious that Ruto was evading all her questions.

Ruto looked around taking stock of her surroundings, "I need to know how far I have left to travel."

Malon made a sound of frustration before responding, "Urgh! You are just east of the Gerudo desert, on the western side of the Negev Marshlands. Happy now?! Now what are you doing here? I won't ask you again!" Her voice rose to a higher pitch, but her intent was clear.

"Oh…" Ruto lamented, putting a hand to her face as she looked across the bog, "I went entirely the wrong way. Well, thank you for your assistance, I'll be going now." She acknowledged, before turning back to the water.

Seeing the Zora princess completely disregard her presence, treating her like some casual peon here to service her needs, something inside Malon flipped. She cried out in anger as she thrust the spear towards Ruto's heart. Hearing the shout, the Zora spun around only to have the wooden tip tear through the membrane of her fin that trailed down her right forearm. The force of her movement enabled the weapon to tear a gaping hole straight to the edge of it, coercing brownish red blood to spray everywhere.

Ruto screeched in agony at the sudden onslaught, "What are you doing?" She demanded.

"You don't remember me?" Malon accused, pressing forward with another attack.

Cradling her injured arm, Ruto sidestepped the maneuver and backhanded Malon across her head as she lurched past, "Should I? I've never met you before in my life." She admitted.

Recovering quickly, Malon twirled around before jabbing the spear at a slightly upward angle hoping to skewer her opponent's face, "You ambushed us here, in this very marsh. You had your assassins shoot me full of arrows!"

Ruto pitched her upper body backwards to avoid the well-aimed stroke, "Assassins? Wait…you mean Naar's men?" A semblance of who this girl was began to form in Ruto's mind. With effortless grace born from her combat training given to her while in the service as Naar's Dark Mistress, she swung her leg out low tripping Malon, causing her to tumble sideways.

Hitting the ground in a roll, Malon recovered swiftly back onto her feet before stabbing the spear at one of Ruto's legs. "You attacked us! And you violated Link, you disgusting bitch!" She raged.

Recollection slammed into Ruto at the gravity of what she was being blamed of. It had been so long and her memories so jumbled over the past few orbits that she had almost forgotten what she was accountable for. Leaping lithely over the strike, she skipped back a few paces to gain some distance between her and Malon. "It was you who discovered us that night?" Ruto asked incredulously, "I'm sorry you had to get in the way, it was something personal between Link and I. It is nothing for you to be concerned with."

Malon laughed bitterly at her supposed rival, "Something personal? It was everything personal to me!"

Ruto cocked her head questioningly, "What do you mean?"

Malon stood up to her full height, ignoring the rising nausea that was threatening her stomach. "We are together. We've been joined for a long time now." She stated flatly, enjoying the reaction it received from Ruto.

"You mean you had him before me?" Ruto inquired dangerously; some inner demon was growing deep inside her, jealously began to rear its ugly head in her mind.

Smirking at the Zora's envious response, Malon made sure she said her next words slowly while rubbing her belly to accentuate the point. "Yes, and I am now pregnant with his child."

Something snapped inside Ruto, all those orbits of being retrained into forgetting about Link by Veraca and the others had been undone in one moment. Her gills flared as she puffed out her chest, within seconds she spat a virulent stream of viscous poison that sailed through the air. Malon screamed as she saw the disgusting fluid hurtling towards her face. She dove to the side as it splashed on the ground where she stood, boring a hole into the turf, killing the grass around it.

Cursing loudly, Ruto flexed her fins causing them to grow taut and firm, their ends like a razor's edge. Dashing quickly at the recovering Malon, Ruto spun her arms slicing downward in an arc; it nicked a cut across Malon's cheek. She shrilled in pain before diving out of the way of the second arm as it cut through the air just inches from her head. Blindly wiping and smearing the blood away from her face, Malon resumed her battle stance and prepared for another attack.

Within moments, Ruto was upon her with claws scratching the air in front of Malon's nose. Malon had to focus keenly on deflecting each blow with the shaft of her spear, stepping back with each swing. She presently bumped up against a nearby tree, thinking fast, Malon grinned smugly as she circumvented a lethal jab of sharp fins as Ruto cursed her luck. Her razor appendages had drawn a wide swath across the trunk and it did not give. Clutching the wilted membrane in her hands, she glared at Malon hideously for having marred both of her arms.

"This is for Link!" Malon cried as she dove forward with her spear.

Swiftly evading the attack, Ruto stepped to the side. She smoothly gripped the passing wooden shaft and pulled Malon closer to her. The sudden heave staggered Malon, causing her to lose her footing. Taking the initiative, Ruto bashed a fist into Malon's nose, drawing blood. Wasting no time, Ruto knocked her to the ground. Malon gasped as her back slammed to the ground, knocking the air out of her.

Ruto was upon her, her legs straddling Malon's waist while her arms gripped Malon's wrists tightly above her head. She leaned in closer before whispering rancorously into her ear. "He was my beloved first, before he was ever yours!"

Malon struggled against the Zora's muscle, but her will and strength was no match for Ruto's uncanny surge of power. Leering at her, Ruto flared out her gills and sucked in a breath in preparation of pouring acidic juices all over Malon's face. A whistle of air stopped the torrid process as Ruto quickly rolled off Malon and rose to a knee to face the new threat. Standing beside a shaking Giana, Ashley was calmly nocking another arrow to his bow before aiming it directly at Ruto's heart.

Assuring that the archer had no time to react, Ruto leaped over the stunned form of Malon in an attempt to dash at Ashley as soon as her feet touched the ground. Countering her intended action, Malon reached a hand up and gripped an ankle sending the Zora face first into the turf. Realizing her precarious position, Ruto bowled quickly to the side as a second arrow thunked into the ground by her head, a small grunt issued from the boy as he began to knock another arrow.

"Who is she Malon? Why is she trying to hurt you?" Giana asked quivering.

"Not now Giana! Stay behind Ashley! Find some cover!" She warned harshly, waving a hand frantically at her to stay back.

Ruto slewed a stream of mordant bile across their campsite, destroying their bedrolls, their meager provisions and narrowly missing Giana. Enraged at the attempt on her little sister's life, Malon flipped back onto her feet picking up her spear as she did so and ran at the despicable Zora princess. Sensing the attack from both sides, Ruto leapt into the air watching as the third arrow hissed by her lower thigh while knocking Malon's spearhead down into the dirt with her descending leg.

Landing gracefully onto her two feet, Ruto cuffed Malon crudely causing the girl to stumble into Ashley, knocking the two to the ground. Giana shrieked as Ruto advanced upon the three of them, flaring her gills for a final spew. A sudden blow to her head brought Ruto to her knees. Behind her was another Zora along with two others clad in strange coral-like armor, each one was holding a trident and was looking quite dangerous.

"Ruto!" The lead Zora intoned harshly, "You should not have run away! You are my beloved and you must come back to me!"

Scrambling away on all fours, a look of panic washed over Ruto's face, "Leave me alone Veraca! I've done what you wanted! I gave you your royal eggs! You now have heirs that can take over for me! I want no part of it!" She practically screamed.

Veraca calmly paced after her, a set of coral handcuffs dangling in his hands. He sighed deeply that he would have to once again capture his queen. She had been waiting for this; when the majority of their soldiers were tasked to assist Glaun'rung with the reconstruction, their domain was practically a ghost town. Rules were lax and the stringent order they had brought into Ruto's life was abolished as if overnight. She took advantage of this new freedom and escaped, much to the dismay of Veraca.

"Ruto, I have grown to love you this past orbit. It pains me to bring you back like this, but it is because I love you that I must do this." Veraca said with finality.

Ashley assisted Malon to her feet as Giana rammed her tiny form into her older sister's embrace. The three of them looked on the unfolding scene with curiosity. Ruto, hurt and bleeding from her freshly inflicted wounds, stumbled backwards onto her rear looking up in fear at a life she did not wish to return to.

"Please, just let me be! I am not your queen anymore! I am not fit to rule!" She shrieked.

Veraca began to riposte when a rustling of branches was heard in the distance. Only Malon's eyes widened with fear and dread at the incoming danger. Ashley's face grew grim at the approaching menace, his only thought was how many there was going to be. The rest were looking around curiously for the source of the sound, unsure of what could be causing tree branches to creak and moan up a dreadful racket.

The swinging crash of tree limbs stopped just above their heads; they all gazed up expectantly. Giana screamed in terror as two Cyn'Taak crashed to the ground, nearly crushing Veraca. With a quick shout to his men, he dove to the side to protect his queen while facing the horrible behemoths that stood glaring at them down their long snouts.

"Wha' 'ave we 'ere? 'Orsels to 'ine on?" One of the creatures belched disgustingly.

"Dear Goddesses," Malon breathed heavily, "these are males. We have to run. We have to run now!" All thoughts of sanity left her mind. Picking up the weeping Giana swiftly into her arms, she turned and sprinted through the brush, hoping she was heading further west towards the desert.

Acknowledging the hopeless cause, Ashley turned to follow Malon. Sensing their prey was on the move; the Cyn'Taak roared and began charging after them. One of Veraca's men hurled his spear into the soft underbelly of the nearest Cyn'Taak, causing it to bellow in agony at the sudden burning. Shockingly swift, it curled its barbed tail around and jabbed the unfortunate Zora through the eyes. Within moments, Veraca got to experience firsthand how lethal these creatures were.

The Zora barely got a scream in when the horrific beast dove its snout into the biggest blood boil and began sucking up the intoxicating blood. Ignoring the revolting slurping of Zora intestine, Veraca perceived Ruto's fleeing form vanishing into the gloom of the night. Cursing their luck, he swiftly signaled his remaining man to follow him as they pursued her.

The rampaging Cyn'Taak was on their heels, Giana couldn't help but look back and screech louder at the terrible sight of the creature breaking down trees and blasting through bushes as if they were nothing. Malon noticed a pathway leading off into an open clearing that looked vaguely familiar. Ashley quickly pushed her to the side before veering back to the right as the poisoned barb stabbed the air between them. Yelping at the sudden aid, Malon nodded at him as thanks for saving her life. Gritting her teeth, she swerved towards the open grove with behemoth in tow.

Bursting out of the foliage, two things struck Malon at once: first, they were just minutes away from the mountain pass that would lead them over the ridge and into the desert where the colossus resided, and second, they were not alone. Spread out before them was a small encampment of Nevachrean soldiers blocking the pass; they could not have been more than seventy or eighty men. Looking up at the unexpected intrusions, all eyes riveted on Malon.

"You've got to be kidding me…" She whined helplessly.

Sensing the crashing of the Cyn'Taak coming nearer, she threw caution to the wind and ran directly at the gaggle of brutes. All of them were eager for some fresh meat to pound after subduing her, they all rose up from their evening meals and began leering at her. All of them were glad she was not putting up a fight and instead coming straight for them. Their mirth died instantly as the Cyn'Taak erupted from the trees, its bellow echoing across the rocks beyond them.

One man cried out in shock as he began bubbling up in bloody ulcers, an arrow shaft lodged in his throat. Several men turned to see Ashley running parallel to the beast, bow in hand with another arrow nocked. Realizing their imminent deaths approaching, all men rose up in a battle cry, each taking their weapons and standing their ground against the new danger.

Giana and Malon shrieked in unison as they broke the ranks of the wicked men, their grubby hands pawing and grasping at them both, intending to separate the two of them. In her desperation, Malon surged onward with an inner strength that boosted her agility and grip on Giana. She bobbed and weaved through many of their advances but was stopped by one exceptionally large man who picked her up easily as if she was a rag doll.

As if to add to the confusion of the past minute, another soldier called out at the three advancing Zora, one of which seemed wounded with two in hot pursuit. Unsure of which threat to ultimately react to, they were unprepared as the Cyn'Taak rammed through their ranks, tossing men high into the air while piercing others with its tail. Screams were rampant throughout the camp. Ashley smoothly leaped over a terrible aimed swipe of a sword before impaling the man through the stomach with a poisoned arrow.

Unwilling to go back to a life of confinement and responsibility, Ruto ran towards the men and yelled out in agitation, "Please help me! I am Naar's Dark Mistress! These men have been my captors! They are trying to take me back!"

The men glanced around at each other befuddled, they had heard of the Dark Mistress and knew that she was not Hylian or Nevachrean. Did they dare take a chance that she was lying and Naar kill them all for running her through? Lacking any better judgment, they folded her into their ranks while turning towards the two Zoras with weapons raised. The Zoras were slowing their sprint until they came to a complete stop.

Veraca swore bitterly, "This will make things complicated!"

Another crash drew their attention as the second Cyn'Taak emerged from the woods, its muzzle dripping with fresh gore. Its eyes rested on the magnificent feast displayed out before it. The entire encampment was in disarray with men bumping into each other and completely muddled as to what they should be doing and who they should be fighting. Several groups were fending off the rioting Cyn'Taak within their ranks, others were trying to ensnare the upstart boy who seemed to maddeningly evade their best efforts at killing him, and yet still others were torn between protecting someone claiming they were the Dark Mistress or just killing her on the spot.

The colossal brute flouted the present chaos in the camp and simply ripped Giana screaming away from Malon. Giving the little girl over to two men, who swiftly carried her off deeper into the maze of tents, he regarded Malon with a lustful eye. With a sudden jab that made Malon jerk involuntarily, the man shoved two meaty fingers up between her legs. His snigger at her discomfort made her skin crawl.

Completely oblivious to the cacophony around them, the giant man walked back towards his tent completely confident that his men would quell the current situation. Casually ripping Malon's dress completely off her body, he looked upon her bare form with primal yearning. As if to accentuate his desire, he wriggled his fingers deeper into her womanhood; pleased at her ineffectual squirming.

Ashley fumed as he saw the fate of Malon, being carried off like a piece of meat to the slaughter. He leaped up on top of the head of one man, before soaring through the air firing an arrow downwards at another, ignoring the scream behind him as he sprinted onwards. Seeing the second Cyn'Taak nearby running past him, he slid across the ground just under the flickering tail. Ashley watched it balloon hapless men left and right. The Cyn'Taak were having a banquet tonight.

Veraca spotted the boy charging after the red-haired woman and noticed his distance between him and Ruto. He yelled out for him to assist in recapturing the queen. A swift scowl was all it took to realize that he would not get any support from him. Growling in frustration, he ran forward and stabbed the nearest man through. Spinning around ripping the trident out from the man's chest, he skewered another on his left in one single motion. Knowing full well these injuries were temporary, he slugged onward towards the retreating form of Ruto.

Veraca had almost given up hope when a small, black, spherical object sailed through the air and landed at the feet of a group of men. An explosive puff of black mist burst from the bomb and vaporized the nearby soldiers. The glut of ash caught the wind and carried over across the camp, whatever person it touched vaporized instantly. Sensing the immediate danger, Veraca flung himself to the ground. His companion was not so fortunate, a clump of ash touched his shoulder and he exploded in a cloud of black mist.

Rolling across the grass to distance himself from his unfortunate companion's remains, Veraca looked up to see several Gerudo land in the middle of the bedlam, their scimitars gleaming in the light of the moon. The magickal bombs being made up of a base of Cyn'Taak poison, the two behemoths were looking around unfazed and flummoxed at what was occurring to their delicious meal. They roared at the injustice of it all and proceeded to charge at the armed women.

"You two." The lead Gerudo ordered, "Go after that hulking beef of a man. No male humiliates a sister like that and lives." Two women split off and sprinted through the tents towards Malon's location. The Gerudo grinned as she faced the remaining Cyn'Taak, "We will handle these two abominations. Any remaining men you see…kill them. Spare no one!"

The small group of women star-bursted and threw themselves upon the fell beasts, their supple bodies dancing around the bulky creatures. Not wanting to waste his unexpected luck, Veraca pushed himself off the ground and dashed after Ruto. He was unsure of where exactly she went to, but knew she had withdrawn further into the mess of bivouacs.

A scream from that red-headed woman from earlier resounded through the camp. Lacking any better idea of where Ruto could be, Veraca stormed down the row of tents before stopping in his tracks. Ashley stepped out from behind a canvas covering and was seemingly aiming his final arrow at him. Ducking to avoid his almost assured death, he could hear the arrow sizzle past his head. Looking behind, he noticed the boy had been aiming at a Gerudo who intended to decapitate him. Turning back, he saluted the boy; simply nodding in response, Ashley ran off into the encampment.

Multitudes of men were scrambling to and fro, their screams and yells adding to the pandemonium. Veraca dismissed it all and honed in on the second strident scream diffusing through the chill night air. Narrowing it down to one single abode larger than the rest, he threw back the fur coverings at the entrance and swooped inside.

It took several seconds for Veraca to take stock of the scene unfolding before him: Malon lay draped nude over a cot of furs with the burly brute half naked over her, his oversized manhood barely penetrating her slender frame. Blood was spurting out from his chest where two scimitars protruded, each held by a Gerudo standing on the man's back. The man was breathing in and coughing on his own blood. Ashley stood just paces away at the entrance with a make-shift arrow nocked firm on his bow and aimed directly at the Gerudo woman. Malon's eyes locked onto Veraca with a look of petrified mania.

Veraca made a move to remove the man from her when a savage blow hit him upside his head. He crumpled to the floor and blackness obscured his vision.


	68. Chapter 67 - Caught in the Web

**Chapter 67 - Caught in the Web**

Link swore an oath trying to disentangle himself from the sticky fronds of silken thread. He had slipped on a rather large bone of some unknown creature that had the unfortunate fate of being a Skulltula snack. Landing in a rather large depression of bones and webbing, he writhed vainly until Saria floating over to assist in cutting the thick strands of gossamer caging. Still unaccustomed to such a weapon, she fumbled with its edge as she struggled to cut each filament one by one.

Xavier had her share of infuriating moments navigating through the web infested passageways. Despite her immense size and strength, the Skulltula's threads were especially dense and held her mighty girth with ease. She raged at the irritating blockades that barred their progress forward and attempted to crash through the corridors of stone which resulted in her getting stuck worse which vexed Xavier all the more.

"It's hopeless Saria." Link slumped down into the webbing, idly watching her slice through yet another strand.

"Don't say that." Saria encouraged, giving him a weak smile. "We followed the trail this far, we can find them!"

Link shook his head despairingly, "It's impossible. I lost their trail the moment we entered this dank cave. I have no idea where they went. Every passage looks just the same as the next."

Saria looked at him dismally but didn't speak. She returned her focus back onto the task at hand and proceeded to cut more threads. At last, he was finally free and able to move back up to the higher ground outside of the death pit of bones and decay. Shivering slightly, he scanned the uneven hallways for any clues as to where the Skulltulas took Zelda and Nabooru. It seemed fruitless, each passage was nondescript and crowded with webs. There were no tracks left to follow on these stony floors, none of the halls had any disruptions in their diaphanous doorways.

"It's my fault Saria. I got us into this mess." Link pressed onward when he saw her begin to shake her head in rebuke, "No, I'm serious! It was my idea to come up from the south to navigate the mountains to find the Gorons. We should have taken the longer way up to the northwest and come in through Kakariko. We might have attracted the attention of the army along the way, but at least it would have been easier to traverse."

Relieved to finally be free of that maddening hallway, Xavier lumbered up to the conversation, "That 'ight be true. 'Ut we are 'ere now and we 'ust help 'ur friends." She gave a goofy grin that came off more menacing than she had intended.

Saria sidled up next to the hulking Cyn'Taak and laid an affectionate hand on Xavier's scaly arm, "Xavier's right. This is no time to beat ourselves up over this or figure out who is to blame for this situation. We must focus now on saving them. Now just breathe and think about what we have to do."

Link squeezed his eyes tight as he inwardly cursed himself for being so agitated over the whole ordeal. In his heart, he knew Saria was right but he hated the fact that everyone looked to him to be the leader. Even before their capture, by all rights, Nabooru should have been the de facto leader based on her age and experience. Despite this obvious choice, they all deferred to him and followed his lead and decisions. He never asked to become the person they all looked up to. Life was so much simpler being a young boy in the Kokiri forest, without a care in the world.

After a shuddering breath, Link opened his eyes with new clarity. "You are right Saria. Thank you."

She beamed at him in respite. Her face filled with worry when she noticed a grimace of pain cross his face, "Is everything all right?" She asked hesitantly.

"I'm fine." Link dismissed, rubbing his shoulder slightly.

"Maybe we should have a look at that." Saria pointed to the still open wound in Link's wing where the Skulltula had pierced through his feathers. The blood had dried but it still looked nasty.

"I said I'm fine. We need to hurry." Link pressured, ignoring Saria's concerns.

Flexing his wings to stretch out the kinks in them, Link surveyed the environs intently. He didn't spot anything overtly suspicious. He knew the passage leading them out of the caves, that path had a small inkling of a breeze which had a small waft of fresh air riding on its current. Breathing it in alerted him to yet another smell, one he had overlooked in his haste to follow Zelda and Nabooru. Inhaling again, he noticed a scent of death and rot coming from the hall to his left.

Link pointed his sword in the direction of the webbed path and discerned unsettled strands of silken thread along the upper ceiling. "This is where they took them. Let's go!" He ordered.

It was an arduous slog through the caverns, both Link and Saria were sweating and exhausted after an hour of slicing through a plethora of vexing Skulltula webs. Xavier was also fatigued by the end of it and began rumbling her dissent at the whole notion of finding their friends at all. It was then that Link nearly smacked himself with shame for not having realized the solution sooner.

"Argh! I am so stupid!" He admonished himself.

"What is it now?" Saria consoled, placing a hand on his back.

Ignoring her question, Link summoned the innate power inside himself and conjured a burning torch right into his hand. He nearly laughed loudly at the simplicity of it all, "This is what I should have done to begin with!"

"Good 'oing Dad!" Xavier complimented.

"Thanks." Link accepted sheepishly. He still wasn't comfortable with the notion of being a father to a child, let alone to a confused Cyn'Taak who considered him its parent.

"You did great Link. I knew you would." Saria said slyly.

Link barked amused, "Oh great, now I'm being cheered by you now! I guess the tables did turn, didn't they?"

"Yep!" She chimed cheerily.

Motioning them to follow, he surged onward down the passage holding the torch aloft to provide both light and a means to burn the webbing before them. With their newfound fire, they made swift progress through the caverns. The additional luminosity also made it easier for Link to spy the trail that he hoped would lead them straight to Zelda and Nabooru.

At length, they came across a bend in the stone hall which rounded into a huge atrium of rock that spanned upwards for several hundred feet. Link immediately disbanded the torch and held up a hand for Saria and Xavier to halt. The skittering of limbs and chattering of Skulltulas was oppressive in this chamber. Looking up into the room, his adjusted eyes could see hundreds of large spiders scampering over massive nets of strong silk. His heart sank when he saw the dozens of hanging cocoons, some still moving from inhabitants freshly awoken from the paralyzing Skulltula venom. Where would he find Zelda and Nabooru in all of this?

"Where do you think they could be?" Saria asked hopefully, not fully expecting a positive answer.

"I have no idea." Link stared, his mouth slightly open at the prospect of figuring out which of the cocoons were the ones he was seeking without attracting the ire of the Skulltulas.

Her heart pattering extremely fast, Saria took the first steps out into the gloom of the chamber followed shortly after by Xavier. Link bounded out in front of them and impressed upon Xavier a hand, "No. I think it better for you to wait here at the entrance. Only come if we need help or support."

"That's 'ot fair!" Xavier growled, clearly peeved at being told to sit behind.

"You might attract too much attention." Link quickly tried to explain.

"You are far bigger than us Xavier. Link and I are smaller and with our wings, we can probably fly up there and find Zelda and Nabooru faster than you can." Saria intervened, offering a reasonable justification for the insult to Xavier's pride.

With a huff, Xavier slammed back onto her rump in disgust as she glared at the two of them. "Fine. But I'm 'oming in there at the 'irst sign of 'rouble!" She promised.

"Very well. Thank you Xavier." Saria smiled. Link shared a knowing look with her as they moved out into the massive colony.

Link had never seen so many Skulltulas in one place before. They were draped along the walls and skittering across the high catwalk of webbing like ants. Many of them were readjusting several sacs and lowering them to specific heights, while they took the wriggling ones up into their nests for a snack. Several cocoons looked like they had been fed on several times with their occupants partially drained of body mass but most assuredly dead.

He motioned Saria to fly up to the hanging bodies and cut down each one. Link positioned himself under the falling cocoons and caught them before they hit the ground. They were efficiently quick and most of all, silent. Time was of the essence, it would only be a matter of time before the Skulltulas noticed a good majority of their meals missing.

Hope fading with each passing body, he carved through yet another mass only to find it wasn't Zelda or Nabooru. Panic slowly rising in his gut, Link rose up and signaled Saria to proceed onward to the next body. Saria had just finished cutting through the last strand that held the cocoon aloft when a shout from below diverted her attention from her task. Jerking her head upwards, she squealed in fright as a Skulltula made a reach for her with its front legs.

Catching the falling figure, Link swiftly placed it on the ground and began to slice through the thick sheath. He gasped in delight at the face before him, they had found Zelda! She was completely unresponsive and cold to the touch. He placed a hand just under her nose and detected a slight rush of air which signaled life. Looking up at Saria as she screamed, he knew all pretense of stealth had evaporated. The Skulltulas were onto them.

"Saria, cut the one down next to you! It just might be Nabooru, Zelda is down here!" Link shouted up at her.

"Easy for you to say!" She yelped, fluttering down out of reach from several Skulltulas.

Saria squeaked again when several of the spiders ejaculated thick, ropey lines of web, they were trying to envelop her in webbing and have her fall out of the air. Dread filling her body, she zipped over to the indicated body and fumbled desperately against the lone strand holding it up to the massive net above them. A shout from below caused her to look up at a Skulltula descending down on that lone thread, its eyes perceiving her terror with delight.

Fear for his friends overcame Link as he looked up desperately. A clicking riveted his attention back to the ground revealing multitudes of Skulltulas scuttling over to him with several more descending from above. Various others were climbing up the walls to assist in bringing down Saria from the air. The situation seemed beyond hopeless. Gazing down at Zelda who was still comatose, he realized they had no real plan on carrying two bodies out of here. They'd be nothing more than dead weight.

"Xavier…I need you now!" Link cried out, his eyes still locked onto the horde of approaching Skulltulas.

"I 'new you 'ould!" She smirked as she rampaged through the throng, tossing up wriggling bodies and spewed webbing.

Both of them circled around the prone body of Zelda, warding off incoming Skulltulas as they jabbed and lurched towards them. Many of them exploded in bloody messes after a quick jab of Xavier's tail followed by a swift cut from Link's sword. Within seconds the two of them were covered in blackish blood and viscera. They were flagging from the constant toil of battle, the number of Skulltulas seemed endless and any hopes of escaping alive were dwindling by the second.

Link's brilliant idea slammed back into his memory like a flash of light. Recovering from a lethal stroke dealt to the eyes of the nearest Skulltula, he apparated a raging torch in his right hand. In unison, all the spiders skittered backwards to avoid the harmful nature of the flames, many trampled each other in their rush to escape the blinding light. Link grinned as he stepped forward with the torch held aloft, watching in grim satisfaction at their reaction to his newly acquired weapon; its light glinting off the plated skulls on their backs.

A scream alerted him to the unfolding situation above where two things happened simultaneously for Saria. She had just finished cutting down the second cocoon and Link tracked its form hurtling down towards the mass of squirming Skulltulas just ahead of him; secondly, the descending spiders managed to ensnare Saria's wings so thoroughly to the point they could no longer function. With a trill that echoed throughout the chamber, a half wrapped Saria fell alongside the body she worked so hard to release.

"Xavier, look up!" Link shouted frantically.

A quick glance gave her all the information she needed to know. She bounded forward into the pack of Skulltulas in front of Link, throwing them around like ragdolls. Several Skulltulas managed to get in close enough to sink their mandibles into the tough skin of the Cyn'Taak. She groaned as she could feel their potent venom coursing through her veins, only through her natural resistance to toxins was she able to function for a few minutes more.

Leaving an opening for Link, he stepped forward to catch the flailing Saria, the weight of her body knocked them both to the ground. The collision scattered the summoned torch into nothing more than black vapor. Rolling her off of him, he quickly scrambled back onto his feet as Saria hysterically disentangled herself from the sticky threads. Xavier caught the second falling body before tossing it over towards Link, letting it rest with a plop next to Zelda before collapsing herself from the venom. Within moments, the Skulltulas were upon the paralyzed Cyn'Taak, eagerly wrapping it up in their sinewy strands.

A quick slice through the middle of the cocoon confirmed Link's suspicion that it was indeed Nabooru who was strung up alongside Zelda. None of that mattered now since it was clear they were all going to be captured and eaten by this entire community of spiders. Parrying stabbing spider legs and puncturing several other Skulltulas through the eyes, Link worked his way back to the bodies of Zelda and Nabooru. Presently he bumped up against Saria who was facing the other direction with the short sword he gave her, shaking violently in her hands.

As one, they reached a palm out behind each other and grasped hands. They dared not look at each other, for fear of seeing defeat in the other's eyes. "I've always loved you Link." Saria blurted out, eyeing the throng of Skulltulas surrounding them.

"I've loved you as well." Link returned tensely.

"Wait, what?" Saria chanced a quick glance back at him, he wasn't looking at her but had his eyes focused on the spiders.

With a smile on his face, he clarified, "I've always loved you too. You were my best friend. I miss the days we used to play in the forest."

Realizing he didn't quite get the gravity of her words, she spoke with wavering confidence, "No…I mean…I've loved you like more than a friend."

This did get Link's attention as he looked back around and beheld her small, quivering form. He went to embrace her when a ringing shout thrummed through his head, _Link! Get down now!_

Navi's sense warned them both of the impending danger when a nearby wall exploded with concussive force, several pieces of rock went careening through the air. Link held Saria close to his chest as they dove to the ground. Massive chunks of limestone sailed over their heads and crashed into a pack of Skulltulas, crushing them instantly. Saria's shrill scream echoed throughout the chamber at the sudden nature of the blast.

Link couldn't believe his luck when through that smoky opening revealed numerous Gorons rolling through, each one barreling over rows of spiders. Doing a double take, he noticed several Sheikah rush through the fissure slicing up arachnids. The squeals and clicking in the atrium grew to a fever pitch as dark blood splattered everywhere. With renewed vigor, Link pushed himself back onto his feet and began making his way over to their rescue party.

Sensing the horde closing in behind them, Link swirled around to protect the bodies they worked so hard in retrieving. He yelled for Saria to aid him in dragging the two bodies as they made their way to the Sheikahs. Navi warned Link of an incoming threat. Quickly pulling Zelda out of the way, a Goron came crashing through just inches off his left side. He watched the plucky Goron unfurl and begin punching and smacking spiders into the ground.

The Sheikahs surged into the roving pack of Skulltulas, several of them sliding between scrabbling legs thrusting their weapons up into the soft underbellies drawing out torrents of blood and guts. Their efficiency at killing was unparalleled. Link was slightly shaken at seeing fully trained Sheikah in their element of death. Impa had been out of practice for many cycles when she trained Link and the others in recent orbits. Seeing a fully capable Sheikah in their prime was terrifying.

"Up there!" One of them cried, pointing her baton high into the air indicating several batches of dangling bodies. "We've found them!"

Their leader nodded her head as she rounded up several sisters to her side, "Lace your hands; remember not to touch any webbing with unfurnished skin!" She warned.

As one the Sheikah poured a pungent smelling lacquer over their hands, arms and legs; within seconds they were bounding up along the walls before leaping towards the nearest threads. Gripping tightly, they effortlessly began ascending the hanging strands to the webbed ceiling above. Each Sheikah gouged and mutilated any Skulltula that dared come within range of them. With startling speed, they began cutting down the bodies and letting them fall to the Gorons below who were ready to catch them.

Seeing the mob of arachnids finally thinning, Link took the chance to call out to the lead Sheikah, "Help! We need your help over here!" He shouted urgently.

The woman's head snapped in their direction, it was obvious she had been unaware of their presence in the chaos. Not taking any chances, she whipped out her baton and flipped open the spiked head before advancing on the two of them. Her eyes flicked down to the two bodies they were dragging and noted the face of the young woman he was holding, recognition coursed through her mind as the familiar features of Princess Zelda made themselves known to her.

"We also have a Cyn'Taak over-" Link began to point with his chin in the general direction of where he last saw Xavier when he noticed the Sheikah about to strike out of the corner of his eye.

"What are you doing with Zelda?" The Sheikah commanded swinging the baton down. She was alarmed slightly at the surprising agility the young man had, he had leapt completely free from her range and was slowing his descent with what appeared to be white wings. She had never seen the like. "Are you a spy?"

"What? No!" Link sputtered, confused as to why he was being treated this way.

Both of them sidestepped adjacently as a Skulltula landed in their midst. Apparating a sword into his hand, he joined the Sheikah in running the spider through. Her eyes narrowed at his display of magick, only a Nevachrean would have the ability to summon a weapon into their hand like that. Recovering first from the arachnid attack, she vaulted over its crumpling body and landed a boot to Link's face knocking him to the floor unconscious.

"Don't hurt him!" A cry erupted behind her, the woman turned around to see a curious sight; a young girl with angelic, ethereal wings was running up to her before quickly placing her body over the youth.

Confused, she stared down at the collapsed form of Link and the young winged girl who was protecting him. She gazed over to the two wrapped bodies of Zelda and an unknown woman. Recalling something the man said, she looked further into the gloom and spotted a rather large behemoth partially covered in thick webbing.

A fellow Sheikah stepped up beside her, "What's going on Cayla?" She inquired curiously.

Cayla shook her head, "I have no idea Sasha." She admitted.


	69. Chapter 68 - Investigating the Truth

**Chapter 68 - Investigating the Truth**

"What is this?" Cayla asked dubiously, picking up the audacious mask from inside the rucksack and lifting it up into the light.

"I do not know." Said the accompanying Sheikah who stared at the colorful mask, its bloodshot eyes burrowing a hole into her soul; she gave an involuntary shiver.

Setting down the mask onto the wooden table, Cayla inserted her arm back into the rucksack and pulled out yet another mask. This one was more human in appearance, its white painted hair gleamed in the torchlight; its features vivid and well formed. Cayla cocked her head as she brought the mask in closer to study the shaved portions alongside the chin and cheeks. How odd that the youth had such peculiar items stashed in his pack; what was its purpose?

"Sasha." Cayla motioned for her companion to join her by her side. "Where did that Kokiri girl say they were from again?" She queried; curiosity was getting the better of her as she laid the second mask down beside the first.

Sasha set down the various clothing articles and miscellaneous food items they garnered from the rucksack and turned to Cayla and haltingly replied, "The girl said…they were from Hyrule, like us. They had traveled all the way to the Nevachrean capital and were just returning from there."

"Did she say what they were doing there?" Cayla pressed, her fingers absently twirling her white ponytail in lazy circles.

"No, she did not. Did you want me to interrogate her again?" Sasha asked stoically.

Cayla shook her head, "No, I will do it myself." She gazed over at the sleeping form of Zelda with a heartfelt smile, "I'm just happy Princess Zelda is back under our care."

"Where is her Sheikah guardian? Was she not with Princess Zelda at the time of our last parting?" Sasha asserted.

Cayla's smile faded, "Yes, Impa. She was there. That is something I wish to know. Impa wouldn't readily part with Zelda unless she either had no choice or is already dead."

Sasha stood quietly for a moment, leaving Cayla to her thoughts. At length she looked over at the table with the man's effects. "What should we do with all this stuff?"

Stroking Zelda's hair motherly, Cayla answered without looking at Sasha, "Keep it. Until such time the boy can talk to their purpose, they should be kept safe. Any of it could be valuable."

Sasha bowed her head in agreement and a smirk, "What of the other woman? Do you think she is a spy as well?"

Cayla walked over to the red-haired woman. Glossing over the encrusted ruby in the woman's forehead, she didn't need to look any further to know that the woman was a Gerudo. "Hard to say…I do know that Impa took refuge with the Gerudo instead of coming with us. I am still baffled as to why she felt that was a valid option." Her eyes trailed down the comatose body, "Maybe she was drafting them to assist in the protection of Zelda, or maybe she was sent along with them as a means of keeping tabs? We won't know for sure until the venom inside them abates and they wake."

As if recalling, Sasha brightened, "The young man is doing much better after we addressed his wound." Cayla lifted an eyebrow in interest, Sasha continued, "His heavy exertion must have accelerated the infection. He is deep in fever and sometimes cries out in his sleep."

Cayla tapped a finger to her cheek asking coolly, "Will he survive?"

"He will. Our treatments seem to be working. It is only a matter of time until he fully recovers." Sasha replied confidently, a proud smile on her face; she had seen to it personally the operation on the youth.

"How long do you think we have before he wakes?" She probed.

"A day at most, he should be fully recovered in several moons." Sasha responded.

Cayla nodded; if the situation turned out exactly as advertised, that would put them right around the time they were to leave this sanctuary. The choice would be laid before the newcomers to either join them in moving further eastward or stay here to rot in the frigid mountains during the winter. Regardless, something was irking her that needed to be addressed.

"I don't recall asking you to personally oversee the medical treatment of the boy." Cayla stated; it sounded like a simple off-handed comment, but the intention behind it was clear.

"You didn't." Sasha responded casually. "I thought you wanted to have at least one Sheikah by his side to watch over him in case he did something irregular. After all, we still don't know if he's working with the Nevachreans. It would be just the type of thing they'd attempt by infiltrating us from within." She scrutinized the youth's effects once more as she lazily scratched the scars that trailed slightly up the cheek from the crease of her mouth.

Cayla narrowed her eyes, she never recalled Sasha having those. She recognized the fact they hadn't been together like they should have in the past few weeks, but surely she would have noticed something like that sooner. "Where did you get those?" She pointed at Sasha's face.

Sasha stopped the scratching before turning back to Cayla, "Oh these? I got them during the last raid by the Skulltulas. One got the jump on me and gave me these." She elucidated effortlessly.

Cayla was clearly not convinced but decided Sasha would reveal to her the truth in due time, there were more important matters to attend to. Sweeping by Sasha, she instructed, "Never mind. Repack his belongings and set them beside my bed tonight. I would like to go over them personally. Thank you."

"As you wish." Sasha bowed her head deeply again before setting upon the task with due diligence.

Cayla stepped out into the dark stone corridor that resembled dried magma, as if the walls had literally dripped down over time and cooled. She surmised that many millennia ago, there was molten lava flowing through these tunnels. Whatever happened geologically since that time that caused them to be nothing more than hollowed out vestibules was anyone's guess. Such conjecture was futile, she knew; she was just happy they were able to use this network of caves as a place of refuge for the past seven cycles.

It had been a long, arduous expedition from Kakariko Village into the Xaagar mountain range. They had narrowly escaped the initial onslaught of the Nevachrean army and took shelter in the jagged precipices and snow-bound peaks of the range. It wasn't until four cycles ago that the dragons were awoken and alerted to their presence, not a week went by that there wasn't some raging dragon attack on their strongholds.

Stepping out into a major artery passage, she descended down the sloped ramp to the lower hallways leading to the various bedrooms, storage areas and grand hall. Looking down at the milling Gorons trucking heavy sheets of steel upon their backs, she could only marvel at the craftsmanship they possessed with regards to metalwork. Despite the obvious appearance of having all thumbs for hands, they were quite dexterous and could bend the metal to their will and form glorious suits of armor, weapons, furniture or even décor. Well before this war was ever conceived, their handiwork was much sought after in the land and any quality piece of work from a Goron always fetched a pretty rupee.

Cayla sighed as she considered the stress everyone was undergoing and marveled that it took the Goron council this long to finally decide to move on from this place, the dragons certainly hadn't been making their lives any easier. The vile serpents lived further up the peaks deep in the heart of the frigid mountains where scalding magma still flowed. Very few Sheikah attempted the trek to look at the beasts with their own eyes. Many simply left the dragons alone. The rule of the day when an attack occurred was to get behind cover and hide until they lose interest.

She wandered down the larger hall flanked by iron wrought braziers and checked her steps as it descended into the greater hall where the council and the current ruler, Darunia presided. Cayla couldn't help but smile at the mere thought of the wily Goron king. He was as mad as ever and thoroughly enjoyed being besieged, almost as if he lived for this lifestyle.

The Goron hierarchy consists of the one, lone king which is decided upon by his peers and approved by the council of elders. The council is usually comprised of previous kings that had retired from their reigns and are treated with great respect within the community. Although it may seem the elders make the majority of the decisions with regards to the day to day living, the overall direction and vision their tribe follows is decided upon by the king. The remaining Gorons are broken out into several groups depending on their specialty. Some Gorons are great metal workers, while others are trained to be warriors; still others are great builders and it wasn't just the females who were good at cooking up some good, scrumptious rock.

Cayla could do nothing but laugh as she beheld the Goron king draped over a makeshift, steel throne that his subjects hastily wrought together so that Darunia could keep vigil over Saria's room. The king had taken an immediate liking to the youthful Kokiri and took it upon himself to stand by her door during the night in case she needed anything. She shook her head; in the short time she had met the girl, she too had taken a liking to the Kokiri. Her ability to get others to warm up to her was infectious.

Stifling a laugh, Cayla walked right up to the sleeping king and rapped softly on his forehead, trying hard not to break out into hysteria at the enormous snot bubble from his nose. "Hello? Anyone in there?" She teased.

"Whasha? Whose there?" Darunia mumbled loudly, jerking upright with a dazed look in his eyes. With the reflexes of a cat, he whipped out his ancestral hammer and slammed it down on the rock where Cayla once stood. A round, cracked depression was left in its destructive wake.

"As violent as ever I see." Cayla smiled, now standing off to his side.

Darunia, irritated, turned his head to look at her, "You should know better than to interrupt a Goron's sleep like that." He growled.

"And miss the show? Never!" She chortled.

"Bah!" Darunia dismissed her with a wave of his hand, "What is it you want woman? You came here for a reason I imagine?"

With a flourish of her ponytail, she leaned up against the throne, "Indeed I have. I would like to speak to the Kokiri about-"

"Her name is Saria." Darunia interjected with a stern eye.

"Yes, Saria." Cayla corrected herself without missing a beat. "I would like to speak to her about the youth she calls Link. I want to know for certain if he is truly-"

"He is my sworn brother and that is that! I recognized him the moment I saw his face. Sure he looks a good deal older and he's got them weird things on his back, but I would not forget a face like his! You have my word as king!" Darunia beat his chest proudly.

"What of his wings? Or his ability to summon weapons like Nevachrean soldiers? Should we even test to see if he'll revive if he dies?" Cayla pressed; ignoring the aggravation she was causing Darunia.

"By Nayru's mercy woman! Do you trust anyone at all?" Calming himself from his outburst, Darunia leaned heavily on the shaft of his hammer as he regarded the jaded Sheikah. "I understand that you are suspicious of everyone and are weary of this war, but you can't let that blind you to the truth! By some Goddess luck, both Princess Zelda and my sworn brother land at our very doorstep against all odds!"

Darunia scratched his chin distractedly before continuing, "Granted, he is quite a bit different than I remember him. He didn't have those wings before and I don't recall him using any sort of magick." Shaking his head, he affirmed, "Either way, it doesn't matter. We should accept the fact they are here with us now, safe and relatively unharmed."

Cayla scoffed, "If you consider two half-comatose, paralyzed women and one feverish youth unharmed."

"Well, I'll take what I can get!" Darunia grinned. After a few moments of silence, he flicked his eyes to the door, "Did you still need to confirm your suspicions or do you feel I've satisfied your curiosity?"

Cayla shook her head, smiling warmly, "I'm afraid not; I still wish to speak to the girl."

"Very well." Darunia grunted, hefting the hammer as if it were a twig and pointing it at her chest, "If she is asleep, you come right back out. I'll have none of this interrogation business while she is resting."

"Duly noted, your highness." She smirked, enjoying their never-ending banter.

Ignoring his grumblings, she quietly opened the door and slipped into the candle lit room. She scanned the chamber quickly and was surprised to find just how accommodating they had prepared the room for Saria. They brought out royal tapestries and skin rugs which they placed throughout the room at haphazard intervals, Gorons were never one for orderly decorum.

Amazingly exhaustive in their hospitality, the Goron king spared no expense in getting a plush bed frame and mattress for the Kokiri, she could see her small form practically swallowed up by the enormous bed. The royal treatment given to Saria almost made Cayla feel remorseful for how they were setting up Zelda and the others in their rooms.

"Hello." A tiny voice rang out in the pale light of the room, it was clear Saria was sitting up in her bed and had followed Cayla's movements from the moment she set foot into the chamber.

"Hello to you too, little one." Cayla greeted jovially. Grabbing a nearby chair, she flipped it around and sat down on it, crossing her arms across the back brace before looking at the young girl.

"I'll tell you what I told the others, we are not spies! We came here to find you all! We were sent to acquire the Goron Ruby from Darunia." Saria blurted out, weariness invading her voice.

Cayla crooked an eyebrow at this. Sasha never mentioned anything about their objective being the ruby. "Why did you want the ruby?" She continued, since it was clear the girl wasn't even remotely going to lie.

Saria exhaled loudly at having to explain things again, "Well, Link needs to get to the Master Sword back at Hyrule Castle. He can't do that without having all three sacred stones and some ocarina that Impa gave him."

This was far more than she got from Sasha. Granted, Cayla didn't ask her much about the details of her previous questioning, but that still didn't account for her omitting vast amounts of information. Cayla and Sasha were paired and always did things together; within their tribe, there is always two Sheikah. This is both for efficiency, protection and lethality. Now that she thought about it, Sasha had been acting rather peculiar of late, but she couldn't really put her finger on why.

Shaking her head from the turmoil of her thoughts, she refocused on the conversation at hand, "And where are these stones now?"

Saria rolled her eyes as if the Sheikah knew nothing, "Well one of them, the Goron Ruby, you have! Silly…" She laughed at her own humor. Cayla said nothing and waited for the Kokiri to continue. "I have the Kokiri Emerald." She pressed two fingers to the lightly glowing, green jewel hanging around her neck. "And…Naar has the Zora Sapphire."

"And the ocarina?" Cayla prodded, knowing full well the implications of the valuable item.

Saria stared at the Sheikah blankly before responding, "Link had it. It should be with him somewhere."

Cayla's eyes grew wide with the revelation, but revealed nothing to the Kokiri. Was this why Sasha personally wanted to oversee the treatment on Link? "Thank you. That is all I wish to know." Without another word, she got up from the chair before setting it alongside the wall adjacent to the door.

"That's it? Not going to ask how I'm doing?" Saria asked incredulously.

Cayla paused at the doorway, her silhouette framed by the lights beyond the archway. One hand holding the door, she turned to Saria, "Are you okay after braving those Skulltulas? Did they injure your wings?"

Fluttering them briefly, Saria responded, "I don't think so. They feel okay."

"Then you're fine." Cayla said curtly before shutting the door behind her.

"Can I at least see Link?" Saria called out after her.

"No." Came the reply.

"Well she's quite rude, isn't she?" Saria fumed. Sora had to agree.


	70. Chapter 69 - Spiritual Encounter

**Chapter 69 - Spiritual Encounters**

Link stirred to the gentle squeezing of his hand. Looking over down his arm, he noticed a graceful palm stroking his softly. Zelda smiled as she gazed upon his face that was slowly shaking off the entrenched slumber. He had been in a feverish delirium for the better part of two days. They had only been rescued by the Gorons and Sheikah for not even three days. The bodily excretions of Skulltulas were almost as toxic as the potent venom they possessed in their maxillae. The wound inflicted on his wing and the strenuous toil he went through to bring her and Nabooru back from certain death only exacerbated his condition.

"Zelda…" Link weakly mumbled, his eyes never leaving hers. "You're safe?"

Several tears formed at the corner of her eyes as she nodded vigorously, "Yes. We're safe, because of you."

"How?" Link managed to utter before giving in to the exhaustion his body felt, it was then he noticed the other figures standing in the room beside his bed.

Zelda turned her head to introduce the others, "I believe you remember Darunia?" The Goron king made a hearty guffaw, but resisted the urge to clap the boy on the shoulder realizing it might do more harm than good. Zelda pointed to two other figures who emerged from the shadows, "This is Cayla and Sasha, they were the ones who stumbled across us and brought us here."

Cayla bowed her head slightly in greeting, "Master Link, I must apologize to you personally for my conduct. I had taken you for a Nevachrean spy and treated you as such. Your friends are quite protective of you and stalwart in their conviction to defend your position. Forgive me."

Link smiled faintly before realizing another figure standing by his bedside on the opposite end, a tiny hand folded warmly into his other open palm. "Good afternoon Link!" Saria piped cheerfully; her bright, shining face looking down at him. "I made sure they believed our story! With our important mission and Princess Zelda on our side, how could they not?"

Link looked around briefly before muttering, "Xavier? Nabooru?"

Zelda gave Cayla a look indicating she was to respond to him, not her, "Nabooru is doing well and is right now assisting in the travel plans to retrieve the Goron Ruby. Xavier is as energetic as ever. We had to give her a rather…disgusting treat to have her stay out in the hallway." Zelda had to stifle a laugh, "It was all we could do to convince her to stay outside this room. Even now she's waiting on you in the hallway, but she's too big to fit into the doorway. She will be glad to know you are safe."

Link attempted to grin, but it came off crooked, "Travel plans?" He managed to croak, his whole body seemed like it had been hit by a Dodongo. The base of his wings ached something fierce and he barely had any strength to move to alleviate the pressure his body was exerting on them in the bed.

Seeing him attempting to move, Sasha moved forward and laid a firm hand on his chest and eased him back down. "You mustn't get up yet. The poison was inside you for a very long time and if it weren't for our timely meeting, you might have been dead before the sun rose."

Link's gaze went to the closed wound on his wing, a lack of feathers showed where the Skulltula's limb had punctured through the membrane. It had healed faster than expected, but it was clear it would probably be weeks before it would look normal again. What was odd was that there was now a strange lump just under the revealed skin of the wound.

Noticing his inquisitive look, Sasha explained calmly, "Don't worry, we used potent medicines and herbs to keep it from becoming a permanent scar."

Cayla shot a glare at Sasha as she moved back into position beside her but said nothing. Darunia proceeded to take the opportunity to expound on Link's query. "Well…you see…" The king almost seemed ashamed at what he was about to say next. Like a nervous tic, his hand shot up to scratch the back of his head just below the crown of rocky growths. "After several cycles of hearing nothing from you or anyone else, we started to despair. We grew worried that at some point, we might end up losing the war and the ruby would then be in the hands of the enemy."

"So we hid it away." Cayla stated flatly, ignoring the scowl Darunia gave her.

"Yes." He grumbled. "I traveled to the one place we Gorons fear to tread and deposited the ruby there to ensure its safety. No one knew about this except Cayla and I, for it was just us two that delivered it to its new resting place."

Sasha's eyebrows rose slightly, Saria's mouth dropped open at this news, "You mean you didn't have the ruby this whole time? Why did you not say anything? You had me believing you still had it! Where is it now?"

Darunia sighed, leaning heavily against the melted rock wall, "There's the rub. It is in the heart of the Xaagar Mountains, where the largest colony of dragons resides."

Zelda released Link's hand as she jerked around in the chair to look at Darunia, "You did what?"

Cayla frowned at her, "What else were we to do? We had no word from Impa for cycles and for all we knew you two were dead. What good would it be to keep safe the ruby against an enemy that simply won't die? Speaking of which, shouldn't Impa still be with you? Why did she abandon her charge?" She accused heatedly.

Zelda was slightly taken back by the sudden change in Cayla's demeanor. "She didn't abandon me! She was with us when we were in Glaun'rung, she only recently sent us away with Nabooru instead of her."

Cayla cocked an eyebrow, "Nabooru? That Gerudo woman? I find that a little bit strange why she would trust someone outside of our tribe to watch over you."

At this Zelda stood up to her full height and faced the Sheikah head on, "What is so damn important about me that every Sheikah I meet here must hover around me like I'm some inept imbecile. I can hold my own in combat and I was even trained in your arts by Impa herself!"

A flash of anger crossed Cayla's face as she sputtered, "She told you the secret ways of the Sheikah? Why would she do that?"

"Oh…I don't know, maybe the fact she hadn't seen another Sheikah in cycles and fearing she might be the last one surviving, what better way to protect me than to teach me how to handle myself once she's gone?" Zelda retorted back.

"Why are we fighting?" Saria cried, slightly alarmed at the hostility suddenly present in the room.

Darunia rumbled in-between the two women, "That will be enough of that! We came here to visit with my sworn brother, Link, not to fight about irrelevant matters!"

Cayla folded her arms crossly, "Very well. But from now on, you are my charge Princess Zelda. I will ensure your safety."

Zelda huffed, "Do you even know your true purpose anymore? At least Impa knew that."

Cayla opened her mouth to riposte when Darunia roared, "I said enough!" The two women were stunned into silence. A growl from outside the doorway indicated that Xavier was slightly agitated at the sounds coming from within the chamber. The Cyn'Taak bit hard on the bone they had given her, it was all she could do to keep her willpower in check and not bash her way in there to protect Link.

"As I was saying," Darunia sighed, turning back to Link, who simply was watching the whole spectacle with what appeared to be mirth on his face, "We are preparing our travel packs and making plans to accompany you on traveling up to the dragons' lair and retrieve the Goron Ruby."

"Who is coming?" Saria asked. "Can I come?" She amended eagerly.

Darunia beamed at the little Kokiri, "Of course you can. I will be going since it was my fault that it was placed in such a volatile dwelling. Zelda will also be going," He flicked his eyes over to Cayla, "which indubitably means Cayla is coming. Nabooru offered to accompany us and your interesting friend out there refused to stay behind."

Zelda lowered herself back into the chair before taking up Link's outstretched hand, "That's quite a crowd. Will Sasha be coming?" She probed, not daring to look in Cayla's direction.

"No, she will not." Cayla confirmed. Sasha looked hurt, but said nothing. "She will be staying here and spearheading the evacuation of the people."

Discerning the confused look on Link's face, Darunia filled in the gap, "This shelter we have created for ourselves is no longer safe. The dragons are closing in weekly on where we live and it is only a matter of time before we are besieged. Furthermore, other foul creatures are being pushed up into the mountains by the Nevachrean army, namely that colony of Skulltulas you encountered. They never used to reside in these mountains, preferring the lowlands and forests. They made a raid on our home several moons ago and we just sent out an expedition to go rescue our comrades."

"An expedition we luckily came across!" Saria said happily.

Zelda grinned, "I'm thankful for that. The last thing I remember before waking up here was falling asleep next to you Link."

Darunia allowed the interruptions but cleared his throat so he could continue, "With the Nevachrean army and their incorrigible commander at our doorstep, King Harkinian and I have finally decided it best to move the tribe to a new location further east; away from all this madness. For I fear Hyrule is truly lost."

Zelda's eyes popped open, "Oh my Goddesses! I totally forgot to tell you!" Her eyes rapt on Link's excitedly. "My father is alive and well! He escaped with the Sheikah and is residing here with the Gorons! He would have loved to be here in person to see you again, but he had to attend to the evacuation plans."

Link shifted uneasily under the sheets, he was never on the best of terms with Zelda's father. The man always treated him like a child, more so than how he treated his daughter. Would it be any different now that he was an adult? Link always suspected that the king merely tolerated his presence because of his daughter's firm support. He honestly wasn't looking forward to meeting the man again.

"Oh, he is actually anxious to talk with you Link." Zelda soothed, seeing the uncomfortable look in his eyes. "Please, just consider meeting with him before we go after the ruby?"

Link nodded his head feebly before turning away, wanting nothing more than to rest. Taking the cue, Darunia began to gather up the folks in the room, "We'll let you rest Link. You should feel better tomorrow. You really ought to tell me how you got those wings one day, I'm sure that will be a story worth hearing!" With a belly laugh, he paced out the doorway with Sasha close behind.

"Let us go princess." Cayla murmured, placing a calm hand on her arm.

"Don't touch me." Zelda yanked her arm away aggressively. "I can take myself back to my room just fine." Leaning over Link to give him a quick kiss on the forehead, she shot Cayla daggers before stalking out with the Sheikah shadowing. The last view of the hallway before the door closed was of Xavier trying to peek in to get some sort of idea if Link was alright.

Saria was left alone in the room with Link, her hand still encased in his. She stared at his sleeping form with trepidation. Right before they were saved, she revealed her deepest feelings for him and he did not recoil in disgust over it. She had always loved him from a distance but could never bring herself to admit it. She knew it was folly to think that they would ever be anything but friends. He would grow old and die and she would remain a youthful child to the end of her days. The implication of her physical appearance was a barrier to any sort of intimate proceedings between them.

_It all comes down to this Saria. Do you truly want this or not?_ Sora intoned in her mind tenderly.

"I do." Saria said, her lower lip trembling with dread. "What if he hates it? What if he thinks it's too weird?"

_He has Navi. She will help guide him through the process._ Sora lulled.

"What if he only considers me a friend and refuses me? What if he rejects the fact I love him?" Saria whimpered, tears of fear forming around her eyes. After all these cycles being his best friend, she couldn't bear the thought of being rejected by him.

_If he truly rejected you, he wouldn't have held onto your hand the entire time they were talking._ Sora reasoned.

Saria blinked, "You're right. He never pulled away from me. He actually squeezed my hand several times! But…" Her focus swept down his muscular form, covered by the sheets, "I feel sort of guilty. He needs his rest and I don't really want to wake him up for something as silly as this…" Her determination was faltering.

_You saw what happened to our home, what happened to your friends. You've seen what they turned Kiera into. We can only assume most of the Kokiri have either been killed or turned into something worse. _Sora urged forcefully, making Saria clutch her head. _We don't have the luxury of being appropriate here when the fate of our race is in on the brink._

Saria nodded her head numbly, "I understand. Does it really have to be like this though?"

_You heard Navi, she researched this. Only two people merged with us fairies can spiritually combine to form new life. Because of your love for him, Navi chose him to bond with. She is prepared to support this endeavor in mating you two to survive the Kokiri. You chose him, so now we are here to help you with that. Thank Hylia for giving the Kokiri such a blessing._ Sora chimed fondly.

Sucking in a ragged breath, stoking herself up, she gently nudged Link by the shoulder until he opened his eyes and focused on her. "Hey…Saria." He crooked the side of his lip up in happiness at her visage.

"Hey Link…" She said sheepishly, she wasn't exactly sure how best to tackle the subject with him. After a few moments of awkward silence, an avenue of conversation sprung into her mind. "I have to confess something to you." At a look from him to proceed, she blurted out, "I saw you and Malon making love in the stables that first night."

Saria turned a deep shade of crimson as Link's eyes pierced her own, she could do little but look down at his penetrating gaze. "I know! I know! I'm sorry; you said it was weird that I was interested in watching something like that. But I'm never going to be able to experience something like that in my life." She gestured to her small form. "I'm incapable of that, if we really want to be proper about this. I might be older than you, but your body has far surpassed mine, it would be…"

"Awkward." Link finished for her, a goofy smile on his face. He reached out a hand and clasped hers tightly.

She began to weep bitterly, "I'm so sorry Link. I shouldn't have mentioned my feelings for you. Now things will get peculiar between us."

Link shook his head, "No Saria…I've known…for a long time."

Her eyes bulging, she wiped away some tears with her free arm, "You did? But…why didn't you say anything?"

"It would have done no good. It is as you said: we can't do…anything about it." Link's eyes fluttered before closing completely, the talking was wearing him thin.

This was it. She had to broach the topic with him now. "Actually…there is a way." His attention riveted on her in a way that was almost oppressive, but she knew he was intensely curious about what she had to say. "Sora and Navi can help us."

He lay there confused when Navi invaded his swirling thoughts, _Link, the only reason this would work at all is because you and I are melded. Likewise, Sora and Saria are melded. That's all the requirements you two have to do, Sora and I can handle the rest, but only if you wish it to happen._

"Is this what you truly want?" Link asked quietly, his eyes unreadable.

"Yes." Saria whispered, almost disbelieving that Link was considering this!

Link stared at her lovingly, "Saria…you are my best friend. I will not deny this from you. I understand this is for the future of the Kokiri. I want them to return too. Do what you must."

Saria almost squealed with glee but instantly checked herself, this seemed like a dream. Without thinking, she surged forward and placed her lips on his. Lightning bolts shot through her body at the warmth of his skin brushing her mouth. Link welcomed the kiss and allowed her to press into it with all her passion. He would have loved to place a hand behind her head, to stroke that gorgeous green hair, unfortunately he was too weak to do much but lay there and allow Saria to lead.

At length, she parted with a drunken look on her face. She never knew kissing could be so inebriating! She began to lean in for another round when Sora sharply reminded her what the priority was. Giving Link a quick peck on the cheek, she slowly rolled the sheets off his body. They had stripped him of his tunic and boots before setting him to rest. Saria had to blush at Link's manhood, she had seen glimpses of it from afar with Malon but now it was up close and personal.

_Remember Saria, that is not the object of this. What you are seeking lies beneath that._ Sora reminded firmly; realizing Saria was getting giddy.

Saria acknowledged the advice. "Please forgive me Link, this might look odd."

Link tried to shrug his shoulders but decided to motion his head for her to continue. Taking his positive cue, she got up on the bed and straddled his two legs, resting her bottom on his knees as she looked down at his member which was gradually growing larger.

_I don't think you'll be using that._ Navi rang out in his mind.

"I figured. But I really don't know what to expect here…" Link affirmed.

_Sit back and relax. From what I read, it's actually quite soothing._ Navi said; which spurred a grunt of laughter from Link.

Saria was breathing heavily. Her nervousness was making her heart beat wildly in her chest. The next action was the most scandalous. She looked up the bed into his eyes, "Do you trust me?"

Link gave one final curt nod. Saria placed both palms open and flat onto his manhood which made him gasp at her delicate touch. She pushed down until her fingers were touching his lower abdomen beneath his erect phallus. Closing her eyes and concentrating, she could feel Sora expell her energy outward and down into her arms. The warm surge flowed out from her fingertips and into Link.

He groaned deeply as the swirling energy permeated his lower pelvis as it narrowed itself down to his internal seed. Link squirmed slightly at the invading caress of the sinuous warmth enveloping his insides, seeking out something precious at the base of his swollen member. He gasped as the tender energy gratifyingly pulled something out from his body. He jerked involuntarily as warm fluid spurted between her fingers as she brought forth his ethereal seed.

Opening his eyes, he saw the soft glow of the circular eddy of magick between Saria's hands. Carefully guiding it closer to her so as not to lose the precious cargo, she placed the shining globule between her legs; within seconds the luminance faded as it merged deep into her body. Saria opened her eyes to see white fluid splattered all over Link's stomach and discovered it had gotten all over her hands.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for that to happen!" Saria apologized, quickly hopping off his legs and leaning up on the bed. She nestled her face next to his neck as she quickly tried to wipe her messy fingers against the white sheets, completely mortified that she had made him release.

Link laughed heartily, "It's okay…what did you do to me?" He asked with wonder. He felt thoroughly exhausted and satisfied, he did nothing but lie there.

After a pause in which Saria was listening to what Sora was explaining to her, she promptly relayed, "Sora tells me that she basically took your essence and merged it with mine."

"What happens now? Do you give birth normally like every other woman?" Link asked.

"I don't know." Saria admitted despondently, she hadn't really thought of that.

_I don't know either. _Navi chimed. _I only know that it was possible, not that it ever happened. No Kokiri has ever given birth that I know of since Hylia created us._

"So…you all went into this without knowing the end result?" Link said incredulously.

_When the fate of the Kokiri is at stake, would you say no?_ Navi asked.

"I'm not sure…how do you feel Saria?" Link gripped her tiny hands in his.

"I feel fine right now. Do you regret doing this?" Saria queried, biting her lower lip in worry.

"If this was truly what you wanted and if it means the Kokiri have a chance, then no." Link shook his head, admonishing himself, "Looks like I've gotten two girls pregnant now. I am going to be quite the father." Saria laughed at that. "Will you stay with me tonight Saria?"

"Of course." She beamed, pulling the covers back up over his body and snuggling into the bed beside him, carefully ensuring that she didn't sleep on top of his wings. They lay there together until the morning light hit the peaks of the mountains.


	71. Chapter 70 - Entrenched in the Desert

**Chapter 70 - Entrenched in the Desert**

A racking spasm rocked his body as his chest contracted from the pain, he spit out a globule of blood onto the red soaked dirt floor of the tent. The hulking man steadied himself up on his hands as the excruciating pain of regenerating took its toll on his body. The gaping lacerations in his chest were slowly shriveling to nothing more than red welts. He groaned in misery. Even though he was no stranger to war wounds, the process of healing was no less agonizing.

A slender soldier burst into the tent, spear held high and torch aflame in his opposing hand, "Argonim! The Gerudo are gone, they have taken-" The man stopped short when he saw his colonel recovering from a grave wound. He was still naked from the waist down, his trousers cast aside from the night before.

"I know, you idiot!" Argonim spat venomously. "The filthy bitches! I almost had that dainty wench! Who the hell were those other freaks?" He demanded.

"I-I-I'm not sure. Three of them were Zoras, one of which was professing to be the Dark Mistress!" The man stuttered. His superior was an imposing man. Argonim towered over the average person by a sheer gap of three feet. His muscles bulged grotesquely with veins protruding from the sinuous lumps, permeating down his limbs. To complete his visage of lethality, his chest and arms were covered in tattoos of death and torture. His head was shaved bald leaving only the scruffy beard to frame the lower half of his face.

"Where is the Mistress now?" Argonim interrogated furiously.

"That's the thing, sir…" The soldier hesitated, "She is gone with the rest of the group. We have no idea where they are!"

"What?" The colossal colonel roared. "Are you fools that imbecilic that you can't capture a single female?" Feeling much more composed physically, Argonim vaulted himself up onto his feet, staring the man down.

Gulping audibly, the soldier shifted uneasily in his armor, "We were outmatched sir. The Gerudo have those blasted bombs that obliterate us like nothing we've-"

The man did not have any time to react as Argonim's beefy hand wrapped itself tightly around his scrawny neck. He could feel the air leave him as the colonel's thumb pressed deeper and harder into his larynx, cutting off his breathing. Within seconds he felt steaming blood, frothing up in his mouth as the oversized finger busted through his skin and crushed his windpipe.

"With excuses like that, no wonder we lost! They took my female away and I'm still incited! You will be a fine replacement for her." With a maniacal guffaw, he jammed the man's mouth full bore onto his erect phallus. The soldier gagged and choked but was unable to fight against the brute's unholy strength.

"It is a shame I can't kill failures like you anymore because of this damn curse." Argonim drawled, his thickset hand gripping the man's hair tightly as he plunged the face onto his member over and over. "Now I have to come up with far more interesting ways of punishing you. Death is too simple a treat for you!" The pitiful soldier went slack as he gave up and allowed the colonel to take over in earnest.

"Sir!" Another soldier, slightly heavier set, barged in; he stopped short as he saw the debauchery occurring before him.

Argonim cocked his head in the new man's direction, never ceasing his incessant pounding of the poor failure. "What is it? I'm currently occupied with my least favorite subject."

Recovering quickly from his shock, the soldier saluted and reported, "We have a message from General Naar. He requested his deployed colonels to return back to central hub for repositioning."

Argonim jammed the first soldier's face fully down, "What in Ballos' name does that mean?"

"It means you are to leave immediately to report in with General Naar. I don't have any other details than that." The man said, slightly nervous at the treatment of the previous messenger, he did not want that fate.

A sudden hacking alerted Argonim to resume the rhythm, "Odd. This is highly unusual. Something must have happened to have him recall all his leaders. He usually leaves them to their own devices until the mission is accomplished."

"I agree sir." The messenger said, trying to avert his eyes from the slobbering meat puppet at the colonel's mercy, barely hanging on to breathing. "Maybe he is displeased with how we are conducting the Gerudo campaign? We should have been finished moons ago."

Argonim pondered that thought carefully, "You may be right. I should prepare myself for a very unwelcome return to his presence. Do we still have our bargaining chip?"

"Yes sir! They are keeping her safely under supervision. As per your orders, they are leaving her unspoiled." The man replied confidently.

"Good. See to it that she accompanies me on my trip back. I want to present her to Naar." Argonim grinned maliciously.

"Very well sir, I shall arrange for your departure this afternoon." Eager to be away from the ghastly spectacle, the messenger turned quickly to leave the tent.

"One more thing." Argonim casually intoned, the man cringed as he turned around to face the colossal man. "How certain are we that our plan will get through their defenses?"

"Very certain sir! They have not detected the packages yet, when we are ready we will surprise them!" Finally something to grin at with the colonel, they both shared a look.

"I am confident in the assumption that the Gerudo took my prize deep into their damned mountain. I want you to personally find her and detain her until I return." Argonim ordered.

The soldier stood there dumbfounded, "Sir? They all look alike, how are we to find a specific woman amongst all of them?"

With a loud grunt, Argonim ejaculated deep into the man's throat, the fluid gushing out of the orifice created in his neck. With a casual toss, the unfortunate failure was thrown across the tent like a piece of discarded trash. He landed on the ground with a moan, coughing up a disgusting mix of blood and bodily fluid. It would be hours before he fully healed from this humiliating ordeal.

"She is smaller than most Gerudo, yet she appeared to be fully an adult. She also had," He indicated a couple lines across his left cheek, "some cuts or scars as if she was scratched." He lifted his leather tunic to reveal his rippling abs, pointing to two places on his stomach, he continued, "She had two puncture wounds which looked like arrow strikes."

"Well, that will certainly narrow things down a bit." The messenger commented dryly.

"See to it that she is captured and brought to me when I return." Argonim commanded.

The man bowed low, "Your word is my law colonel."

Argonim grinned as the messenger walked out of the tent flap. This was going to be a great day. Giving one last, swift kick to the stomach of the miserable mistake burbling on the floor, he paced over to the bed and flopped a rather unwieldy knapsack onto the furs before slamming gear into it.

* * *

><p>The throbbing in his head was torment. It pounded into his brain with the force of a hammer. He groaned huskily as he tried to find purchase with his hands, he tried to lift his head up to inspect his situation but quickly brought it back down when he felt the swelling increase. He did not want to pass out again. A tender, but steady hand placed itself on his shoulder. He couldn't turn his head easily to see the young boy next to him.<p>

"You're that boy that saved me." Veraca mumbled painfully.

Ashley smiled and nodded his head. He had a freshly carved arrow in his right hand and was leaning back against the brick wall behind him. The boy had apparently fashioned a new arsenal since they last saw each other. Veraca marveled at the boy's resourcefulness. Struggling to crane his neck, he viewed the comatose form of Ruto lying beside him, encircled around her wrists were several branches of coral. Did the boy confiscated his hand cuffs and use them on her when he was unconscious?

"Where are we?" Veraca inquired, as he limply rolled over onto his back, taking a few moments to recover from the rush that it gave to his brain.

The boy sat mute as he motioned with his chin to have Veraca look over the parapet. Since it appeared they were in no rush, he clambered slowly over to the edge and hauled himself up gingerly onto the brick. The view before him was a vast sea of torches and firelight, spread across the desert was the Nevachrean army. They had entrenched themselves into the bowl-like dunes of the desert colossus, content to wait out the Gerudo from the outside. It was only a matter of time before famine and disease overtook them and Nevachrea would win.

Casting a furtive glance upwards, Veraca noted they were high up on the bluffs just below the right elbow of the colossus. How in Goddesses' name did they get up here? Did that boy bring them single-handedly to this overlook? The surging pressure slammed back into his head, forcing him to crumple back to his knees and cradle his head in his arms. Something had to be done with the agony in his head or he would be of little use to Ruto.

Without a word, Ashley knelt down beside the Zora and raised a hand up in supplication. Although he held tightly in one hand an arrow shaft, it seemed clear that he wasn't about to harm him. Veraca allowed the boy to examine his wound on the back of his skull. At length the boy grunted and lodged the arrow tip under one of the bony structures jutting out from beneath his head flipper. A sharp gasp of breath and a fleeting stab of pain, the pressure was released. Veraca let out a thankful sigh.

"Thank you." Veraca said gratefully. Ashley nodded before sitting back up against the wall, resuming his carving of the next arrow for his quiver. After a time, Veraca's curiosity got the better of him, "How did we get here? What happened to that girl?"

Ashley inclined his head at the awakening Ruto. Veraca bounded to his feet preparing himself for a potential attempt at an escape from her. The Zoran queen moaned softly as her wrists were slightly punctured by the coral cuffs, her eyes fluttered open to gaze upon Veraca. Several moments went by before she recalled where she was and how she got there. With a squeal, she squirmed backwards from him. She cried out as the coral dug deeper into the flesh, its searing poison threatening to knock her out once more.

Veraca stretched out an arm, "Please don't run again Ruto! I only want to help you; to protect you from yourself."

Ruto stopped moving for fear of passing out again, but shied away as best she could from him, "I've told you before, I just want to be left alone. I did my duty, I gave you heirs. The Zoran royalty can continue. You don't need me anymore!" Tears began forming at the edge of her eyes.

His heart melted. Why couldn't she see that she meant more to him than just a means to an end? Over the course of their time together, Veraca had grown fond of his queen. He saw glimmers of hope during their late night talks, the recollections of days long since gone when they were just kids. There had been hopes and dreams there. It pierced his heart to see all that destroyed by vile men. Veraca vowed in his heart that if he ever met the man responsible for this travesty, he would personally see to it that he never did it again.

"Ruto." Veraca calmly stated, "I can't do this without you. Where would our children be without their mother? Where would I be without my queen?"

The dam broke as her tears flowed unbidden down her cheeks, "Why must you torment me so Veraca? You know I can't resist your wiles when you talk to me like that."

"It is only the truth." He smiled.

Ruto sniffed before looking down at her hands, "Can I have these off now? I promise not to run away."

Veraca loved her deeply, but he was no fool. He wasn't sure yet that she would remain calmly by his side should he remove the coral. "Why did you run off in the first place? You got my comrades killed and I almost died myself. Not to mention," He motioned over to Ashley, "this young man and his friends. I have no idea where they even are at this point." He crossed his arms firmly as he looked down upon her.

She looked away ashamed of her actions, she felt like nothing but a big burden to everyone. "I'm sorry. I truly am. I just want…" Her voice trailed off, her mind lost in a swirl of thoughts.

Ashley looked back and forth between them before shaking his head in exasperation, he neither knew nor cared much for relationships between men and women; they seemed needlessly complicated. He commenced his wood shaving once more when a cackle trilled through the warm, night air. Ashley lunged forward and leapt on top of Veraca, bowling him down onto the sand. He frantically waved for Ruto to get low as well.

Two silhouettes cut across the starry sky, briefly passing over the moon. They were uncovered and in the open and Ashley knew it, he feared they would be discovered. To his relief, their objective was not them but rather the left arm of the colossus. With a chortle, they rained hate from above onto the unsuspecting army below. A cry went up as several flaming arrows surged into the air from multiple locations throughout the camp.

Wheeling high above their heads, the witches gleefully poured frozen flames into the throng of bloodthirsty men. It wasn't until several bolts of magick blasted forth from several tents that the sisters finally retreated into the safety of the colossus. Ashley observed it all intensely. He knew that the mages were situated amongst the larger tents while the archers were stationed by the smaller tents around the outskirts of the camp. Storing that bit of information away for later, he crept back to the two Zoras.

Veraca had just unclasped the coral cuffs from Ruto as she began wiping away the infuriating sand that seemed to chaff rudely against her scales. She looked over at the young man, appraising him in a way that made him slightly uncomfortable. "What is your name young man?" She cooed, old habits creeping back.

Veraca cleared his throat as he placed a gentle, yet firm hand on her shoulder, to remind Ruto where her place was. She needed to behave. "He won't talk." Veraca offered. "Trust me, I've already tried. I recall hearing his friend calling him by Ashley."

Ruto cocked her head at the boy; he seemed well built for such a young thing. His entire stance was one of confidence, he seemed at home in these situations. His gaze was intense and gave her pause as he stared at her with indifference. He didn't seem the least bit interested in her as a woman. A pity, she mused. "So where are we? What do we do now?"

Veraca was also at a loss for direction. His singular goal was to retrieve Ruto and bring her back to her people, getting others involved in their affairs was not his intention. He felt a debt needed to be paid to the young man and his friends whom they entangled in their quarrel. He looked to Ashley for guidance. The youth looked up and indicated a small crevice which they could find purchase. Following it further up the monolith, it would land them directly above the right arm of the colossus.

Veraca turned to Ruto with resolve, "As much as I'd love to bring you back now to your home Ruto, I cannot. The way back is most likely filled with Nevachreans blocking the pass, we'd never make it alone to the marshlands." He looked to Ashley for confirmation and smirked when the boy bowed his head is assent. "We will steal ourselves away inside the enemy's fortress and find his friend."

Ruto scoffed, "His friend? Isn't she a Gerudo? She is in safe hands with them then!" Waving her hand in dismissal at the gargantuan statue, she turned to leave.

Veraca placed a hand on her arm and brought her back, "All the Gerudo are enemies. They never took well to us Zoras and we shouldn't expect any less treatment from them just because the Nevachreans are at their doorstep. We have no idea what they'll do if they discover that she is not one of them." At a sudden thought, he whipped around to Ashley, "Didn't she have a small child with her?"

Ashley nodded yet again, growing slightly bored of the conversation. He leaned slightly onto his bow hoping they would just finish up their discussion so they could get a move on. Veraca plodded on, "What's more, I'm positive if the Gerudo raided the camp as thoroughly as we've come to expect from them, they should have found the child as well. It is our duty to rescue them both." He spoke with finality, his eyes boring holes in Ruto.

Unfazed by his determined gaze, Ruto walked over to the low bulwark and considered the vast contingent of soldiers occupying the desert plains. She knew this was but a fraction of the army, the bulk was still encamped across Hyrule Field just outside the gates to the castle. "What hope do we have of getting out of this alive? Wouldn't it be better to just surrender ourselves to them and assist in destroying the Gerudo? They're going to win anyway. At least then we might find your girl that you so long for when they break down the walls of this place." She sneered at him.

"No!" Veraca fumed. "What good would that do us? They'd kill me on the spot and most likely utilize you for wicked purposes. You'd wish death before the end!"

Ruto lifted her chin in defiance, "I am Naar's Dark Mistress! They will allow me to lead them into battle. It is the only way we will be able to get in there and find your 'precious' woman."

Both of them turned to the sound of falling rock and small grunting, Ashley had already tired of their company and was scaling the sheer cliff face up to the path that would lead him onto the right arm of the colossus. Veraca spat to the side vehemently, "You bear that title like a trophy of honor. It is one of disgrace!" Hoping his words would bring her around, he flung his hand off in the direction of the horde below them, "Fine. Go off and 'lead' your troops. I highly doubt they'll believe you to be the Dark Mistress, they didn't last time you tried it if I recall."

Without a further word, Veraca hiked himself up onto the brick and began fumbling up the rock face, the brick gave way to stone and became a lot harder to scale. Furious at her indecision, Ruto jerked herself back to the overlook. Why shouldn't she just march on down there and declare herself to the Nevachreans? Naar would protect her. However, she knew deep down that she saw confusion and doubt on the faces of those men when she entered their camp the previous night. Would these men have the same reaction? Naar was at the castle, he wouldn't be here to prove her word.

Seeing no other viable alternative, she sighed heavily before stalking over to the wall. Looking up, she saw Veraca several dozen meters above her already with Ashley far beyond him. One small slip and they would most assuredly fall to their deaths. Would that be any different than turning herself in to those men? Ruto shook her head angrily before stepping up onto the first brick.

She yelped in pain as she stubbed her left foot onto something hard. Cursing her clumsiness, she bent down to look at the offending object. Ruto stared at it oddly, it certainly looked like a brick but something was off about it. She gripped the cloth and pulled it aside. How peculiar! The piece of fabric was made to look like brick. Underneath were small bundles of rolled up material, each one as hard as a rock but feeling much heavier.

Ruto couldn't make sense of it. Shrugging her shoulders she abandoned her investigation and began climbing the cliff. Her training with the elite unit of Naar's assassins garnered her some ability to scamper up the cliff. It was simply another physical drill; she innately rose up to the challenge. Within minutes she was already passing by Veraca. Although Zoras do not sweat, it was quite evident the toll it was taking on him. He was concentrating heavily on keeping his grip on each small handhold.

At length, the three of them finally reached the top. They leapt down onto the arm and tiptoed their way towards the elbow. Tucked into the side of the monolith was a small crack that looked much like a doorway. Fearing Gerudo guards to be posted, Ashley and Veraca looked in first, sure enough there were two women lounging against the nearby masonry casually chatting about their day.

Holding no love for the Gerudo themselves, Ashley let fly an arrow towards the nearest woman. It lodged into her brain and blasted out the other side, taking her ear off with it. The second Gerudo shrieked in surprise as she brandished her scimitar, rushing towards the entrance. Ashley sidestepped as Veraca surprised the woman from the side, knocking her out cold. Not wishing to give enemies a chance to kill him later, he picked up the dropped scimitar and plunged it into her stomach.

Having a weapon again was a comforting feeling to Veraca. He turned to Ashley and nodded before they moved further within. Ruto gazed down at the two dead women as she passed by, they certainly looked dangerous! A shrill, blood curdling scream rent the air, sending shivers down their spines. Without pause, they raced forward down the nearest corridor towards the cry, they knew deep in their hearts that it was Malon.

None of them noticed that when they left the room, two copies of each woman began to rise up from the corpses of the old.


	72. Chapter 71 - The Child is Gone

**Chapter 71 - The Child is Gone**

"Do you think they'll bless her with the gift?" A soft voice murmured.

"Hard to say, she was never on good terms with the elders, always running off to be with that Link fellow." A second voice answered.

Malon's mind was slowly coming around. It seemed her thoughts were nothing but a bowl of mush being churned for someone else's amusement. The last thing she could remember before passing out was this enormous brute hovering over her, the tip of his manhood violently trying splitting her apart. That was swiftly followed by warm blood splashing onto her face and then nothing. She dared not open her eyes, lest she betray to her captors that she was awake.

"That might be true, but she is still one of us, is she not? She is Gerudo." The first voice refuted.

"Aye, but her behavior just before her departure was one of great disrespect and shame to our king. I don't think the witches will take kindly to that and bless her like they did us." The second voice reasoned.

The knowledge of being in possession of the Gerudo caused Malon to crack open an eye to get her bearings. She appeared to be inside a room of brick and mortar, the entrance flanked by two torches set into elaborate golden sconces. To her left were several other cots similar to the one she was lying in now. Malon was dressed once more in the garb of a lowly Gerudo apprentice. At least they had the decency to cloth her properly.

The first voice sighed longingly, "Such a shame. She is so beautiful. I can see why some of the elders wanted her for their beds."

The second voice clucked her tongue, "Don't let her entice you with her looks. We have a job to guard her until Kotake and Koume return. Since Ganondorf is not with us, they are in charge in his stead. We will see what they want to do with her."

Malon couldn't resist any longer, she opened her eyes fully and gazed over to her right where the voices were coming from. Sitting on a benched table next to a low alcove set into the wall, two women were leaning close and talking in hushed tones. A small candle was between them revealing their ivory robes; they weren't apprentices but full blown soldiers. Malon breathed a small sigh of relief. If they were elders, she wasn't sure if she had the prowess to take them on directly.

The first woman flicked her head in Malon's direction, "Look who is awake." She said softly with a grin.

The second woman stood up and gracefully strode over to Malon's bedside, "Good evening my dear. You are lucky we came when we did, you were almost run through." She chuckled at her own joke as she looked down upon Malon serenely.

Sidling up next to her was a second woman who looked remarkably similar to the first. Malon had to do a double take to ensure she was seeing things properly. The two women laughed at her confusion, "You aren't seeing things, we look like twins but we are not. We are…"

"…one and the same person." Finished the first woman with a smirk.

"I…don't understand." Malon said, almost stumbling over the words.

One woman wrapped an arm around the other's shoulders, "Thanks to Kotake and Koume, the Gerudo have been given a new boon to combat Nevachrea! They toiled long and hard to provide us this advantage. You are fortunate to come back during the very night we are preparing to strike back." They both smiled at Malon disturbingly.

Malon sat up and turned to the two creepy twins, "Wait…how is this an advantage? There are two of you…I don't see what the boon is."

Both women gave each other an askance look before facing Malon, "We were created from one body. I had died during one of the sieges of this sanctuary. Kotake and Koume gave me…gave us another chance!" The woman's eyes were burning bright with pride.

More bewildered than ever, Malon practically spat out her frustration, "Stop beating around the bush, what in Din's name was done to you?"

The second woman turned to the first, "She wouldn't know. She left before the incantation was completed."

The first nodded before explaining, "One night after seeking refuge here in the desert colossus, the two spiritual elders came flying in about a week ago. They blessed all our people here with a powerful new spell of protection. Whenever one of us is killed, two copies of that person rise up and continue the fight. If either one of those copies dies, two more rise. It is the only way we stand a chance of defeating their sheer numbers."

"It's brilliant!" The second woman chimed in gleefully.

Malon's eyes widened with horror, she tried her best to hide her utter dismay at this terrifying news. Those vile witches might have just unleashed something more unholy onto the world than the Nevachreans ever could! Under the leadership of those two hags or Ganondorf, this Gerudo army could be as bad if not worse than Nevachrea. Her eyes darted around to see if there were any escape routes. Her shoulders slumped when all that was discernible was the lone doorway just past the two women. Her friends had to be warned!

"That's…amazing." She managed to sputter; neither woman noticed her shift in demeanor. "So do either of you remember anything of your former body's…um…life?" She was trying to stall the conversation so she could think about the next course of action.

The second woman nodded her head vigorously, "Of course. We simply rise up from the corpse of our former body and keep going. It is as if death is an inconsequential nuisance now." A small lilting laugh sent a chill down Malon's spine, "It's almost as if we are immortal!"

"Isn't it wonderful?" The first woman eagerly proclaimed, placing her hands on Malon's shoulder enthusiastically. "Don't you want it done to you when they return? You are our sister now and you have returned to us! You must join us in our battle again the Nevachreans!"

Malon wanted nothing more than to extricate herself from those urgent hands, to run away from these profane women. This 'gift' sounded more like a fate worse than death. She wanted no part in that. What was worse, she had no idea the effect it might have on her since she was pregnant. Would there be two copies of her unborn child? The implication of this profane magick was making her mind reel and scream at her to escape.

"No!" Malon finally screamed. Both women stopped and stared astonished at her outburst. "I will have no part in this blasphemous gift! A curse is more like it!" She shouted angrily.

Malon bounded off the cot into a roll which took her right past the first woman. Rising up from the ground, she slipped the scimitar from the belt sheath of the second woman. A cry of shock erupted behind her as she swirled around and made a thin gash across the midriff of the first Gerudo. Blood spurted out from her abdomen as she fell forward clutching her stomach. The other woman was upon her in an instant, swiping out her leg to trip up Malon's footing.

Malon leapt over the first leg and knocked the other attempt out of the way with her free arm before bringing the butt of the weapon hard onto the woman's nose. A sickening crunch echoed throughout the room as warm fluid gushed from the Gerudo's nose. She screamed in agony, stumbling backward towards her comrade before kneeling to remove the unused scimitar from the body.

Surging in to prevent the woman's recovery, Malon sliced down through the air but was met with harsh resistance when the Gerudo brought up the scimitar to meet hers. The resulting clang jolted down Malon's arms making them ache painfully. A slight popping was heard which distracted Malon long enough for the woman to punch her hard in the gut forcing her to take a knee. Two women, carbon copies of the old, were rising up from the cadaver whom she had sliced open just moments before. Each one had a fresh sword belt complete with gleaming steel encased within its leather.

Malon swore an oath before jerking back to avoid the swipe cutting the air just before her nose. Utilizing her momentum from the movement, she rolled over to the table and stood up kicking the nearby chair at one of the women. The three clones crowded in with scimitars raised before Malon got the idea to climb up onto the table. Her nerves were shot and beads of sweat were trailing down her temples as she held out her weapon, staring down the three Gerudo who had nothing but murder in their eyes.

The woman on the left lunged forward with her sword extended. Malon sidestepped the attack before twirling around and lopping off the woman's head. Another attack slammed in from the right as cold steel brushed against her calf drawing a cry of pain from her. She kicked the offending woman in the chin, causing her to reel backwards from the shock. Before she could react, the third woman tackled her off the table and to the floor.

Malon landed hard on her back with a whump. She could barely move or breathe, so forceful was her landing. She had the split second decision to continue the force of movement and kick her assailant off of her towards the wall mere feet away. The woman slammed into the brick before landing head first onto the stone floor with a snap; her neck twisted at an awkward angle.

Trying to inhale deep gulps of air, Malon rose, exploiting the table as leverage to lift her body back up. She raised a scimitar high as the third woman came running at her, impaling herself onto the cold steel with a look of surprise. Malon let go of the weapon and let it drop with the body.

Staggering from the exhausting battle, she turned to look at the three fresh bodies she had just slaughtered in astonishment. Rising from the prone, immobile bodies were six furious women, all of whom were once one single Gerudo.

"By the Goddesses, what is this magick?" Malon despaired, quickly picking up two other scimitars hoping two weapons would help defend her better.

The first attack came from the right. Malon parried the blow with one weapon while raising the other to defend against two slashes from the left. In an instant, all six women were upon her, weaving and ducking her futile attempts at landing a solid blow. Malon screamed in fury at her inability to ultimately win against such opposition.

A large blast of wind exploded like a bomb burst in the center of their melee, each woman went flying in multiple directions across the room. Malon was thrust backwards, ramming the small of her back into the side of the table. She immediately crumpled to the floor groaning in pain, dropping her weapons with a clatter. In through the doorway swept Kotake and Koume in full turban and robed regalia.

"Ho ho ho. It looks like we have a brawl on our hands sister!" Kotake cackled.

"He he he. I dare say that our magick worked like a charm. We should really thank Princess Midna for such an invaluable spell. It sure took a while to master it!" Koume chortled.

Kotake turned her bulbous eyes on Malon, cocking her head a moment until she recognized her. She exclaimed, "Oh, what do we have here? The little gutter rat has come back to us!"

Koume stepped up to the recovering Malon, eyeing her intently, "Indeed sister. This little tart should be taught manners in respecting her elders. Always swooning for that young man, Link! Disgraceful!"

"Shut up!" Malon roared, pushing herself up shakily on one hand off the table. She glared at the two witches.

"Tsk, tsk. Don't you know dearie?" Kotake crooned before clenching her fist. Malon was vaulted into the air before crashing back down onto the table with a cry. "No Gerudo under our king's rule is allowed to choose their mates! We decide who has a child and when!"

Koume slithered up next to the table before placing both hands on Malon's wrists. She shrieked in agony as flames shot down her skin fusing her burnt flesh with the wood of the table. "And you defied the ancient laws set down by our predecessors! Don't think we weren't aware of your relations with Link!" Koume sneered.

Grinding her teeth against the pain searing across her wrists, she spit in Kotake's face. "What's it to you hags?" She trilled, breathing arduously, "I am not officially Gerudo! I never have been! You've all never accepted me! I was Talon's daughter before I was ever Nabooru's!"

With a look of scorn, Kotake forcefully wiped the spittle off her face. In one swift motion, she backhanded Malon across the face. "That is inconsequential. You were born with Gerudo blood. You belong to your king. To us!" She rebuked.

"Haven't you heard?" Koume gurgled as she made her way down the table. She tried spreading Malon's legs apart but was met with great resistance. "Your father is dead. Ganondorf killed him not even a fortnight ago."

"W…what?" Malon managed to sputter. That was the opening Koume needed to split the legs apart, within moments another spine tingling cry rent the air as Koume melded Malon's ankles to the wood. Tears were running unbidden down her face. "You lie!"

"What do you plan to do with her?" The duplicated women inquired, having all recovered from the shock of the two witches' entrance. Several looked genuinely worried.

With a wave of her hand, Kotake ushered them all out forcefully. "That is none of your concern. We must deal with this upstart before she becomes a problem.

"That is all you need to know!" Koume seethed, glowering at the insubordinate women as they filed out of the room.

"My father isn't dead!" Malon cried, unwilling to believe such blatant lies. "Ganondorf was working with us. We were together on fighting General Naar!"

Kotake crowed at her naivety, "You silly, stupid girl! Ganondorf has been nothing but loyal to the Gerudo and their common interest."

"After long days of searching for you, you show up at our doorstep letting yourself get captured!" Koume simpered. She traced a finger up the crotch of Malon's leggings, burning a small opening revealing her womanhood underneath.

"What do you intend to do to me?" Malon trembled visibly, her heart beating frantically at the thought of being utterly helpless against these witches.

Kotake tapped a finger to her chin, "Well, at first, we were ordered to simply kill you back at Glaun'rung."

Koume finished for her sister, "But after some thought, wouldn't it be better to just use you as a pawn in our grand game? It would hurt Link all the more."

Malon's eyes widened in horror as Kotake began pressing down on her stomach, slowly applying pressure to keep her back firmly on the table. "However, there is one small snag we must rectify before you will be of any use to us." Kotake ominously spoke.

Koume held out a hand over Malon's pink folds, an abnormal sensation began permeating throughout her lower abdomen. The witch squawked at her revelation, "She has twins, sister! A girl…and a boy!"

So shocked with the news, Kotake briefly released Malon's belly. "Inconceivable! All Gerudo at birth are unable to have boys unless we grant them that permission!"

Koume squinted her eyes in grim determination, "You are making a mockery of our king, trying to have a son to usurp the throne of leadership! You cannot and will not have this child!"

Malon thrashed with all her might but had to stop due to the severe pain at her ankles and wrists, every rash movement forced further tearing of her skin. "No…I'm not! Just let me have my babies in peace! I promise I won't have them usurp Ganondorf's place as leader. I don't even care! Please-"

Another quick smack to the face stopped her pleas, "Enough!" Kotake fumed. She placed her hands back onto Malon's belly with renewed vigor. "You must learn your place. If this is what it takes…"

Koume opened her palm above Malon's crotch and began a slight pulling motion in the air; Malon yelped in shock as an unnatural heaving moved within her abdomen. She continued to beg the two crones to stop this madness but they presently ignored her appeals. She began weeping bitterly as she felt a small object slowly being dragged out of her. With one final yank and a screeching shout, a small bloody mass of flesh with a dangling piece of cord hovered in front of them. Malon blinked twice at the barely recognizable object, her mouth agape with revulsion.

"Behold your son." Koume laughed uproariously. The entire fetus and its cord erupted into scorching flames. Kotake watched the object twist and writhe as Koume made the fetus dance through the air; much to the amusement of them both.

"No!" Malon screamed. She continued screaming as she looked on in disbelief at her unborn child burning away to ashes in front of her eyes. Her voice was hoarse but she kept screaming. Ignoring the pooling blood beneath her, she sobbed passionately to the point she had to gulp in air just to breathe. "You evil bitches! Why? Why!?" She shouted at them.

"I believe we already explained that to you." Kotake intoned calmly, both of them staring at her disturbingly.

"Might as well remove the other…" Koume suggested as she let the string of ash fall to the floor.

"Get away from me!" Malon smoldered. No longer caring about the ripping of her flesh, she tore one hand off of the table with a cry. She knew in her heart that she couldn't possibly win against two adept sorceresses, but she couldn't bear the thought of having the other child ripped out of her as well.

"Feisty one, isn't she?" Kotake laughed before placing a steady grip on Malon's free wrist, digging her nails into the oozing wounds caused by its escape from the wood.

"That'll all be fixed sister when we wipe her mind. She won't even know she is killing her lover until after she does it!" Koume cackled.

"You're evil! You are horrid!" Malon yelled, trying with all her might to fight back against the magick that was now impressing itself upon her womb.

"Easy does it…" Koume serenaded as if lulling a child to sleep.

Malon couldn't restrain her bawling as she felt that all too familiar hand of sorcery reach deep inside and begin to tug on her other child. She could feel the fetus moving closer to the canal which would ultimately spell its doom as it would be forcibly yanked out of her cleft and into the open air. She moaned loudly as the child's cord began to slowly make its way up the canal.

An arrow whizzed through the air before sinking itself deeply into Koume's throat, so intent they were on removing Malon's unborn child that they did not realize intruders had stepped into their midst. Koume stopped the flow of magick and reached up to her neck to feel the flow of warm blood gushing down her fingers. She gurgled an incoherent sound as another arrow thunked into her head, the arrow tip bursting out of her eye. She turned to Kotake in supplication but collapsed to the floor.

Kotake pivoted to the interlopers to see a young youth with an arrow pointed right at her, beyond him were two Zoras of unknown identity. She barely had enough time to react to the third arrow as it sailed through the air. A wall of ice slammed up into the ceiling deflecting the blow. The youth was already on the move as he maneuvered around the thin wall with another arrow already nocked.

The witch was unprepared for such a full scale surprise assault and proceeded to blast the boy with a burst of ice. Turning to her left, the male Zora was upon her with a jagged scimitar slicing downwards through the air. She tucked herself into a ball and released a surge of energy knocking both the Zora and the young boy off their feet. She took the opening to scoop up her dying sister onto a broom she had just apparated and whisked off down the corridor, knocking the female Zora onto her rear.

Malon stared at her rescuers with indifferent eyes. Her whole body was numb and unresponsive. She cared little that she was saved. She cared little that Ashley maimed and possibly killed Koume. She cared little to what happened to her next. The child was gone


	73. Chapter 72 - The Siege is Broken

**Chapter 72 - The Siege is Broken**

The shouting rang dull in her ears. She wanted nothing more than their absence this night. The shade from her canvas had been stripped away and all that was left was the white. All she wanted was to sink into the shadows that echoed inside of her, without a light to illuminate the darkness. She felt like a different person, from the roots of her soul came a sinister coercion. She ran her hand over the strange inversion, a vacancy that just did not belong. The child was gone.

"Malon? Are you okay?" Veraca asked loudly, fearing that in the course of the night's events she had lost her hearing.

Ashley was worried about her. He nervously glanced upwards at her indifferent face, fearing that he might cause her undue pain. He had procured a small dagger and was fastidiously cutting through the melded bonds of her skin against the wood of the table. Malon winced harshly at the stinging pain of separating from the boards but did not utter a single sound. Her eyes lingered on the drying blood pooled around her legs and the pile of ashes that was near it. How could this have happened?

A flicker of movement caught her eye as she looked up towards Ruto who had stepped out from behind Ashley into the light. With a cry of utter rage and despair, she broke free of Veraca's grip and propelled herself on top of Ruto biting and scratching while screaming incoherently. The two males pounced on her and began tearing the crazed Malon off of Ruto. Shocked at the animalistic fury of the attack, Ruto laid on the cool brick stunned. Ruto's focus never left Malon as they manhandled her onto a nearby stool.

"Calm yourself Malon! Queen Ruto did not do this to you." Veraca tried to placate her softly.

"Like Din's forge she did!" Malon spat venomously, pushing her shoulders heavily into the arms of Veraca and Ashley who were doing all they could to keep her back. "If it weren't for this bitch attacking us in the night and drawing the ire of all the Cyn'Taak around us, we wouldn't have run. We wouldn't have encountered those awful men and gotten captured. My sister would be here right now. My child would be alive right now! She deserves to die!" Malon heaved laboriously.

"Now that's uncalled for-" Veraca started, slightly offended at Malon's accusations. He quickly unhanded her as she began to wretch the contents of her stomach onto the floor.

"No." Ruto spoke calmly, pulling herself up to her regal height. She raised a hand to have Veraca stand down from his offense. "She is right. It was my fault and my actions that caused all of this."

"Damn right it…wait, what?" Malon sputtered wiping bile from her lips, unsure if Ruto was playing some cruel game with her.

Ruto continued serenely, her eyes never leaving Malon's, "I grieve for you and for the death of Link's child. I've always wanted Link for my own, but deep down, I knew that I could never have children with him. It is impossible. I was angry for the fact that you laid with him and are now carrying his child."

"Children." Malon corrected flatly. "I have one left."

Ruto blinked before proceeding, "You have another?"

Malon nodded dimly, "Yes. I found out the moment the witches pulled my son from my womb." Tears began welling up at the corners of her eyes.

Ruto went silent at the news and was unable to say anything further. She had thought Malon was completely devoid of offspring from Link when she saw what the witches had done to her. Veraca looked on with empathetic interest at the conversation but seemed unwilling to interrupt. Ashley realizing the gravity of their situation urged Malon back onto her feet, confident that she wouldn't fly into another rage.

Veraca shook his head, "Ashley's right. We need to get out of here."

"Not without my sister." Malon stood firmly against the three of them, fists at her sides in defiance.

"We don't know where your sister is. The Gerudo might have taken her, or the Nevachreans might still have her. We have not seen her." Veraca admitted lamely.

"I am still going to try and look for her. I have to. The Gerudo are planning to break the siege tonight. We must act quickly if we are to find her." Malon informed as she began pacing towards the door.

"What about your clothes?" Ruto pointed out. Malon looked down at her crimson stained leggings, "We may not be able to blend in with the rest of the riff-raff, but you can, but not if you look like something out of a medical ward."

Malon nodded her head determinedly. She gave one last haunting look at the pile of ashes by the table before stalking out the door with Ashley close behind. The two Zoras shared a look before following the two out. They jogged down the corridors attempting to keep up with the sprightly Malon. She was running down the myriad of passages with a single goal in mind, to find a Gerudo.

Their luck held as they rounded the bend of a tight hallway, they skidded to a halt and backed up against the corner. They peeked out beyond to see a mass of torches and magickal orbs of light floating in the air. They had reached the central atrium of the temple. In its center, carved out from the wall, was a huge effigy of a Goddess. Wrapped around her breast and neck was a snake whose face formed the attire adorning the head of the statue, its arms raised outward with palms up welcoming her people.

Ashley began to take aim at the closest Gerudo that stood apart from the rest, dozing slightly on a spear she was holding to keep her steady. Malon slammed her hand onto his bow, bringing it down. "Do not kill any of them!" She hissed. Ashley looked at her confused. "Each one you kill, two more will rise from the body. A wicked spell was cast on all the Gerudo by those witches. Assume all of them have been infected by that vile magick."

Ashley bowed his head in understanding as he turned to Veraca and Ruto who had managed to catch up in time to hear the explanation. Veraca peered out to the woman in question before presenting his idea to the others, "Ruto will knock the guard unconscious and then you can steal her weapon and clothes. Agreed?"

Malon creased her lips in resolve and stepped back for Ruto. The Zora stepped out from the archway and carefully slinked her way to the nearest dark corner towards the lone Gerudo. All the other women were congregating around the base of the effigy, seemingly entranced with something happening in the center of their huddle. Rays of light were shooting out from the center of that mass followed by gurgled screams.

Ruto ignored the commotion and dislodged one of her fin spines that ran down her leg. She raised it high before judging the angle. With a heave, she flung it through the air. The spine whipped around the target before coming back and nailing the woman square in the temple, she crumpled like a ragdoll. Wasting no time, Ruto raced over and placed the spine back into her fleshy fin. She dragged the cataleptic Gerudo back into the passage where the others were anxiously waiting.

"You are graceful as you are deadly, my beloved." Veraca complimented, love evident in his eyes as he gazed upon her supple form.

Ruto looked at him uncomfortably before dumping the body in front of Malon, "Here are your new clothes and weapon. So every single one of them is ensorcelled?"

"We have to assume." Malon said dryly. She stripped the comatose woman with little concern for her modesty before looking at the others with a blush in her cheeks. "Would you mind turning around so I can change?"

Ashley rolled his eyes. He had seen far worse in his short life, but he obliged her all the same. Veraca stood rigid at the request but knew that the dignity of a lady was precious. With a flourish, he turned around to face the vast chamber, observing the Gerudo and their seemingly abhorrent gathering. Ruto remained where she was and folded her arms before leaning up against the adjacent wall. So this is the woman Link fell for? She didn't look all that impressive.

Malon glowered at her judging gaze but swiftly disregarded it and began undressing. Within minutes she had suited up in the full ivory garb of a Gerudo warrior. Their attention was distracted by a sudden shudder that surged through the ground and rocked the foundations of the temple. The entire crowd of women rose up in a clamor. Much shouting and yelling was heard before they scattered out of the chamber through various passages.

Left behind in the middle of the atrium at the base of the crossed feet of the statue were Kotake and Koume. Sensing a presence behind her, Kotake spun around and spied them lurking in the archway. Her eyes locked onto Ashley's who already had his bow drawn and ready. With a squeak, she brandished her broom before racing up out of the nearest skylight in the roof of the chamber. Her sister Koume had been left for dead, the group walked up to the wretched hag.

Another tremor blasted through the structure, causing several bricks to fall from the ceiling and crash into the floor, sprays of rock and rubble went flying over their heads as they ducked to avoid being hit by flailing debris. Malon stepped up to Koume who was lying on the ground, the two arrows still lodged in her throat and in her head. Pus was already starting to congeal around the edge of the open wound in her eye. She looked up at them and croaked miserably, reaching out a hand to ward them off; no magick was forthcoming.

Malon grimaced, "Tch, to think that after years of conniving, backstabbing, scheming and pulling puppet strings of an entire nation, you'd have learned to trust no one. And here, when you needed her the most, your sister strips you barren and leaves you to rot. I have no sympathy for you."

"Please…" Koume groused, "Take pity…on a defenseless old woman…" She gurgled loudly before hacking more blood onto the soaked brick beneath her.

"You are not worth my pity." Malon intoned apathetically. She held up her recently acquired scimitar and raised it high. Koume looked up with what was finally fear in her eyes. After hundreds of cycles, she dared not believe it had come to this; to meet her own end so ignobly.

Veraca moved to stay Malon's hand, concern in his voice, "Malon, this is not something you should stoop to. She is no harm to anyone anymore, let her die in-"

Veraca's voice cut off as Malon brought the steel down, lopping the witch's head clean off. Blood spurting from the neck as the body slumped into a bundle of cloth and rags, Koume's head rolling across the floor from the force of the blow. Her reign of terror and control had come to an end. A look of utter disbelief constricted on Veraca's face. Ruto looked on interestedly, this was certainly a new side to the feisty young woman whom was her rival at love.

Malon slowly turned her head to Veraca, "What? Revenge? I don't care for your Zoran ideals and morals in war. I don't care about respect for the enemy. If you are uncomfortable in following me to find my sister and kill Kotake, the other murderer of my child, then leave. I am going to find my sister." Without another word, she spun on her heel and walked in the direction of the passage where the majority of the Gerudo had departed into.

Ashley looked at the two Zoras with a shrug. He turned to Malon into the passage. Veraca exhaled loudly, "Din's forge has no fury like that woman. I am glad I am not her enemy." His eyes remaining on the darkness of the corridor the two had disappeared into.

"Indeed." Ruto mused. At length, she began following in their footsteps. "I'm going with them Veraca. Maybe there is a chance I might see Link after all." She stated dangerously.

His eyes popped as he comprehended her statement, "You will do no such thing Ruto. We've done what we said we'd do. We freed her. Ashley can take care of them both. We should retreat back to our people." He jogged up beside her, placing a loving, but firm hand on her arm.

Her head whipped in his direction, her eyes shooting daggers, "Yes, we've freed her. But there are two armies out there about to wage war on the desert plains. You tell me that they're going to survive escaping that?"

Veraca glanced at the gloom of the corridor where they had last seen Malon and Ashley before answering hesitantly, "She is on a mission to a place I'd rather not go. Following her down into that place would not be wise."

A shockwave rammed through the floor as more bricks collapsed from above, they dove for the safety of the passage but coughed fiercely as they inhaled the dust from the aftermath. Ruto stood back up and paced down the hallway, "I've been to that place. I know the darkness of the cage she is traveling towards. My soul was stamped out in that hole that sucks all life out of you. Do not presume to tell me that I am unwise for following her. For I understand her now, I see what she fights for." Her voice escalated with each successive word until she was practically shouting at Veraca.

"My primary goal is to see you home safe Ruto. If that entails us following Malon for a time, then so be it." He said decisively.

"And we might still meet up with Link." She added hastily with a grin, dashing down the corridor before Veraca could respond. He stuttered at her inject before pursuing her.

They caught up with Malon and Ashley at the primary entry into the colossus. The sturdy iron wrought doors were locked tight with a rod of pure metal draped across the door holders which prevented many a battering ram strike. Multiple Gerudo were shouting to get the entrance open, the group could barely make out what they were saying but managed to understand the overall gist.

"Get that door open! That crazy loon is about to blow us all away!" One elder demanded futilely of her subjects. The excessively heavy bar sealing the doors shut required the strength of many women to lift.

"We should have killed him when we had the chance!" Another warrior offered.

Presently they heaved the rod off the doors and vaulted it across the room. The elder warned, "Be wary, the enemy is at our doorstep! Be prepared to go forth and purge them from our holy sanctuary. Spare no quarter! Destroy them utterly or they will keep coming back!" The women all roared in unison as the doors swung wide inward.

The vast sea of lights that spread out across the sandy dunes before the colossus was quite unprepared for the assault that streamed out of those gates. The Gerudo brandished their weapons and plunged themselves into the startled Nevachreans at their very doorstep. Many of the women had laced their spears and scimitars with deadly poison perfected over the cycles from Cyn'Taak venom. Unsuspecting soldiers were run through before expanding into a bloody explosion of viscera and guts. Several bombs were thrown into the horde which dispatched swathes of brutes like dust on the wind.

"Now is our chance!" Malon exclaimed, moving forward to join them.

"What about us? Are we assembling with them or escaping?" Veraca questioned harshly, raising his hand to indicate the nearby bluffs.

Malon turned to him with lethal intent in her eyes, "If I know anything from living with the Gerudo for the past seven cycles, they would never leave anyone behind. They would train and send even their youth into battle if it came down to it. My best chance at finding Giana is to act like one of them. If their intent is to break the siege and continue onward to Naar at Hyrule Castle, then maybe we can find my sister among them and meet up with Link!"

Ruto's eyes widened with interest but said nothing. Veraca's scaly brow furrowed, "Your plan is madness. We cannot follow directly, they'd kill us in a heartbeat. The Gerudo share no love for us Zoras," he paused briefly as he looked over at Ashley, "or young boys."

They walked out from the doors into the open air, breathing in the scent of the night. They stayed back a distance from the crowd of deadly women whom were making mincemeat of the Nevachrean troops, it seemed every man was horribly surprised when they made the killing blow to see two more rise up and continue the battle. Their unnatural magick was an equal match to the regenerating properties of the Nevachreans.

A whooping cry resounded from above directing their focus high. Standing on the edge of one of the outstretched palms of the colossus was Terrance. He had limped his way to the drop off and was clutching something massive. Several Gerudo had surrounded his escape back into the monolith, there was no way left but down.

He screeched with maniacal laughter, "You filthy whores! It is about time you got a taste of your own medicine! May the Nevachreans kill you all, I no longer care!"

Ashley's eyes saw the danger before the others, he galvanized the others to run back into the structure as an intake of air sucked into the device Terrance was holding. Malon found it suddenly hard to breathe, as if the very air was being ripped from her lungs. A single moment of silence transpired before the explosion blew Terrance and the Gerudo near him apart. The shockwave was so violent it was clearly seen by the naked eye. It shattered the hard rock and cracked the top of the colossus into a myriad of deadly debris.

"Inside! Now!" Veraca screamed, his common sense finally catching up to Ashley's intuition. They dove inside as the entire upper structure of the colossus exploded outward, raining chunks of rock the size of houses slammed down into the enemy camp squishing both Gerudo and Nevachrean soldiers alike. The concussion set off similar charges laid out by the Nevachreans all along the base of the structure, more tremors coursed through the brick and mortar.

"Back out!" Malon screamed as multiple pieces of the ceiling began collapsing above them. They stumbled back outside, trying to maintain their footing with each blast which continued to rock the foundations. "What in Din's name is happening?" Malon cried.

The last of the showering rock had ceased but it was clear the entire colossus was going to topple over. Ashley frantically looked around for an opening and quickly pointed to the eastern edge of the Nevachrean camp. There was less activity there and it avoided the center, where it could be discerned that multiple magickal barriers had been erected by the magi living within the camp. Fiery balls of death rose up from multiple locations within the middle of that throng, sending up cries of terror.

"I see." Veraca began as he perceived what Ashley was indicating, "The magi are within the center of the camp while the simple grunts are residing along the edges." Ashley nodded at this observation.

"Very well." Malon stated, furious that they couldn't search for Giana, "We will make it to the far edge of the camp and wait out the winners. Whoever wins will still most likely travel back to Naar's camp, where Link and the others are supposed to convene with the Goron Ruby. We will meet them there and try to warn them of Ganondorf's betrayal."

Murmuring agreement at the plan, the four of them lurched and staggered their way to the far eastern edge of the bowl; flanked by high granite bluffs. Several more explosions boomed through the night as scorching pillars of flame rose up from the colossus. The entire upper half of the monolith had been blasted clean off, their holy temple defiled. Never again would it be rebuilt.

The group watched from a nearby cleft as the melee fulminated before them. Many Gerudo were slain that night as the magi caught on to their nefarious boon given to them by Kotake and Koume. Many more Nevachreans were decimated as the Gerudo's weapons dispatched them to nothing but atoms. Stranger still, there were several insect like creatures skittering through the camp, forcing themselves down the throats of their hapless victims; none of them could make head or tails of it. Such was the chaos of the battle.

They simply waited and watched, not noticing a group of men break off from the mass and travel northwards with a precious package…


	74. Chapter 73 - Meeting of the Minds

**Chapter 73 - Meeting of the Minds**

General Naar angrily wiped away the tears that began to form at the creases of his eyes. Such weakness was unbecoming of the greatest military leader of the known world. He was furious at the news that had been delivered to him earlier that evening. He had brutally mutilated the messenger who conveyed the unfortunate news. Naar crumpled up the paper and threw it across the room where it feebly smacked one of the empty fairy cages hanging on the tent beams.

With a cry of wrath, he expelled a swath of energy that blew the tent canvas outward before resettling back into position. Several campfires near the general's tent blew out completely, the soldiers huddling next to them for warmth grew quiet at the ire of their leader. They all knew better than to disrupt his episodes of anger lest they end up like the mangled piece of meat that he tossed out of his tent, moaning and slithering away futilely across the mud soaked ground.

His passion had subsided enough that he stalked over to the piece of paper to read it again. Ripping open the wrinkled papyrus, his eyes skimmed down the missive once more. The capital had been taken. The Nevachreans had reclaimed it under their own direction and power. The Zoras were helping the reconstruction efforts and what was worse, that blasted boy and his friends were at large somewhere east in the mountains. The final blow from the communiqué was that his two nephews, the very ones he swore to their mother he would protect, had died a horrible, dishonorable death.

Naar was brooding on his throne of furs, awaiting word from his distant commanders and captains, he had only sent out a dispatch a fortnight ago before learning of his nephew's deaths. It was finally time to mobilize his grand army and set forth to eradicate the remainder of the resistance in Hyrule. He would send half of his army towards the eastern mountains to obliterate the infuriating Gorons and their Sheikah witches. The other half would be sent to bolster the siege with the Gerudo and stamp out the remainder of their nation, his contract with Kotake and Koume be damned.

He was tired of waiting around for some miniscule chance that those witches would pull through and assist in helping Link gather all the sacred stones at the Temple of Time. It was clear they weren't going to honor it. The patience of his troops was wearing thin and it would only be a matter of time before a full scale mutiny occurred and his position usurped. He needed results and they were not happening fast enough. The salvation of one nation was not fully hinged on a deal he made with two backstabbing hags. He only made the deal hoping it would bring him one step closer to achieving his goal of acquiring the Triforce and finally exacting his revenge upon Hyrule and its despotic leaders.

His experiments with the Kokiri were a success. They were now off with his highly trained assassins learning the ways of warfare and subterfuge. Each female was progressing nicely and had her own style of combat which was demonstrated quite viscerally with several volunteers from the pool of eager men intent on violating the young girls. The results were most satisfying to Naar, much to the agony and despair of the unsuspecting brutes who tried to rape them.

He was perusing his notes on them when a flutter of the tent flap redirected his attention. A guard fell forward with a thud, a sword splitting his breast bone apart. Through the entrance swept in two figures; one of them tall and imposing, the other supple and feminine. Without having ever met the man, Naar immediately recognized the Gerudo leader, Ganondorf. He was quite ignorant of the woman at his side but she was of little consequence, his focus was solely on the striking Gerudo king standing just inside his tent.

Naar stood up with a start, quickly apparating a bastard sword into his right hand. He boomed threateningly at the intruders, "You have seconds to explain what you are doing here in my camp or I will kill you where you stand."

Ganondorf snorted at the intimidation, "I would like to see you try." Without waiting for a response, he walked over to the nearest bench and sat himself astride it. He leaned back against the table strewn with maps and gazed back at Naar leisurely. "It seems we both have some problems and I am here to help us both make them go away."

His face contorting in offense at the blatant display of superiority, Naar dashed forward at a speed abnormal to most men; his sword leveled at Ganondorf's heart, intent on impaling him into the table. Sensing the threat, Ganondorf erected a protective aura of energy that expanded outward from his position knocking Naar back a few paces. Swiftly recovering, Naar spun around and unleashed a piercing shockwave that was dispelled swiftly by his opponent. The woman had to dive for cover as several surges of energy swelled over her head, slicing the corner of the table clean off.

Ganondorf held out a palm to the indignant Apolloni, "Do not interfere, this is something we men have to see through." He grinned at the impending battle.

Not waiting for his foe to finish speaking, Naar lunged forward quickly changing his sword to a pike which elongated his range considerably. Ganondorf deftly evaded the thrust and parried with a downward swipe of his hand. Recognizing the danger, Naar brought the pike vertical to parry the blow and gathered magickal energy into the tip which exploded as he made contact with the Gerudo king's arm, blowing them both back with the force of the concussion.

Rolling off to the side, Ganondorf heaved the table, sending charts and maps flying. Naar slammed his fist into the oncoming projectile shattering it into deadly shards which went flying back toward his assailants. The Gerudo woman had to duck down behind her king as he swiped away the slivers of sharpened wood like feathers in the wind. In an instant, Ganondorf had unsheathed a sword that was strapped to his belt and pressed forward to strike Naar down.

"You are quite the formidable opponent." Naar admitted, this man was on another level entirely compared to those two witches he had fought earlier.

"I aim to please." Ganondorf grunted before striking downwards in an obvious tell. Switching it up at the last second, he shifted his weight and brought the sword in from a downward side angle.

Lightning quick reflexes saved Naar from certain evisceration. Holding the sword hilt aloft while tilting the pike downward, he stifled the blow from connecting with his body. He shoved the speared weapon into Ganondorf's strength of motion forcing him slightly off balance with his weight. Taking the brief moment of advantage, Naar apparated a long rapier and thrust it towards the man's midsection.

Utilizing the air around him, Ganondorf swirled the air and flipped backwards kicking his foot out to dislodge the weapon from Naar's grip. The rapier went soaring before spiraling downwards and digging itself deep into the dirt next to Apolloni. Neither man bothered to notice that the guard that had been pierced through was slowly getting back up to his feet. The guard appraised the situation quickly and decided his best course of action was to leave the two men engaged in combat and remove the female.

Apolloni sensed the presence before she saw it, expeditiously twirling and striking out hard at the guard brought him to his knees due to the force of her blow. The man had her other scimitar pulled clean from his chest and was skillfully blocking her attacks with it. With a flick of his wrist, the man surged upwards letting her momentum carry her down with the weapon he had just released. He punched her savagely in the gut causing her to crumple to the floor in pain. The guard was upon her, pinning her arms and legs to the floor with his own. He briefly laid low on top of Apolloni as a fairy cage went hurtling above his head before crashing into a support pillar with a clatter.

The man looked down at her with a disturbing glean in his eyes. He licked his lips before commenting lecherously, "You will make a fine addition to my brood. Your skills and talents will be a most useful asset to me."

Apolloni struggled against the inhuman grip the man had, she stared up in disgust as he began laughing. The most notable feature was the twin scars that traveled up his cheeks from the creases of his mouth. "What are you talking about?" She spat angrily.

Noticing her keen interest on his wounds, he pried one hand loose and began nonchalantly scratching them. "You are interested in these? Would you like to know how I got these scars? Well, let me show you!"

Replacing his hand back on top of her wrist, he arched backward on top of her at an awkward angle. A sickly tearing sound began to emerge from his torso as a single line of red began to flow downward from his breast bone to his lower abdomen. Two sharp, hook claws erupted from his stomach, it ripped the small slit into a gaping hole as it pulled through a writhing mass of grey platelets and dozens of legs. A gush of hot, steaming blood poured out onto Apolloni's clothes. The creature looked at her with its multitude of eyes, taking in every facet of her being. It clicked mandibles with anticipation, its long forked tongue slithering in and out of its circular maw.

Ganondorf went sailing past them before recovering and bounding back with a deadly bolt of malevolent energy that crackled through the air only to be dispersed by a tower shield that Naar summoned at the last second. Neither Apolloni nor the guard paid any heed to the commotion around them. Her attention was rapt on the disgusting creature that was slowly forcing itself out of the man's stomach.

What was worse, she spied a similar creature further up the torn laceration, implanted into the guard's life system. It had taken residence in the center of his ribcage where the man's heart and lungs should be. Each of its multitudes of legs was attached to various veins, arteries and nervous system threads. It was utilizing itself as the central life node of its host, gorging on the man's blood with every pump through its own hideous body. Both abominations glared at Apolloni with their beady, bulbous eyes.

The guard slumped his head down at an unnatural angle, his eyes slightly off kilter, staring at her unsettlingly. "What a delicious snack you will make! And when I'm finished with you, your body will make a perfect host for another of my brood." The man cackled as the pulsing creature inside chittered.

A dawning horror settled on Apolloni as she realized what this creature did. The scar trailing up the commandeered husk's cheeks was the entry point for the monster. It appeared that it got into his body through there and wiggled its way down into his chest before eating his heart and lungs, once finished, it proceeded to embed itself into the man's system and control him. The secondary creature was probably a result of some egg it implanted into the host body; to gestate, mature and in time, find a new host and propagate its species without anyone being the wiser.

In a flash, the insect-like demon flung itself from the gaping wound and skewered its twin talons deep into Apolloni's mouth, one on each side. She shrieked at the pain of it which caused a slight interruption to the battle raging just meters from them. Ganondorf slammed a fist into Naar's chest causing the man to fly backwards from the force of the blow. Naar blasted a gust of wind out to cushion the impact on a nearby structure beam as he crashed into it, splitting it crudely in half, causing some of the tent canvas above to cave in.

Ganondorf was determining just what it was he was seeing. The seemingly dead man they had killed earlier was hovering over Apolloni with his chest cavity open with an attached abomination clicking in delight at its prey. A second creature was already at her mouth, splitting its two sharp talons into four as it slowly spread her lips wider; big enough for it to shove itself inside. Small beads of red began to form around the creases of her mouth as the creature continued to stretch her mouth wider. It was only a matter of seconds before it snapped her neck from the extension and it would be all over and it would have free reign to slither down her throat.

Lunging forward with a precise discharge of malicious energy, Ganondorf splattered the bug across the dirt. Its internal viscera writhing on the ground as bloody clumps of flesh and legs went spiraling through the air. Taking the opening, Apolloni kneed the man in the groin forcing a release of pressure on her wrists. She promptly brought her legs in through his and wrapped them around his waist. Both the creature and its host looked down at what she was doing with blank stares. Pressing her hands into the ground above her head, she spun in a circle flinging the body towards Ganondorf.

The Gerudo king smacked the disgusting demon aside, the body rolled on the ground several times before resting by the feet of Naar. The general looked down at the clattering monster, watching it swiftly detach itself from the severed arteries and nervous cords. It skittered away, attempting to quickly find another host. Naar apparated a piece of jagged steel before plunging it down into the center of the creature's mass. Channeling inner energy and letting it flow down the metal, it exploded within the vile creature causing it to spray guts and fresh blood everywhere.

The battle had gone relatively unnoticed among the other members of the camp due to the cacophony permeating around them. Naar was panting from the exertion of battle. Never had he faced another opponent worthy of him. However, this…thing had spoiled his mood for combat. Without withdrawing the sword from the corpse lying at his feet, he looked up at Ganondorf, "Did you have anything to do with this?"

Helping the stunned Apolloni up to her feet, Ganondorf briefly examined the wounds on either side of her mouth before turning to Naar. "Unfortunately I cannot take credit for this aberration." He smirked. Naar scowled at the humor. "You really should be choosing better friends with you on your campaign. It is clear to me that you have been compromised from the start."

Vaporizing the steel into black mist, Naar walked over to his throne (one of the few things left unscathed) and plopped himself unceremoniously into it. Raising one leg over the armrest, he leaned back before appraising his visitors. "What do you mean?"

Leisurely sitting back down on the bench, now fractured in half, Ganondorf began casually wiping the flesh and entrails off his armor and clothes. "You have no doubt heard about the insurrection down south in your capital? I'd be a fool if I did not believe you had messengers who could have given this information to you by now."

Naar steeled his eyes against the Gerudo king's; there was no trace of bluffing. "Let me guess, you had a hand in that?" He knew better than to get angry, keeping his temper in check was the smartest choice in this situation.

"Indeed." Ganondorf drawled. "Your high priest Barrachas was a demon from the old world."

Naar stared blankly at the two of them, churning the news over in his mind. "What?"

Ganondorf scoffed, "You seriously were not aware of his true nature? It became quite apparent when he transformed your two imbecilic commanders into a monstrosity that I had to put down."

Naar's eyes flashed, "Do not insult my nephews! They may be stupid and sometimes worthless, but they were still kin. Explain yourself, why kill them?"

"Please, stop the bluster." Ganondorf sneered, "If I had wanted to fight you, I would have killed you long before now. Blowing you to tiny pieces of atoms is child's play."

"Then why keep me, if you are so powerful?" Naar smirked, there was clearly more at play here than what appeared on the surface.

Crossing one leg over the other, Ganondorf leaned forward with a grin. Apolloni, at a cue, melded in with the shadows of the tent, "Well, let me first answer your question. Barrachas had turned your two nephews into a combined demon that wouldn't die easily nor could be controlled. There was no choice but to put them out of their misery."

Naar simply nodded his head, "Understandable. So why come here to 'warn' me? Are you not the very Gerudo king who put in place that infernal barrier between our two countries? The very same barrier that has blocked our way into the Temple of Time for the past seven cycles? Am I not your enemy?"

Ganondorf chortled before responding, "All valid questions. Yes, it was I, in pledging Gerudo allegiance to the Hylian king, I offered up my services in protecting their nation from further attacks from Nevachrea."

"Something tells me you were not fully self-sacrificing with this bargain." Naar smirked, resting his hand on his fist.

Ganondorf smiled, "Indeed, it was merely a way to get access to their vaults, their treasuries and ultimately into the Temple of Time. What better way to secure what I want than to be a friend to those who have it?"

"It seems we are seeking a common goal after all." Naar commented deliberately, "However, as I suspect you've already learned, that goal cannot be shared amongst two people."

"The Triforce. It not only is sought after by Link and his ragtag band of rebels, but also by demons of the ancient world." Ganondorf confirmed with a glint in his eye, he could tell he was reaching through to Naar's reasoning.

"And also sought after by you and me." Naar added.

"Undeniably." Ganondorf stated flatly, never taking his eyes off Naar's.

"So why come to me? To strike another deal? Your faithful witches have made it quite clear they want the Triforce as well, even betraying their own king to get to it. What kind of king are you that you cannot control your own subjects?" Naar simpered as the intended reaction revealed itself on the Gerudo king's face.

"They are troublesome meddlers, have been for centuries now. They will get their coming due soon enough." Ganondorf growled.

"So both of us know only one can claim the Triforce, the question remains: why come to me? Why did you let Nevachrea gain a foothold into Hyrule?" Naar's dark eyes stared intently at them. Apolloni shivered under his gaze, Ganondorf merely shrugged it off.

He clenched a fist involuntarily, "It was that blasted boy, Link. The two witches claimed he came from the future and I'm inclined to believe them. He knew exactly what my plan was that day and foiled everything. I was thrown into jail and left to rot. There was no way I was going to claim prosperity for my people in there."

"So you deliberately lowered the barrier, thus setting the stage for our invasion." Naar clapped his hands mockingly. "Brilliant. Just brilliant. You let the entire country of Hyrule fall just for the sake of possibly gaining access through the turmoil this war would cause?"

"Yes!" Ganondorf boomed. "I would do anything for my people, even if it meant the death of everyone else!" His eyes flashing dangerously.

Naar cocked his head, amused at this turn of events, "And what's in it for me? My overall goal is also the Triforce. You would still be my enemy by going after it."

Regaining his composure, Ganondorf placed both feet on the ground and leaned forward once more. "Why? What overall goal are you trying to accomplish? My goal is for the benefit of my people, to relieve them of the trappings of the desert and into a better life. What do you fight for?"

Naar ruminated in silence for a time before raising his eyes to meet Ganondorf's, "I fight for the family I had lost, for my sister who was stolen from me by Hyrule's king."

"Admirable. Was this the king I pledged allegiance to? Harkinian?" Ganondorf queried slyly.

Naar shook his head slightly, "No, the father. He was the one who took my sister to be his stolen wife after splitting our country asunder and bankrupting it from the inside. Hyrule had taken everything away from us, including our slaves. I never knew what happened to her child."

Ganondorf's ears perked up at this morsel of information, "Child? Your sister brought a Nevachrean born child into Hyrule?"

"No, she was still pregnant at the time. We were set to attack almost five orbits later. That was when Barrachas finally convinced me of his plan and gave us our abilities." Naar explained. He forcefully shook his head to eradicate his brooding thoughts, "What does it matter? So, you staged an entire invasion just so you could have an opportunity to acquire the Triforce."

"Call it…" Ganondorf mused for a moment, "removing game pieces off the board before they become a nuisance. You help me and I help you."

"How can I trust you won't betray me?" Naar clucked sarcastically.

"You can't." Ganondorf stated matter-of-factly. "You can always trust those who betray others to betray you. It's the ones that are seemingly truthful that you have to watch out for, for they can do some incredibly stupid things."

"Agreed." Naar smiled. "So let's say we work together in narrowing the playing field. Do we then fight to the death for the chance at the Triforce?"

"It seems the fairest thing to do." The Gerudo king laughed.

After a time of thought, Naar proposed the idea, "The original deal with the witches had us allowing Link to acquire the Kokiri Emerald and the Goron Ruby. Do we do anything different?" Naar knew better than to show his hand right away, best to let his opponent reveal everything first and react to that.

"I believe nothing should change the existing deal, but rather we make adjustments to the endgame of it." At Naar's inquisitive look, Ganondorf continued, "I have lived with them for a time and I know what their ultimate plans are for stealing the Zora Sapphire from you and entering the Temple of Time. Let's talk about how we can turn their plans to our favor. When it's down to just you and me, we can officially call our deal off. Agreed?"

"You are very cunning, I will give you that." The imposing general guffawed.

The two men talked late into the night. Apolloni had fallen asleep on her feet when Ganondorf woke her. They left silently into the dark, surreptitiously avoiding contact with the rest of the army. After they had gone, Naar couldn't stop grinning.


	75. Chapter 74 - Sins of the Father

**Chapter 74 - Sins of the Father**

"You are a courageous young man."

These were the last words spoken to him nearly two moons ago by Zelda's father, Harkinian. He remembered the meeting vividly, as if it only happened moments ago. Link was packing his rucksack for the journey ahead. He was partially worried how the inclusion of Cayla would affect their plans for acquiring the Goron Ruby. He didn't altogether trust the Sheikah, having grown so accustomed to Impa during his long cycles with the Gerudo. It appeared the feeling was mutual. She barely let Zelda out of her sight and preferred to step in whenever they tried to have a conversation.

Saria had visited him only once since their last encounter on his recovery bed. She seemed almost shy and coy around him, rarely looking him in the eye. Did she feel guilty for what she had done to him while he was immobilized in bed? He had consented to the act and felt perfectly at peace with his decision to help prolong the Kokiri race, despite the unusual nature of their mating. The last few days before setting forth, Saria had kept to Darunia's chambers and spent many nights regaling stories and telling fine jokes to which everyone in the outer hall could hear the Goron king's boisterous laughter. No one really knew where Nabooru spent her days.

For the remainder of his time in the Goron refugee camp deep in the heart of the Xaagar mountain range, he spent it alone in his chamber that they had set aside for him. It wasn't extraordinarily fancy, but it suited his needs well. It wasn't any larger than a half dozen paces across and a dozen paces deep. It had an inset alcove with furs and blankets for his bed and a simple table complete with stool and sputtering lantern. There were a scant few tapestries hung up to give some degree of decorum to the room, but it was clear that the Gorons were more interested in functionality than visual stimulation at this point.

It was clear to Link that his belongings were tampered with during his stay with the Gorons. All of his gear was completely out of place. He suspected Cayla but made no mention of his accusations whenever she was nearby, her true colors would show soon enough on the trail he figured. Her partner familiar, Sasha, was far more agreeable and easy to get along with. She was consistently the only person who bothered to visit him since his full recovery.

"What's that mask for?" A voice behind startled him, making him jump with unease. It was freaky how quickly a Sheikah could sneak up on him without even being aware that they were there. Sasha emerged from the shadows, a big smile on her face as she looked upon him. She leaned slightly over, her head cocked teasingly as she looked on the scene with Link fumbling with the vile mask; trying in vain to stuff it back into the bag.

"I'm honestly not sure." He said truthfully, blushing slightly. Giving up on any pretense of hiding it, he let the mask sit there, its bloodshot eyes boring holes into them both. He could hear the seductive whispers but promptly ignored them. "Some loon gave me the mask."

Idly scratching the scars at the edges of her lips, she gazed down at the hideous mask. Its swirling colors of reds and purples seemingly drawing her in. "Then why carry it? Why not just get rid of it?" She grilled.

Link shrugged his shoulders, giving the mask an askance look, "I don't know. I guess I feel that there is something important about it. I'm worried about keeping it with me, but on the other hand, I'm more worried about what would happen if I abandoned it."

"May I hold it?" Sasha asked nonchalantly.

It seemed such an innocent question, but something inside Link screamed at him and it wasn't Navi this time. With a look of mistrust, he hastily stuffed it into his rucksack, making sure he dug deep to rest the mask at the very bottom of his clothes and provisions. He breathed a small sigh when his hand touched the other mask, the one where he couldn't feel malevolent energies emanating from it all the time. He turned awkwardly to Sasha, "No, I'm sorry. It was entrusted to me. I should be the one who must bear the burden of possessing it."

Sasha looked pained but the feeling passed from her face like ripples across water. "I understand, I get sentimental to items and objects and refuse to let them go despite common sense." Link began to shake his head, it wasn't that. Sasha ignored his protest and kept going, "Well, if you ever-"

Their conversation was cut short when Zelda popped her head in, "Link? Are you in here?" Her face brightening upon seeing him, she strolled into the room. Sasha shot her a scowl that went completely unnoticed. Following closely on her heels was Cayla. The two Sheikah shared a look before Sasha got the hint that it was her turn to leave. Quietly slipping into the shadows, Sasha left them.

"Are you busy?" Zelda chimed cheerily.

Link looked her up and down; she truly seemed ready for the rough journey ahead. They had outfitted her with furred trousers and a long sleeve garment that was to be worn underneath a fluffy fur coat. Her boots were of the finest leathers and Dodongo hides, quite expensive indeed.

Where they were going, it was cold and they expected blizzard conditions, they had to be prepared for anything. Underneath her trousers were most likely thin, cotton leggings. They had planned to strip their cold weather gear for warm underneath once they reached the dragon's domain, which Darunia confirmed was to be broiling hot.

"No." Link stated flatly, his mind still on the conversation with Sasha. The quiet communique between Cayla and her did not go unnoticed by him. "I was just finishing up my packing. You seem to be ready for the road."

She beamed. "Yep! Oh…my father said he wants a word with you before we leave today."

Link scrunched his nose at the prospect. King Harkinian never did fully like Link back when he was a young, honorary Knight Templar to the Hyrule royal guard. He was ever watchful of his interactions with Zelda but never understood why, they were just children then. "What does he want?" His tone indicating great distaste to the idea of visiting with the king.

Cayla stepped forward, "You will respect your king boy! If he asks anything of his subjects, then they are to obey without question." Her tone was deadly.

Before Zelda could respond, Link bounced back, "I was a child of the forest long before I was ever a citizen of Hyrule. I claim the great Deku Tree as my king." He smirked as he spouted the last sentence.

"And the great Deku Tree is dead." Cayla shot back venomously.

"You have quite the temper for a Sheikah. Is that normal for your race or is Impa an exception?" He folded his arms casually, leaning back slightly to get a better look at the veins popping at Cayla's temples.

Zelda almost had to put a hand out to stay her de facto guardian from going on an all-out assault on Link. "I think that's enough. We've all been through a great upheaval recently. I just found out my father has been alive this whole time with the rest of the Sheikah and Gorons. You all found out I was alive with Link and the others. It was a lot to take in. We're all just rattled. Let's step back and take a deep breath."

As if on command, Cayla did as she was told. Zelda truly wondered if Cayla was even aware of her true purpose as a guardian of the Royal Family or was Impa one of the few Sheikah who still recalled why they existed? Making sure one last time that Cayla would stay her ground, she turned to Link exasperated, "I really don't know. He wouldn't tell me," with a small smile on her face, "even after all my probing. I guess being his daughter still doesn't give me privileges in knowing state secrets. He only wanted to talk to you."

"Just me?" He stared at her blankly.

"No other." She nodded, confirming the statement.

He sighed heavily, "Fine. I'll go. I'm done packing anyway. Are we still leaving by mid noon?"

Bowing her head in assent, she turned to walk towards the chamber entrance, "As far as I know, yes. Go meet with the king and then come to the eastern passage by the dining hall. We'll wait for you there." She gave him her special smile she reserved just for him before pivoting and walking regally out the door, Cayla followed swiftly and was gone.

Link shook his head. Ever since being back with her father and the royal guard, the Sheikahs, Zelda started to regain some of her regal bearing. She'd never admit it, but she truly did feel at home with the royal life. That was something he was never going to be comfortable with, it didn't jive with him the first time and it would not the second time or any other time. Hefting the pack onto his back, being careful to loop his wings through the straps, he trotted out of the chamber.

It felt good to stretch his wings again, they had been so concerned with looking ordinary and normal that the group thought it best to strap his appendages to his back and cover them with a heavy cloak. It was understandable for such drastic measures when they were traveling across the plains northwards to the Xaagar range, when they were still within eyesight of the column of soldiers spreading out westward towards Hyrule. Since hitting the foothills and beyond, Link felt it ridiculous to keep up the ruse. He knew his wings were startlingly white, but they weren't that bright, were they?

Several Gorons greeted him as he walked past. Their stares were amicable, but they were rather enthralled at his glorious set of feathers. They had never seen the like. Swiftly scampering past them, it was all Link could do to avoid their pawing hands. Every Goron wanted to see what it was made of and if they could replicate it somehow through metalwork. He laughed off their offers to examine his plumage more closely, he wasn't exactly sure if they were dead serious or not. He hurriedly jogged down the pathway and darted down another tunnel.

Before long, he reached the inner mountain where Darunia and Harkinian kept their quarters. Link cricked his neck to the side, hearing a satisfying pop as he did so. He looked over at his right wing and reached over to massage the odd shaped lump in it. It looked like a mass of flesh had recently grown over something soft and meaty. Every time he pushed into it, it stung something fierce. No feathers seemed to grow around the object. Just what did the Sheikah do to heal him? Was this the result of such treatment?

Letting the wing go, he furled them behind his back, something he was quite happy with learning how to do several moons ago. He hated how they had always stretched out further than his shoulders, forcing him into an awkward gait. It was not until recently that he had managed to gain more control over the muscles in his extra limbs to contort the wings in different forms and shapes. If he concentrated hard enough, he could have both wings curled up behind without having to tie them up all the time.

He raised his fist and rapped on the doorway several times. A mild voice allowed him entrance. Link opened the door a crack before slowly pushing it all the way open. He stepped in a bit unsure of himself. The last time he was in the presence of the king, it was seven cycles ago. A day before he left the castle…and Zelda. "You called for me, your highness?" Link spoke hesitantly, slightly bowing at his last words.

The king waved irritably for him to come closer, "Never you mind the formalities! You don't have to put up a pretense of being a subject of Hyrule." He laughed scornfully at himself, "Hmph, a country with a wretched king who did nothing but run and hide. Some leader I turned out to be."

Harkinian drifted off into thought as many things swirled through his mind. Stroking his brown beard just barely tinged with flecks of grey, he was dimly aware Link was still standing at his side, arms clasped behind him ceremoniously. "Bags boy!" The king drew up a chair and placed a forceful hand on Link's shoulder and pressed him down into the chair. "I said to stop being formal! I am no king to you, let alone to this country."

Link was slightly taken aback at this turn of events. He didn't quite expect the king to be so self-deprecating. "Sir, I don't think that is true. You brought the nation together after many years of war."

Harkinian gave him a doubtful look, "Yes, peace after the war with Nevachrea, but at what cost? We made a deal with a villain to secure that peace! I trust you are aware that the Gerudo were responsible for the barrier separating Hyrule from Nevachrea?" Link nodded. The king pressed on, "My father was king of Hyrule for far longer than any man should have to retain kingship, living well into his eighties. I was on the throne for barely thirteen cycles when this current war broke out." His face was haggard as he slunk deeper into the oak throne.

Link sat silently, not sure what to say. He only knew Harkinian as king all his life. He had never considered the fact that he was a relatively new ruler in comparison to Hyrule's long history of kings. Not content to let Link mull it over, Harkinian looked him directly in the eye and spoke openly, "Do you even realize what this entire war is all about?"

"I remember Impa telling me that it dealt with an agreement between our two countries. They provide us slaves to help build up our infrastructure while we provide goods and supplies they needed to rebuild their flailing country." Link admitted.

Harkinian nodded his head, "That is part of the story, yes. Did you know our country of Hyrule was only founded not even 500 cycles ago?" Link's eyes went wide. The king grinned but dismissed Link's surprise, "There is a secret passed down through the Royal Family that our country was inherited from a race of beings that used to live in the sky. Whether our people were once part of that great culture is unknown to me. I am only the ninth king in succession to ascend to the throne."

With a grimace he surged onward, "My father was a very despotic man. He used the bargaining agreement with Nevachrea to get what he truly sought after." After a brief pause to gauge whether Link had guessed the reason, he spoke, "The Sheikah."

Link's mouth dropped at the revelation, "The slaves? What was so special about them? Weren't they always like that, living in Nevachrea serving others?"

Harkinian shook his head, "No, my dear Link. The Sheikah were always bound to Hyrule. There was a great war even before my time between us and several other countries, including Nevachrea. The reason for that war still eludes me. The current king of Hyrule made a treaty with Nevachrea in return for their aid to fend off the other warring nations. They accepted the Sheikah as payment to help rebuild their country, which was utterly devastated during the war."

"It wasn't until my father learned of the Sheikah that he devised a most hideous plan. He staged a war in our own country and razed most of it to the ground. It provided a justifiable excuse to beseech the growing nation of Nevachrea to return the Sheikah to help rebuild and defend the people of Hyrule in exchange for our blossoming wealth and bounty. The current ruler, Naar, agreed to the pact and thus the deception began."

Link's stunned face explained his feelings, "Why would he resort to such abhorrent tactics?"

The king gave Link a wry grin, "I told you, he was a tyrant. He felt the Sheikah were the property of the Hylian royal family. They had served as retainers for them in the past. He felt he was just reclaiming what was already rightfully his. What was most unfortunate was what he did after all the Sheikah returned home to Hyrule…"

The king gave a heavy sigh. He learned over the table next to them and poured a pitcher of cold tea into two goblets. He offered one to Link who took the drink with deference. After taking a sip, he continued his story. "Naar had a half-sister whom the king took a great liking to. Seeing as how my mother died during childbirth with me, my father had no queen to call his own. One night, on the eve of the betrayal, he swept south to Glaun'rung, their capital, with a legion of soldiers. They razed the city to the ground and stole her away, thus ending the pact between our two nations and causing their economy to collapse due to sudden lack of Hylian support."

"So this war Naar is raging against us is more personal than just a simple matter of politics and bargains between countries." Link began to piece it together. "Naar feels slighted at having his Sheikah taken away by deceit, his country collapsing, but above all his sister stolen from him."

The king huffed back a chuckle, "Slighted is a mild term for it. If there is one part of Nevachrean culture that you must learn, family is everything. Children are a blessing and are to be treasured. I suspect he also lost his family in the attack."

Link listlessly scratched an itch on his arm as he churned the information over in his mind. "From what I've seen of their culture, they don't seem to care either way about family or children." He suddenly recalled his experience with Ingo and Francis and their relationship with their offspring. "On second thought, I do understand what you mean. The majority of citizens of that country are very family oriented. It is those in the army and under Naar's leadership that are not."

"Yes." Harkinian said dryly, "So you can then understand the reasoning why the theft of his very own sister meant so much to Naar. What was worse was the sister was swollen with child. I remember, for I was there when my father and his men returned from their raid carrying what was to be my new mother. Zelda's grandmother. So you see Link, there are valid reasons why he declared war on Hyrule."

"But that alone does not justify his actions!" Link exclaimed.

"No." The king shook his head languidly, "It does not. I agree with you. But you must understand that there is no bargaining with the man, no reasoning with him. You have no leverage to make any sort of treaty with him or his people. You have no choice but to kill him."

Link sighed exasperated, raising a hand out towards the entrance of the chamber, "You've seen how they cannot die easily. Naar is no common soldier, he has magick at his disposal and Goddesses knows what else! Furthermore, you are wrong." Harkinian raised an eyebrow at his accusation but did not comment, allowing the youth to continue. "When we liberated Glaun'rung from the clutches of their regime, the people were glad and grateful for our presence in rebuilding their city."

The king raised a finger, "Yes, the common folk. They no doubt harbor no ill will towards us, but that does little to aid our current situation when a vast army pulled from the far corners of the world filled with the dead bodies of the fallen. The more victims that fall to their blades, the more are enlisted into their numbers. I do not yet know how they are able to do this."

Link's face brightened a bit. This was something he could enlighten the king about. He reached around and searched in his rucksack and pulled out the white haired mask they had found in Glaun'rung. "Harkinian, we found this in their vile temple. We believe this is what gives them their immortality."

The king took the proffered mask and examined it over, "And with this gone, they are now mortal?" He asked dubiously.

"No." Link answered gravely. "See those shaving marks on its face? We believe these are the cause of their unnatural revivals. Unless this is removed or we destroy them outright, we cannot win. Without this mask however, they simply can't make any more undying soldiers."

Harkinian handed the mask back to be placed into Link's bag. He sat back in his throne defeated. "Well that is little consolation here. Regardless," He took in a breath to resume his account, "before his death, he made a deal with the Gerudo in exchange for sealing Nevachrea off from everyone. It wasn't until after his death that I ascended to the throne. My singular goal was to unite the people of the neighboring nations and for a time, a great peace fell upon Hyrule for the first time in centuries. It wasn't to last however, Ganondorf had come to Hyrule to rehash the details of the agreement made with my father. That was when you came in and revealed his treachery. For that, I am thankful."

"Hmph, much good it did. Because of that one action, the barrier fell." Link asserted angrily, he began to wonder if that was coincidental or deliberately done.

The king clasped his fingers together as he considered the youth, "Would the alternative have been any less unpleasant? You did what you felt was right. So what do you propose to do now once you acquire the Goron Ruby?"

"Well, we already have the ocarina that Impa gave me before we left Glaun'rung." The king nodded for him to continue, "Saria has the Kokiri Emerald still in her possession, and soon we will secure the Goron Ruby. All that is left is to infiltrate Naar's camp and take the Zora Sapphire."

"In the heart of darkness, I presume? That will be no easy task." Harkinian established. "I assume you already have a plan in place with regards to how you'll accomplish this feat?"

Link nodded enthusiastically, "We do your highn-, I mean Harkinian. Once the Goron Ruby is secure, we head westward to Kakariko to meet up with-"

The king raised a single palm for Link to stop. "That is enough, the fewer who know about this course of action, the less the liability. I, for one, do not wish to be the weak link should I become captured at any point."

Link couldn't find fault in the king's logic. They sat there, staring at each other, ruminating over the awkward silence between them. After a nervous sip of the sweet tea, Link set down the cup before addressing Harkinian again. "Sir? Is there anything else you wanted to speak to me about?"

With a subtle shake of his head, the king waved a hand to see the youth off, "No Link. I merely wanted to make sure you understood the full ramifications of the ideology and reasoning behind why we are in this war. It would do no good in sending off any of my subjects to their possible deaths without at least giving them the knowledge of what they were fighting for."

Link bowed his head as he stood up and prepared to leave. "You are most gracious in that respect. By your leave." He bowed again and hoisted the sack over his shoulder before turning to the door.

The king called him back one last time, Link turned his head to look into the intensely blue eyes of Harkinian. "You are a courageous young man." With a smile and a nod, Link shut the door behind him and went to join the others for the expedition.

* * *

><p>A hand startled him out of his reverie. Zelda's touch was calm and soothing to his taut nerves. "Are you all right Link?"<p>

Link smiled at her, "I'm all right." His expression turned grim as he turned his attention to the billowing winds that whipped around their capes and fur hoods. Their ultimate destination was nearly a click away across a great ravine and up on the opposing mountain side. The blizzard made it near impossible to make out. "There is no way we are going to reach the other side tonight." He sighed tiredly.

Zelda glanced off up the snowy slope to Cayla, who was watching them keenly from a respectful distance. Further up were Nabooru trailed by Darunia who was carrying a quivering bundle of blankets and furs. Saria was absolutely miserable in this weather and could not walk for long periods of time, let alone fly in this madness. Darunia took it upon himself to carry the weakened Kokiri for the remainder of that day.

"It looks like they've found some sort of cleft overhang where we might camp for the night." She gently pulled on his bulky sleeve in hopes of nudging him to walk beside her up the incline.

Giving the cavern maw across the fissure one last glance, he turned to face the rest of the group. Sure enough, Darunia was sliding some boulders into place near the overhang to prepare more cover from the biting winds. Link turned to his right and patted Xavier on the shoulder glibly, "Nothing really phases you does it Xavier?" Link laughed.

"This 'old got nothin' on me!" The Cyn'Taak barked.

He gave Zelda one last look before striking up a good pace to keep up with the others, "Let's rest tonight. We'll tackle the dragons hopefully tomorrow." She returned the look but could see he was anxious. They didn't have a firm plan yet of how they'd be able to get the Goron Ruby from their lair without being detected. There was nothing to do but sleep on the problem that night.


	76. Chapter 75 - Campfire Stories

**Chapter 75 - Campfire Stories**

"Link, would you please place my mat over there by the larger rock?" Zelda requested, pointing in the general direction of the alcove just past the passage that led deeper into the cave.

"Of course Zelda." Link said with a smile. Grabbing the two bedrolls, he carried them over to the indicated section of the floor and with a flourish unfurled them next to each other. This was their third night on their journey. To think they would make it all the way to the fissure bordering the mountain that was the dragons' lair in three days time was quite remarkable. He honestly thought it would have been further away.

A scuffle at the entrance directed his attention. Cayla was obtrusively trying her best to make her way around the bulk of Xavier who was blocking the entrance to the cave. She shot an irritated look over at Link before exasperatingly asking, "Would you mind telling your pet to move?"

A low growl emitted from Xavier as she gave a death glare to the Sheikah. "I 'o where I 'ant!" She rebuked.

Link laughed which infuriated Cayla more, "Xavier is not my pet. She is…" He gave her a strange look, just what exactly was Xavier to him? He didn't quite know what type of relationship he had with the beast, friendship maybe?

Zelda stepped in to help with a smile, "Our adopted child." At this, Xavier lumbered over and gave Zelda a rather alarming hug complete with talons coming dangerously close to piercing her soft skinned arms. A slimy tongue lathered itself through her golden hair as Cayla scrunched her nose in disgust. Zelda had to admit, she didn't quite know why Xavier was so affectionate to her in this way; Xavier never bothered to show Link this type of fondness. "That's enough now Xavier." Zelda implored meekly, gently pushing the loving brute away.

"If any 'arm comes to my 'arents," Xavier paused for effect, "I will kill 'hem!" She finished with finality. Completely content with her point being made, the Cyn'Taak scampered over to the far side opposite the passage leading deeper into the mountain and slumped to the ground. She curled up in a crescent shape and watched the others with languid interest.

Slightly taken aback by the casual nature of the creature's statement, Cayla stated flatly, "I can assure you that my primary goal is to keep your…mother safe."

Darunia stepped up behind Zelda, pressing a firm hand on her shoulder. She looked over up at him, he smiled down with a huge grin. "Not even been with a man and already with a child? You are quite the scandalous one, aren't you Princess Zelda?" Cayla smoldered at the Goron king for his bold nature, he merely gave her a devious look. He glanced over at the relaxing Cyn'Taak with interest, "Although I've certainly never seen a beast quite like her. You probably would do well to pick a better father next time Zelda."

Both Darunia and Link laughed at this joke as Zelda cried out in shock at the indecent ribbing at her expense. She stormed off to her bedroll, slamming her pack down next to it and violently rummaging through it, for what she didn't know quite yet. Cayla strode over to her charge and knelt down to assist in any way she could. Zelda furious with her company at the moment, viciously shook off the comforting hand of her Sheikah guardian. Cayla looked hurt but stepped back and said nothing.

Shrugging his shoulders, Link turned to Darunia, "How is Saria?"

Darunia motioned him over as they walked past Xavier to the bundle of furs and covers lying on the floor. A pair of eyes peeked out from underneath the folds, "Is the fire made yet?" She squeaked.

Darunia laughed heartily, "Not yet little one, but it will be soon enough." Still chuckling softly to himself, he unbuckled the hammer strapped to his back and set the massive weapon up against the wall with a dull clunk.

Both men walked over to Nabooru in great humor. The Gerudo had been mostly quiet up to this point. She was sitting cross-legged next to the meager amount of tinder they were able to bring with them on the journey. She was busily setting a fire utilizing two sticks but having little success with the endeavor. Frustrated, she tossed the sticks away from her with a shout.

Link squatted down next to the ravishing, desert beauty. Despite loving Malon, he still caught his breath when he looked at Nabooru. He could clearly see where Malon got her looks from and it wasn't her father. She jerked her head at him, giving him a mad glare. "How does anyone get anything to light with two wooden sticks? It's absurd! We have flint stones for starting fire, not two pieces of dry wood!"

Link smiled at her gently, "Mind if I try?" He asked, holding a palm out for the two sticks.

With a huff, she raised herself up and picked up the sticks and slapped them into his hand with a click of her tongue. "By all means."

With the deftness from years of training, he got to work on the two sticks. Darunia looked over with interest as Link rubbed the smaller stick between his palms furiously, each rotation of the wood drew smoke in the groove set in the larger stick. Within moments, he had a small flicker of flame lick the bottom of the wood. He set small bits of kindling across the base which quickly caught fire. As the flames grew brighter, he placed larger tinder on the base of the fire. After a few minutes, a roaring blaze was heating up the interior of the alcove, melting any snow that dared enter that far into the cave.

"I hate you." Nabooru snorted, crossing her arms with aggravation.

Link looked shocked at her statement, stepping back before placing a hand to his chest. "You hate me? Is it because I can start a fire or because I'm in love with your daughter?"

"Link," Nabooru sighed, "I'd rather Malon be with a Gerudo man, but knowing that Ganondorf is an asshole, I'd rather her be with you than anyone else." Both Link and Darunia sniggered at the comment, but she pressed on ignoring their immaturity with a roll of her eyes. "Despite that, I hate the fact you could make a fire I couldn't."

Saria stepped up beside Link, surprising him as she peeped up with her opinion. "I also hate the fact that you get this juvenile when you are around Darunia."

Link laughed harder as he looked down at her simmering eyes, "What are you Saria? My conscience?"

Saria scowled harshly, placing her hands on her hips, "I see no one else doing it! And it's clear I can't leave you two men alone, you'd get into all sorts of trouble without me!"

Darunia slapped a hand on Link's back, making him lurch forward awkwardly before regaining balance. The Goron king bursted jovially, "Nonsense Saria. He is my sworn brother and I would never let him become anything less than the outstanding, moral man he is!"

"Just like you?" Cayla scoffed as she butted in on the conversation.

Without missing a beat, Darunia rebuffed, "My fair lady, I have nothing but the utmost respect for women. If I dare see Link treat any of you with disrespect, I'll be sure to cave his head in." A look of slight horror emerged on Link's face as he looked on the Goron's impassive expression. Was he actually being serious?

"That would definitely be a change for the better." Zelda simpered as she stepped up beside the bulky Goron king, her arms crossed with regal abandon.

"Now that's not fair Zelda!" Link exclaimed, his wings wilting. "It's just that…" He looked over at Darunia for help, but saw none forthcoming. "I've never been around another man who accepted me for who I am. Ganondorf is no friend to me. He still stalked around me at Glaun'rung like I was a criminal. Ingo is nice, but certainly weird to talk to. Who else do I turn to when I have guy problems? You women? Wait…" Link back-peddled, seeing the looks on all the females, "That came out wrong."

"You can 'leep next to me 'onight." Xavier offered cheerfully.

Link shivered slightly, "I may not have a choice."

Darunia put a mentoring hand on Link's hair, "Brother, we have a saying in our culture: stop digging your grave with dull rocks."

"Indeed." Zelda agreed. "Come on Saria, let's warm ourselves by the fire and leave this peasantry behind." She bent slightly and tucked her arm under Saria's and walked her over to the fire, the Kokiri's ethereal wings beating agitatedly.

Darunia smiled warmly at Link before lightly punching Cayla in the arm as he stomped by her. The Sheikah smirked before punching back as hard as she could; cursing as she forgot how hard the Goron's arm was. Shaking her hand out, she moved over to sit beside the imposing Goron king.

"Will you at least rub out my wings tonight before I go to bed? You know I can't sleep until you do that!" Link implored sulkily.

None of the group chose to look at him, but were content to stare into the crackling flames; none except Nabooru. She gracefully walked up to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Despite having grown into a young, handsome man, Link was still almost a half foot shorter than the Gerudo elder. She pressed her head aside his before murmuring, "You could always sleep next to me Link."

He leaped back with a start, looking at her with dismay. "You are Malon's mother, and you have Talon!"

She took a finger and lightly bit it, teasing it around her lips, "But neither are here. It is not uncommon in our culture for mothers and daughters to share a lover. We would only be doing what is natural to the Gerudo."

Disgusted at the blatant display of eroticism, Link raised his lip in revulsion. "No Nabooru. That is not natural to me. You have Talon."

Saying his name again was like dumping a bucket of cold ice over her head. Glowering at him, she swept past him and towards her bedroll. She stripped off her blouse and leggings, making Link blush something fierce as he saw the naked backside of the Gerudo elder. She adroitly slipped into the fabric and wrapped herself tightly into its folds, her back to them all.

Link gingerly tip toed up to her sleeping bag and sat down beside her. After a few moments, her form visibly sagged, "Yes Link? What do you want?"

"I'm sorry if I offended you, but I'm just not used to-" Link began to apologize.

She rolled over in her bag and stared at him with her vivid, green eyes, "After seven cycles with us and you're not used to…?" She sagged further, "Nevermind Link. You don't have to say sorry. I'm just…lonely, that's all. I miss Talon…and Giana. I also miss Malon too." Nabooru added hastily, looking away briefly.

Link smiled sincerely, "You and her never did fully get along did you?"

Nabooru shook her head, "No. Not really. After the birth of Giana, she finally began to tolerate me. We never did have the connection mothers should have with their children. The one I have with Giana." She looked off at the group huddled around the fire, chatting away amicably. "It's funny, I've had several daughters before Malon and several after her, but I never felt attachment to any of them until Giana."

"Maybe it's because of the man whom you made her with?" Link offered.

Nabooru's gaze flickered back to his, "For such a young youth, you are quite insightful. You are probably right. There has been no man who made me feel the way I do than Talon. I can't readily explain why I chose to disobey all the customs of my people and be with one man and claim him as my own."

"Probably because you love him." Link stated, his expression softening.

At this, Nabooru smiled back, "Just as you love my daughter. I can see how she looks at you. She would rather die than lose you. Maybe this is what true love feels like. To be so heartsick at being far apart from the one you love." She looked back into his eyes, "I'm sorry for what I offered to you tonight Link. I should not have done it. I just miss my family. I don't even know why I volunteered to come on this mission. All for what? Some dream?"

Link cocked his head slightly at her revelation, "Dream? What are you talking about?"

A hand shot out of her bag, dismissing his question with a wave, "Nevermind. It's silly."

Link leaned closer, "Just tell me. I'm pretty sure the rest don't even want to talk to me right now, and besides, I've got time to listen!" He grinned.

A look of dread passed over her face. Her bluff to throw him off the trail of her dream was a ruse. She began to tremble uncontrollably, her teeth chattering from the sudden cold. "Please don't ask me to relive it. I'd rather I didn't." Nabooru rattled.

Link grasped the hand outstretched from the sleeping bag. Nabooru gripped his own with a vice-like hold. He stifled back a small yelp as her fingers dug deeply into his palm, her hands warm to the touch. "Ah! What is wrong Nabooru? Is it really that bad?" Link inquired uncomfortably.

Her pupils dilated as she looked up at him, her eyes seemingly staring through him. She began to speak with a small clatter to her voice. "I remember black wings, many wings encircling me, driving me insane. I see my death and the death of my daughter Giana and a horrific moon grinning at me."

Link's ears perked up at this, he leaned in close as he whispered to her tensely, "A moon? What did it look like?"

Nabooru shut her eyes as she shook her head briskly, "Evil. Its bloodshot eyes were staring into my soul. I'd rather not look at it again."

The whispers were coming back again. Link glanced over at his pack seated next to his bedroll. He couldn't see the mask from within his rucksack, but he had no doubt that it was facing him through the fabric; staring at him with its eyes. A chill went down his spine as he looked quickly away. Facing Nabooru again, he could tell she was slowly drifting off to sleep. "Nabooru?" She moaned in response. "Why don't you sleep in your clothes?" He asked trying to shake off the anxiety building in his heart.

"Hmmm?" She mumbled, "Because your clothes are cold and damp from the snow. If you sleep in a dry bedroll with them, you are going to keep that cold with you throughout the night. You let your body heat warm up your bag. Even better when you have a second person to share the body heat." She smirked happily as she reminisced something delightful before shutting her eyes.

"Huh..." Link sat back on his legs, releasing her hand. He never knew that about sleeping in cold climates. He was so used to being in warm weather that he naturally slept in his clothes to keep out the cold at night. He never considered that removing all his clothes would be warmer than having them on when they were cold and wet. He learned something new every day.

Leaving Nabooru to her rest, he pulled himself up and walked over to the rest of the group. Darunia looked back and moved aside to allow him to sit between Cayla and him. The Sheikah didn't bother to look in his direction but stared straight ahead into the flames. It was nice to be closer to the fire and feel its heat warming up his skin. Both Saria and Zelda smiled at him, seemingly all was forgiven from earlier. He breathed a sigh of relief at that.

Darunia had to shift over more as Link's wings flapped irritatingly up against his rocky backside. "Brother, can you possibly put those wings away?"

Link shifted the muscles in his back that helped contract his appendages closer to his body. They folded inwardly and straightened up vertically making it appear like he had two long white ears coming out the back of his head when viewed from the front. Saria giggled at the view, "You have white bunny ears!" She joked.

Link grimaced, "You've got wings too. Aren't they annoying for you?"

Saria shrugged, "Sometimes, but it has been so long that I'm used to them by now."

Darunia nudged Link in the ribs, possibly bruising him in the process, "That reminds me, you really ought to tell me one of these days how you got those wings brother! I'm sure it is quite the interesting story!"

Zelda visibly drooped, "Not entirely. It was quite a horrific experience." Cayla looked up to see Zelda's face noticeably shaken. Her attention skimmed over to Saria to see her knees balled up to her chin, arms wrapped around them tightly. Her wings were very still. Clearly something horrendous happened to them.

"I almost died." Link filled in the blanks. A guttural response emitted from Darunia as he shifted to look down at his sworn brother. Link pressed. "We were deep in the heart of Nevachrea, facing off against a demon. I never knew such things existed until I met the Hunger."

Cayla's eyes relaxed at this revelation, "I understand your unease. We Sheikah are also aware of such beings in this land. They are creatures of the old world. Many Humas don't even know they exist anymore since some take on the shapes of Hylians, Nevachreans or even other races, all unnaturally of course."

Saria quivered at this talk of demons, "Do all Sheikah know of such monsters? Why do they even exist?"

All eyes turned to Cayla for answers. She sighed deeply before resigning to explain, "There are stories passed down through my people that we are protectors of a greater power. The Sheikah have been involved in a great war that stretches back to the times of the Goddesses and their absence from this world, leaving the Triforce behind at the point which they departed to the heavens."

"A war between the forces of darkness and the forces of good was waged on this world, each vying for the power of the Triforce. The Goddess Hylia was the last defender and protector of the Triforce against the demon horde bent on claiming it for their vile ends. I do not know how they were defeated, but I do know the Triforce was secured away to this day behind magickal barriers now resting in the Temple of Time just outside Hyrule castle."

"Since their defeat, these demons have not been seen on this world, at the very least not by the regular populace." Cayla stopped abruptly, for she had nothing left to say. She wasn't sure just how much more she could say, given that her charge was sitting directly across from her. Did Impa even bother to tell her who she really was? What her duty was?

"Well that would explain all these blasted Nevachrean soldiers! They are demons, all of them!" Darunia grunted roughly, crossing his arms with irritation.

"That's not exactly true." Zelda gazed through the pyre at the Goron king. "We've discovered the source of their power to be a relic that they used to create their invincible army. We secured it ourselves with the help of the Gerudo and their king."

Cayla shot up onto her feet, metal baton swiftly clasped in her fist. "Then we must destroy it right away! Where is it?" She looked around at the packs. Firmly knowing it would be in Link's pack, she began making a beeline straight for his rucksack.

A flurry of movement occurred as Link used the movement of his leap to swiftly glide over to Cayla. Wings outstretched, he tackled the Sheikah to the ground. Within seconds she flipped him over, placing a firm boot on the sensitive fleshy mound on his wing. Link screamed in agony as she brought the baton up underneath his neck, her finger twitching on the button at its base that would shoot the spikes out into his skull.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now!" Cayla spat, her irises reflecting the fury in her jaded heart.

"Please stop fighting!" Saria yelled, grinding her hands at her inability to do anything to assist Link.

With one smooth motion, Darunia grabbed the Sheikah by the scruff of the neck and tore her away from Link and threw her across the cave. Nabooru was already up onto a knee, a scimitar in her hand as she watched the scuffle occur just mere meters from her sleeping position; apparently oblivious to her lack of clothing. Xavier was completely asleep and unaware of the violent proceedings. Cayla landed gracefully onto her feet and secured the baton to her belt behind her back.

"No one is to harm my sworn brother while I'm around! We made an oath to uphold each other and I will not go back on my honor while I'm still alive, even to a friend." Darunia bellowed, wrath evident in his eyes.

Jabbing a finger at Link, Cayla growled, "Then explain to me why, for seven damn cycles, you took Zelda to the Gerudo's fortress while the rest of us were to meet up with the king at Death Mountain? What did you do to Impa? What were you thinking bringing Princess Zelda into the hands of the enemy like that?" Her questions came out like daggers, her breathing heavy as her anger slowly subsided.

Link groaned as he massaged the small, odd patch on his wing. Just what in Din's forge did they do to heal his wing? Wincing in the lingering pain, he met the glare Cayla gave him, "It was not my decision to take her there." A look of incredulousness crossed the Sheikah's face. "I speak the truth, it was Impa's decision."

Cayla sputtered, "Why…why would she do that?"

Zelda stood beside Link to support him, her chest pushed out in defiance at her supposed protector. "I can attest to his words. Before leaving to rescue Link when he was captured by Naar's men, she pulled me aside and told us that when she returned, we would head for the Gerudo fortress."

Cayla stood there flabbergasted, "But I don't understand…I was her assigned sister." At a blank look from the others, she explained. "The Sheikah always traveled in pairs back then. I was the one that went with her to come get you and Malon." After a pause, "At your insistence Zelda."

A blaze of realization sparked in Link's head, "You were the Sheikah by the trees with Epona! I remember seeing you!"

Cayla nodded curtly, "I secured Malon while Impa went deeper into the camp to find you. There were more than four riders that day when you were being chased. I was sent to ward them off your trail, albeit I was unsuccessful doing so. When I returned to the agreed meeting place, none of you showed up. For seven long cycles, I had no idea if my sister was dead! I had no idea if Princess Zelda or any of you were captured, killed or worse! We were imprisoned in the mountains fighting a losing battle for seven cycles, without word from anyone about our friends, families, or the state of the war. You have no idea what we've been through…what I've been through."

Zelda's countenance melted as she made an attempt to reach out to the hurting Sheikah. Cayla brushed her off and moved towards the entrance of the cave. Looking out on the snowy landscape, she ignored the buffeting winds assailing her face with stinging snow. Zelda asked meekly, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to patrol. Make sure it's safe." Cayla stated monotonously before striding out into the whiteness. She was gone.

Darunia heaved an odd sound before rumbling over to his corner of the cave. "I do understand where she is coming from, for I was there with her. The war hasn't affected me as badly as it has her, but we are all feeling the strain of being stuck in these mountains fighting an impossible enemy." Sighing, he looked out after the Sheikah but saw nothing but swirling white. "There's nothing for it now, she'll be back on her own time. Let's just get some rest for tonight."

Saria gave both Link and Zelda a weak smile before cuddling up next to Xavier for the night. Like a bad habit, the Cyn'Taak absently wrapped its tail around the Kokiri while moving slightly so Saria could nuzzle back up into her stomach. Seeing that the immediate danger had passed, Nabooru sheathed her scimitar and rolled herself back into her bag and was promptly asleep within minutes.

Zelda followed Link towards their sleeping rolls, her eyes lingering on the passage leading deeper into the cave. "Say, Darunia." Zelda began. The Goron kept his eyes closed but grunted in response. "What is beyond that passage behind you?" She asked.

The king opened his eyes and glanced briefly down the dark corridor before settling back down to his sleeping position. "Nothing much there but a freshwater spring. I guess you could bathe there if you want, but no idea what lives in that water." He chuckled a bit before going silent.

"Come on Zelda." Link gently took her by the hand and helped Zelda to her bedroll.

Zelda beamed warmly at him as she established herself next to her bedroll. Link politely turned away and began switching into his night clothes, asking for help from Zelda only to unzip his upper tunic so he could remove it from around his wings. He usually slept half nude above the waist because of the awkwardness of his appendages, but was considering putting on a shirt Malon had made specifically for his nightwear because of the cold. Remembering what Nabooru had said earlier, he decided it best to maintain the status quo keeping his tights on.

He had just situated himself into his bag. Lying on his stomach since any other position was rather uncomfortable given his new additions. After a few moments of silence and some loud snoring from Darunia, he felt the familiar hands of Zelda gently massaging the bones that ran along the tops of his wings. Link moaned in pleasure at the tender kneading as she moved down to the base of his wings and then back out to the tips.

"Dear Nayru, don't stop." Link entreated.

"You know I wouldn't do this for anyone else." Zelda said, a small laugh catching in her throat.

Link chortled into the fabric, "How many people do you know have wings?"

"Good point." Zelda concurred.

They enjoyed each other's company in silence as she continued her routine of rubbing out the kinks and taut muscles within his wings. She liked the feel of them and rather enjoyed doing this for him. It was a way to be closer to him. She thought about doing something else, but her thoughts were interrupted by his snores. Just like him to fall asleep! She shook her head at him but continued the massage until she touched upon every inch of each wing, making sure to avoid the fleshy patch. After she had finished, Zelda crawled over to her bag and moved it closer to his. She slid into it and looked over at the sleeping form of Link. As if by instinct, Link's wing lifted up and draped itself over her like a second blanket.

She giggled, "Good night Link." He simply snored on.

It was when the embers of the fire had died down to a smoldering glow that Darunia finally awoke to a sudden realization, that boy hadn't yet finished telling him the story of how he got his wings!


	77. Chapter 76 - Revelations of the Goddess

**Chapter 76 - Revelations of the Goddess**

A gentle stroking of his wings awoke him. He lifted his head and rotated to the side to see who was manipulating his plumage. Seeing that it was Zelda, he smirked and plopped his head back onto the balled up fabric he had fashioned as a pillow. A quick pinch of the bone trailing the top of his appendage regained his attention. He looked back up at her with irritation. "Yes Zelda? It's the middle of the night. Is something wrong?" He tried his best to contain the impatience in his voice. All he wanted to do was get back to sleep.

She was kneeling next to him with an urgent look in her face, something in her eyes set him off into thinking something awful had occurred. She went to assuage his fears, "Nothing serious. But there is something that I feel should be done tonight. I don't believe we'll have another chance to come back this way." A waver was noted in her tone.

He pushed himself up onto his knees and looked around the cave at the others. Saria and Xavier were curled up together with Nabooru was sleeping further back against the far wall. Darunia was situated by the passage leading deeper while Cayla was nowhere to be found. He turned to her, "Is she out patrolling still?"

"I'm afraid so." Zelda sounded worried as she gazed out through cave mouth, the gale winds bringing snow into their sleeping alcove. "I've been awake this whole time, I just can't sleep. She hasn't stepped in once."

Link stood up and stretched his arms and wings, yawning as he did so. "I'd say just let her be. She is probably off somewhere trying to get her head on straight. I think it'd be to her benefit honestly." Zelda shot him a look but said nothing. Now fully awake, he faced her with curiosity evident in his eyes, "So what's going on?"

Zelda's focus turned to the passage leading past Darunia. Without turning to look at him, she asked, "Who actually found this cave?"

Link rotated his arm until he felt a good pop in his shoulder before answering, "I recall hearing that Saria found it while being carried by Darunia. Why?"

She nodded at this confirmation of her suspicions. "It is as I thought."

"What?" Link asked quizzically, utterly confused he had no choice but to follow the determined Zelda past the sleeping Goron king and down the dimly lit passage. The glimmer of light still emanating from the glowing embers of the fire did little to illuminate the dark tunnel; regardless, it did not slow her down. She weaved through the passage until she reached the spring at the base of the decline. It was more of an underground freshwater lake.

Link stood at the edge of the tarn looking out across its inky blackness, spying several stalactites descending from the roof of the cavern and dipping deep into the waters. Without waiting for a response, Zelda continued talking as if he weren't even there, "The Kokiri, I've suspected, have always had a special connection with the Goddess Hylia. I can't exactly prove my theory, but it is something I've come to believe. I don't think it was an accident Saria felt drawn to this specific cave on the mountainside. I think she was feeling the holy essence of this spring." She raised a hand to indicate the water before her.

"I'm not following Zelda. Why is it you brought me here?" A slight tone of concern pervaded his words, he was worried about her and was wondering if she wasn't under some despicable spell or sorcery. He debated whether going back for his sword by his pack or apparating one into his hand. He liked the idea of having a weapon at a moment's notice, but loved the feeling of actual steel in his palms.

Zelda closed her eyes. Should she go through with this? Impa said she had to relive memories of her past self to truly understand who she was. Could she truly ask her dearest friend to drown her in this spring to be reborn in the past? What if she was wrong? What if this wasn't the right place and she ended up drowning for real? Should she take that chance?

With one final, shuddering breath, she smoothly slid the nightdress off her shoulders and let it slip to the ground. The chill of the air assaulted her warm skin, making her shiver involuntarily. Link's eyes bulged as he beheld the nude form of Zelda leisurely treading into the surprisingly warm water. The combination of seeing Zelda unclothed and the dream he was awoken from involving Malon did little to contain his rising interest. He admonished his body for revealing his wicked thoughts unbidden. She was his friend, not his lover!

She waded in as deep as her stomach before turning to Link, revealing her gorgeous beauty, completely unashamed. If she noticed his throbbing bulge, she did little to draw attention to it; instead she beckoned him to enter the water beside her. "Please come beside me Link. There is something important I must ask you to do."

"O..ok." Link stuttered. Visions of the night when he and Zelda almost copulated back in the Gerudo fortress flashed before his eyes. He was exceedingly jumpy and speculated just what exactly she was wanting from him. Slightly embarrassed at his longing for her, he grimaced the moment he splashed out into the water, soaking the entire length of his tights. His wings were unwieldy and obtrusive when it came to swimming. He still hadn't mastered the art of controlling them when they were so buoyant in the water.

At length he managed to make it to her location and gently grabbed her hand for support. She giggled at his ineptness. "They do make you a bit of a klutz don't they?" She beamed.

He scowled at her, "You try growing wings and see how well you adjust! I've gotten used to them mostly, but in the water, I'm helpless!" Link exasperated.

Zelda shook her head in mirth at her dear friend. She guided him by the hand closer to her until they were mere inches from each other. Link was blushing a furious red. Why were such wayward thoughts churning in his head right now? Zelda took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eyes before saying softly, "Link, I want you to place my entire body under the water and hold me there."

Link blinked twice, he hadn't quite heard her right. "You want me to bathe you?" He asked incredulously, cocking his head slightly at the foreign prospect. She could have asked for far worse things. She was always massaging his wings for him. This shouldn't be too deviant regarding their friendship. He could do this for her.

Zelda chuckled at his inability to grasp what she was asking, "As much as I'd like that," the glow in Link's cheeks burned hotter, "I'm asking for you to hold me under the water until I am no longer breathing. Even if I kick and scream to be let up, do not let me go. Force me to stay under the water. This is necessary."

Whatever carnal interest was building inside his loins, it instantly wilted the moment he realized what she was requesting him to do. She was asking him to drown her! "Zelda…I can't." He moaned miserably. "Why are you asking me this?" He took a few paces back, causing ripples to shatter the smooth glass surface around them.

"I can't really explain right now. Impa did this to me once before." She tried to reach out for his hand that he had withdrawn, hoping to draw him back in.

"Impa drowned you once before?" Link exclaimed. He couldn't believe that the Sheikah would do something like that!

She nodded her head helplessly. She could sense she was losing him. "It is the only way to revisit memories of who I once was. Impa said it was the key to helping us win this war!" Zelda cried inwardly. How crazy her proclamations sounded coming from her lips, even she admitted how irrational they seemed. One look on Link's face sealed her fate, she knew she had lost him. He was preparing to get out of the water and leave. "Please…Link, I know I am asking you to do the unthinkable."

As if remembering something from a dream, Navi slammed into Link's head with the force of a banging gong, _Link! Listen to her! Remember that creepy man back in Glaun'rung with the masks?_

"You were awake for that?" Link spoke. Zelda was confused for a moment before realizing that he was talking to his inner guardian fairy, Navi. "I thought it was all just a dream." He finished.

_Part of it was, but we were most certainly awake. Because I remember your conversation with him!_ The ringing of her voice was grating in his mind, he wished she would calm down and talk softer. _That man said Zelda would one day ask us to do the unthinkable. We should listen to her!_

"And why should we trust him? He is just some crazy old man who gave me the worst 'gift' imaginable. What if he was lying?" Link spouted back; clearly angry at having to revisit a bad memory.

_Have I ever steered you wrong?_ Link snorted at this but allowed her to continue. _Listen, I may not agree with this course of action Zelda is asking us to do, but I do know there is something familiar about it that I can't place my finger on._

"And what if we are wrong?" Tears began to form at the edges of his eyes, "I would have killed one of my friends."

_Trust in me Link, just like you trusted in Saria. We each have connections to the Goddess. Something about this place speaks to me as being sacred. I can't describe it, but I can feel it. Will you do as she asks?_ Her chime was pleading but insistent.

Wiping the tears away with his forearm, he spun around back to Zelda, who seemed a bit taken aback from his sudden change in demeanor. He marched up to her and spoke firmly, "I will do as you ask this one time. Do not ask me to hurt one of my friends again, even yourself."

Zelda numbly bowed her head and flashed a weak smile, she wasn't sure if she had crossed a fatal line in their friendship. She had no idea how protective Link was for her and the others. Her cheeks flushed as he laid his strong hands on her frame. Her body reacting to his warm touch as she arched up to allow his other arm to reach below her and steady her back. With one hand on her chest and beneath her body, he lovingly lowered her into the water.

She embraced the warm liquid enveloping her body, wrapping her like an earnest blanket. She was nervous when Impa performed this on her so many moons ago, but with Link she was completely at ease. The urge to breathe began to rise within her chest. She winced as she knew the inevitable was going to occur, it would hurt so much. Water began flowing into her throat and gurgling out her nostrils as her legs kicked out in automatic response. She flailed and screamed into the water as the seething burn wracked her insides, but true to his word, he kept her firmly beneath the surface.

With one final cry, she awoke upon the mountaintop once more. The grotesque abomination stood before her, its black scales oozing vile toxins down its sides giving it a gleaming coat of poison. Its multi-tiered laughter made her skin crawl just hearing it again, "It seems, my Goddess, that your champion has fallen." The beast growled feverishly.

The name of the foul demon crouching before her sprung to her lips as if she had known it all her life, "Demise, you cannot win this battle." She gripped her flowing, shimmering cloak about her and stared down the slavering monster.

Demise looked up into the sky at the rising island of stone, the last lingering demons slipping from its edges and falling to their doom below. A blood curdling cackle emerged from its gullet as froth began to form at the sides of its razor bordered maw. "I may have lost the prize of your subjects, but I can still attain your soul Hylia!"

Leaping from its six legs, it bounded towards her with unnatural speed. Hylia cried out in shock as she raised a hand to defend herself. A discharge of pure light erupted from her fingertips and smote the demon lord in the chest, blasting him out of the air before toppling him over the cliff face. She raced to the edge and peered over onto the war torn plains below, hoping to see some confirmation of the demon's corpse.

"I will enjoy ripping your spirit from your bloodied carcass right before I devour your body!" Demise bellowed. Hylia shuddered as she witnessed the twisted limbs scrambling up the sheer bluff like some horrific spider, its maw open like some vile abyss eager to consume her.

With a cry, she vaulted herself into the air as the snapping jaws clamped shut around the very air she had previous occupied. With a roar of fury, Demise leaped into the air to ensnare the floating Goddess but just missed. He thundered a terrible scream as he fell to the plains below. With a breath of relief, she directed her flight towards her fallen champion.

The Gorons were putting up a decent fight against the demonic horde; the Zoras had all but been wiped out. Several of her faithful robot servants were valiantly fighting a losing battle against several Hungers who were ripping them to shreds with their internal mandibles. Worse yet, many of her subjects were being assaulted by vile bug-like demons that invaded their mouths, wriggling down their throats and twisting them inside out before moving onto their next victim. She wanted to weep for her loyal subjects. They were all encircled around the object of her attention.

Her champion had fallen, his body shredded to ribbons, yet he remained remotely alive, his heart still beating feebly beside his form. A young red-headed man was next to him pouring his energies into his torn body, keeping him alive despite all odds. Hylia had begun to move forward to comfort her hero but was stopped by a low snarl. Shutting her eyes tight, she deliberately turned to face her mortal enemy.

She opened her eyes to look upon his bipedal form. The raging mane of fire was now his hair, its repulsive flames biting at the sky. In his hand was a jagged sword of immense length and size. She knew that sword well, for it was the interloper who had caused the rift between their worlds and brought misery upon them all. To impersonate her champion and trick the immortal being who stood outside of time, that despicable creature should be thrown into the depths of Din's forge.

"You have nowhere to run, my Goddess." The last words were hurled with mocking disdain. "I suggest you run and flee like those Humas you so dearly love. There is no hope for you anymore. Where have you hidden the golden triangles? Hand over the Triforce and I just may let you die a swift death." The demon lord laughed cruelly.

"The Triforce is not mine to give or to have. It was my duty to protect it from misuse. You cannot use it, for the same reasons I cannot! The Triforce has gone to a place which you will never reach, a sacred place that evil will never violate. There to be protected by my devoted people." Hylia shouted back, sparks of light emanating from her fingers, a spell upon her lips.

"They rest in the hands of Humas? Curse you Goddess! Ah…but what if I devoured your soul and made it mine? Would that change things I wonder?" Demise mused. Seeing that the pretense of negotiations were over, he advanced upon the Goddess.

The red-haired man stepped up beside Hylia, a resolute expression on his face. She looked down upon his slender form. "My friend! If you stop your healing, he will most certainly die!" A look of shock splayed across her face.

"My lady," Without looking at her, he bowed his head in reverence, "If I do not assist you, then you will die."

Setting her face with resolve, she turned back to the approaching demon lord, "Very well. Let us defeat this menace together."

Ignoring the shrieking cries and bloody images of her subjects being torn apart by the demonic horde, the two beings combined their magick together. Demise raised a flaming eyebrow at their unexpected response. Before he knew what had happened, a dazzling sword exploded from their hands and slammed itself deep into his forehead. A look of utter surprise solidified on Demise's face as the sheer force of the impact collapsed the ground around them forming a deep, spiraling crater. With one, final, agonizing cry, the visage of Demise faded into the ground, sealed beneath the sword now turned to solid stone. A glowing symbol was all that was left of where the demon lord had stood.

As the dust and debris settled about them, Hylia looked above her at the newly formed mesa. Their lord having been defeated, the demons skirled and brayed before fleeing to the far corners of the realm. Exhausted from their conjoined spell, she stepped over to where her champion's body lay and collapsed next to him. She lifted his upper body into her arms and gazed down upon her most loyal and true subject. She wept bitterly over his battered form.

"My dearest hero, Link. Your imprisonment was willed by the heavens. By the hands of our enemy, you were imprisoned unjustly, however it was meant to make you strong. Like a sword hammered and honed so that it would never break, it was necessary to transform you into one fit to wield the Master Sword." The champion's eyes fluttered as he gazed adoringly into his Goddess's eyes. Her smile was one of sadness as she continued, "The sword was tempered by your spirit. You woke it, and it will serve its master faithfully for all eternity. This is because you deeply loved the land of Hylia and all its people, as I do."

The red-haired man edged up beside Hylia, forlornly regarding the one true hero. Without regard to his presence, Hylia held Link's gaze as she continued to speak to him, a frail smile continuing to display on her face. "But because of this, your life has been full of suffering. I have watched you, and felt your pain like a knife through my body. I will ensure that your gentle, heroic spirit will live on eternally. And I…I shall shed my divinity. The next time we meet, I wish to stand before you as a simple Huma. Whenever the land of Hylia is in danger…we shall be reborn."

Link's heart rested outside of his body, its pulsations beating faintly as he listened to her words. His soul finally at peace, the organ finally beat its last as an exhalation of respite released itself from his lips. At long last, he slumped in her arms dead. Her loyal servant knelt down beside her as she wept terribly over the loss of her champion. He placed a meager hand on her shoulder, giving her a warm grin to let her know that it was over and all would be well.

Without letting go of Link, Hylia turned to the man, "My dear Ballos. You are ever loyal to the last. Will you grant me one last favor?"

Ballos bowed his head low, "Anything, my lady."

"Take that lovely harp of yours and play a song for Link. Seal his courage, determination and heroism for all time. Keep it with you as a symbol of our pact. May your kin serve as protectors of the Triforce and…of me." She requested.

Placing a supple hand on the harp brought forth from the folds of the man's satchel at his waist, she blessed the instrument before allowing him to play. Within minutes, Link's body had dissolved to nothing but ashes on the wind. What was left behind was a mask of his visage, eyes glowing white. Taking the mask deferentially, he placed it carefully into his bag; the first of many.

Ballos looked at the sunken form of his creator, heartache in his voice, "Must you go?" He wrung his hands with the gravity of it all.

Sparkles of light began to ascend from her form as Hylia slowly faded away. She took in his face one last time before vanishing into the winds, "Yes, my dear Ballos. Keep the smile that I so love on your face, I want you to remember the happy times. Farewell my faithful servant." In one single, defining moment, Ballos was left alone in the crater left behind from Demise's defeat. He stood there for days staring at the place Hylia disappeared.

Zelda surged out of the water nearly knocking Link over in the process. She screamed out in terror at having witnessed her own death. Clearly alarmed at her feral behavior, Link made a motion to calm her down. Sensing movement, Zelda shot forth a blast of light in his general direction. Link swooped out of the way just in time as it flitted past his left wing, blistering his feathers. A low rumble shook the mountain as the energy hit the far wall across the lake, causing a dark scorch mark to appear on the rock face.

"Zelda?" Link asked nervously, picking himself up from the water. "Is everything okay?"

She had been lost in her own world, slowly taking in the new found knowledge of who she was and what she was capable of. She was entranced with her hands, as sparkles of holy magick danced around her fingertips. Only at the sound of his voice did she turn her head in his direction. A brief moment of confusion passed over her features before she recognized him.

"Link?" She queried flatly. So this was her champion reborn. Dear Nayru, he was even more beautiful now than he had ever been. And now here she was, a mortal Huma like him. She never wanted him more than she did now. "Link." She confirmed with finality. She strode through the liquid as if it wasn't there. In one full motion, she wrapped her arms around Link, deftly maneuvering around his wings. She placed her lips determinedly against his.

A muffled cry of surprise was suppressed as Zelda's hands roved over his naked chest and back. He couldn't explain it, but a highly erotic euphoria was diffusing through his body instantly making him hunger with lust. Another yelp of shock emerged from his mouth as she floated them over to the dry rock beside the cavernous lagoon, unable to comprehend what was happening. She was straddled atop him. Her hips were grinding hard against his member, now begging for merciful relief.

"Zelda…please…stop…what are you-" His brief moment of respite from her intoxicating kiss was short lived as she pressed her lips back onto his. The feel of her lips, the scent of roses permeating his nostrils, all of it was sending him into irrational thoughts. He could barely think, somehow she was unaware of what she was doing to him. She was using some magick to harness his inner, lascivious need and he could barely resist it any longer.

She withdrew from him, roughly grabbed his wings and gathered them around her; forcing them to encircle her nude form. Link cried out in discomfort as she held them there with a force he couldn't see. Her eyes were not her own. She was looking at him, but it was not him she was ultimately seeing. Her voice was husky, her breath hoarse, "Link, your Goddess demands it."

With a wave of her hands, his tights disappeared as if they were never there. Link squeaked at this new, interesting wrinkle to this awkward situation. With renewed vigor, Zelda grinded her folds across his swollen phallus, moaning deeply at the silky, yet hard feeling of it. Link groaned in agony at the pleasure of it all, he was about ready to tip over the precipice when a single thought, a single voice cried out in his haze of lust.

_Link! Think of Malon! This is not what you should be doing!_ Navi screamed into his brain.

Seeing Zelda rise her hips up to take him fully into her, he moved his legs to the side quickly as she descended down onto his thigh. A note of annoyance entered her manner as she looked down at why she was being denied what she was seeking. "Zelda!" Link gasped, clearly in misery at having to deny even himself this exquisite pleasure. "You are not yourself. I am bound to Malon. Please understand!"

A brief moment passed as she stared down at him, finally her pupils dilated as she took him in fully with her eyes. She glanced down at the position they were in and gasped in dismay. In an instant, his wings were released from their hold and they dropped like dead weights onto the rock. She hastily disentangled herself from him before apologizing, "I'm so sorry Link. I don't know what came over me."

Link sat back up, but decided it best to avoid standing in hopes of making his attraction less visible to her. He stretched his plumage, it felt so eerie to have it held enthralled like that. "Is everything all right? What happened? You were only under the water for a few seconds after you went limp."

Zelda walked over to her night gown and pulled it up to her chest, trying to be modest about her nudity. "I now know who I am. I am the physical reincarnation of the Goddess Hylia. I now know who you are and what the mask we retrieved from Glaun'rung is." Her focus flickered down to his raging member, she hesitated, "Were you actually going through with it?"

He shot her a look of crossness, "Well, excuse me 'Goddess!' You weren't the one who was suddenly assaulted by the reincarnation of a holy being who apparently has powers to completely dull your senses and succumb to their every wish!"

She drew her gaze to the floor in shame, "I'm very sorry Link. I didn't know where I was or who I was." She shivered slightly at the chill in the air, "Can we go back to the others and get into our bags where it's warmer? I'll explain everything to everyone tomorrow morning."

Now that there was no restraint betwixt them, Link stood up unabashed about his nude form. He walked over to Zelda and gently tugged on her gown. After some reluctance, she let him take it from her. He beamed fondly, "I have an idea that will help the both of us."

She allowed him to lead her to their bedrolls. The others had surprisingly slept through the commotion. Cayla was still nowhere to be seen. She made to grab another piece of dry clothing from her bag when he stopped her with a gentle hand on her wrist. "Do you trust me? Nabooru taught me something about sleeping in cold weather."

Zelda took in his gesture as he offered to share his sleeping bag with her, she looked up at him with disbelief, "You want us to share a roll together? Naked? Wasn't it awkward with your wings?"

"Zelda," Link began, "I may not be able to…help you in the way you were needing at the spring, but let me at least keep you warm tonight. It is the least I can do for my…Goddess." He hesitated before adding the last word, still unsure if what she was saying was truth at all.

Timid at the situation, especially with so many witnesses in the cave, she shyly slipped herself into the folds of the bag. He came in beside her, ensuring that he was further up so his wings could be free of the bag. She flushed as he wrapped his arms around her stomach and held her close. After a few minutes of silence, the tenseness in her muscles relaxed as she realized Link was right, it really was a lot warmer sleeping nude with another to share the body heat with.

A small voice interrupted their reverie, "Seriously Link? Must you try and impregnate every girl you know?"

Link jerked his head hard to look back over his wings at Saria, her eyes looking at them in the dark as she leaned back against Xavier. "Saria? Were you watching us this whole time?"

"Kind of hard not to with you two coming in after a huge explosion happened just down that passage you came from." Saria waved her hand off in its general direction. Not waiting for a response, she continued to grill him, "So why are you two naked then if you aren't intending on giving her a child like you did me?"

It was Zelda's turn to jerk around to look at Link, "You did what?" She stammered.

Link rapidly turned from Saria to Zelda and back again, "It's not what you think. Saria! That was between us!"

"Link? Is this true? How could you even-?" Zelda was appalled that such a coupling even took place, Saria appeared like a child!

"It was not how it was!" Link was fumbling with his words, his thoughts swirling madly out of control. He jerked back to Saria. "We're naked only because it's better to share the warmth between two people without cold or wet clothing." He feebly tried to explain the briskly deteriorating situation to the Kokiri.

"Is that true? Thank Farore!" Saria exclaimed as she hopped up from her bundle of furs. With one nimble movement, she stripped herself of her tailor made Kokiri clothing and forced her way into the bag with them. "You have no idea how ineffectual Xavier is as a sleeping buddy. She can't hold heat in worth anything!"

"Saria…no! Ack!" Link yelped as Saria's fingers and toes attacked his body with fervor, they were icicles piercing his skin like cold daggers. "You are freezing!" He yelled, his wings entangling them all as him and Zelda strived to escape her frozen clutches.

"Link!" Zelda gasped as an errant foot touched her backside, sending shivers of frost up her spine. "How could you defile her like that!" She made to get out of the bag only to have his flailing wingtip bash her across the head, throwing her back down on top of them both.

Oblivious to the raging misunderstanding between Zelda and Link, Saria was lost in the warmth of their bodies. "Oh…You have no idea how hot you two are! You were right Link! Sharing a bag with someone is infinitely better!" She smugly grinned as she curled up close to Link's squirming body.

"Its…not…" more shifting of bodies, "like…that!" Link wheezed.

A cool laugh emitted from Nabooru's bag, she was propped up on one hand as she gazed amused at their position. However, with stark realization, Link realized that she wasn't exactly laughing at their awkward situation, but rather who had just walked in to view it. Cayla was standing just feet away from the three of them, a tangle of nude bodies, limbs and feathers. Hands on her hips, a look of scorn was evident on her face.

Link sheepishly wiggled away from Saria's cold body, "Cayla…I can explain."


	78. Chapter 77-Deep Breath Before the Plunge

**Chapter 77 - Deep Breath Before the Plunge**

"That is quite remarkable." Darunia commented, scratching his chin with obvious interest. "I never quite understood why our forefathers made a pact with the Hylian royal family. We were tasked to come to their aid in times of dire need and to protect the holy relic given to us, the Goron Ruby. Now it all makes sense as to why we do what we do."

Zelda nodded her head at his comprehension, "Indeed. I left the protection and care of my future legacy to one of my trusted servants, Ballos."

Link interjected abruptly, "You mean the same Ballos the Nevachreans are supposedly worshipping as a god?"

She shook her head as she gripped her right elbow with her hand. "I don't believe so. I think Barrachas and whatever other demons he was working with, managed to steal the mask of the champion. They must have known who Ballos was and simply used his name as the god of the mask." She grimaced with contempt, "To think they would use such holy and just names and objects for their vile deeds. His name is probably tainted forever, with it being aligned with the abhorrent power that was given to the Nevachreans through the mask of the champion."

"It is a common enemy tactic." Nabooru explained, placing a hand to her hip. "You take what the enemy holds dear and you twist and malign it to the point they either do not trust it or consider it detrimental to their survival."

Link rummaged around in his rucksack and pulled out the mask of Ballos, or rather, the mask of his own face from a lifetime ago. "So this mask once held the power, courage and heroism that my former self once had?"

Zelda indicated that this was true, "I believe so. They have marred its surface and polluted its holy nature. It no longer has the power to do much of anything except make more soldiers who cannot die. It's awful."

Link looked down with a mixture of sorrow and anger. What a cruel blow to strike, to destroy something that was once supposed to be a symbol of courage and hope. They all stood around in a circle; silence pervading their group, save for the slight whisper of wind through the cave opening. The blizzard had abated but they were still no closer to their goal. The thought of crossing the chasm did not seem altogether appealing to them.

Cayla broke the silence first as she faced Link directly, "So are you willing to offer a more reasonable explanation for your actions last night?" Her countenance was firm and unyielding, but the former anger and rage was no longer present in her eyes. The time off from the group seemed to have done her well.

Link's mouth dropped open, "You want to talk about all that now?"

Crossing her arms, she waved a hand amongst the rest of the group, "I don't see why not. It is a good time as any. Besides, if we are all supposed to trust each other with regards to completing this mission, we have to know the reasons for your deviant actions. For all I know, you could assault me next in my sleep." Darunia had to cough heavily to avoid guffawing heartily at her allegation.

Xavier snorted in disgust, "What 'usiness is it of 'ours? He is full 'rown man, he can mate with 'hom he wants!"

"Not helping Xavier!" Zelda and Link rebuked in unison, both glaring at the clueless Cyn'Taak. Seeing that her opinion was unneeded, she growled and lumbered off to guard the cave entrance; suddenly content to looking out over the snowy landscape.

Seeing no way out of this mess, Zelda sighed before beginning first, "It was my fault. I asked him to come with me to the lake just down that tunnel and help me relive my past self."

Cayla grunted in assent of what she had already guessed, there was no way Zelda could have known about her past unless Link had been the one to initiate the ritual. "You do know that only a Sheikah is supposed to assist the reincarnated Goddess in remembering her true self? Did Impa not tell you this?"

Zelda placed her hands on her hips, staring the Sheikah down, "Frankly, no. In fact, she was actually the one who told me that Link could accomplish the same thing when we parted ways in Glaun'rung."

Cayla's eyes bulged, "Why would she tell you that? That doesn't sound like her." She let loose a cry of frustration, "Why is everything she does not make any sense? Why can't I understand what she is trying to do?"

Link offered his opinion, "Well, it seems that it worked just fine. Zelda remembers who she is now."

Cayla shot him a withering look, "And where did that get you? From what I gathered, you were almost jumped. And then I find you two naked together. What else am I supposed to think?"

"Um…well, her initial actions were a bit unexpected." Link admitted. Zelda's cheeks flushed furiously as Darunia stifled a chortle.

Saria merely walked up to Zelda and hugged her around the legs, "Well, you two were really warm last night. I appreciated it." She gave her a smile that wasn't altogether comforting given that they were being interrogated by Cayla.

Ignoring the leering stares of Nabooru, Zelda faced Cayla, "I don't see how my relations are any business of the Sheikah. I get the fact they are the Royal Family guardians, I get the fact they are to help protect me as Hylia reincarnate and I get the fact they are to help defend the Triforce. What I don't get is why you are taking offense that Link was the one that woke me." She jabbed a finger in Cayla's direction.

All heads swiveled to Cayla for her answer. As cool as ever, she responded calmly, "It is our duty to defend both Hylia and the Triforce. Part of this responsibility is to reawaken each reincarnate under controlled conditions. After fully realizing who you are, you have to be surrounded by your guardians. Having your Goddess mind suddenly being thrust forward into the future in a mortal body shed of all divinity can be quite bewildering for you. We would be there to calm you and reconcile this difference between your divine nature and your humanly wants and needs."

A look of dawning realization spread across Zelda's face. She began to feel awfully distressed about the position she had placed Link into. What was Impa thinking? "You mean by having Link near me when I awoke…?"

"There was no one there to properly reconcile your two natures." Cayla continued unperturbed at the interruption. "Your love for your champion and his heroism was mixed with your physical body's love for him. You couldn't resolve the two and were lost to the passion. Things could have gone wildly out of hand. It is a miracle at all that Link managed to finally break through your confusion and help you differentiate between your two natures."

_I don't think you would have managed at all if it weren't for me!_ Navi chimed snootily. Link quieted her swiftly with an inaudible grunt.

Cayla turned to face Link, "For that, I actually have some respect for you. Not many who are untrained in our ways could help Hylia like that. Maybe it's the connection between you and her, but whatever the case may be, I am just glad there was less damage than expected." Link looked rather offput at the compliment, as if he his attention was elsewhere inside his mind; raging at the internal diatribe within.

"Huh…" Zelda pondered. "Well, be that as it may, that still doesn't explain your actions with Saria, Link. So she is pregnant now?"

Darunia inhaled in shock, "My little forest flower?" He turned to Cayla, "I'm a bit muddled, is this a joyous event or something bad?"

Zelda proffered to provide her personal explanation of it, "Link, a grown man, impregnated a Kokiri girl."

"Dear Goddesses man!" Darunia said aghast. It was clear he was unaware of this aspect of last night's events, "There is a saying in my culture: Din's forge hath no fury like a Goron woman scorned. Boy, you best tread lightly when it comes to your passions!" Link scowled at the Goron king for his overtly parental advice.

"I guess I better save you." Saria giggled.

"You better." Link fumed. "You got me into this mess. I was trying to help you out."

"You what?" Zelda grilled again.

"Calm down Zelda…everyone. For one, Link is still a proper gentlemen and a great friend. My best friend, actually." Saria began confidently. "And secondly, I am older than probably all of you. I may not know much about the world, but I learned a lot during my time with the Gerudo." She proclaimed proudly.

"I'm sure you have." Came a lilting laugh from Nabooru. Cayla sneered at the woman. Why was the Gerudo even here?

Saria cleared her throat to continue, "Well, we never…" She glanced up at Link as he looked away embarrassed. "did anything physical. It was more…how do I put it…spiritual. I can't explain it very well, but he did not do anything to me. I was the one who asked for it first. So please don't be mad at him."

"Oh…" Zelda stated flatly, utterly befuddled at what exactly Saria meant. The concept was beyond what she currently understood. It sounded familiar to her but she couldn't quite determine why.

After some moments of silence, Nabooru stepped forward, "So where do we go now? How are we to traverse the valley and get across to the other side? It seems it is quite treacherous with all those jagged rocks. It might be days more to even find a pass that'll lead us around."

"Oh!" Zelda exclaimed, "I remember seeing a tunnel leading down into the earth at the bottom of the lake. I can't explain how, but I know that it'll take us to where we need to be." With her newfound powers as Hylia incarnate, almost no one seemed to question her suggestion.

"No." Darunia refuted heatedly. "Water and Gorons do not mix! You all may be able to take that route, but I refuse. I will travel my own way and I'll meet up with you on the other side." He folded his arms roughly and glared at the others, resolute in his decision.

"So what does everything think? Should we split up? Or go back outside and brave the elements and figure out a way across?" Link looked up at the Goron king, "Not everyone can travel in quite the same way Gorons do. What might be easy for you is rather difficult for the rest of us." Darunia rumbled in agreement, but did not back down from his decision.

Cayla raised a palm in the direction of Zelda, "I'll let my charge decide. She is the one I am to follow. I will do as she says."

With all leadership resting on her shoulders, Zelda looked around at all her companions. Even Xavier was craning her head to look back at her, curious as to what she'd decide. At length, she finally spoke, "We take the submerged tunnel."

"Bah!" Darunia complained as he hefted his mighty hammer onto his back. "Come on Xavier, let us travel together. Chances are that passage is most likely too small for our bulky frames anyway. And unless you know how to swim or breathe underwater, you'd be best off traveling with me." He clapped a hand on her scaly back.

Unsure of what to do, she looked from Darunia back to Link and Zelda, as if asking for permission. Link laughed at the sight of such an imposing creature actually indecisive as to what to do and looking to him for guidance. He waved both hands to shoo her away, "Go on Xavier. Darunia is probably right. Don't worry about us, we'll be fine. You'll be back with us in no time."

Her tongue lolling out in relief, she clambered out of the cave mouth and bounded through the snow. Darunia followed her out but took one last look behind at the two of them, winking as he did so, "Never fear, I will keep close watch over your unusual child!" At this, he roared with laughter before chasing after the excited Cyn'Taak. Zelda was still quite embarrassed about that joke and was a bit flustered Darunia had brought it up again.

Link shook his head, chuckling as he turned to the others. Zelda glowered at him for condoning such behavior, Link promptly ignored the look and addressed the remainder of the group. "Let's pack up only what we don't mind getting wet and leave the rest here. Hopefully we can take this passage Zelda is talking about back here to this cave, otherwise don't expect to retrieve anything you leave behind."

All of them nodded before turning to their designated sleeping places, each of them reevaluating their packs to ensure all that couldn't be spared was in their rucksacks. Link dumped everything but a few food items that could withstand being soaked and the two masks. He refastened his tunic belt tighter before securing his Goron tempered sword to his waist. It would be weird not having a sword draped across his back. Sighing, he swung his pack around his appendages and secured it over his shoulders.

Once all preparations were complete, they followed Zelda down to the tarn. She surveyed the still surface until she pinpointed the passage beneath the waters. "Down there." She pointed. It wasn't too deep to reach it, but it was unknown of how far the tunnel traveled before they hit an air pocket.

Cayla stepped forward first, "I'll go scout it out to make sure it's safe." Although not a word was spoke, everyone was visibly relieved that she offered to go initially.

With the grace of a feline, she dove head first into the water, slicing through it with her hands. She curved and twisted in the water before gripping the sides of the flooded tunnel and pulling herself through. All eyes were on the last remaining bubbles from Cayla's passing, slowly rising to the surface. Saria almost forgot to even breathe, she was so tense. She gulped in some air which brought a few nervous snickers from the others. None were looking forward to what lay beyond that tunnel. Nobody had ever faced a dragon before save for Link and his memories of the previous encounter wasn't a happy one.

"You think you can swim with those wings Link?" Nabooru probed; a small hint of concern in her voice.

He shrugged, "I will have to learn won't I? They aren't the most helpful things when I'm swimming."

Saria grinned, "Water doesn't affect my wings at all!"

"You learned that from your last bath?" Zelda simpered, edging closer to the unsuspecting Kokiri.

Saria pivoted on the spot to see Zelda making a grab for her. With a yelp, Saria leapt high into the air in an attempt to fly away from her clutches. With a howl, Link flapped his wings giving his jump greater loft and wrapped his arms securely around her legs. With one horrified look on her face, the two of them tumbled into the water with a huge splash.

Link came up laughing as Saria spluttered her way back to the stony shoreline, "You are terrible Link!" She moaned as she regarded her macerated clothing.

"Oh come on! You were going to get wet anyway." Link riposted.

"You are right though Saria." Nabooru admitted, "I see that your wings are completely unaffected by the water."

Saria pouted, "We could have waited until Cayla came back."

As if on cue, a head surfaced from the water nearly freaking Saria out. She screamed as she scrambled up into Nabooru's arms, holding on tightly around her neck. Cayla dismissed her reaction and spoke to the others, "There are four air pockets, with the greatest distance being between the third and fourth. I will help ferry each one of you individually if you'd like or we can all follow in tow."

"Let's go together." Zelda confirmed.

Nabooru dropped the panting Kokiri as the rest waded out into the water, preparing to dive headlong into the waterlogged passage. Saria was the last to enter the tepid water, Nabooru had already submerged and Zelda was about to follow suit with Link beside her. Saria sulked, "Do all Sheikah do that?"

Without looking around at her but both sharing a smile together, Link and Zelda chimed back, "Yes."

* * *

><p>A malevolent sword of purest white flashed before her eyes. Beams of energy shot out from its tip as its black winged wielder gripped the blue pommel of the powerful weapon. She tried to escape the seeking beams of crackling death, but there was nowhere to hide. She dove behind a boulder but the beams shattered it into many pieces, causing deadly debris to rain down around her. She screamed for her life as she continued to run towards her sisters, they were reaching out to her with their hands just as the beams struck her body. She shrieked in agony as the light invaded her very being, forcing blood to gush out her very pores.<p>

Merin woke up screeching. She was entangled in the furs she had used to cover her body that night. She writhed and squirmed her way out, scrambling across the grass like a hunted rat. A swift hand on the shoulder stopped her apparent mania. She stared up wide-eyed at the seemingly unrecognizable face of Impa.

"You're okay!" The Sheikah soothed. She was practically petting the terrified woman. It strangely had a palliative effect on Merin. Presently she calmed down enough to the point she wasn't hyperventilating. "You had a nightmare. Are you well?"

Merin shook her head fiercely. "No." She wailed. "It's the same dream I've been having for moons now, but it's getting more vivid. More real. I truly felt like I was dying."

"Is it the death on black wings again?" Impa asked, continuing her stroking of Merin's hair. She couldn't imagine what it was like to relive the same awful dream every night. It would make her want to stay awake to the end of her days.

Merin nodded numbly, staring at the ground watching the ants idle by her feet. "I actually saw my death this time. I saw my Gerudo sisters reach out to me. I could not reach them. I don't understand it. Why am I having this dream?"

Impa ceased her stroking as she gazed upwards towards the shimmering dawn, the sun just barely creeping up over the horizon. They had traveled far these past few moons and it was exhausting on them both. The lone horse they shared was completely spent every night. To alleviate the hardship on the poor stallion, they began to turn in early each evening to give the poor creature more time to rest and relax.

With Ganondorf's magick unable to assist them, they knew riding through the Nevachrean horde would be certain doom. Crossing the pass where they had originally planned to was no longer an option. Ganondorf and Apolloni were to be heading that way north into Hyrule. Instead, they retraced their steps and passed through Yolland as they made their way up the south side of the mountain range. It was only yesterday that they finally made it back down into the valley of Hyrule, alongside a tributary of the Zora river just south of Kakariko; the massive black stain now to the west of them.

Impa began to offer words of comfort when her ears perked up at the sound of galloping hooves. She immediately crouched low and drug Merin down to the dirt with her. She waved a hand over their lone horse, hoping her impromptu stealth haze was enough to shield their mount from untoward eyes. Thoughts of her dream long forgotten, Merin waited with baited breath as they lay quietly in the tall grass.

The clopping of hooves began to grow distant as they slowly made their way up from the ground. Upon seeing who had passed them by, Impa swore an oath. "Curse that man. What is he doing here?"

Merin stalked up next to Impa, "Who is it?" She looked after the twin riders galloping off in the direction of Kakariko.

"Ganondorf and Apolloni. What are they doing here on this side of the army?" Impa spat. "This will change our plans considerably."

"As if it hasn't changed enough already?" Merin asked.

Impa suppressed a chuckle at the Gerudo's question. "Come, we need to see what they are up to and see if it interferes with helping Link and the others. We haven't the time to waste!"

Quickly snatching up her small haversack, she leaped up into the saddle and gripped Merin's wrist enabling her to hop aboard behind her. With one swift kick to the flanks, they rode off north in the direction of their quarry.


	79. Chapter 78 - The Gathering Gloom

**Chapter 78 - The Gathering Gloom**

She woke up screaming at the top of her lungs. A swift, moist hand clamped shut over her mouth as her cries were muffled into the scaly palm. Veraca's face hovered over her as he gave her an ardent look, it was clear he was under a lot of stress and tension. The chimeric Gerudo army was not more than a few hundred paces from their concealed sleeping spot. They had been tailing them since the breaking of the Nevachrean siege at their now destroyed temple deep in the desert.

"Would you please tell her to keep it down?" Ruto hissed, propping herself up on her forearm looking over at them. She had been clearly sleeping soundly before the outcry woke Ruto from her blissful slumber.

Malon was still heaving from her vivid dream when Veraca removed his hand from her mouth. "It is not her fault that she had a nightmare Ruto. She cannot control her reaction as she wakes from it." Veraca rebuked the affronted Zora queen.

"It won't matter if she brings the whole damn Gerudo army down upon us!" Ruto susurrated harshly, she craned her neck upwards as she tried to peer over their huddled forms and view the substantial army beyond the tree line.

Dawn was just breaking as the faint glimmer of light was peeking over the eastern horizon. The Gerudo army has grown considerably since assaulting the Nevachreans. Many of their women died that day only to be reborn as two new entities; sharing the same body, talents and memories. It was abhorrent to Malon that such a thing was possible and it did not give her any comfort that her sister, Giana, might be lost in that mob or worse, dead.

Veraca began to reproach Ruto further when Malon placed a hand on his arm, forcing him to kneel back down. "It's okay Veraca. It was just a bad dream." She tried shaking her head to clear the memory of her death and those of countless others. The worst part about her dream was the flapping of black wings. "I will be all right." She assured him with an involuntary shudder.

Ashley was effectively ignoring the whole interlude, only gazing up once when Malon woke up shrieking. He was pulling the final lace taut on his rucksack, having since packed it nearly a half hour ago in preparation to leave. The sleeping horde was just starting its first rumblings of awakening and he did not want to be late in following them once they picked up and left. Unlike the Nevachrean throng, the Gerudo traveled light and slept under the stars. They did not need to bring along tents, firewood, food stores and entertainment for the men, they were self-sufficient and dedicated to their cause. There was little dissent in the ranks for they all knew their singular purpose.

Malon gratefully accepted the firm arm of Veraca as he pulled her up off the frosted grass. They had scaled over the eastern bluffs bordering the desert and were now in the rolling fields just north of the Negev Marshlands and south of Lake Hylia. It appeared that the Gerudo were planning on attacking the army from the south and potentially cutting off what little supply lines that were still dwindling in.

It was completely astounding how lethal they were as a hostile force. With the aid of dark magick and Kotake still at their side, the Gerudo cut a blazing swath through the mass entrenched at their doorstep nearly a fortnight ago. Their Cyn'Taak infused weapons were deadly and obliterated all resistance the Nevachreans put up. With a continuingly growing force upon each death, the potential end result of this war was terrifying to Malon and the others.

"We should retreat to the Negev, rally our troops and defend Glaun'rung. I fear that once the Gerudo wipe out the main force up in Hyrule, they will travel southwards and eliminate what is left of their country. The capital is a defendable position if we invest some-" Veraca was baring his proposal plainly to the others, but Malon cut him off.

"There is no time." Malon shook her head. "We have to get to Kakariko somehow. I know that is where Link would have been meeting Talon and the others." She smiled forlornly at the mention of her father. She wondered if what the witches said about his death were true. "We must warn them that Ganondorf and his hags are not to be trusted. If we follow this army to the main body, I am sure they will cut a path for us to the other side and we travel north to the meeting place." She sighed with despondency, "I just hope we aren't too late."

Brushing off the flecks of irritating dirt and grass clinging to her wet scales, Ruto gave a tempestuous look in Malon's direction, "And what purpose would that ultimately serve?" She scoffed, folding her arms. "We just trade one danger for another." At an incredulous look from Malon, Ruto rolled her eyes and continued, "Link is coming back with two of the sacred stones from what I'm gathering, yes? It won't matter if we warn him or not if the Gerudo get to Naar first and take the Zora Sapphire from him. I say we do Link a favor and get it ourselves."

Suspiciously, Veraca questioned her, "Just what exactly are you intending?" He was worried she might return to her former, wicked ways the moment she got the chance.

"We follow the Gerudo as we had originally planned, but once we cross the border into Hyrule, let them tackle the Nevachreans while we head north to the castle. To Naar." Ruto tried to hide a smirk, but Veraca saw it immediately.

"No! Out of the question Ruto!" Veraca fumed. "We toiled hard to track you down and finally bring you back home to your people. You are not going to throw away your entire race, your people, just to return to that despicable man!" He began advancing on her.

She stepped back a few paces, clearly defiant, "Oh, please Veraca. Hear me out first before jumping to conclusions." He promptly stopped, but was highly agitated that all their hard work in reforming Ruto to be the queen of the Zoras was going to waste. He also felt a twinge in his heart. Did he dare say he was even jealous of this Nevachrean male who had plundered his beloved time and time again?

Unknowing of his inner turmoil, Ruto rattled off her plan, "I am still his Dark Mistress as far as Naar is concerned and anyone else under his command. He has not heard word of me in many orbits. It would do well if I get back into his good graces again. As far as I have heard from Link, he has the Zora Sapphire in his possession." Veraca merely growled. Malon looked dubious wondering if this was even going to be a feasible plan. Ashley just yawned, anxious to get a move on.

Raising a finger in the air to make a point, Ruto pressed, "For the sacred stones to be viable, they must be freely given to the chosen by their bearers. Link returned the Sapphire back to me when he left our domain those many cycles ago. I have not returned it to him of my free will. If I can get close enough to Naar to acquire the sapphire, we have a chance of helping Link better than if we were to just meet him at Kakariko." She finished the last statement with a leering smile.

"So you get the sapphire, the sacred stone of our people that we were sworn to protect, then what?" Veraca grilled severely, he did not like where this plan was going.

Ruto chuckled at his disbelief, "For someone who claims to love me so much, you surely don't trust me that well."

"I do love you Ruto." Veraca was taken aback, hurt at her words. "With every fiber of my being, I love you." He steeled his eyes with firm resolve. "However, your past actions and what was done to you has altered your mind state. I cannot be anything but wary."

Ruto shrugged her shoulders, "We either do it my way and help Link further or we go Malon's way and help Link less."

Malon scowled at the flippant disregard of her original course of action. Her only goal in mind was simply to be in his arms again, to take comfort in his forest scent and revel in the comfort of his body and wings. She missed his smile and touch. As much as she hated the plan Ruto was offering, she had to admit that it made the most sense with regard to assisting Link in reclaiming the Master Sword. With great reluctance, Malon sighed, "We will go with what Ruto is suggesting. We head north at the earliest opportunity. We will confer the best course of action once we reach that point."

Ruto clapped her hands with mock excitement, "Splendid! Then shall we be off? It seems Ashley has already left us." She jerked her chin in the direction of the Gerudo mass. It was indeed true that Ashley was already hunkered low in the tall grass, surreptitiously trailing the back end of the horde.

Veraca shook his head in disbelief, "Does that boy even care if we are with him or not?"

Malon grinned, "Ashley just assumes we will follow him. He has no fear that we won't be there for him. For really, what choice do we have?" She had to suppress a laugh at Veraca's expression. Picking up her scimitars, she wedged them through the loops of her belt. With a sorrowful look and a small pat to her belly, she started off after Ashley. Ruto and Veraca shared a look before gathering their procured weapons and following them.

* * *

><p>Impa adroitly leaped off the horse while simultaneously grabbing the reins and swiftly leading it into the brush along the rock face bordering Kakariko village. They had shadowed Ganondorf and Apolloni northwards until they turned west and galloped up the rock-hewn stairs leading into the village proper. Dawn was breaking, casting a deep shadow from the mountains westward across the plain, keeping them hidden from sight.<p>

Merin slid off the exhausted stallion and stepped up behind Impa, her eyes gazing towards the massive throng seemingly pulsating at the entrance to the castle. She scrunched her nose in disgust as she viewed the river that ran downstream past their position from the castle, it had turned a filthy shade of brown and an awful odor of refuse and filth was emanating from it. The army had polluted the very land they occupied and nothing was safe from their contamination.

A quick snap of Impa's fingers riveted her attention back to the grooved stairs leading up to the foot of the pass. The Sheikah had already tethered the horse behind a conglomeration of bushes, hiding it expertly behind the foliage and shade of nearby trees. Without a word, Impa motioned them forward as they skulked alongside the rock wall and peered around the corner. Seeing nothing but the bleached bones of the poor villagers who were mercilessly slaughtered and raped on these very stairs seven cycles ago, she and Merin advanced forward up the steps into town.

"What happened here?" Merin asked dismayed. Her foot inadvertently touched a small skeleton of what looked like a young child. Its hip bones cracked and twisted in such an odd fashion that it appeared it had been raped to death in a rather deviant manner. What awful screams must have been echoing through this village that day?

A grim countenance set itself upon Impa's face, "A barrier to buy us more time." Impa said with some regret.

Merin looked up at Impa's eyes, searching the real meaning of her words, "They were sacrificed, weren't they?"

A small bow of the head confirmed it, "The Sheikah's sole purpose is to protect the royal family and the sacred objects entrusted to them. My charge at this time was Princess Zeld. Our only goal was to get her to safety. These villagers did what needed to be done. They gave us that time to get what really mattered away from this place."

Impa closed her eyes, controlling her tears. She had not the time to grieve over the loss of her friends, the very people she had loved so much that she opened up the village to allow them to live in it. She couldn't shake the feeling that she betrayed them all to a fate they didn't deserve, and for what? Their sworn duty to their Goddess? What right did she have to condemn a whole town to death for a Goddess that supposedly loved and cared for her people? She passed a hand over her face to ward off her wayward thoughts.

Sidestepping a rather shocking collection of skeletons heaped together like trash, Merin followed Impa up the steps. "I understand what you mean. You did what you felt was the greater good." Merin felt awkward, she said the words but she didn't fully know if she actually meant them. Merin sensed that she had to say something to alleviate the tension.

"It doesn't matter now." Impa said, wiping away a fleck of crystalline from her eye with a finger. "What matters is that we avenge their souls on those that perpetrated this upon them."

Merin went to say more, but was silenced with a raised fist from Impa. Up ahead they spied the tattered and broken sign welcoming visitors to Kakariko. It had been badly charred and was completely broken in half, lying covered in weeds on the ground. Beyond lay the wasteland that was now Kakariko, the grass no longer grew and was nothing but dirt and dried clumps of brown.

Impa silently voiced her disgust as she inspected the earth. The bastards had salted the soil. She tossed the dirt with a violent throw. There would be no grass, shrubs or trees that would grow in this village for many cycles to come. They not only destroyed this town, but they prevented it from becoming beautiful again.

She scanned the environment and noticed only several of the buildings still moderately intact. They had the majority of their structure burnt to the ground, but there were still some corner and beam supports still standing, if not a bit scorched. A neighing to her left galvanized them to action. They both hurtled across the path towards the nearest building remnants on the southern rise and looked north towards the center of town. There at the foot of the pass leading up to Death Mountain was Ganondorf and Apolloni, they had set up camp by the old watchtower in the center of town and were calmly awaiting Link and the others to saunter down the mountain as agreed upon.

Merin knew that if she had been an elder and underwent the process of implanting a ruby in her forehead, they would be discovered within seconds. She was immediately thankful that she never made the cut. She was nervous about confronting her king. She still couldn't come to grips with the fact that she had been deceived by her own leader, the one man she ever looked up to. "So what do we do now?" Merin probed apprehensively.

"Nothing. We wait alongside them." Impa confirmed with commitment, leaning back into a comfortable sitting position against the crumbling brick.

"We aren't going to stop them from killing Link?" Merin stood there agape.

Impa rested her head up against the cool wall, "I highly doubt he'd do that right away. If I know Ganondorf, he'll keep up the ruse that he is with us until he no longer has to. What he won't expect is us showing up and spoiling his strategy. We have the element of surprise now. We will take them both on together when we have the rest to assist us."

"Okay…" Merin said uncertainly. She knew in her heart that neither of them together were a match for the Gerudo king and the powerful dark magick he wielded. The fact Apolloni was there didn't help the odds in their favor either. At length, she finally relented and sat down next to the Sheikah as they waited away the hours before Link's return.

* * *

><p>Argonim burst through the tent flaps only to be greeted by a claymore in the chest, its calm steel sinking deeper into his flesh before it pierced through his body completely and drew rivers of blood out the other side. He grunted in pain as he slumped over onto the wielder's arm. Naar, disgusted, smashed a boot into the man's knee cracking it with one swift blow. With his free arm, he divested from his blade the bulky piece of meat with a push of his hand.<p>

"Fool! You should know better than to barge in without announcing yourself first. Did they not teach you manners where you are from?" With a wry grin and a hearty laugh, Naar seemed quite amused at his own joke. "Oh wait, I completely forgot. Where are my manners?" With a guffaw, he gleefully slammed his boot tip up into Argonim's chin forcing the man into a twirling flip before collapsing in a moaning heap on the ground.

With a brief glance through the flapping tent opening, Naar growled for the other imbeciles to enter the pavilion. Presently they placed a small bundle of wriggling sackcloth on the floor at his feet. Naar dissipated his weapon as he looked down at it intrigued. He nudged the bag with the heel of his foot only to have a small shriek emit from its folds.

Eyebrows raised, he turned to the massive man beside him, groaning with the agony of reconstruction, "What is this present that you brought me?"

Gasping for air, Argonim managed to elevate his upper half enough to look over at the quivering package. "A gift. A bargaining chip with the Gerudo." He rasped, doubling over hacking as the sucking wound in his chest began to close up.

Naar knelt beside it and carefully brought down the cloth siding until a flaming mane of hair emerged from its depths. His eyes widened with shock as he gazed upon a Gerudo for the first time, a child certainly, but a Gerudo nonetheless! He had only heard about them from his commanders, their lethal battle prowess and hearty constitution from living all their lives in the desert. The young girl was terrified with fear as she brought her knees up to her face, her eyes wildly darting around at the dangerous men surrounding her. Her eyes locked onto Argonim's as he tried to get into a sitting position, she squealed and drew back further into the bag.

"Extraordinary…" Naar mused, as he beheld the beautiful creature before him. The fact it was female was definitely holding favorably in his sight, younger in both physique and build than the Kokiri but still no less majestic. His eyes suddenly darkened, "Why would she be a bargaining chip? The Gerudo are many and vast, why would they care about a single, lone child?"

Argonim heaved himself up to standing, clearing Naar's form by several feet. He was so tall he had to hunch over to avoid hitting his head against the tarp cloth ceiling. "We snatched this jewel out by the pass near the Negev Marshlands. She was being carried by another Gerudo female. A scouting party ambushed our camp and took the older female away. They did not find this one."

Irritated at the lack of answer he was expecting, Naar reposted his question, "That still doesn't resolve the issue. Why would they care about bargaining for one child?"

The muscular man looked at his companions for answers. They were unable to supply any, preferring to stay out of Naar's ire by remaining silent. Mumbling under his breath, Argonim attempted an answer, "I've seen the Gerudo go above and beyond to save every single prisoner we've taken into our camp. They are very protective of their own and are willing to go into the heart of our camp to rescue their people. I saw it firsthand when they routed us in the desert about a fortnight ago. I barely made it out alive with this little girl."

Rage evident in his cry, Naar crashed a fist into Argonim's face. Channeling inner energies into his fingers, the force of the blow initiated a concussion wave that bowled the other two soldiers standing by. The meaty man flew backwards and rammed into the side beam post of the tent with a sickening crack. His spine broken, he crumpled to the dirt in misery. Blood dribbled down his mouth as several teeth fell out, splintered and in pieces. The little girl yelped in fright and curled up deeper into the sackcloth.

"Idiot! They have weapons that can annihilate us in seconds, to reduce us to nothing but ashes and dust! Ashes and dust!" He rubbed some dirt between his fingers and tossed it into Argonim's face for emphasis. "You think they will want to bargain with us? Without their leader to guide them and speak for them, they will not listen to the enemy! They would rather shoot us dead than allow us leverage against them. This girl is useless!" The spittle spewed from Naar's mouth due to the encompassing wrath that had taken ahold of him.

Argonim croaked, "If…it's all right with you sir…I'd like to have the girl if you don't…want her." A glimmer of hope flashed across his eyes as he gazed upon the luscious red curls of the trembling girl.

Naar backhanded the man across the face forcing him to crumble face first into the earth. "She is to reside with me until such time I decide what to do with her. As for you, I have a special task set aside for your talents." Unable to even move, Argonim moved his pupils to look up at the imposing stature of his general. "The Gerudo leader decided to pay me a visit a few moons ago and divulge a most interesting scenario that is unfolding around us. You are to assist him in any way you can in the deal we have made. He is heading east to Kakariko as we speak most likely."

"What if…he betrays us?" Argonim murmured from the side of his broken mouth.

Naar chuckled, "Oh, I have no doubt of that! I trust him as much as I trust my women, very little." His expression hardened as he glowered at the two silent men at the entrance, "You two! Drag this sorry carcass out of my sight. Come back when you've fully healed and are ready to properly accept your assignment!"

With one final kick to the man's ribs, Naar watched as the two soldiers struggled to heave the freakishly huge man onto their shoulders and lug him out into the open air. With a contented sigh, he turned towards the quaking little Gerudo girl. She was dressed in nothing but a simple plain dress of ivory white with intricate designs along the bottom; some sort of night wear he guessed. She was a pretty little thing and her deep blue eyes were startlingly captivating.

He leered, "Now what to do with you?" The little girl shivered uncontrollably.


	80. Chapter 79 - The Order of Masks

**Chapter 79 - The Order of Masks**

For the first time in her life, she was free from her parents. Xavier bounded through the snow with wild abandon, kicking up fluff and debris into the air with each scrape of her claws. Darunia was beside her, laughing as he kept decent pace with the Cyn'Taak, both reveling in the cold snow. They were vaulting up the steep incline, leaping over sarsens and diving over escarpments with the force of their momentum. Darunia was impressed with her ability to utilize her powerful arms to propel herself through the air with each leap.

This was the first time Darunia was alone with the creature and he was quite fascinated with her. The Goron king had never seen anything quite like her. She was covered in bluish-green scales that scintillated in the blinding light reflecting off of the snow. A rather odd hue of red fur was trailing down her back, ending at the base of her scorpion like tail. Her snout was that of a crocodile but with far more teeth. She currently had her tongue lolling out of it with the pure ecstasy of their impromptu race.

"So where are you from exactly Xavier?" Darunia queried as he sprang over a rather large boulder utilizing his arms to help thrust him over the top, his hammer jangling slightly upon impact within its strapped loops attached to his back.

She had to think about it a bit before answering, "I 'on't know." She truly didn't. The first memories she had were of Link and Zelda taking care of her, supplying her fresh meat to eat and blood to drink.

"That's okay. Sometimes I don't even know where I'm from either!" Darunia chortled as he flung a huge clump of snow onto her muzzle, blinding her slightly with the slush flinging up into her eyes. He went manically laughing the whole way up the hill as she roared with irritation at him securing the lead on her.

Her tail twitching irascibly, Xavier scampered up the slope shaking the snow from her snout. The imposing site of an irate Cyn'Taak might have given anyone other than Darunia pause, instead he just hooted louder at her perceived affront. She was almost upon him, ready to tackle his hulking form when he curled up into a ball and rolled down hill much to her surprise.

She spent several moments gazing down upon her quarry as he hurtled down the mountain gaining speed. Figuring she could do the same, she somersaulted forward and nearly flopped over onto her tail as it whipped back around and slapped the snow sending puffs of sleet in every direction. Frustrated yet determined to catch up with the irksome Goron, Xavier clamped down hard onto her tail to keep it close to her belly and began the roll again. Utilizing her arms to boost her forward with each rotation, she managed an admirable rate of descent down the mountain side.

Xavier had truly begun to enjoy herself. Barreling down the slope, casting snow in a pitched arc around her, she blazed a grooved path clear as day for anyone to follow. It wasn't until she heard a muffled cry off to her right that she realized something was wrong. She released her tail just as it cuffed the snow roughly, sending her catapulting over the precipice revealing a sudden drop of thousands of feet. She yelped dreadfully as she comprehended that she was still meters away from the other side of the ravine when she began her fatal descent.

Darunia, seeing the danger to the ignorant beast, altered his course and began rolling quickly to where she was to launch off airborne. He shunted off the edge just as Xavier flew over the abyss. He unfurled in midair and grasped the business end of her flailing tail just below the venomous barb, with a mighty cry he twirled in the air taking the hapless creature with him. On the upswing, he pitched the Cyn'Taak up onto the opposite ledge. She rammed into the ground with the force of a piston sending spires of sleet spiraling into the air. She immediately crawled panting to look over the edge as she spotted the fading form of Darunia plummeting into the misty depths below.

"'Arun'a" Xavier howled into the void, her eyes scanning the hazy fog enveloping the ravine.

Her small, swept back ears were flicking to and fro trying to garner some hint of life from below. She looked around her seeing nothing but steep crags burdened with heavy ice, it had begun to snow again and the wind was picking up something fierce. Xavier began to hyperventilate now that her new playmate had left her. Was she to be left all alone on this mountain with no hope of food or water?

Her frantic, ragged breathing instantly quelled as she heard a singular smash reverberate up the valley. Another pounding strike echoed right after the first. Within minutes she could hear excessive grunting accompanying each bang. She scurried over to the edge once again and looked over to see Darunia struggling mightily to scale the vertical surface. Utilizing the pointed end of his hammer, he pulled himself slowly higher with each pounding swing.

"'Arun'a!" Xavier rumbled happily, she was almost panting with excitement that he was alive.

"Ha!" Darunia grinned as he gripped a rather large outcropping with his hand before extricating the hammer from the rock and swinging it above his head, crunching it deep into the firm stone. "It'll take more than that to kill a Goron!" He bellowed loudly.

At length, he reached the top and promptly bowled over onto his back, heaving with the exertion of the climb. He lay there for several minutes as he watched a joyful Xavier dance around his body asking nonsensical questions about what it was like scaling the mountain. She had never learned to be like her kin, leaping from branch to branch in the marshlands or utilizing her massive arms for anything but capturing small prey. She was woefully inadequate when it came to upper body strength and carrying her own weight through the air.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm for my safety, but please be quiet for once!" Darunia exhaled, he was still quite winded from the ascent.

"'kay." Xavier grumbled, slightly off put. "What do we do 'ow?" She asked flatly, her fervor subsiding.

Darunia turned himself over onto his stomach before pushing himself up onto his knees. He looked up the slope towards the distant opening in the rock face. A small sliver of smoke was rising from the roof of the opening and slowly wafting away with the wind. He pointed in the cave's direction, "That is where the others will be, if they haven't drowned by now." He shivered at the thought of the water rather than from the cold of the oncoming storm. "I pray to the Goddesses that they are all right. Hopefully Zelda's newfound powers led them to the right path and I'm wrong about their fate."

Xavier furrowed her brow which made her look quite menacing, despite her actual confusion at the situation. "'Hould I have 'one with them instead?" She questioned openly.

Darunia shook his head, "I don't think you would have gotten far with them. Underwater passages have a nasty habit of turning impossibly small for folks like us at the drop of a hat. Not to mention there being any air pockets available depending on its length. But if I know Cayla, she wouldn't let any of them attempt the journey if she didn't scout it out first to ensure its safety. So I am not worried there." He thought for a bit before turning to the Cyn'Taak, "Can you even swim?"

She just swung her tail in a lazy circle as she thought, "I don't 'now." She admitted honestly. She never had thought to try and swim before, she wasn't sure if she even had the aptitude for it.

"Well then," Darunia started, pulling himself back onto his feet, placing the hammer on the ground as leverage, "Let's not waste any more time here. I believe we took the fast way across. It'll probably be an hour yet before we even see hide or hair of our companions inside the cave." The Goron king smirked as he gave an askance look to Xavier, "Care for another race?"

* * *

><p>The sweltering heat was nigh unbearable for Link and the others. Nabooru lost all pretenses at modesty and stripped completely bare within minutes of traversing the melting corridor after emerging from the submerged passage. The rest quickly followed suit, much to the dismay of Zelda. Still unnerved at having her private matters the night before laid bare in front of the entire group, she was still somewhat hesitant to reveal her nude form again in front of Link. Presently, she had no choice but to remove her clothes and dump the sweat drenched fabric on top of the pile with the others.<p>

"I understand that Darunia said the dragon's den would be hot, but I didn't expect it would be this blistering!" Zelda despaired, taking extra caution not to place her hands on the walls. They had all kept their footwear on for it was the only piece of clothing that prevented their feet from getting burned from the ground. The very rock was slowly melting, forming molten clumps in various places along the passage.

"We have no choice." Cayla encouraged the others. "Our goal is the Goron Ruby. He said it would be in the den itself, along the outer edge of the chamber. We do not have to engage the dragons if we can help it!" She wiped her forehead drawing a rather sickly amount of sweat pouring off her skin.

"I can't stand it. It's too hot!" Saria wailed, wanting nothing more than to dive back into the pool of water. It was quite warm but at least it was better than being in the humid, fetid cave passage.

"Don't complain now Saria." Link smiled. "You asked to come along on this mission. You reap what you've earned." He chuckled as she shot him a rather ruthless glare.

"Enough." Nabooru and Cayla said in unison. They both turned to each other in shock before looking back to the others.

"I hear the dragons further down the path, we have to be quiet. I do not know how well their hearing is or if we've already given our position away." Cayla warned sternly.

"Yes mother." Link said jokingly, drawing a rather snorting laugh from Saria before being silenced by Cayla's stare.

With Cayla in the lead, they silently padded down the corridor with weapons in hand. The hilts were slowly becoming warmer with each passing moment and the steel itself was searing to the touch. It wouldn't be long before they would have to discard their weapons, possibly permanently. The prospect of facing the dragons without any sort of steel left a great sense of foreboding among the group. They quickened their pace so they wouldn't have to abandon them should this ruby search get prolonged.

Link stretched his wings, flapping them slightly ever so often, to remove the massive amounts of sweat coalescing within his plumage. He hated the foreign feeling of perspiration slowly dripping through each individual feather on his wings, it unnerved him greatly. What was worse was the squirming inside the soft, fleshy mound on the center of his wing. He still had no idea what exactly had happened during his recovery but it had always ached. Now in the stifling heat of the cavern, it was irritating the healed wound and Link had to look again when he thought he saw movement under the skin.

A tap on his shoulder jolted him out of his ruminations, Zelda pointed to a rather large boulder jutting sharply out of the ground just to the right of the cave opening. They looked out into the massive chamber and beheld a monstrous sight. The depressed center portion of the chamber was alive with millions of scales writhing and twisting to and fro.

It took several seconds to filter what exactly they were looking at. There was one massive dragon surrounded by dozens of smaller serpentine dragons. Saria gasped when she realized what the smaller dragons were doing. Each one was clutching tight onto the larger, elder dragon, biding its time before pleasurably impaling itself onto its massive phallus. After a time, it'd move off and allow another of its kin a chance to straddle the gargantuan beast. She turned aside blushing. This was a dragon harem with a lone alpha male!

Cayla whispered in awe, "I've never seen a dragon of this type before."

"Probably because he sends the smaller, female ones out to do the dirty work." Link pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Cayla asked, turning to him annoyed that he would know more than she about the dragons they had been facing for seven damn cycles.

"Well first, look at what they are doing to the larger male." He pointed to the nether regions of the dragon, where multitudes of twisting scales and flames were vying for dominancy over their depraved activity. "They are his progeny that he uses to produce more offspring."

Cayla flushed at the straightforward explanation Link purported. "How would you know this much about these dragons?" She prodded testily. They had little time to find the ruby and it was getting hotter. She was beginning to wonder if they would even get out of this situation alive.

Link began to fold his arms until he decided that was a bad idea to do, considering the streams of sweat making his skin sticky. Shaking off the moisture, he expounded, "I encountered one once at around this time frame when Ganondorf was in possession of the Triforce of Power. It looked quite similar to this and was female, so seeing this now makes a whole lot of sense given what I was up against then. Darunia at that time explained to me later after I saved him the nature of these beasts, he probably wouldn't remember that since I was sent back in time before all that happened."

Cayla blinked as she stared at him like he was a lunatic. Zelda quickly rushed in and placed a dripping palm on his arm, "Don't mind him Cayla. These are just some fantastical stories he used to tell when he was younger and living with us in the castle." She jerked her head closer to him. "Link! You know better than to confuse people with crazy stories like that."

Link grinned, "They are all true Zelda. Besides, it was worth it for the look on her face."

Cayla made a move to reprimand the impudent whelp when a deep growl resonated throughout the cavern. "It is rude for guests to stand in the doorway long after an invitation has been given to enter."

All eyes peered around the jagged rock to see the enormous dragon lounged on his side, one wing draped behind him along the ground, the other slowly fanning himself above all the females. He was idly scratching an itch on his jewel encrusted belly as he lazily looked upon their pitiful forms, broiling smoke drifting upwards from his nostrils.

Their legs were rooted to the spot, terror gripped their hearts. None of them dared move a muscle to confront the overwhelming dragon and its presence. A small tug of the heart from Navi was what propelled Link to make the first step and emerge from the shadows of the chamber. Fully bearing his wings proudly, he stepped forward unashamed and casually held his sword at his side.

"We did not hear an invitation." Link stated, trying to forcibly control the waver in his voice.

The dragon emitted a low rumble from its gut which sent vibrations rolling through their bodies, it appeared to be laughing. "You are not dead yet. I believe that was invitation enough." The beast lowered its head as it tried to peer around the boulder blocking the cave entrance. "What of your crew? Have them step into the light so that I may see them better." It was casually spoken but it was evident that it should not be disobeyed.

With a shaky hand motioning the others to stand beside him, the rest tiptoed out afraid that even a loud footfall would enrage the beast. The only one who seemed the least bit interested in the dragons was Saria, she was gazing upon them with curiosity. She had never seen such a majestic creature so large and magnificent. The rest were fixed with terror.

The deep rumble resounded through the chamber again as the dragon soaked in the rest of Link's company. "Looks like we have something in common Huma." The beast motioned with his snout the throng of females clamoring for his favor. Link blushed crimson at the dragons insinuation. "Do they follow you around like fleas?" More rumbling.

"We want no trouble here. We just came to procure one single token…a trifle really." Link bluffed. He had no idea if dragons could read minds or perceive lies, especially male dragons.

"You mean this charming trinket?" With a self-satisfied grin of teeth, the dragon unearthed the Goron Ruby from the mass of gold beneath his bulk and flicked it with a talon towards them. It landed a mere dozen meters from their position. Zelda gasped as she saw the brilliant glow of the ruby oscillating around the cavern as the light from the dragons played off of it.

Stunned that it should be so easy, Link shied away from the ruby thinking it might be a trap. "What is the stipulation in taking it? Or are we free to go with the ruby?" He tried to sound strong for the others who were stricken with muteness by the presence of the dragons.

The elder dragon rumbled deep, "A smart one you are. There is a price to pay for releasing such a valuable gem from my collection." The beast paused as he pointed a lengthy claw towards Zelda and Nabooru. "Those two would make a mighty fine snack and would be an adequate price."

"No!" Cayla shouted, finally free from her dread. "You cannot have her!"

The dragon raised a scaly eyebrow as it considered the bold defiance, "Are you saying you are willing to take her place? For that would also be suitable." Its forked tongue licked its lips, "It has been a while since one of the females have brought me Sheikah to eat. I have grown tired of Gorons as of late."

With a low, unintelligible growl, several serpentine dragons detached from the elder beast's body and began snaking their way across the ground towards them. They were nowhere near the size of the male, but each were as big as several houses in their own right. Splaying his wings out defensively, Link brandished his sword and readied himself for the skirmish.

A roaring cry emerged from his right as a rolling rock bowled into the cavern before unfurling and slamming a hammer into the snout of one dragon. The beast's head snapped back before collapsing to the side causing a minor earthquake as the rest of the body followed suit. Quick on the draw, Darunia swung the hammer around in a wide vertical arc and smashed the creature's brains out.

The alpha male turned over onto its feet as it flung all the raging females off of its body. "Who dares?" It bellowed horribly, causing silt and rocks to fall from the high, arched ceiling above.

"I dare, you vile serpent!" Darunia spat, holding the hammer firmly with both hands. The other nearby dragons backpedaled as the Goron king made to advance upon them. Xavier bounded through the cavern and sided with him in threatening the other beasts.

"If death is what you desire, then death is what you will receive!" The male shouted, rearing his head back. The scales on his abdomen flapped wildly as a deep breath was heard throughout the chamber.

"Run you fools!" Darunia shouted as he gripped the Cyn'Taak by the tail and practically dragged the poor creature towards the only source of protection in the room, the boulder. Everyone made a mad dash for the passage hoping that the jutting rock would protect them from the deadly dragon fire.

"Zelda…no!" Link screamed as she tripped on an errant stone and fell to the floor scraping her arms and legs. He made a move to rush out to save her but Darunia pushed him and Cayla back.

"There is no time! We will all die!" Genuine panic was in his eyes. Dragon fire was one of the few things that could easily kill a Goron and there was fear palpable in his eyes. Even the Goron king had never encountered a male dragon before. This was entirely new to him.

Before anyone could react, Xavier dove out from shelter and covered Zelda's entire body with her own, wrapping Zelda up in her cool scales which were startlingly refreshing to the touch. Cayla screamed as Nabooru and Link tried to hold the Sheikah back. She was on near hysteria that her charge was about to be incinerated alive and was being defended by an abnormal beast she didn't quite fully trust with Zelda's safety.

The intake of breath broke as liquescent flames billowed forth from the throat of the elder dragon, its conflagrations licking the sides of the walls as it blustered towards the hapless Cyn'taak. Within seconds, the creature was enveloped in thrashing flames swelling around them. Link cried out in anguish as he lost sight of them within the inferno. He was slammed back into the burning rock by Saria as the remainder of the dragon fire crashed up against the boulder, circling around them and delving deep into the passage beyond.

Peeking one eye open, Nabooru gasped as she beheld the Cyn'Taak completely unharmed. The creature lifted its head up and gazed around blinkingly. "Did I do 'ood?" she rumbled as she looked to Link.

"Impossible!" The male roared as he thumped one clawed foot to the floor throwing several off balance with its aftershocks.

Dawning realization settled in on Link as he praised the Goddesses for such a blessing as Xavier. "There must be some element of magick to dragon fire!" He exclaimed amazed. "Cyn'Taak are resistant to magick!"

Moving with a speed abnormal to its size, the alpha dragon lumbered into a position where the next breath would be unavoidable. Link felt something thrust into his right hand but when he looked, there was no one there to have given him the mask. Lacking any other recourse, he raised the mask over his face, mere inches away from his nose and faced the dragon head on.

The dragon stopped and glided its face closer to the mask being held up, taken in its bloodshot eyes, its multi-colored hues and horned crown. Its maw of teeth was mere feet away from Link, its mouth large enough to hold dozens of people at once and swallow whole. Link involuntarily shivered as he stared at the inner wood façade of the mask, unaware of what was going on just in front of him. Time seemed to stop as the rest of the female dragons turned to the alpha, awaiting his command.

"Now that is a face I have not seen in a millennia." Growled the dragon. After a few tense moments of silence, the dragon coolly ordered, "Lower the mask so that I may view your face one more time." Visibly shaking, Link brought the mask down to his waist. The dragon turned his snout to the side as he inspected Link with a single, scrutinizing eye. "You look remarkably like him."

"Like who?" Link asked, keeping his lower lip from quivering. He glanced briefly to the side to see Cayla rushing Zelda to safety behind the stone as Xavier looked eager to leap to Link's rescue. It took Saria's petting of her mane to calm down the creature's bristling nerves.

The dragon drew his neck back and looked out over his brood of females and the myriad of eggs beyond the piles of gold. "The interloper, the defiler, the killer of the one who held the rift at bay."

"I don't understand." Link said baffled.

Zelda stepped forward, shaking off the protective arm of Cayla. "I do. The greatest of your kind was deceived by the one sent by Demise, the one who wore the fascia of a hero and brutally killed the one dragon who kept good and evil separate."

The dragon looked down upon the golden haired Huma with obvious interest, "You know much for someone so young. There is no way you could have known that unless…" The massive maw was brought down to her level as he inspected her too. "Well, well, if this is not a surprise. I did not recognize you for the disguise you placed around your spirit…Hylia." Nabooru inhaled swiftly. So it really wasn't some weird dream, she had doubts Zelda was even telling the truth. "You do not live as long as I have without being able to recognize your Goddess." The dragon thundered.

"Your Goddess?" Zelda murmured disbelieving. "Does that mean you will help us?"

The male snorted, spouting flames from his nostrils in irritation. "We do not serve the Goddess any longer. The time of our loyalty has ended. We leave the fate of this wretched world in your hands now."

Without thinking of what she was doing, Saria zipped up to his nose and drew level with his muzzle. "But you have to help us! If she truly was your Goddess, what is preventing you from helping her now? Have you really lost your faith in her?" She didn't know why she said the things she did, but she felt Sora applauding her every word.

Jerking its head back to better view the buzzing Kokiri, the dragon cocked its brow at the interesting creature. "And what are you? An annoying bug?"

Trying not to sound affronted, she clarified, "I'm a Kokiri."

The deep reverberating laugh resonated through the cavern, "One of her most cherished creations. I had almost forgot your kind existed. Do not speak to me of faith and your Goddess. I want as little to do with her as she did with us." Deeming the conversation over, the dragon kicked the ruby with its foot over to Link as he knelt to pick up the scalding hot jewel. He had to apparate a piece of cloth just to be able to even touch the stone. "Take your prize." The dragon growled.

"That's it? You're not going to kill us?" Darunia asked hopefully.

The dragon's gaze shifted down to the mask Link still held in his hand, "Not today."


	81. Chapter 80 - The Enemy Within

**Chapter 80 - The Enemy Within**

"Do you think it was a good idea to leave her alone with him?" Zelda asked nervously. She shifted uncomfortably behind Link as she rearranged her arms around his waist. They were soaring high over the jagged peaks on top of a dragon.

Link turned his head slightly to be heard above the buffeting wind, "You know how Saria gets when she puts her mind to something. I couldn't talk her out of it."

He smiled as he heard a whoop behind him, Darunia was having the time of his life riding the flying serpent. He had never dared to think that such an event was possible. The Goron king was wildly waving an arm above his head as he grappled the scaly mane of the beast between his legs with the other. He seemed completely at peace with the situation, something Nabooru behind him was not. She was clinging white knuckled around Cayla, much to the Sheikah's irritation.

The elder male dragon conceded to let them leave with the Goron Ruby. They were given just enough time to head back into the passage to gather their belongings before the proffered dragon departed. The agreement was that they would remove themselves from his presence and he would spare a female to transport them back to the Goron refuge as a token of good faith. Once all were situated onto the back of the dragon, she catapulted into the air which drew several squeals and cries of shock from those riding.

As they were assembling their clothes and effects, Saria had marched up to Link proudly with hands on her hips. Link took one glance at her before looking back down to his pack, wiping the pouring sweat off his brow before securing the masks back into his bag. "Saria, please put some clothes back on, we're getting ready to leave. We got what we came for."

"No." She stated flatly. Link looked up at her curiously. "I feel my place is here, with the dragons."

He distorted his face oddly, "Why on the Goddesses' green earth would you want to stay here?" The heat was getting to him, and having to put his tunic and tights back on was torture.

"I think they can help us." She shook her head. "No, I know they can help us."

Link chuckled, thinking she was joking, the laugh caught in his throat as he looked at her determined face. "You're serious aren't you?" She nodded curtly. "What makes you think they'll listen to you?"

As if explaining with authority, she rattled off, "Well, it is clear that both the dragons and the Kokiri were once servants of the Goddess Hylia. Maybe I can use that connection to help him see our plight and help us out."

Link looked back down the tunnel at the seething mass of wriggling scales crawling all over the gargantuan beast. "I don't think he'll listen to reason, especially if you tackle him with that. He didn't seem too eager to help us when he recognized Zelda for who she was." After a moment's thought, he added, "And he didn't seem too keen on you either."

"Doesn't mean I can't still try!" Saria retorted, her wings twitching agitatedly.

"You're not going to give up, are you?" Link said with a smile as he turned back to his pack.

"Nope!" She said with a laugh.

Swooping Saria up into his arms, he embraced her diminutive form tightly against his body. Speaking softly into her ear, "Please be safe. I want to see you again."

Whispering back, "Don't worry, I'll make sure I don't piss the big dragon off…too much." She giggled as she released him and floated away down the passage. She turned back briefly, "Oh, don't take my clothes, just leave them there. I'll probably need them later." It wasn't until he placed a hand to his chest did he realize Saria had placed the Kokiri Emerald around his neck, dangling from a thin piece of chain.

A wistful smile still imprinted on his face, he said to himself again, "I couldn't talk her out of it." A gentle squeeze around the waist alerted him that they were preparing to land.

Several Gorons below were shouting battle cries and alarms. Several Sheikah were scrambling amongst the crags to fortify positions of defense against the incoming serpent. Several had arrows nocked and ready as the dragon descended through the wispy clouds, the ground hurtling up at them at an alarming rate. Xavier tensed in preparation to leap off the crazed dragon should it barrel itself into the ground.

The dragon landed roughly onto the dusty slope, churning up rocks under its talons as it gripped the earth to secure itself. Link nearly fell off the side before Zelda grasped his tunic just under the base of his wings and brought him steady back up in front of her. The beast was snarling at the entourage of Gorons and Sheikah which were aiming a variety of weapons in its direction.

"Ho! Be at ease, the dragon was just escorting us down from the mountain. We have secured the Goron Ruby!" Darunia boomed from astride the dragon. All Gorons stared up mystified that their leader had tamed a dragon and was now using it as a regal mount. None could comprehend such a thing.

Sliding down the scaly side and alighting with a grunt, the Goron king raised the ruby high into the air for all to see. A cacophony of cheers resonated throughout the rock as many Gorons praised their king. Link hopped down, utilizing his wings to soften the landing. The dragon was small compared to the male, but she was still fairly large and it was quite the steep drop. He turned to help Zelda down from her riding perch. She smiled as she took his hand and slipped into his arms before being set onto the ground.

Nabooru and Cayla deftly leapt to the ground without any assistance and proceeded to stand beside Zelda. Xavier slipped and roared the entire way down before collapsing in a heap by the dragon's back leg. A low growl of irritation rumbled through the belly of the beast as Xavier gripped her claws into the dragon's hind leg, trying to help herself back to standing.

"Ah, and my partner in delinquency!" Darunia roared jovially as he clapped a hand to Xavier's back. "She has earned a place of honor in my heart! She kept up with the king of the Gorons and even had my back in the dragon's den, for that I pronounce her an honorary Goron!" More applause and cheers erupted from the gathering ground, much to the confusion of Xavier. She was utterly flabbergasted as to what had just transpired. She numbly turned to Darunia as he addressed her directly, "You are one amazing creature, Xavier. I will see to it that my subjects create for you an armor befitting your station. What say you to that?"

She nodded torpidly, unsure of what she had walked into. "'ounds 'ood." She spoke dully.

Link raised his hands merrily as he went to hug the Cyn'Taak. "Be happy Xavier! The Gorons just bestowed upon you a great honor!" He paused a moment as he considered something, "I guess that makes you a sworn sister!" He guffawed joyously, followed by the deep belly laugh of Darunia.

"Are you quite finished with your greetings?" The dragon spoke ardently. All eyes turned in shock at the female serpent, Link was unaware they could talk on their own to others outside of their kind. Ignoring the stares, it continued, "I must get back to my brood. Do not come back to our home again, Huma." It seemed to spit the last word out like a vile oath. With a swift flap of its wings and a tumult of upturned rock, the dragon spiraled into the sky and flew eastward to the horizon.

"Good riddance." Cayla snorted as she viewed the serpentine silhouette fading into the distant mountains. She stepped a bit closer to her charge, in a subconscious effort to better protect Zelda.

"I wonder what I did." Zelda said softly to herself as she gazed forlornly at the departure of the dragon. She had no idea what her past self had done to lose the loyalty of the dragons, she wasn't exactly sure she wanted to find out. Her memories were still hazy and she could only remember specific events or instances of the past, mainly revolving around the death of her champion, Link.

"Please come Zelda, the rest are heading into the mountain." Cayla put a hand on Zelda's shoulder as she gently nudged her towards the direction of the others as they were gleefully following their king and newly sworn sister into the caverns. Even Link had gone on ahead and was gaily joining in on the festivities. There had been a huge revelry when he was sworn in as a brother to the Gorons, despite the fact he was too young to participate at the time. He was fully intending to live it up tonight for Xavier however.

She was about to follow her protector's advice when she noticed Nabooru standing alone, gazing out over the peaks. "Is everything okay Nabooru?" Zelda inquired concerned.

Her shoulders jumped a little as she turned to Zelda. After a moment, she smiled, "No, it's nothing. I was just curious if Saria will be all right with them." She inclined her chin towards the far eastern peaks where they had flown in from.

"We must pray to the Goddesses now to protect her." Zelda said solemnly.

Nabooru scoffed, "You mean, pray to you?" She instantly regretted the words as soon as they left her lips; the expression of pain on Zelda's face was evident. It was clear that her formal divinity was still being questioned by those around her, even to those whom she called friends. Is this what it feels like when people don't believe you and deride your stories? Is this what they put Link through?

Cayla bristled at the affront, "Do not speak to the Princess like that!" She took one step towards the flippant Gerudo.

"Princess or Goddess?" Nabooru remarked caustically, "You should really make up your mind!"

With a cry, the Sheikah moved to strike the Gerudo, but Zelda quickly put up her hand to stay the enraged guardian. "Cayla, you need to calm yourself. You can't overreact to everything people say to me. I understand that not all people will be tolerant with me and I accept that. I am having a hard time believing it myself that I am Hylia reborn. I can fathom why Nabooru is so against acknowledging me as a Goddess. All she has ever known was whatever her elders and the witches, Kotake and Koume, told her about their divine creators. To realize all that she believed in was nothing but a lie, and to now have me here proclaiming divinity? I wouldn't be very comfortable with it either."

"I apologize Zelda, it was not my place to question you." Nabooru said, slightly bowing her head.

"It's okay." Zelda said, waving a hand to dismiss the argument. "You meant what you said and I recognize your feelings on the matter. All I can promise is that I hope to live up to the expectations everyone would have of me. I may not be a Goddess in form anymore, but I am in spirit. I hope to bring happiness and comfort to those around me."

"Thank you. I…I just want to be left alone for a while." Nabooru stated wearily, the events of the day had taken their toll and her face looked haggard.

"Very well. Please come in and enjoy part of the festivities if you can. I know there is a war going on, but we acquired the ruby. We should celebrate small victories like this when we can." With one final grin, she turned to follow the last lingering Gorons into the cave opening. Cayla tailed her without bothering to look back at the Gerudo.

Nabooru rubbed her arms to help warm them up; the transition from extreme heat to the cold, blustery air high above the mountains was quite a shock to her system. She still wasn't sure she had fully recovered from the sudden temperature change. Her thoughts meandered back to Saria and their talk just before preparing to dive into the submerged passage that morning. She recalled the Kokiri mentioning she had overheard her conversation with Link about the nightmare and that she understood what she was feeling…for Saria had been having the same dreams too.

* * *

><p>It was indeed a celebration for the ages. It had been a long time since the war had started and no one had a moment's respite to enjoy the simple things in life. The fiesta spirit galvanized the entire community. Gorons finally had smiles back on their faces and Sheikah were finally starting to let their guard down, if only for one night. It had been a welcome diversion and one that was sorely needed for morale. They had little time to prepare, but they had already strung across the room several ropes of twine with dangling tapestries depicting Gorons in various positions of carousing.<p>

Link had unwittingly agreed to a rather raucous drinking contest between him, Darunia and Xavier. The moment the bitter drink touched his throat, he immediately retched at the awful taste of it. It felt like sandpaper in his mouth and reminded him of rock churned into mush. He deplored the drink as Darunia bellowed loudly at his sworn brother's inability to stomach the beverage. Link marveled disgustingly as the Goron king guzzled down the chewy liquid before wiping the dribble off his mouth with his arm.

"Ugh, what is in that?" Link grimaced at the horrid cup that still roiled with black chunks.

"My brother, it is the drink of the Goddesses!" At an incredulous look from Link, he further explained with great mirth, "Its strong drink for Gorons. Never seen a Hylian consume it, but I'm willing to bet it'll knock you on your ass!" He howled loudly as he stumbled over to the rock-hewn party table to pour more for himself into the stone goblet.

Xavier swilled the drink down in one shot. Staring deep into the cup, she grumbled morosely. "I don't 'hink that was a 'ood 'dea."

Several other Gorons clapped her on the back, congratulating her on her brazen manner of downing the liquid. They said she looked like a true Goron chugging it back like she did. Xavier shrugged off their praises and rumbled over to where Zelda was seated off to the side along the wall. She curled up next to her chair and promptly fell asleep. Zelda placed a gentle hand on the beast's head and began stroking it lovingly.

Walking back to the center of the gathering, Darunia glimpsed Xavier asleep. He wondered just how quick it had taken effect with her, she probably never had anything quite like that in her life. He chortled heartily, "Looks like someone couldn't handle their liquor."

Link thought the Goron king initially meant Xavier, but when he turned his dark pupils upon Link, it was clear he was meaning both of them. "Oh come on!" Link said exasperatedly. "You can't expect me to drink this and not feel sick! We weren't made to eat rocks like you." He was hoping his logical reasoning would have reached the king's mind, but it was clear the alcohol had already gotten there first.

"You are my sworn brother! We drink together! Like men!" He toasted to the health of Link before swallowing the next goblet full in one swoop.

With a cheer, the rest of the Gorons raised their cups of obsidian booze and downed theirs. The Sheikah were wisely staying to the edges of the room, watching the proceedings with care. A few joined in the dancing and merriment but all steered clear of both the favored drink and those especially boisterous Gorons drinking it.

Upon seeing that Link had hesitated and was still holding the stone cup loosely in his hand, he jabbed a meaty finger in his direction, "Link! Rink to your halth! It will do you gud! You need to looshen up!" The king was clearly slurring his words and already lost to the drink. Link merely shook his head, he had never seen Darunia drunk before and it was quite the new experience.

"I'm sorry, it's disgusting." Link's face twisted terribly at the recollection of its bitter aftertaste.

"Drink!" Darunia commanded again.

"I will not." Link stood firm.

"Drink!" Darunia boomed again.

After further pressing, Link finally agreed to drink the disgusting brew. He knew it was a mistake the moment he tipped the cup to his mouth. With a sudden movement, the king laughed and pressed up on the bottom of Link's goblet so more could flow down his throat. Link's wings contorted and knotted themselves in odd angles as he felt the chunky bits of rock tumble down his gullet before hitting the bottom of his stomach like a lodestone. He knew it would be an awful day when those had to come out.

An involuntary shiver traveled down his spine at the revolting flavor permeating his mouth, "That…" he hacked, "was awful." Darunia roared with laughter before offering to take Link's cup for another refill. "Whoa." Link swooned hard as he gripped the granite bench beside him. He nearly collapsed as he lost all sense of where he was. The drink quickly muddled his brain and his thoughts began to get all fuzzy. Was this what it was like getting drunk? Did Talon really enjoy this sensation?

"Wat? Will you not shelebrate with us on retrieving our sacred shtone?" Darunia grilled as he saw Link stagger past the extended cup filled to the brim with more detestable booze.

"I don't feel very good. I just…want to sleep." Link mumbled groggily. He had an overwhelming urge to simply collapse and wake up to morning. Just how strong was that drink?

Cocking his head briefly at him, Darunia dismissed the refusal, "Get shom shleep brother, we hash a big day tomerrew!" With a sweeping motion, he wolfed down both goblets entirely, much to the merriment of all Gorons in attendance. He howled with glee as he tripped and crashed into several Gorons, snickering the whole time.

Zelda motioned for Cayla to stay behind at their sitting place as she walked up to the stumbling Link, "Is everything all right? Do you need me to help you to your room?"

He shook his head indolently, "I'll be all right Zelda. Just…need to sleep this off."

With a worried look, she watched as her friend slowly walked up the slope towards the upper passages which led to their sleeping quarters. Link's wings languidly drooped down to his sides, seemingly all control gone from his appendages. He had probably never experienced such strong drink before and was quite unprepared for it. For that matter, neither had she. She had seen her father and dignitaries drink something similar during their council meetings when she was younger.

Speaking of her father, where was he? She looked around the crowd before realizing he was not there. She took one look back to see Cayla absorbed in some game involving young Gorons bashing each other against their hard backs with their heads. It seemed amazingly dangerous yet they were hooting and hollering at each bruise and injury incurred. Seeing that her protective guardian was distracted, she headed off towards the side corridor which would lead to her father's chambers. Unbeknownst to anyone in attendance, a shadow plucked itself from the far wall nearest Zelda and began tailing her.

Link had barely made it to his room before tumbling down onto the floor as he opened the oaken door into his boardroom. He crawled over to the limestone bed of furs at the far side of the room before hoisting himself up onto it. He slumped over and began to slowly drift off into blissful sleep before a small sound alerted his dull senses.

He looked up at the lithe form of Sasha as she gracefully stepped unbidden into his chambers. "Huh?" Confusion playing across his face. "What are you doing here?"

A wicked smile spread across her features as she coyly stepped closer to him, "And here I have you away from everyone else. All the Sheikah are busy, the Gorons completely drunk and useless and you here, incapacitated and defenseless. How utterly inviting." She licked her lips, her tongue lingering on the scar that traveled up her cheek.

"All the Sheikah? What are you talking about? Aren't you…?" Thoughts swirled in his head, none of them making any sense. He tried to lift himself up off the bed but was firmly pressed back into the furs by a rather forceful hand.

She knelt down and brought her eyes level with his, "I would have loved to have gone inside you, tasted what your heart and organs were like, and felt the blood of your body flow through mine."

His eyes dilated as he stared in horror at what Sasha was saying, "I…don't understand. Aren't you Cayla's…?" He couldn't even finish his contemplations, so jumbled were his thoughts.

Completely disregarding his questions, she continued, "But then you had to go and get infected with a piece of the Goddess within you." Her eyes trailed across his body until they fixated on his brilliantly white wings. "Now I am forever barred from enjoying your body as my own. I should have disobeyed Naar when I had the chance and taken you as my own back when we had captured you!"

She pressed a hand against the plump mound that was in the middle of his wing, in an instant Link began screaming and writhing across the stone slab of a bed as lightning bolts of pain shot through his body and pierced his heart. His wings curled and flapped uncontrollably as each jolt of pain surged through his limbs. Navi was ringing incoherently in his brain. Several insect-like pincers exploded from the mound and stabbed themselves deep into the fleshy membrane beneath his plumage. His shrill cry sliced the air as he squirmed in agony. The claws were digging deeper into his wing!

Sasha looked on with insouciance, "Such a shame. You would have been quite delicious, I can tell." She sighed with a false longing before erupting into mocking laughter. "No matter, I am willing to sacrifice one of my seed to devour you. It may die because of Hylia's spirit within you, but at least I'll have that taste I've been waiting for this whole time!"

A rather grim leer splayed across her features. The ensconced torches were flickering hideous light onto her face, displaying her scars in a disgusting way. Link's eyes grew wide at the nonsense the Sheikah was spouting, "What are you?" He croaked in-between flashes of pain.

"Oh these?" She pointed to the scars on either side of her lips as Link stared at them. "Would you like to know how I got these scars? How about I show you?" Sasha crowed maniacally.

A sudden tearing and squishing of flesh was heard. Two hook-like claws punctured through the soft skin of Sasha's abdomen as it spread the flesh apart, gushing blood onto the floor with the sudden opening of her body. Link's eyes riveted on the repulsive creature pushing itself out of the widening hole in the Sheikah's stomach, its gray platelets clinking as it wiggled its way through the gory orifice.

"Shh…it'll all be over soon." Sasha crooned as Link made to back away from the ghastly creature.

Link yelped as the repugnant mass of wriggling legs and snapping mandibles plopped onto his chest. It skittered up to his mouth before jamming its two large fore-hooks into his mouth. With the determination of having done this a thousand times, the creature slowly opened the split hooks, spreading his mouth wider. Beads of blood began to form at the creases of Link's mouth as the skin began to tear. The clicking of the foul insect intensified as it saw the opening of the mouth almost wide enough to fit into. A few more inches and his neck would snap and it would be feasting time.


	82. Chapter 81 - Demons Among Us

**Chapter 81 - Demons Among Us**

Cayla had been running for several minutes looking for her in the disorderly crowd. She didn't know when it had happened, but it was clear that Princess Zelda had disappeared. She tried trailing the dust print tracks across the cave floor but so many were intermingled that it was near impossible to detect which one was Princess Zelda's. She began to despair until she remembered Zelda showing concern for Link when he was stumbling back to his room. Could she have gone anyway to ensure his safety in getting back to his bed?

With that thought at the forefront of her mind, she dashed up the slope and swooped into the side passage and began sprinting down the hewn corridor. She didn't know exactly why she felt a certain dread in her heart, but there was something not right and she couldn't put her finger on it. A blood curdling scream rent the night as it echoed down the hallway coming from Link's chambers. She redoubled her efforts and increased her pace, bringing out her baton in the process.

The cries and screams were getting louder as she rounded the bend and came to his door, it had been left slightly ajar and a familiar voice emanated from within. Someone else was in there with him and it was not Princess Zelda! She slammed the door open to reveal a horrific sight. Sasha was leaning over Link with her belly ripped open, laughing as a terrible demon was forcing its way into Link's mouth, opening it near to breaking.

"Dear Goddesses," Cayla whispered, "a Defiler." She had heard of these demons before but had never encountered one up close. They were vile demons that killed their victims as they wriggled down their throats, ate their hearts and lungs before taking position as the primary source of life for the host body. They would then implant an egg in the host's belly that would later mature and remove itself to infect another host.

Sasha spun around and snarled at the intrusion from the one person she did not expect. Without a second thought, Cayla whipped out three daggers and flung them across the room with deadly accuracy. It caught the tail of the demonic bug and skewered it against the wall ripping its talons out from Link's mouth. Link coughed and hacked as he brought his hand to his bleeding lips, having been scratched profusely by its hook like forearms.

"Cayla?" Link said uncertainly, still clearly intoxicated from the obsidian booze, "What's going on?"

"Link." Cayla said firmly, pressing a button at the baton's base extending the lethal spikes from its tip. "Get away from that demon, now!"

Link wasted no time as he crashed to the floor and crawled on all fours away from the false Sheikah and the writhing demon still attempting to remove the offending knives from its tail. Sasha was insanely quick and leapt upon his prone form before smashing a boot heel on the backside of his wing, right where the fleshy mound and its disgusting growth was. He screeched in abject misery at the pain radiating throughout his wings and body.

"I knew something was wrong with you the moment you came back from that one expedition." Cayla accused as she vaulted over the rock plinth in the center of the room, bringing the baton swiftly down on Sasha's cheek drawing blood.

Taking the force of the blow in stride, Sasha twirled around and lifted her leg in a roundhouse kick. Placing the full force of the blow down onto Cayla's right shoulder, Sasha smashed her to the floor. "You should have killed me when you had the chance then fool! Sasha was dead the moment she faced me!" The false Sheikah cackled.

Recovering quickly, Cayla swept a leg out tripping Sasha onto her rump. The demonic Sheikah flipped over and tackled Cayla to the ground before punching her fist towards her head. Sensing the danger, Cayla shifted her neck to the side as the knuckles contacted bare rock and cracked in several places. Ignoring the searing pain, Sasha raked her claws across Cayla's face before a swift headbutt to the nose disabled her long enough for Cayla to perform a brutal knee to the groin.

The Sheikah husk rolled off of Cayla, clutching the broken nose. Sniffing up forming blood clots, the demon brought out its own baton and swung it in a short arc towards Cayla's midriff. Seeing the feint, Cayla brought her baton down as Sasha tried to twist hers upwards into the chin. A loud clang erupted in the room as the two weapons collided. Cayla staggered back to one knee with the force of the blow, the demon must lend incredible strength to its host!

Exploiting the opening, Sasha promptly slammed her fist into Cayla's gut, making her drop the baton. In a heartbeat, the demon was upon her yet again. Utilizing the momentum of the tackle, Cayla did a backwards roll before kicking the Sheikah off over the stone table. The demon husk landed on its back with a hard thud before rolling down the other side. Cayla bounded up over the plinth and landed with her knee extended to break the sternum bone of Sasha.

With a loud crack, a gasp of air escaped from Sasha when Cayla's knee connected, a terrible squealing and clicking could be heard within her chest. Link was completely ignoring the raging battle just feet from him as he continued to crawl across the room, his primary goal being the door leading to the outer hall. He cursed as his wings were not obeying him and kept getting caught on every piece of furniture in the chamber.

A small plop and scampering of ticking feet alerted him to the menace that was closing in fast. The insect demon had decided it best to cannibalize its tail to release itself as blackish fluid was oozing out of its exposed rear. With unnatural speed, it skittered across the granite floor before piercing Link's calves with its two hooks. Link cried out from the sudden sting. It began puncturing its way up his body before wrapping one elongated hook around his neck in an attempt to roll him over for another attempt.

His wings crushed beneath him, he grabbed the revolting thing with both hands as it vainly tried to insert its hooks back into his mouth. For such a small demon, it was extremely heavy and exerted a force that contested Link's ability to keep it raised aloft over his face. It seemed impossible but it felt like it was getting heavier by the second. Within moments, he couldn't resist and it gleefully plowed its hooks in and began spreading his mouth wide for the feast.

Link could feel the tendons in his mouth stretching beyond their limit, the skin tearing at the corners of his mouth as the scar grew deeper up the cheek. He could feel in his skull the clicking of its twitching mandibles as its head was roving in between his teeth, seeking to be further inside. His upper skull being pushed back farther than it should ever go. A small pop in his neck signified the upcoming breaking point. He could do nothing but cry, he was too weak to struggle anymore.

The demon was squirming back and forth between his teeth wanting to get the last major hump of its plated back through, a few more millimeters of space and it could flow right in. It shrieked in unintelligible tones as the disembodied head of Sasha smacked it clear out of Link's mouth. Its hook arms futilely attempted to maintain its hold on his face before it soared through the air and was buried under the tangled, matted hair of Sasha's head.

Link looked up relieved at his unexpected savior. Cayla had just finished wiping the blood off her boots before turning to smile at him. She realized something was wrong when his eyes dilated. She spun around to see the headless body of Sasha place a hand on the nearby chair and raise itself up to standing height.

"Impossible." Cayla breathed.

Without a head to speak, the demonic husk couldn't talk back to her incredulousness. Instead, it took both hands and tore open the broken chest Cayla had cracked earlier revealing the disgusting creature within. It had attached itself to all the life systems of Sasha and was the conduit for her continued existence. Cayla curled her lip as she watched the creature pulsate nauseatingly with the last remaining pumps of blood flowing through the host body.

"What a foul demon you are." Cayla sneered; noting that the body had taken up the baton and was readying itself for another assault.

"Cayla!" Link yelped, distracting her. The second demon had crawled up from beneath the bloodied head and was scampering over it towards Link yet again. It was determined to feed on his innards.

Utilizing the diversion to its advantage, the husk swung its baton nailing Cayla hard in the hip. She fell to a knee at the sudden shock of metal penetrating her skin. She swung out her own baton at the kneecap of Sasha's body as she viewed the demon raising its arm high to bring the spikes down onto her head. With a shattering crack, the creature fell to the ground clutching the leg.

Cayla swirled around and whacked the eager insect across the body as it attempted to pounce on Link, making it sail across the room towards the far wall where it smacked into rock before tumbling down into his bed of furs. Link croaked gratefully before being shushed by the Sheikah.

"Now is not the time," She looked back nervously at the dying body slowly struggling to get back onto its knees. She pulled a small vial from her belt and opened the stopper before placing it under his nose. "Sniff this quickly!" She commanded.

One waft was all it took for his senses to brighten and the stupor of his mind to evaporate. He felt like a new man, the effect of the liquor no longer holding sway over him. With brazen determination, he hopped up to his feet before apparating a jet black sword in his hand. He walked right up to the body of Sasha as it stumbled up onto its feet. Jabbing the sword directly into the thrashing demon, he watched impassively as it clicked its mandibles horribly at him as the steel pierced right through its body. Within moments, the last twitches of Sasha's husk stopped and it crumpled in a heap onto the floor.

A small clattering against rock alerted his attention towards the other demon quickly making its escape from the room. It had cleared almost half the chamber before Link summoned yet another sword. He took a running leap at the insect and brought his sword straight down into its hard carapace, using the drive of his jump to force the creature into the rock. Its legs thrashed out wildly as it tried ineffectually to remove itself from his weapon. At length, the demon grew still and moved no more.

Link let the two weapons vanish as he stood back up, breathing heavily. He brought a hand to his lips, fingering the fresh tears in his skin. He rotated his neck, feeling several gratifying pops. He wasn't exactly sure how close he was to death but he shivered at the thought of his body being controlled by something like that.

His gaze followed Cayla's as she examined the throbbing mound on his wing. "We need to remove that as soon as we can." She said gravely.

He nodded before asking, "I'm glad you came when you did. What brought you here?"

Breathing a sigh of relief, she pushed back an errant lock of hair with her bloody hand before answering, "I was actually looking for Princess Zelda. She had disappeared shortly after you left. I was hoping she came with you."

His eyes popped open, "No. She wasn't with me."

Her eyes narrowed, "Oh no…if one Defiler is here…there must be more."

"Defiler?" Link cocked his head dubiously.

"A foul demon of the old world. It takes host victims and makes more of itself to infect others. If one is here, and Zelda is nowhere to be found, I fear the worst!" She said alarmingly.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Link quickly grabbed his sword and scabbard before buckling it around his hips as he ran out the door, "We have no time to waste! Let's go!" Cayla followed him out towards the gathering hall where they could hear screaming.

"Are you sure you are ready enough to fight?" Cayla asked, keeping pace with him.

Link indicated with a bow of his head in the affirmative, "Yes. Whatever you had me smell, it really helped."

They each skidded to a halt as they reached the promontory overlooking the grand hall. It was chaos. Multiple demons were bursting forth from both Sheikah and Goron as they scuttled across the ground, intent on invading their new prey. Many of the remaining Sheikah were doing a valiant job of fending off the disgusting demons, but the majority of the Gorons were too drunk to put up much of an effort. Xavier was quite aware of their situation, seemingly having recovered fast from her drunken state, and was quickly striking multiple targets with her venomous tail.

Cayla swore an oath, "Curse them! They probably chose just the right moment to attack us when our guard was down!" She flicked open the spikes on her baton as she raced down the decline.

"How long were they among us?" Link shouted out to her, sword brandished with lethal intent.

"Defilers are patient demons. They could have been among us for cycles!" Cayla barked back.

Link's attention was drawn to the center mass of Gorons as several insects were snapping the necks of several Gorons as they entered their mouths. He feared for Darunia who was in the center of that comatose, drunken crowd. They had yet to reach him but it would only be a matter of time. "We can't allow them to take control over any more Gorons!"

Nodding her assent, she slammed into the first Goron as it tried to swing a fist at her awkwardly. It was clear the obsidian booze still affected the body despite it being controlled by another creature. She raked the baton down the cheek of the Goron drawing lines of deep red. Link followed up behind her by stabbing his sword deep into the heart of the Goron, puncturing the demon within. He could tell he had succeeded when the body flopped over, seemingly losing all control over its motor skills.

Several Gorons were slowly waking up and realizing something was amiss. Link began shouting at them to defend themselves. They were hopelessly confused, they didn't quite comprehend that certain Gorons were actually threats. Why would their friends be hurting them? Link shook his head in exasperation as he sliced a Defiler in midair as it made a leap towards his face. Its two halves fell to the ground with a sickening squish, its myriad of legs clawing at the air.

He was almost upon Darunia when several Gorons and a Sheikah surrounded him. He turned to Cayla but she was completely absorbed in fighting off several of her own. Apparating a shield, he bashed it into the nearest Goron, fracturing its nose before he leaped above the Sheikah utilizing his wings for loft. He sliced his sword downward, cutting her head in two, knowing it wouldn't stop the body. He twirled around upon landing and pierced the body through the heart.

Several of the remaining Gorons circled around him intent to crush him beneath their weight. In a moment of clarity, he spun around pushing his sword outwards. In a full arc, the weapon carved the air, splitting their bellies open as entrails and demonic insect spawn flowed out of the collapsing corpses. He ran his sword downward into each wriggling body as each demon tried to scatter.

Link ducked his head low as several knives sailed over his head. He turned in the direction of their target and saw one Goron looking awkwardly at the steel protrusions between his eyes before gripping his hands to his face and screaming. He nodded at Cayla for the save before rushing forward to protect Darunia.

He ran up to the snoring king and slapped him hard across the face. "Wake up Darunia!" He yelled at him.

"Wesh? What's going on?" He snorted, his eyes lazily taking in the carnage around him. His eyes began to strengthen with resolve as he saw several of his Goron subjects split in two or lying bloodied on the floor. "Who did this?" He roared, getting up to full height.

"Demons! They have infected our ranks and are attacking us from within!" It was the best way Link could describe what was happening to them right now.

"How can we tell who is against us?" He flexed his menacing fists as he prepared to plow into the crowd.

"Look for the scars at the corner of their mouths, that's where they get in. Anyone who has those is already infected." He explained.

Darunia looked down on him with curiosity, "You have scars Link, should I attack you too?"

Link sighed exasperatedly, "I managed to escape them before that happened. Would I really be talking to you like I am now if I was one of them?"

"No." Darunia nodded firmly, this was all so confusing. It was happening too fast, but Link provided an anchor that he could hold for his fuzzy mind: destroy all who had scars. With a bellowing cry, he rolled into the nearest batch of defiled Gorons and began smashing heads together and striking others clear across the room. Xavier followed suit and began assisting the Goron king in reestablishing order to the jumbled mess.

Noting that all was starting to turn around, several Sheikah and remaining Gorons were finally stemming the tide and destroying the vile insects. It had been an almost near victory for the demons, but Link felt comforted that they had reached them in time. It seemed they had waited for just the right moment to strike, when everyone's guard was down. If this was what it was like to be drunk, he never wanted to feel that way again. It made him weak and pathetic. He made a committed vow to never let that happen again.

Wiping away the tears from his eyes, he looked around at the carcasses of his Goron friends, his Sheikah confidants. What abominations they were to have friends fight each other in such a fashion. He paced up to Cayla who was putting the finishing touches on one of the last infected Gorons. She turned to him quickly with weapon raised before realizing who it was, "Do not sneak up on me like that Link! I could have killed you!"

"I would have stopped you." Link smirked. He shortly dropped his cheek as he scanned the hall. "Still no sign of Zelda?"

"No." Cayla moaned. "I don't know where she could have gotten off to."

In a moment of realization, he indicated with his sword down the passage leading to Harkinian's chambers. "To the king!"

Side by side, they hurried down the rock carved corridor. They turned around the corner and saw several lit torches flanking each door to both Harkinian's chambers and Darunia's. With looming fear in his heart, he raced forward before sliding to a halt as the door banged open revealing the occupant within.

The slender form of Thanan proceeded forth through the opening. His rapier calmly at his side, the body of Zelda slumped over his opposite shoulder. He grinned maliciously at them as he raised the point of his steel at their throats. "It has been a long time Link. I trust you have been treated well by my brood?"

No longer surprised at anything that happened now, he spat, "They all fell to my blade quite easily."

Thanan smiled viciously, "That's not what I experienced back in your bed. I almost had you in my grasp!"

Link's eyes swelled, "But…Sasha…you weren't there!"

Thanan swept his rapier in an arcing motion indicating the entire cavern, "I am everywhere. You cannot escape me. You might kill this body, but that does not mean I don't have brood elsewhere to continue my livelihood!"

Cayla crouched low, ready to spring onto the abhorrent man, "He is a Defiler Link! Anyone he infects becomes one of him."

"Right you are, my pretty Sheikah." Thanan sneered, licking his lips and massaging the scar with his tongue. "Won't you be a succulent thing to consume after this battle has ended?" The man shook his head, dismissing them both, "No matter, I got what I came here for. This was far better than some stupid ruby." He readjusted the prone body of Zelda on his shoulder.

"Let her go now!" Link warned. "Or do you feel like you'd lose to me?"

Thanan took the boast into consideration, "You truly think you can defeat me? If I last recall, you couldn't beat me in a fair fight. You had your little bitch distract me and you ran off like the coward you are. Oh, I remember your trickeries."

"Link!" Cayla hissed. "What are you doing? You seriously aren't going to face him by yourself?"

Link bowed his head, "I'm not that stupid. But I won't run away anymore. You are going to die here Thanan. Put Zelda down."

"Fascinating." His eyes glinted with the luminescence of the torches. He slowly lowered Zelda down to the rock before rising up with his rapier pointed at them. "Very well. You shall have your wish."


	83. Chapter 82 - The Way Ahead

**Chapter 82 - The Way Ahead**

Link spiraled back as he brought a hand to his cheek, feeling the glistening beads of blood dribbling down his face from the gash. Thanan had not lost his edge with the sword and was as deadly as ever, a grin was perpetually displayed on his face the entire battle. Cayla surged in as Link recovered. Thanan countered her downward strike with a flick of his rapier before swinging forward with his fist to crunch the bone of her elbow. She lurched to the side of the thrust before letting herself fall to the floor, deftly rolling out of the way of the descending thrust of Thanan's steel.

Link rushed forward with a feint to his side before swinging his sword in an upward arcing motion to decapitate Thanan's head. The man jerked his head back before batting the weapon sideways and crouching low to deliver a sweeping kick to Link's legs, knocking him off balance and onto his rump. Thanan leaped onto his prone form and attempted to dive the rapier into Link's chest before his hands went numb around the hilt. The man looked down to see Cayla's hand encased in a steel-encrusted glove bursting through his abdomen.

Jerked the man off of Link with a firm grip on his spine, Cayla tossed Thanan to the floor with a squishing pop as her hand emerged from his entrails. Guts and intestines slowly oozed out of the open wound as his rapier clattered to the stone floor. He looked up in disbelief, "Still having a bitch distract me long enough for you to strike the finishing blow. You haven't changed one bit Link." Thanan mocked heartily.

Not wasting time, Link bounded himself off the floor before ramming his sword deep into Thanan's chest where the Defiler would be. He could hear squealing chitters from within the man's torso as his weapon dove further into the soft flesh. Thanan could only gurgle on the blood frothing at his mouth.

"As long as you are defeated, then I don't care how it happens!" Link shouted, mere inches from Thanan's face.

With a heave, Link swiped the sword out of Thanan's body before wiping it clean on the man's clothes. He looked over at Cayla with a smile before turning to Zelda. She had just begun to stir. There was some faint red flecks in her hair, it appeared Thanan had caught her by surprise while she was in the room with her father. With a start, he stood up and walked over to the entrance of the chamber and looked in, he grimaced at the sight of gore and splatter permeating the room. Harkinian had died a rather horrible death, indeed, there was barely anything whole of him left.

A sickening moan emerged from the corpse of Thanan. Link tilted his head back in exasperation, "You've got to be joking me." He pivoted to stare down at the reanimating carcass of Thanan as it clumsily pushed its innards back into the body cavity.

A croaking laugh heralded the rasping voice, "You forget, this body has the ability to regenerate itself! You cannot kill me, no matter how many times you try!"

Cayla swiftly brought her baton down on the man's head with a crack, the body crumpled to the ground from the force of the impact. Thanan merely chortled at the vain attempt to dispose of him. "Dear Goddesses," Cayla whispered, "this is why the Defilers want the bodies of the Nevachreans who can revive: they'd never die!"

"Oh ho…you are only half right my dear Sheikah!" Thanan sniggered, quickly closing the hole wrought in his stomach. "Our goal was far grander and ambitious in scope, but with Hylia within my grasp, things have gotten quite simple."

His beady eyes locked onto Zelda's before staggering forward to make a grab for her. She twirled away before swinging around with her own spiked baton in her hand, raking it across the cheek drawing red lines down his face. He roared with pain as he bent low to pick up the rapier once more. Without looking behind him, he swung it backwards to ward off the oncoming blow from Link who had moved forward to pierce the man's heart. Link jumped back startled as a demon burst through Thanan's back, reaching out with its hooked forearms to scratch its assailants.

"Demons." Link scoffed, "Guess after this, there will be one less to worry about."

With eyes both in the front and in the back, Thanan nimbly avoided their lunges, ripostes, counters and offenses. He spun in a deadly spiral in their midst, seemingly enjoying the one sided battle against the three of them. Cayla dashed forward with her baton to be shortly followed up by her lethal glove, she was knocked back with a swift kick to the groin. Thanan spun back to Link as he slammed his weapon up to counter his plunging strike, his other hand grabbing Zelda's throat and throwing her across the ground.

"I do love horse meat, did you know that?" Thanan smirked, his rapier pressing forward against Link's. "Didn't you have a horse that day when I first saw you in the Lost Woods? Where is it now? It must be fully grown and scrumptious right about now. I would so love to eat it from the inside out and have you watch!" He sardonically laughed.

Link shook his head vehemently, "You will not distract me!" He used the force of Thanan's strength and allowed his sword to be brought downwards before utilizing the momentum to kick him off balance and slice upwards. Thanan shrieked as his weapon flung aloft into the air as his hand was lobbed off at the wrist, blood gushing from the temporary wound.

Thanan skipped backwards from the subsequent strike, promptly kicking Cayla in the face to ensure she stayed down on the ground. "How about we even the odds, shall we?" His eyes flicked down to the prone Sheikah. The clicking demon sprouting from his back detached itself from his spine and slithered down his legs before scampering over to her. Cayla shrieked as the revolting insect plopped itself onto her chest and jabbed two hook arms into her mouth before spreading them wider.

"No!" Zelda screamed. A burst of pure, white energy pulsed out of her hands, crashing into Thanan with the force of a piston. The beam flung him clear across the cavern before bursting the cave wall beyond, causing a huge explosion of rock and debris. A new, gaping hole had appeared where the man smashed through, revealing the first few rays of sunlight from the coming dawn.

Link stared amazed at Zelda, his sword slack at his side, "How did you do that?"

Zelda glanced down at her hands, "I have no idea."

A muffled cry riveted their attention to the frantic Sheikah, her limbs flailing in a futile attempt to remove the disgusting Defiler from her mouth. It has already wriggled its head in and was almost to the point of snapping her neck. With a casual thrust, Link impaled the demon on his sword. It screeched in protest before ripping small chunks off Cayla's face with its hooks as it was dragged away from its prize.

"Zelda? Will you do the honors?" Link grinned as he placed the roving demon on the ground, still pierced by his weapon.

"With pleasure." She said with conviction. She bashed the head of the Defiler with her baton, ensuring that each spike got its due. She had become so engrossed with the attack that she didn't realize she was being told to stop by Cayla. The creature had long since stopped twitching and her dress was a bespattered mess. Shaken by what she had just done, she dropped the baton and looked up into Link's eyes.

"Don't shy from it Zelda. You did good. It had to be killed." He smiled.

Cayla smacked her lips as if trying to get a bad taste from her mouth. "Well, that was altogether horrifying."

Link huffed, trying to suppress a laugh at the morbid topic, "I know exactly how you feel."

"He's not dead yet." Ignoring his sentiments, Cayla gestured to the opening, wiping away the blood from her lips with the other hand.

"You're right." Link agreed. Placing a boot on the bloated body, he pulled his sword out of its shell before turning to the opening that Thanan had made with his passing.

The three of them hurried outside to see the profane man reassembling his appendages, several having been blasted clear off his body from Zelda's magick. He looked up at them, "You can't win Link. I will always keep coming back. I was there when I first ripped your heart out in front of your Goddess. I will be there at your final end."

Zelda gasped, "You were there…" Memories of her horrible recollections flashed before her eyes. Gazing down from the mountain top, she could see her champion gasping as his still beating heart was ripped from his chest by an unsightly demon. Ballos apparated nearby and drove the vile beast into the ground before rushing up to stall the inevitable.

Thanan cocked an amused eyebrow, "So you remember, do you Hylia? The history between your champion and I goes back far. I've been waiting so long to claim him as my own. If it weren't for your accursed fairies and what they can do, I'd have him all to myself!"

"Enough talk! Let's kill him now!" Cayla roared. She flicked the spikes out on her baton once more before advancing on the abominable man.

A piercing cry echoed across the mountainside, "Stand back! Leave him to me!"

A rush of wind flowed past them while they looked on in awe. Saria was confidently riding a serpentine dragon. It swooped down low and exhaled a stream of molten fire across the path, nearly scorching Thanan who had just barely dodged the oncoming death. A look of true fear splayed across his features as he glared at the deadly intrusion.

"Again!" Saria cried merrily. The dragon obliged, sending another stream of liquid fire down the mountain, this time it did envelope Thanan entirely. His blood curdling scream could be heard as the flames licked his form and obliterated his skin. Within moments, he was nothing but a pile of burning embers and ashes.

"Saria!" Link yelled happily. "You convinced them to help us?" He stepped back, raising a hand to protect Zelda as the dragon promptly landed with a thunderous shudder just mere feet from them, its eyes regardingly them intently.

"Yep!" She intoned jovially, sliding down the scales, hovering briefly above the dirt before touching ground. "Qargus is a very interesting dragon. I learned a lot from him."

"Qargus?" Zelda inquired.

"Oh!" She raised a hand to her mouth, "That's the male dragon we met. His real name is actually much harder to pronounce. But I finally convinced them to join our cause! So let's use them to burn up that army now!"

Link raised a cautionary hand, "Whoa Saria, dragon fire can melt just about anything, including sacred stones. If the Zora Sapphire is indeed in Naar's grasp, we don't want to ruin our only chance at accessing the Master Sword by destroying it."

Saria placed both hands on her hips pouting, "What does it matter? We have dragons! We can kill Naar and his army so they are no longer a threat! We won't need the Master Sword."

"Since when did you become so bloodthirsty?" Cayla mused, a faint smile on her face.

"Maybe Qargus rubbed off on her?" Zelda offered, a smirk on her face.

"Ugh!" Saria grumbled, waving a hand to dismiss their speculations, "The point is, we now have the ability to match their might. It doesn't matter if they can regenerate, we can just melt them all to ashes!"

Link placed a comforting hand on her shoulder before sheathing his sword. "That may be true, but we have more enemies than just Naar and his invading army. We have demons which are on the hunt for Zelda now. There are probably more out there than we know about. We can't possibly face them all, even with dragons."

Zelda stepped forward nodding, "Indeed, I remember from my memories of that terrible war that the dragons fell in battle to Demise's hordes. The dragons alone aren't enough. This battle is bigger than just Hyrule and Nevachrea. This is for the Triforce itself. We need the Goddesses' power if we are to win this war."

The dragon growled its assent to her words. Saria looked at it with despondency as her shoulders slumped, wings wilting. "I was just trying to help you Link. I thought by getting them to aid us, we'd be able to win."

Link lifted her up and gave her a warming hug. She embraced it fully and laid her head onto his chest listening contently to his heart beat. "And we will win with their help." Link started tenderly. "I'm glad you stayed behind, I never had any doubt you'd convince them. They are but one piece of the puzzle. We still need the final sacred stone."

"So you are still going to let yourself be captured so you can get to Naar?" She looked up into his eyes imploringly, begging him to reconsider.

"It was what we agreed to. If I've pegged Naar right, he will jump at the chance to see me face to face again. We best not disappoint him." Link explained calmly.

She placed her head back onto his chest rather forcefully with anger, "It's a stupid plan! Why can't we just go in there with the dragons, Gorons and everyone else to get the sapphire?"

Zelda shook her head, "I'm not altogether comfortable with the idea either, but there would be too many casualties. Link needs to secure the sapphire first before signaling the rest of us to attack the side flank of the army, enough to break a hole through to the town and ultimately to the Temple of Time."

Cayla interjected, "This is the plan you all decided upon back in Glaun'rung? Who came up with this farce?" She derided.

"Ganondorf." Saria stated flatly, her eyes staring off into the distance.

Cayla stared at them all dumbfounded. "And you all thought this was the best idea? The Gerudo are not to be trusted, especially not their king. I'm still stunned that Impa thought it was a great idea to hide out among them for seven cycles! I almost have a hard time believing even that!"

"It's good to know that we are so hated and reviled for who we are." Came a voice from behind them. Cayla jolted, unnerved that she was surprised so easily. She was so absorbed in her own shock they she neither heard nor sensed that Nabooru was creeping up on them.

"That's not exactly what I was getting at." Cayla backpedaled.

"No." Nabooru said calmly, but with great menace, "You meant every word you said. You are right to mistrust us. We have not been the most agreeable nation to deal with throughout most of Hylian history. However, we did come to your aid during the previous war with Nevachrea. If it weren't for us, your country would have been overrun long before it finally happened." She looked on with scorn at the flippant Sheikah.

Cayla scowled at the Gerudo elder, Zelda intervened quickly before the conversation turned sour, "Let's just be thankful everyone is safe and the demon is dead."

"Is he?" Link posed, he turned his neck to gaze back into the ruptured hole in the rockface. "We need to get back to the others and see if they are okay."

Saria sprung off of Link and flew over to the rumbling dragon, it seemed to be quite satisfied licking up the ashen remains of Thanan. It lifted its head to regard the Kokiri as it moved closer. She placed a gentle hand on its bulky foreleg. "We're going inside to talk with the others. Will you stay here and wait for us?" It growled in agreement at the notion before turning back to its dainty snack.

Nabooru edged up next to Link as they moved back in through the passages leading towards the feasting hall, "Who was that man you were fighting?" She was curious when she heard the ruckus from further down the mountain. She had scaled up the crags and spires just in time to see him get incinerated by dragon fire.

"Thanan, a man possessed by a demon of the ancient world. He is dangerous and is probably not dead. We will probably see another body of his soon enough." Link stewed heatedly.

"Another body?" Nabooru asked quizzically, she was unsure of what he meant.

His reply was cut off by a small yelp from Zelda. She had remembered what had happened to her father. She was running across the cavern towards his chamber. Link swore an oath before turning to the others, "Cayla, please see to it that Darunia understands the current situation and inform him of our present plan with the Zora Sapphire. If there are alternatives, I would love to hear them. I promise I'll bring Zelda with me soon."

Cayla grumbled as she nodded in agreement, she paced onwards with Saria in tow. Nabooru gave one last, sidelong glance at Link running after the retreating form of Zelda before catching up with the Sheikah and Kokiri. Link chuckled briefly to himself, he had expected a more volatile response from Cayla. Maybe their recent trial-by-fire together finally sealed some sort of trust between them?

"Zelda?" Link probed breathlessly. He looked around the room, noting the complete disarray of furniture, steel, furs and torches. One had even lit some fabric and the flames were slowly spreading across one corner of the room. He grabbed a nearby bucket filled with dirty water; clearly the refuse receptacle for the king. He heaved it over the flames watching it douse the pyre, resulting in a plume of acrid smoke which made his nose cringe.

He turned to her sobbing form sitting next to her father's throne, in her hands was cradled his crown. Blood stained and spattered with unknown viscera, she held it dearly in her palms. Tears running unbidden down her cheeks, she beheld the tattered remains of her father's robes, its scarlet burgundy folds draped haphazardly over the broken remains of his chair. A goblet of undrunk wine lay tipped, its contents soaking into the furs of his shredded mantle.

Zelda inclined her head towards him as he knelt down beside her, "He was a great man. He and I may not have always seen eye to eye, but he was a good king. I respect him for raising you the way he did." She beamed at this praise of her father.

She stifled a sob, "He was a stern man but he loved me. He adored my grandmother, although I barely knew her myself. She was like a mother to me when my own died shortly after my birth."

Link smiled serenely at her reminiscence, "She was an amazing woman, to have been taken from her homeland of Nevachrea to be queen of Hyrule. She must have been very brave to adapt to her new political surroundings."

Wiping a tear from her eye, she looked at him intently. "What did you say?"

Link promptly shut his mouth. He was quite unaware that Harkinian had disclosed to him in confidence the skeletons of the Hylian royal family. "I'm sorry. I think I made a mistake."

Zelda reverently set down the crown by her knees and faced him fully, "No, you tell me exactly what you meant." Her tone wavered but her command was clear. With her being the last of the royal bloodline of her family, she was, for all intents and purposes, the queen of Hyrule now. She was even beginning to act the part.

Link brought two fingers to the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes tightly, "Oh, we have a lot to go over then Zelda." He released the skin and looked around the revolting scene of Harknian's murder, "However, I think we should move to a more accommodating setting before we talk of such matters."

She nodded her head in agreement before picking up the golden crown, "Of course. I don't think I can bear it here any longer."

Link helped her back onto her feet with a chivalrous arm before speaking, "Also, there is another task I would like you to assist me in taking responsibility for."

She cocked her head at him, curious as to his new line of thinking, "Are we going to change up the plan?"

"Not exactly." He grinned. His smile was infectious, she couldn't help but join in on his mirth. His next words however, killed her mood completely. "How much do you know about Majora?" He asked ominously.


	84. Chapter 83 - Changing the Play

**Chapter 83 - Changing the Play**

The Goron king was bent low over a corpse, a hand covering his face to hide the tears he was shedding. He had lost good friends this day. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion turned out to be a complete disaster. All he had wanted was to give his people a taste of happiness once again, to celebrate the reacquisition of the Goron Ruby. It seemed like a good excuse as any to bring laughter and delight into the community after cycles of sorrow, gloom and despair.

Darunia raised his head at the sound of coming footsteps. He barely smiled at the visage of Cayla and Saria walking up to him. He surveyed the scene of destruction and death around him. So many lives lost, and for what? The Sheikah had suffered the worst of it, there was barely any of them left save a scant dozen or so. The Gorons fared better but there was almost a hundred dead. Many were being dragged off to be thrown onto a pile that would be later burned.

"What was the point of this?" Darunia said to no one in particular, his mind was still reeling from having to wake up to chaos and killing his own people.

Cayla pressed a firm hand on the Goron's shoulder, "It wasn't your fault. The Defiler is a patient demon and it probably was among us long before tonight. He was probably waiting for the most opportune time to strike. We were at our weakest and this is our folly for letting our guard down."

Darunia clucked, "You never did know how to comfort someone in their time of need."

"No. I don't." Cayla said with a faint smile on her lips.

"I'm so sorry Darunia." Saria sniffed, tears welling up in her eyes. The shock of seeing so many carcasses, especially those of her friends, was starting to tear at her heart.

Seeing the need to comfort her more than himself, he rose up and brought the diminutive Kokiri into his arms. "It's okay my little forest flower. They all have been brought to Farore's pastures. They are not feeling anymore pain." She squeezed his massive frame harder at his words, they were meant for healing but it just hurt her all the more.

Presently they parted before he stood up and turned to the waiting Sheikah, his good friend over the last seven cycles. "Where is Link? And our princess?" He asked authoritatively. He was angry. He wanted to establish a game plan on what they should do next to bring vengeance on those responsible for this massacre.

Cayla crossed her arms before leaning back slightly, like she usually did when conversing with the Goron king. "Zelda's father, our king, is dead." She began gravely, Darunia's face turned bitter at her words. "She is right now in mourning over what remains of his body in his chambers. Link is with her, they should be along shortly."

"Xavier!" Darunia roared suddenly, "Stop desecrating the bodies! Let them rest in peace!"

The Cyn'Taak looked up from her sickening meal. She was lapping up the organs and innards from several open cavities in various bodies. "'Orry! Too much 'lood. I can't 'esist." She had to be physically led away by several other Gorons to the edge of the cavern hall. Her bloodlust was overwhelming her sense of propriety.

Shaking his head, he realized he would have to do something about that creature. She was dangerous, but a valuable ally, he could see that. He wondered if they could build some suitable armor for her? Regulating the thought to the back of his mind, he turned to Cayla. "Do we have a strategy for getting the final sacred stone and destroying these bastards once and for all?" He growled. His temper was rising.

The Sheikah scoffed at his question, "Yes, but I don't think it's a very good one. Not the least of which is because it was suggested by Ganondorf, the current ruler of the Gerudo." A small clearing of the throat alerted Cayla to Nabooru's presence nearby. "My apologies, I had forgotten you were there."

Nabooru glowered at Cayla, "Just because he is my king does not mean we are all in line with his values. I, for one, did not agree with how he ran our nation or treated our enemies. Do not presume to know how every Gerudo is like without first getting to know them yourself." She finished with a defiant look.

"She's right." Saria chipped in, seemingly oblivious to the fact that this was not a conversation she should have encroached upon. "Link loves Malon and she is born from the Gerudo as well and she is the nicest person I know."

Cayla simply blinked at her, "What?" she stated flatly. She was quite unaware of Link's love life. Neither he nor Zelda talked about it and Malon was someone she had not met or heard of. The fact she was Gerudo was surprising. Did they mystify his mind into falling in love with one of them?

Darunia let out an abrupt guffaw, "And here I thought Link brought Zelda along because she was to be his mate! I have got to meet this beauty of his, the woman who has captured my sworn brother's heart!"

"That's my daughter you are talking about." Nabooru offered.

He regarded the Gerudo intently, "If she is even half as beautiful as you, then Link is a very lucky man!"

Nabooru flushed; embarrassed that another species would call her beautiful. "I appreciate the sentiment. However, she is not here. It was decided it best to leave her behind in Glaun'rung, especially since it was quite obvious she is with child."

Darunia whistled, "My brother is all grown up!" After a pause, "I am strangely proud of him." He shook his head in admiration at how much Link had accomplished both on and off the battlefield.

Cayla grumbled, "We have more important matters to discuss. The plan they have agreed upon was using Link as a mole. To have him be captured freely by Nevachrea so that he would be taken directly to Naar so he could retrieve the Zora Sapphire from him directly."

The Goron king stared at her skeptically, "Link honestly feels that he can steal the sapphire back from him? Even simple grunts in their army are like tenacious roaches. I can't imagine how much more powerful Naar is in comparison." He flashed a wily grin, "Although I wouldn't mind sparing him myself. It might actually be fun!"

Nabooru narrowed her eyes, "None of us here have met the man personally, only his commanders. They alone are quite formidable and resourceful. Outside of Link himself, I don't think anyone knows what he is truly capable of."

"I do." Saria interposed lugubriously. All eyes turned to her, several brows rose in piqued interest that a Kokiri would know so much about their enemy. She stuttered somewhat, slightly unnerved at all the eyes gaping at her, awaiting an answer. "Or rather…my fairy, Sora, knows how bad he is."

Nabooru went to a knee beside her, "Feel free to share it with us Saria." She knew during her time living with Saria that she could be cajoled far more easily with kind words than blunt orders. She could tell the Kokiri was thankful for the understanding nature of her request.

Cayla snapped her fingers, "That's right. I remember Impa bringing back a cage with a fairy in it after saving Link. That was Sora, right?"

Saria nodded, "She was with me ever since my birth. I can't even remember that, it's been so long ago. She was captured the day I was rescued from the Lost Woods when Nevachrea first attacked." She curtly stopped talking. Everyone was listening with rapt attention as it appeared she was heeding a voice inside her head. "Sora says she was taken to his very tent where he slept, alongside many other fairies. She witnessed all the horrible things he had done."

"Wait," Cayla stopped her, "Sora says? Where is she now?" She searched the Kokiri, trying to find some telling glow to locate her fairy.

Nabooru stepped in to answer for Saria, "She was on the verge of death seven cycles ago, the fact she survived is a miracle by all accounts. Her fairy bonded with her. I don't know how, but that is when she got her wings."

A light went on in Darunia's head, "Is that why Link now has wings? Did a fairy bond with him too?" He jabbed a finger in Nabooru's direction, daring to prove him wrong.

"Yes." She confirmed. "It was actually his own fairy, Navi. I'd never seen her until the day it happened."

The king slapped his thigh emphatically, "I knew it!"

Cayla rolled her eyes at him. They both knew that he had no clue as to the cause of Link's wings up until now. "Can she continue?" She gestured to Saria. With a gruff mumble, Darunia stepped back and allowed the Kokiri to resume.

"He treats his men so awfully. He beats them, tears them apart and berates them for every little wrong thing they do." She paused a moment, listening. "He also cries when no one is around and has a special object he always holds."

"Odd." Darunia commented. The rest remained silent, wondering if Saria had more to tell.

"He has magickal powers that can destroy a man and can summon weapons into his very hands from thin air." Cayla cocked an eyebrow at this, every Nevachrean male had the ability to summon weapons, that wasn't new. What was different was the magick abilities Naar possessed. "He is also very smart, scary brilliant actually. He reads constantly and performs horrible experiments on those he captures." She held back a small cry as Sora informed her of the next bit, "He has experimented extensively on us Kokiri." She stopped.

"This is bad." Darunia rumbled. "If he is not only a skilled warrior, but one who is smart, a great tactician and equipped with magick powers. How can Link expect to steal the sapphire from him alone? I agree, this plan is without merit. I do not trust Ganondorf either; and not only because he sealed off the Dodongo's Cavern many cycles ago where the veritable bounty of our prime sirloin rock resided. He was a repugnant man then, it sounds like he still is now." He crossed his arms in consternation at the alarming news.

"We need to convene quickly on this plan and modify it for his sake." Cayla stressed.

"For all our sakes." Nabooru corrected.

Saria remained silent. She had spent a long time in the presence of Ganondorf. She knew that he did have a tender heart and he did honestly care about his people and those he protected. She also couldn't deny that he had a streak of malice within him that was unexplainable. She couldn't fathom why he was ambitious enough to allow others to suffer for the needs of the Gerudo. There had to be more to this duality in his nature.

"Although I agree with Zelda's assessment that going in there full force would result in a massive loss of life, I also don't think Link should go in alone. I believe several people who are well adept at hiding in the shadows should accompany him in this task." She motioned with her head towards her fellow brothers and sisters near the grand feasting table, each tending to their wounded.

"I'd have to agree. I've seen you Sheikah perform some amazing things during our time here. Having you shadow him while he is taken to Naar would be most beneficial to his survival." Darunia said with conviction.

"You're all deciding this as if Link doesn't have a say in how things are going to happen!" Saria spoke, alarmed at how events were spiraling out of control fast, they were all making decisions that would impact her friend without regard of consulting directly whom they were speaking of.

"Exactly." Cayla acknowledged with a knowing look, "We all want what's best for him and ultimately what is best for Hyrule. I've been gathering that Link is in a very unique position that puts him at the center of all of this. It is in all our best interests to ensure he succeeds in whatever task the Goddesses have in store for him. Throwing him away by himself to Naar doesn't seem smart or intelligent."

"So are we still proceeding forward with how it was originally planned?" Nabooru questioned.

"I don't see why we cannot. Even if it was suggested by Ganondorf, I do see the intent behind it." Cayla admitted. She began to scratch the freshly formed wounds by her lips, they had begun to itch something fierce. "We are merely suggesting a few extra safeguards that will guarantee our success."

Darunia noted Cayla's movement, "Dear Nayru woman! What exactly happened to your face?" He had seen so much blood and dismemberment. He had originally thought the markings trailing up her cheeks were just splatters from the skirmish.

The Sheikah shivered at the memory, "One of those demons almost had me. If it weren't for Link, I would be one of those corpses lying in the pile over there." She averted her gaze quickly upon locking onto one of her own, a gaping hole in the stomach where a creature had bursted forth.

"I'm glad. If I had lost you, I would lose my only punching bag in life!" Darunia joked.

Cayla snorted, "You wish. I still've killed far more in this war than you ever have."

The king was about to retort when he spotted Link walking hand in hand with Zelda, the bottom of her dress was stained with the dried blood of presumably her father. Link had his pack tossed over one shoulder and seemed quite excited. He trotted up directly towards them and set the rucksack down between them. They looked down briefly at it before turning their eyes back to him.

"We have some changes we'd like to make to what you plan on doing next in acquiring the Zora Sapphire." Darunia began gruffly.

"Us too!" Link began animatedly. "I think it's time I finally explain to you all what I've had to deal with for the past few cycles."

He undid the drawstrings on the pack and opened it up. He pulled out both the masks that lay within. One was more human in nature and bore a startingly similar resemblance to Link. The other was something from a nightmare with bloodshot eyes and horns sprouting from its head and sides. Saria quivered involuntarily at that mask.

Cayla indicated the former mask, "Is that what we discussed as the source of Nevachrea's reviving power?"

Link bowed his head in validation. "It has no power on its own. I think it lost it the moment they started shaving slivers off of its cheeks." He pointed to the sides where it was clear it had been chipped away. "Putting it on does nothing now." To prove the point, he raised it up to his face and touched his nose to the interior of it.

"What about that other one?" Darunia asked.

"That…is something altogether different." Link started hesitantly.

The Goron king sighed. "Very well. Before that, let's help clean up this mess and retire to my chambers. We'll confer further about the nature of these masks and what you are proposing."

They all murmured their agreement and broke off to assist the rest of the community in removing the bodies from the main hall. It was emotionally painful work. Saria had to take breaks to recompose herself every few minutes. In time, they sent her back with an escort to her chambers to certify that she was safe. It was only when she got to her room that she realized she hadn't told Darunia that they had the support of the dragons.

Nabooru watched as she left the cavern remembering the way Saria held herself when Link had that mask out, she whispered softly to herself, "Looks like I'm not the only one who can hear it whispering…"

* * *

><p>Her stomach griped severly as she knelt low in the lightly frosted grass, her breath coming out in patches of visible vapor. Winter was settling in and it wouldn't be long before the first snow would finally hit Hyrule, days at most. She turned her head briefly to see Ruto creep up beside her with Veraca trailing behind. They were clearly enjoying the fresh moisture, actively running their hands across the grass and rubbing it across their skin.<p>

They had left the primary body of Gerudo almost two moons ago. The chimeric army had engaged the enemy just south of the Lost Woods border and were slowly working their way northwards to the heart of the encampment line. It wouldn't be long before the messengers would reach Naar and they become aware of the deadly threat to their existence. Their goal was to infiltrate the army and secure the Zora Sapphire before security tightened up as a result of the Gerudo's assault.

Ashley had refused to come with them. He was adamant he should remain with the primary Gerudo force. After much cajoling to get anything out of him other than shakes of the head, it was assumed he was in search of his surrogate mother, Merin. Presumably, Merin would somehow link back up with her people at some point and that is where he'd find her. Malon admitted it was a long shot, but she had no control of the boy's actions. They had no choice but to let him go and wish him luck. She still wondered why he left.

The blazing fires dotted the abhorrent landscape of men and tents, providing the only light across the green fields. Malon's gaze wandered north to the hill overlooking the army to see the remnants of Lon Lon Ranch. Her heart ached to see the building structures torn down with nothing but rubble to indicate where they had once stood. Would it ever be rebuilt to its former glory? She narrowed her eyes as she spied several troop regiments lingering along the periphery of the ranch, almost like a shepherd keeping watch over his sheep for nearby predators.

She nudged Veraca subtly on the arm, indicating with her spear the enemy on the knoll overlooking them, he nodded in comprehension of the danger they posed. He looked up at the night sky, it was clear with nary a cloud in sight. The moon was rather bright and provided a harsh light across the plains. There was little to no cover for them to sneak up any closer to the encampment from their present position.

"So what do we do now?" Malon questioned miserably. She wanted to help Link so badly, but upon seeing the full might and power of the army again for the first time since her capture over seven cycles ago, she was despairing that they might not succeed at all.

"I'm not entirely sure. What is clear," he pointed to a rather spired tent with flapping ornamental flags draping down yards of twine, "is that could very well be Naar's tent."

Malon's expression sagged, that was at least a half mile into the tent line. They would have to be like Sheikah if they wanted to get that close to Naar. "That's impossible. We'd be caught before we even stepped within meters of that mob." She flapped a hand in the general direction of the massive throng with frustration.

"Agreed." Veraca said grimly, he craned his neck over to look at Ruto, "Do you have any ideas or know of any weaknesses in their defense we can exploit?"

"Hmmm?" She brought her eyes back around to them, she had been clearly distracted by something.

"Is everything alright?" Veraca interrogated, suspecting that all was not well. The grip on his trident grew tighter as he moved closer to her.

"Oh, yes. Everything is fine." She studied the horde before them a few moments before speaking in hushed tones. "You see that gap in the torches? They are spaced at intervals all down the line, but there is an opening of about five meters between those two." She pointed it out to them.

"That's all well and fine, but what about them?" Malon crooked a thumb back towards the soldiers surveying the grasslands from above at Lon Lon Ranch.

Ruto sniffed quickly, "They are inconsequential. As long as we keep low to the ground, letting the foliage cover us, they won't even know we are here. They can't see in the dark that I know of." Without a further word, she got on all fours and began crawling across the ground towards the break in the torches.

Veraca mumbled something unintelligible before following after her. Malon gave one last glance to her childhood home before crouching low and keeping pace behind them. Her clothes were thoroughly soaked. It was not long before she was shivering from the cold. Ruto's pace quickened the closer she got to the squalid shelters. The stench of sweat, blood and odor was overpowering. Malon almost gagged as a gust of wind brought the scent wafting past her nose. Do they not even bathe?

"Ruto!" Veraca hissed. She had outdistanced them by meters. She was already at the line of torches. Malon jerked her head up. She had sensed something was wrong too.

Ruto quickly stood up in full view of the light emanating from the fires and gave a hearty whistle. Within seconds, several assassins garbed in black leaped down from the bivouac awnings and surrounded Malon and Veraca. Completely encircled, they rose up weapons in hand facing their assailants.

"Ruto, my beloved! Why?" Veraca cried out. His eyes searched hers, imploring her to reconsider and help fend off these men.

Ruto brought her eyes down. She couldn't bear to look him in the face. "This is a war we cannot win Veraca. There is no choice but to join the enemy and survive." Her pupils riveted on Malon, Malon's eyes bearing hatred for Ruto with her betrayal. "Besides, with Malon in Naar's grasp, Link has no choice but to come here."

"He was going to come here anyway for the sapphire! We knew this! That is why we came here to help him by getting it first!" Malon screamed, her chest heaving with rage.

Ruto snorted, "I still cannot believe that. I am his Dark Mistress. He would have told me. He would have shown me the sapphire if it was in his possession."

"Why are you so blind?! Didn't you believe Link when he told you Naar had it?!" Malon shouted. With a cry, she sprinted forward with her spear level. She leaped to the side as one assassin made a swipe with his sword. She ducked low as several daggers sailed through the air. Veraca deflected each of them with his trident before rushing in to engage the nearest man.

Malon had eyes only for Ruto. She was determined to kill the Zora bitch here and now. She jammed the butt end of the spear into the ground and vaulted over two assassins as they tried to block her path. They stood there amazed that she actually avoided their intercept. Landing lightly on the grass, she continued her rush towards Ruto who had already flexed her sharp fins in preparation for the encounter.

Malon jabbed the steel tip low to force the Zora into an unbalanced maneuver to avoid it. Taking the obvious cue when she did so, she jabbed quickly upward to skewer the Zora's heart. Ruto twirled in midair bringing her leg fin down low as it swung upwards in a wide arc. It sliced through the wooden handle of Malon's spear cutting it clean off. Malon cried out as the business end of her weapon fell into the tall grass.

Tossing her ineffective pole of wood at Ruto, she dove for the spear tip, rolling quickly out of the way as a spray of acid boiled the dirt beneath her. Another intake of breath signaled imminent danger from the Zora. Lacking other recourse, she flung the spearhead at Ruto's head. She had already begun spraying the torrid bile but had to turn aside quickly to avoid the soaring steel tip. The flow of her acid flung onto the nearest assassin who had dashed in to assist in tackling Malon. He fell to the ground shrieking in agony as the blistering liquid bore holes into his flesh, melting it to the bone.

Ruto coughed up green mucus before wiping off her mouth. She couldn't sustain that stream for long. "Now you have no weapon." She flashed her razor sharp fins, mania in her eyes. "How do you propose to defeat me? Shall we see who the best woman for Link is?" She gave a lilting laugh that seethed with contempt.

Malon heard a cry off to her right and witnessed Veraca succumbing to the blows of the garbed men. He was slowly being dragged off towards the tents when her attention refocused back on Ruto. She brought up her arms just in time to block the first blow.


	85. Chapter 84 - It All Went Wrong

**Chapter 84 - It All Went Wrong**

Her head jerked up at the small hiss of a whisper beside her. Merin looked over at Impa who was intently peeping over the wall with rising alarm. Seeing the anxious look in her eyes, Merin quickly evaporated the stupor from her muddled senses, she was unsure of how long she had slept. The dew on the grass had seemingly also collected on her clothes and was starting to make her shiver.

"What is it?" She asked tensely before looking over the low demolished wall, she didn't have to wait long for the answer. Ganondorf and Apolloni were already standing and facing the climbing ascent to Death Mountain. A lone figure was calmly strolling down the slope towards them. "What does he think he is doing? Where is everyone else? Why is it just him?"

Impa shook her head curtly, "I have no idea. The original plan was for all of them to meet up with us here. I don't know what went wrong or why that's changed."

"He doesn't know Ganondorf betrayed us, does he?" Merin asked.

"No, he doesn't. With only him here, I can either hope he suspects something or it went seriously wrong with acquiring the Goron Ruby." Impa clarified tersely.

Link was sporting his fully refurbished Kokiri garb, complete with matching cloak. His wings were not visible, she could only assume he had them still tied behind his back so as to not draw undue attention to himself. He had a belt scabbard casually buckled to his waist with his sword in plain view. It did not appear he had either the emerald or the ruby in his possession. Impa's heart constricted as she watched him pace down the path. What was he doing?

Apolloni smirked at his return, Ganondorf merely grunted. Arms crossed, he stepped up to the young man. "Where are the others? I believe I sent far more with you on this mission."

Link shrugged as he gazed around the devastated hamlet. The pain in his eyes at seeing Kakariko in ruins was clear, but he did not let it cloud his mind. "We had several accidents while securing the ruby. I left them to recover back with the Gorons."

Ganondorf's eyes narrowed, "Where are the stones? Do not tell me I have been wasting my time sitting here for you to only have you tell me that you failed."

"After seven cycles, I would think you'd know I can get a job d-" His words were cut off as Ganondorf assaulted his mind, trying to see the truth of the matter. Link wasn't completely unprepared for the attack, having experienced it several times during his stay with the Gerudo, but it was still unnerving to have the Gerudo king worming his way through his thoughts.

Like the many times before, Ganondorf could only get glimpses and glimmers of the events that had transpired in the Xaagar Mountains. It infuriated him that he could not easily see what lay within Link's mind. He had half a notion to implant a ruby on him as well just so he could have complete control over the youth. His eyes sprung wider as his telepathic communications branched out to discover another entity further east just within the village graveyard.

"So you are not alone after all." He simpered.

Link's pupils dilated, had he given them away? Impossible! He tried his best to redirect his thoughts away from them. "Look, let's just agree to the original plan. I'm already here and willing to go through with being captured. I've come up with several ideas of how to steal the sapphire from right under Naar's nose. And…" With dawning realization, he looked from Ganondorf, who had already started towards the graveyard, to Apolloni. "Where are the others? Talon, Impa, and Merin?"

Apolloni gleefully filled in the information for him in a way that made his blood run cold, "We had some ill-fated accidents traveling here through the army. Most unfortunate…" The tone of her voice was deceived by the look in her eyes. Link flashed a glare over at Ganondorf, the Gerudo king didn't bother to grace him with a glance but continued walking.

"What happened to them Ganondorf?" Link demanded harshly.

"It is of no concern to you anymore." He growled. "Focus on the task at hand. If you want to save Hyrule, we must proceed forward with what we agreed upon." Several glints of light flashed through the ruby emblazoned on his forehead. "And I see they have the remaining sacred stones as well. It does not do well to lie to your allies Link. As a representative of Princess Zelda, future queen of Hyrule, you should do better to exemplify her interests and thus cement strong alliances with fellow nation leaders."

He winced at Ganondorf's indictments. Apolloni must have revealed to him everything that had transpired since they left the desert. "A safety precaution is all." Link stalled. "We wanted to make sure neither of the remaining two stones fell into the hands of Naar by bringing them here. We would have them meet us at the Temple of Time instead with them."

His mind was reeling out of control, this was not how they had expected this meeting to go. He had anticipated that Ganondorf would secure the deal with Naar utilizing his position and power so that there would be no question as to why he would be bringing Link in as prisoner. They didn't trust any of Naar's men to capture him. They didn't want to speculate how he would be treated or if he would even make it to Naar. With the sure possibility of Ganondorf having betrayed them all, the disappearance of his friends that accompanied him, and his now unwillingness to bring him straight away to Naar, Link wondered what exactly the Gerudo king had up his sleeve.

"Something's wrong, we have to go help them." Merin shrilled, trying to keep her voice down.

Impa shook her head, "Not yet. We do not want to blow our cover unless we are positive Link is being attacked. We have no idea if Ganondorf is still going to honor his word and take him to Naar." Her ears perked up at the sound of several leaves crackling. She twisted her torso to look behind them, her eyes searching the shadows. She frowned in vexation, "Looks like we are not alone." She swiftly brought out the baton from her belt.

Link overheard the rustling from beyond the derelict structure of the former inn but was immediately waylaid by the sight before him, emerging from beyond the graveyard fence. He blinked twice before he could comprehend what he was seeing. Slowly advancing forward was Zelda, with two scimitars held to her neck. Their bearer was Nabooru, who looked completely at ease with the whole situation.

"Nabooru!" He shouted apprehensively. "What are you doing?" Her eyes did not stray to his. She kept them locked onto Ganondorf. It was as if she were sleep-walking.

Ganondorf leered, "She is one of my elders and they are mine to rule."

Link finally saw the connection, Ganondorf's ruby was flashing wildly in time with Nabooru's. He was controlling her through some sort of magick embedded into their rubies! He had suspected some sort of peculiarity to their head adornments, but couldn't quite make the association. Who knew what else the Gerudo were capable of with those stones? Link cursed himself for thinking it would be okay for Nabooru to join them in Kakariko, that lone decision just endangered their entire plan!

"Now Princess Zelda, would you be so kind as to give me the stones?" Ganondorf commanded calmly, his pupils boring holes into her own.

A quick shake of the head was all she could manage before the prick of Nabooru's blades was felt in her neck. She squeaked at the sudden shock of pain before slowly reaching into the pouch lashed to the belt of her breeches and drew out the emerald and ruby, their shape capturing and dispersing the first rays of the rising sun. Ganondorf coolly walked over and snatched them from her open palm. He inspected them briefly before transferring them to his own pouch.

"Fine, you got what you wanted, now let Zelda go." Link demanded firmly, his hand at his waist, itching to grasp the hilt of his sword.

The Gerudo king turned his head to regard the brave, yet foolish lad. If it were even possible to have a son, he wouldn't mind him having the determination and courage that Link possessed. "I would not have had to resort to these measures if you just stated the truth up front. No, I will not kill Zelda. She is far too valuable a prize for that. She might even make a great queen some day, and a lovely mistress!" His laugh was horrid, his eyes intense. Apolloni glowered at being possibly usurped by Zelda as Ganondorf's favored female.

Link unhooked his cloak letting it fall to the ground as his wings spread out magnificently. He unsheathed his weapon, holding it steady in front of him, its tip pointing towards Ganondorf, "Have Nabooru release Zelda now and discharge her from your control as well." He inclined his head towards Nabooru, her eyes still vacant.

Ganondorf began to move forward to advance on the youth when a flash bang erupted from the southern hill where the inn once stood. His attention engaged at the ensuing battle occurring, Link flowed headlong towards Ganondorf with his sword low with the intent to disembowel the Gerudo king. Sensing movement from the corner of his eye, he sent a silent command to Nabooru to disentangle from Zelda. Link's steel clashed loudly against Nabooru's scimitars as she brought his weapon down into the dirt.

"Apolloni." Ganondorf growled, "Bring Zelda with you. We have a Sheikah to catch." He sneered as he stalked up the incline towards the ensuing skirmish.

In a heartbeat, Apolloni was behind Zelda with a dagger to her neck, "If you but move a muscle, I'll cut your pretty, soft skin. Ganondorf may want you alive, but he said nothing about being fully whole!" She began to cackle at her remark before gasping for air. Zelda had elbowed her in the stomach and quickly pivoted around before slamming a blast of concussive magick into her chest, knocking the Gerudo clear across the clearing. Apolloni smashed into the nearby brick façade.

"It seems to only come out when I have need." Zelda marveled as she stared at her hands again. Could this be the secret to her powers? She had to learn how to control them!

Impa and Merin were fighting valiantly against several armed assassins, each garbed in black fabric which was beginning to stand out horribly admist the gathering light of dawn. Merin was purely on the defensive, blocking and deflecting multitudes of arrows launched from several men on the high rise overlooking the town. Impa was on the offensive, drawing some of their fire and flitting in and out of their ranks, gutting several while decapitating others. She knew it was a fruitless gesture, knowing they would revive within minutes, but her ultimate goal was to kill enough of them to buy them some time to assist Link.

Argonim stood off to the side, leaning casually up against the crumbling cliff wall that was eroding slowly due to the elements. He was observing intently the battle rhythms of the two women, analyzing their techniques and feints. He glanced off down the path to spot Ganondorf purposefully striding up towards Impa. He seemed fixated on her for an unknown reason. Deducing him not a threat, he continued his viewing of the scuffle.

Link was frantically dodging and parrying blows, attempting to disable Nabooru without outright hurting or killing her. He was not used to combating an opponent without the intent to seriously maim, injure or slay them. He had to keep whacking her in the head with the blunt end of his sword in hopes he could knock her out and rush to Impa's aid up on the rise. Nabooru was relentless. The flicker of light in her ruby was dancing wildly as she continued to twirl her scimitars through the air, unknowingly determined on killing her friend, Link.

Zelda whistled loudly, within moments, several Sheikah appeared from the shadows and converged on the melee, quickly removing the heads and body parts of the assassins. Several endeavored to strike out at the Gerudo king himself. The two who managed to get close enough were pulverized into ashes, to be carried away by the morning winds. Apolloni lingered back behind the shattered wall, seemingly overwhelmed with the appearance of dozens of Sheikah. It was clear Link had not been alone and they were all laying in wait around Kakariko until the situation turned dire, past the point of no return.

"Ganondorf!" Zelda yelled right before she let loose a blast of pure energy towards him.

He turned to see the incoming bolt and quickly let loose a barrier before pressing it outwards, knocking her completely off her feet. The beam ricocheted off of the shield and crashed into the windmill overlooking the town. It exploded into dozens of flaming shards, fragments and sharp debris began raining down onto the combatants below.

Several men screamed as debris pierced their arms or faces while others collapsed to the ground, momentarily dead as some of the larger pieces lodged themselves into their brains. Link saw the imminent danger and ducked low under one of Nabooru's swipes and tackled her to the ground. In a spurt of energy, he rolled them both under the awning of one of the buildings, watching with tense fear at the raining shards of wooden death.

Impa surveyed the swiftly unraveling scene and quailed. With the Gerudo king between her and Link, it would be near impossible to assist him. There was no way she'd be able to confront Ganondorf directly. She focused on the one person whom she could manage to tackle, the overly beefy man leaning smugly up against the rock. She made a swift bee line towards him. Digging the clawed apparatus enclosing her hand into a nearby assassin, she tore his spine out before tossing him aside like trash.

Argonim was no magick user but he was skilled in the art of war and learned to study his opponents to identify weaknesses in their offense. He watched carefully the movements of Impa as she was making her way towards him. Her eyes were locked on his position, but her periphery vision was extraordinary. She dispatched foes with ease, barely even taking the time to look at what she was doing to them. Her eyes were only for him.

Impa reached into a side pocket of her belt and threw several Deku Nuts into the fray just inches from Argonim's feet. He had been expecting this tactic and closed his eyes promptly as they made contact with the ground, blinding all others around them. He felt the rush of air flow past his right cheek. She was going to strike from the left. Seeing through her ploy, he opened his eyelids as he gripped her by the neck.

The astonishment was evident in her face as he lifted her off the ground, her legs dangling in the air. Without missing a beat, she whipped out her baton, the spikes flicking out with fervor. She brought it quickly down onto his head. Blood spurted as junks of flesh were ripped out when the steel was removed from his skull. He roared but ignored the pain and grabbed her arm with his other hand. He twisted it, breaking her wrist. With a cry, she dropped the baton to the dirt.

"Impa! No!" Merin trilled. She lopped off the head of one assailant before slicing another at the knees, causing him to topple over his own legs. She made a move to assist the incapacitated Impa when she was slammed into the ground by an unseen force. She moaned in agony at the crushing force impressing upon her body.

Several boot steps crunched by her ears, she could barely lift her head to look into Ganondorf's eyes, "You have a choice Merin. You can either follow your king or you can die like the rest. I am only offering this once." With genuine concern, he gently lowered a hand for her to accept.

At length, Merin knew they had lost. With tears in her eyes, she clasped her hand in his. He pulled her up onto her feet before regulating her to stand behind him. He raised a menacing hand towards her attackers. Seeing that the situation was under control by the Gerudo king, they moved away down the hill towards Link, Zelda and Nabooru.

Ganondorf called out after them, "Do not harm the boy or the golden haired one. Detain them. I do not care what happens to the other." Merin opened her mouth wide to say something. She could not conceive that her own king would be so brutal to his elder. It was true that Nabooru wasn't always in tune with his rule, but she never outright betrayed him to her knowledge.

Zelda stepped back hesitantly, keeping her eyes on the looming horde of well trained Nevachrean assassins. They looked quite similar to the men whom Ruto brought with her back in the Negev Marshlands. She wondered if they were of the same regiment. She inclined her head to see Link struggling whole heartedly against Nabooru, rolling across the ground, locked in a battle of strength and wills.

"Zelda! She…is not…herself!" Link gasped inbetween releases of her choking grip. He knew he could easily overpower her if he tried, but he was unwilling to hurt his friend. He was coming around to the unfortunate realization that he may have to ultimately kill her to free Nabooru from this madness Ganondorf incited. He winced every turn they made, as his wings were crushed beneath him.

The first arrow whisked through the air towards Zelda's head. Drawing on the inner divine energies inherent in her soul, she erected a transparent, shimmering barrier. The arrow dissolved into nothing but vapor as it struck the shield. The men slowed their advance as they discussed options on how best to circumvent her defenses. She had established a full dome of protection over the three of them. Nabooru and Link continued to struggle on, oblivious to the magick swirling around them, protecting them.

Flexing her calf muscles in a unique way, Impa released a shard of sharpened iron from the tip of her boot. She swung it deep into Argonim's groin. He grunted from the searing pain permeating through his loins. Giving him no time to recover, she took her knuckled fist and rammed it into his face crushing the bridge of his nose. The man bellowed in anguish, holding his free hand up to the squirting blood from his nose.

Enraged at the Sheikah getting the better of him, he strengthened his grip on her neck and threw her face first into the ground before stomping onto her back. Several pops were heard up and down her spine, she cried out at the pain flaring up her back. Sensing the approaching attack, she rolled over bringing her baton up to ward off his charging fist. Argonim brought his stinging hand back incensed.

Violently gripping a breast with one hand and her crotch with the other, he lifted Impa high into the air. He knelt on one knee before bringing the doomed Sheikah down onto his raised leg, crushing her spine in half. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes dilated. He flung her to the side like a ragdoll.

A squawk of surprise emanated a few meters away, a Sheikah who looked remarkly similar to the one he had killed was rushing to her aid. Ganondorf stepped up to her and brushed her off with a wave of his hand. She skidded across the ground before knocking her head against the brick wall. She slumped to the ground unconscious.

He knelt down beside the dying Sheikah, placing a hand on her forehead, "You are a worthy opponent, one who deserves respect. It is a shame we are on opposites sides of this war, but my goals must be realized. May you rest in peace and the Goddesses bring you home."

Trying in vain to breathe, Impa coughed up several clots of blood, looking up disbelievingly into his face. He began searching her body until he found the object of his desire, presently he pulled out the ocarina. Things were finally starting to come together for him. All he needed now was the sapphire and that boy. He knew he couldn't access the Master Sword himself, but with Link by his side it could be done.

He rose up quickly and turned to Argonim, "We fall back. We got what we came for. You take the boy with you for now. The golden-haired female is mine."

Argonim grunted derisively, "Not unless you can stop them from disabling all my men." He indicated Zelda, who was handily learning her new found powers as she went. She was blasting several men off their feet from beyond the barrier with gaining accuracy.

Ganondorf nodded, "Let me handle her." He steadily paced down towards their position, standing but a few feet away from the barrier. "Remove the shield Zelda or Nabooru will be forced to kill herself."

Immediately, Nabooru stood up and aimed a scimitar at her belly, readying it to plunge deep into her soft flesh. Zelda quavered, "Why would you do that to her?"

Link began frantically trying to remove the weapon from her hands but her knuckles were white with the strain of holding it tight. Some abnormal force was keeping it locked into position. "Ganondorf just let her go." He pleaded.

"I have what I came for: the ruby, emerald and ocarina. I need only you to fulfill the requirements. Without you in my possession, my deal with Naar falls through and we don't have a chance at accessing the Temple of Time." Ganondorf drawled.

Link stopped his struggling with Nabooru's arms, he stared at the Gerudo king flummoxed, "But I was given the ocarina by Impa herself before we left Glaun'rung. How can you have it?"

A wild grin spread across Ganondorf's features, "That was merely a ploy to separate you all. You needed not to be distracted from your task of securing the ruby, so Malon was left behind. Impa was too much a threat to my plans, so she had to be herded off to be taken care of separately."

A horrid realization came to Link, "Where's Talon?"

A small sob emitted from Merin, who was standing dejectedly behind Ganondorf, "He's dead Link. I saw him die."

A raging fury started boiling up inside Link. Without even having to hear Ganondorf say it, he knew who had killed Talon. "You will die by my hand Ganondorf!" He shouted virulently.

"I'd like to see you try." Ganondorf simpered.

A small gasp diverted his attention to Nabooru, who was deliberately sliding the scimitar into her belly. He swung his neck back to Ganondorf, "Please stop! I'll go! Please, just don't hurt anyone else!" Nabooru's movement stopped.

"Then drop the barrier Zelda." His eyes turned to her, his glare daring her to disobey.

At once, it vanished. The men rampaged in and brought the two of them down to the ground. They quickly lashed harsh twine around their wrists, ensuring they were tightly drawn behind their backs. Link cursed severely into the dirt, hacking as some of it got into his nostrils. The men just pushed them down into the earth harder the more they struggled.

Nabooru was released from his control, her weapons clattering onto the ground. She spun around flustered. She had begun to realize what had occurred and her role in it all. A look of horror splayed across her face as she beheld her king, his expression indifferent. She dropped to her knees and wept.

"Leave her be. Let her wallow in the misery of her failure." He instructed the men.

"And where will you go?" Argonim questioned, pointing a meaty finger at Zelda as Ganondorf began to escort her away.

Without looking at the imposing man, he swept past him, "I will meet with Naar in my own time on my own terms." He flicked his chin in the direction of the still struggling Link, buried under a mound of men who strove to keep his wrath in check. "You have your immediate objective right now. You may deliver him directly to Naar. If my suspicions are correct, I feel he'll be very pleased to meet him again." He faced the wavering Apolloni, who had just recovered from her battering at the hands of Zelda, "Apolloni, come!"

Like a dog with a tail between its legs, she followed her king sulkily. She knew she had failed him this day. She was effectively useless in that battle. She shot daggers at Zelda, but she merely huffed and looked away from the infuriated Gerudo. Merin shadowed behind, looking back several times to catch Link's attention. Her efforts were futile for he was raging beneath the mob of men.

Clutching Link roughly by the collar, Argonim lifted the youth up into the air and rammed him onto his shoulder, carrying him like a dead animal. "What about the stones Ganondorf? Did you not agree to deliver them to Naar too?"

He turned his gaze onto the peevish brute, "All in good time. Naar is not the only one with ambition." With a sweep of his hand, he indicated the few remaining Sheikah still fighting the Nevachrean soldiers. "Feel free to clean up the rest, we are leaving."

Argonim watched the Gerudo king walk down the stairs to the plains with his golden haired prize. He thundered loudly at his irritation with that man, "Come on! Let's get back to camp!" The call was sounded through the ranks. The assassins fell back and disengaged from the enemy.

Link continued to kick at Argonim's chest. Annoyed with the youth's struggles, he gripped both his legs and thumped him onto the ground. Link's breath left him as he hit the ground hard, he had no time to react when a fist smacked him in the head. He was immediately knocked out cold. Feeling satisfied he would get no further retaliation from Link; Argonim swung him back over his shoulder and strolled down the steps to the encampment.

It had been several minutes before the remainder of the Sheikah returned from chasing down the Nevachreans back to their camp. They ultimately decided it best to regroup and strike out with a different plan. Things had not gone according to what they assumed would happen. One Sheikah ignored everyone else and went straight for Impa. Cayla knelt down beside her sister and placed a hand on her forehead.

Impa's eyes fluttered open at the sound of her weeping, "Cay…la." She croaked, her breathing ragged and torn.

Crystalline tears streaming unchecked down her face, Cayla kissed Impa's forehead gingerly, "Sister, why did you have to leave? We could have protected each other, defended one another."

Impa's eyes unfocused briefly before placing themselves back on Cayla, "It was…for Link." She tried to say more but could not bear the misery of talking. Her spine had been broken in half and the back of her head bashed in from the impact of the final toss. Her life force was swiftly ebbing away.

Cayla cried out her frustration at not knowing the answers to Impa's actions, "Why Link? I don't understand! Is our duty not to Zelda first? To Hylia? Why is Link so important?"

Impa was drifting fast, "Link…son of…queen…Hyrule…taken from…Naar." Her thoughts were as fractured as her speech.

"Please don't leave me. I love you!" Cayla wailed.

For one brief, torturous moment, clarity entered Impa's face as she beheld her beloved sister. She smiled. Her eyes then glazed and she was gone. Cayla crumpled on top of Impa's broken body and sobbed bitterly well into the morning.


	86. Chapter 85 - The Looming Storm

**Chapter 85 - The Looming Storm**

Darunia smashed his fist into the nearby boulder. They were waiting up near the entrance to their former home, eagerly awaiting any word on how the meeting went down. The answer was less than ideal. They figured having Gorons there would disrupt the overall situation and it would be best to send in Sheikah. Their ability to hide in the shadows when needed was essential in not blowing their cover. They were there as a failsafe should something go wrong.

"Forget being subtle! We should have been down there to protect Link! I should have been down there!" Darunia shouted directly into Cayla's face, pointing a finger down the slope towards the ruined town.

Her face was impassive, her swirling emotions hidden behind a façade of supposed indifference. "We were not expecting the additional men from Nevachrea to ambush us, nor the ability of the Gerudo elders to be controlled by their king. Nabooru is not at fault for this, but it was wrong that we had her accompany Zelda to the graveyard." Her tone was monotonous and her eyes stared straight ahead, not even looking at the Goron king, ashamed of her ineptitude at protecting both Link and Zelda.

His eyes turned to Nabooru, "Could you not control yourself? Why did you let him take you over like that?" Darunia demanded.

Nabooru wiped a tear from her eye, "I don't know what happened. I've never felt anything like that before in my life. I was aware of what I was doing, but I could do nothing about it. My body was not my own. I felt…violated." She hiccupped, trying to maintain a sturdy temperament.

Darunia expressed his anger with a bellow, "Doesn't matter now! Link is being taken off by the Nevachreans rather than by Ganondorf, which is what we had expected and wanted. With his help, Link could have secured the sapphire, now we've lost that advantage!"

"I'm sorry." Nabooru began. "I truly thought I could take care of Zelda. I didn't want to be a burden to anyone. I just wanted to help." She broke down and began to cry. She was still reeling in shock that her lover, Talon, had died. Goddesses knew where Malon and Giana were. For all she knew, they were also dead.

Cayla wrapped a comforting arm around the Gerudo woman. As much as she disliked their race, she had to admit Nabooru received a rather abrupt wake-up call of her love being killed and by her own king no less. "We've all lost someone dear in this war." Cayla consoled, she turned to the stretcher they had made for Impa. They had carried her all the way up to the Goron city, they would eventually bury her but it was not determined where. Until that time, the body would reside here safe in the city until the war was over.

"So what is our next step?" Cayla asked, handing Nabooru off to another Sheikah to be solaced better.

Darunia folded his arms as he looked down across the plains, viewing the seething horde of men, horses and potential demons in disguise. After several minutes, he spoke slowly, "We trust in Link. It appears he is being taken directly to Naar. It may not have been in the company of Ganondorf, but the end result should still be the same. We must trust he will find a way to acquire the sapphire without Ganondorf's help. We set up Gorons at key locations within the camp alongside the Sheikah and when he gives the signal, we will attack and bring him out with the sapphire."

Cayla's gaze turned towards the Temple of Time, just visible over the walls of the city. "And of Zelda? Do you think Ganondorf took her to the temple?"

Darunia grunted, "I can't say, but we should split our forces. Several of us should remain at the capital and wait for Link and the others. If Ganondorf is there, we shall also deal with him. I will go myself to the temple and await my sworn brother. We need to make sure the way ahead is safe for him to accomplish his task. A lot is riding on his shoulders."

"But Ganondorf has the other two stones, as well as the ocarina, which is necessary in opening the door of time." Cayla pointed out.

"If Link has the sapphire, Ganondorf will come to us. We'll be ready for him." Darunia rumbled heatedly.

"This isn't a very well thought out plan. We should focus on getting Link away from Naar once the sapphire is acquired. With no one there to help him but us, he'll need all the assistance we can offer." Cayla murmured, shaking her head.

"Whatever. We don't have the time to think of a better one. We must work with what we have." He unfolded his arms and began walking down the decline with a growl. "Fine, we do it your way! Come. The more time we waste, the less time Link has. Let's put the plan into action now."

* * *

><p>The Gerudo king stroked the fire he had created carefully. The wind was picking up and it was getting colder. Despite the midday sun beating down on their heads, the air still felt chilly against their skin. For Zelda, it was torture and she was found shaking profusely, her teeth chattering being the most obvious symptom of her freezing. Ganondorf was born from the desert and these types of conditions were normal during the deep reaches of the night. He was not heartless however and established a roaring fire without prompt for her.<p>

Apolloni had started to make some lewd and scornful remarks about Zelda but was sharply reprimanded by Ganondorf and ordered to stand by Appa and tend to the horse. She stomped off in a foul mood before digging out some apples from their saddlebags and offered a few to the eager stallion. She turned around and folded her arms defiantly as she glowered at the two of them enjoying themselves by the fire. Merin sat aways off from them, seemingly aloof in her misery. She hadn't spoken a single word since they left Kakariko.

"What do you see in her?" Zelda asked indicating Apolloni, her teeth still rattling.

He barely even glanced in the elder's direction, "She is a prodigy, even among us Gerudo. Most children don't get good with the sword or the art of warfare until they are well into their twentieth cycles. She had impressed her teachers at the young age of thirteen, at a time when she should have been an apprentice doing the bidding of her superiors."

Zelda cocked her head; Ganondorf was staring longingly into the fire, as if reminiscing of the golden days long gone. She kept quiet for fear of breaking the moment, allowing him to release his thoughts as they came. "Never before in Gerudo history had a female been born that wasn't with crimson hair. She was the object of much ridicule for it. Being the young king in training, I knew my place and I did not do anything to favor her over any other. She eventually grew to defend herself and earn her keep among the Gerudo far earlier than she should have, eventually becoming an elder."

Her attention wandered over to Apolloni, who had since stopped staring at them. She was now grooming the horse and making soft noises to it which seemed to calm the animal. "Is that why she is such a…difficult person to be around?"

Ganondorf stifled a small chortle, "I guess you could say that. She fought hard to earn her place as elder at such a young age. Most females do not get that status until they are well into their forties. The fact she is just turning twenty five this cycle is quite the accomplishment. I have much respect for her, despite her demeanor."

Her teeth finally slowing down due to the embracing warmth of the fire, she began to smile at the Gerudo king. "You really do care for your people." He nodded without saying a word. "So why did you take me? Do you care for me too?" She had made it come off as a joke, but his expression was serious.

"I have always coveted your land, Zelda." His scrutiny was penetrating. She couldn't help but look away from the intensity of his gaze. "I seeked to take it from your father, your king, I will not deny that. My goal, even today, remains the same: to establish a better life for my people. I need the power to do that. Once I acquire that power, what better way to cement ties between Hyrule and the Gerudo than in marriage?"

Zelda gasped at the absurdity of his notion, she hadn't even considered the thought of being involved with him in that way. Her expression was a mixture of disgust and loathing, "If you are talking about the Triforce, why would you need me? You'd have all the power you'd need to run the kingdom yourself!" The horror of his proposal was sinking in.

"At the cost of many lives, yes." He admitted. "If I have you by my side and we drive the Nevachreans out together, there will be no question as to my loyalties and the people will rally around us. The Gerudo will be accepted into your culture and we will be free to live our lives, prosperous in our kingdom. How better to win the hearts and minds of the Hylian people than through political subtlety? With the power of the Triforce behind me, it would behoove you to support the true ruler of this kingdom."

Zelda shivered again, but not from the cold. "You know I could stop you."

He smirked before turning back to the flames, "Indeed. You are quite different than when we last met. There is…something more about you that intriques me. You have definitely changed Princess Zelda." This time, he did nothing to hide his mirth and let loose a few chuckles. "And to think, you were once that spoiled little brat who came to visit me in my prison cell so many cycles ago."

She looked around at the camp they had set up just outside the western walls of the town. They were allowed to pass freely through the Nevachrean camp earlier. Several of the awful sights and sounds made Zelda wretch, she couldn't bear to see what they were doing to the women. They had set up a makeshift shelter of tarp attached to a lone tree, spread out in a fan formation to several stakes dug into the ground. It wasn't much, but it would block a good majority of the wind that night.

"Why did we not take shelter in the homes inside the city?" She inquired.

Ganondorf looked up and scanned the eastern horizon, "There is a danger there I'd rather not confront yet until it is time."

"And Link? Are we not going to help him? Is he not integral to your plans?" Zelda grilled.

"He is." He confessed. "But Naar will not kill him. He might come to grievous harm but he will not die. Naar wants him alive for the very same reasons I do: The Triforce. We are all going to converge on the same place. I am just taking measures to ensure most of the game pieces are in my pocket rather than in his." The king grinned, "Better to have most of the cards than none. Besides," Ganondorf considered in a tone that brought a shiver to Zelda's spine, "what Link will go through next will make it easier for me to bend him to my will once he's back in my possession."

Zelda wrapped the blanket she had received earlier tighter around her body. It looked like it could snow at any time. The grey clouds from the west were looming over the plains. This was going to be a rather bad winter. She hoped they could resolve this war and remove the Nevachreans from their soil before the first frost hit, but now she wasn't so sure it would happen that way.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Ganondorf's apposite question, "So why don't you try to escape princess? If you have the power you say you do?" A slight crease of his lip belied his humor.

"I, too, would like to have most of the cards stacked in my favor. I'm merely staying to keep an eye on you." She finished with finality, hoping it sounded rather brave.

His eyes were indecipherable. "Indeed." He stated unflappably.

* * *

><p>Naar was in a good-humored mood as he strode through the camp. Several of the men were staring profusely at their general. He actually had a smile on his face! The news from the outer fringes of the camp had traveled fast and he was walking out to greet his Dark Mistress who had returned home with a prize. After so many things gone wrong, it was finally time for things to swing his way.<p>

He clapped his hands in excitement upon seeing his blue beauty standing tall, looking regal and utterly striking. Her nude form was enticing to him and he was thrilled to have her back again, not the least of which for what she could do in his bed. Ruto bowed low in deference to him as she presented her two prisoners.

"And who do we have here?" He walked over to Malon and roughly copped her hair, feeling its luxurious texture pass through his fingers. She trembled in revulsion at his touch. He laughed heartily at her disgust. "You'll learn to appreciate me soon enough."

Standing beside him, Ruto gestured to her, "Her name is Malon. She is the lover of Link and currently with child."

His gleaming eyes lingered on her, "How interesting. So the boy has found a whore. This will make quite the bargaining chip indeed. And who is the other?"

Her eyes turned away from his, she couldn't bear to see the anguished look Veraca was giving her. "He is Veraca, the current king and ruler of the Zoras."

Naar clasped his hands together and brought them up to his lips in thought, "It may not be Link himself, but these are both worthy trophies indeed. You have done well Ruto. I am most pleased." He grimaced briefly, "That's more than I can say for my other commanders."

She intruded upon his thoughts as he leered at Malon, "My lord, there was one other with us, but he parted ways shortly before we came here. He is now somewhere in the horde of Gerudo tracking north at the southern borders of Hyrule."

He looked over at her fleetingly before waving a hand, "Then he is of no use to me. Forget him. I am well aware of the Gerudo army and have taken measures to stop it. However I'm going to be enjoying her right now." He gripped Malon by the arm roughly and began pulling her away. She began struggling before a punch to the gut stopped her protests.

"What about our marriage?" Ruto probed eagerly, her eyes never leaving Naar. "You promised that when I came back you'd have arrangements made for us to be wed."

Putting a lone finger on his cheek, he mused a moment, "I did, didn't I? Well, unfortunately, you did not bring Link back. As much as I will enjoy and appreciate Malon today, you still did not bring me back what I wanted."

Ruto quailed, "But he was not what we agreed upon as conditions for my success!"

Naar sniffed as he began dragging Malon away crudely, she was digging her heels in the mud trying to stall the inevitable. He in turn grabbed a fistful of her hair and began yanking it hard to ensure her cooperation. When her screaming had sufficiently calmed, he continued to escort her away. "Not my concern Ruto. You should have known I wanted him back alive. Was he not the topic of our last discussion? We will be married after you bring me Link."

A look of hurt crossed her face as she gawked after them, "What about Veraca?"

Without bothering to look back, "Detain him in the prison tent. I will see to him later. Do what you want with him."

Ruto fought hard to not display weakness around the rest of the men who were looking to her for direction. She wanted to run away and cry in a dark corner, she was hoping and aching for the day that her dreams of marriage would finally come true. Naar had shattered all that. It was clear he never cared for her from the start, only with what she could give him. And now she brought him Malon, his new sexual muse.

Her thoughts were distracted by a lone soldier to her side who was smiling at her arrogantly. He thought it so funny that Naar's Dark Mistress was shunned. She quickly punched his face before slicing his arm off with a fin. She grabbed his cheeks and gave him a deep kiss before pouring burning acid down his throat.

Completely oblivious to the turmoil he had caused, Naar had his mind set on one thing. He was wholly dedicated to ravaging this desert beauty and lover of Link's. What cruel torture he would impose upon them both through her, he smiled cruelly at the myriad of deeds he could accomplish.

Upon seeing the command tent ahead, Malon began to panic and started screaming. She tried to tear away from his hold but only managed to receive a cuff across the face. "You will obey me and you will be mine. Or you will die. Make your choice." Several men looked up from their campfires and leered at her, they knew what was to come and enjoyed imagining what vile acts Naar would inflict upon her.

This was a nightmare. She couldn't believe she was back here in the heart of the camp after seven cycles trying to forget it. This time there would be no Sheikah to save her. She couldn't rely on some hidden savior to pull her out of Din's forge. She knew in her heart that she was not strong enough to defeat Naar. It would end in her death. With a toss, he threw her through the tent flap onto the ground. She rolled a bit before stopping next to a small body.

"Giana. No!" She whispered forcefully.

The little girl woke up and turned to her sister, her eyes popped open and she began to make a leap for her. She wrapped her arms around Malon's neck and began crying copiously. She didn't seem abused or damaged but rather well taken care of. Her dress was muddy but not torn and there were no lingering marks on her face or skin. If it weren't for the iron collar and chain tied to a post, you would think she hadn't been living in the worst place in the world.

Naar observed them for several minutes as they wept together, holding each other close. "Do you know this girl?" He asked. His tone was soft, but his demand was clear.

Malon nodded, "She is my sister."

"My day has gotten a lot more absorbing." Naar's eyes glinted.

With a flurry of anger, she shouted at him, "What have you done with her, you sick fuck! She is just a little girl!"

Ignoring the outburst that would have so easily claimed the life of one of his men, he stepped forward and pointed casually to Giana, "Her? Nothing. She reminds me strangely of the daughter I once had…well, minus the red hair. I don't know what to do with her honestly." Malon stared at him distrustfully. She couldn't believe a man as despicable as Naar would allow a young girl to go untainted. Naar snorted, "Believe me if you want, but I honestly couldn't bring myself to harm her. It was her eyes. They remind me too much of my daughter. Keeping her around gives me…comfort, for some odd reason." He rubbed his chin as he looked down at the dirt flooring, pondering his own thoughts.

Giana looked up at him with her sky blue eyes. "He's a bad man." She stated firmly.

Naar laughed loudly, jolting both girls horribly with the suddenness of it, "Oh, I had to chain her to that post. It was for her own good, she kept escaping. And we all know what happens to unchecked females in this camp, don't we Malon?" His final words brought a quiver to her body.

Without warning, he clutched a handful of hair and began dragging her to his bed of furs. She screamed in agony as Giana shrieked at seeing her older sister in pain. With a wrenching throw, she landed roughly on the pad of skins. She wheezed heavily as the wind escaped her lungs. Her pupils bulged upon seeing Naar pounce upon her meek form. His blasphemous hands went roving across her body, slipping underneath her clothes to fondle her soft skin.

She tried to scream but was muffled by a forceful kiss from Naar. She wanted to puke as his callous tongue invaded her mouth, running its length across her teeth and tickling her tongue. She beat hard against his chest but was quickly silenced by his hands twisting her wrists together and placing them above her head. He began to tear off her clothes, moaning in apparent lust as he heard the sound of fabric ripping, exposing an endowed breast.

Giana shrieked at the insane treatment of her sister. Without thinking, she rose up and began running towards them to stop Naar from hurting Malon. The collar yanked her back down to the ground, causing her to hit the dirt hard with her elbow. She whimpered as she saw blood oozing from the wound. The iron stung something fierce on her raw skin.

"Leave her alone! You're a bad man!" Giana cried, tears flying from her eyes.

Naar was already unbuckling his belt with one hand as he utilized his knees and remaining arm to control the writhing woman beneath him. He would have her regardless of her unwillingness to submit. "Don't worry Malon." Naar sniggered, "She is going to have to learn about this some day, might as well watch her sister enjoy it."

His laughter incensed Malon more causing her to twist uncontrollably beneath him. She began to cry alongside Giana, she was overpowered and could do nothing to stop his ruthless approach. With a shudder she laid stock still as she felt his engorged member resting comfortably against her outer folds, a chilling shiver ran up her spine as her memories flashed back to that awful night when she had lost Giana and was assaulted by a large Nevachrean. Why must she go through this lurid nightmare again? Did the Goddesses hate her so?

"There's a good girl. Just accept it in and it'll be over soon." His chuckling was nauseating.

The tent flap roared open as Argonim paced in. Within seconds he was blown back against the tent structure rocking it to its very foundations. He uttered something incomprehensible as he looked down at the gaping hole in his chest. He collapsed to the ground, grunting in misery as the regeneration began to take place to mend the dreadful wound. Malon started moaning in despair, the Goddesses must love playing cruel jokes on her. This was the very man she did not want to see ever again.

"Damn it Argonim! How many times must I tell you to announce your arrival before entering the tent? Do you not see I am busy?" Naar bellowed. Without regard for modesty, he leaped off Malon and swept in on the muscular brute, jamming his bootheel into the man's chin. Even with his trousers down around his legs, he was quite adept at inflicting pain on others.

Sputtering on rising blood and bile, Argonim managed to rasp, "I've brought…him for…you."

Naar's fury was intense. He did not want to be bothered with more stupid prisoners. "Brought who?"

Unable to speak further, Argonim crooked a finger for the soldiers to bring Link in. Naar's eyes widened as he beheld the youth he had been searching for orbits. Hastily bringing up his trousers and swiftly buckling the clasp, he knelt down and regarded the young man. "He has grown wings." He commented to no one in particular.

Indeed, it was the most shocking aspect about Link now. He had grown older but still remained recognizable to Naar. His wings were the only oddity about him. They were stretched and splayed out at an odd angle, as if he was involved in a rather close quarter battle which might have damaged them. With his quarry finally within his grasp, he wasn't exactly sure what he should do next, there were simply too many options.

Link shakily rose his torso up onto his forearms and gaped at his surroundings. His eyes fell first on Naar, a rigid fear danced across his irises. Then dread filtered in as his focus fell on Malon, half naked and splayed out on Naar's bed. A small sniffle diverted his attention to Giana, landlocked by an iron collar, unable to move more than a few feet from a post. This was not what he was expecting to see when he finally met Naar, things had gone terribly wrong.

"Welcome back to your final home Link!" Naar clapped him roughly on the back, sniggering as he did so. He grabbed a fistful of feathers and began tugging on them, "Extraordinary. I've never seen the like." Hearing the small gasps from Link, he continued, "Does that hurt? I wonder what would happen if they were…to suddenly separate from your body?"

"Not as long as I have the strength to fight you." Link spat, jerking violently to dislodge Naar's mocking grip.

"Just as brash and bold as I remember you." Naar chuckled. "Better judgement tells me I should take you immediately to the Temple of Time, find Ganondorf and perform the rite to open the pathway to the Master Sword. However, I just can't help myself but have a little fun with you first." Like an over eager kid opening his birthday present, Naar sat down cross legged beside Link and leaned forward to continue his inspection of Link's wings. "Speaking of Ganondorf, where is he?"

Argonim mumbled, talking over the pain, "He went…his own way. He said he'd…come find you."

Naar cocked an eyebrow but dismissed the news, "No matter. I have two pieces of what he needs. He'll get his due. He'll comply as long as he thinks I'm upholding our bargain."

Link attempted to rise up but the throbbing in his head brought him back down. The thumping Argonim gave him did a number on his skull. That man was freakishly strong. The tussle with Nabooru didn't help matters for his wings ached something fierce. The compounding injuries sapped his strength, he inwardly prayed to the Goddesses to give him the power to slay his foes.

"What will you do with them?" Link motioned with his chin to the two women. He tried to keep Naar distracted long enough so his inner energies could summon a weapon of sufficient application to surprise the general.

Naar shrugged, clearly enjoying his momentary victory. "The girl I think I'll keep as a pet since she reminds me so much of my daughter, it's the least I could do for her. Maybe as a mascot for the Nevachrean Empire?" He guffawed at the notion. With a sly sneer, he indicated Malon, "I think once I'm through with you today, I shall have you chained, bound and hanging by the beams while you watch me pillage your true love. Seeing as you Hylians did the same with mine, I felt I should return the favor…to each and every one of you." Naar's voice dropped at his final words.

Feeling the surge explode in his hand, he sprung up into Naar's face, bringing the apparated dagger up through his nose. A spray of red flashed upwards and splattered against the tent fabric. Naar thundered in indignation as he expeditiously materialized a club and crashed it down on Link's head. Link crumbled beneath the force of the blow and lay still, a slight red dribbling down the back of his sandy blond hair.

Naar clutched his split nose cursing the vile youth for the atrocity. He yelled at Argonim who had just finished recovering. "Bind his hands and bring him to the arena pit, his penance begins now!"

"As you wish." Argonim said annoyed. He spat a clotted glob of blood off to the side before gripping one of Link's boots and pulling him along the ground out of the tent.

After Argonim and his entourage left, Naar propped himself back into a chair before leaning back to allow the healing to hasten. His only thoughts were on Link and how he could summon a weapon, only Nevachreans had that power…


	87. Chapter 86 - The Game of Death

**Chapter 86 - The Game of Death**

It had just begun to snow. The dirt, with its multitude of boot prints spread out over the camp, had turned to a muddy sludge with the falling moisture. A raucous din could be heard for miles around the epicenter of the army encampment, all concentrated around a rather crude makeshift arena. It was constructed by rotting boards soaked and stained with cycles of booze, urine and other excrements from the rabid audience filling the stands. There were several holes damaging the overall structure where fights had broken out as a result of the brawls that occurred there daily.

Several spitting torches were hammered into the ground at various intervals in the interior of the field within reach of the combatants or players within, many applauded deaths stemmed from the usage of those torches. The ground itself was a mixture of dirt and blood, for games were played here as well as entertaining combat. Many victims of the army were killed here, never to regenerate like their opponents. It was indeed a cruel fate to be faced against such hopeless odds.

The crowd had gathered in excitement for what was to be a game of epic proportions. Many had heard tales of Link through whispers and rumors, but many had never seen the youth. Many stared wide-eyed at the winged man as he was drug from Naar's tent all the way to the prisoner cages just outside the arena walls. Upon seeing the ostensibly underwhelming boy who couldn't have been more than twenty cycles, hordes of men eagerly signed up to play in the game that would feature him.

Link woke up to two things: a small fleck of snow tickling his nose as it fell softly into his nostil and the second was the roaring of noise just feet away from his head. He jolted upwards with a start but immediately doubled over vomiting as the throbbing in his head reached a fever pitch. The last thing he remembered was Naar swinging some weapon down on his skull. After having emptied the contents of his stomach, he felt the back of his head for the damage. It was amazingly sore and he could feel the dried blood caked into his hair.

Carefully getting onto his knees and looking around, Link realized he was behind iron bars that were showing their age with cycles of rust and grime. He dared not touch the bars for fear of contaminating himself. Highly sensitive to his aching head, he turned around and looked up towards the stands of the arena. He could see multitudes of men laughing, drinking, eating, fighting and even raping women where they sat while waiting for the event to start.

Shivering from their curdling cries, Link examined himself. He wasn't worse for wear and he breathed a sigh of relief as he saw they had not stripped him of his Kokiri garb Malon had made for him. He heard grousing coming from the other cages surrounding his and noticed several Hylians and even some children being held like he was. It was clear they had not undergone the profane ritual the Nevachrean soldiers did since they were missing limbs or had massive lacerations inflicted upon them, some were looking rather infected.

"Navi." He spoked urgently into the air. "Is there anything you can do to dull this pain?"

_I could try to help you not become dizzy from it, but I can't remove the throbbing. _She chimed miserably.

"That'll have to do." Link accepted gratefully. Within minutes, the ebbing had stultified and he could lift his head up once more.

"My beloved!" A tittering cry came from his left past the first row of tents. Link swiveled to see Ruto, garbed back in a navy blue cloak, the hood pulled over her head. Seeing her again and freely walking amongst the men told him everything, she was still with the enemy. He turned around away from her, sat down and wrapped his wings around himself to block out her visage.

She ran up to his cage and placed a hand on the bars, "My love, are you not happy to see me?" She was momentarily startled to see Link with glorious, white wings. It was an unexpected shock to behold his radiant plumage. She could not imagine him getting more beautiful than he already was, but she was proven gloriously wrong. She wanted him now more than ever. "I know Naar can seem a bit ruthless, but I'll talk to him and sort this all out. Once he sees that we are in love, he'll surely let you go and become my personal manservant."

She reached through the iron pillars and caressed some of his feathers. He viciously whacked her hand away with the wing before spinning towards her. "There is no reasoning with him! There is no talking to him! Are you so childish and naïve to believe he would honor any sort of relationship vow you've made? Grow up Ruto! You are not joined to me! You never have been!"

The anger in his eyes derailed her composure briefly. She cleared her throat before reattempting, "But Link, with us together and on the side that is winning, clearly he would let you live as long as you caused no trouble to him."

Link scoffed at her puerile notion, "I know what drives that man and it is not love. He wants us all to suffer like he has and will do anything to accomplish it." He glared at her intensely, "As I told you before, he has your sapphire Ruto. It is why I have come, to reclaim it back from him."

A twinkle in her eye revealed that he had said the wrong thing, "So you do want to be joined with me?" The earnest look of innocence in her irises was heart breaking. Just how did she survive all those cycles in Naar's care? By thinking of him? How twisted was her mind that her singular goal was to find marital bliss?

"No Ruto." He derided, "I've come to claim it to access the Master Sword. It is clear you've thrown your lot in with them, I have no further need to speak to you." As if to emphasis his point, he backed up against the opposite bars of the cage. Bringing his knees to his chest, he wrapped his wings around his body to help block out the world.

Ruto kneeled down and sat on her shins looking into the cage at the magnificent specimen before her, it was something she could never have. A single tear trailed down her cheek as she whispered, "It was always her…"

Link lifted one wing to reveal an eye, "Always who?"

"Malon." She sighed visibly, "The one woman who has stolen your heart. Did you know she lost one of your children?" She informed him morosely.

The statement did not have the intended effect, "What?" He demanded. Removing both wings and spreading them out wide behind him, his whole body trembled with contained rage.

She shrank back slightly from his ire, "Oh…that's right, you wouldn't know." She looked off down the lane of prison cages for a moment before turning back to him, "She was on her way to the Gerudo desert when I met up with her again."

"Why would she be there? She was supposed to be in Glaun'rung." Link stated with gritted teeth.

Ruto shrugged her shoulders, her glistening eyes adoring his muscular form, "I don't know. Something about tailing some witches. She was captured and one of her children was killed by them."

"One of?" Link cocked an eyebrow menacingly.

"Yes. She was pregnant with twins. One was killed. The other still resides within her." Ruto informed him. As much as she hated giving him this painful information, she felt he had a right to know about the fate of his future offspring.

His words took on a darker tone, "If she was with the Gerudo, then why is she captured and now in Naar's possession?" Ruto cast her eyes downward. She said nothing because there was nothing to say. Her lower lip quivered from the result of her preceding actions. Her silence told Link all there was to know. In a fit of wrath, he spat at Ruto before screaming at her, "You filthy Zora witch! You betrayed them all! You very well may have cost Malon and my remaining unborn child's life! I hate you! May the Goddesses burn your fucking soul in the forge!"

He tore his arm through the bars and slapped her across the face. He scurried back to the other side of the cage and wrapped his wings back around himself. A soft sobbing could be heard. Stunned at his outrageous behavior, she brought her fingers up to feel the globule of spit trickling down her cheek. She looked at the saliva between her fingers as she pulled her palm back. She could barely comprehend what had just happened. He had forsaken her. There was no reaching him from this point onward.

"Link?" Her voice wavering, "Link?" No response. He simply remained where he was, crying over his lost child and the potential fate of Malon and their remaining baby. "Link!" She shouted. "Link!" She began to get hysterical. She had just pushed away the one thing that made any sense in her life, the one thing that continued to give her hope. He had rejected her! "Link!" She gasped, choking on her own weeping.

"It is time." A stern voice from behind said. Ruto looked up to see Argonim towering over her, a leer spread across his face. Serves the Zora bitch right to be shunned like this, he laughed to himself at her misery. Shoving her aside, he undid the locks on Link's cage and dragged him out by his wing. He gasped at the abysmal nature of his treatment. Pain shooting down his spine as his appendage was stretched to the limit, he allowed himself to be dragged into a standing position just to avoid further agony.

"What?" Link exclaimed defiantly; looking up at Argonim's face, staring him down.

"Game time." He sneered convivially.

Argonim spun Link around and pushed him forward to several other men who quickly shackled his wrists together before stringing him along behind them. Ruto watched them in despair as they drug Link along by the steel chain. Sniffing and wiping her eyes away, she stood up and strode off to take her position beside Naar for the event.

Not wanting to stir up any trouble until he was fully aware of his current situation, he willingly complied and followed the serious men towards what looked like the entrance to the primary arena. A side conversation could be heard to his right. He glanced over to see several men examining and wondering how such an odd boulder could appear out of nowhere or if it was always there to begin with. Link smiled cruelly, looks like their plan was still proceeding forward as expected. A small flicker of a shadow beneath the stands indicated that it was.

Link looked up at the dilapidated arch rising over the entry to the center field itself. He noted several bodies hanging by several nails being driven through the corpses. Each one sagging down in various stages of decay, each one assumed to be a prisoner of the war who was not deemed worthy enough to join their ranks.

The cacophony was absolute as he entered the primary arena. There were about a dozen men naked from the waist up standing at the opposite side. On each end was a goal post made of wood with a small circle of steel affixed to the top of each. Midway down the field on the left was a crudely built viewing box where Naar had positioned himself.

Link's blood began to boil as he saw Naar casually bouncing Giana on his lap, as if she were a doll, his other hand holding a chain linked to a collar around Malon's neck. She was beneath him like a footrest. Her arms were visibly shaking from the toil of holding up the weight of his boots on her back. Sweat was pouring down her brow. She knew if she faltered but a little, he would beat her severely like he already had done once.

Behind him was Ruto, she stood off in the shadows and remained aloof from the proceedings. He could not see the indignation in her eyes as she beheld the Zora Sapphire around Naar's neck. He had brazenly adorned it in full contempt for them all at the futility of acquiring it. Link looked away back to the burly men opposing him on the field as the shackles were removed from his wrists. So Ruto finally realizes the truth. It's about time she faced reality and stopped living in her own dream world.

Naar boomed out over the crowd which immediately died down at his commanding voice. Link suspected some magick was at play to have his voice amplified to that degree. Upon further inspection, he noticed a second cloaked figure beside Ruto, his face hooded in darkness. He was manipulating his gangrenous hands near Naar's head. So he has demons within his ranks. Link wondered if Naar was aware or just simply didn't care.

"Gentlemen!" Naar thundered. "We have gathered together to witness a grand spectacle!" He held his palm out towards Link, laying Malon's chain across his legs, "Before you stands Hyrule's hero!" Jeers reverberated throughout the crowd. "He is the one the prophecies spoke of and whom you've been hearing about." Several curses flew as many shouted how they'd rip him to pieces. Link stood stoically and stared straight ahead, his mind on the event to come.

"I don't think I should hide it from you men any longer. We have been sitting here squandering our time in hopes of securing the Triforce." Murmurs surged through the crowd as many were finally informed of the true purpose of their constant vigil for the past seven cycles. "With this man, Link, it has been rumored he alone can access the Sacred Realm where the divine power resides. With that power in my possession, Nevachrea will reign in a new age of prosperity and peace!"

Link snorted derisively, he knew Naar was just playing the crowd. He wanted to drum up support for his cause when there had been cycles without purpose for these men. His mind was bent on figuring out how to get up onto that platform to snatch the sapphire from around Naar's neck. The wind had begun to pick up and was blowing more sleet into the arena, covering the ground with a white layer of slush.

"However, since we could all use some relief and entertainment, I felt it apt to have you watch just how well Hyrule's hero can fail before we march on to the Temple of Time and claim the Triforce. After all," Naar chortled, "we only need him alive, not intact!" A roar of laughter echoed from the stands.

Naar raised his hand once more for silence, "As you all know, we are going to play 'igra na letalnyj isxod,' as it is said in our ancient tongue. Two teams: Link by himself and your fellow comrades on the other." Sniggers and smiles were exchanged between the audience members as they knew it would be a one-sided battle. "The rules are simple, get the ball from one end of the field to the other and throw it into the hoop to score."

Link cracked his neck as he assessed the playing field. Was that it? The rules seemed simple enough. Showing disregard for Naar's speech, he spoke up out of turn, "That's it? Seems easy. Any other rules I should know of?" A grin spread across his face, which incensed Naar.

"No." He stated flatly. "That is the only rule. Everything else is free game."

"Huh." Link affirmed. It was going to be that type of game then. If they weren't going to be following any rules, he wasn't either.

Argonim walked to the center of the field and dropped the ball. Link's eyes popped as he viewed the macabre object. It was a spherical ball of steel warped by the multitude of metallic plates that comprised it and bolted together with rusted nails. Along the circumference was a string of spikes that would severely injure any unwitting player. To top off the gruesome playing object, the remaining gaps inbetween the plates were stuffed in with human fingers and toes, congealed to the steel by the blood.

The beefy man stepped back from the ball and paced over to viewing platform before leaning up against the rotting wood. He crossed his arms and prepared himself for what he thought was going to be an entertaining match. Giana was crying openly but Naar paid her no mind, his attention was rapt on Link. Malon chanced a look over at him, seeing him spread out his wings in preparation for the sprint towards the ball. She prayed silently that the Goddesses deliver them out of this plight.

"Navi?" Link spoke into the frigid air.

_Yes Link. I am here with you._ She chimed softly.

"Please help me this day." Link entreated.

_You know I will._ Navi jingled lovingly.

Naar clasped the chain and pulled on it roughly, causing Malon to gag and vacillate. A swift heel to her back steadied her again. "Begin!" He bellowed.

At once, all twelve men made a dash for the ball. Link flexed his wings and flapped them once to propel his initial momentum forward. He sprinted quickly towards the center of the arena. Navi called out to a man on his right brandishing a fell blade. Link ducked low before twirling around to slice the man's torso through with a sword of his own. Casting the sword into vapor, he continued his turn to face the ball and kept running, ignoring the anguished cries of the man behind him.

Link reached the ball the moment several others had come upon him. He picked it up and slapped the nearest man with his left wing before spinning around to stab another with a rapier through the heart. Leaving the sword in place in the man's chest, he rammed the spikes of the ball into the third grunt's face. The man fell to the ground roaring. Link removed the ball harshly, hearing the suction of the air as it rushed in to fill the void of the man's skull.

He bobbed and weaved through the remaining men as they made grabs for his extended appendages. The flurry of his wings and his erratic movements confused his attackers and distracted them from the inevitable feeling of cold steel puncturing their bellies or necks. Two more men stood between Link and the goal post. He took a running leap, kicking off the chest of the first man before flapping his extensions to create enough loft to bring him high enough over the brute.

Falling down from the height, Link threw the sphere at the second man, catching him squarely between the eyes. It rebounded off his head and back towards Link's outstretched hands. With a heave, he tossed the ghastly ball through the iron hoop. Several members of the audience had to scoot aside as the ball landed mere feet away from their former positions.

Link whipped around to view the strewn array of dismembered brutes, several of which were crawling back to their mutilated limbs. A flash of thought danced in Link's mind as he summoned a bow and nocked an arrow to the string. He leveled it calmly towards Naar, taking careful aim not to hit Giana. He let the arrow fly as he shouted, "Your game sucks Naar, is there another?"

Naar booted Malon aside as he stood up quickly, knocking Giana off his lap to collapse to the floor with an unceremonious thud. He swung his arm upwards in an arc, ricocheting the arrow off to the side as it struck harmlessly against his magickal barrier. He pointed down at Argonim angrily, "Remove his wings. He is too effective with them." Naar marveled at how effortlessly Link had maneuvered through those dozen soldiers, decapitating and decimating them without so much as breaking a sweat.

With an affirmative grunt, Argonim stalked forward towards the winged youth, his bare hands flexing with the anticipation of tearing into that white, fluffy plumage. Link apparated more arrows and sent them sailing through the air towards the absurdly tall brute. Argonim groaned with each arrow piercing but continued inexorably onward. He removed the arrows swiftly from his body, snapping them at the tips and flinging them back at Link like lethal daggers.

Navi ringed and chimed warnings to Link seconds before each dagger would reach its mark. Utilizing her sixth sense, he deftly avoided each returning arrowhead. Realizing Argonim would be upon him within seconds, a bastard sword quickly materialized within his hands and he sprung forward plowing the man through with it.

The crowd hushed as the burly man looked down at the weapon penetrating through his abdomen. With a ragged breath, he reached and grabbed Link's fist holding the hilt and dragged him closer, impaling himself further onto the blade. Argonim used the initial shock of his action to grab behind Link at the base of his wings and yank downwards.

Link howled at the appalling sting that seemed to split his spine in half. The pain surged through his entire being as he was forced to his knees. He released his hold on the blade as Argonim brought him down to the mud. He had never experienced such pain in his life. The wings were extremely sensitive and seemed vitally connected to his entire nerve system.

"It's a shame Naar has your woman now." Argonim smirked. "I almost had her first. She was within my grasp, my fingers between her legs; moaning for more like the bitch she is."

An expression of pure hatred spawned on Link's face as he looked up at the ugly man. He meant to rise to strike out at his groin, but Argonim brought a sudden knee to his jaw. Utilizing the opening, Argonim threw Link onto the ground before straddling him with his arms twisted behind his back. Giana screamed from the viewing platform, horrified that her knight in shining armor was going to die.

Removing the sword with a slurp, Argonim stabbed it into the dirt beside Link's head before steadily groping the base of each appendage on his back. The veins in his arms bulged and puckered with the strain of tearing the rooted wings, Link bayed and writhed beneath him. Various weapons of different varieties appeared beside them, each apparating in tune to his screams. Several horses clomped nervously nearby, unsure of why they were summoned or what they were even doing there. Naar had to marvel again at the extraordinary display of Nevachrean power being expressed through Link's pain.

With a squishing crack, both wings were ripped from their very foundations. Blood spurted all over them as it shot high into the air. Link's cry could be heard throughout the arena. Navi was screeching in his head as if her own wings had been torn off. Argonim rose up with a whooping holler, raising both sets of bloodied wings high into the air.

Ruto couldn't take anymore of this. Seeing as Naar had brought down his barrier, she took one quick glance at the mage standing nearby before making her move. She flexed her leg fins to razor sharp lengths before swinging around a swift kick to his neck. Naar's head went sailing through the air before landing into the mud of the game pit. She clutched the sapphire necklace as it soared high from the thrust. She danced out of the way as the mage shot a bolt of energy crackling towards her position, exploding out the back portion of the wall sending fragments and shards raining on the soldiers beyond. Several dark figures had leapt off the stands and were racing toward Link.

Link could not take anymore of this, it had all gone wrong. He barely comprehended what was happening on the platform. He used his tongue to dislodge a small pill before biting down deep into it, cracking it open. He quickly spit it out onto the ground before it shot up into the air and exploded in a menagerie of light and colors. He then passed out from the excruciating torment of losing his wings. The world around him erupted.


	88. Chapter 87 - The Fog of War

**Chapter 87 - The Fog of War**

"So what is this one for?" Apolloni asked, lifting the mask up to have it catch the soft dwindling rays of the late evening sun peeking below the clouds. Zelda looked over at the mask she was holding. She quickly made a grab for it but was denied as Apolloni shifted it out of her reach. She glared at Zelda, "I asked, what is it for? I remember the other mask we received from Glaun'rung, but not this one."

Zelda exclaimed affronted, "You can't just go through my pack like that! Those are mine!"

Apolloni smirked, "Last I checked, Link was carrying these around. Why did he suddenly give them to you? Surely he had some reason for leaving them in your care and separating you from him during our meeting in Kakariko?" Her gaze was intense.

Zelda sighed. She looked over at Ganondorf who sat nearby staring into the fire. His silence to the whole conversation indicated his consent of Apolloni's question. She was going to get no help from him. Zelda began reluctantly, "He called it Majora. He used to tell me fantastical stories of traveling to an alternate dimension called Termina where that mask was the cause of a near apocalypse of that world."

Apolloni looked at mask in awe, she could hear the whispers lulling her to slip the mask on and claim her rightful place as a god. "So why shouldn't we use it and blaze our way straight to the Temple of Time? Why did he bother keeping this around so long without even attempting to use it? If it has the power to destroy worlds, wouldn't that be in our favor if we have control?" A gleam in her eyes danced across her pupils, the mask was getting uncomfortably close to her face.

"According to Link, you wouldn't have control. It controls you for its own ends. The last person who had that mask on nearly lost their soul." Zelda warned ominously. As much as she found it hard to believe Link's story, she had to admit that the mask gave her an unsettling feeling.

At the mention of its vile powers, Apolloni quickly regained her senses and set the mask back down onto Zelda's pack quickly. "So…did he tell you what he wanted done with it?" She probed.

"No. He just told me to keep it safe." Zelda lied.

Ganondorf looked over at her; a searching look brought her eyes down. She wondered if he suspected there was more to her story than she had revealed. He raised his head in preparation to say something when a huge explosion redirected his attention. They all looked off at the Nevachrean camp and saw a brilliant display of colors flashing vividly throughout the sky, even in the failing light of day, it was still impressive.

"What is that?" Merin asked wearily, she had not slept well that night.

Zelda nodded silently to herself before speaking to the others. "It's time to go. That was the signal we agreed upon if Link was able to secure the sapphire."

Ganondorf rose up promptly, "Then we shouldn't waste time. We must meet him at the drawbridge leading across the moat. We will press forward into the town together from there."

Zelda cocked her head, "Why can't we just go straight to the temple and dispel the aura there and wait?" Seeing that Apolloni's attention was diverted, she quickly snatched the mask back before stuffing it into the pack and drawing the string tight. The Gerudo scowled at her but made no comment.

He shook his head sternly, "I told you. There is a danger lurking within the city walls that I would rather have more men on our side to combat. With more targets for them to attack, it might give us a better chance at survival." Zelda trembled at the Gerudo king's callous disregard for Huma life. Did he only want more bodies just to be used as bait for the threat residing beyond those walls?

"What kind of danger?" She asked, before being assisted back up onto Appa. She was to sit in front of him, which made her feel horribly uncomfortable with his arms reaching around her to grab the stallion's reins.

Ganondorf observed Apolloni and Merin mounting the other horse, which they had stolen when they passed through the Nevachrean camp, before answering, "I do not know, but I can feel it there. It is unnatural and of unknown origin."

Zelda fell silent as the king kicked the horse's flanks, prompted it into a wild gallop.

* * *

><p>Cayla inwardly cursed herself for waiting as long as she did. They had set themselves up prior to the game in and around the arena. They utilized their stealth hazes to blend in with the crowd and remain unobtrusive. Many Gorons rolled in the previous night under the cover of darkness to key positions to best strike out at unsuspecting soldiers once the signal was given. Their only mistake was that they waited too long.<p>

Cayla hoped that Link had found a way to acquire the Zora Sapphire before it got to this point. She was lingering on the decision to sound the alarm well into the match. It was not supposed to go down like this. Why had Ganondorf freely allowed Link to be taken into custody by the Nevachreans? It made absolutely no sense. Didn't he want Link alive to pull out the Master Sword?

She didn't mean for it to go this far, it seemed Link had everything under control. She didn't feel the first twinge of dread until she realized the giant man wasn't going down after five arrow strikes to the chest. Once Link was brought to his knees, the disgustingly buff man sitting on Link's back forcefully trying to rip out his wings, Cayla decided that she had had enough. Cayla made the split decision to ignore the order to wait for his signal, she whistled loudly before hopped off the stands and sprinting towards him. She had stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing his bloody feathers held aloft over the man's head. She couldn't believe it had actually happened.

The explosion of colors and fire above the arena instituted feeling that permeated through her limbs. Galvanized back into action, she dashed ahead of her Sheikah brethren. The swarm of soldiers seated around the pit broke out in a tulmult of blood and severed limbs. Various Sheikah materialized from among them and were quickly dispatching droves of unsuspecting brutes. Gorons throughout the camp unfurled and began wrecking havoc among the tents. Plowing through fabric, pillars and fire, the Gorons carved a path of destruction that left few intact in their wake.

Cayla's eyes flicked over to the viewing platform as she saw a robed figure tearing across the muddied field towards Link, in her hand was the shimmering blue of the sapphire, dangling from a chain. Unsure if the figure was an enemy, she did a quick sound and signaled several Sheikah to break off and intercept the unknown entity. She remained focused on the brawny man who had proceeded to bend and crunch the wings even seemed quite unaware of their looming approach.

Flourishing her pointed knuckle guards on both fists, she plunged in on the unwary man; the one who dared kill her sister. He immediately dropped Link's appendages as he twisted towards Cayla, making a grab for her braided ponytail. He grunted in surprise when the impact of her fists plowed through his ribcage. She gripped one of his bones and with her forward velocity yanked it hard out of his chest pulling most of his lower torso with it. He slumped down onto his knees as warm crimson flooded out of the gaping orifice, splashing disgustingly all over Link's unconscious form.

Giving the man a swift knee to the face, knocking him fully to the ground, she hailed several of her kin to help pick Link up in a cradle hold and swiftly escort him off the field. He seemed in no condition to fight, the shock to his system from losing his wings was so great that he woke up delirious and began uttering incomprehensible phrases. She nervously scrutinized his wounds, his life force flowing freely from them. They had to staunch the tide fast or he wouldn't live past the hour.

Malon watched the chaos ensue and observed the revolting mage bolt after the Zoran traitor. With a huff, she scrambled on all fours over to her sister, brushing back her hair gingerly. "Are you all right sis?" She asked anxiously.

Giana nodded. Her eyes were wide with fright as she watched the gory battle unfold before her. "Yeah…" She seemed lost in her own world. The sight of so much death numbed her to lethargy.

A flap of wings and an intake of breath informed Malon of imminent death above them. "Giana! Get down!" She screamed.

Malon grabbed her before rolling off the platform into the mud with a repugnant splash. Within seconds, a huge shape swept by above them.A rush of wind assailed their prone bodies as they huddled together terrified. The entire stands went up in flames as dragons descended upon the battlefield. Nevachreans were running screaming as their comrades were disintegrated into nothing but ash. Flecks of soot, snow and blood funneled throughout the camp on the prevailing winds, it was pandemonium.

Malon looked up at the retreating shape of the dragon before rising up to one knee. Where did they come from? She looked over to the center of the field and saw a pitched battle between the Sheikah and hordes of soldiers. Gorons had just begun to enter the arena and were slamming bodies up against the rotting boards and squishing others with gigantic hammers. One Goron bowled over the despicable mage chasing Ruto, before unfurling and crushing his brains with a hammer.

Malon blinked again, she couldn't believe her eyes as she heard a familiar roar. From the primary entrance to the pit, she saw Xavier bounding through and stinging multiple men with her venomous barb. Men shrieked as their bodies bubbled up in boils before being snapped in half with her powerful jaws.

She did a doubletake when she realized they had suited Xavier up in full body armor. The iron wrought mail covered her entire back with elaborate spines to intensify the menacing look of her hulking silhouette. Linked metal plates secured the back portion to a front plate trailing down her ribbed belly, providing ample cover for her soft abdomen. Curving down the exterior of her arms and legs were more pronged plates that could do far more damage with their lethal additions. To complete her frightening appearance, her helmet spiked forward down her snout before rounding downwards and out, resembling a second maw of vicious teeth.

"Xavier!" Malon shouted into the wind.

The Cyn'Taak turned in their direction and stood a moment before recognizing her. She bounded in their direction knocking men left and right with her passing. She skidded to a halt in front of them, her tail leisurely waving back and forth above her head; anticipating the next strike. It growled at them in affectionate greeting.

"'Alon! Good to see 'ou again!" She burbled happily.

She nodded quickly at the beast before looking over at the four Sheikah carting Link off in their arms. She hastily pointed in their direction. "Please protect us and get me over to Link!"

"Of 'ourse!" She grunted before kneeling, allowing Malon and Giana to climb onto her back. It was not the most comfortable of positions to be in, the metal was cold and unyielding and they had to be careful to avoid the spikes of her armor. They also had to duck low to ensure her stinger didn't casually graze their heads as they sat on her back. With her charges secure, she scampered over towards the retreating Sheikah.

Ruto had almost reached them when several women stopped her, their batons and other cruel looking instruments bared and ready. She raised her hands up high to assure she was no threat to them. "Please, let me pass. I have the sapphire that I wish to give to Link."

Two women looked at each other briefly before retraining their eyes on her, "Give it to us and we'll deliver it to him."

Ruto shook her head, "No, it is something I must do myself." She made a move to walk past them but they pushed her back with their weapons. "Please, I mean no harm. Just let me go."

The lead Sheikah confirmed the response in the negative with a shake of the head. She began to speak but was suddenly caught off guard by an arrow to the throat. Bringing a hand up to feel the warm liquid, she gagged before crumpling to the ground. All eyes wheeled towards the attacker to see Naar, his head firmly reattached and holding a massive bow with another arrow nocked. The Sheikah instantaneously bomb bursted to avoid the next projectile as it cruised through the air.

"You filthy bitch!" Naar cursed fiercely, his eyes seething with hatred for Ruto. "You would betray your general for this filth?" His words were rage filled, but he calmly nocked another arrow to the string, taking careful aim at her heart.

Ruto began to scream as she turned to run away. His aim was marred only by the sudden appearance of another dragon. Its voracious flames engulfing the men meters behind him. Unnerved by the abrupt distraction, his aim tilted just slightly for the arrow to sail through the air past the left side of her face, scraping it just enough to draw a line of red on her cheek. Disregarding the sting, she ran after the Sheikah, ignoring the vile oaths Naar was yelling behind her.

She stumbled out of the arena, trying to make sense of the bedlam around her. She saw flashes of violet and purple twirling through the Nevachrean ranks. Men exploding into nothing but dust, their remains floating on the frigid winds, anyone it touched met the same lethal end. Ruto stood rooted to the spot as she disbelievingly witnessed the oncoming Gerudo horde. They shouldn't have been able to get this far north! Did they blaze through the entire night and on into morning without rest?

"Ruto!" A shout from behind startled Ruto out of her trance.

She spun around to see Veraca lying on his side in one of the prisoner cages. It was clear his left leg was broken due to the swollen, bruised nature of it. He hacked up some phlegm as she came up beside him, "Are you so sure you are on the winning side now?" He mocked.

Her mouth dropped open, "You heard that?" She followed his finger as he pointed towards the empty cage where Link was held, meters away from his. "Oh." She mumbled.

"Do you now see what has become of you Ruto? What I was trying to help you avoid?" Veraca intoned somberly.

"I'm so sorry Veraca." Ruto began to cry. An explosion rumbled through the earth as she cringed against a massive blast rising into the sky behind her. The Gerudo were advancing quickly and would be upon them within minutes. It seemed they were showing no mercy to anyone.

"Please assist me out of here." Veraca pleaded, his clammy hand pressed against the lock of his enclosure.

Ruto shook her head furiously, wiping away the tears that wouldn't stop coming, "I can't. My bile isn't enough to melt through the iron, it is too thick."

She stopped sobbing the moment he put a comforting hand over hers. She looked down at his outstretched arm, so soothing and gentle. "We can succeed if we do it together." She looked up in his eyes and saw the love he still had for her. His next words nearly broke her heart, "I love you Ruto and I forgive you for what you did. A terrible injustice has been done and you had to pay the price. I swear to you that-"

An arrow thunked next to Ruto's thigh forcing a horrible squeal from her. She craned her neck to see Naar advancing upon them with wrath. Shadowing him was Argonim, the wound in his stomach still not fully healed. "I will make you regret the day you were born Ruto! I will rape your body until it bleeds and I will take pleasure in slicing off each and every one of your limbs and feed it to the dogs in front of you!" Naar materialized another arrow and began to string it to the bow.

"Now!" Veraca shouted. With little hestitation, they both leaned over the iron padlock, breathing in heavily before expelling vile acid over the metal. It corroded the thick iron bars around it, causing the lock to fall to the ground in a squishy heap. Without waiting for Naar to fire his second round, she grabbed Veraca's arm and pulled him up beside her. Swiftly swinging one of his arms around her neck, she began assisting him away from Naar and the Gerudo.

"There is no escape Ruto!" Naar bellowed.

He released the string, letting the arrow hit its mark. Ruto cried out and stumbled, nearly losing Veraca in the process. The shaft had arced low and impaled itself into her right calf. If he wanted her dead, the arrow would have been aimed higher. It was clear he was intent on torturing her. Breathing heavily from the pain, she continued onward. Veraca was struggling to maintain the pace she was setting. She had lost track of where the Sheikah had taken Link but she knew their ultimate destination, she had no choice but to head to the Temple of Time herself and pray she made it.

Another dragon swooped low and loosed a stream of molten fire across Naar's path, separating him from Ruto. He snarled in loathing at the untimely beast. He waved a hand directing Argonim to follow him around the camp to head them off at the city gates. There was no point in chasing her now, she'd come to them. Ruto glanced back one last time to see Naar retreating beyond the pyre. She breathed a sigh of relief. With renewed resolve, she ignored the throbbing in her calf and set her sights on the glowing, malevolent aura just beyond the city walls. Her only thought was that she needed to get the sapphire to Link.

Link was dimly conscious. He had no awareness of what was happening around him, he was completely lost in the fog of oblivion that permeated his mind. The cost of his wings was a colossal blow to his body. It felt like a piece of his soul had been torn asunder. Cayla was holding Link's right arm, with three other Sheikah holding the other three limbs. She was shouting orders to them in terse commands. He looked up at her with lidded eyes, but couldn't decipher what she was saying.

"Is there another way around?" She demanded of the nearest Sheikah.

They had reached an impasse in the wall of men. The Nevachreans were finally regrouping after the initial awestruck dread of seeing dragons decimating their fellow soldiers. They weren't fully aware of the Gerudo threat slowly pushing north through their ranks, but they were now more organized and prepared for the oncoming foe. There seemed to be no gap to breach their defenses, and Cayla was desperately looking to find a way through.

A massive boulder with jutting rocks rolled up beside her. Darunia unfurled with his massive hammer slapping into his hands, looking around for any potential targets to smash. He took one look at Link, covered fully in deep crimson, before exclaiming, "What in Din's name happened to him!? I thought you had it all under control Cayla?" His eyes were fierce.

Cayla stuttered, but held firm, "I was not expecting it to turn out the way it did. I had thought I would have reached him in time to stop this." She cringed as she heard the faint trickling of blood leaking from the exuding wounds on Link's back. "We have to get him to relative safety before we can provide proper medical treatement to stop the flow or he'll die."

Darunia grumbled in agreement, "That's twice now Cayla. It doesn't even look like he'll survive that long!" His eyes lingered on the sky as several serpentine shapes flitted across the clouds, some dive bombing the unsuspecting inhabitants below. "Saria is guiding and directing the dragons from above, if we can get her attention, I believe we can have her provide us some cover fire to press north into the city."

Roaring in from the remnants of the burning arena, Xavier bounded into the fray, scattering several of the Sheikah to the sides before they were trampled to death. Malon slid off the Cyn'Taak's scaly back with Giana tightly wrapped in her arms before running up to Cayla. "Impa! Impa! The Gerudo can't be killed! They are just like-" She cried out before stopping short. She stared at the foreign woman who looked uncannily like the Sheikah she knew.

With a pained expression on her face, Cayla gave Link's arm to another Sheikah to hold before stepping forward to receive the new arrivals, "I regret to inform you that I am not her." She flicked her eyes down Malon's tattered form taking special note of her iron collar, what deplorable treatment she must have received. The color of her hair sparked recollection, "You must be Malon." Malon nodded her head emphatically. "He is right here." Cayla motioned somberly towards the bloody mess that was Link.

A cry exploded from Malon's throat as she rushed over to Link, her hands unwilling to damage him further by wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight. She cried out to him but he could do little but loll his head in her direction, his pupils staring past her. Cayla closed her eyes in sorrow. There had been much loss this day. So many innocents killed as a result of this war and for what? The Sheikah as a tribe? Hyrule as a kingdom? The Triforce? What reason did the Goddesses have to leave behind such a volatile object that would be the root cause of so many atrocious wars?

A pitiful cry diverted their attention back south towards the throng of Gerudo setting ablaze the plethora of tents and abodes. Two Zoras were limping their way over, in clear need of support. Darunia stomped over to them and interrogated their intent, "Who are you and are you with the Nevachreans?" His fingers were twitching on the hammer, awaiting a negative answer.

"My name is Ruto." She gasped. She was both winded and wincing from the spreading misery originating in her calf.

Darunia blinked twice, "The princess of the Zoras? That Ruto? I've heard of you. I'm surprised you've stayed alive all these years. I thought you had died with the rest of your kin." He lowered the hammer marginally.

"Please." Ruto began, holding up the Zora Sapphire to him. "Can you see to it that Link gets this?"

The Goron king took one look at the stone and knew it was genuine. He nodded curtly before surprising both Zoras by heaving them onto his shoulders. He commanded a fellow Goron to pick up his hammer and carry it for him. He walked back over to Cayla with his two burdens, "It appears there are some things that turn out all right." He inclined his head to indicate Ruto. Cayla walked around Darunia before holding out her hand for Ruto to drop the sapphire into it.

A vindictive shout from Malon alarmed everyone, "Kill her! She deceived us all!" She pushed forward to attack the Zora when a fellow Goron placed a firm hand over her chest.

"Villain or not," Cayla said holding the sapphire, "she did deliver what we were seeking."

"What will you do with us?" Ruto murmured, dangling over Darunia's shoulder. Veraca had already fallen unconscious again from his injuries.

The king sighed, "I'll deliver you to a safe place if I can, but I make no promises." He shifted over to Cayla. "I will transport these Zoras to the eastern edges of the camp, towards Kakariko. From there, I think they can make the river and hide until this all blows over." Malon passionately disagreed with this decision, she spat to the side before tromping off to look after Link.

Cayla bowed her head, "If that is what you feel you must do. We will continue to protect Link and fight beyond the line toward the temple. Please try to meet us there if you can." They all ducked low as another blast of fire streamed over their heads, landing yards away from them, burning dozens of Nevachreans alive. No amount of regeneration was going to help them recover from being turned to ash.

"Cayla!" Another Sheikah shrieked, Xavier growled. Gasps and cries resounded around their group as a disgusting insect was crawling its way inside the woman's mouth. With an audible snap, her head flung backwards limply as her body collapsed. The demon expeditiously wrigging the rest of its body through the lips and was seen digging its way down the throat into her chest.

"Defilers!" Cayla screamed. "You!" She pointed at a male Sheikah. "Make sure you stab the body in the chest, make sure the creature is dead."

"But she was my…" The man tarried.

"I don't care what she was to you before! She's dead now! And she'll be a demon's puppet if you don't kill it inside her now!" She grabbed a fistful of his tunic and literally tossed him in the direction of the fresh cadaver. She looked away as she witnessed him weeping before plunging a knife into the woman's breast.

Cayla's gaze locked onto several moving critters skittering across the ground. Her heart filled with horror upon seeing multiple Hungers swallowing and enveloping people left and right, gaining mass with each meal. "The demons are losing their hosts! They are attacking en masse! Retreat!" Cayla ordered.

The Sheikah were directed to lift Link up on Xavier's back with Malon in tow to keep him steady. Another woman picked up Giana into her arms and was charged with keeping pace with the swift beast. Cayla ensured all was ready before sending them off towards the northeast, the multitude of hostile bodies seemed to appear less in that direction. Maybe they could break through the line there? After all, they did have a Cyn'Taak.

"Are you sure you don't need my help?" Darunia offered; a look of worry and concern on his features.

Her eyes fixated on the approaching demons, she barely looked at him, "No, deliver the Zoras to safety. We should be fine as long as we stay away from them." She quickly indicated the demonic mass.

"Very well." He rumbled before jogging off eastwards, taking care not to jostle either Zora on his shoulders too much.

The fighting was intense and chaotic. Except for a lone few, the majority had no idea who they were supposed to fight anymore. Several men ended up stabbing their friends for fear that the world had gone mad and everyone was against them. The Gerudo barreled through unopposed, many being stopped by the rising numbers of demons infiltrating their numbers. Gorons were systematic rolling through the encampment and demolishing anyone that stood. The dragons took turns to fly passes over the disarray and mete out their own particular brand of justice.

Utilizing Darunia's hammer to pulverize anyone stupid enough to challenge them, the aide efficiently navigated the insane skirmish for his king and they both reached the edge of the camp within that hour. It was a tortuous slog, Darunia and his aide were both panting with exhaustion when they reached the river flowing at the base of the mountain path leading up to Kakariko. Here he laid the two Zoras gently next to some shrubbery bordering the shallow bank of the water. They were both out cold and he wondered what their story was.

A rustle of hooves and the neighing of horses forewarned Darunia of another possible threat to the south. He was astonished to see a legion of black horses with a primary rider up front. A young boy astride a brilliant brown mare with a luxurious white mane was smiling down at him, a bow and quiver strapped to his back. Sitting atop his own spotted steed alongside him was a lanky man with a pudgy belly and crooked mustache. Beyond them were a mix of men, women and Zoras, each with their own summoned horse and looking thoroughly wet.

"Today is just full of surprises." Darunia marveled.

"Looks like the calvary has finally arrived." Ingo crowed gallingly, observing the anarchy before them. The boy merely grinned and nodded his head in agreement before stringing an arrow to his bow and giving a swift kick to Epona.


	89. Chapter 88 - Race to the Temple

**Chapter 88 - Race to the Temple**

The dragon landed with a shudder. Several of the watchers backed up several paces, keeping a wary distance between themselves and the beast. The sinuous Kokiri floated down from the back of the creature, her gossamer wings flapping gently, before alighting next to the tall, tanned skin man. She looked up into his commanding eyes without fear, for she knew he'd never harm her, despite all the bad things he had done to her friends.

"Where is Link?" Ganondorf grilled decisively, his voice strong yet somehow gentle when conversing with her. He had not forgotten the cycles spent together back in the desert, the fondness still remained.

She sniffled slightly, the cold air while riding the dragon had whipped at her face ferociously and instigated her nose to run. She knew she would be brought down for a few days after this by some bug or another. "I saw them just beyond the first row of tents. I helped provide some cover fire for them to reach you." She pointed off towards the encampment, perched about a half mile away from the drawbridge leading into the ruins of Hyrule Town. "They were riding Xavier. Link doesn't look good at all."

A quaver in her voice alerted Zelda to Link's condition. "What happened? Did something go wrong?"

Saria clasped her hands together behind her head as she arced back to look at the sky, tears welling at the edges of her eyes. "It all went wrong Zelda. He lost his wings." A gasp from Zelda brought Saria out of her horrid memories of the sight, looking down helpless from the dragon to see her best friend slowly dying atop the Cyn'Taak. "I don't know if he is going to survive."

"Did he bring the sapphire at least?" Apolloni interjected, drawing scathing glares from both Zelda and Saria. Merin kept silent and reclusive behind Ganondorf, her eyes to the ground.

Ganondorf pressed a hand against Apolloni's abdomen and firmly pushed her back. His eyes locked on hers, demanding obedience. "Stay your tongue woman. We don't just need the sapphire alone. We need Link as well. We need all the sacred stones, the ocarina and Link. Without him, this whole plan fails, if indeed the Master Sword still claims him as its master." A small smirk splayed across his features before it evaporated. Zelda blinked but was unsure if she had even seen it.

"How goes the battle?" Zelda asked furtively, eager to get the subject off of Link's ultimate destiny.

Saria looked back down and gazed over at the raging pyres, billowing smoke rising high into the sky. It was quite unclear if it was snow blowing around them or just ash. "Darunia arrived from the east a short while ago with some help." Zelda nodded; eager for her to continue. "Ingo has brought both Nevachreans and the Zoras to assist us in the battle. They are cutting a trail straight through the army. The Sheikah should be following close behind Xavier. The Gorons are electing to stay behind and wipe up the remainder."

"Ho ho ho! And the Gerudo are having a grand time slicing up the bastards!" All eyes turned to the sky as Kotake dived down amongst them, levitating several feet off the ground on her broom. She turned to her king directly, "Our mightiest spell has worked wonders on our people, my lord! They are unstoppable! For every one they cut down, two more take their place!" She cackled ominously.

Ganondorf arched a single eyebrow. He was not altogether pleased at this news. "You marched the Gerudo without my consent? That was not part of the plan, they were to arrive later."

The witch waved a hand at him, as if to assuage his fears about the situation, "With our magick, it needn't matter when they marched! They are invincible!" She gloated boisterously.

His expression steeling even further, he glowered at the old hag, "What did you do to our…to my people?" After a pause, "Where is your sister?"

A small croak in her throat indicated a force was being impressed upon her that the others could not see. Apolloni was practically wallowing in the internal assault Ganondorf was imposing on Kotake. "My…lord! She…er…met an untimely demise against the Nevachreans back in our sanctuary. She could not make it here." She gurgled pitifully.

Ganondorf scoffed venomously, "And yet you have her powers now." The crone gasped as blessed relief washed through her mind. "I will deal with you later witch." With a huff, he turned towards the plains as they all spotted a lumbering figure running towards them. It was Xavier with two passengers onboard. Alongside was another figure who was remarkably keeping pace with the swift behemoth.

Presently, Xavier arrived panting before unceremoniously dumping her cargo by flopping to the ground exhausted. It had been a grueling fight through the frontlines before the final dead sprint to the drawbridge. There were many nicks and cuts denting her once pristine armor that adorned her body. Malon was especially thankful for her ability to repel magick. They had been attacked on several occasions by demons and mages but they all were dispelled by her innate resistance.

Malon staggered back under Link's weight as she tried to maintain balance after being suddenly thrown off the Cyn'Taak's back. She collapsed to the ground with him over her, the blood still flowing freely down his back and soaking her clothes. Zelda's eyes bulged at seeing the brutality of his loss and raced over to him, kneeling quickly to inspect the nubs of where his wings once were. She lamented the loss of those beautiful appendages, remembering the times she spent massaging them to relieve his tension. It was one of the few times she was intimately close to Link.

"What happened? How did…why?" Zelda's mind reeled at seeing Link in such a horrid state. She wasn't sure if anyone could heal him now.

Malon's attention was briefly diverted by the presence of Kotake, her toxic stares going unnoticed by the witch. At length, she directed her eyes back to Zelda, "One of Naar's men ripped them off his back." She hiccupped slightly, "I saw it happen. Please, Zelda, is there anything you can do?"

Zelda looked down on Link's fading existence and pondered if she even had the ability to bring him back from the brink. Would her inherent powers of her former divine self be enough to heal such a wound? "Flip him fully over." She directed.

Malon was weak after her short imprisonment by Naar, her arms aching from holding herself up during the arena match. Saria came over to help her and Zelda turn him over so that his back was exposed. He was completely unconscious, not responding to any external stimuli. Zelda placed a hand over each of his oozing injuries before closing her eyes and drawing on her inner being to bring forth the powers she hoped would heal him.

Sweat began trickling down Zelda's brow as the others looked on with interest. Kotake glanced up briefly as the Sheikah carrying Giana finally caught up to them. She placed the little tyke on the ground. Giana immediately sprang into Saria's arms. They both sat down in the brown, withered grass nearby, their eyes rapt on the scene unfolding before them. Giana's tears glistened as she cried for her ailing knight. He promised he would return and play castle with her! What would she do now if he died?

A soft luminescence flowed out from between Zelda's fingers as she strained to insert her energies into his back. She could feel his life force fading, she pleaded with the great Goddesses of old that he be spared. She recalled his death in her arms centuries ago and dared not think about having it happen again. Who knows the countless of other times where her champion had died in her arms? Was fate such a cruel master?

Her body shook as a pair of comforting hands was placed atop hers. She jerked her head up to see a smiling man kneeling across from her beside Link. His smile was unsettling yet kind, he did nothing but stare at her with his lidded eyes. His presence was calm, but his purpose was certain. He spoke clearly with conviction, indicating those that stood behind her. "Save your energies my lady. Give the task of bringing Link back to those who have that power now. You will need your strength for what's to come."

Zelda blinked and gazed around at the confused looks of the group hovering over her. She turned to Malon, "Did…you see?" Still crying from the ordeal, Malon looked despairingly into Zelda's eyes. She had not seen the man. She searched the others and realized they also did not notice the man who had comforted her. "Ballos?" Zelda whispered.

She stopped the flow and got up to her feet. She turned to Ganondorf causing a small cry to explode from Malon, "What are you doing? Are you going to let him die?"

"No." Zelda said calmly, knowing fully what she had to do. "Ganondorf, heal Link."

He gaped at her for a few moments, wondering if she had actually said what he had heard. "What?" He asked plainly.

She pointed down at Link, "If you are truly going to be the just king and ruler of Hyrule, with a queen by your side," she paused to ensure he comprehended the full meaning of her statement, "then you will show mercy and grant Link another chance. If you cannot do this for one of my subjects, how can you hope to say you'll do the same for yours?"

Ganondorf's expression was unreadable, the gears turning in his head. He knew she was playing him in front of the others, to test to see if he'd stay true to his course of guiding his people to prosperity. If he wanted her as his queen when he claimed Hyrule, thus winning the hearts of her people, then he should have no qualms with helping out her subjects. "Very well." He grated.

Sweeping back his cape, he knelt down beside Link. Malon's eyes were wide as she watched in horror at the Gerudo king cupping his hands over Link's back. Swirling vortexes crackled in the space between the bloodied nubs and his fingers as the healing process began. Kotake touched down and waddled over to observe his technique. She began to open her mouth to offer advice but promptly shut it, realizing he would most likely be cross with her doing that.

Malon was so engrossed in sending daggers towards the witch that she barely noticed when a sharp intake of breath signaled Link's return to the living. With a tired grunt, Ganondorf brought himself back up and looked down on Link, "It is done. I haven't utilized that magick in a long time." His expression was quite haggard and he looked rather ill. Without a word, he swept past Zelda and retook his position between Merin and Apolloni.

Zelda aided Malon as she rolled Link back over, his head on her lap. He looked up into Malon's eyes wearily and smiled. She began weeping with happiness, cradling his head in her arms, kissing his forehead. As much as Zelda loved Link, her heart melted at seeing the two of them reunited at last. They truly did love each other. Why should she have been mad at that? This just wasn't their lifetime to be together, she mourned. It was Malon's time to appreciate her champion.

"What happened? Where am I?" Link queried anxiously. He looked around him and saw a rather eclectic group of people he never expected to see together again: Zelda, Xavier, Giana, Saria, Ganondorf, Apolloni, Merin, Kotake and a Sheikah he didn't recognize.

"We are at the gates of Hyrule Town. The Temple of Time is not much further. We must make haste if we are to make it there before the Gerudo get here." Saria informed grimly.

"The Gerudo?" His confused eyes trailing back to Ganondorf. "What's wrong with them?"

Malon assisted him into a sitting position. She cringed at the dried stubs of flesh protruding from his back. They had congealed over and were flaming red, but at least they were no longer bleeding. The tunic she had made him was stained beyond all repair with his own blood. "They are cursed with a vile magic that makes them impossible to kill. They are growing in numbers the more they die." She stated with malice in her voice.

Link's eyes swelled at the news, "That's worse than…"

Ganondorf growled. "I did not order this." His eyes bore holes into Kotake's own. She shriveled back at his fury. "I will deal with you appropriately when the time comes, until then, you may be of service still. Come!" He demanded of everyone. The Gerudo king tethered the horses to a nearby tree behind some shrubbery. Assured that the horses were suitably concealed, he motioned to the others to follow him across the drawbridge. Kotake situated herself on her broom and hovered nearby, taking simple delight in freezing several fish still surviving within the water below.

Saria spoke a few words to the dragon, it punctually lifted off the ground with a flurry and whisked southwards toward the still raging battle. She could see it gleefully spreading flames across a wide swath of men. She grabbed Giana's hand and held it tightly in her own, preferring to instead walk beside the small girl to give her solace that she was nearby. The Sheikah patted Xavier's back and proceeded to walk alongside the creature across the moat.

With assistance from Zelda and Malon, Link rose precariously to his feet. He wobbled for the first few steps before leaning on both of them for support. He spoke out to the frosty air, "Navi?" No response. "Navi?" He asked again with urgency.

_I'm here._ A weak voice returned.

He sagged with relief. "Thank the Goddesses. I thought I had lost you." Malon and Zelda looked at each other but decided to stay quiet, letting Link have his moment with the fairy residing within him.

_I am a part of you now Link. I do not die unless you do._ Navi explained faintly.

"I just want this war to end. I want all of it to end." A sobbing cry wracked his body as he began to weep. Zelda and Malon began to struggle in keeping him up, he was becoming dead weight. It was as if he had given up.

_Just a little further Link. Please be strong. _Navi consoled.

"Either have that ugly creature of yours carry him or I'll slice his limbs off to make him lighter for you!" Apolloni fumed. "You are holding us up!" The three Gerudo were almost across the bridge before she had turned around to see them lagging.

Glaring at her, Zelda whistled for Xavier to come up alongside. "Can you help carry him?" She asked.

"'nything for him." She rumbled. With surprising grace, she scooped Link up as Malon and Zelda laid him down. The Cyn'Taak held Link in her arms like a child, he was grateful for the aid. He still didn't feel strong enough to walk or fight yet. His whole body felt numb from having lost his wings. She walked forward awkwardly after Ganondorf, she was unused to carrying things in her arms as she traveled. Seeing as they were finally going to be able to keep up, Apolloni nodded her head and kept walking onward into the town proper.

Seeing that all was in order, Zelda left Malon who was walking beside Xavier, her hand on Link's arm. She proceeded directly to the front of the line and kept stride with Ganondorf. Merin looked up at her before casting her eyes back to the ground. She seemed defeated and completely cowed. Zelda wondered what she was going through emotionally. Apolloni sneered as she made a conscious effort to step away from the golden haired princess.

"Ganondorf." Zelda began. He said nothing but kept going, acknowledging her only by a clearing of the throat. "You mentioned something about a danger here." She looked around alertly. "Mind telling me what it is now?"

"I cannot say." He said vaguely, "All I know is that I feel a presence here that is unlike anything I've ever experienced. It has a dual nature that I can't define."

Zelda shivered at his description of the unknown threat. With only the sound of their footsteps clattering across the square, rebounding off the walls of the devastated homes, they slowly entered the main gates into the marketplace. Zelda looked off to the side and remembered the stables where she had secured the horses and escaped with Impa. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

The sky had turned a darker shade of grey. It was clear the sun was going down beyond the dense layer of clouds. It seemed like yesterday they had escaped from the torrid arena and Naar's foul presence. Their perception of time was warped due to the intense nature of the calamitous events happening around them.

Silence pervaded the group as they made every effort to stay quiet, slowly progressing into the market plaza. Zelda and Ganondorf looked up at the dismal looking facades, the window shutters banging erratically in the wind. Off in the distance they could hear the squeak of an unhinged door, barely hanging on to its foundational structure. Several skeletons were left strewn across the cobblestone streets, their bones having been picked clean of all meat by wild animals. It was a ghost town. A small whimper escaped Giana as she gripped Saria's hand tighter and bundled in closer to her.

The shining, malevolent aura gleamed morbidly through the rooftops. They charted a swift course across the central piazza toward the alleys that would lead them directly to the temple. A small skittering of feet across the rooftops roused Apolloni from her vigil, her scimitars coming out with a flourish. Merin followed suit with Zelda brandishing her baton. Xavier growled at the phantom menace, pulling Link closer to her body. She looked positively frightening with her armor.

A buzz of wings flashed over their heads before flying into an upper floor window, swiftly banging the shutters shut behind it. A tinkle of laughter echoed back at them from within the house unnerving them all, it sounded like a child. Another whoosh of wings and a gust of wind brushed past Saria causing Giana to shriek. Ganondorf let loose a blast of malicious energy at the sinister form. It left nothing but a deep scorch mark on the stones.

A rustle of leaves and more cackling laughter incited Ganondorf to action, "We must move now." There were more sounds, more girlish laughter, and the pitter patter of feet all around them; constantly eluding their searching eyes.

Apolloni whirled around, her scimitars at the ready, "Where are they? Why can't we see them?" She shouted heatedly.

Saria's heart thrummed intensely. She could feel the heartbeats around them. They were flitting to and fro throughout the buildings, getting closer. "Dear Farore." She breathed. All eyes turned to her. "It's Kiera all over again."

A sudden intake of breath caused them to witness the Sheikah stumble. She was staring back at them confused, wondering why they were ogling her. A trickle of blood dribbled down her lips as she brought a hand to her mouth. She looked down in horror as she saw a gaping hole in her chest. They could see the buildings beyond her through the cavity. More giggling surrounded them as a squishing crunch was heard several meters away behind a planted tree that had long lost its will to live.

"I'm…" The Sheikah uttered before collapsing.

The heartbeats were getting faster. Saria could hear the frantic flutter of wings rocketing closer. She saw a flicker of shadow before seeing the flying shape hurtle towards Ganondorf, a split blade twirling in a fan-shaped pattern, eager to plow a hole through its victim. "Behind you!" Saria screamed, pointing hysterically behind the Gerudo king.

Taking the warning, he spun around before erecting a swift barrier that knocked the spinning body head over heels into the nearest building, demolishing the wall with it. In a frenzy, four other shapes descended upon them. Kotake was frantically blasting several of them from the sky, burning them to charred remains as they fell to the ground. Panicking, Xavier curled up in a ball around Link, letting her armor deflect the blows of the spinning blades.

Apolloni stabbed her scimitar through the air, her lip curled in a sneer as the familiar sound of steel piercing through skin was heard. The ethereal wings twitched wildly as the Kokiri stared at the Gerudo with hatred in her eyes. After a few more spasms, the diminutive body slumped onto the weapon dead.

"What manner of sacrilege is this?" Zelda exclaimed. She spun around her to see five Kokiri corpses. Three of which had been charred, one was seemingly dead after having been tossed through a brick wall, and the other was drooping over Apolloni's scimitar. They all were naked and had diaphanous wings, not unlike Saria's. Saria was holding onto Giana tightly and was crying incoherently, the nightmares returning to her.

Ganondorf used a boot to kick one of the scorched cadavers over to view the face. They were still youthful and looked full of innocence. He spat to the side, "This is despicable, even for me." He growled. "When this is all over, and the Triforce in my hands, I will ensure Naar pays for this." He turned and shared a look with Saria before looking off towards the Temple of Time. Malon and Zelda regarded each other, each knowing that they couldn't let that happen. Neither Naar nor Ganondorf must be allowed to acquire the Triforce.

Apolloni gasped as she began to slide the Kokiri off her blade. The girl's head shot up, giving her a rather eerie stare with her head half tilted. With astounding speed, the Kokiri grabbed the blade and brought it straight through her to the hilt. Apolloni meant to drop the weapon but was too late as the girl wrapped her arms and legs around Apolloni and drove her teeth deep into her neck. She shrieked as blood was drawn. She thrashed trying to get the awful creature off of her neck but only served to have it dig deeper into her larynx.

Zelda swiftly raised the baton and bashed the Kokiri against the head with the spikes protruding. It budged little but continued to sink into Apolloni's flesh. Zelda smashed again as Merin ran a dagger through the heart of the little girl. Giana was skirling manically, Saria held her tight. It wasn't until Ganondorf thrusted forward with a well aimed magick bolt to the heart that the Kokiri loosened her hold enough for Zelda to crunch the Kokiri's head in with her baton.

Zelda was heaving but wasn't allowed to rest as she beheld the bloody spectacle at her feet. Apolloni choked and coughed, staggering over to lean on Ganondorf who was quickly inspecting her wounds. Zelda followed Malon's gaze as she indicated the charred corpses nearby, they were slowly dissolving their burns and the skin was becoming fair yet again. A scrabbling of brick alerted them to the first Kokiri Ganondorf had killed. She was crawling over the rubble she had blasted through and was quickly gaining momentum in their direction.

"They can all heal!" Zelda shouted.

"We cannot win this battle. We must make for the temple now!" Kotake trilled, throwing a bolt of ice towards the rampaging Kokiri. Deftly rising into the air, the Kokiri sailed over the frosty pulse and soared over towards the witch, her blades spinning. Merin weaved in low and brought her sword upwards in an arc, catching the girl as she glided through the air, slicing her completely in half. The wings flapped vainly before the two halves fell to the ground with a gruesome splatter.

Without any further guidance from anyone else, Xavier unfurled and snatched up Link before making a beeline for the aura surrounding the temple. Ganondorf assisted Apolloni as Merin watched their backs. Kotake soared high into the air to provide cover fire for them. Zelda and Malon held hands as they raced after the fleeing Cyn'Taak. Saria boosted Giana into her arms, asking the girl to calmly wrap her arms and legs around her as she lifted off into the air. Her wings were straining under the combined weight, but she did her best to maintain their loft.

Zelda saw what Saria was doing and cried out, "Saria don't! Come back down!"

A whisking of wings accompanied by a demonic snicker informed Saria of the incoming peril. She barrel rolled to the right, nearly frightening Giana right out of her arms. The girl was frantic at being so high and was quite alarmed at the world being turned upside down. Her legs slipped out and she screamed. Only her arms, enfolded around Saria's neck, was keeping her afloat.

"Please don't drop me! I don't want to die!" Giana squealed. She looked up into Saria's eyes with tear stained cheeks.

"Hold on!" Saria rasped, her strength ebbing. She casted her eyes towards the darkened horizon to see they were not far from the temple. Only a minute more and they'd be there! "Please don't let go!" Saria instructed desperately. She tried to reach around to bring the little girl's legs back up around her waist.

Another flash of light played off a Kokiri's coiling blades, temporarily blinding Saria. She attempted to feint to the right but a flutter of wings and a twisting jerk forced her out of the movement. A blood-curdling cry erupted beneath her. She fearfully looked down to see Giana release her grip, her entire left leg had been sliced off. Blood was streaming everywhere. She watched in horror as the little girl looked up at her in shock before plunging to the ground below.


	90. Chapter 89 - The Gambit

**Chapter 89 - The Gambit**

Nabooru was sprinting fast down the hill, skipping every third step as she dashed across the crumbling stairs leading to Kakariko. She had been placed up on the high rise to overlook the battle. They had feared that her coming with them and getting within distance to Ganondorf would cause her to go crazy again. For her own safety and theirs, they elected to keep Nabooru behind and assign two Gorons to keep tabs on her to ensure she would not escape to help.

The Gorons grumbled and complained about having to stay behind while their brothers claimed all the glory and fun of the battle. They gazed longingly at the raging fires dotting the war torn landscape, staring in awe at the dragons spreading their conflagrations amongst the Nevachreans. After an hour of restless vigil, they grew tired and plopped down into boulder-like humps and began snoring profusely, completely forgetting their charge.

It wasn't until Nabooru spotted a rather large batch of men and women surface from the waters leading to the original Zora Domain that she stood up with a start. Many Zoras were assisting this group out of the water as multitudes of weapons and horses were materialized out of thin air. Two riders from the south came to join the gathering crowd. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Darunia running towards the river with a package on each arm. Something had changed in the conflict and she wanted to know what it was.

She recognized Epona as she was coming down off the knoll past the bridge over the river. Ashley was riding the striking mare into battle while the rest of the Nevachreans followed suit. Darunia whooped a war cry, swinging his hammer in the air, before charging forward with them. Nabooru swore an oath as they increased the distance from her, she was worn out from the run but she had to catch up.

They annihilated anything in their path. It seemed multitudes of Zoras and Nevachreans had access to Cyn'Taak tipped weapons, for every enemy they struck out against splattered in a mess of blood and boils. With the dragons above, the Gerudo from the south and the combined might of Gorons, Zoras and even their own countrymen, the army stood no chance at surviving the night. Nabooru marveled at the strength of their numbers. Why had it taken this long to gather together and defeat them? Was it all because of Link's influence?

At length, she managed to catch up to Darunia who was swinging his hammer in a wide arc, knocking back multitudes of bodies like ragdolls. He was laughing manically at the destruction being wrought around him. He spun around and smashed a hapless soldier into mush just yards from Nabooru. He noticed the vibrant color of her leggings and looked up into her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He roared. "You were supposed to hang back at the village and remain safe!"

"I can't! Where is Link?" Nabooru probed excitedly, the chaos around her ramping up the internal urge to destroy.

"Already at the temple with Malon, Xavier and the others." Darunia's eyes widened as he realized what he had just uttered. "Never you mind!" He jabbed a finger in her direction. "Get back to Kakariko."

"No!" She yelled back. "If Malon and Giana are still alive and with Link, then I must be with them. They are all that matter to me anymore! I can't afford to lose them too!" Without another word, she turned on her heel and began running towards the town walls.

"Blast it to Din's forge woman!" Darunia bellowed. He began to chase after her. The last thing he wanted was for her to be within lethal distance of Link and the others while Ganondorf was controlling her. Several demons whisked bolts of lightning in his direction. He flung the hammer spinning into the nearest Hunger before punching a rather mean looking sickle-bladed demon in the face. Ripping the hammer out of the Hunger's torso with a shluck, he tried to search where she had gone off to.

Stamping his foot into the Hunger's maw as it tried to rise back up, Darunia spotted Ashley nearby on Epona. He beckoned him over heatedly. The boy complied, his eyes on the demons around them. He quickly loosed an arrow which struck the sickled demon in the cheek, caused it to carbuncle heavily. He lazily had the bow strewn across his lap with an arrow on the string, awaiting his next target.

"Find Nabooru! She is heading north towards the temple! We can't let Ganondorf take hold of her again! Please find her!" Darunia ordered before backhanding an approaching Defiler as it leaped through the air to try and latch onto his head.

Ashley nodded his understanding before stirring Epona into a gallop. She whickered at the sudden burst of speed but enjoyed every minute of the battle. She was trained for this and was quite excited to be in the thick of it again. Ashley had no concept of what Darunia was referring to about Nabooru being controlled by Ganondorf, but he might as well go check and see what it was all about.

* * *

><p>She spiraled downward, the world spinning out of control. Giana felt deathly sick as the sky and the ground somersaulted within her vision. She screeched at the top of her lungs, the last image was of Saria being tackled above her by another naked Kokiri, its spinning blades thrusting forward to bore a hole in Saria's chest. She cried out Link's name, then Malon's, then Saria's. She didn't want to die.<p>

Saria winced at the horrible shrieking below as she saw Giana getting further away. She utilized the momentum of the girl's tackle to flip over and kick out with her foot. She dislodged the Kokiri's hold on her and smacked her away, causing the Kokiri to drop the blades to the ground below. Exploiting the opening, she dove sharply towards the screaming Giana, her arms outstretched to grab onto the spinning girl.

She had just grasped her ankle and was proceeding to bring the bawling tyke into her arms when the Kokiri rammed into her, overturning her vector of movement. Saria released Giana yelling back into the air, tossing her above them both as she plummeted to the ground with the giggling Kokiri atop her. She looked into the demonic girl's eyes and recognized her.

"Josclyn!" One of her best friends, apart from Link, was above her; speeding them both to an untimely death.

Josclyn increased the pace of her wings, rampaging them faster toward the surface. She sniggered, placing one finger across her lips, "Shhh, it's our little secret! We mustn't let Naar know!"

Josclyn began to strangle Saria, placing her two thumbs firmly on her larynx. Struggling to breath, Saria coughed as she tried to shout. Josclyn's stomach was splitting open as a disgusting insect was clawing its way out of her belly. Saria looked up into Josclyn's eyes with horror.

"I've actually grown rather fond of Kokiri flesh. There are just so few of your kind left, it's a shame. We may die in the next few seconds, but at least I'll have a small taste before your end!" The little girl cackled with glee as the creature began to slush out of her innards onto Saria.

Saria brought her hand down to her waist. She gripped the hilt of the dagger Link had given her back in the Xaagar Mountains. With one fluid motion, she unsheathed the weapon and sliced it up the belly of Josclyn, ensuring that it struck the creature too. She followed through with the motion and cut right through her face, slicing the nose in half. The shock of the injury caused Josclyn to release Saria long enough to flip them over before kicking her feet to Josclyn's shins, causing her to corkscrew away, flinging the disgusting demon into the winds.

She looked around frantically to see a flash of red hair several meters below her. She brought her wings in close and made herself as slim as possible, hastening her free fall descent. Zooming ahead of the falling girl, she twirled around to catch her. The breath was knocked out of her as Giana crashed into her. Holding on tightly to the wriggling girl, she strained her wings and shot out her legs to stabilize herself to slow their descent.

"Please don't leave me!" Giana cried.

"I won't!" Saria shouted back.

"You won't get rid of me that easily! I will consume every last Kokiri alive!" Josclyn cackled before plowing into them both.

Another wail burst forth from Giana as she was flung out of Saria's grip once more. Saria lashed out with her dagger drawing a sliver of red across Josclyn's arm before kneeing her in the chin. At their current downward velocity, the force of the blow snapped the Kokiri's neck. She hurtled to the cobblestone streets of the city lifeless. Saria knew that wouldn't last. She refound Giana and made a dash towards her position.

Giana was getting pale, she had lost a lot of blood and it was still streaming from her stub of a leg. Saria clasped her hand and with a heave, swung Giana around to fling her higher into the air so she could catch her on the way down. She was exhausted, but she knew they still had to land safely. Holding her breath to ensure proper breathing, she caught Giana.

She heard a rumble beneath her and saw the wicked aura surrounding the temple quiver before exploding in a flash of blinding light. Slivers of dark magick flung outwards from the epicenter of the detonation. Saria bobbed and weaved as multiple shards careened towards them. A rotten laugh from her right alerted her to Josclyn approaching, ever relentless.

Sora called out an incoming fragment of magick blazing towards them. Recognizing the opportunity, she rolled through the air towards Josclyn, speeding ever faster to the earth. At the last moment, Saria halted her roll before jutting out her foot to catch the Kokiri in the chest. The combined force of their impact pitched them both back across the sky. The shard of magick ripped through Josclyn as she was flung away from Saria. Josclyn's arms flailed out uselessly as she tumbled down.

The ground was approaching fast. Keeping ahold of Giana tightly, Saria sprained a few muscles in her back as she flapped her wings furiously, yelling at the effort, in an attempt to slow their descent. She swooped low over the ground, mere feet away from their faces, as a nearby splat indicated Josclyn's impact. Her focus was on the open temple doors ahead. Ganondorf and Apolloni were swiftly closing them to shut out the remaining murderous Kokiri.

"No!" She barked wretchedly, her foot had caught one of the doors as it closed firmly in place. She toppled through the air, unintentionally releasing Giana yet again. The screaming girl flipped over and crashed into Merin who was just turning around to observe the commotion. Saria made the last futile efforts at staying aloft before dropping swiftly to the ground with a thud, snapping her arm by the force of her fall. Her cry rang throughout the vestibule of the temple.

"Saria!" Zelda exclaimed. She rushed over to the wailing Kokiri, she had cuts and bruises all over her. Her tunic had been tarnished with Giana's blood. "What happened?" Zelda asked anxiously.

"We were attacked," She took in a short breath, "by one of those…things." She couldn't bear to call them her own kin anymore. Whatever they were, it wasn't natural.

The accompanying howls from Giana redirected Zelda's attention on the more pressing crisis. She placed a hand to her heart and gasped at the sight of Giana's missing leg. In her worst nightmares, she couldn't imagine something like this happening to the little girl. Malon had finally noticed the tumult and laid eyes on her little sister. With a moan, she promptly left Link in the sufficient care of Xavier and rushed over to Giana, still lying atop Merin.

The girl's breathing was shallow. She seemed weak from both the abject terror she had just experienced and the blood loss. Malon looked up at Zelda imploringly, "Will you heal her?" A tremor in her voice.

Zelda glanced over at Ganondorf, who seemed preoccupied with securing the door alongside Apolloni and Kotake. They could hear several bangs against the door, the Kokiri were not content to allow them time to rest. Seeing no confirmation from the Gerudo king, or any sign of the mysterious man Ballos, she looked back to Malon.

"Of course." Zelda soothed. She sat down next to the adorable girl, her heart breaking that if they all survived the night, she would be forever scared as a result of this war. She placed one palm over Giana's forehead and another on the bleeding stump. A soft glow permeated the girl's body as Zelda began to perspire at the effort. Presently, the remnant of her leg was sealed with a flaming red scar, the flow of blood having fully stopped.

Malon began weeping for joy as Giana's eyes fluttered open to behold her sister. Even Merin began to cry alongside them, happy to see some good done in the world. Seeing that Giana was at least stable, Zelda rose up and paced back over to Saria. She bent down to inspect the Kokiri's arm. It was bent at an awkward angle and it appeared the bone was slightly protruding past the side of the elbow but had not exactly punctured the skin yet.

"Is it bad?" Saria asked fearfully. Zelda pursed her lips slightly as she examined the arm, she didn't want to alarm her. She wasn't exactly sure how to utilize her powers to reset bone, she wasn't sure if she could. Saria started looking around at their group and noticed Cayla and two unknown Sheikah standing beside her. Her mouth dropped open, "How did they get here?"

Hearing the question, Cayla strode over and smiled down warmly at the Kokiri, "We had finally broken the line and caught up with you just as you were being attacked by those…demons out there." She ignored the incessant banging against the sturdy, wooden doors. "You had already flown off by the time we arrived. We assisted Link and the others to this temple so Ganondorf could dispel the barrier. There were originally ten of us when we started." Her voice was downcast. Saria looked at the remaining Sheikah and felt her heart get heavier. Out of ten, only three survived the race to the temple.

Taking stock of their situation, Saria began to stare at her surroundings. She had never been inside the Temple of Time before. It had high arched ceilings that rose to a point where the roof was shadowed in darkness. Marble pillars broke up the walls at intervals and served as structural supports for the building. Inbetween each major opening between columns were intricate stain glass windows, each depicting a prominent scene from the creation of their world. Below her was a carpet of scarlet, dressed over black and white tiles. It looked pristine, immaculate, beautiful and ancient.

The current crisis averted, Zelda relaxed her shoulders and walked over to her pack that she had dropped the moment they entered the temple. She knelt down and inspected the contents, quickly sifting through to find the two masks still intact within. She stared at them for a time. What purpose would they serve? Why must they keep holding onto the vile one? Link assured her that she would know who the final bearer of Majora would be but she didn't have a single clue whom it could be. It seemed hopeless. Link entrusted a task for which she was ill prepared for. Clearly she wasn't the one to wear the abhorrent thing.

Grunting in approval of the magickal barrier they had erected, Ganondorf turned and stalked straight up to Cayla. He extended his hand, palm facing up. "I will be taking that sapphire now." His eyes were intense.

Seeing no alternative but death, she brusquely dropped the stone into his hand. He clutched it tight and motioned for Apolloni to secure Link. Xavier growled harshly at the Gerudo, "What do 'ou think 'ou are 'oing?" She bellowed, her tail twitching violently above her, ready to strike the insolent woman in the head. She got down on all fours, hovering inches above Link's body in an effort to better protect him.

"It's okay Xavier. I have to go." Link murmured quietly. Reluctantly, she complied and sat back on her haunches, her eyes ever glaring at Apolloni.

Struggling to get off the tile, he gratefully accepted the outstretched hand of Apolloni. She brashly pulled him onto his feet, making him stagger somewhat. He was still frail from losing his wings. All eyes were on Link and Ganondorf. No one made a move to intervene, for doing so would most likely result in the death of them. Kotake was smirking on her broom as she watched Apolloni escort Link to Ganondorf.

"How do you feel?" He mocked Link.

"Terrible." Link admitted, not caring what Ganondorf thought of him.

Transferring hands, Link accepted the Gerudo king's arm as they walked forward towards the dais with three individual depressions. Ahead of them on the opposing wall beyond the platform was a monumental marble slab emblazoned with the Triforce emblem. Link knew it was beyond there that the Master Sword rested, where the way to the Sacred Realm could be reached. He knew all his friend's hopes rested on him and what would happen next. He couldn't let them down.

As they walked, Ganondorf calmly brought out the three stones he had collected along with the ocarina, holding them firmly in his free hand. Staring at them for a moment, Link spoke up, "You do know that the Triforce will split the moment it senses your true intent. One must be balanced in power, wisdom and courage to attain it all. This is pointless."

The Gerudo king nodded his head leisurely, "I recall our conversation seven cycles ago. I remember the failsafes that the Goddesses placed on the Triforce. Very clever of them." He smirked. He continued to face forward but his eyes wandered to Link as they were walking forward to the podium. "What you don't realize is that I have contemplated my goals and the reasoning behind them these past seven cycles."

Link turned to look up skeptically at the imposing king. Heedless of his nonverbal response, Ganondorf continued, "Because of you imprisoning me back at the castle and then later living with my tribe, I have rethought my purpose in acquiring the Triforce. Why did I want it? What was I to do with its power?" He clinched his fist around the stones and ocarina, "Then I realized that my ambitions were selfish and greedy. I was not caring one whit about my people, the very ones I had sworn an oath to protect as a youth."

Link shivered as if a bucket of cold water had been splashed onto his soul, he maintained his heeding of Ganondorf's words, "Because of you Link, you have taught me the wisdom needed to see the error of my ways and to seek better avenues of securing a prosperous future for my people beyond pure, unadulterated power. To secure ties with fellow nations to better the standing of my own. Because of you, I have the courage to trust others in accomplishing my goals when I would have normally done so myself. I put a lot of faith in you and your friend's abilities to secure the pieces necessary to achieve my objectives. Finally, I still have the power to secure what I want to see my intentions met. So you see Link, my purpose and attitude towards the Triforce have changed. I know now that I will succeed today where I would have failed in the past."

The hammering on the arched doors had ceased and was replaced with an altogether different sound. A thundering of power rocked the foundations of the temple, sending dust down from above the rafters. Multiple tappings and thumpings could be heard from the stain glass windows. The Kokiri were attempting to force their way in from the sides while allowing a greater threat to break down the door. Some whimpers emerged from Giana as the group turned towards the double doors. Cayla and the remaining Sheikah gathered around them in a protective stance to ward off the coming danger.

Turning his regard away from them, Link looked ahead towards the dais. They were mere feet from it now. "How did you know it would all work out like this?" Link blurted vacantly. He was trying to stall for time but his mind did not seem to want to obey him. He could not think of the words to come that would delay the inevitable.

Ganondorf huffed, "I didn't. I just trusted that they would. I may not have known the future course of events, but I am smart enough to gauge the probabilities that they'd occur in the way that they did." He paused as they stood next to the three depressions, looking down onto the solid, agate plinth. He did little to hide the smile that spread across his face, "With my interventions at key junctures along the way."

Ganondorf reverently placed the emerald, ruby and sapphire in their respective slots and handed the ocarina directly to Link. He fumbled with it briefly before looking down at the familiar blue hue of the instrument. Link massaged its smooth surface and frowned, something about it seemed a bit off. He faced Ganondorf directly, "What do you want me to do? Aren't you the one with all the cards?"

Ganondorf ignored the flippant comment and gestured to the ocarina, "You are the one who knows the melody to open these doors." Their attention was diverted briefly at another rumbling from the primary entrance of the temple. Several splinters of wood bursted forth from the oaken frames, it wouldn't be long now before whatever was on the other side busted through. Ganondorf refocused on Link, growling, "And we don't have the time for me to learn it. Play the song!"

Kotake skimmed over to see Merin rising to stand and advancing a few steps towards Link. Thinking nothing of it, she resumed her vigil on the events occurring before her. She was figuring out the best course of action she could take the moment those slabs opened, revealing the sword beyond. She knew that it would be Link who would have to be the one to pull the sword out, revealing the doorway to the Sacred Realm. She was quite unsure of how it would transpire, but she knew she would have to be ready when it did.

All sound went silent as the calming melody reverberated through the atrium. Every one was staring at the two unmoveable slabs of marble. The Triforce emblem did not budge. The tapping grew fiercer on the windows. Ganondorf blinked as he gawked at the stone. Was there some element that he missed? Something he had forgotten? His ire twisted to Link as he tore the ocarina away from his hands.

"What is the meaning of this? Is this not the Royal Family treasure?" He roared, stomping over to Zelda, her face an impassionate fascia. She calmly rose to meet his wrath as he shook the instrument before her eyes. "Is there something I did not foresee?" He snarled.

Without a word, she serenely pulled out a similar looking ocarina from the folds of her breeches. Ganondorf's pupils locked onto the dull, blue object. "That is no more the royal family treasure than this ocarina you gave Link back in Glaun'rung." She smugly affirmed. She had found the instrument in his pack shortly after Link had given the masks over to her. She knew it was a fake the moment she saw it and put the pieces of Ganondorf's treachery together.

With a cry, he cuffed Zelda across the head causing her to crumple to the ground. Cayla surged forward only to be blocked by Apolloni and Kotake, her freezing magick shimmering in the air before her, ready to surge forth. Xavier growled, her tail arcing high and her taloned hands flexing in anticipation of the skirmish. Malon huddled closer to her sister, while she motioned for Saria to come nearer to them.

"If this is not the ocarina of the Royal Family, then where is it?" Ganondorf bellowed, his eyes piercing everyone around him. His plans were falling apart with each passing second and it infuriated him.

"Right here!" Merin shouted, holding up a startlingly azure blue instrument. With a sneer on her lips, she taunted, "Looks like you aren't the only one who can create false copies of the real thing!" With a lurch, she threw the ocarina high. Link saw it was coming straight at him and prepped himself to grab it as it fell. "Link! It's up to you now!" She yelled.

The moment the ocarina hit his hands, the entire temple erupted with motion. Apolloni flew at Merin with her scimitars bared, clashing up against Merin's retaliatory riposte. Kotake hurled flames and ice at Xavier as Zelda erected a barrier repelling the lethal magick. Bolts of ice splintered off and shattered several of the windows as the five Kokiri broke the others and zoomed into the temple. Xavier bounded after the witch, who was ineffectually casting bolt after bolt at the rampaging Cyn'Taak. Malon shrieked as several Kokiri made a bee line for them.

Realizing that running back to help them would be fruitless, Link gyrated around and put the ocarina to his lips. The Song of Time flowing back into his memory, he played it peacefully. At once, the two heavy slabs of stone began grinding and crunching apart with a deafening rumble. Ganondorf was already enroute, running headlong towards the curved stairs leading up to the inner chamber. Link dropped the ocarina and scrambled for the opening, almost tripping on the first step.

A huge explosion rocked the temple as the two heavy set doors imploded inwards. Kotake had just enough time to establish an aura that dulled the full impact of the blow, but she was knocked clear across the foyer with the force of the door. Naar burst in with Argonim by his side. They had a sword in each hand and were whooping a rabid battlecry as they poured into the entryway.

A clatter of rubble and debris exploded next to Link's head as he passed by the archway leading to the chamber of the Master Sword. It was ahead of him, sitting patiently in its pedestal, awaiting his touch. Ganondorf thundered after him, letting loose another malignant blast of magick at his head. Link was within paces of the glimmering blade, the first rays of moonlight filtering down through the beautiful stain glass window high above, giving the whole room a soft glow.

He pitched forward as his mind reeled. Vision in one eye went completely dark, disorienting him. He stumbled forward and fell face first onto the cold tile. Ganondorf's magick had hit its mark and bored a hole straight through his head, blasting out his right eye. Hearing the clopping of Ganondorf's boots getting closer, Link shakily crawled over to the Master Sword, ignoring the excruciating pain from his right eye and head. He reached up placing one hand over the hilt and pulled upwards. The world around him went white.


	91. Chapter 90 - Settling the Past

**Chapter 90 - Settling the Past**

His vision blurred before his sight. He could not decipher what it was that lay before him, there was a piece of his view that was strangely absent and it felt wrong. The sound of waterfalls began to creep into his hearing, perking his ears to the possibility of where he was. The liquid began to form before him and crystalize into clarity as it poured down the walls of the chamber. A presence was felt beside him as he sprung up onto a knee, gazing his lone eye on the auburn robed figure.

"Easy there Link. You were almost dead upon coming here. You can relax." The old man placed a comforting hand on Link's shoulder, massaging the tense muscles underneath.

Link's confusion was evident on his face, "What? Where?" He thrust a hand up to feel his right eye. The last thing he could remember was searing pain in his skull as the white tile of the temple was drenched in red.

He had just touched the corrugated wound, completely sealed and fleshy with a fresh layer of scabbing when the old man brought his wrist down firmly. "It will do no good to dwell on the injury." The man's commanding voice brought Link's focus back on his stormy grey eyes. "You need to concentrate on what you need to do next."

The man brought Link slowly to his feet. He looked all around him at a place that was familiar to him. It was a chamber of light. Shimmering rays filtered through the cascading water running down the length of the room, encompassing all the surfaces. Pillars of luminescence pulsed with magickal energy which brought the water back up to the ceiling to repeat its endless cycle. Beneath them were several colored panels with various symbols depicting each race of Hyrule.

Link turned his attention to the old man. He was familiar to Link. He recalled his tawny robes complete with a rubicund girdle and cloth breastplate draping down to his feet, the symbol of the Triforce on its center. The man had a thick mustache that extended past the mouth towards the cheeks and connected up to the receding hairline encircling the top of his bald head. His eyes were creased with warmth and concern for Link, a sense of peace was about him.

"I know you." Link gaped openly. "Rauru…"

The man nodded, "It's been a long time Link. The last I had seen you was only a few days ago, but it must have been cycles for you." Upon seeing the muddled look on Link's face, he clarified genially, "In the Sacred Realm, time is of little meaning or consequence here." He raised his arm to indicate the chamber they resided in. "With Hylia's help, I built this place long ago to house the Triforce away from unworthy and unscrupulous hands. A space outside of time was deemed to be the perfect place to safeguard such a relic."

The mention of that hunted artifact brought lucidity to his purpose in being here, he had almost forgotten since pulling the Master Sword. "Where is the Triforce? I don't see it." The ball in the pit of his stomach was tightening, that singular goal that everyone was working toward was nowhere to be found.

Rauru sighed deeply, closing his eyes as he considered how best to explain it to the lad. At length he opened them and gestured to the platforms representing each race, "These were once home to the sages of Hylia, bound by the vow their spiritual ancestors had made during the war with the interlopers, the Twili; the very tribe that sought to obtain the Triforce for their own nefarious ends and was banished forever for it."

"I don't understand. Where are the sages now? Were they not here when we exiled Ganondorf in the future?" Link queried; his mind a mess of thoughts and emotions. They had struggled so hard to get to this point, only to find the one object that they seeked gone.

Rauru's brow furrowed with consternation, "Yes. You knew them well: Impa, Darunia, Saria, Ruto, Nabooru and of course myself. Once Ganondorf was sealed away, I released the sages to live out the rest of their lives in their time, only asking that either they or their descendants be able to be called upon to fulfill their duties as sages should the need arise."

Link scratched the back of his head idly as he gazed around the empty room, "I don't get it. Aren't they still the sages now? Why do they not remember who they are? I've been traveling with Saria, Nabooru, Impa and the others for a while and none of them have mentioned this duty. Is it because we are still in the past of that future and their awakening hasn't happened yet?"

Rauru brought his hands up and extended both index fingers side by side, "Do not confuse the sages with each other. They may be the same persons," he began to separate the fingers and split them apart, "but they are two different people. Each are unique to their own times."

"Why wouldn't they be the same? I understand that they might not have the memory of being a sage yet since Zelda sent me back to the past before they were awakened, but wouldn't they grow to become a sage?" Link reasoned.

"Not necessarily. There is no guarantee that they would even become a sage in the timeline you've come from." Rauru explained.

"Timeline?" Link asked quizzically, arching an eyebrow.

Rauru dropped his hands to the side, "That's right…you wouldn't know." Tucking his hands back into the sleeves of his robes, for it was ever so slightly chilly in the Temple of Light, he walked a few paces away from Link; his eyes lost in the undulating flow of the water around them.

After a time, he spoke softly so that Link had to strain to hear, "Hylia…or rather Zelda did something so unique in the history of our world that she altered the course of time. By utilizing the ocarina blessed by herself long ago, she sent you back in time to a point where you could alter history. By doing this, she ripped the fabric of reality and created two worlds, two times existing alongside each other but never interacting with one another." Rauru took in a small breath as he let the full gravity of what was done sink in, "Yet…the Triforce reigns over each."

Link was utterly baffled at what Rauru was spouting. If he didn't have so much respect for the man based on their previous experiences together, he would think him unreservedly mad. "That makes no sense. If the Triforce is a part of both worlds, then why isn't it here?" He motioned up to the ceiling where he figured the Triforce must have been.

Rauru turned to face Link, the folds of his robes creasing with the movement, "Link. I have spent cycles studying the Triforce and investigating its properties during my tenure as its caretaker. I have witnessed countless generations rise and fall during my lifetime. That one moment in time when Ganondorf touched the Triforce and split it into three parts was the first time anything like that had ever occurred. The knowledge of this unique failsafe was revealed to me at that time."

Link stood enraptured at Rauru as he watched the man pace around the platform, "You and Zelda, along with us sages sealed Ganon into the abyss, hopefully never to be seen again. However, as long as he held the Triforce of Power within him, he could never die. So I suspect he will eventually be freed one day. Regardless," he waved a hand to dismiss the possibility, "by sealing away one part of the Triforce with him, it applied to each timeline separately. The Triforce never returned here once you all left to return to your own worlds. It remained separated the moment it was sealed with Ganon. That is the timeless nature of it."

Link's teeth grinded faintly as the gears in his head shifted and turned, trying to make sense of what Rauru was saying. He spoke hesitantly, looking down at the backside of his palm, "If what you say is true and the Triforce is still split, then why do I not have the Triforce of Courage? I remember the glow fading the moment I was sent back. If I still have it, why can't I see it?" He stared longingly at the blank slate that was his skin, no soft glimmer emanating from within his flesh.

Rauru shook his head sullenly, "I do not have that answer for you Link. I may be a scholar on the Triforce, but I do not know everything. The moment you came back, perhaps the Triforce felt it was no longer needed. Or maybe entering a brand new world reset your mark, or identifier, meaning you have to earn it back again. Or maybe it's been with you this entire time and you were not aware of its presence."

He pointed to the scarlet wound in Link's face, at the trails of dried blood caked on his cheeks just below his right eye, which was now gone. What was left was a sunken red hole that had been sealed over. "I suspect, however, that it was the Triforce of Courage which has saved your life. This leads me to believe you still have it, for if you did not, you would most assuredly be dead due to that injury."

Link raised his fingers to feel into his skull. He gasped at the shocking nature of it and began to panic. "If it saved my life, why didn't it heal me completely?" He exclaimed anxiously.

"Calm yourself." Rauru soothed. "I said it saved your life, I never said it'd fully heal you. Only the Triforce of Power has that ability. This likely triggered upon you entering the Sacred Realm with the Triforce of Courage. The Triforce looks out for its owner, even if they are not aware of it. You may have the ability to regenerate things or save others for a few hours, but it won't last. That is not the domain of courage."

"How do you know this? Didn't you say you only knew about the Triforce splitting when it happened? How do you know the properties of each of its parts?" Link grilled, he wanted answers and the truth seemed to be dancing just outside the range of their conversation.

"I don't know all the properties." Rauru exhaled. "This is a fairly recent event and I have yet to study all of the implications it poses. I can only infer from what I've observed from my perch here in the Temple of Light."

A tremor rocked the room, causing Link to loose his footing. Rauru merely swayed but remained standing where he was. "What was that?" Link probed.

Another rumble shook the chamber. Without emotion, Rauru explained, "Reopening the Sacred Realm has undone the seals I have placed upon this temple. This reality will soon collapse onto itself and we will be thrust from the very timeline you came from, since it was from there the door was opened." He glanced down at Link's hand, noticing a faint flicker of the Triforce. "You seem to be tainted with the lust for more than just courage Link. Power? Wisdom?"

Flummoxed, Link gazed down to see a dull flicker of gold on the backside of his palm. "What do you mean? Is it still mine? Shouldn't it be? It did save me."

"This war has changed you Link." Rauru murmured cryptically, "You are not the same youth I knew a few days ago. I would warn against doing anything that would cause you to lose control of yourself. The Triforce will leave its bearer and find one more suitable for the fulfillment of Hylia's will, as a safeguard against having it be lost forever or falling into the wrong hands."

Link's eyes grew wide, "If I have a piece of the Triforce then that means…Zelda and Ganondorf…" He let the words trail off as the enormity of the truth settled in.

Another shake thundered through the room, the water had ceased flowing and remained suspended in animated motion. "Indeed. I suspect we are going to be deposited into a rather unsettling situation the moment this realm fails." He indicated Link's eye, "If that is any indication, I should expect to defend myself the moment we materialize." Rauru's shoulders slumped, "So this is the world I shall grow old and die in."

Without another word, the two of them looked at the darkness spreading from the corner of the room; the water around it warped and bended inward upon itself, expanding outwards in an ever spiraling loop of blackness. Sucking in the very light around it, it hastened its journey towards them. Link tensed, his hands instinctively going to the sword at his side, only to realize it was not on him.

Rauru raised an arm to placate Link's rising fear, "Do not be afraid. We will find ourselves in the Temple of Time soon. Remember that you will have the Master Sword in your hand. May it grant you the power you seek and the courage as well." He closed his eyes as the void enveloped them both.

* * *

><p>The pure, marble columns slammed into place around them. The filtered light of the moon blinded them as they rammed into the ground, breathless and weary. Link rolled over onto his back and sat up quickly, his knuckles white from holding the Master Sword so firmly in hand. It was strangely silent yet he knew they were not alone. The interior of the chamber had piles of debris and rubble strewn across the tile. A great battle had been raged here.<p>

Down the darkened hallway leading to the main foyer, he could see bodies visible through the opening. He craned his neck to see Rauru standing beside him, literally humming with energies unseen. He was prepared to fight alongside Link. Shakily getting up to his feet, he checked the Master Sword to ensure it felt true in his grip. He summoned an appropriate shield and began stalking down the corridor to assess the situation.

Link inhaled abruptly as he viewed the scene. Naar and Argonim were still alive. In their possession were Giana and Saria with swords at their throats. The five demonic Kokiri were fluttering just beyond and above them, awaiting further orders from Naar. Opposite them were Zelda, Malon, Ganondorf, Merin, Kotake, Apolloni and Cayla. Xavier was sprawled on the floor whining, his heart broke to see that her tail had been lobbed off and was twitching spastically beside her. Her armor had been blunted and bent from countless blows. There were several dead Sheikah nearby, dead in the service of their charge. The situation was clearly at a standstill.

All eyes turned to Link and Rauru as they entered the atrium. Dead silence permeated the group as all gauged what the next course of action should be. Ganondorf spoke first, "Well? Did you get the Triforce?" His hand still raised against Naar, sweat poured down his brow from maintaining the aura that protected them from the general's demonic magick.

"It is gone." Link said with finality. "This was all for naught. It had been split the moment it was touched by you seven cycles ago Ganondorf."

The Gerudo king's face contorted with rage and confusion, "Speak clearly boy! I was never there to touch the…" Dawning realization hit Ganondorf as he recalled what Kotake and Koume had said upon his release from Hyrule prison, a boy from the future had come back and changed what was to pass. His voice was barely above a vicious whisper, "I had it. It was within my grasp. Was I denied?" Link stood unmoving, not giving any clarifying information.

"Impossible!" Naar thundered. "I've read all the texts on the Triforce! It cannot split! It's never happened!"

"Agreed." Rauru stepped forward, disdain evident in his voice. "It has never happened, until now. A new aspect of the Triforce has been revealed to us through this singular act. Because of Hylia's will, you were always destined to fail Naar. Because you aligned with demons who serve Demise, you are forever barred from ever acquiring the Triforce. Hylia laid measures down to ensure that evil would never claim the Triforce as their own so long as her reincarnated vessels returned to defend it."

The Kokiri, Josclyn, roared down from above and skidded just feet away from Rauru, staring him down savagely. Link noted several foreign agents moving beneath her skin between her rib bones and two familiar scars on her cheeks, his fingers flexed on the hilt of his sword. The Kokiri shouted, "Ludicrous! There is no such magick that exists that can bar us from claiming the Triforce! You are lying!"

"Josclyn?" Naar queried. This was a side of her he had not foreseen.

Link thrust up his sword, causing the girl to flutter back a few meters, hatred burning in her irises. "Here is but one of the demons you have been working with Naar. Knowingly or not, you have cast your lot in with them and thus suffer the same failure they will. What I want to know is how a demon can be inside someone who has a piece of the Goddess within them." He pointed his blade at the incandescent wings behind her. With firm resolve he indicted, "I know who you are…Thanan."

The girl gave a crooked, leering smile before stepping back and flying up to meet her sisters. "Looks like the gig is up. We'll have to kill you all and take Zelda for ourselves. At the very least we can use Hylia's soul to revive Demise and spread death across these lands!"

Naar loosened his grip on Saria as he stared up at the five Kokiri, "Even if you are demons, Barrachas made a deal. You must uphold your end and assist us in subduing Hyrule!"

Josclyn spread her arms wide, "Did we not already do that? We have no need to lay bound to petty Huma vows; we answer to one master alone!"

Ganondorf sensed that a heated battle would erupt on four fronts. It would be a conflict that he would have a difficult time winning. He needed to unbalance one of his opponents to the point he had enough leverage to work with. He turned his sights on Naar, who was still gazing up incredulously at Josclyn.

"How quaint." Ganondorf mocked. "That your very own nephew should be the one to kill you."

Naar's face swiveled to Ganondorf, "What nonsense are you speaking now?"

Ganondorf extended a hand in Link's direction, "Behold! Your sister's child stands before you. I remember what you said about the king of Hyrule, for I was there when I erected the barrier for him to isolate your country. I may have been young, but I was strong enough to sustain the aura all this time. I recall a beautiful Nevachrean woman whom the king had recently claimed as his queen. She was holding a baby boy."

His eyes turned to Link as the puzzle pieces were jig sawing together. "I actually hadn't made the connection until after you told me about the king and after I learned of Link's origin of birth. Shortly after exiling your country from the world, he ordered the boy slain to prevent any foreign blood from tainting his lineage." Ganondorf sneered.

Naar's eyes darted back and forth between Ganondorf and Link. He was not sure what to think of this. What was Ganondorf playing at? His sister was dead and so was the child she carried. Why this claim now?

Ganondorf pressed onward, "I remember vividly the queen taking the sword in place of her son in efforts to protect him. She was spirited away by her Sheikah kin to the woods. The king died shortly thereafter by unknown causes." His voice lingered on the final two words.

"No!" Zelda shouted. She did not want to believe that her very own grandfather would have been so tyrannical that he would order the son of her own grandmother killed for the mere fact that it was not his own blood. Her eyes yearned for Link as he stood uncertainly, his eyes vacant as he looked upon the group.

"Coming from the very man who destroyed that barrier the moment he felt it was convenient enough to allow us in." Naar rebutted, retightening his grip on Saria, causing her to emit a small yelp. "I do not believe your lies Ganondorf."

Zelda gaped at Ganondorf disbelievingly, "You put all of Hyrule at risk, the very Triforce itself, so you could get the opportunity to escape and reclaim power? You shame your people Ganondorf. You say you fight for their cause, but you only fight for yourself!"

The Gerudo king twisted his neck to glower at her, "What business is it of yours what I do with my people?" He snarled.

"Learn your place wretch!" Kotake crooned scornfully. "The Gerudo have always survived, regardless of the odds. What does one simple country like Hyrule matter to us, if we can profit from its destruction?"

"How utterly delicious!" Josclyn hummed, an errant finger scratching the scars at her lips. "I just might watch you all tear each other apart and pick up the pieces!"

Saria squeaked as she saw what the Gerudo king had really been doing the entire time, he had been gathering energy in his free hand to explode outward in a devastating burst at Naar. She began to squirm as she could feel the wicked energies building in pitch, encircling his hand. It wasn't until Naar could hear the crackling of the air that he was alerted to the imminent danger.

A ringing whinny echoed throughout the vestibule as all eyes turned to the newcomers. Framed within the doorway were two figures atop a brilliant, brown mare. Link cried out in delight, "Epona!" She neighed excitedly in response but was held firm to the spot by Ashley. Behind him in the saddle was Nabooru, her scimitars out and ready.

Utilizing the distraction, Ganondorf's hand exploded with dark magick black as pitch. It surged forward through the air as Saria screamed. Quickly dropping Giana to the floor, Argonim shoved Naar aside as he took the full force of the blast. It sailed him through the air before shattering the wall beyond. A small tremor quivered through the temple as the very foundations shook. Naar dumped Saria as he fell to the ground before rolling up onto a knee with an apparated longsword in hand. Saria whisked off towards Link, hovering just slightly behind him, her breath coming in fast.

The entire hall spiraled into bedlam as everyone got to their feet and rushed forward to attack each other. Naar swiftly kicked Cayla back as he twirled around to slice Apolloni at the waist. Growling at missing his target, he thrust out his hand and let loose a blast of energy towards the horse at the entrance. Seeing the danger, Ashley kicked Epona's flanks and galloped into the fray.

Hooting with glee, Josclyn ordered her fellow Kokiri to descend upon the chaos and devour them all. Each of their bellies ripped open as they soared over their heads, raining drops of crimson onto the combatants below. Several insect-like demons slithered out and plopped down to the floor before skittering across to their respective marks.

Malon screamed as she saw one heading straight for Giana, the little girl was screeching as she tried in vain to back away from the vile abomination. Link summoned a trident before hailing Malon and tossing her the weapon. Swiftly catching it, she dove in and stabbed the creature, impaling it to the floor. She screamed in rage at the disgusting bug before racing over to protect her little sister. Rauru swept past them, but not before erecting a barrier of light that enshrouded them both, his eyes fixated on the witch above.

Link's eyes were only for Naar as he sprinted towards the heated battle. Ganondorf was defending himself from both the general and a ravenous Kokiri bent on slicing him to ribbons with her spinning blades. He blasted an arm off the young girl before raising his sword to parry the incoming blow from Naar. He reached a hand under his raised arm and let loose a pulse slamming it directly into Naar's stomach, sending him reeling across the floor.

"Zelda!" Nabooru called out. Zelda turned to see Nabooru cartwheeling off Epona and pointing with a scimitar at Link's rucksack he had given her. "Remember the mask! We need to destroy it!" Zelda nodded her head as Nabooru charged into the gaggle, weapons swinging.

Kotake zipped in and out of the flapping wings, throwing balls of ice and fire at the chortling Kokiri whirring past her. Zelda bobbed and weaved as balls of raining hate descended from above; trying to reach her rucksack that Link gave her. She almost stumbled over the limp tail of Xavier. She cast her eyes upon the pitiful creature. It looked up at her as it tried to get up on all fours.

"'Ommy…" It wailed gutterally. Zelda's heart was aggrieved to see the Cyn'Taak in such pain.

Ducking low as an arrow from Ashley whooshed over her hair, implanting itself firmly into one of the flying Kokiri, Zelda raced to the haversack. She looked away as the unfortunate girl exploded in a screaming plethora of blood and boils. "Xavier!" She called out. "Can you protect me long enough?"

"I 'hink so…" The Cyn'Taak groaned; its arms wobbling as it pushed its massive bulk back onto its feet. It lumbered over, briefly smacking away a Kokiri as it dove in for Zelda.

With the behemoth at her back, Zelda rummaged through the sack and brought out Majora's mask. She regarded the chilling object in her hands with dismay. Was this truly necessary? Was Link to find the proper owner of this mask so that it could be destroyed? How important was this task that Ballos himself delegated it to Link? Why did he feel she would know who the proper owner was that he would entrust her with this task? Why did she feel the inner need to decide the owner now? She watched the unfolding battle before her and despaired. Who was its rightful owner?

A rumbling of brick and debris distracted her, Argonim creeped through the hole in the temple wall and was slowly reforming his body. He had spotted her nearby and was actively crawling closer with renewed vigor. Urgency pounding in her brain, she looked again and scrutinized each person.

She discounted the Kokiri out of hand. The mask would take control over them completely and be ineffectual to their cause. She turned to Naar, currently clashing swords with Link, each of them a blur of motion and steel. She shook her head again. The old man mentioned that Naar could never claim the Triforce and was doomed to fail. He wouldn't be strong enough to withstand the power of this mask. She needed someone to be internally strong willed who would be able to rise above the ancient power of the mask so they could destroy both the evil within it and hopefully the person bearing it.

Her intuition had her watching Ganondorf. She remembered all those stories Link had told her when they were younger. He had touched the Triforce before. It had split. Did he have the Triforce of Power within him still? Even though they changed the course of history? Would the Triforce be enough to combat the malice and power of the mask she held? Could he nullify it to the point where they could finally destroy it and incapacitate him at the same time?

Gritting her teeth in determination, she commanded Xavier to follow. "Please defend me until I can reach Link." The Cyn'Taak growled its assent as it scampered after her, repelling the magick raining down from above and swatting anyone who got near her. It felt weak due to its blood loss, but it was dogged in the endeavor to protect its mother. Argonim bellowed as he saw his quarry getting farther away from him. He seethed, just she wait until he regenerated fully and then he'd have her.

Naar laughed as he grabbed Cayla's ponytail and yanked her head down as he jabbed a knee into her face. Tossing her aside, he ejected a blast towards Link's midriff before spinning around to smack his sword into Ganondorf's with an ear splitting clang. Navi screamed out the trajectory of the magick bolt as Link leaped to the side.

"You always have my back Navi." He exhaled.

_You know it!_ She chimed; feeling much better after being healed along with Link from the Triforce of Courage.

Link's eyes bulged as he saw Zelda streamlining towards them with Majora's mask firmly in hand. Xavier was beside her deflecting various Defilers and Kokiri. He yelled out, "What do you think you are doing?"

She gave him one hard look as she brought the mask up level to her chest, "Doing what you asked me to do!"

Ganondorf was alerted to the new situation a bit too late. He spun around to strike out at Zelda just as she placed the mask directly onto his face. For one excruciatingly long moment, the air was still. Ganondorf's fist was outstretched towards her but was hovering just inches from her head. She stood breathing heavily as she gazed upon the bloodshot eyes of the mask.

"What did you do?" Link whispered.

The horrid green pupils swiveled towards Zelda's face and locked onto her. A shiver went through her soul as the horns from the mask protruded outward slightly. A small giggle emitted from deep within Ganondorf before it erupted into a ragging cackle. It was eerie and high pitched, the sound was not his own and yet was. The mask cocked its head unnervingly and looked down upon her trembling form. A cold wind had blown in from the busted doors of the temple, snow was blustering in.

"Good evening Hylia. It has been a long time." Majora simpered.


	92. Chapter 91 - Becoming a God

**Chapter 91 - Becoming a God**

Zelda backed up a few paces as she stared up at the hideous mask. Ganondorf had risen up to his full height but he was not in control of his own body. The fighting around them had ceased. Everyone was looking at the new intruder in their midst, something clearly not right. With a flourish, Majora swept back his cape and looked around the group, making sure to make brief eye contact with each one.

"What a delightful band of merry folks you've gathered here today Hylia! It seems to be quite the successful turn out!" A small gurgle of laughter reverberated within Ganondorf's throat.

Holding his sword aloft, pointing it directly at Majora, Link stepped close to Zelda and placed a protective arm around her waist. "I thought I said to find the one person who would be able to resist its control so we could destroy it! Do you not remember our talk?"

Her shoulders tensed as Majora's gaze swooped back onto the two them. She quickly whispered out of the side of her mouth, "When you said the Triforce had already been split when Ganondorf touched it, I figured he would still have it. What better to resist it than if you had the Triforce of Power?"

Link's eyes were rooted as Majora examined him strangely, tilting its face awkwardly this way and that, deciding what exactly to do with him. He susurrated, "Oh, now you take my stories to heart? You probably just gave Majora the power of the Triforce as well!" He swore harshly under his breath.

"I know you." Majora churned, raising a finger up and pointing at Link's chest. "Yes…your face is familiar to me. You deceived me into thinking you were only there to alleviate my endless torture of being the lock that binds this world together. You were just like all the others…coming to claim my power! I should have eaten you when I had the chance!"

Zelda's memories came flooding back, she recalled her champion being imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, a being sent by Demise under Link's guise tasked with destroying Majora. She was just a dragon eternal then, one of the eldest, who stood outside the bounds of time to keep neutrality between the principalities of the world. She stood at the epicenter of space and time to maintain the balance. Upon her death at the deceit of Demise's greatest weapon, he entered their world seeking the Triforce, causing the first war for the Triforce.

Link shuffled his feet, dragging Zelda back with him as Majora advanced upon them. Everyone was silent, even Naar and the Kokiri were watching with rapt attention at what was to occur next. "It's not his fault!" Zelda exclaimed heatedly.

The masked face swiveled to her, its beady green eyes dissecting her soul. "Of course it wasn't, was it Hylia? Always the defender of your precious champion! He is a brigand and a liar!" The voice boomed through the temple. "I have grown weary of your incessant warring Hylia. I was always to keep the balance, but neither you nor Demise honored my duty. Were we not placed here by the Goddesses to guide the Huma's path to divinity? To show them that there is a better path? Look where your petty quarrel has got you now!" Majora extended an arm and swung it around the group. "A far cry from what the Goddesses decreed!"

Kotake, due to some inner instinct to protect her king, plunged down sharply before leaping off her broom; remarkably spry in her old age. She stromped right up to the imposing Gerudo king with the parasitic mask enveloping his features and waggled a knobby finger, "I don't know what you are, but you release my son right now!"

Majora crooked its head at an angle as it glared down at the stunted witch, "But he was never really your son, now was he?" Kotake took a step back as she gasped at the awful allegation. "Always pulling the strings of your own people. There is a reason your tribe is doomed to die. You have thrown your allegiance to those who would seek evil and conquer the Triforce. You have failed and you will be punished for it." The last sentence was delivered with a deeper vibrato than previous. It was as if Ganondorf himself spoke it rather than Majora.

A dreadful shriek erupted from Kotake as her very flesh started melting off her bones. She tore at the air as she tried to emit small puffs of flame or shards of ice to ram it through the body of her king. Presently, her arms slumped to her sides as her clothes swallowed her whole. Reddish pink goo slithered out of the openings of her fabrics, slowly spreading into a disgustingly sticky mess.

Everyone backed up from the lethal figure, still bellowing with laughter from the death of the old hag. It seemed to dance wickedly as it clapped its hands. "That felt remarkable!" It gleefully crowed. Spinning swiftly, it locked eyes on Zelda once more. "You should thank me. I am about to put an end to your silly struggle with Demise. There have been far too many attempts to claim the Triforce which has brought nothing but hardship for me. I've lost count how many times I had to restore the balance. Well, no more! With the Triforce of Power in my grasp, I will make sure there is nothing left to fight over!"

With a high pitched, raging snicker, Majora raised his hands to the ceiling. With an earth shattering crack, the entire ground shifted beneath their feet. Everyone fell to their knees as the entire roof of the temple exploded outward. Chunks of marble and alabaster hurtled through the air, some pieces landing as far south as the remnants of Lon Lon Ranch. Several of them screamed as the remaining portions of the roof collapsed around them.

The sky was wide open with blistering winds swelling the falling snow, smacking the small pieces of hail into their faces. Looking above, the entire earth trembled as the rising moon slowly began to rotate. Majora continued to raise its arms high as it laughed maniacally. Malon and Giana screamed with fright when they saw the horrible visage upon the moon. A horrific pair of red eyes glowered down upon them all, with a huge macabre smile revealing rotted teeth.

"No…no…no!" Link moaned as he stared in disbelief at the spectatcle above them. "It's happening all over again!"

Zelda began crying, "I'm so sorry Link! I thought I was doing the right thing! I thought I had made the right decision!"

Lowering its head to regard Zelda one last time, Majora purred, "When there is nothing left of this world, then there will be nothing left to fight over. Balance shall be restored!" With a hoot, Ganondorf's body rose into the air and soared off southwards.

With the immediate danger passed, Nabooru walked up to Link, placing a palm on his shoulder nearly causing him to jump with surprise. "Link, we need to go. There is nothing left for us here."

Navi gonged out a warning. Link pushed Nabooru aside as he jerked his head back. A small dagger sailed through the air where their heads had been. He twisted around to block the incoming blow from Naar. Bringing his sword down, he swatted Naar's to the side. The general quickly followed it up by apparating a small dagger and thrusting it forward towards Link's belly. Shifting his weight, Link altered his shield to that of short spear and stabbing downwards into Naar's arm, knocking him off balance.

"It's just as well!" Naar cursed as he lay on the tile, rabidly trying to remove the spear pierced through his forearm. "May Majora burn all you Hylians to dust!"

With a wrathful cry, Link sliced Naar's head off, watching it roll a few feet before settling onto its cheek. "Then you will die too! Do you not even care?"

Ripping the spear free, Naar's body tossed it at Link who sidestepped it easily. It began to crawl over to its head to reattach. Naar spat venomously, "My life ended the moment my family was murdered!" His pupils glared at Zelda nearby, "Your grandfather ordered the execution of all Nevachrean nobility and government before he isolated us. They tied me to a post! They raped and burned my family in front of me! My wife! My little girl! May you all rot in Din's Forge and Ballos claim your souls!"

Link snorted with disdain as he glanced over at Zelda, "They clearly haven't got the bad news about Ballos have they?" Zelda returned the grin but dismissed it swiftly. Link plunged the Master Sword deep into Naar's chest, twisting it and dragging his body back with it.

"You are no nephew of mine! You would rally to my cause and destroy those that harmed our family!" Naar seethed.

"Being family does not excuse your actions!" Link roared, trying in vain to keep Naar from reaching his head. The man's strength was incredible, even while being plowed through by the Master Sword. Why was it not working? Wasn't this the sword of evil's bane? Shouldn't it be preventing him from regenerating?

Josclyn observed the frenzied proceedings below when a fellow defiled Kokiri offered up the question, "Should we continue to attack?"

She thought about it a bit before responding, "No." She looked off at the floating figure hovering over the fields south of them. The moon had begun to rain down what looked like tears from above. They were slowly growing red from entering the atmosphere and were gaining speed. "I think we have a far more drastic enemy we must combat. He could ruin all our plans." With a flash of gossamer wings, they all soared off together into the night sky; intent on stopping Majora from its present course of action.

Nabooru had vaulted herself away from the skirmish and was currently embroiled in one of her own. Apolloni was twirling and spinning between her and Merin, clashing swords and snarling at each of them in turn. Seeing her final grip on sanity leave her in an extravagant display of devastation, she had no one left to anchor her firmly. She had nothing left but to lash out at those who she felt responsible for their current plight.

She snaked low before rising up to strike one weapon against Merin's steel before flipping backwards over Nabooru's swipe. She landed promptly on her feet before backhanding Merin with the butt of her scimitar, knocking her to the floor unconscious. She lunged forward after Nabooru, eager and intent to behead her fellow Elder.

"You were always his favorite! I always hated you for that!" She raved, thrusting forward with a blade.

Nabooru sifted through the attack before retaliating with one of her own, "Seems like you rectified that quite handily. How many times did you have to degrade yourself to get within his good graces? Probably at the tender age of ten I'd wager, you little whore." She taunted.

Apolloni cried out in fury, "You filthy wretch! I tried so hard to be useful for him! To be the elder he wanted! And then there was you, the one person who wanted nothing to do with him and here you were, having children with other men! You fecund bitch! I will gouge out your eyes and shove them so far down your throat that you'll be able to see my sword slice through your innards!" She somersaulted past another jab before rising up to ram her shoulder into Nabooru's chest, pushing her off her feet.

"You can't protect them forever old man!" Argonim laughed, tossing another apparated bomb at the base of Rauru's barrier. It exploded in a cacophony of sound, forcing a grunt from Rauru as he strained to maintain the aura.

The Defilers had either all left with the Kokiri or were killed. Malon had retrieved her spear that had impaled one of the demons. She was crouched low next to Giana and Saria, each looking beyond Rauru at the beefy man assaulting them. At this rate, the ancient sage would lose ground and succumb to the successive blasts of his oppressor. When that happened, she needed to be ready to attack him with extreme prejudice.

Ashley was wheeling Epona about the fractured temple foyer, directing the mare around shattered columns and piles of rubble. He decided to take a more passive role in the conflict, preferring to hang back and fire poisoned arrows into the fray. He had struck two Kokiri earlier, prior to the masking of Ganondorf, and they were no longer a threat.

He tried to fire an arrow into the mix of Naar, Link and Zelda, but the three of them were moving at such a high tempo that he dared not release another for fearing of striking one of his friends. The Cyn'Taak was of little help. It was clear it wanted to join in the battle and rip Naar to shreds, but the amputation of its tail had induced a lot of blood loss and she was exhausted. Its greenish life force spreading out beneath her, hope looked dim that she would survive the night if someone didn't attend to her injury.

He attempted a few potshots at Apolloni but her internal instincts of survival seemed to have bolstered her situational awareness tenfold. She deflected the bolts handily with some almost scraping either Nabooru or Merin as they rebounded off her scimitars. He decided to wait that out until Apolloni was in a more compromising position to try that again.

Ashley's focus rested on Argonim. He wasn't doing anything particularly difficult, preferring to stand arrogantly and toss explosive devices towards the group of young girls. Spying the valid target, he nocked an arrow to the string and let it sail. It speared Argonim's right arm straight through.

Argonim roared in agony as his right arm began to bubble up in bloody cysts. A rather jagged sword materialized in his left hand and he painfully brought it down upon his right shoulder, carving the arm straight off. He staggered to the side at the initial shock of the situation, his right arm flailing uselessly as it burst in a splattering mess. The large brute dropped to a knee as he panted in misery, clutching the stump of an arm as cerise fluid flowed past his fingers.

Seeing the opportunity, Malon cried out to Rauru, "Drop the shield! We need to strike now!"

Rauru nodded his consent and dispelled the barrier. In a flash, Malon hurried forward with the spear level, she gouged it straight through Argonim's heart until it busted out the other side. Enraged at his own incompetence, he reached up and swiftly grabbed her by the neck with his lone hand. He raised her high as he rose to stand, her legs kicking fruitlessly in the air.

"It's about time you died. Dead or not, you will be fine pleasure to me. I have no qualms fucking a corpse." Ignoring the searing pain pulsing through his chest, Argonim began squeezing his palm around her neck tighter in preparation of snapping it.

With a boost of magickal speed from Rauru, Saria tore through the air with wings flustering. She had Link's dagger up by her face and was extending it outward the closer she got to the colossal man. He saw the movement and attempted to toss Malon at Saria but it was already too late. Zipping right past his head, he didn't realize what had happened until he felt the intense stinging all along his neck. A long streak of red began to form at his throat before his head lolled off to the side, hanging by a small thread of muscle and sinew.

Saria brought herself around, anticipating another pass but literally shook with relief as she saw Argonim drop Malon to the ground. She scrambled away on all fours as she coughed up spit, trying to breathe fresh air. "It's hopeless" Malon sobbed upon seeing Argonim resituate his head. "They just won't die!"

Link had already cleaved Naar from sternum to groin, fatigued from fighting an insurmountable foe. He simply kicked Link back and began using his separated body halves to stuff his organs back in so he could regenerate anew. Link stared at the Master Sword and wondered why it wasn't working like it should. If Naar had indeed acquired his power from the demons, shouldn't it stop this blasphemous rejuvenation?

Then the idea finally hit him. The mask of Ballos blessed by Hylia! It didn't function because pieces of it were missing! Each Nevachrean he had fought in this war revived because of their unique sliver embedded inside them from the mask! Rauru said he would have the ability to heal anyone or anything he touched for a short period of time. Would that work with the mask?

Electrified with purpose he shouted to Zelda, "Keep him busy for me! Do not let him get up!"

"Coward!" Naar roared. "Are you truly running away afraid because you cannot beat me?" Zelda swiftly shut him up by crushing his brain with her spiked baton, cringing slightly as she felt it crunch into his skull.

Tearing across the slippery tile, for it had been covered in the blood of multiple combantants; he skidded to a halt and dropped down to rip open the rucksack. Taking out the mask that looked so similar to his own face, he held it aloft and regarded it intensely. He exhaled in surprise as he felt a flow of energy percolate through his limbs and down into the mask. It was so subtle that he couldn't perceive it at first, but it didn't take him long to realize that the lower cheeks of the mask were whole again.

"He's not moving!" Zelda informed him loudly.

Still holding the mask, Link gripped the Master Sword and ran back to her. He looked down on the bloody mess that was Naar. He had been in the process of reforming when he restored the mask. He didn't even get to say a word of protest. There was no fantastic blaze of glory, no grand ceremony, he simply died. Link stood dumbfounded that it was even real. His most hated foe of many cycles was finally dead. Without warning, he belted out a hearty laugh. Zelda looked at him alarmed, but he couldn't stop laughing at the absurdity of it all.

"Link! Is everything all right?" Zelda probed nervously. She had never seen him so entranced like this. He did not answer her but continued to gaze down at Naar's body and laugh.

Argonim had noticed that Naar was unable to recover and recognized the danger he was currently in. He began to make a run for the temple entrance when a swift blast of air from Rauru aimed specifically at his feet flipped him over. Spiraling a full revolution, he landed squarely on his chin, nearly cracking his own neck.

Ashley began to take aim when Malon rose up a hand to stop him. "Don't! He's mine." She intoned maliciously.

She paced forward and grabbed the arrow directly out of Ashley's hand. He raised his eyebrows at her spunk but decided to let Malon have her justice. What business was it of his that she gets this one bit of solace? Standing next to the reeling brute, she kicked him over hard before stabbing the spear directly into his stomach. He grunted from the pain but continued to glare at her.

"You think so highly of yourself, don't you?" Malon droned; her face an impassionate façade. With one hand she ripped down the front of his trousers to reveal his elongated phallus. She spied a dagger at his belt and yanked it out of its sheath. With one fluid motion, she lobbed off his member. Argonim howled like a raving animal as he twisted and writhed from the sudden shock to his body.

"May you receive what you've given others!" Malon yelled as she stuffed the abominable organ into his mouth before stabbing Ashley's arrow into his forehead. She stepped back as his body ballooned outwards and finally exploded. She began shivering uncontrollably at what she had done. She crumpled to her knees and began puking up the contents of her stomach. Saria floated over to comfort her.

Nabooru had been dazed by Apolloni. Her ruby was cracked and fissured; her perception of reality was skewed as a result. She had no idea how losing such an integral part of herself would be so incapacitating. She endeavored to creep over to her two swords that had been flung during the melee. She was almost upon them when a set of youthful hands grasped them. She looked up to see the beaming face of Ashley holding the cold steel.

Apolloni had hopped onto Merin's back and was jerking her head back by the hair. She had a scimitar to her throat and was chortling at her victory. "And you," Apolloni accused, saliva dripping into Merin's ear, "thinking you could betray your own people and side with Hylians. You are no Gerudo! How dare you trick Ganondorf, your king, like that! You shall pay for your insolence!"

With a rapid gesture, she brought the sword to Merin's scalp and began cutting into her head, agonizingly slicing off an inch of hair from her head. Merin shrieked and pounded the ground as it became unbearable. An intake of breath and a fresh flow of liquid poured over Merin's face as the torture stopped. Merin craned her neck to look up to see two swords gutting Apolloni's throat. The Gerudo's eyes were rolling around, trying to comprehend what had happened.

"Stay away from my mother, you bitch!" Ashley boomed. Link and the others stood stock still, none had ever heard the boy speak a word until now. With a heave, he lifted the swords and threw Apolloni off Merin before rolling her over and hugging her dearly.

"Oh, Ashley!" Merin weeped, she began cradling his head and holding him tight. She kissed him by the ear many times. "I love you so much! My son…" Merin knew she may never have a child of her own flesh and blood, but Ashley was as good as any.

Link walked among his friends, surveying the decimated scene. Naar and Argonim were dead. The last vestige of Ganondorf's influence died with Apolloni, who was still choking and moaning on Nabooru's scimitars. He jogged over to Xavier who was whimpering and clawing the tile as she attempted to rise up and give him a hug.

Without looking away from her eyes, he called out. "Rauru!" The old man promenaded over and looked down upon the beast. "Do you know of ways we can heal her?"

The man shook his head, "Not by myself." He looked up at Zelda. "But with Hylia's help, I just might be able to."

"Yes. It is our responsibility to take care of her. We did take her from her rightful mother after all." Zelda nodded gravely. She knelt down beside Rauru and they got straight to work.

Drained but unwilling to relax, Link made his rounds to ensure each of his friends were safe and okay. Setting aside the mask onto the floor, he sat down next to Giana as she huddled next to Saria. As he opened his arms, she abandoned the Kokiri and leaped into his embrace. She began bawling into his chest. He cuddled her into his arms allowing the stream of tears flow down his chest.

"It's okay little one. Your knight is here. You are safe." Link soothed.

Malon walked over and sat down next to them, he leaned over and they kissed passionately. Their eyes met and they shared a common sorrow, not only had Talon died but an unborn child as well. Link placed a hand on her belly. She clasped it with her own and held it firm. There was still one last symbol of their love still remaining. They would do everything in their power to protect it.

"Malon, I am so sorry that I left you behind. I-" Link began to apologize, crystalline tears forming at the corners of his eyes as he beseeched for forgiveness.

She placed a finger to his lips, "Please…don't. We are here now. I love you." Malon caressed his face, her fingers lingering on the fringes of his wounded eye. She moved in to kiss him again.

Several deep shockwaves coursed through the ground causing several to cry out in bewilderment. Rauru gazed upwards and pointed at the demonic moon. "Up there." He informed. All eyes turned to the sky to see multitudes of meteors falling from the eyes of the moon. They were crashing into the earth spawning rising spires of flames and smoke. They could dimly hear the distant screaming of the army and their friends beyond the temple walls.

Nabooru got to her feet shakily and lurched over to Link before stumbling and utilizing him as a handhold. Her forehead throbbed and her vision was blurred, she had no idea if this condition was permenant with the passing of her ruby. "What do we do about Ma…Maje…" She stuttered on the name.

"Majora." Link corrected decisively.

Both Zelda and Rauru glanced up from their work on Xavier to see what Link's choice would be. Everyone turned to him for the answers. He felt that he didn't have the answers. The solutions would not come to him. Why were they all relying on him to make the decision here? He looked down and saw Giana looking up at him with such hope in her eyes. She truly believed he was her knight and that he would deliver them all from evil.

Link's eyes scanned around trying in vain to find something that might help him before it settled on the mask. His mask. It stared at him with its vacant white eyes, but there were no whispers coming from it. With resolve, he inclined over and picked up the mask and raised it to his face. Several things happened at once; Rauru stopped the healing and began running towards him, Saria's eyes went wide with an unholy vision as remembrance slammed into her brain.

"Don't lose control of yourself!" Rauru barked. "You are tainted! You have the Triforce of Courage but you now have that lust for power! Stop! I beg you!"

"Link! No!" Saria squealed. She levitated off the ground and began skyrocketing towards him in an effort to snag the mask from him.

All were in vain. The mask had touched his nose the moment Rauru spoke. Link's upper body jerked back as blinding white light shout out of his mouth and eyes. An inhuman wail emerged from his throat as the very foundations of the temple around them began crumbling into dust. Giana yelped as she was thrust off of his lap and he shot backwards clear across the ground before hitting a pile of rubble, his tattered green tunic turning a pale shade of blue.

Link clawed at the tile, sliding across the floor as energy surged through his very being, trying to rip him apart. Nabooru, Merin and Saria cried out as one as they both saw the terrible scene before them. Even Malon, who recently recalled her nightmare, saw it coming to life. Sprouting from the destroyed nubs of his glorious white wings were six lengthy appendages. They fanned out in a circular pattern, three on each side. His feathers were of pitchest black and reeked of malice.

With one final bellow, Link slumped to the ground. All was quiet as they beheld this new being before them. Some wondered if it was still Link, but Nabooru, Merin, Saria, Malon and Rauru knew better. At length, Link pushed himself off the ground and considered the people around him. The scarlet warpaint around his eyes and azure runes inscribed on his forehead gave him a frightening appearance. He concentrated on Zelda alone.

With the deep voice of a hundred souls he spoke, "Hylia, where is my sword?"


	93. Chapter 92 - The End to All Things

**Chapter 92 - The End to All Things**

They had placed Nabooru and Giana on Epona as they rushed out the city gates. Sprinting across the drawbridge, they could see the multi-winged form soaring southwards towards the devastation. Xavier, now healed by Rauru and Zelda, was lumbering after them, albeit at a reduced pace. She was quite lopsided now that she no longer had a tail. Malon, Merin, Ashley, Rauru and Cayla were running alongside Zelda, keeping a trained eye on Link to ensure they would not lose him. Saria kept a wary distance but stayed high in the air to track Link that way.

Zelda berated herself for being so weak. The moment he laid his eyes of white on her, she felt her knees give out. The memories came flooding back to her of that fateful day her champion first died, he was wearing the same war paint and held the same commanding presence. Why did she ask Ballos to seal such unrestrained power in a mask? What was her reasoning for keeping that potent visage of her champion alive? She shook her head to dismiss these thoughts, she knew that a grave mistake was made and she must now fix things.

They stopped short of the first row of raging fires. They scanned the mayhem, spotting various Gerudo on horseback swiftly attacking both demons and Nevachreans alike. Gorons were rolling through the masses, uplifting Hungers and Gerudo with their mighty hammers or fists. Zoras were crouched low and sneaking through the chaos, stabbing those they could. The majority of the Nevachrean army was killed to the man. They stood no chance between the dragon fire above and the potent weaponry of the Gerudo.

"What happened?" Zelda asked confused. She hadn't expected Zoras and Nevachrean countrymen to be participating in the battle.

"Maybe they joined up after it started?" Merin offered, breathing heavily beside her as she recovered from the run.

"That doesn't explain where they came from." Zelda countered.

Ashley pointed before firmly stating, "There."

Zelda squinted her eyes to see a bulky shape hobbling towards them, leaning heavily on a hammer with each step. "Darunia!" She cried out.

They rushed forward to assist him in standing. Giana's eyes bulged with fear as she beheld the imposing Goron king, his left arm completely gone. On the clotted stub where his arm used to be connected was some rudimentary bandaging; it was clear some Zora medicine was applied to staunch the bleeding so he could continue to fight.

"Are you okay?!" Zelda inquired anxiously, gingerly placing a hand on his rocky back.

Darunia took one look at her before grunting, "I'll be fine. One of them Hunger demons got to me, but I taught him quite the lesson." He grinned at the memory. Gazing up to the sky, he gestured towards the two flying figures opposing each other. "What of them? Who are they?"

Zelda's countenance sagged at the questions, "The one with black wings is Link." Darunia's eyes widened, but he made no comment. "The other is…Majora. It is in control of Ganondorf."

"Well that's just lovely." Darunia commented sarcastically. "What do you propose we do?"

Rauru interjected, "There is nothing we can do for now. Unless you believe you have the power to stop gods." Greeted with nothing but silence, Rauru nodded his head as he turned his eyes skyward. "We must prepare for the worst." They continued to watch the meteors rain down from the heavens. They had to look again, but it appeared the moon was closer than it was previously.

* * *

><p>Link flapped his six wings majestically as he sailed through the air, Master Sword firmly in hand. His focus was solely on Majora. Several meteors swept past him, mere feet from his position, however the innate sixth sense he had gained prevented any collisions. He swooped and twirled through the obstacle course of death, the moon's wrath pouring down and destroying the land below. He flexed his wings and spread them out wide to stall his flight as he pulled up right beside Majora.<p>

The mask twerked its head as it glared at him, "So you show your true face. What do you have to say for yourself? Come to apologize? I'm afraid we are far past that point." It chuckled menacingly.

Many voices spoke out as one, "I have come to defend all that threaten the Triforce and my Goddess."

Majora folded its arms as it mocked Link, "Always the pawn, aren't you? Why not break free of your shackles and become unbound to the threads of fate? Hylia was made only to do good. Demise was made only to do bad. I was made to balance the two and make decisions on what was best for this world. I was unfairly caught inbetween a struggle I should have had no part in, but since I could not deny the fate for which I was created, I was betrayed and killed. Now that there are no strings on me, it's simply time for me to return the favor!"

"The Goddesses' will cannot be disputed. You shall comply and know your place in the order of this world." Link intoned, holding the Master Sword level at Majora's head.

"I knew my place!" Majora seethed, its horns wavering with anger. "It was your fault that the balance of the world has shifted! If only you had put on my mask, I would have killed you right where you stood!"

Link's face was impassive and resolute, "It was not me. I was wrongfully imprisoned. Hylia never intended for this world to fall into chaos."

"Liar!" Majora roared. Without warning, he surged forward tackling Link. They spiraled down towards the ground; Link swept his wings back and flipped over, dislodging Majora and flinging him away.

With Master Sword first, Link careened towards Majora's dark form. Seeing the threat, Majora twirled to the side as the sword raced past his midriff, missing it by inches. With expert manipulation of his wings, Link immediately reversed and grappled Majora by the neck. With a heave, he dove them both into the ground sending heaps of dirt and rock flying into the air. Majora screamed in ire as Link dragged them both through the earth, creating a massive chasm in their wake. Several Zoras and Nevachreans screamed as they fell unexpectedly into the sudden gorge.

Kicking off the ground, Majora pushed Link back up into the air. Link smashed them both back down into the earth. Each exerting strident forces off the other, they skipped over the plains creating gaping holes and pits. Majora utilized Ganondorf's powers to propel a burst of pure concussive force which somersaulted Link through the air before ramming down near the castle walls, forcing a huge depression into the earth. Sides of the newly formed canyon began to slip due to gravity and started tumbling down in a rockslide.

Majora marveled at his hands as he examined his newfound body, "I must thank Hylia. She couldn't have picked a better body than this one. I am quite fond of it already!" Majora laughed perversely.

Link recovered quickly just in time to deflect the first magick blast from Majora. With ecstatic glee, it began hurling multitudes of dark beams at Link. He sensed each one of them and brought up the Master Sword to strike each back in turn. The unholy bolts rebounded off in various directions: collapsing portions of the town walls, decimating the windmill on the bluff overlooking Kakariko and even obliterating hapless demons and Gerudo as they ripped through the Nevachrean tent line.

A hovering dragon spied the two combantants and dove straight at Majora. He breathed in deeply before expelling molten flames at the hideous masked man. Alerted by the brightening glow from the incoming inferno, Majora shifted his body and directed a hand skyward to ward off the consuming fire. The firestorm encircled the body but then flowed back up the stream of flames directly into the dragon's throat. Its eyes popped as scorching heat burned its insides, smoke drifting out of its orifices. Its eyes rolled back before plummeting to the ground in a huge crash.

Link used the distraction to close the distance and swung the Master Sword in a sharp arc aimed at the head. Majora picked up on the movement and fell back in time for the steel to glance off its mask, one of the upper horns shaved cleanly off. It flipped back onto its feet and generated a pulse that knocked the Master Sword out of Link's hand.

A small glimmer of surprise played out on Link's face, but he recuperated promptly and delivered a roundhouse kick to Majora's neck, bringing the body down to the ground. Link bolted off the ground and flew towards the location where the Master Sword lay. He was within feet of reaching it when Majora soared in from the side, barreling him over. Kicking and punching through the air, they struck hard into the rock bluffs of the Gerudo valley, causing the sands to skyrocket higher.

"Not so fast! You aren't allowed to play with pretty things!" Majora giggled insanely, its bloodshot eyes boring into Link.

Sand drizzled down upon them as they exchanged blows. With a bone-crushing burst of energy, Majora catapulted Link through several pillars of sandstone, shattering each in turn. Multitudes of silt and rock clattered down, blocking off the pass and splitting the land in two. Cackling with pleasure, Majora deftly skipped from boulder to boulder as they collapsed to reach Link's prone form. Majora was almost upon him when a flutter of wings and spinning blades erupted in front of his face.

"You will not ruin what we have worked so long and hard for!" Josclyn stormed, slicing a rather deep cut in Ganondorf's left bicep. Two other Kokiri plunged downward from above, blades spinning; content to mutilate him from head to toe.

With uncanny reflexes, Majora thrusted both hands up and enveloped both Kokiri in vindictive discharges of dark energy. They shrieked and squealed as they tried slowing their downward velocity, their skin disintegrating off their bones. Majora released the flow of energy and chortled as their bones rattled to the ground in uneven heaps.

Majora turned its abnormal eyes on the final Kokiri, its high pitched voice oddly out of place, "One of Demise's creatures aren't you?" Josclyn glowered but said nothing. She knew when she was outmatched. "Come closer pretty fairy. Let me clip those wings for you!" At length she bowed her head and began floating further away, eventually disappearing beyond the farthest borders of the woods. Ganondorf's shoulders shook with the intensity of Majora's laughter, "Flee little demon! There is nowhere you can hide from my judgment!" Majora turned his face toward the moon and thundered out his mirth.

Oblivious to Link's precipitous approach, Majora was stunned as he was lifted off the ground and tossed high into the air. Looking down at the rising figure of Link, a small cry escaped his throat as he spied the Master Sword back in Link's grip. Majora soared southwards towards Lake Hylia, manipulating the meteors in the air to alter their trajectory towards Link. With calm demeanor, Link shot straight for each one, cleaving them all in half with the Master Sword; each piece thundering down below, killing all they landed upon.

Majora looked around for some form of leverage against Link but could see nothing in the darkness. A whoosh of wind signaled a meteor that had passed right by him. Link tore through the rock and plowed the Master Sword straight through Ganondorf's stomach. Majora swiveled its head to look at Link, the bloodshot eyes screaming murder.

"Impossible!" Majora squealed. A faint glow emanated from Ganondorf's hand. The Triforce of Power was protecting its bearer. "How are you still alive?" Link was ignorant of the fact he was being ignored completely by Majora. An inward battle was being fought within Ganondorf. "You died! I remember! I heard! The Triforce removed you from existence!" Ganondorf's limbs were contorting and flailing, seemingly being fought over by two powerful beings.

Utilizing the lack of resistance, Link tilted Ganondorf with the Master Sword and plummeted straight down toward Lake Hylia. Ignoring the ravings of Majora beside him, he picked up speed and began to aim for a small island out in the middle of the lake. The moment of impact, all was still. Sound came rushing back as the entire lake imploded into a massive caldera, water plumes soared into the sky at the sudden displacement of land.

Water and snow was still fluttering down as Link removed his sword from Ganondorf's body. Majora's mask was split in two, each half sliding off of Ganondorf's face. The man was unconscious from the ordeal. Link's white eyes regarded the man, his irises lingering on the soft glow of the Triforce. He felt a strange aura about this man, something he had encountered before in a previous life. Magick created to ensnare the power of the Goddesses.

"There are more of you…and multiplying." Link murmured to himself.

He gazed up to the high ridges of Lake Hylia and felt the presence of the interlopers. He was confused, it seemed like they had come back but were sporting a different signature than before. He raised the Master Sword and doused for the source of his troubling unease. The sword chimed within his mind at the location of these unholy magick users. In a flash, he launched off the island and was soaring through the air towards the Gerudo mass.

Stopping short of the chimeric army of Gerudo, Link beheld a seething mass of demons destroying or infecting them, making them a far more formidable army than ever. The magick of the interlopers was strong with these women. They had to be eradicated from existence. They posed a threat to both Hylia and the Triforce. He aimed his sword at the throng and called upon the blessings of Hylia to summon a holy ray of judgment. The Master Sword glowed with an uncanny luminescence.

* * *

><p>Rauru breathed easier. The dreadful visage on the moon had slowly faded away back into its surface. It no longer looked like it was falling towards them. The meteor showers had stopped and the only sounds they could hear was the still raging battle between Gerudo, demons, Zoras and Gorons. Zelda breathed a heavy sigh of relief; at least Link stopped the coming apocalypse.<p>

Merin asked anxiously as she indicated Link above them, floating ominously over the Gerudo horde. "What is that glow on his sword?"

Rauru looked up at him and deciphered the immediate peril. "He is removing all threats to the Triforce." He said calmly.

"What do you mean by all threats?" Nabooru probed; a slight rise in pitch in her voice.

"Anything remotely connected to Demise or previous menaces in the past that had sought after the Triforce for vile purposes. If you are not of their ilk, you should not be afraid of what is to come next. We should all be spared." Rauru explained serenely, his eyes creased with happiness that evil would finally be purged in the next few moments.

Malon cried out to Zelda, "The Gerudo! They are using magick from the ancient world to clone themselves after they die! It is unnatural."

Zelda began to slowly fathom what Malon was implying. "What exactly does this mean?"

Malon jabbed a finger at Merin, Nabooru and Giana, "We're all of Gerudo blood." She turned to Link, the radiance around his sword swelling in brilliance. "He is targeting them all! We are going to die too!"

The last words barely escaped her mouth when a flurry of beams shot forth from the Master Sword, each one seeking its individual target. Thousands of beams lit up the night as they struck their marks. A great cry went up from the plains, as both demons and Gerudo alike were burning alive in holy fire. Nothing was left of them but ashes and dust.

Zelda knew now why Ballos had suggested she conserve her strength, to protect those she loved. She shouted, "Rauru, please help me!" She slammed a barrier down around Merin and Malon who were beside her.

Malon squawked as she beheld several beams heading straight for her sister. Nabooru could see her death approaching, her abhorrent dream coming back to her in waves. Nabooru did not have the coordination to leap off Epona and make her way to the protective shield Zelda was sustaining. She was still recovering from losing her ruby. She knew however that if she did nothing, both she and Giana would die. Tears streaming unchecked, she gave a tight squeeze to the little girl and kissed her passionately on the head.

"Always remember that mother loves you." She choked back a sob. "Mother loves you very much."

"Mommy?" Giana wailed, looking up fearfully into Nabooru's eyes.

With a lurch, Nabooru tossed Giana towards Rauru who was running to aid her. She slipped off Epona with the force of her throw. She landed on the ground with a crack. She whimpered at the bone snapping in her arm as she hit the earth. Rauru groaned in surprise as the yelping girl crashed into him, bowling them both over onto the ground. Holding her snugly to his chest, he erected an aura that shielded them both.

The bolts hit them immediately. Giana trilled at the top of her lungs as the very ground seemed to quake and rumble around them. Arresting white light surrounded them as they heard an animalistic howl just feet away from them. Giana turned her head to see her mother swiftly being burned alive.

"No little one!" He tried to cover her eyes and direct her attention away. "Do not look!"

She fought with him mightily and stared at her mother. She was writhing in pain as the light took over her body, rampaging through her innards and roasting her from the inside out. She had an arm out reaching for her, in hopes she might get to touch her daughter one last time. Eventually the strength in her arm gave out and it dropped to the dirt before shriveling into ash. Nabooru was gone.

Rivers of sweat were flowing down Zelda's cheeks as she strained against the onslaught. Several more pulses exploded from the tip of Link's sword and collided with her barrier, each time it tugged on her heart strings, causing Zelda to catch her breath. His assault was relentless. She knew the intensity had changed when she looked up and he was closing in on their position. He had annihilated all other Gerudo and abolished every single demon. The remaining Gorons and Zoras along with their newfound Nevachrean allies were standing around lost as to what they should do next.

"Hylia." He called out firmly. "Release your struggle. Let me remove these last remnants of evil from this world." She looked up at him, terror in her eyes, not for herself, but for her friends. "Please Hylia, we must fulfill our fates as protectors of the Triforce."

"Do not do it Zelda!" Rauru yelled through the tumult of sound igniting around them. "He will destroy your friends!"

Xavier looked between both his father and mother and couldn't understand why Link was trying to harm members of their pack. Seeing that he meant injury, she charged forward with intent to knock him unconscious. She didn't want to permanently hurt him. His white eyes cast their gaze on her. With a curious motion, he outstretched one hand and flapped his wings adamantly. She was knocked backwards, stumbling and scraping various limbs on the jagged rocks underfoot.

Seeing the raw power Link wielded, Ashley and Cayla kept their distance. The synergistic beams of energy were swirling all around them, but none touched their persons. They were relatively safe from his judgment. Neither dared to move forward to stop him, they were unsure if he would turn on them and perceive them as a threat too. Saria from above was witnessing the devastation beneath her and couldn't stop the tears from coming.

Malon and Merin were cowering below Zelda's arms as she fought back against Link's ruthless barrage. The small opening Xavier had provided for them was a gift, she knew the time was now to act. She screamed for Rauru, "Get over here now and protect these two as well!"

Without questioning, he held onto Giana securely and rolled into Zelda's aura. He quickly freed the girl and propped himself up onto his knees as he redoubled her barrier. Nodding to her that all would be well, she dropped the energy and began pacing forward towards her champion. Satisfied that Xavier would no longer be a risk, Link turned back to resume the purge when he stopped short at the sight of Zelda mere inches from him.

"My Goddess. Do you now see reason in what must be done?" He uttered gravely.

She tried to fight back the tears but her body denied her. Gritting her teeth, she longingly looked at him, her heart aching with regret. "Yes, I do. Please forgive me Link."

"Very well, step aside and-" His voice caught in his throat. Stunned silence permeated the field. He looked down to see a sword made of pure light penetrating his sternum, its hilt in the hands of his Goddess. He mumbled monotonously, "I don't…understand." The white of his eyes flickered before going dark. He crumpled to the ground, his wings in disarray around him.

Malon screamed as she saw his figure collapse. Rauru disbanded the barrier as she sprinted toward him. She grabbed the mask loosely hanging onto his face and tossed it far away from them. She lifted him up and cradled his head in her lap. Zelda knelt down beside her and rested a hand on Link's arm but Malon shot her a vicious glare.

"I'm sorry Malon…it was the only thing that could be done. He would have killed you all." Zelda explained half heartedly. Her words felt shallow and empty as she watched Malon ignore her and begin weeping bitterly over Link.

His eyes fluttered as he responded to her touch. He raised up a hand to caress Malon's cheek, gazing at her lovingly with his lone eye. "Hey…you look…beautiful." He coughed up some blood. She quickly wiped it away with her shirt.

"Please don't talk. We'll get someone to heal you. Just hold on just a bit longer." Malon pleaded.

Darunia had strolled up to the group gathered around Link. He took one look at the wound inflicted on Link's chest and his expression darkened. The shimmering sword Zelda wielded had evaporated, but its mark that it left was awful. A broad laceration exposed Link's innards straight through to the dirt beneath him, everything caught in the sword's path was immolated completely. He placed a knowing hand on Cayla's shoulder as they looked on in sorrow.

"Not…to worry. Triforce of…Courage can heal me." Link placated.

Rauru sidled up next to Zelda and whispered, "If it has not healed him by now, then the effect of having it within him in the Sacred Realm has worn off." She turned to him and saw the truth of his words. She had only known him for barely an hour, but she knew his knowledge was irrefutable.

Merin hung back with Ashley, putting two protective arms around him and burying her face in his neck. He reached up around and placed a reassuring hand on her hair. Giana was let loose to leap to his side, her puffy eyes bloodshot from all her sobbing that night. She delicately placed her two palms on his legs and looked up into his face.

"You have to come back Link. You can't die. You have to play with me. You promised." She whined, an ardent look in her pupils.

He reached down and petted her glorious crimson hair, "I did, didn't I?" He hacked briefly. "Well, when I…get better, I will…be sure to do so." She shared his smile.

Saria had touched down and was sluggishly walking up to him. She was just above his head looking down at him. He noticed the movement and inclined his head to look up at her. "You stupid fool!" She exclaimed, hands on her hips.

"Saria!" Zelda gasped.

"You have a child to take care of." She reflexively placed a hand to her belly, "You have children to take care of. Because of your bravado of putting on that mask, you can't even do that!"

Zelda jerked her chin in Darunia's direction. Getting the hint, he firmly clasped the Kokiri's shoulders and led her bawling away from Link. Link began to cry, this was not how he wanted to have ended things with Saria. He knew he was dying and there was still so much more he wanted to do in this life. He gazed over, beyond his friends and saw Ashley nearby Epona. She was whickering anxiously to be at her master's side, but they calmly held the mare back. He smiled at her sadly but said nothing.

Ingo trotted up on Fado, several others following up behind. He took one look and bowed his head in solemn silence. Astride one of the summoned horses was Ruto and Veraca. Rescued from the riverside, they insisted that they rejoin the battle with their brothers and sisters. One look at Link's condition struck a blow to Ruto's heart. Her entire world shattered in that one instant. She moaned from the saddle, being restrained by Veraca. Malon was heedless of Ruto's lamentation, her mind and focus was solely on Link.

"Malon." He whispered. Her stare was passionate. She wanted to remember his face, to memorize each and every facet and curve. "Please look after our child."

She nodded her head vigorously, tears streaming, "I will."

His vision was dimming. He shook his head faintly to dissipate the fog that had begun to creep into his mind. Link wanted to remain here, in this moment, surrounded by his friends and family. He didn't want to be dragged down into the darkness. "I wish I could go without regrets…but I can't." He wheezed.

Malon squeezed him tighter, "What is it? What can I do?"

His eyes lazily rolling, he tried to retain his concentration on her. "I wish I could have…taught our son or daughter…everything I know. I'll never…get that chance." He closed his eyes.

"Please don't leave me. I can't live without you." Malon whimpered.

"You are…strong Malon. You are…like me. You never give up." His pupils dilated as he stared off beyond her, as if another voice within were speaking to him. "Navi? Yes I am…here. I am…ready. Let us-" Link's eyes stopped moving as the words hung on the air. His final stare aimed at Malon's face, never leaving it until Rauru reverently stepped over and closed his eyelids. At this point Malon lost all control and slumped over his body, her moans being heard from everyone around. Xavier let loose a mournful yowl.

Saria was nearby vehemently shaking her head, "I won't do it. I don't want to do it! If I do, it'll mean he's truly gone and I don't want to face that!" She sniffled.

Darunia beseeched her softly, "You are the only one who could. You were his best friend since his birth. You know him better than anyone. Sing a song for him." She shook her head more forcefully, but he pressured, "Do it for him, for his memory."

She shot him a scathing glower before treading forward to the middle of the gathering. All eyes turned to her as she began to haltingly sing. Even Malon's tears began to dry as she looked up at the angelic Kokiri, singing of their dear friend. Her voice crystal clear in the night, it evoked memories of golden days long since past. Reverence descended upon the Hylian plains as everyone was brought together to remember their fallen comrade, their friend, their hero, their champion.

* * *

><p><em>Oh, come away with us now,<em>

_To the woods green and fair,_

_Place your feet upon a bough,_

_Feel the breeze in your hair._

_Remember the tidings of old,_

_As we walk along the forest path,_

_Of grand adventures seldom told,_

_Recounted to make us laugh._

_Take your fairy in your hand,_

_Place her close to your heart,_

_Enjoy together the fertile land,_

_Made by the Goddess on her part._

_You've touched people near and far,_

_Caring for them as your own,_

_They will think of you upon a star,_

_As the bravest man they have known._

_With your journey now at an end,_

_May your deeds be written in tome,_

_Sailing on the cool summer wind,_

_A path to guide your way home._

* * *

><p><span><strong>End of Act 3<br>**


	94. Epilogue - New Beginnings

**Epilogue - New Beginnings**

They found him days later, delusional and wandering aimlessly at the bottom of the new caldera that was Lake Hylia. He was raving mad and quick to anger and vowed to kill them all if they got any closer. It took the better part of a day to subdue him and hike him back up the steep cliffs of Lake Hylia. Many men lost their lives that day just to bring in one man, Ganondorf. They promptly placed him in a makeshift cell garnered from the prisoner cages that still stood in the aftermath of the Nevachrean camp's destruction.

They sent the dragons back to their home deep in the Xaagar Mountains to be with their alpha male. Their job complete, there was no need to hold them to any pact. Many Zoras, Gorons, Nevachreans and more stayed to help clean up the battlefield and establish a raging bonfire with which to burn the remaining bodies that were not turned to ash. A great mourning rose up amongst the people that day.

At Zelda's insistence, they had Veraca take Ruto back to their homeland prior to the burial. She decided it best to not have her together in the same place as Malon, too much bad blood there. It would be many orbits before they heard anything of the Zoran kingdom due to the turmoil within the royal line. The Zoras had to reestablish their reigning monarchy.

They buried Link a few days later. They placed him deep in the woods beside the dead Deku Tree where his mother was laid to rest. Cayla established a gossip stone beside the first to mark Link's eternal home, for he was part Sheikah as well. Darunia had ordered a grand set of armor to be made that would adorn Link's body in his coffin. It was a striking suit of armor with forward curving horns on the helmet and a terrifying visage ornamenting the front breastplate. It was armor befitting a great hero in Darunia's mind.

With Saria's guidance, they refound the temple they had stayed at on their travels to the Xaagar Mountains and proceeded to place the Master Sword there. Zelda reverently removed the sword from its sheathe and traveled to the inner chambers of the blown out structure. She approached the platform and spied the pedestal with the unique indentation where a sword would go.

No sooner had she slipped the Master Sword into place, a small jingling giggle diverted her attention to the treetops. A rather scrawny figure, looking to be made up of little else but fabric and straw was gazing down upon her with its creepy red eyes. It reminded her of a scarecrow come to life. It twisted its head this way and that. Memory returned to her of Link's stories, of a land called Termina and a skull kid he had befriended. Could this be the very one?

She called out calmly to him, "Are you a friend of Link?" A minute passed in silence before Zelda wondered if he even heard her at all. At length he finally nodded. "Will you do me a favor in honoring him? Please defend this place and this sword. See that only the true heir comes back to claim it."

The skull kid blinked at her before disappearing into the trees with a rustle. Zelda sighed before returning to the others by the Deku Tree to begin the ceremony of interment. Many of Link's friends and acquaintances he had met during his lifetime were there to remember him and mourn his loss. Zelda lingered behind to escort Malon back to Epona for the lengthy journey home long after everyone else had left the forest.

The rebuilding process had been extensive and arduous. Multitudes of people ranging from Zoras, to Gorons, to Nevachreans and even people from surrounding countries pitched in to help out Hyrule's resconstruction. Each race had their role to play in renovating the capital city. Zelda took a legion of scholars from the pool of helpers and scoured the remaining books of the library for any and all information regarding the Gerudo.

Due to Ganondorf's deceit, treachery and willingness to commit or enable mass genocide for the sake of his own people, he was unanimously sentenced to death for his crimes. However, she stayed the hand of fate, feeling a swift death was far too good for him. She spoke to Saria and Malon at length about their experiences with the Gerudo and learned of a parallel world similar to their own, the home of the Twili; the source of their abnormal magick.

After much research, she traveled on several expeditions to the colossal sanctuary standing tall in the desert, broken and in ruin. Saria accompanied her on a few of the trips. Darunia supported them as he could by providing protection from local wildlife.

Zelda had ridden Epona through the desert, a gift from Malon on Link's behalf. She preferred not to join them on these excursions and did not want to keep Epona as her own. It simply brought back too many painful memories. Zelda always smiled in reminiscence of her, the girl had become quite swollen of late.

It was on their second trip that Saria finally led them to the central room high atop the structure, the one chamber which was open to the sky with a massive black rock of darkest obsidian resting near its center. Opposite it was an unusual mirror that seemed to suck dry the very light around it. Zelda was in awe at this alien object, so unlike anything they had ever encountered in their lifetime. Based on her newfound knowledge, she knew without a doubt that this was the entryway into the Twili realm.

Zelda rubbed her shoulders trying to keep them warm as her breath came out in visible puffs, "This is where we will do it." She confirmed to no one in particular.

Darunia grunted, "Do what?" He asked, scratching the sealed over stump of an arm. It had healed rather nicely but he would always be handicapped in battle, although none of his subjects would ever tell him that to his face.

"We will discover how this mirror works and exile Ganondorf to the very realm their vile magick spawned from. Hopefully there, may he be massacred by the very people he tried to exploit." Zelda huffed with derision.

"Didn't you say we needed six sacred sages?" Saria pointed out curiously, fluttering back after examining the mirror. She pointed to both Darunia and herself. "You have two of us already. If the books are to be believed, we need all six of us here. We still don't know who the last one is."

Saria was just as adamant as Zelda in learning all she could about the outside world. She was completely sheltered most of her life, she finally took the newfound peace to learn more about the land she lived in. She had awoken one day knowing that she was a sage, an ancient duty tasked by the Goddess Hylia long ago to maintain vigil on the Triforce and protect it from evil hands. Rauru said several others would awaken as well, chosen by destiny and Hylia's guidance. Zelda asked how she could guide anyone from her current position, but Rauru corrected her by stating her past life's actions were influencing destiny and would provide that direction.

Darunia and Cayla had awoken as sages on the same day, merely hours apart. Cayla knew in her heart that her sister, Impa, should have been the rightful Sage of Shadow. However, due to her death, destiny had chosen a new vessel for the responsibility; a vessel that was so closely tied to her by both blood and love. A Zora emissary named Leelan brought news to the capital of Ruto's awakening. She had pleaded with Veraca to get that urgent message to Zelda as soon as possible.

That just left one unaccounted for, the one for spirit. By all accounts, the texts said she or he would be born from the desert. Assuming it would be one of the remaining Gerudo left alive after Link's judgment, they queried both Merin and Malon about it. Neither one delivered any positive answers. In desperation, Zelda even sat down to talk with Giana for a time but to no avail. Would this form of punishment even be viable if they didn't have the requirements needed to execute it? How else were they to lock away one of the most dangerous men alive? Especially one who was found to be in possession of the Triforce of Power?

"I know Saria." She finally answered at length, tapping a finger to her chin, observing the spacious chamber. "We'll find them eventually. Until then, we have to keep constant watch on Ganondorf until we are ready. We can't stall the restoration of Hyrule on his account. We must press onward with rebuilding our country."

Darunia nodded in firm agreement, "I also approve of your sentiment, if your guidance remains true throughout all the cycles, then we must trust to the magick you laid down then to find the final sage we seek. Your council mages should be able to contain him long enough until we are ready to implement this plan."

Zelda glanced around the room, investigating the heavy chains strewn across the floor. "Even if we banish him into this world," she waved a hand in the direction of the massive stone, "we need to have a way of making sure it is kept sealed for all time. I may have to ask the sages to commit their souls in the afterlife to this task."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Darunia questioned.

Zelda winced at his accusation, "I know it is. Which is why I won't ask it of anyone who isn't willing to make the sacrifice, it is a heavy thing to ask of anyone. Hopefully the good of the nation will win through however." Her expression pained at the knowledge that she might be damning forever those she held dear to this task.

"To think," Saria murmured, "This is where I found Navi. If it weren't for her, Link and I…" As if on cue, a rising nausea began bubbling in her stomach. "Not again." She moaned as she flew behind the podium and wretched miserably.

Sharing a knowing look with Darunia, Zelda ambled up to the dais and stepped around the mirror to find Saria trembling with the exertion. Gingerly wiping away the bile from her mouth, she felt awfully embarrassed at what she had done.

Zelda dotingly asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?" She placed a comforting hand on Saria's back, just below her wings.

Saria shook her head, "No. It's nothing. Just this darn sickness. I'll get over it eventually."

Zelda lifted her chin to have Saria look her in the face, "You and I both know that is not true." She recalled the conversation back in the Xaagar Mountains, of Link and Saria sharing a special bond together. "What you carry is part of Link's legacy Saria. You need to cherish your body and take care of it, so that you can take care of them." She moved a hand to massage Saria's stomach.

Saria blushed horribly as she turned away from Zelda, "I'm scared Zelda. I don't know what's going to happen to me. Will I become as bloated as Malon?" Zelda laughed at this. "Will it hurt when they come?"

Zelda shrugged her shoulders, "I can't say. I don't believe anything like this has ever happened to a Kokiri before. However, I believe fate had a hand in this and both Link and Navi helped save the Kokiri race. Don't be afraid. Embrace the gift that was given to you."

Saria bowed her head, quaking with fear of the unknown. "Okay Zelda." She spoke flatly.

"Come on." Zelda chippered, helping Saria back onto her feet. "Its getting late and we need to make it back to camp before it gets dark. We'll head back to Hyrule in the morning."

With Darunia leading the rear, they left the empty chamber and made their way back to camp. That night Saria opted to sleep next to Zelda. They spoke about life and children, looking towards the future of endless possibilities.

* * *

><p>All seven of them were encircled around Ganondorf. Chains bound his arms which were linked around the dark obsidian stone. Rauru and Cayla had reservations about condemning the man to potential eternal torture in the Twili realm and decided it best that they execute him here instead. Upon a single vote, Saria was the tie breaker and they culminated their energies together to manifest a sword of incredible length wreathed in holy light. They plowed Ganondorf through with it, impaling him to the stone of darkness.<p>

All of the sages breathed a heavy sigh of relief. The threat to their survival was dead. Darunia and Cayla made their rounds to congratulate each of them as they celebrated their final victory over Ganondorf. The Triforce of Power, Rauru speculated, should then pass to another person of destiny. It may be cycles or even millennia but they were currently safe from the immediate threat Ganondorf posed to the free people of Hyrule.

Ruto was oblivious to the merriment around her. She had never truly recovered from the experience of living her life among the Nevachrean pigs. Hurting her only true love and ultimately seeing him die before her eyes caused her to withdraw completely from the world. Veraca tried in vain to reach out to her and bring her back to the world of the living, but she would just mope about her chambers each day. Her enthusiastic response at discovering she was a sage was a bolt of lightning in their dismal world.

Everyone but Ruto noticed the corpse of Ganondorf twitching and jerking. By some cruel twist of fate, the Triforce of Power continued to protect its bearer, even after death. With an animalistic roar, he snapped his left bound wrist from the chains, the glow of the Triforce illuminating brightly on his fist. He snarled at them wrathfully before struggling to undo the final chain which bound him to the darkened obsidian.

"Ruto! Come away!" Zelda commanded forcefully.

Lost in her memories, Ruto was barely aware of the danger as Ganondorf snapped the second chain and rushed forward clutching Ruto's neck. Within seconds, she was nothing but dust floating on the wind. Ruto was gone. With a savage cry, he turned to the others and prepared to kill them all, his eyes bloodshot and devoid of humanity.

"The mirror!" Zelda shouted, pointing at the chilling object. "We have no other choice."

At once, the rest of the sages raised their arms and summoned the energies to activate the portal. The ground shook as a portal to darkness opened up wide within the rock. Ganondorf bellowed and raged as an unknown wind began to suck him into the netherworld. He took one last look at Zelda before being dragged into the abyss, "You are mine!"

* * *

><p>Zelda bolted out of bed screaming, jerking Cayla from her seated position in the shadows. The covers were in disarray over her bed, she had kicked them off in the night. She was sweating profusely at the dream. It had all been so real. Was it a vision of things to come? They had yet to sentence him to exile, nor had they found the sixth sage yet. What did it all mean?<p>

"Is everything all right, my queen?" Cayla bowed briefly before stepping closer to the bed to rest an arm up against one of the four posts flanking Zelda's bed.

Zelda shook her head fervidly. "No. It's nothing." She pressed a clammy hand to her forehead, trying to wipe the sweat off. "Just a bad dream, nothing more."

"Very well." Cayla smiled sadly before waddling off back toward her silent vigil over her sleeping quarters.

Zelda regarded the pregnant Sheikah with affection, it had been almost two cycles since the death of Link and a lot had changed. She found it hard to believe that when she first met Cayla, who was later found to be Impa's sister, they did not get along well at all. Now here she was, one of her most personal confidants and truest friends. She recently joined with a fellow Hylian she had taken a fancy to and was at least seven orbits swollen with child.

"Did you ever come up with a name for the baby?" Zelda asked diffidently.

Cayla laughed as she squatted down onto the chair, utilizing the nearby vanity for support. "You asked me yesterday this very question."

Zelda clutched the bridge of her nose with two fingers as she scrunched her eyes. Why was she so absent minded these days? There was simply too much to do and be appraised of every day as queen, so many things slipped through the cracks. "My apologies Cayla. I forgot."

Continuing to chuckle, Cayla humored Zelda, "The name is still the same: Impa, after my sister."

Zelda waved a hand at her own silliness, "Of course, that's right. How could I forget?"

Zelda slid out of bed and removed her night shift. She ambled over to the wardrobe, pulling out a rather elegant dress of pinks, golds and yellows. She sported a violet vest with the royal crest emblazoned on the front and a diadem of pure gold with a single sapphire adorning the center depression. She finally placed two golden pauldrons upon her shoulders and strapped the clasp beneath her neck. She checked her hair one last time in the mirror before heading out the door.

"Don't wait for me." She inclined her head to look back at Cayla, still sitting on the chair. "Get yourself some breakfast. It's going to be another eventful day."

With a smile Zelda turned and immediately screamed at the top of her lungs. Several Sheikah emerged from the shadows at her call. She waved them all down before turning to the abominable beast. The Cyn'Taak was inches from her face as she left the threshold of the door, its tongue rolled out and a stupid toothy grin on her snout. She gave Xavier a quick smack on the chest.

"You know better than to surprise me like that!" Zelda admonished.

"I 'now! But I love 'our reaction!" Xavier grinned ferociously.

With an exasperated breath, Zelda shook her head before motioning the behemoth to follow her down the hall. After Link's death, they weren't exactly sure what to do with the beast. They futilely tried reintegrating her back amongst her kin, but all they wanted to do was stab her with their barbs and eat her alive. With no alternative, they decided it best to have her live within the castle and become Zelda's personal bodyguard, to which Xavier was quite excited at performing. There was already one instance where on her way to a neighboring country, Xavier defended them handily against a group of armed bandits.

A messenger ran up with a sack full of papers. In an excited, breathless tone, he entreated her, "My queen! If you would but look at these statutory missives for just a moment!"

Zelda rolled her eyes. She was quite tired of dealing with laws and regulations to last a lifetime. Was this the type of nonsense her father had to deal with? With a defeated expression, she stretched out her hand. "Give them here." She snarked.

She sifted through the papers as the messenger stood by wringing his hands nervously. Nothing too monumental stood out to her until the final sheet. It detailed intensive humanitarian assistance to the budding economy of Nevachrea. The legislative initiator was signed as Ingo Gorman, she smirked at the name. He had returned home a hero after the war and was quickly elected king of Nevachrea. Naturally Ingo hated the position and gave it away immediately to someone far more political minded then he. Ingo preferred the small comforts of his brother's pub and inn. Despite this, he was very influential in Hyrule's court.

"I'll grant this one." Zelda offered, quickly dipping her signet ring in the proffered wax the messenger brought and stamped it onto the base of the writing.

"What about the others?" The messenger sniveled.

Zelda made a motion to dismiss him, "They can wait."

Ignoring his blubbering, she descended down the steps and into the main courtyard of the castle, now blooming with the coming of spring. Bees and dragonflies buzzed past her as she made her way across the immaculate garden. Rauru was coming out of the opposing archway, making his way toward the dungeons. He had long since been elected to maintain the magickal prison they had placed Ganondorf in. It was a difficult and important task, at any moment Ganondorf would awaken to the power of the Triforce piece within him and all would be lost. They continued to layer on multitudes of magickal barriers with each passing week to buy them time should the inevitable occur.

"My lady." He bowed low as they walked past each other.

She returned the gesture and continued on into the lengthy halls leading out to the stables. Presently she turned to Xavier as they reached the entrance to the stalls. She placed a kind hand on her ribbed chest, "Xavier, you need to stay at the castle. I would like to make this one trip alone."

The Cyn'Taak's eyes contorted as it tried to comprehend the order, "But the 'heikah will 'ollow you anyway." The beast reasoned.

Zelda giggled at Xavier's logic, "Indeed they will. But I want you to rest for today. Take some time off and practice on your hunting in the woods west of here. You know you aren't skilled enough to kill something on your own without your tail."

The beast growled at the insult but grumbled in assent as it scampered off to do just that. With a lingering smile, she entered the stable and found Epona. It nickered in greeting as it nipped at her hair playfully. "Hey girl." Zelda soothed as she brushed down the fur on Epona's neck. "Ready to ride today?" The mare shook its head excitedly as Zelda strapped the saddle onto her back.

"You have made a fine queen Hylia." A voice behind her spoke.

Zelda squealed as she spun around quickly, whipping a baton out of her belt, its spikes immediately distended. The red haired man had his hands clasped congenially and was smiling at her oddly. He was hunched over due to the heavy sack of masks he wore.

"Ballos!" She said, catching her breath from the fright.

He nodded. "I am glad to see that all has transpired well."

She frowned, "Not all things."

A slight crease of his smile indicated something other than mirth, but his grin never wavered. "Indeed, there were some sacrifices to be made. Per your orders, I helped shape the critical events that needed to happen to bring about this victory."

"My orders? Oh." She realized she must have given them to Ballos in a previous life. "Did I give you anything else? You knew what was going to happen, didn't you?"

He nodded amicably, "You gave me the gift of foresight. I can see glimpses of what is to come and the potential to change them."

"You were always there, weren't you?" Zelda beamed at him.

He bowed low, "Always, my Goddess."

"And what of the mask?" She probed.

"The mask of your champion? It is destroyed per your orders on that day. It will not be used for untoward purposes again." Zelda breathed a small sigh of relief. After a few moments of silence, he purred, "Do you wish to request anything further from your servant before I take my leave?"

"No…" After a moment, she stopped him. "Wait. Your smile. I know why you wear one all the time. You do not have to keep the façade up on my account any longer. You can show your true emotions with me from now on."

The smile never vacillating, he quietly beseeched, "If it's all the same to you Hylia, I would prefer to keep my smile. It'll remind me always of you." With another bow of his head, he stepped out of the stable and out of her current life.

* * *

><p>Wind whipping her hair back, Zelda closed her eyes and enjoyed the refreshing feeling of the cool morning air against her skin. Epona was thrilled to be galloping across the open plains once again. The landscape had changed since the battle between Majora and Link. Zelda's gaze went to the hilltop where Lon Lon Ranch once stood. Malon had decided not to rebuild the ranch as was originally planned. She instead made for the small province of Ordon and restarted anew her life with her unborn child and Giana. In its place was a grove of trees and shrubs that had overtaken the existing structure that still stood.<p>

Her eyes turning back to the edge of the Lost Woods, she recalled her last trip there with Saria. Merin and Ashley had come with them. Merin knew that being a Gerudo at this particular time was a rather unpopular prospect. She wanted to take her adopted son far away from Hyrule and raise a new family and rebuild the Gerudo culture into something far better than what it once was. With Zelda's blessing, they branched off and headed southwards, discovering lands far beyond Nevachrea and settling there.

She entered the forest with Saria at her request. Given recent events with the war and how maladjusted she was to life among non-Kokiri folk, she favored living back amongst the trees and her woodland home. Zelda couldn't blame her. The one and only time Kokiri were known to have left their home, they ended up being tortured, raped, killed and experimented on. There were so many mysteries surrounding their race and all of it highly exploitable for unsavory rogues to take advantage of. Saria felt it better that she save them all the hassle and retreat to the safety of the forest.

Zelda had the privilege of seeing a Kokiri give birth for the first and quite possibly the last time. Unlike any delivery she had ever known and to the astonishment of them all, Saria gave birth to several dozen seeds of varying shapes and colors. Seeing so many natural Huma babies in her short time outside the forest, Saria was slightly disgusted at what she had produced. Zelda was charmed that even in childbearing, the Kokiri were still unique. She assisted Saria in planted each of them into the ground in hopes a new generation of Kokiri would sprout.

The next time she saw Saria, they already had flowers blooming on their stalks. Saria was excited about her children and had already named each of them after the flower they displayed. Seeing the young girl so happy with her brood, Zelda couldn't help but be overjoyed for her. She was going to have a tough time being a mother to several dozen Kokiri kids! Would they even grow old since they had a part of Link in them? Or would they stall at the age Saria is now?

She was still reminiscing over her last conversation with Saria and her promise to return to her at the castle when the time arose to finally seal Ganondorf away for good that she was hardly aware of where they were until Epona reared up, jolting her out of her reverie. She had reached the small little cottage just along the border of the southern edge of the woods. The expansive plains north of Yolland spread out before her.

It was a quaint structure with a thatched roof overlayed atop wooden beams. The exterior was brick and plaster with several slanted windows embedded into the structure at haphazard angles. Even the wooden door was slightly off its hinges as it swung faintly in the breeze. Zelda shook her head in merriment. Malon was a survivor that was for sure, but she knew nothing about proper construction!

Zelda climbed down Epona and tethered her to a nearby tree branch, allowing the mare to lazily munch on the verdant grass. An excited nicker startled Zelda as a dark brown stallion came trotting up beside Epona. They playfully nipped at each other, pawing the earth with their hooves in joy at seeing one another again.

Zelda had to laugh as she watched Epona chase and nip at Harden Jr.'s tail as he pranced away from her. She shook her head as she recalled Harden Jr.'s birth, Giana was there to witness the miraculous event and proclaimed his name on the spot. Malon took the young colt as her own before heading south to Ordon, preferring that Zelda keep Link's horse, Epona.

She was just petting the stallion's soft fur when she heard several kids laughing nearby. She snuck around the side of the cottage and spied two young girls playing out in the copse out back. Giana was a beautiful young girl now. Despite her missing a leg, she seemed to have no problems cartwheeling around a young toddler with sandy brown hair who was laughing at her antics.

"Say caterpillar!" Giana demanded, rolling down onto her stomach in front of the little tyke. The girl mumbled some gibberish before Giana shrieked in delight. "Say caterpillar!" She repeated, more enthusiastically this time. She was just about to get up and cartwheel again when she spotted Zelda observing them. She immediately went silent. It had been years since she saw Zelda last and she was quite the stranger to her.

"Where is your sister?" Zelda inquired.

Giana pointed inside the house before turning back to the child and making silly faces, extorting more giggling from the babe. Zelda carefully pushed back the oaken door and peeked inside the darkened chalet. She found Malon asleep at the table sitting in a chair, her head resting on her propped up hand. She awoke with a snort as Zelda gently rocked her shoulders.

"It's okay, it's just me!" Zelda placated calmly.

Malon let out a breath as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, "I can't believe you actually came back. After I hadn't heard anything since the last letter I sent you, I thought you had forgotten all about us." She mentioned deliberately.

Zelda smirked at Malon's mock affront as she began to examine the humble abode she had created for herself and her family. "You have a lovely home here Malon." She venerated as she jangled some hanging pots above the stove.

Malon snorted as she got up from the chair, smoothing down her apron. "It isn't much at all. Giana helped when she could, but it just isn't the same without someone there to help you. It isn't the same without…" She stopped abruptly as she held onto the counter tightly, her knuckles getting white.

Zelda assisted Malon in releasing her death grip on the wood and grasped Malon's hands within her own, turning the woman to face her. "I know. I miss him too. I know that he loved you very much, far more than he loved anyone else. I deeply regret that I had to end his life." Zelda bowed her head in shame.

Malon squeezed Zelda's fingers but didn't let go, "I know you did the right thing. I realize that now. I know I was angry at you before when it happened, but I know you were saving Giana and me. He would have killed us, I know that. I stopped blaming you long ago."

Zelda wiped a tear from her eye as she beamed at Malon, "Really? I'm very glad to hear that. It puts my heart at ease." With a deep breath, she beheld the lush thicket behind Malon's house through the glass and regarded the children at play. "She really has recovered nicely hasn't she?" Zelda commented.

Malon turned to see Giana hopping around on one foot, much to the euphoric joy of her daughter. "Yes. She absolutely loves her niece and plays with her daily, teaching her new words and naughty behaviors." She chuckled at that. Her countenance fell sharply, "But there are times where she seems to withdraw from me. She wakes up in the night, screaming from horrible nightmares."

Zelda pursed her lips at the news, "I suspect the memories of the war won't ever truly go away. They will haunt her for the rest of her life. They will fade, but they will never truly disappear."

Taking a deep shuddering breath, Malon nodded her agreement. "I just wish I could help her overcome these memories but I can't escape them myself."

Seeing the conversation going sour fast, Zelda changed tack, "And your daughter? How is she doing?"

Malon tittered at the obvious ploy, but deigned to change subjects, "She is brilliant, beautiful in fact. She is the joy of my life and will carry on our livelihood when I'm gone. I plan to start a ranch here. Maybe even try my hand at farming. Who knows?" She shrugged.

"I think you would make an excellent farmer Malon." Zelda quipped.

Malon rolled her eyes but continued to stare out the window. In a more serious tone, she probed, "You didn't just come here to visit and exchange pleasantries did you Zelda? You had a purpose." She went to the stove and poured them both some warm tea in two brown ceramic cups.

With a sigh, Zelda walked over to the table with tea in hand and sat down on a chair, indicating that Malon sit opposite her. "You are right. I did not." Zelda began. "I had a dream, a vision rather. In it, we were sealing Ganondorf away and I saw six of the sages assisting me in this endeavor." After a purposeful pause, "You were one of the sages I saw Malon."

Malon immediately darted her eyes away from Zelda. "Okay." She stated morosely.

Pressing her for more information, Zelda continued, "Why did you lie to me? Did you know then when I first came to you about it?" Without speaking or looking at her, Malon bowed her head in the affirmative, wiping a tear from her eye. "Then why the lie?" Zelda stressed.

The words caught in her throat, "I was scared Zelda." She said nothing for many long moments. Zelda continued to sit and wait, allowing Malon the time she needed to get the words out. "I knew what I was when I woke up that morning but I didn't know what it would mean to fulfill my role. I didn't want to face Ganondorf again. I still don't. I feel somehow soiled that I am even related to him by the very race I'm apart of." She began to break down in tears.

Zelda immediately set her cup down and went over to her, wrapping Malon tightly in her arms. "Shh, it's okay. I know it is a frightening prospect and I'm not long for it either. But if we have a chance at potentially sending him away for good where he can harm no one else, isn't it worth the try?"

Malon nodded vigorously, clinging to Zelda's arm as a lifeline. "Yeah." She muttered.

"Well, I won't push you to do it now. I would rather have you be comfortable with the idea first before we call upon the others to perform the rite." Malon nodded again as Zelda returned to her seat.

They sat together for a long time, sipping on their tea, listening to the laughter of the girls outside. After a time, Malon murmured softly, "She has his eyes, you know."

Zelda perked up her ears, "Your daughter?"

Malon grinned, "Yes. And already she has his sense of humor. She laughs at the oddest things that most others wouldn't."

They both snickered at this fact. Zelda remembered something and slapped a hand on the table. "Oh! In all those letters you sent me, not once did you tell me the name of your daughter! I've been dying to know what you've named her!"

"Didn't I tell you?" Malon asked incredulously.

"Nope. Shall I ride all the way back to the castle and retrieve those letters to prove my point?" Zelda simpered.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Malon bantered. "I believe you." She lifted herself off the chair and walked over to the doorway, gazing out at the two children. "I thought long and hard about what I should call her. She was only three orbits old at the time and I still hadn't the heart to name her."

"Why?" Zelda queried.

"I guess naming her without Link being here would be the final nail in his coffin. I didn't want to let go of his memory." Malon sniffled. "Then one day, as if in a dream, the name finally came to me. It was…"

* * *

><p><strong>Fin.<strong>


	95. Appendix A: Characters

_This is a complete list of characters found in this fanfic. Please note that by reading through this list, there will be some things spoiled for you. It is merely here as a reference and for those who have already completed the story.  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><span><strong>APPENDIX A: Characters<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Protagonists - 33:<strong>

* * *

><p><strong><em>PRIMARY -<em>**

- **_Cayla_** – A jaded Sheikah who endured seven years in exile with the Gorons in the Xaagar Mountains. She is the blood sister to Impa.

- **_Ashley_** – A young mute boy who was once part of the Southern Raiders led by Kafei. His archery skill is second to Link's and is a formidable fighter.

- **_Impa_** – The Sheikah caretaker of Princess Zelda. She is an adept warrior with limited magickal skills and ninja like abilities.

- **_Link_** – Our titular hero of the story. He is the chosen one of the Goddesses who was uniquely born not just with Hylian blood, but also that of Sheikah and Nevachrean. He is a child of destiny and was raised in the woods with the Kokiri under the watchful eye of the now dead Deku Tree.

- **_Malon_** – Link's primary love interest and the daughter of Talon. She used to work at Lon Lon Ranch and first met Link there when raising Epona.

- **_Merin_** – One of the four Gerudo sent with Link on his journey to Glaun'rung. She is the most convivial of the four and holds no malice to Link or his group.

- **_Nabooru_** – One of the six Gerudo elders and lover to Talon as well as mother to Giana. She is a skilled warrior who has fought her way to the top of the Gerudo hierarchy structure.

- **_Saria_** – Link's life-long Kokiri friend who grew up with him. Being a Kokiri however, she remains a child even when displaced outside of the Lost Woods.

- **_Talon_** – The plump, doting father of Malon and Giana. He runs the Lon Lon Ranch with his daughter and welcomes Link's help on occasion.

- **_Xavier_** – The infant female Cyn'Taak that Link and Zelda steal to buy them time from the terrible creatures in the Negev Marshlands. They have since cared for it and raised it so that it now recognizes them both as its mother and father.

- **_Zelda_** – The princess of Hyrule and one of Link's closest friends. She has a past that extends far beyond her current mortal lifespan and powers that will ultimately shape the world.

**_SECONDARY -_**

- **_Darunia_** – The boisterous Goron king is an excellent fighter and bruiser. He is a sworn brother to Link and will do anything in his power to help him.

- **_Epona_** – Link's faithful steed that he acquired from Lon Lon Ranch when he was young. She has followed him as a true mount on all of his adventures and cares for her master deeply.

- **_Veraca_** – Once a lanky guard in the royal Zoran family, he has since grown into a fully mature soldier. He eventually became elected by his peers as the future king of the Zoras.

**_TERTIARY - _**

- **_Francis_** – The brother to Ingo Gorman. He resides in the Nevachrean capital of Glaun'rung and once had three daughters.

- **_Giana_** – The cute, little, red-headed tyke born from Nabooru and Talon. She is loved by all who meet her.

- **_Harden_** – The loyal steed of Malon whom she raised from a foal. He is spunky and rambunctious and after much trying, finally mated with Epona after a long, hard courtship.

- **_Hylia_** – A Goddess of the ancient world who hid the Triforce away in the heavens so that the demon king, Demise could not use it.

- **_Ingo_** – The formally fired employee of Talon at Lon Lon Ranch. He moved back down south to Nevachrea and made his home in Yolland where he found a wife and had a child.

- **_Navi_** – Link's former fairy companion when he was participating in the events of Ocarina of Time. Having since left him after that adventure, he began searching for her incessantly.

- **_Rauru_** – The sage of light who watches over the Triforce in the Sacred Realm which is locked away via the Master Sword. He also is known as Kaepora Gaebora.

- **_Sora_** – Saria's personal companion fairy from birth.

**_MINOR - _**

- **_Anju_** – Kafei's greatest love and a cruel casualty of the Nevachrean war. She was fond of dragon lilies since they helped her allergies with handling cuccos, her family's business.

_- __**Fado**_ – One of two spotted horses that belong to Francis Gorman.

- **_Harkinian_** – The father of Princess Zelda and current ruler of Hyrule. He despised his father who helped cause the events that led to the current war with Nevachrea.

- **_Leelan_** – A childhood friend of Veraca and loyal subject to the Zoran royal family.

- **_Lilly_** – The youngest daughter of Francis Gorman whom he tried to hide away from Barrachas and his lackeys in Glaun'rung.

- **_Lloyd_** – The only child thus far of Ingo and Orauna Gorman. He has a love of horses.

_- __**Lyda**_ – Kiera's personal companion fairy from birth.

- **_Olivia_** – The middle daughter of Francis Gorman who was serving as a waitress in his bar under the guise of a haggard, old woman.

- **_Orauna_** – The loving wife of Ingo Gorman, who loved him and produced a child, Lloyd, with him.

_-__** Tellah**_ - One of two spotted horses that belong to Francis Gorman.

- **_Terra_** – The eldest daughter of Francis Gorman. Her fate is unknown.

* * *

><p><strong>Antagonists - 22:<strong>

* * *

><p><strong><em>PRIMARY - <em>**

- **_Apolloni_** – Ganondorf's closest supporter and Gerudo elder. She is an anomaly with brown hair and has risen up the ranks of the Gerudo with frightening speed. She is sadistic and cruel and seeks to further the cause of her king and her people above all else.

- **_Ganondorf_** – The current king and ruler of the Gerudo tribe. He is a powerful sorcerer of dark magick and utilizes Kotake and Koume as his advisors. He originally intended to usurp the Hylian kingdom to gain access to the Triforce but was thwarted by Link with his prior knowledge of the future.

- **_Kotake_** – The witch sister of ice and the spiritual sage of the Gerudo. For years she has been puppet-mastering the entire Gerudo race for her ambitions.

- **_Koume_** – The witch sister of fire and the spiritual sage of the Gerudo. For years she has been puppet-mastering the entire Gerudo race for her ambitions.

- **_Naar_** – The primary villain of the story and the leading general of the Nevachrean army. He is a cruel and sadistic man who treats his comrades just as badly as he treats his opponents.

- **_Thanan_** – Masquerading as a Huma commander in Naar's army, he has been sent by Barrachas to keep a close eye on Naar to ensure he fulfills the original plan of reviving Demise.

**_SECONDARY - _**

- **_Argonim_** – A rising star in the ranks of millions. He is slowly making a name for himself and is next in line to become a commander of Naar's armies.

- **_Majora_** – An ancient being from the old world. Once rumored to have been a dragon. It has since been killed by an imposter who once took the visage of Hylia's champion and made into a horrific mask with bloodshot eyes.

- **_Talamir_** – The fraternal brother to Timner and the son of Naar's sister. He is a commander in the army and he tries to kill Link various times with little success.

- **_Timner_** - The fraternal brother to Talamir and the son of Naar's sister. He is a commander in the army and he tries to kill Link various times with little success.

**_TERTIARY - _**

- **_Barrachas_** – The unholy priest that convinced Naar to abandoned his country and become a general instead. He started the profane rituals of reviving the dead.

- **_Demise_** – The demon king of the old world who sought to gain the power of the Goddesses for his own and was thwarted by Hylia before being sealed away in the very grounds the Triforce once stood.

- **_Josclyn_** – Another unfortunate victim of Naar. She is one of the last female Kokiri who gets changed into an undead, winged killer.

- **_Kafei_** – Once a leader of the Bomber Gang back during the days before the war, he has since lost his family, home and his great love, Anju.

**_MINOR - _**

- **_Appa_** – Ganondorf's loyal steed, a black thoroughbred stallion bred from birth to be a war horse.

- **_Aveil_** – The closest Gerudo friend to Apolloni and one of her closest confidants. There seems to be a special bond between the two.

- **_Clarence_** – The corrupt, woman-hating kid of the Southern Raiders.

- **_Ivan_** – The disinterested boy of the Southern Raiders who did little but follow the orders of his superiors, including Kafei.

- **_Jim _**– The right hand boy of the Southern Raiders, intensely loyal to Kafei and dedicated to his cause.

- **_Kiera_** – A Kokiri who failed to be rescued alongside Saria during the initial rescue attempt by Link when Naar first invaded the Lost Woods. She was captured by the enemy.

- **_King Zora _**– Father to Princess Ruto of the Zoras. He is an overprotective dad who prefers genetic purity over friendship and greatly condemns the relationship budding between Ruto and Link.

- **_Toby_** – A jubilant, happy-go-lucky member of the Southern Raiders.

* * *

><p><strong>Unknown - 5:<strong>

* * *

><p><strong><em>PRIMARY - <em>**

- **_Ruto_** – The Zoran Princess has a unique role in the story where she has a very extravagant crush on Link, going to drastic measures to secure his love.

**_SECONDARY - _**

- **_Happy Mask Salesman/Ballos_** – An enigma standing at the edges of all of Link's adventures. He flits in to give out cryptic advice and provides the Majora Mask to Link. It is unclear if his appearances are real or all a dream.

**_TERTIARY – _**

- **_Midna_** – The princess of the Twili realm. She is from a race of interlopers who utilized dark magick to snatch the Triforce for themselves. The Goddesses damned their race to a nether region for their treachery and they have been exiled there ever since.

- **_Qargus_** – The elder dragon that resides in the Xaagar Mountains guarding the Goron Ruby that Darunia placed there to protect it.

**_MINOR - _**

- **_Lorva_** – One of the four Gerudo sent with Link and the others for their mission in Glaun'rung.

- **_Regan_** – The eldest brother to Francis and Ingo Gorman. He was drafted into the Nevachrean army to invade Hyrule. His fate is unknown.

- **_Terrance_** – The crazy old inventor who used to live out on Lake Hylia. He was captured by Ganondorf and forced to create terrible weapons to combat the undead Nevachrean horde.


	96. Appendix B: TP Fan Theories

_These are only theories of mine, however it is what drove the story alone in Zelda's Honor. I wrote many plot points and foreshadowing so all signs would point to the conclusions below which would sequeway nicely into Twilight Princess after the story. This is not meant to be canon, but rather my own interpretation of the story 'between the lines' of the official games and supplemental material. Feel free to disagree or agree as you see fit, this is how I choose to view the history between Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess until Nintendo disproves me otherwise. Either way, I hope you enjoyed the fanfic and keep playing Zelda!_

* * *

><p><span><strong>APPENDIX B: <strong>**Connections to Twilight Princess Fan Theories**

* * *

><p><strong><em>- Hero's Shade: <em>**

The shade of the hero in Twilight Princess is one of the more pivotal characters who enabled Link on his journey to learn powerful and interesting sword techniques. It was also rumored and later confirmed in Hyrule Historia that the shade was also a distant ancestor to the Twilight Princess Link. So knowing this, I had decided that the Ocarina of Time Link was his grandfather, and with a span of about 100 years inbetween the timelines of Ocarina of Time to Twilight Princess, that would leave a good generational gap to have Ocarina of Time Link's child be the mother/father of Link from Twilight Princess.

To facilitate all these connections, I first needed a wife or a woman to help Link produce a child which would in turn become the father/mother of Link from Twilight Princess. Many rumors (not fully confirmed) point to Malon being that person who Link from Ocarina of Time romantically fell in love with. For the purposes of the story, I decided for Malon to have twins but lose the male since her connections with the Gerudo mandated this when she encountered Kotake and Koume. So this left only the daughter of Malon being the mother of Link from Twilight Princess. Whatever happened to Link's parents in Twilight Princess is a mystery and I will not delve into that here. However, as a result of the war, I did have Malon move south to the Ordon province to set up a ranch there which would then explain why Link in Twilight Princess was a rancher in that area and their village's connection to the Royal Family.

Finally, the look of the Hero's Shade is quite iconic and very frightening and one must wonder how did Link become like that? There were three key features that I had to explain with regards to his appearance: his missing eye, the imposing armor, and finally the fact he was a Stalfos of a sort. The first was easily rectified by having an injury imposed upon him by Ganondorf in Chapter 89 – The Gambit which would provide my reasoning for his missing eye. The armor, as evidenced in the Epilogue – New Beginnings, was Goron made and was contracted out by Darunia to be made specifically for Link as ceremonial burial attire fit for a proud warrior. Finally, the fact he was buried by the great Deku Tree next to his mother (marked by a Gossip Stone!), he has effectively become a Stalfos in the afterlife as a result of the Deku Tree being dead and its aura of influence no longer protecting the once proud home of the Kokiri. So thus anyone who enters (or in this case buried) in the Lost Woods becomes a Stalfos.

Now there are two other aspects of the Hero's Shade unaccounted for. He has mentioned great regret with regards to not being able to pass on his abilities to a future generation and the other aspect is that he is a lot smarter and more self aware than any normal Stalfos. The first can be answered by his unavoidable death in Chapter 92 – The End to All Things. Because I knew the Shade had to be filled with regret, he must have died an untimely or early death where he was unable to accomplish something. Dying with full knowledge that he had a child on the way through Malon would have put that deep regret within him and upon his death some of his last words were expressing just that. So his death was necessary to make this specific detail happen. For being smarter than the average Stalfos upon revival in the Lost Woods, it's only by the power of Hylia's piece within him that allows him to maintain his former memories and self. Thus the major reason why Link dies and then comes back to life with Navi inside of him in Chapter 57 – A Piece of the Goddess. It established both the final battle with Majora and the after story plot point of him retaining his personality in the afterlife as a Stalfos.

* * *

><p><strong><em>- Master Sword Location Change:<em>**

One of the more subtle changes from Ocarina of Time to Twilight Princess was the location of the Master Sword. It went from being within the Temple of Time directly next to Hyrule Castle in the center of all four major areas (Death Mountain, Lake Hylia, Lost Woods and Gerudo Desert) to being in an abandoned and ruined Temple of Time in the woods right around the place the Lost Woods and Kokiri Forest would be. So I deduced myself that the ruined Temple of Time would be in roughly the same spot as the original temple depicted in Skyward Sword where Zelda slept in hibernation for many years watching over the seal on Demise and where the Master Sword was initially laid to rest.

So between Skyward Sword and Ocarina of Time, something so devastating must have happened to force the sages to physically move the sword from its original resting spot to a location of more fortification within the walls of Hyrule Castle town. Not only that, but to have Rauru create the Temple of Light in another dimension to whisk away the Triforce to stand outside of time and utilize the Master Sword as a key that unlocks the Sacred Realm. That must have been some horrifying event to cause such drastic measures to be taken to secure the Triforce. My theory is that the interlopers were the Twili who used their magic to basically decimate most of Hyrule and attempt to claim the Triforce themselves. It got so bad that they were literally banished by the Goddesses themselves into the Twili Realm, as Hyrule Historia states.

Knowing that background history, I could more easily introduce the original Skyward Sword temple in my story in Chapter 61 – Campfire Memories as they are traveling through the Lost Woods on their way to the Xaagar Mountains. Knowing how special a place this must have been, Link no doubt told Zelda about it and what his and Navi's thoughts were about it. Recalling this information after Link's death in the Epilogue – New Beginnings, Zelda knew she needed to return the Master Sword back to its rightful place in the old temple. She even called upon the Skull Kid who was watching from the trees to watch over the sword so that Link's descendent could come claim it, which sets up the Skull Kid's surprise appearance in Twilight Princess. Finally, there were probably other enchantments Zelda could have laid down to protect the temple, one of which might have been the two statues we see in the game.

Seeing this change in Master Sword location actually makes sense if you take into account the alternate timeline of Wind Waker. Since the Temple of Time was never destroyed (as it is in my fanfic in Chapter 91 – Becoming a God), there was really no reason to move the resting place of the Master Sword that far from the primary seat of power in Hyrule. After the flooding of Hyrule by the Goddesses prior to Wind Waker, the Master Sword was submerged with the rest of the land waiting for a new successor to the Triforce of Courage to come claim it.

* * *

><p><strong><em>- The Sages and Their Role at Arbiter Grounds:<em>**

Reading through Hyrule Historia and playing through the Legend of Zelda games, a running theme is the existence of sages and their loyalty to the protection of the Triforce and their Goddess, Hylia. However, the roles they play from game to game can vary wildly. Prior to Ocarina of Time, we had them be the protectors of the Triforce and then with their powers, enabled Link to enter Ganondorf's Castle and seal him away with the Triforce of Power. In Wind Waker, the sages (the two that we do see) are in charge of watching over the Master Sword and praying for its continued power to banish evil. This is a far cry from their original duty. Even more so in Twilight Princess where they are now tasked to watch over the Mirror of Twilight after having banished Ganondorf into the Twili realm with the Triforce of Power in his hand. Despite the variety of tasks the sages are performed to do, they all do seem to revolve around either the Triforce or the Master Sword. So it seems they are called upon to do what is needed or necessary at that time at Hylia's (or someone else's) bidding.

Taking the cinematic cutscene at the top of Arbiter Grounds in Twilight Princess as fact, we know that the Sage of Water died at the hands of Ganondorf during his banishment, as evidenced by her onscreen death and the broken pedestal of water with no ghostly sage inhabiting it. So I had to unfortunately establish Ruto as a tragic character to get her to this point where she would not be on top of her game as a sage and become prey to Ganondorf when he released himself, because I find it highly unlikely that this current group of powerful and resourceful sages would fall so easily to a shocking turn such as that to have one be utterly defenseless unless there was some internal issue going on.

Which leads into the sages themselves: In terms of the timeline, it does work. This is the child timeline where Ganondorf was thwarted from acquiring the Triforce, so he was still a mortal man unknowing of the true power that laid within him since it was sealed with him in the adult timeline. (Mind bending that is!) So unless Gerudo have some super long lifespan we don't know about, we can assume the sages who killed him and then sent him into the Twili realm via the Mirror of Twilight to be Darunia, Ruto, Saria, Nabooru, Rauru, and Impa respectively, or at least sages of those specific ages living within that frame of time. I just took it upon myself to add a few twists to the story by killing off both Impa and Nabooru but having them survive through Cayla and Malon by bloodline. The identity of the sage doesn't matter as long as the requirements are met, of which blood is most likely a factor as evidenced by the scenes in Wind Waker where Medli and Makar were descendents of the previous sages potentially by blood.

Finally, the odd ghostly look of the sages in Twilight Princess lends to the discussion of what exactly are they or how they got that way. Surely they didn't look like that during Ganondorf's banishment unless Gerudo have extremely long lifespans we don't know about. So I made a small scene in the Epilogue – New Beginnings regarding the pact the sages must make when they sealed Ganondorf away, to come back in the afterlife to forever watch over the Mirror of Twilight and Ganondorf's new prison. Zelda knew it was a harsh price to pay but was willing to leave it to the sages to make that choice to forfeit their souls to the betterment of the world. According to Twilight Princess, it seems they all agreed…although Ruto wasn't given that choice. So the visages Link and Midna see in Arbiter Grounds is probably what was given to their ghostly forms as a result of that pact and enchantment Zelda placed upon them.

* * *

><p><em>- <em>_**Missing Gerudo and Ruined Arbiter's Grounds:**_

One of the biggest mysteries in Twilight Princess is the complete disappearance of the Gerudo and in the stead of the original Desert Colossus we find a ruined, hollowed out Arbiter Grounds dungeon. Where did all the Gerudo go? Why is all their majestic and impressive structures and fortresses nothing but ruin or completely gone altogether? I seek to answer this by tapping into their affiliation with not just their location with regards to the Mirror of Twilight but also their usage of magic.

First, the location of their Desert Colossus lies roughly in the same general vicinity of the Arbiter Grounds in Twilight Princess. It even utilizes similar motifs in design. It wouldn't be a far fetched assumption that they are one and the same location. It would make sense that both the Ocarina of Time dungeon and the Arbiter Grounds have mirrors (or a single mirror) that is displayed prominently. Taking these clues, I leaped ahead and established that the Gerudo, or at least the spiritual elders Kotake and Koume, already knew about the Twili and were utilizing their magic to further the cause of their people and their own ambitions. So Gerudo magic is exactly the same as the interloper Twili magic, this becomes vitally important in Chapter 92 – The End to All Things.

I had to first figure out how the Desert Colossus was destroyed in the first place. I set up the Cyn'Taak and Terrance (the old inventor out on Lake Hylia) to have built weapons of mass destruction for the Gerudo in their fight with the Nevachreans. Due to his research, he created in secret a massive bomb of incredible power with which he promptly used it to destroy not only himself, but over half of the entire colossus. This would explain how the Desert Colossus ultimately became what you see in Twilight Princess.

The destruction of the Gerudo nation is a result of their affiliation with the Twili, the original interlopers who sought to use nefarious magic to ensnare the Triforce and were banished by the Goddesses for it. When Link fused with the mask of Hylia's champion, he regained memories of his former duty to defend and protect both Hylia and the Triforce from all threats. Combined with the new powers granted to him by Navi, who herself held a piece of the Goddess within her, the Master Sword became an all powerful weapon of judgment with which he used to eliminate all the Gerudo from Hyrule. Only Merin, Giana, Malon and her daughter survived the Gerudo race. Merin moved south and settled into new lands, which ultimately sets up their reappearance later on in the timeline with Four Swords. (and they're much friendlier now too! Merin must have done something right!)

* * *

><p><strong><em>- Missing Kokiri:<em>**

In Twilight Princess, the Kokiri are completely absent and are seemingly no longer in existence. However, if we look over at the alternate timeline of Wind Waker, we know that may not be true. The Deku Tree and its children, the Koroks, come from a similar mold to the Deku Tree we know in Ocarina of Time and its children, the Kokiri. It is not outside the realm of reason that the children of the Deku Tree can take on different forms as the need arises or as the Deku Tree creates/plants(?) his children. So, for all we know, the Kokiri could have faded away and become plant like beings similar to Koroks and are no longer noticeable by the time Link is living in Twilight Princess.

Which leads us to Saria and her Kokiri brethren, my initial hack at the problem was that they all died off in the attack by Naar and his men. Over the course of the story, this only became partially true. Indeed, Saria is literally the last living Kokiri in the entire world as a result of this war. However, seeing as Nintendo could bring them back in a later game on this timeline, I needed a way out from this awful situation: thus the spiritual coupling of Saria and Link. Through them, the Kokiri race has a chance at surviving.

To make the Kokiri more unique and better relate them to being more plant based in nature and solidifying their place as the Deku Tree's children truly, I decided that Saria give birth to seeds. The Kokiri are of the forest and they are the children of a tree given human-like form, but they are very much bound to the flora of the world. So to me, it made sense that Kokiri would be grown, rather than born. So potentially a rather extravagant flower Link passes by in Twilight Princess might just be a newborn Kokiri waiting to sprout!

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><p><strong><em>- The Disappearance of the Sheikah:<em>**

I actually don't go into too much detail here, however I do allude to future untold stories regarding their fate. We know there were an unknown number of Sheikah at the time of Ocarina of Time, but we are unsure of how many. This war devastated their numbers to probably only a few dozen, if that. Their original home town, Kakariko Village, built and opened up to the public by Impa herself has been razed to the ground and the very earth salted to prevent further growth and crops to be planted there. The town basically turned into a barren wasteland much akin to how it appears in Twilight Princess. Same could be said of Lon Lon Ranch since it no longer exists during the events of Twilight Princess.

Seeing as the Sheikah have no where to go and knowing how exploited their race has been over the course of centuries, Zelda most likely granted them sanctuary and established a small community in the mountains for them north of Hyrule Castle, calling on them only if needed but preferring to keep their secluded race a secret and safe. Typically, parents do not name children after themselves, so I decided Impa should have a sister, Cayla. Now to give Cayla the incentive to actually name her daughter after her sister, I needed Impa to die at some point to provide that emotional impetus to have Cayla name her daughter Impa. This would then be assumed to be the very same Impa we meet in Twilight Princess, probably old enough to have outlasted Link's parents in age. So we see Cayla pregnant with this very same Impa in the Epilogue – New Beginnings.

* * *

><p><strong><em>- Changed Landscapes:<em>**

It was hard to reconcile the differences between how the world of Hyrule looked in Ocarina of Time to what it became in Twilight Princess. Hyrule Historia puts the gap in time between the two games at around 100 years. That is a crazy short time for that amount of landmass movement! Lake Hylia is a sunken valley in Twilight Princess. There is a huge gorge splitting Kakariko Village from Hyrule Castle town. Gerudo Desert (presumably) is now high up on a bluff, unreachable by most methods of travel. Lon Lon Ranch and Kakariko Village are either non existent or in such disrepair that you are unsure if they're the same location!

We've already discussed Lon Lon Ranch and Kakariko Village and their fates previously, that just leaves the massive changes with the remaining sections of the overworld. This is where Majora's Mask and Fierce Deity come into play. I knew I needed an epic final act that would significantly and effectively change the face of the earth itself. With the god-like powers of both masks, Majora and Link fight a huge battle in the skies before taking it to the ground. Their battle helped cause that gorge, that shift upward in the sands and finally the sinking of Lake Hylia. It was the only explanation that I could see that would make sense. Nothing short of a natural (or cataclysmic) event like that could explain how the landscape could have altered so drastically within a short span of time. I just chose to dramatize it to the Nth degree for reader entertainment purposes.


	97. Appendix C: Author Chapter Notes

_These are posted here as a separate appendix for readers who like to go in-depth into the thought processes and 'behind the scenes' thinking of what I was trying to accomplish as I wrote this fanfic. These are just my personal thoughts and hopes for every chapter displayed here for your enjoyment. _

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><p><em><span><strong>APPENDIX C: <strong>**Author Chapter Notes**_

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue: Army of One<strong>

_For the Prologue, I knew that I wanted Majora's Mask in the story for specific events in the final chapters, but I wanted to introduce it here to place its presence in the minds of the readers even if it didn't appear for a long while. As for setting up the primary villains of this piece, I aimed to make it formidable. The only piece of information I wanted to give away at this juncture was simply its size; the other properties would come later._

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 1:<strong>_ **The Choice**

_It was really hard to come up with a decent way of introducing Link and inviting readers back into the world Ocarina of Time had created. I felt it best to jump right into his new role within the Hylian Royal Family and his personal thoughts about it as well as his interactions with Zelda. At the time of writing, I had originally wanted a love triangle between Zelda, Malon and Link however as time wore on, I felt this wasn't exactly the best way to go about their relationships. So her attraction and protectiveness over him stems from another reason altogether that is later revealed in Act 3. Despite this, I still used their strained relationship to push Link out the door and southwards towards the start of his journey._

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: A Moment of Respite<strong>

_A bit of foreshadowing occurs with regards to the items Link purchases on his way out the door to Lon Lon Ranch; I wanted to be realistic about what Link would have on his person by detailing when he got them. I had originally written the first 27 chapters long before I restarted the story from scratch in Feb 2014. The interaction between Link and Malon was embellished little and remained almost exactly as it was when it was first written; it felt sweet yet rambunctious, a telling sign of their future relationship. The introduction of Harden was significant because of the horse's role to play as Malon's personal steed and best animal friend. It was something both Link and Malon could share since they were there at its birth._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: The Messenger<strong>

_The first half of the chapter was actually part of the previous chapter in an earlier rewrite; however I felt it needed more embellishment to more firmly establish the character of Talon and all their relationships together. So I expanded the scene with Link, Talon and Malon to help readers identify with this family since it would be the primary one going forward for the remainder of the story. Like the strained discussion between Zelda and Link in chapter 1 to get him out the door; I needed another event that would push Link towards the enemy. The Sheikah messenger provided that effortlessly; possibly a scout coming back from the border of the Lost Woods and alerting them on the way back; the threat to the Kokiri would naturally cause Link to make this rash decision. The second half is brand new as of the new rewriting; I realized there was no section detailing when and how Zelda prepared for her journey to leave the castle, she just showed up at Kakariko with no explanation. So this section was written to help transition her move from the castle; furthermore, I had the brilliant idea of including an old foe in a subsequent chapter as a result!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: Fall of the Kokiri<strong>

_This was the first taste of what Link and co. are up against. I wanted it to be shocking and dramatic; I wanted to surprise readers with the pure brutality of the new threat. I wanted readers to immediately empathize with the Kokiri and absolutely hate the villains; by utilizing the Kokiri as those first, primary innocent victims, it helped place Naar and his commanders over the moral event horizon and become true monsters straight out of the gate. I also introduce a new ability that they have but I didn't truly show my hand with the true threat they posed until the very end, which is the first true cliffhanger of the story. I hoped readers would want to keep reading after seeing how hopeless a situation Link was left in; by injuring one of them, it created the needed tension and suspense the next chapter would provide._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Smoke and Mirrors<strong>

_This chapter served three purposes; it initially wasn't part of the initial 27 chapter writing and I actually found out I needed a full chapter revealing Zelda's escape and why Impa showed up in the subsequent chapter. The second purpose was to take a small break away from the action of Link and keep readers in suspense over what happened to him. Finally we introduce Ganondorf and get a taste of his character and tease at the fact he probably knows more about this threat than Zelda does. This will all come into play, of course, in Act 3. We then go into a typical flight scene where both Zelda and Impa get a taste of the villains and how dangerous they are; we also get to see Impa's fighting prowess which becomes a rather important plot point once the children have grown._

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: The Rescue<strong>

_The full extent to how the villains can be dangerous is revealed here in shocking detail; this hopefully sets the stage for the reader in wanting to know more about these characters and how they came about their powers and if Link and co. will ever find a way to defeat them. I didn't want Impa and Zelda coming in to ruin Link's moment of glory here; he had to combat these foes by himself with minimal help along with his skills and wits. Once that was complete and I established his dominance in the combat arena, I allowed Impa to come rescue him and gather at what would be the 'temporary HQ' for the heroes for the next few chapters._

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><p><strong>Chapter 7: Princess in Name Only<strong>

_I absolutely loved writing for Ruto and find her to be a delightful character. Her relationship with Link is quite the one-sided attraction and her infatuation becomes her primary modus operand for the remainder of the story; the rest of her actions will make far more sense when given this context. In the initial 27 chapter hack of the story, she actually died in the later chapters and was not present for the remaining acts; however upon rewriting the story from scratch, I decided it to be a far more interesting take on her character to place her on a wildly unique path from everyone else. Even here, in this introduction to her character, she is already at odds with those within her own family and this will ultimately shape who she will become._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: Test of Loyalty<strong>

_Writing these types of torture chapters is never fun or easy; since our only interaction with Naar was a brief interlude in chapter 4, I felt we needed some more fleshing out with how capable a villain he is and how far gone he's crossed the moral event horizon. There is no need to know his backstory as for why he is the way he is right at this present moment; rather, I decided to have him focus on discovering the hidden aspects of the Kokiri and their connection with their fairies. This plot point becomes quite pivotal later in the story and I wanted to introduce it early here; having it be hinted at with the primary villain seemed a great twist on its exposition. These experiments will carry on to form a more influential role in the final events of the story._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: The Calm<strong>

_These lulls in the story are quite crucial, in my opinion, for the pacing of the fanfic. These types of character development chapters don't happen often, but when they do, they are sorely needed. This was the first time I could have the majority of the protagonist cast together in one place and interact with each other. I wanted to flesh out their relationships and how they'd influence each other for future events; I love writing these chapters and whenever I come up against one, I plan out well in advance what I'd like to have happen with each interaction. There are some future plot points hinted at here in this chapter, but nothing critical; this is purely for the sake of getting to know Link and co. a bit better._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10: Close Encounters<strong>

_I got a lot of flak for this type of prepubescent romping, however I wrote it with the intention of it being pure innocence on their parts; they should have no solid idea of what would come next, they just know they like each other a lot. This scene was inspired by the stables scene in The Mask of Zorro; I felt the setting lent itself well to building a more solid romantic relationship between Link and Malon. It also enabled me to write in a few fun moments that would later lead into some important interactions in later acts. My goal was ultimately to display to the reader how much their relationship had blossomed since the end of Ocarina of Time and allude to where it could be going. Impa's interruption served dual purposes: It stopped me from writing it any further past my own comfort zone and it also propelled Link into the next stage of his quest._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11: Preparations<strong>

_This was quite the awkward chapter to write. This wasn't exactly like chapter 9 where it focused solely on the interactions between characters, yet it still relied on them to get more central plot points of the primary story to the reader. So as a result, I had a difficult time writing it. I wanted to relay to the reader what exactly Link did do inbetween Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask and the start of this story; so that yes, he did indeed undo all the damage Ganondorf had done. I also establish why Saria is sick and what needs to be done to make her better which becomes a quest in and of itself in a few chapters. Furthermore, building the rapport between Impa and Link was important due to events that occurred in her past that will be important in later acts._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: The King's Folly<strong>

_It was a joy to finally come back to Ruto and build the critical transition point for her character. It was enormously fun to write the interaction between Link and Ruto which should further cement to the reader just how deep she has fallen in love with him. This chapter changed little from the initial 27 chapter draft I created in a previous year; however I did add a new character, Veraca, to the story that I decided would have a much larger role to play once I decided to take Ruto on a different path. For the crafty eye, I included a shout out to Lord of the Rings in this chapter; it wasn't the first shout out to occur in this fanfic but it definitely wouldn't be the last. Ever since this chapter, I made it a point to make as many shout outs to other movies, comics, books and games as I could while having it still fit realistically into the story. Enjoy finding each one!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: Setting the Stage<strong>

_This chapter didn't actually exist in the initial 27 chapter draft. I realized I needed an illuminating chapter which detailed Ganondorf's release from prison and to introduce two wildly popular and interesting characters. Their roles were not fully realized in my mind when I first wrote them into this chapter. They actually grew into those roles as I continued writing through the fanfic and found better uses for them. The first part of the chapter was actually part of a much later chapter when the Gerudo were introduced proper, but it felt supremely out of place there and disjointed the entire chapter. It felt far smoother to place it here just prior to Ganondorf's escape, detailing their entire culture up front so that there wouldn't be any exposition later which would only halt the forward momentum of the story._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: Switching Gears<strong>

_We needed Link to surface at a nearby waterway from Zora's Domain here and hint at a possible friend; furthermore, placing this waterway here accessible by Zoras plays a pretty integral role at the far tail end of act 3, best to plant the seed of these things in the reader's mind now. I wanted to lull the reader into a false sense of security with Impa regaling the defenses of the town before swiping the rug out. My singular goal here was to press Link to his next quest which would elaborate further on the Goron's status and split the heroes in ways that hadn't been done yet. My goal with Malon was to put her in a position to be with Link for the next 2 acts so they could further grow their budding relationship._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: Captured<strong>

_This was a very important chapter to me; it brought Link and Malon together for the next couple dozen or so chapters and it introduced the third commander to the reader. My goal was to make him far different from the other two and establish something odd about him that the reader would not pick up on until act 3. Talamir and Timner may be an equal match for Link, but I wanted to put Thanan at a severe advantage in comparison to make him a more viable threat come act 3. Given the dynamic battle in the forest with Epona in the middle, I decided I would have unique situations for each major battle that would spice up the action. In this instance, we have Malon working for the first time with Link to bring down a foe; we also have a 'present' left by the Gorons which helps liven up the battle as well. In the end, I wanted to leave the reader wanting to know more...thus the cliffhanger._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16: Through the Heart of Hell<strong>

_Another tough chapter to write; I knew I wanted to push the boundaries a bit here with the villains' treatment of Link, but I also didn't want to make it completely emasculating. I don't like to write torture just for torture's sake, I decided to utilize Naar as the exposition lead for explaining a bit further about the Kokiri bond and hint a few more tidbits on Thanan's overall character. Most readers might not pick up on the small pieces of information I let slip here, but they become important later on. I made sure that Link was set in an impossible situation with the only solution being a dues ex machina; however that, in itself, is explained in a later chapter as to why it occurred so it ultimately is justified. Either way, readers should leave the chapter feeling both relieved and in awe of Link's powerful companions._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17: Revelations of Birth<strong>

_This chapter was fun to write and expand on Link's origin story by linking him to an unlikely source. His heritage would become a very pivotal plot point and the source of a very important quest in acts 2 and 3. Knowing well the full story of his origin, I had to be careful how much I revealed here through Impa. I wanted to ensure the readers only got what they needed to know at this juncture and no more. The rest would come as it became important to the story; so I also had to come up with a valid reason in a later chapter why Impa would reveal only this much to Link. This was just the start of the great diversions from canon in the Zelda universe but one, I feel, still fits into the mythos and could very well fit into it nicely._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18: A Place of Refuge<strong>

_I wanted a change of plans to become evident here. Impa was left behind in the previous chapter to take care of Epona and her sister Sheikah was sent to waylay any soldiers on their tail. So that put Link and Malon in a position to follow Zelda wherever she told them to go. Something should seem a bit off about this plan that Impa had Zelda propose; it would make more sense to retreat into the mountains and take refuge with the Gorons. This becomes a very powerful plot point in act 3 and it puts Link and co. on a collision path with Ganondorf, for better or for worse. Keeping in vein with my previous action sequences, I wanted a third element to enter the fray; I was rewarded when I came up with the idea of including peahats as part of the battle._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19: Enter the Gerudo<strong>

_The shout out title is an easy one to spot. I wanted the Gerudo entrance into the story proper to be a strong one. They were to immediately clash against two commanders of Naar's army and almost fail if it weren't for an intervention. This sets up the stage for the induction of Link's group into their abode and a fast way out of harm's way from the Nevachreans. I always had this plan straight from the start of writing; with the Gerudo at their side and their access to magical assets, they were in a better position to form a plan and strike out in the future against Naar. Following previous action sequences, the suspension bridge was the additional element to the battle._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 20: Practical Medicine<strong>

_With only a brief glimpse of Nabooru in an earlier chapter, I wanted to quickly establish what type of person she was and how she would treat and interact with Link and co. In what I hoped would be a surprising turn of events, the Gerudo would allow them to live under their protection. A minor plot point, but still important, I wanted to establish the false identity of Zelda as a boy so that it would make more sense why she could stay there by Link's side. Knowing full well their culture, Impa was wise to keep Zelda close to Link by pulling off the ruse lest she become indoctrinated into their culture like Malon would be. I also wanted to finally put Saria's endangerment story to rest here; it was originally going to be Malon who took the arrow for Link but seeing how later events would play out similarly, I felt it more poignant for Saria to do it and display her concern and emotions for Link._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 21: Sacking of the Castle<strong>

_I knew that the heroes would have little interaction with the primary villain for quite a long time to come; so I didn't want him to be completely forgotten about or decrease in lethal intensity over the course of the story. So I made a deliberate point to keep cutting back to what he was doing and what his plans were; and in the process reveal a bit more about his backstory to reveal why he is the way he is. This particular chapter I wanted to elaborate a bit more on his ulterior motives for claiming Hyrule as his own; he is seeking more knowledge with regards to the Triforce which puts him in the running with one other particular antagonist!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 22: Interrogation<strong>

_This chapter was solely based around one huge reveal; so I made damn sure that I built up to that reveal by prolonging the interaction between these two characters until it was finally discovered. I may have hinted at it several times over the course of the story, but here is where it is outright said, the blunt truth. This becomes a factor in future relationships in the coming acts, specifically act 3. I also wanted to keep the player guessing as to what I was doing with Ganondorf; he is a crafty tactician and not one for making decisions rashly or without prior research. Like chapter 9 before it, this is mainly a character piece, but a lot of exposition is revealed here._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 23: Truth or Dare<strong>

_This was a very fun chapter to write. I wanted to ensure readers that Impa was with them and Epona was safe; this would set up character developments starting at the beginning of act 2. The overall scene with Ganondorf and his elders was a way to fully flesh out not just their culture but Ganondorf himself. He will have acquired a very valuable piece of information that will help shape and change his motives and ambitions that won't be fully revealed until late in act 3. Also I subtly expanded on the various relationships between specific Gerudo elders as well. Finally I hinted at specific capabilities of the rubies that the Gerudo have embedded in their foreheads; the ramifications of which won't be fully realized until much later._

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><p><strong>Chapter 24: A Prophecy Foretold<strong>

_Every good epic needs to have some sort of prophecy thrown in there, right? Well, this was my version of one! The first half was mainly character development and interaction; after a lot of fast paced story plot, we needed to cool our jets a bit and focus on specific character groupings that had been ignored for awhile. That and these groupings would be gathered in such a way that Nabooru would need to show specifically those characters the prophecy. As for the prophecy itself, it was me basically detailing to myself how I wanted the final events of the story to go, yet reveal very little to the reader at this stage of the fanfic. Finally, we find more surprising elements of being a Kokiri and their connection to possibly a higher power._

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><p><strong>Chapter 25: The Message<strong>

_This was one chapter I had at the tail end of my first initial 27 chapter draft of the story. I knew an agent of Naar would deliver an offering of negotiation but I wasn't exactly sure what or who it would be and how it would be delivered. It wasn't until the rewrite that I finally settled on a more sinister aspect to Naar's offering. I also utilized this opportunity to expand upon Nabooru and Ganondorf's character and develop them in ways readers may not expect given their past histories. Finally, I wanted to separate the various heroes in different sections of the Gerudo Fortress so various events could happen to each character; this offering helped enable that._

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><p><strong>Chapter 26: Visitors in the Night<strong>

_This is quite the complex chapter. The first brief portion is basically to set the reader up for something awful, nothing more. The second part is critical to how Link gets an important item. Even more pivotal is his meeting with this smiling character; he may seem to be a very minor, inconsequential character, but he plays a far bigger role behind the scenes than it first appears. I rewrote this section 3-4 times trying to get his interactions just right with Link; it was tough to have him feel a bit...off and yet remain true to his character depicted in the games. Finally, the third part of the chapter was my attempt at foreshadowing a major event in act 3 and my attempt at horror writing. I felt I did an admirable job in creating a sense of fear, dread and unease so that readers were right there alongside Saria during her panic._

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><p><strong>Chapter 27: Shutting Out the World<strong>

_Forging onward with the horror aspect of writing, I wanted this transformation to be as horrifying as possible and make the characters helpless in its wake. This was to set up a later skirmish in act 3 of a similar nature and establish a specific type of weapon that could potential destroy these villains. The source of this weapon's power will be later introduced in act 2 and will be quite critical to the heroes' success; I felt introducing it here in act 1 in this fashion put the seed in the reader's mind that there is hope here. Finally, Saria and her new condition; this was all part of one big elaborate setup based on a dare from someone that won't be fully realized until act 3. The pay off for this miracle will result in quite a few successful story arcs._

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><p><strong>Chapter 28: Transitions<strong>

_Since we basically are leaping forward seven years into the future since the previous chapter, there was a lot of information I had to get across to the reader to ensure everything was understood as to where our heroes stood with regards to the Gerudo. I had to update their social status within their tribe and culture and how much Malon, Link and Saria have progressed as characters. I wanted to do it in a way that wouldn't be just one massive exposition bomb but rather be revealed over the course of several character interactions; so the idea of transitioning from a training environment to one of going to take a bath provided the perfect opportunity to have Link meet the essential characters he needed to so that pertinent information could be revealed._

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><p><strong>Chapter 29: Separating the Two<strong>

_This chapter served dual purposes. The first half provided the impetus for Ganondorf to send Link onto the next stage of his journey and the logic and reasoning behind that decision. We also get to see Terrance creating weapons for the Gerudo which will play a larger part in the final battles; but also to hint at future events in the subsequent chapters regarding where the poison for these weapons was acquired. The second half is primarily a character interaction piece to display how far Zelda and Link's relationship has gone since living together all these years. Even displaying a budding attraction there on Zelda's part which will be explained in a bit more detail as to why this is during Act 3._

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><p><strong>Chapter 30: Setting Forth<strong>

_Impa makes a rather fateful decision here in not accompanying the kids on their journey. This will come into play later when other lives are saved as a result of her actions. Beyond that, this is firstly a transition chapter, setting up each character's path for the remainder of act 2 and further developing where each character's relationship had progressed over these past seven years. Finally, due to the incident at the end of the chapter, we also get to see that Ganondorf still has his fangs as a villain and has not lost them over time. He may be merciful at this present juncture, but one should not try his patience._

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><p><strong>Chapter 31: Loss of Innocence<strong>

_For this chapter, the reveal was everything. I waited for the last possible minute, giving clues and hints along the way as to who the second person could be with Naar until the final name drop, which I hoped would surprise a lot of people. Furthermore, this is also the first sex chapter; instead of going the predictable route by having the first true sex scene of the book be between Link and another female, I decided to give that honor to Naar. This relationship he has established with her will set the tone for the remainder of her actions and provide the backdrop for her mental psyche. Despite the gratuitous romping, a lot of information is given out between the two that will become important later on in primarily act 2 and part of act 3. I've always preferred giving out exposition through action rather than someone simply spelling it all out for the reader._

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><p><strong>Chapter 32: A Night Under the Stars<strong>

_It was at this point that I was still trying to create some sort of love trio between Link, Malon and Zelda. I hadn't fully realized yet that this could pose some problems from a writing standpoint; I had set up Link in such a way that it would be rather hard to create a situation in which he would completely give himself over to another woman he hadn't fallen in love with fully. Despite this, I was still trying to make it work by establishing the three of them as the best of friends; bolstered by living together for over seven years amongst the Gerudo. Sometimes being the outcasts together can make you closer as a result. This chapter was also a lull in the action and helped service the reader's understanding of who the other four Gerudo characters were and gauge which ones would be ultimately friendly to our heroes or not._

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><p><strong>Chapter 33: Contemplations on Existence<strong>

_There are a lot of calm, non-action oriented chapters here at the start of act 2; I needed a lot of chapters to help work into what I was trying to set up for act 2 which would ultimately carry over into act 3. There was a lot to get across to the reader and because of this, I devoted quite a few chapters up front to establish a lot of characters, their motives, their positions with regards to the overall plot and more. In this chapter, I wanted to cut back from Link a second time to simulate the passage of time during their travels and focus on two characters we've barely gotten to know over the course of this story. They barely played a huge role in act 1 and I wanted to have them share a personal moment together and expand upon Saria's feelings and flesh out her overall character arc that she will go through over the course of the story._

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><p><strong>Chapter 34: Enter the Cyn'Taak<strong>

_I was very excited for this chapter to come; I was going to introduce a brand new species to the Zelda universe and I wanted it to be as unique as possible. I tossed out tons of ideas until I settled on something that was similar in nature to a manticore but was more reptilian in nature. My goal was to make them so lethal and dangerous, with inherent properties that wouldn't even be revealed until much later, that Link and co. wouldn't dare face them head on. The goal of this chapter was to make the entire group and the reader completely unnerved and grossed out upon seeing these creatures in action that they would literally fear for the character's lives if they ever countered one officially. Which, of course, makes later scenes with one particular Cyn'Taak all the more impactful. (yes I just made up that word)_

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><p><strong>Chapter 35: Lover's Quarrel<strong>

_This was part of that dare from a friend to have Link mate with every female from OOT. I knew it couldn't be done in the normal fashion nor would it be your typical sex scene either. Because of the path I led this character on, so vastly different from our heroes, I couldn't write their time together in any other way. It could only happen this way between them, and that is what's sad and makes her a tragic character in the end. I deliberated long and hard how the events should flow so that when the cliffhanger came, the reader would be completely engrossed in the action and want to know how the hell they were going to get out of it! My goal with Malon was to split her from the group to help introduce another character and set up a moral dilemma a few chapters on, this chapter helped achieve those ends._

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><p><strong>Chapter 36: Flight From the Dark<strong>

_Ruto had served her purpose at this specific juncture in the story; to set her up for later events in act 3, I needed to get her apart from Link and co. or her story arc would never progress past this point. I took this opportunity to reintroduce a character we had only seen briefly in act 1 that most readers probably already forgot about, but who becomes a major player in act 3. I also utilized this opportunity to thin out the herd of Gerudo tagging along with Link so I could better manage the amount of characters since I would be soon adding a crapton more in just a few chapters._

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><p><strong>Chapter 37: The Southern Raiders<strong>

_After many chapters of inactivity, we get three chapters back to back with nonstop action! Keeping with the theme from act 1 of having battles revolve around unique circumstances, I decided to move the combat onto horseback and engage two other factions into the mix just to stir up the crazy in the story. I kept adding more things on until I felt it had just the right amount of chaos to be utterly ridiculous yet still believable. My singular goal with this chapter however, was to set up the introduction of a rather surprising group of characters that I hoped no reader ever saw coming. I wanted to display their prowess in battle by the stunts and amazing feats they pull off during the battle; to better establish their lethality so the reader can take that into account for later chapters._

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><p><strong>Chapter 38: Conspirators in Crime<strong>

_This chapter is a doozy! The first third deals with the witches and my intention of establishing them as characters who wouldn't hesitate to backstab their own kin for the sake of their ambitions. They help kickstart the next few events with Ganondorf via their discussion here. The second third deals with Malon, just so we can get a realistic picture of who these people are within the village of Yolland; and to ease the reader's mind as to Malon's fate. The final third helps bring in a character, like the previous chapter, that I hoped no reader saw coming. And since it was Malon, I felt it was apt that she be the first one to be introduced to him. Knowing full well that I just dropped two cliffhangers both on Link's end and Malon's, it seemed like a good time to break away here and discover what some of the other characters were up to._

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><p><strong>Chapter 39: Little Listener<strong>

_I had a hard time writing this chapter until I realized I needed a single character to provide a through line for the chapter. Saria became that one character who logically had access to all the characters I needed to hit so that later events as a result of this chapter could occur. I aimed to illuminate the status on Talon and Nabooru since their recent maltreatment by either Ganondorf or the Gerudo, so utilizing Saria as the vessel for the reader, I helped weave through those story points. With the help of Impa, Saria becomes a key cornerstone in their future plans; I am slowly building up to the eventual movement of a bunch of characters!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 40: The Bomber Gang<strong>

_This was a hard chapter to write. I had a lot of information to get out and I had to tread carefully around each of the characters so every one got their due. My biggest challenge was embellishing on Kafei's character; what little I knew of him from Majora's Mask had to be applied here and then expanded upon. Since this 'IS' this world's version of Kafei and not Termina's, he still could be different. I saw that Kafei was kind, caring, compassionate and very chivalrous in Majora's Mask, so I took all those attributes and applied them here. However, in a small scene with the thief, Sakon, I saw that he can be hot-headed and rash in his decisions. This unique angle helped me identify exactly where I was going to go with him. Finally, the rest of the Bomber Gang was very much a clean slate and could be developed in any way I saw fit. So I made each boy unique in personality and temperament._

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><p><strong>Chapter 41: Lingering Doubt<strong>

_Sensing that I needed to flesh out Kafei's character further in a short amount of time before specific events went down, I took the liberty with this chapter to take a break from moving the plot forward and focus specifically on Kafei and his gang of kids. I wanted the reader to get a feel for him and how they've been living and why. This chapter naturally flowed as I wrote it and it was quite easy to complete in a single night. I wanted to have the humanity of these kids shine through despite all the horrid things they have had to do and learn. I put a lot of effort into this group to differentiate between their personalities and set up one of them to become a major player later on. I also wanted to plant the seed of doubt in the reader's mind as to what the whole situation truly was._

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><p><strong>Chapter 42: The Nature of Ingo<strong>

_After the shock of two major characters being introduced from left field, I took the previous chapter and this one to help establish their characters to the reader. Using Ingo's nature and what we know of him from Ocarina of Time, I decided to expand on his disagreeable traits but also take it in a different direction via his commitment to his family. He would be an integral character for the rest of act 2 and I wanted to make sure people at least identified him through his family and how much he had changed because of them. I also wanted Malon to build some semblance of a rapport with him so later chapters wouldn't be so awkward between the two of them. Finally I turned chapter 37's title upside down on its head; basically tricking the reader this whole time as to the real threat._

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><p><strong>Chapter 43: The Crossroads<strong>

_This was quite the pivotal chapter, it helped establish to the reader that not all inhabitants of Nevachrea were evil and that there was some humanity worth saving in that country. This provided the perfect moral backdrop for the ultimate clash between Link and the primary villain of this chapter. Two warring ideologies were fighting for dominance and I wanted to utilize this opportunity to press home the grave error on Link's part in fully trusting someone he did not know and as a result, there is much death and loss because of this mistake. It'll change the way Link thinks, makes decisions and how he treats his enemies for the remainder of the fanfic._

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><p><strong>Chapter 44: We Are the Monsters<strong>

_After the disastrous events of the previous chapter, I knew that I had to have Link and co. decimate the villains in question. However, I didn't want to completely waste a good set of characters like that. So I chose one of them to survive the ordeal to later become crucial to their victory later on in act 3 and help develop the arc of another character in the company which would have stagnated otherwise. Finally, I made this chapter quite brutal for a specific reason; I wanted to illuminate to the reader on just how deranged and deadly Apolloni could be as well as set up Link to question himself if what they did was even in the best interest of everyone involved. This is a defining moment for him and I wanted to get that 'just' right._

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><p><strong>Chapter 45: Breaking the Barrier<strong>

_I wanted to finally start moving the Gerudo to a position where they could reasonably strike out from in act 3 as well as finally move Impa and co. to where Link was. So I needed a reason to actually force them to finally move away from the fortress. Just when it seems the entire situation at the Gerudo is starting to fall apart, we are delivered into a sequence where our heroes team up with the villain over a common interest which will help catapult Ganondorf into areas of his character I was excited about exploring in future chapters! I also took the time to cut away from the frenetic action with Link and co. to come back here and put Impa and co. on their journey to meet up with him. If I had done this any later or sooner, than the timelines between them leaving and when they meet Link would not have matched up well._

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><p><strong>Chapter 46: Turning the Wheels<strong>

_Another multi-layered chapter. The first third demonstrates that after seven years, not all is well in Naar's camp and he must resort to other means in securing victory and pacifying his troops, part of which will play a part in act 3! We also get to see the beginnings of a vile plan that won't come to fruition until late in act 3. The second third returned us to Ruto and how she is faring. It had been quite a few chapters and I didn't want the readers to not hear about her struggles until the start of act 3. So I made sure she was taken care of here before the final events of act 2 just to keep her situation at the forefront of the reader's mind. The final third sets up to what I hope is going to be a grand reveal at the end of act 2 and hints at a few plot points regarding the Gerudo that won't be further fleshed out until later in acts 2 and 3. I give out a lot of tidbits of info in this chapter that I really don't expand upon until much later; a chapter of foreshadowing indeed!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 47: The High Priest<strong>

_A rather short chapter, but it sets up a critical plot point with regards to how the Nevachreans are achieving their immortality. I also take the opportunity to introduce a new villain that has been previously hinted at. My goal with his character was to make him altogether disagreeable and set up an aura of unnatural evil around him. I wanted to make his dealings in the arcane so profane and the temple he helped build so grotesque that it stood in stark contrast to everything else thus far in the fanfic. I wanted to plant the seed in the reader's mind that there just might be forces at work far beyond what has been revealed in the story and there might be far bigger players here. We also briefly see a new character who isn't exactly named here but will be important later in act 2; most readers may not give him much attention at first until a second reading._

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><p><strong>Chapter 48: The Long Journey South<strong>

_This chapter is a great break in the plot and its sole focus is not to advance anything at all, but to elaborate on the various character interactions within. I wanted to set up conversation match ups here that would help progress character arcs forward and help set up great payoffs in either the end of act 2 or in act 3. Since we hadn't really delved much lately into the world of Zelda and its various denizens of animals and monsters, I felt the Wolfos was a great beast to bring into the chapter for no other reason than for backdrop. I felt it helps keep the story grounded in this universe, I thought that if I continued to introduce too many new things/creatures without bringing in old, known ones that it would start feeling less like Zelda. Finally, since Majora's Mask doesn't really have a true role to play until act 3, I had to keep figuring out ways to remind readers where exactly it was in the story._

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><p><strong>Chapter 49: Princess of Twilight<strong>

_A reader asked if I was going to include Midna into the story; little did he know that I was going to! Just not in the way people might expect. In reality, she doesn't have a huge role to play in this story, yet the results of her actions have a profound effect on the entire story and the fate of hundreds of characters! Her small cameo here is so subtle that you may not realize the true ramifications of what transpired here until you finish the fanfic. Although a minor character in the grand plot of the story, she is a major player in the destiny of Hyrule! As for portraying her within my story, I had a hard time finding just the right amount of snark, seriousness, empathy and menace for her. We all know by now she isn't a true villain but we also know she can be quite selfish for her own ends. So it took several days to finally come upon a dialogue between her and the witches that nailed down who she is as a character. Hopefully people enjoy her as a one scene wonder._

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><p><strong>Chapter 50: Gaining Entrance<strong>

_A transition chapter for lack of a better description. They needed a way to get into Glaun'rung and the concept of the Gorman brothers from Majora's Mask played heavily into my decision to have Ingo from Ocarina of Time have brothers as well. By establishing him and his brothers as Nevachrean born, I could set up the scene where it would make sense of there being a mole on the inside of the capital with which they could utilize to gain entrance. Since Francis is so similar to Ingo, I found it tough to differentiate their personalities, but once I landed on the fact that Francis is more fastidious and a perfectionist where his brother is more slovenly, it helped me cement who he was and how he'd act in future chapters. Finally, I bring up the budding romance between Malon and Link in preparation for an event that I bet a lot of readers have been waiting for._

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><p><strong>Chapter 51: Reunion at the Gates<strong>

_The primary goal of this chapter was to get the two groups of heroes together in one place for the finale of act 2. However, before that we needed to set up some background history revolving around the reason why this war even started and the main heroes connection to those fateful events that were the cause of this war. We also get a look at the defenses and how Glaun'rung is set up regarding the differences between social classes and how they live their lives. I bring in Talamir and Timner for the sole reason to keep them relevant to the overall story by their presence; there is always a lingering threat that they could be discovered at any time by Naar's commanders._

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><p><strong>Chapter 52: Reawakening the Past<strong>

_We establish how the heroes have been living for the past few days, building reconnaissance and information about how best to infiltrate the enemy's temple. I set up a basic plan where readers can expect what is coming next even if it doesn't exactly happen how the heroes want it to! I take the time to flesh out character relationships here and give a reason for Impa and Zelda to depart from their company. Giving the events of Skyward Sword, the final events of act 2 and basically all of act 3 wouldn't exist if the backstory to that game hadn't existed. Giving the background of Skyward Sword, I decided to take the story on a more grandiose path and make it far more epic than it was originally planned to be; the first dream Zelda has here merely expands on that concept. I also had fun re-envisioning the events from the Zelda Manga and how Zelda goes back to relive her past._

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><p><strong>Chapter 53: Intimate Encounters<strong>

_I know a lot of readers were waiting a long time for this chapter. I knew I had to approach it with a delicate hand; many fanfic sex scenes involve a lot of unrealistic displays of sexual actions and how the characters act. I knew I wanted to steer as far away from that stereotype as possible. So my initial goal was to make a sexual encounter between Link and Malon true to their characters; it would be something that wasn't crass or gratuitous, there is PLENTY of that already in the fanfic. I wanted to make their mating something heartfelt, sweet and overall passionate even if a bit humorous. They were two virgins copulating for the first time, I wanted to write them that way - no one is a Casanova from the beginning! The scene with Epona was just icing on the cake and a great way to add more ridiculous humor to the piece. Finally, I remind readers of Saria's wishes and wants at the end to continue expanding upon a future plot point in act 3._

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><p><strong>Chapter 54: Under the Cover of Black<strong>

_Like any good classic drama, action, adventure, the heroes execute the plan flawlessly without a hitch. However, something always goes awry and I decided to play it out to the max extent possible by putting our heroes in one of the worst situations possible. We reveal the true reason for Nevachrean immortality and get hints at Barrachas' master plan which gets amazingly simplified in this very chapter. I flesh out the full reasons why this war was even enabled by Barrachas and his ilk a bit later, but readers can get a feel for the ambitious scope of their plan here. We finally place two villains in a position where they can go out in a blaze of glory and boy, do they ever!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 55: The Evil Revealed<strong>

_I had the concept for this demonic creature for quite a while and I was supremely excited to finally get to use it in one of my works. I wanted it to be such an insurmountable abomination that Link and co. literally had to band together with a few former villains to even defeat it. With the reveal of this new, more powerful force in the fanfic, I had to make things seem impossible and place the heroes in a situation where they are wildly out of their league. Only by uniting can they even be remotely successful. The final sequence of this chapter sets up one of the biggest twists in the story in the next chapter and of course establishes a crucial plot point that'll be pivotal in the final chapters of act 3! The Hunger was based on The Elder Scrolls enemy, but I wanted to expand on his design in such a way that it would be miles beyond anything anyone expected it could be. The death of a character here should come as a shock and provide the impetus for the reader to immediately progress to the next chapter._

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><p><strong>Chapter 56: A Piece of the Goddess<strong>

_Readers may have already guessed long ago the big reveal at the start of the chapter here, but I tried my best to keep it hidden for as long as I could until this very chapter. We basically set up the biggest twist of the story which puts a fourth type of bloodline within Link that couldn't have been possible any other way, that and it sets up a coupling later in act 3! After being completely powerless to do much against these new types of villains (thanks to Skyward Sword for actually opening up the possibility of demons!), this sudden shift in Link's power was an amazing thing to write for. I knew that once I gave him these traits, that I would be really putting myself into a corner with how I'd treat them and the part they'd play in act 3; so I made sure I knew full well the end result of this development before I took the plunge and gave him his newfound abilities. Finally, I wanted to end act 2 on a rather somber, bittersweet note and I couldn't find any better way to do that than end it with Link and Malon._

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><p><strong>Chapter 57: Fate of Their Friends<strong>

_I knew I wanted a long chapter involving Link and co. to start off act 3, however something didn't feel quite right and there was no real 'opening' in the story to fit in a chapter like this to elaborate on both the Zoras and Gorons if I started with Link first. So I decided to place this chapter at the start of act 3 to ease the player into (what would be) the longest act of the fanfic by focusing on characters other than Link and co. After so many chapters being away from these characters, it felt good to come back and explore how they progressed and developed since we last saw them. Furthermore, with Darunia, I finally had a chance to establish his character, since we had yet to actually meet him officially in the story. So he was a joy to write. Since later events required a new character to make them work, I felt it prudent to introduce her here first so players aren't blindsided with her later._

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><p><strong>Chapter 58: Hard Work<strong>

_Unlike the previous chapter which launched act 3, this one did not give any major hints or foreshadowing of future plot events at all; instead it was another character piece where my sole focus was building reader's love for these characters. By establishing the rapport that grew amongst them over the course of a month, I felt it was the perfect way to reintroduce them all for the final act and show how much things had changed as a result of their actions since the end of act 2. Now to completely quell all confusion as to what Link could or could not do with his wings, I wrote this chapter specifically to demonstrate both their advantages and disadvantages. He was not going to be all powerful because of this piece of the Goddess inside him; I wanted the readers to understand that. Finally, we reveal that Malon and Link's relationship has not gone unnoticed amongst the crew and something amazing has been produced as a result of it; that and I couldn't resist adding some nice humor at the end because of it!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 59: By Dawn's Early Light<strong>

_Holy foreshadowing Batman, this chapter is full of it! Even though I briefly touched upon final events of this fanfic in act 1, I barely mentioned them at all in act 2. Now at the start of act 3, I bring back the masked salesman to deliver some much needed set up for act 3's finale. I also needed to provide the impetus to completely split up the group of heroes over the majority of act 3. They are strong when they are united, so the best way to deal with that situation was to come up with a logical reason/plan for why they should separate and thus become weaker as a result. The final twist reveal at the end puts our villain back in the spotlight as someone you can't ignore or discount as a major player in the events to come!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 60: Abandoned<strong>

_My goal with pairing certain characters up that hadn't been together or developed relationships much previously was to help spruce up their story arcs; I tried to figure out interesting pairings during the major character split at the start of act 3 so each 'storyline' could have unique interactions and potential for certain events to occur. This chapter follows Malon in the aftermath of Link's departure and her interaction with each major character who was left behind; some conspiracy theory is introduced into the story and the villain backstabbing doesn't stop here! The previous chapter should have felt a bit 'off' until the end; that was the intention. Overall goal of the chapter? Cement new character dynamics that will be played out over the course of the next dozen or so chapters and move the plot along a tiny bit._

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><p><strong>Chapter 61: Campfire Memories<strong>

_Act 3 starts off a bit slow compared to the previous, but I wanted to continue fleshing out these new dynamics between the characters. I felt these particular character combinations hadn't been explored with in the story thus far and I took the opportunity to do nothing but develop their relationships with each other. I also hint at a specific location from Twilight Princess here which makes another appearance in the epilogue of this story. Finally we see the blooming relationship between Zelda and Link here and how they interact and become closer to one another; at the time of writing this chapter, I 'was' still intent on having them be sexual at some point_._ So I made sure their friendship went to a different level with this chapter since they really hadn't had a real chance to be together away from Malon since the Gerudo Fortress_

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><p><strong>Chapter 62: Flight of the Children<strong>

_The whole basis of the deep thundering and cracking of ice came from a scene in the Disney movie Frozen where a huge structure of ice made exactly those sounds. As for the actual chapter, since Ingo had more or less fulfilled his role in the fanfic, I needed to get him away from the three children of this story. The witches and the ongoing conspiracy theory proved an excellent tool to push Malon and co. out the door towards a third branching storyline. We got to see glimpses of how awesome Ashley was previously, but we really see him come into his own with this chapter. The introduction of the Zoras provided a good escape tool for the writing when it seemed I had backed my story up into a corner with no way out; good thing I set up that plot point in chapter 58! Since we only saw a brief moment of awesomeness with the witches at the end of act 2, I thought it would be cool to see their combined form again here in a rather frightening way._

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><p><strong>Chapter 63: Changing the Pieces<strong>

_Oh boy, this chapter is shocking in several ways! The first half was very rough to write, as I said earlier, I don't like writing torture for torture's sake; however this specific plot point needed to be expanded upon so it wasn't some crazy ass pull from left field at the end of act 3. I don't particularly enjoy writing these types of scenes, but I needed to stay true to the type of character Naar was; if I deviated from that, he instantly became unbelievable with what I already established. The second scene was where I was worried the most, however. This involves a rather serious decision on my part to advance the plot forward and narrow down who I had to keep track of. This splits the storyline branches into four now for act 3 and helps pave the way for some important story points to occur later. I figured if people could get on board for the ending of this chapter, then I would be okay with the final decisions I would have to make for this fanfic._

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><p><strong>Chapter 64: Going in Circles<strong>

_Major Lord of the Rings influence going on in this chapter! To keep this story grounded in the Zelda universe, I felt this was the perfect opportunity to introduce another familiar denizen of the Zelda universe: Skulltulas! The first half demonstrates the strain this journey has taken on the dynamics of the group, especially when compared to how they were treating each other in chapter 61! I wanted to convey to the reader how fruitless their search for the Gorons was when coming from this direction and how they would never find them. However, I used the Skulltulas as a means to an end; they would unwittingly be the link that connects Link and co. up with their ultimate destination. So the cliffhanger was written with purpose to push Link towards the goal, even if he or the reader don't realize it._

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><p><strong>Chapter 65: Standing Watch<strong>

_To take a small break in the action and to infuriate anxious readers, I decided to cut back to other characters. Since we left Impa in a rather tight spot, I wanted to fully realize her current situation and what she was to do next without totally revealing to the reader what it could be. The second half, I must apologize for the Frozen reference, but given I was propelling the finale to occur at the start of winter, I felt it was the perfect opportunity for this shout out. Like I mentioned before, my goal in act 3 was all about placing characters together that weren't normally found together in the two previous acts. So my setup for the cliffhanger here was planned well in advance of actually writing the chapter. My goal was to surprise and delight readers with the potential for something drastic to occur in the next chapter._

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><p><strong>Chapter 66: Charlie Foxtrot<strong>

_Charlie Foxtrot is a nice way of saying 'cluster fuck' which is exactly how I wanted this chapter to be. Taking cues from my previous chapter 37 - The Southern Raiders, I wanted events to continue to build on one another until it turned into something utterly ridiculous and cross the line into absurdity. This was one action sequence I carefully planned out so I knew exactly where all the 'triggers' were that would spawn the next event to occur and build on the chaos. We see just how formidable a fighter Ruto is and how outmatched Malon truly is against her. This engagement propels Malon forward to a path that will run her into a collision course with the Gerudo. For the next dramatic events to be feasible, the group needed to be split yet again as a result of this disastrous turn of events. I truly had fun writing this chapter, almost sadistically enjoying it._

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><p><strong>Chapter 67: Caught in the Web<strong>

_Taking major cues from The Hobbit, it formed the overall basis for the primary action set piece of this chapter. Since there are no trees to climb in this particular version of this action scene concept, I utilized the combined forces of Saria and Link to accomplish the same effect and provide extra suspense and dread for both characters. Since the Skulltulas were not slated to reappear again for the remainder of the fanfic, I made absolutely sure they made a great (read: terrible) impression on the reader. I took everything I hate about spiders and inserted them into this chapter and I hope it pays off. We finally see at the end of the chapter how Link finally meets up with his friends, but to flip the idea on its head he does not meet who he thinks he would meet. Instead, the result is less than ideal and we meet a new character that is only given a brief passing mention in this chapter but will become rather important real soon._

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><p><strong>Chapter 68: Investigating the Truth<strong>

_Since we are introduced to Cayla pretty abruptly in the story and so far into it, I decided to utilize this chapter after her first meeting with Link, to truly flesh out who she was and how she would act. Once I figured out her reasons for why she is the way she is, it became much easier to write for her character. Even though I didn't reveal to the reader just yet why Cayla is so jaded, I made sure hints of it were placed in this chapter to be expanded upon in later chapters. The overall point of the chapter is twofold, we get to know Cayla a bit so the reader will accept her as a major player for the rest of act 3 and we get to take a step back and really evaluate from an outsider's point of view Link and co. and their overall purpose of why they had come there._

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><p><strong>Chapter 69: Spiritual Encounters<strong>

_Since we hadn't explored how these thee new characters, Darunia, Cayla and Sasha, would interact with the existing crew, I took the time to develop the dynamics between them as they hovered around Link. Being by his bedside as he recovered provided the perfect conditions for interesting dialogues and developments between the characters. Furthermore, we outline the way ahead for the acquisition of the Goron Ruby; without this pertinent info up front here, it would be hard to later explain to the reader why the heroes were going to see the dragons at all. Finally, the Saria scene was a result of one huge dare by one of my fans to have Link mate with all major Ocarina of Time females. (Sorry Nabooru, you don't count) However, since I really wanted to stray away from pedophilia/lolita and other similar icky places to take this writing, I wanted to instead make the encounter very unique, very intimate and ultimately endearing and sweet between the two of them. It took 69 chapters to set up all the required conditions to make this happen realistically within the universe and not compromise my own morals in doing so, and I think I truly succeeded in creating a connection between the two that was wholly unique._

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><p><strong>Chapter 70: Entrenched in the Desert<strong>

_Since the deaths of Talamir and Timner and with Thanan currently MIA, the primary villain of this piece was mainly Naar. I needed a new villain lackey to be introduced into the fold at this juncture. Rereading back on my previous chapters, I noticed a description of a rather large man who kidnapped Malon; seeing as how I could make this character into something rather interesting and dangerous for our heroes, Argonim was born. He is similar in nature to Naar except he is a lot bigger, beefier and skilled in the art of warfare. The only thing he lacks in comparison to Naar is the ability to use magick. He will provide a good foil to several of our heroes. The second half of the chapter isn't anything specifically earth shattering, however we tease the reader a bit with Ruto and where her loyalties lie. Making her an enigma was a small bit of brilliance and keeps the reader guessing what she'll ultimately do._

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><p><strong>Chapter 71: The Child is Gone<strong>

_I debated long and hard about whether I should even include this chapter at all; but I knew I needed to expand on the witches' role that they play in the story as well as the entire Gerudo nation. To reveal to the reader just how far they'd go to maintain control of their people; this unfortunate scene had to occur and paint them perfectly as the monsters that they are. We also get to see the results of Midna's meddling with the witches via the magick they use to make the Gerudo into something altogether monstrous. This chapter is terrifying on several levels and I wanted to instill in the reader a feeling of loathing and hatred for the Gerudo and what they've become. The surprise twist at the end and its ultimate 'final' ending should shock readers that I'm willing to 'give up' on some characters for the sake of our heroes._

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><p><strong>Chapter 72: The Siege is Broken<strong>

_I must personally thank a close friend of mind for detailing in heart wrenching detail what it was like to lose a child. With her permission, I put those thoughts and feelings into Malon at the start of this chapter and it helped fuel the rage she would exert later on. Her character is forever changed from these events and she will never be the same. We make a few ties into Twilight Princess and the reasoning behind the destroyed colossus in that game; sad way to go however for our minor character, but he sure went out with a bang! If Malon and co. learned nothing from this long, terrible journey to the Gerudo, it was the newfound chimeric abilities of the Gerudo which they could go back and warn the others about. I also place a small detail at the end about a future demon that'll be introduced._

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><p><strong>Chapter 73: Meeting of the Minds<strong>

_Knowing that this would be the last and final time we'd see Naar before the endgame of act 3, I wanted to set up a specific interaction between him and another villain which would shape events in the final few chapters that would ultimately decide the fate of thousands. The heated discussion between them was carefully crafted to ensure that neither side had the advantage and each stood a chance at gaining from the deal. We also introduce a brand new demon in this chapter. Since I knew there would be multiple demons present in this story, I wanted to ensure that each one was unique and vastly different from the previous. This one was built with the face hugger Alien in mind, but done in a way that would put it separately as its own entity from the original concept. Hopefully its deliciously gross for readers who love a good demon villain in their stories!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 74: Sins of the Father<strong>

_Harkinian was in the story for one sole purpose alone: to provide necessary backstory with which he had the primary authority to tell. No other character in this story would have the credibility to detail specifically the exact reasons for this war and the overall connections between Link, Zelda, Naar, Hyrule, Nevachrea and the Sheikah. I had to reference previous chapters extensively to ensure I did not contradict myself on anything when explaining the detailed backstory to the war. And even still, on this revision, I had to make subtle changes to keep the continuity correct throughout the fanfic. If readers don't exactly make all the connections here, I still reserve some more clarification for a later chapter. I hope that people appreciate the worthy attempt at trying to flesh out the Zelda world by providing a believable backdrop for the events that are transpiring around our heroes._

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><p><strong>Chapter 75: Campfire Stories<strong>

_Like Campfire Memories before it, this chapter is all about character arc development. The primary focus of this particular chapter was setting up a dialogue which would lead to a confrontation with Cayla and ultimately learning about her reasons for being offputting. This is the first turning point in her character development and I had to be careful how I implemented it within the chapter; especially given the amount of humor that was added both before and after the conflict. I also took the opportunity to embellish the relationship between Darunia and Link; given that Darunia is truly the only 'good' male figure in Link's life, there really was no other way to honestly write their scenes together - they screamed for humor! Knowing how I wanted to end the subsequent chapter, I set up a rather interesting dialogue with Nabooru which served several purposes, one was to ready the major punchline of the next chapter but the other was keeping the reader reminded of the horrible dreams various characters are having. These characters are not randomly chosen, they are deliberate._

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><p><strong>Chapter 76: Revelations of the Goddess<strong>

_This was to be one of the biggest plot twists of the fanfic: Zelda's second dream of her former life. This will shape the character she will become and give her abilities she once thought impossible. Skyward Sword is mostly to blame for this even being possible, but I took their idea and went with it! I tried to remain as faithful as I could to the Zelda Manga on the topic, however I wanted to add my own spin that would fit well alongside canon and change one seemingly minor character into something altogether amazing and important. Finally, the sex scene was originally intended to go 'all the way,' however after a review from a reader saying it'd be horribly out of character for Link, I took a serious look at what I was doing with Link and Zelda. After much deliberation, I realized she was right, I couldn't betray what I had done with these characters, so I honored them by taking the situation to the most likely conclusion. Finally, the punch line set up in the previous chapter is delivered in spades at the end of this one! I just love misunderstandings!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 77: Deep Breath Before the Plunge<strong>

_Since a lot of questions went unanswered in the previous chapter, I took the chance with all the characters gathered around, to have Zelda and Cayla explain away the remaining questions that might be burning on reader's minds. The split up of characters here isn't exactly a major story point like it was previously, but rather a logical way of getting each grouping of characters across the mountainous ravine to the dragons' lair. The second part of the chapter revisits the dream certain characters are having; there is a connection between all of them even though I don't outright state to the reader what it could be. My goal is to keep the idea of a future danger at the forefront of the story, one that is far deadlier than anything thus far faced._

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><p><strong>Chapter 78: The Gathering Gloom<strong>

_This was a complex chapter which had to keep the reader updated as to the whereabouts of various characters and what they were doing next. Nothing monumental happens in each of the three storylines, but it moves ahead certain characters and puzzle pieces in just the right configurations so events in subsequent chapters can happen properly and without disbelief from the reader. The first revisits this recurring dream and explains the new plan Malon and co. are going to be pulling off next - the person who suggests it should be a nice tell for those paying attention. The second focuses on Impa and where she will be for the endgame finale chapters as well as explain away why Twilight Princess Kakariko is the way it is. Finally, we make a brief cut back to Naar; we don't learn anything drastically new here, but we are treated to a rather nasty surprise that should have some readers counting that character off as good as dead._

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><p><strong>Chapter 79: The Order of Masks<strong>

_Looking to not only extend the chapter length but also explore a friendship between Darunia and Xavier, I focused on the free fun nature of these two characters and how well they complement each other. In the process I display to the reader just how formidable Darunia truly is. The one scene wonder of the alpha male dragon was a tricky piece to write. I took cues from Smaug from The Hobbit in that the less the dragon said, the better it would read. The more left unsaid, the more the reader would read into what the dragon was intending. I utilized this ancient being to elaborate on some specific plot points that involve Majora and a potential falling out from Hylia. Although I never expand on that last point much in the fanfic, I leave it to readers to speculate when, where and how it could have happened. Sometimes not explaining everything to the reader is far more effective than laying it all out bare for them to read._

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><p><strong>Chapter 80: The Enemy Within<strong>

_Splitting Saria from the group seemed to me the most obvious choice with regards to dealing with the dragons. With the rest of the group regarding the party atmosphere, I wanted to display a small bit of Goron culture that was not all doom and gloom. Since the Zelda series hardly delves into what their culture revolves around, all I had to go off of was the small bits of information from various games. We do know they like great music, dancing and have a very playful nature. So taking cues from common dwarf tropes, they are also fond of strong drink. Making it strong drink made of rocks was even funnier. This presented a very unique opportunity where I could finally reveal my next villain (or rather an old one in a new disguise!) in a fashion that would put Link at the utter mercy of said villain. I knew that Link couldn't be surprised on his own unless he was incapacitated in some way, this party celebration provided just the excuse to make this turn of events work realistically. Also, the chapter title is a shout out to one of my gaming projects!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 81: Demons Among Us<strong>

_Since each demon was completely unique from the previous, my goal was to make the Defiler as disgusting as possible. I wanted to push the boundaries of what could be possible in the Zelda universe. Given the nature of the demon horde from Skyward Sword, the possibilities are purely endless. This is also the turning point in the relationship between Cayla and Link; sometimes friendships are best forged in battle. Since the introduction of this demon had only been in single incidents, I wanted to elaborate on just how dangerous it truly was. The final group battle at the end demonstrated to the reader just how insanely deadly these demons truly are as well as display some awesome badassery from Link. The final confrontation at the end was designed to get readers pumped for the inevitable rematch to occur in the next chapter!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 82: The Way Ahead<strong>

_My goal with the second Thanan battle was to make it utter crazy nonsense; even when its three against one, he still holds his own. Only by some divine deliverance could they succeed in killing him for good. We also get some great news at the same time from a returning character! The majority of the chapter, however, is focused on developing the new gameplan for the heroes. I had to plan this chapter out carefully, because I was figuring out ways how it could go astray and how the heroes would then have to regroup and adapt on the fly. If I didn't have them logically argue out this course of action and provide reasons why it could or couldn't work, it wouldn't have the credibility needed for the next few chapters when they do decide to change it up a bit, unbeknownst to some of our villains!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 83: Changing the Play<strong>

_The bulk of this chapter continues the discussion of the heroes game plan for the finale of act 3. I wanted to make absolutely sure that all characters were on board with what was to come next. I also wanted to take a break from the gloom of the previous few chapters and insert a little humor in via Darunia. This is that lull in the action that is so necessary for character interaction and I wanted to expand on the heroes truly working together to come up with ways to thwart the villains of the story. Finally, this is where Link reveals the reasons he carries the masks to his friends. This becomes extremely important later on when their significance is suddenly brought to light when least expected. So I laid the seed down for that plot point here._

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><p><strong>Chapter 84: It All Went Wrong<strong>

_Like all good epics (eg. Star Wars), we need to bring the heroes to a very low point before they can pick themselves back up. Even the best laid plans can be ruined in a heartbeat. I had a clear vision what I wanted to do with this chapter. The inclusion of both Argonim and Ganondorf's undocumented ability with his elders just about upends everything the heroes worked so hard to account for. My goal with splitting the heroes up like I did was specific to Ganondorf's needs, which he explains in subsequent chapters. The final shocker of the chapter is sure to upset some and I bet some readers might cry foul; however I have a purpose for it and that character's payoff will be a great one, so it was not all in vain. That and given the upsetting twist at the end, it puts readers on edge for the rest of the fanfic since it could be considered open season on characters! Just what I wanted the reader to feel!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 85: The Looming Storm<strong>

_Another confusing chapter to write. I wanted to show the reader how the heroes adapt to changing situations and the potential for the plan to still go as expected, even if they did suffer a loss. The second third was the most important in my opinion; this is the final evolution and endstate for Ganondorf's character arc. He is a far different man than he was at the start of the fanfic, which makes him all the more dangerous as a villain. I truly hope people appreciate where I'm going with his character and how I've fleshed him out as more than just a power hungry brute. Finally, we needed to see how Link and co. fare when in the direct hands of Naar yet again. This is the first time since act 1 that Link has been in Naar's presence and the situation has changed drastically. My goal with this dialogue was to demonstrate just how far gone Naar has become that in his passions and ambitions, he has lost sight of his priorities and makes a rather fatal decision with Link here._

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><p><strong>Chapter 86: The Game of Death<strong>

_To finally bring Ruto's character arc to its logical conclusion, I built the first scene specifically in mind to finally break her down completely. She needed to be at a point where she had nowhere else to go to finally realize the truth. She is truly a tragic character and I needed to follow through with how I wrote her and make her final actions of this chapter actually mean something with regards to her motives. The game of death was barely mentioned in passing during act 2, but makes a very triumphant comeback here in act 3! My goal with the entire game is to show how far Link has come with the usage of his wings; by single handily decimating a dozen lethal soldiers with the added advantages of his wings, we get to see just how deadly Link truly is. Which makes what happens next a huge shocker twist._

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><p><strong>Chapter 87: The Fog of War<strong>

_You want pandemonium? You got it! This chapter was all sorts of fun to write. First, however, I needed to cut back to Zelda to make it undoubtedly clear to the reader where specifically those masks were and who Link had given them to. As for the eruption of war all around, I utilized my method of piling stuff on and never letting up until the chapter ends. All the heroes from across all the branching storylines finally come together and gather around Link to propel him to his final destination of the story. With Ruto's character arc finally finished and her final role in the story complete, she needed to be set aside for the endgame, so I utilized a non major player of the finale to transport them out of harm's way: which of course provided an opportunity to deliver the next surprise for the reader._

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><p><strong>Chapter 88: Race to the Temple<strong>

_This is more or less an action set piece/transition chapter. Its basically to get our characters from one area to the next. However, it is a bit more involved than that. We have Link finally recovering but unable to contribute; I did this for several reasons, but the primary one was Rule of Drama. He is a veritable combat machine and he could very easily turn the tides of the next few action sequences. So as a result, the loss of his wings were a necessary evil to make him rely more on his friends for survival and give other characters their moments in the spotlight. I tried throughout this fanfic to give each individual hero their 15 minutes of fame. After a long time anticipating this moment, I was finally ready to introduce the last hurdle before the Temple of Time and I made sure it ended with a huge cliffhanger as a result!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 89: The Gambit<strong>

_Since I needed Nabooru and Ashley for the final action sequences to give them their character spotlight, I had to figure out a way that they could logically show up when they were needed; so I devoted the first section of the chapter specifically to that. For the Kokiri battle in the air, my inspiration was from Matrix Revolutions with Neo and Agent Smith fighting in the air during a rainstorm; however here, its during a snowstorm! That and I had the added bonus of having a helpless bystander in the middle of the fight. This provided a lot of interesting opportunities for Saria to shine; that and the battle so clearly juxtaposed what a Kokiri was and what it could be turned in to. The Temple sequence was quite easy to write and it helped flesh out Ganondorf's claim on the Triforce and further embellish his character development. We also get the payoff for Impa's death here and it is a glorious one - score one for the heroes! The final scene at the end will help build ties to Link's appearance in Twilight Princess - and of course, I love placing all our heroes in the worst situations possible._

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><p><strong>Chapter 90: Settling the Past<strong>

_Oh, this was a brutally hard chapter to write; I knew that this would be the point where I would take Zelda canon and run away with it! I don't write anything absolutely conflicting with the Zelda universe, but I do add a lot of my own theories into it with this chapter. If I can get readers on board with what Rauru says to Link, then the rest of this story will be a lot more enjoyable and make more sense. The first half took the longest to write and my singular focus was to explain in minute detail what exactly transpired after Ocarina of Time and what will ultimately happen next with regards to the sages which becomes an important plot point in the epilogue. The second half deals with the final reveal of Link's connection with Nevachrea, even if it is only a ploy to stall for time - I had a hard time finally explaining it all away before this point, so I figured Ganondorf should be the one to do it. The final twist at the end was written long in advance in my mind; I knew this day would come ever since I started writing act 1. The toughest part was getting all the puzzle pieces to align to get to this single moment and hopefully stun readers in the process._

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><p><strong>Chapter 91: Becoming a God<strong>

_Writing for Majora was deceptively tricky; I knew I had to keep to the character established in Majora's Mask but expand upon it in a new and refreshing way. I looked to the Zelda Manga regarding its origin story about the eternal dragon beast and how it was tricked. I utilized this as the basis for its motives and its overall role it played in the grand mythos of the Zelda universe. As stated earlier, I didn't intend to write anything completely conflicting with canon but I did run away with a lot of points that were left unanswered from canon with my own theories. I decided to make Majora a major player in the events from ancient times and because of it being betrayed from its sacred duty, it has become jaded and bitter and now seeks to return everything to nonexistence since he sees this as the only viable alternative. (Thanks Kefka/Necron!) A lot of character removals had to occur here so we could focus on the primary fight in the next chapter - so I utilized a plot point from chapter 90 to provide that necessary deliverance for our heroes so they could focus on the bigger threat. I also gave some satisfying conclusions and payoffs for various character arcs as well. Finally, due to a suggestion from a friend, the final cliffhanger and resulting subsequent chapter was completely inspired; there originally wasn't even going to be something this epic happening and the story was initially going to end at act 2. So thanks to Sepulcher/Xenix for suggesting Fierce Deity to me, you helped change the overall direction of the fanfic and provided the framework for act 3!_

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><p><strong>Chapter 92: The End to All Things<strong>

_I've read quite a few fanfics, but none that I've come across pull off the massive, divisive decision that I made here, which I'm sure will spark a lot of conflict and debate. My goal was not to make a happy ending, just a satisfying one for all the characters involved. Since I had been building up to this over the course of months, there really was only one way to logically end this so it could pass events and plot points on to connect up with Twilight Princess. The final battle in essence should have lasted longer, but I knew it would be taking away from the true purpose of the chapter and that is the ending with the gathering of characters. The final judgment has been hinted at throughout the entire fanfic and makes complete sense when you go back over and reread everything that was written - the logic behind why it had to occur is there and helps explain certain races disappearing. A few deaths are partially meant to shock readers but also to set up the epilogue which will wrap up all loose ends and have the story reasonably flow right into the next game on the timeline, Twilight Princess. I know that my decisions made in this chapter will upset some, but this is how I chose to end my story. At least I hope the fight between Majora and Link is epic and bad ass however!_

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><p><strong>Epilogue: New Beginnings<strong>

_I didn't write the epilogue until literally a week after the final chapter had culminated. I couldn't come up with a through line where I could realistically hit all the necessary characters introduced within the story and wrap up all loose ends. Then it came to me when I was looking at the title of the entire fanfic: of course! Zelda had to be that through line in which the reader could follow her actions as she met with every single character left alive to wrap up final plot points. So I did a few time skips, jumps, and future vision dreams to help establish more firmly what had happened since the war and what will come to set up the primary villains of Twilight Princess. My endstate goal was the final conversation at the end with Zelda and Malon, all other interactions were just bonus; even if it was a casual mention of their fates, I ensured every character was accounted for in the epilogue to satisfy reader's curiosity. This is one of the longest chapters in hopes that it provides that necessary closure for the reader and they leave feeling good about the whole reading experience. Finally, I chose deliberately to end it the way I did so that I gave the power to the reader to decide what the unknown was to be._


	98. Event 1 : A Moment Remembered

_This idea came to me so strongly as the suggestion from a friend, Sn0wShepherd. The idea was so powerful that it took ahold of me and that I had to write it out for you to read. Ruto, more than anyone, is a tragic figure and one whose life is full of misery. In Ocarina of Time, she lives and enjoys a long life in the alternate future Link gives them, but is forever barred from having Link as her beloved. Just the same here in the Child's timeline where she meets an unhappy end with Ganondorf during his banishment and still does not have Link as her beloved. Her heart is aching and her soul is yearning for happiness. I love Ruto as a character and yet I cry every time I write for her because I know what her ultimate fate is to be. This small chapter (labeled an 'event') can be read outside of the main fanfic story itself or as part of it in-between Acts 1 and 2. It gives a bit more insight into Ruto's state of mind and heart. For those who feel for Ruto, here is more to feel about._

**_Event 1: A Moment Remembered_**

Ruto woke with a start, placing her palm gently to cup her aching loins. She felt the dribbling ooze of seed slip out of her as she winced in memory of the horrific fury Naar was in the previous evening. He stormed into the tent, belt buckle flying and trousers dropping as he threw her to the furs and pounded deep into her with the force of a battering ram. She dared not cry out for fear of having him hit for her weakness. She bit her lower lip and endured the agony as he slammed into her time and again, an animalistic snarl heralding the onset of his release.

She turned her head to see the bed empty and the covers ruffled and splayed out across the bed, some draping down to brush the dusty floor of earth and grunge. He must have left earlier seeing as how his clothes were mysteriously absent from the chair and table where they fell during the commotion. She sat up shakily as she held her body tight, rocking back and forth as the ebb of pain began to slowly drain away from her being.

How long had she been cooped up in this tent? How long had she been forced into this life? She could barely remember the years of days long past when she recalled swimming with her kin through the tranquil, blue waters of home; nothing but a distant memory now. She scoffed at herself for fancying such wayward thoughts. This was her life now and she best be sure she got used to it!

Shivering slightly as she stood, she wrapped the dark cloak around her, clasping the brooch around her neck to keep it affixed to her frame. It was a 'gift', as Naar liked to call it, for her during their second year together. At the time, it was far bigger than she was and it dragged across the ground as she walked. These days, she had grown much taller and the bottom edges of the cloak reached to her ankles. It was suffocating in the harsh heat of summer but it was refreshingly warm and cozy during the bitter reaches of winter.

Ruto paced over to her small corner of the tent where Naar allowed her to keep some fashioned relics or trinkets. In some small way it was a bit of solace for her to think he'd permit such petty things within their tent. However she did not question and instead cherished the time she had with her treasures.

She picked up a wilted and shriveled flower from a vase filled with dirty water. Such a precious, fragile thing she had found just the other day when going out on a raid in the nearby province of Eldin. She had knelt down to the flash of color that caught her eye and plucked it from the ground. She twirled it this way and that and marveled at its simplistic beauty. Thinking it novel, she took it home and decided to care for it. It did little good as it slowly putrefied and died within days of placing it in the water. Now it was just a shadow of its former self.

Setting the flower back into the vase, she picked up her mud figures. During the deep cries of the night, Naar snoring uncomfortably beside her, she'd roll over and reach down into the muddy dirt beneath their bed and form figurines from the refuse. Naar would routinely destroy them and crush them beneath the heel of his boot, claiming them childish and foolish. She did not care, she continued to make them and play with them. Coming up with grand adventures and feats of daring do, she would have them enact those scenes with gusto.

One figurine in particular held much interest for Ruto. She picked it up and turned it over in her hands. It was a small figure with a slight protrusion that might be mistaken for something else but to her it was a sword. She smiled fondly at the decrepit mass of mud. With a sudden flash of remembrance she cursed slightly. Holding the figurine firmly, she swiped the battered flower from the vase and swept out of the tent.

Several men gazed up from their pitched fires but quickly averted their attention as they saw her sweep by. None dared disrupt Naar's Dark Mistress when she was on a mission. Too many men had made the mistake of waylaying her and taking her for a common female, something to be raped and enjoyed. She destroyed many men who unknowingly made such an error. Her acid was unrivaled in its caustic properties. Men's bodies could not regenerate fast enough to combat the destructive bile that would eat away at their skin, organs and bone. One man lasted for a full three days after a mouthful of acid down his throat before finally being taken away to be burned. No, not a single man who knew of her wanted anything to do with the vile witch.

Ruto stalked ahead with purpose, ignoring the glares and curses a few of the men shot at her. Being the newly minted fourth commander of Naar's armies did not win her many favors with the common peons that made up the bulk of the Nevachrean army. Deftly avoiding an aimed spit at her leg, she flexed her leg fins sharply and delivered a swift kick to the man's neck, effectively slicing off his head.

Ignoring his cries of misery, she abruptly stopped at the source of her focus. An elderly brute noticed her presence and turned to face her. He began to produce a rather well-formed spit but decided against it as he perceived the look she gave him. Wiping his filthy hands against his stained apron, he set down his wrench and looked at her indolently.

"What do you want?" He drawled.

Ruto bristled at the disrespect but decided to keep her mood in check. This was a special day today, best not ruin it this early. "I require one bottle of your best wine." She stated firmly.

The man blinked before thinking better of his original decision and spat anyway. Ruto glared at the pile of mucus coalescing in the mud beside her foot. "That stuff don't come cheap no more missy." The man taunted. "If you want me to spare some for you, you best give me what I want." He leered down at her body, his eyes fixated on the delightful folds between her legs.

Without a second thought, Ruto hocked up a rather nasty glob of bile and spit it on the man's foot. It immediately burned through the leather boots and began disintegrating his skin. "Two can play that game." Ruto sneered as she delighted in the man's cries. "You will give me your best bottle or I will give you a kiss you won't ever recover from." She glowered intensely, daring him to refuse.

Whimpering at the intolerable pain of his foot, he raised a hand in supplication. "All right! Give me a moment, I'll find one for you." He staggered off to search the pile of rubbish and trash building up on this side of the camp. Within a few minutes he returned with a half drunk bottle of red wine. She frowned at it but shrugged, it would have to do.

Without a further word to the sniveling man, she snatched it from his outstretched hand and proceeded deeper into the camp. She knew exactly what she was looking for, because she had set it up the year prior. Hardly anything moved within the camp since the soldiers cared little of material possessions. With only food and sex being the last two pleasures left in their pathetic, immortal lives, things like the metal table and chair before her stayed untouched.

She sulked at the sight of the table. She wouldn't call it completely untouched since various splashes of color and other unknown liquids had been spilt onto its structure from countless soldiers reveling on or around it. There was even bird shit that had dried dripping to the ground on the chair. Ruto squinted up at the roving birds flying above the chaos, such disgusting creatures she affirmed.

She set down the bottle of wine on the table and affixed the rotting flower into a makeshift stand, its petals drooping down to the side. She admired her handiwork but realized a few more items were missing. Huffing with impatience, she turned on her heel and went into the lieutenant quarters, a collection of tents for senior officers in the army. They would most likely have what she was looking for.

A guttural laugh and youthful wailing triggered her ears to the object of her desire. Sitting just outside a tent, atop a rather lavish, red velvet chair (stolen during one of their raids no doubt), was a rather young man laughing at the misery of his Kokiri captive he had paid for that night. She was bawling uncontrollably as the man bounced her up and down on his lap, each time piercing her small frame with his enormous phallus; blood trailing down her legs.

Ruto walked up to the disgusting man and demanded, "I have need of that chair you are in."

Ramming the Kokiri hard onto his lap, he firmly held her there as he haughtily regarded the Zoran commander. Irritated that his time of pleasure had been interrupted, he jeered, "When I'm done with her, then you can have the chair."

Between the man's arrogance and the sobbing moans of the Kokiri, Ruto had had enough. She gave a hard shove with her foot to the base of the chair. Both the man and the Kokiri went flying. Without moments, the young girl dislodged the man's weapon and began scampering off in-between the tents. A brief look of worry flashed across Ruto's face for the poor girl. She knew that the Kokiri would never make it to the edge of the camp before being taken by another. Such a wretched fate they all had.

The man rose up, brandishing a sword as he brought it down upon Ruto. "You filthy bitch! That was my wench for the night!"

Ruto sidestepped adroitly the clumsy swing of the drunken lieutenant and brought her flexed fin down upon his chest. Slicing through ribs and bone, his upper half slumped to the ground as his legs pitched forward into the bloody dirt. The man raved and spittle was flying everywhere.

"When I put myself back together, I'm going to rape you and kill you!" The man slurred heatedly.

Ruto put a foot on the man's face and lowered her own towards his chest. "I'll make sure you can't do that then." She smirked. She took in a deep breath, gills flaring, before releasing a stream of viscous acid onto his chest. Within seconds, it bore a hole down to his heart; the fluid hungrily eating away at the flesh. His eyes dilated as he looked up at her, croaking on his own blood.

With a satisfied smile, Ruto picked up the plush chair and walked back to the arrangement she had set up. She breathed a sigh of relief that nothing had been stolen yet. Setting the chair down opposite the metal one, she tapped a finger to her lips a few times. What else was missing? She took one glimpse at the wine bottle and snapped her fingers. Of course! She needed glasses.

She raced back to Naar's tent and threw aside the entrance flap. Thankfully Naar wasn't in residence or he would have put a stop to this whole thing. She dove into the trunk at the base of their bed and brought out two goblets caked with grease and grime. Ignoring the sickly nature of the drinking cups, she rushed back to her table and set one on each side. She gingerly poured the remaining wine into both cups before setting it out onto the table.

She took the flower delicately and re-propped it back up into its holder. She gently set the figurine with the sword down onto the other chair, ensuring that it was facing her. Several soldiers passed by and gave her odd looks. Recognizing who she was, they quickened their pace and went about their business. Paying them no heed, she swept back her cloak with a flourish and sat down pristinely like a royal member of the court would do, onto the cold metal of the opposite chair.

She lifted up the glass of murky wine, giving it a few swirls as she regarded the contents of her goblet. Her gaze met the man she could perceive across the table from her, embodied by nothing more than dirt and clay. Several tears began to form at the corner of her eyes as she remembered the promise they had made that day, she couldn't even remember the year.

"I hope you like the wine, my husband." Ruto probed fruitlessly at the unfeeling clay figure before her. "I made sure I picked up only the best for this special occasion."

Ruto tipped the goblet to her lips and sipped the burning liquid. Salty tears began to flow unbidden down her face as she celebrated morosely, "Happy anniversary, my beloved."


	99. Event 2 : Darkness Inside

_Kafei has always been a favorite character of mine and I don't believe I did his backstory justice. Even with this 'vignette' event chapter, it still isn't enough to encapsulate everything that he is as a character. However, I wanted to seriously juxtapose the calm, cool, experienced demeanor with which we encounter him within the story to where him and his Bomber Gang were young boys and completely inexperienced with the art of warfare and killing. These are innocent boys intruding upon a man's war and I wanted to reflect that as best and as briefly as I could without drawing too much attention to it and beating it over your head. I wanted readers to see the start of darkness within the group and where it stemmed from and why Jim and Clarence had such a different disposition from the other three kids within the Bomber Gang. This can be read separate from the main story or between Acts 1 and 2, prior to Event 1._

_**Event 2: Darkness Inside**_

He could smell the smoke and the acrid stench of burning flesh long before he saw the plumes of billowing smoke rising beyond the crest of rocky cliffs. He scrunched up his nose in preparation for what was going to be a rather uncomfortable recon into Kakariko. It had been a good fortnight since the traumatic attack on their home in Ordona but the only thoughts on Kafei's mind were of Anju.

He frowned at the memory of his father and mother scoffing at his notion of love with Anju. They called it puppy love and that it would never last. Even though they had seen each other off and on for two cycles during his trading trips to Kakariko, he was never more sure of anyone or anything in his life. He loved Anju, even though he didn't fully comprehend all that it could or would entail.

He hated dragging the boys into this mess and indeed decided it best to leave Ashley behind with Toby and Ivan. The poor boy was buried under a pile of corpses of his best friends, family and loved ones. Everyone he ever knew was murdered before his eyes and their blood stained both his clothes and his mind. Ever since that day he refused to speak and would stare listlessly at some unknown point on the horizon. Without further recourse and anxiously wanting to see Anju and get her out of the path of the incoming army, Kafei proceeded to split the Bomber Gang and take just Jim and Clarence with him.

Dread gripped his heart as he and the others dove into the shrubbery at the edge of the river meandering alongside the mountain face that bordered Kakariko. A horse mounted patrol surged past them, rumbling the ground and jittering their hearts at their passing. They were on a vector towards the seething mass just west of them. Upon seeing that frightening visage of death and despair, they decided to stop traveling by day and proceed only at dusk to avoid being seen.

A twinge of fear coursed through Kafei's body as they slowly ascended the steps up to the town entrance. They could hear raucous laughter and the crackling blaze of bonfires in the distance. He cursed softly under his breath as he realized he should not have brought Jim or Clarence along with him. These were adult soldiers, warriors who would show no pity to young children such as them. He cringed at the sight of a mutiliated boy at his feet, splayed out with limbs broken at awkward angles and a gaping fissure where they had raped him.

"I think you two better stay back and wait for me at the river." Kafei turned to them with intense concern in his eyes.

Tearing his eyes away from the descrated corpse, Clarence shook his head vehemently at Kafei. "Nuh-uh, we promised we'd be here for you."

Jim tightened his red handband even more as a serious look spread across his face, "Yeah. That's right! We Bombers gotta stick together!" He gave Kafei a shaky thumbs up, completely unsure if it was meant in all sincerity.

Kafei returned the thumbs up with one of his own, a sorrowful smile on his lips. His heart swelled with pride at these young boys, his friends. They were not even eight cycles old and they showed courage well beyond their years. "Very well, stick close to me and do exactly as I say. We have to assume everyone is an enemy up ahead." They all nodded and crouched low as they followed him up the steps.

They rounded the corner and spied two raging pyres, one in the central square of the village and one further up the hill leading to Death Mountain. Cries of women and children were heard from within several of the remaining structures that were not burnt to the ground. They slinked along the edge of the rockface towards the bushes flanking the tattered welcome sign, broken and strewn across the dirt. Thinking the white particles mixed in with the dirt odd, Kafei picked up some of the earth and tasted it. He spit it out in disgust.

"Salt." Kafei grimaced with disdain. "They are destroying the land too."

He glanced around to see if there was a clear path towards the inn where Anju worked. He could see the light from the fire casting a bright swath of light along the path leading up to the inn. Even if they stayed alongside the border wall, they would be spotted for sure. He groaned as he saw there was a patch of darkness between the two fires along the northside of the village where there was a lot of foot traffic between them but more chances of remaining hidden.

"Stay with me and do not make a sound." Kafei warned.

With a signal of his hand, the three boys darted low through the tall grass towards the northern rise. The loud laughing and baying at filthy jokes masked any sound they would have made. Kafei assisted Jim and Clarence up the high hill before climbing up himself. With their backs against the cold plaster of a house which was most likely a store at one point, they peered around the corner to see the way ahead.

Directly across the main thoroughfare was a dark alley between two buildings and then a fence they could jump over to get to the eastern side where the windmill was perched. It was only then that he noticed the lower half had been blown clear open and multitudes of rock and rubble were strewn outwards in a pattern of uncontrolled chaos. Kafei wondered just what exactly had transpired in this village when it was attacked.

Creeping slowly up towards the main stairs, formed brick embedded into the dirt to give off an air of civilization, a group of men staggered past them within a few inches of their position. Kafei toppled back onto his rump as he spread out his arms to prevent Jim and Clarence from pitching forward into their view. His chest was heaving from the unexpected surprise and shock at almost getting caught.

Narrowing his eyes at the drunken gaggle, he looked back down the hill towards the central plaza and deduced no one else was forthcoming. With another signal they scurried across the path and into the safety of the shadows on the other side. A cough from above jolted their nerves as they realized a man was situated atop the raised watch tower in the center of town. He had not seen them yet but the slight movement was enough for him to take a closer look at the ground beneath him.

"We need something to protect us!" Clarence whispered harshly.

"I know!" Kafei hissed back, slightly irked that a kid five cycles younger than him was telling him what they needed. He never expected this much opposition in trying to reach Anju or he would have rethought how they'd go about doing this.

The soldier grunted as he began to make his way laboriously down the steep ladder. Cursing again, Kafei motioned them to follow him up the fence. Jim slipped twice as they clambored their way up the wooden fence. With extreme effort, Kafei flipped himself over before hanging firmly on the other side before assisting Jim and Clarence over. A quick shout from above signaled the worst.

"Hey!" The man cried out, pointing at them dangling off the other side of the fence. "Stop right there!" The brute picked up his pace climbing down.

"Go! Go!" Kafei panicked. Kafei hopped down swiftly before looking up to catch a falling Jim.

Kafei landing with a wheeze with the wind being knocked out from him as Jim landed squarely on his chest. Clarence cried out in pain as he dropped down from a height higher than he should have and sprained his ankle upon impact. Stumbling towards the brick wall nearby to steady himself, he looked up at Kafei with tears welling in his eyes. Glancing up to see the glare from the man peeking through the holes of the fence, Kafei signaled everyone into the nearby door. The man swore and ran down the hill around the building to thwart their escape.

"Barricade the door! Now!" Kafei cried out.

"Barri…what?" Clarence asked, confused at the big word.

"Block it!" Kafei yelled, quickly pushing a table in front of the door, unsure if it would actually hold.

With seconds, the two young boys were trying their best to drag chairs and boxes they could manage to carry to the door. None of them knew how much time they had left before the man rounded the bend and began pounding on the door. Rapidly snooping around room, Kafei realized they were in a storage room of some sort. He noticed dangling hooks and other implements of slaughter hanging from the ceiling beams. Was this a butcher shop of some sort? Without a second thought, he yanked down two metal rods with forked hooks at the ends.

The banging was almost immediate. Kafei was thankful that the din outside was loud enough to mask the imminent confrontation about to happen. Jim and Clarence began whimpering as they backed up past him into the dark corners of the room. The door spintered open as the top half slanted forward over the table. The brute readied an arrow and began to take aim at Kafei through the opening before letting it soar.

On instinct, Kafei raised the dual hooks before being knocked to the ground at the force of the impact clanging off cold steel. He looked in shock at the metal and blanched at the dull pain traveling up his arm. A splintering of wood forced his attention up as the man ripped open a bigger gap with a hatchet. Shakily getting back up to his feet, Kafei was determined to meet the man head on, despite the frantic pounding of his heart. Images of the massacre in Ordona flashed through his mind.

Storming through the door and sliding off the table top, the limber man raise his bow a second time, ensuring he would not miss. Deep down in his heart, Kafei knew that he would not be able to rely on dumb luck to save himself this time. The stance and air of confidence in the brute's posture screamed experience. He knew that no matter which direction he moved that the man would be able to compensate and pierce him through.

"Leave him alone!" Jim screamed from the side.

It was enough of a diversion to provide an opening for Kafei to exploit. He ducked low and ran straight at the man before swinging his right hook towards the man's shin. Recovering hastily from the distraction, the arrow loosed and whisked by nicking off violet hairs from Kafei's head. The hook locked around the man's calf, unbalancing him and bringing him to the ground. Without thinking, the second hook rammed down into the man's brain as the man hit the floor. The eyes dilated before the body went still.

"What did you do?" Jim exclaimed.

Kafei snapped back to reality as he saw the handiwork before him. His chest was undulating heavily at the exertion and adrenaline of it all. He crumpled over and wretched all over the man, emptying the bowels of his stomach. He just killed a man. The very idea was alien to him and he was quite unsure of how to take it. Trembling furiously as he ripped the hooks out of the grunt with a sickening schluk, he wiped the steel down on the man's tunic.

Unsure of what else to say to explain what just happened to Jim, Kafei stared blankly out the fractured door. "We still need to find Anju." He gazed down at the quiver of arrows and bow. "Please take that with us." He gestured to Clarence as he picked up the hatchet to toss to Jim.

Awkwardly half carrying and dragging the rather large bow beside him, Clarence followed Jim and Kafei back out into the night; none heard the low moans coming from the man they thought had just died. Numb to the world around him, Kafei focused on the blood pounding in his ears as they skirted the eastern edge of the village, making their way around to the backside of the inn. Why did all these men commit such atrocious deeds? What possible reason could they have to be so vile? These questions began burning a rut through his mind as they came up on the knee high picket fence that originally was meant to be a pen for chickens.

Kafei knew something was wrong the moment he entered the enclosure. A body was half obscured by the hay bale situated alongside the building. Disbelief and horror was evident in his face as he beheld the form of Anju on the ground before him, her clothes shredded and blood stained. He collapsed to his knees beside her, the twin steel hooks clattering to the ground. His eyes roved the length of her body, soaking in the insanity of what was done to her. It was clear she had been kept alive for hours in excrutiating torment before the end.

A ragged cry erupted from his soul. His fingers shook with rage and grief as they traced up her body to the dragon lily pin he had made for her. It was strangely untouched. Unclipping it from her breast, he gripped it tightly within his fist as his body was racked with the force of his moans. He rocked back and forth as he covered her prone form with his own, running his hand through her ginger hair and kissing her bloodied cheeks over and over again, whispering undying words of love and sorrow. Her eyes stared unknowingly and unfeelingly upwards.

"Kafei…" Jim wavered, stepping back a bit as he tapped Kafei's shoulder.

"What?" Kafei wailed miserably as he wiped the tears from his eyes and faced the direction Jim was looking. Clarence was struggling in vain to hold the large bow with an arrow loosely nocked and ineffectively secure on the string, it would have looked almost comical if the boy weren't dead serious.

Staring at the man he has just killed, Kafei uttered something incomprehenseively before gripping the two hooks and rising to meet the soldier. His mind reeled that the man had recovered at all, let alone show no signs of injury beyond the trail of dried blood from where he punctured through his skull.

"Three little boys thinking they can be heroes. What could you possibly hope to accomplish?" The man snarled, licking his lips at the thought of young, unadulterated flesh before him.

A yelp from Clarence swiveled their gaze onto him as he accidently let the arrow fly. It soared true and rammed itself into the man's chest. Knowing the opportunity wouldn't come again, Kafei strode forward and jabbed both hooks into the man's throat before pulling them apart, ripping the neck clear open. Gurgling on steaming blood, the man lurched forward at the youth before hitting the ground.

"What do we do now?" Jim whispered fretfully, his eyes on the central plaza where the rest of the men had yet to notice their skirmish.

"Can they all come back to life?" Clarence speculated, having recovered unusually fast from his first violent act upon another.

Breathing heavily as he looked upon the men with hatred, something deep inside Kafei snapped. He spat savagely. "It doesn't matter. I am burning them all to the ground."


	100. Event 3: Drifting

_I wanted to put more detail and flesh out this chapter a bit more than it already is but I knew that I had to keep these chapters brief and focus solely on the action at hand. The goal of these events was not to expand my word count, but to fill in gaps within side character's stories as succinctly as possible. Ingo Gormon was a rather hard person to write for. I knew I needed a cohesive narrative flow that would bridge the gap from him leaving Lon Lon Ranch and winding up in Yolland. So I decided to do some 'time skipping' back and forth to better explain his journey to where you finally meet him within the story. I left a lot of details out, however I put in just enough where people can connect the dots and form a much larger picture of the arduous journey Ingo must have experienced to get to where he was in Yolland. I hope readers enjoy these snippets from the lives of these characters. This event takes place even before Act 1.  
><em>

_**Event 3: Drifting**_

Ingo apparated a bow quickly before twisting around in the saddle. He nocked an arrow before leveling it at the nearest rider and firing. The arrow sailed through the air, narrowly missing its mark. He swore profusely as he yanked on the reins of his horse and jerked it northwards towards a treeline. He was no good at combat and having to learn how to defend himself on the fly while on horseback was even worse!

He spotted a drop off several hundred meters west of the looming forest, its edge flanked by several towering pillars of stone that were casting long shadows across the plains. A small precipice bordering path was barely visible at this distance but Ingo was willing to risk plowing his horse inbetween the line of trees and the edge of the cliff if it meant slowing down his pursuers.

The horse nickered wildly as an arrow grazed its left flank, causing it to veer alarmingly to that side to compensate for the pain. It took every ounce of force to wrench the panicked stallion back to the right so that he'd be able to make the narrow ledge path safely. Another arrow clipped his ear as Ingo cursed something fierce.

He whipped his head around to rage at the incoming riders, "To Din's forge with you! I don't want to join your abominable army!" Ingo cawed angrily.

"We don't care anymore!" One of the men shouted back, drawing several guffaws from those nearby.

Ingo's blood went cold as he realized they no longer were bothering to chase him down for recruitment but now were chasing him for sport. They would never give up. A sudden moment of inspiration dawned on him as he materialized several bombs in his hands. He dropped each off on either side of the horse and kicked its flanks to push harder. The leading man of the four did not see the first bomb in time when it erupted beneath him, sending both horse and rider flailing into the air. Bits of flesh, blood and limbs rained down like some macabre spectacle.

"Damn it Timner!" Shouted the blonde haired leader of the hunting troupe; wildly signaling the remaining two riders behind him.

The three diverged violently apart as several more bombs exploded alongside their steeds, each explosion frightening them further into hysteria. One horse's gait was interrupted by a fourth bomb kicking a plume of dirt high into the air just mere feet in front of it. It reared aggressively, knocking its blonde rider out of the saddle before losing balance and crushing the man's ribs and spine with the impact.

"Very clever old man!" Roared a rather lithe soldier on Ingo's right. He summoned a long club with which he swooped it down low as another bomb bounced his way. It connected with the explosive and sent it hurtling back towards Ingo.

"Farore's mercy!" Ingo skirled as he saw the imminent threat.

He immediately dropped the remaining bomb he had apparated and tore at the reins to twist his horse around towards the approaching men. The more rotund rider was the quicker of the two and threw a freshly minted javelin towards Ingo. He drew himself close to the nape of the horse's neck to avoid the toss, his nose tickling slightly at the sudden whiff of livestock assaulting his sense of smell. The rebounded bomb soared over Ingo as it exploded mere yards beyond, sending pulses of heat back towards the oncoming soldiers.

Both men reared their horses around, the fatter rider unaware of the final bomb Ingo accidently dropped. It bursted directly underneath the horse, vaporizing it instantly; the man screamed as he plunged forward with massive burns before snapping his neck on the ground. The final rider spat fervidly to the side before goading his steed to the chase again.

Observing that the previous two riders were fully healed and on freshly summoned steeds, Ingo knew he was fighting a losing battle. With little recourse left to him, he steered his horse towards the drop off and provoked it to full speed. The horse's breathing was already ragged and it was nearing the limit of its endurance. With a single squawk, both Ingo and horse leaped out over the precipice. His eyes were only on the other side, it seemed his horse might actually make the distance.

An arrow thunked into his arm knocking him clear out of the saddle. Without the balanced weight of both horse and rider, his steed did not make it to the other side. Its front legs crunched against the opposing rock wall before its body thrashed down the craggy side. With one blood curdling whinney, it breathed its last as it was impaled by a sharp rock at the bottom.

Ingo was oblivious to it all. He was spinning head over heels towards the rushing waters below that ran through the small valley. A blink and then he was under the icy cold waters. He couldn't breath, he couldn't swim. His vision went dark…

* * *

><p>"'nother one brusher…" Ingo slurred as he thumped the mug down with gusto.<p>

Francis twitched his mustache irritably at his brother's abhorrent behavior. At first he was overjoyed to finally reunite with his younger brother again after so many cycles apart. He was bedraggled but none worse for wear when he staggered in through the gates of Glaun'rung. Several folks recognized him even after all this time and brought him immediately to Francis for care. He had come in with a raging fever and had contracted a rather nasty cold during his long journey south from Hyrule.

Since his recovery, the cheerful brother Francis knew had become a rather intolerant, petulant, depressed man. Throughout his ravings night after night at the bar, Francis gathered that Ingo was wronged greatly during his tenure in Hyrule. Something about being fired for embezzling money and treating horses unfairly. At first he didn't quite want to believe Ingo was all that bad but the more his brother whined about his mistreatment, the more inclined he was to believe his former employer's side of the story without even having heard it!

"I think you've had quite enough, brother!" Francis snorted as he continued to dry a mug he had freshly washed in the sink basin behind him.

Ingo rapped a fist on the wood, jostling a rather timid man huddled in the shroud of his cloak at the end of the counter. "I'll tell you whensh I'm done!" He hiccupped.

"I honestly think you should take my advice and move on from here. It's getting rather unsafe." Francis warned his brother gravely.

"Safe? Thish bar ish safe! I gots you don't I?" Ingo reasoned with all his comprehending might, waving a hand at the rest of the inn's common area nearly tumbling off his stool in the process.

Francis lurched forward to grab his brother's arm to bring him back steady on the chair. "You fool! I'm telling this for your own good. There have been several folk eyeing you for the past several weeks now!" He hissed, trying to ensure his conversation was kept just between him and Ingo.

"I don't care." Ingo mumbled. "Stupid littlesh brat! Alwaysh dotin' on her like shome love shick pup!" He began to ramble, his inner rage rising to a fever pitch.

Francis shook his head and sighed. His brother was blind to the danger around him. He reached into his vest pocket to draw out a vial of potent liquid when he noticed some movement just outside the bar entrance. He scowled once he recognized the two men entering the bar. Two brothers, one of blonde hair and one of black hair, both with foul dispositions; they were the last two people he wanted to see at this hour.

"Afternoon Talamir, Timner." Francis welcomed, trying his best to hold back the resentment as he nodded to the two of them.

Talamir sauntered over to the drunken Ingo and heartily clapped an arm around the man. His gaze lingering on Francis as he teased, "You never told me you had another brother Francis!" Timner snickered with his own brother as he sidled up next to Ingo on the opposite side, situating himself firmly on the open stool.

"Who was that older brother of yours again?" Timner tapped his chin mockingly as he feigned remembrance. A snap of the fingers jerked Ingo briefly from his stupor. Despite the alarm, he continued to gawk at the bottom of his mug. "That's right! It was Regan, wasn't it?"

"A mighty fine soldier and one who has done countless deeds of heroism in the service of his country!" Talamir chimed in, a grin spreading across his features.

"Much like this fine lad will be!" Timner chortled as he nudged Ingo's ribs jovially. "We're looking for more recruits to join us in our crusade against the Hylian dogs."

Startled, Francis stepped back a few paces to avoid the bulky form of Talamir as he hitched himself up over the counter and began leaning over it to pour him and his brother a few shot glasses of whiskey. "Besides," Talamir began, "it's not like we need two bartenders in Glaun'rung. If he has no talent for it, we can keep you here and he can go off onto better things!"

"Most men should feel honored to fight for their country! We were a prospering nation once! We can be so again!" Timner toasted with his glass that Talamir handed him before downing it in one swallow.

Francis suppressed an outraged mutterance when both brothers smashed their empty glasses on the floor. "You're going to have to pay for those!" He fumed indignantly, mustache bristling.

Talamir waved a hand in dismissal, "Just put it on our tab will you?" The brothers hooted stridently at that. Jabbing a meaty finger at Ingo, still wavering on his stool, he continued, "Be sure to send him out to meet us this evening in front of the Temple of Ballos once he sobers up. He will be drafted into the army Francis. You know the drill by now, every able bodied man must join."

After a glare from Francis, Timner rebuked swiftly, "It is either you or him. We don't care which. As long as someone has the talent to stay behind and serve us all drinks when we travel home on leave!"

Both of them bellowed enthusiastically as they slapped the swinging flap doors on their way out, causing them to squeak painfully on their hinges. Francis's shoulders slumped visibily as he regarded his brother sullenly. What was he to do? He already lost Regan to this vain conflict. He didn't want to lose anymore family.

Recalling his present course of action, he reached back into his vest and brought out the vial. Uncorking the stopper, he gripped Ingo by the shoulder and brought the container beneath his nostrils. Within a few seconds, Ingo perked up with a shudder.

"Ugh. What is that brother?" Ingo grimaced as the putrid odor invaded his sense of smell, disappating the lingering effects of the alcohol.

"It need not matter." Francis uttered with urgency. "What does matter is that you follow me quickly and do exactly as I tell you."

Slightly confused at what was happening, Ingo complied and trailed his brother out the back entrance and toward the stables. Francis saddled the nearest spotted horse and brought it around towards him before strapping several packs of supplies he had picked up on their way out of the inn. Confident in their ability to stay affixed to the horse, he turned to his brother and smiled before embracing him fully.

"I don't understand." Ingo fumbled. "Am I leaving? Did I do something wrong?"

Francis withdrew and shook his head, wiping a tear from his eye. "Not at all. I'm actually trying to save your life. You must leave today or you will be inducted into the army and whatever Goddess forsaken rituals they perform on new recruits. I do not wish that upon you."

"That wouldn't be good." Ingo's expression turned dark with the realization of his current plight. "What about you? Won't you get in trouble?"

Francis shrugged. "Perhaps, it doesn't concern me overly much. I'm sure I'll be able to manage the brothers' wrath."

Tears welling in his eyes, Ingo embraced his brother once more. "Farewell Francis. I hope we meet again someday."

"May it be a day when this silly war is over and Glaun'rung is at peace." Francis agreed.

With an unsteady hand, Ingo hoisted himself up onto the horse before gently guiding it around towards the path. He looked around at the disheveled houses and unsightly rot festering in his beloved hometown. He wished deep in his heart that he might one day see this place restored to the glory that resided only in his memory. With one final look at his brother, he urged the horse into a canter and headed off toward the gates.

"Farewell brother. May the Goddesses protect you and may you find something to live for again." Francis whispered as he watched Ingo round the bend of houses and disappear.

* * *

><p>His eyes writhed open as he squinted at the harsh light filtering in through the open window. His left arm was sore and an aching numbness permeating the limb. He rolled his head to the side and spied a silhouette against the bright window. The figure looked feminine. His gaze wandered down to see that the bottom hem of her dress was of a deep blue hue. Noticing him awake, the figure shifted in position and focused on him solely.<p>

"Am I dead?" He croaked, his throat parched, craving thirst.

"No." A slight giggle from the chair.

"Are you an angel come to take me home?" He pressed.

"No." Another giggle, it almost sounded too young. A girl, maybe? "We found you half dead at the mouth of the river just a few miles east of here. It's a good thing my father found you when he did."

"Your father?" Ingo rasped, turning his head to stare back up at the boarded ceiling.

"Yes, the mayor of this town." The youthful voice confirmed. "He is the head hunter and they were out on patrol and found you bleeding with an arrow in your arm." After a pause, she continued, "Were you in trouble?"

"Yes. No. I don't know. I was escaping from a fate I did not wish to have." After a few struggled gasps, Ingo began to weep. "There's nothing worth living for anymore. Why did you save me?"

At his sobbing, the young woman got up from her chair and knelt by his side. The first thing Ingo noticed was her strawberry blonde hair trailing down to the small of her back. She smiled at him which caused dimples to form at the middle of her cheeks. He moaned as he thought he saw pity in her eyes.

"There are plenty of things to live for." She assured him, resting a calm hand on his uninjured arm.

"I've lost my home, my family, my life. What else is there to live for?" He raved.

For lack of a better response the woman shook her head slightly. "It's okay. My name is Orauna. Everything is going to be all right." She soothed, patting his arm.


	101. Event 4 : Guardian Angel

_I always felt that the rescue of Link and Malon in Chapter 16 felt a bit half-assed and I sort of hand-waved it at the time by having Impa say 'a little fairy told her,' knowing that Navi was going to be a part of this story at the time. Once I finalized how Navi was to be integrated into the story, there was this looming plot hole as to where she was the entirety of Act 1. So I wrote this chapter to better fill in the gaps as to why Impa was where she was to save Link and how Navi was spending her time researching for both the survival of the Kokiri and the ultimate merging of her and Link. Her trail in Act 1 leads her to the Gerudo and ultimately into the Twili realm some time later during Link and co.'s tenure at the Gerudo. It is also a nice thought and feeling that even after all this time, Navi was secretly working with Impa to keep Link and the others safe. This event naturally happens during Act 1 between Chapters 15 and 16.  
><em>

_**Event 4: Guardian Angel**_

"Hey! Hello!" A small jingle emerged from the shadow of the wall.

Impa's ears pricked up at the sound of the unsual voice. She turned in the saddle to see a glowing ball of light flitter towards them. She raised a fist to waylay the other Sheikah who had already drawn their batons and other armaments of war. For some inexplicable reason, she knew that this…creature was not an enemy. She tried to recall where she had seen such a thing before but couldn't quite place her finger on it.

All eyes were on the blooming fairy emerging from the luminosity that had now just begun to fade. Impa instinctively raised a palm up to allow the fairy to land gently on her outstretched fingers. Dusting herself off modestly, the fairy fashioned a singular leaf of blue to cover her body admist all the onlookers around her, some of which were male.

Indeed, there was quite a crowd alongside Impa in the impromptu caravan. They were within an hour's ride from Kakariko and well on their journey eastward to the Xaagar Mountains where they would be hunkering down before their next move. The village was lost and their primary concern was getting Princess Zelda to safety. She was currently situated on another steed alongside Impa, with a grumbling Talon just behind her holding the reins. He was still bemoaning the fact they were forced to leave his daughter, Malon, back in that hell.

"Impa, right?" The little fairy quizzed rhetorically, "I remember you. There is something urgent I must tell you."

A spark of memory alighted in Impa's mind as she smiled warmly at the little sprite. "Navi." She spoke softly. "You were Link's fairy. I remember you now."

Navi curtsied before relaying the rest of her message. "I was just on my way to return to Link when I spotted him getting captured just outside Goron City. I do not know who those men were but they looked dangerous and could heal themselves even after death!"

Impa's face turned grim at the news, "Yes, we were unfortunate to find that out the hard way. How long ago was this?" She probed.

"Within the hour." Navi confirmed, "They were heading back to the encampment perched just within eyesight of the Hyrule Castle walls!"

Another Sheikah urged her horse alongside Impa's, her face concerned yet determined, "We cannot tarry. We must continue onwards toward Xaagar. Princess Zelda will be safe there."

Impa schrunched her eyes tightly at the dilemma she was placed in. She knew her duty and ultimate priority was to her charge but she didn't want to leave Link to die either. "I know Cayla. It would be safer there and we most likely do not have the time to go back for him."

Noticing the father of the girl captured sidle his horse closer to hear the conversation, Navi spoke a little louder to bolster support for what she was propositioning. "Link was also captured with a young girl with hair a brilliant sheen of red."

Her words had the intended effect as Talon exploded, "You saw Malon? She's alive? They kidnapped her too?" His eyes swerved back to Impa, "We have to go back! We must-"

A scathing scowl and a harsh word silenced Talon. "We cannot risk our necks for someone as trivial as your daughter." Cayla rebuked the portly man.

Talon glared at the haughty Sheikah. He opened his mouth to say more but was promptly cut off by Zelda, her eyes solely on Impa. "He is a friend of the royal family, a knight-in-training to the Hylian guard. More importantly, he is my friend. We have to go back for him."

Impa was torn between her sworn duty and the request of her charge. Her attention divided between Zelda and Navi, she wasn't sure what she should do. Her worry for the boy outweighed a lot of factors, not the least of which because both Zelda and her grew so fond of Link. Several of the nearby Sheikah were looking to her for direction, each unsure what the next course of action should be.

"Please Impa." Navi implored softly, "I cannot save him on my own."

"Enough of this!" Cayla fumed, "We are wasting valuable time here! We must keep moving onwards toward Xaagar. Only there, once Princess Zelda is safe, can we plan and execute a rescue party for him."

"His name is Link." Zelda snapped, attracting the ire of the impatient Sheikah. She ignored the daggers and turned to face Impa, "I will go no further until I know he is safe."

"It simply is not wise to bring you so near to the enemy to-" Impa began to reason.

"No!" Zelda shouted, crossing her arms, looking like quite the royal brat, "He is my friend and I wish to see him alive and free. What are you going to do? Bind and gag me and force me to leave him behind?" She bluffed huffily.

"If we have to." Cayla intoned, all passion removed from her voice.

"Silence!" Impa bellowed, even Navi took a few steps back on her fingers. "This is what we are going to do." She turned to Talon and Zelda before pointing at them, "You will accompany me and at my time and choosing, hang back and hide yourselves until we retrieve both Link and the girl." She swiveled around to Cayla, "You will go with us and secure the girl while I go after Link." She turned her eyes back to Navi, "I want you to fly ahead and scout where they are taking them and into which tents so we aren't fruitlessly searching everywhere. And as for the rest of you," her gaze out among the Sheikah, "prepare us a path to gather these two captives and us safely back through Kakariko."

Cayla scowled but said nothing as she obediently followed the orders of her sister. She turned to the side and unclasped several provision pouches from her horse and tossed them to Impa who caught them effortlessly with her free hand. "We travel light sister. We take two horses instead of three. I'll ride with you." With a nod from Impa, Cayla handed the reins of her horse to another before saddle hopping behind Impa.

Impa took one last look at the dwindling sun, just falling beneath the horizon. "We ride hard and fast!" She nodded her head back at Talon. "Let's go!" Navi kicked off Impa's hand and whisked away with a small ring.

Navi had returned and coordinated which tents the two children were taken to. With a nod from Impa, Cayla surged off in the tall grass towards the horde of tents and uncouth men. Impa was about to delve off into the brush herself, satisfied with the hidden placement of their horses and her charge, when Navi tinkled slightly to attract her attention.

"You need to get Saria over to the western side of the army." Navi hummed fervently.

Impa crouched to a knee, utterly flabbergasted at what the fairy was asking of her. "The Kokiri? She's back with the rest of the Sheikah! We cannot!" She hissed adamantly.

Navi jingled agitatedly, "I have found Saria's fairy Sora. It is being held along with Link in the very same tent!"

Impa scoffed, "Isn't that conveninent? Still, I can't allow Princess Zelda to come to harm by trying to carry a young girl through enemy lines."

"I also think it would be best Zelda and Talon come along too." Navi waved a small hand off in the direction of their hiding spot.

Impa blinked at the sprite, "They what? Why?"

Navi sighed, she put a palm to her forehead, deciding how best to explain it to the soon-to-be irritated Sheikah. "I've been investigating a lot of things this past cycle. I've traveled far and wide in hopes of finding a way Link and I can be together forever. I haven't found much but what I did find pointed me in the direction of the Gerudo."

Zelda was peeking out from the foliage as she gave a puzzled look at Impa. The Sheikah shook her head subtly before redirecting her gaze on Navi. "I do not understand little one, what do the Gerudo have to do with us?" She put a hand to her chest and then indicated Zelda.

Without hestitation Navi dropped her bombshell, "I also believe the Gerudo might be able to protect you better than where you are going now."

Impa gave a snort, "I appreciate your willingness to help but make no mistake, the Sheikah are perfectly capable of keeping Princess Zelda safe. Do not try my patience at insulting our abilities."

Navi raised both hands up in appeal, "Please hear me out! I discovered that the southern barrier past Ordona was created by the Gerudo."

"Yes, I'm aware of that." Impa motioned with her hand for Navi to continue.

"I also learned that Ganondorf has freed himself earlier today and that he's responsible for the southern border going down." Navi exclaimed.

Impa's eyes widened, "That means…he let them all in."

Navi nodded vigorously, "Exactly! He's a villain!" After a slight pause, "What I can't figure is why he decided to erect a similar barrier around the Temple of Time."

As if on cue, Impa looked to the north and finally noticed the dull hazy glow of the malevolent aura, shimmering in the dark. How long had that been there and she was not aware? What was Ganondorf's aim in protecting that which he sought after? Was he fighting against the Nevachreans now? Or was he ensuring that they wouldn't get to it first?

"If he's loose, there is no telling what he'll do. He might turn in and collaborate with the enemy. Someone has to keep an eye on him." Impa said sternly.

"Why not you? The kids can take refuge under his protection while you secretly watch over and investigate. You know he has the power, you saw how long that barrier kept them out." Navi suggested innocently.

"No. Out of the question!" Impa sliced a hand through the air accentuating the point to the shimmering sprite. "We have no assurance that they would be safe there." She jerked her head back to see Talon softly snoozing in the underbrush. "Besides, you should know as well as I that they don't take kindly to any man who isn't their king. Why would I rescue Link only to deliver him into a potentially worse situation?"

Navi merely shrugged her shoulders, "From what little I've been able to find on the Gerudo, they cherish kids as a resource. Link might actually be safe there for a time and besides, you said yourself that Ganondorf needs to be monitored." Impa shot her a look. Adroitly ignoring the stare, Navi pressed, "There is a small gap within the enemy lines between the castle walls and the front of their force. It is dwindling rapidly. You either make your choice now or you won't get another chance."

Impa growled under her breath at the second dilemma she was facing within a span of hours, "Why not save Link and Sora and bring her to Saria in the safety of the mountains?"

Navi shook her head, "No time! The further we tarry, the further Saria is being brought out of Sora's reach. She will die before then. She needs to be brought here but staying on this side of the army is dangerous since we are caught between the main force and the raiding parties further up the hill in Kakariko. The only thing on the other side is the Gerudo, which have not yet proven to be hostile to us."

"Yet we imprisoned their king." Impa reminded monotonously.

After a long silence, Navi fidgeted at the indecisive nature of the Sheikah, the woman was far too cautious for her own good! "This is more than just saving Link, Sora and Malon."

"So that's her name." Impa murmured, she had quite forgotten.

"This is about saving the Kokiri as well!" Navi continued rapidly, her voice tolling out like a ringing bell, "If we don't save Link as well as Saria, then the Kokiri are finished!"

Impa stared hard at the ground, her mind a fury of sensations, thoughts and feelings. After a time, she looked up at the fluttering sprite and smiled, "Very well, my tiny manipulator." Navi squeaked a protest at the accusation, but was ignored.

"We must work together if this plan is to succeed." Impa instructed as she reached into her belt buckle and brought out a small, jeweled talisman, something light enough for the fairy to carry. "Take this, head back to the other Sheikah and show them this. They'll know that I sent you. Request that two of them bring Saria and to meet us at the overlooking ridge just beyond the borders of the Gerudo homeland."

She handed Navi the trinket, causing her to lose altitude briefly with its weight. After a slight struggle, the fairy puckered up the strength to haul it under her arms. "Thank you Impa! This means a lot to me!"

"Don't thank me yet!" Impa grinned. "I still have to save Link! You just have to promise me you'll return and help me watch over these young children."

Navi giggled, "Of course! I am still researching my own interests. I believe the Gerudo will have what I seek. Thank you again!"

With the clattering of small bells, she was off like a shot. The blue glow zoomed past Zelda and down the path towards Kakariko and ultimately Saria. Gently nudging Talon awake, Zelda stepped out briefly from the bushes to meet the Sheikah and spread her arms in confusion at Impa. She had not heard what had happened and was quite curious to know what they were to do next.

"Are we saving Link still?" Zelda probed anxiously.

Impa beamed, "Yes, my princess. However, the plan has changed slightly."


	102. Event 5: Blood on Their Hands

_Ever since I started writing these small event chapters, I knew I would have to come around in writing the background history for this character. I had alluded to the actual events happening for so long, but I wanted to give readers a taste of what life was like back before the war and all the heartache and terror happened. The majority of the chapter was written to be slow to offset the horrors of the end, this was intentional to have you get a feel for these characters and their life together. I wanted to form some sort of connection before the inevitable events that catapulted this entire fanfic into motion. I hope readers enjoy and appreciate this chapter and I have to thank you all once again for sticking with me to the very end. This event occurs before all other events and prior to the main story. I am now fresh out of ideas for additional chapter content, if any of you have suggestions, I'd love to hear them.  
><em>

_**Event 5: Blood on Their Hands**_

The filtering rays of sunlight prickled his eyelids as sleep dispersed from his mind. He blinked heavily several times as he shaded his eyes from the harsh light of morning from the rustic window built of mud and thatch. He smiled as he heard a nearby bird chirping on the winds; he much rather enjoyed living out in the country, away from the politics and grandeur of his station in the capital.

He rolled his head to the side to see the slow up and down motion of breathing from the beautiful creature beside him. Her eyes were closed, her posture serene. Her arm and leg were draped across his body, completely enveloping him with the warmth from her touch. He beamed at the wonderful woman who was his wife, the one person who understood him completely. She also agreed with his decision to live outside the capital and only make visits there if his advisors and counselors demanded his prescence.

Reaching over a hand, he removed a lock of hair from her face. Her eyes stirred at his touch and she opened them to behold his scruffy face. Her face cracking a genuine grin, she braided her fingers through his beard.

"Good morning, my love." She cooed softly.

"Good morning, my dear." He replied, putting a hand up to hers, feeling her hand upon his hair. "I'm thinking of shaving it today. You know, to make myself look younger."

She smacked his chest light heartedly, "Don't you dare Brennan! I love the way you look. If I ever come home from the fields and find you clean shaven, I may have to hurt you."

Brennan smirked at this, "Very well my lady. Your wish is my command." He bowed his head beside her in mock deference.

"Oh, you're terrible!" She exclaimed laughing as she pushed him out of the bed, covers entangled with his limbs as he hit the ground in a push-up.

He rose up in false anger as he pointed a finger at her nude form, now uncovered from the blankets lying askew on the floor. "You will pay dearly for that Myra!" She shrieked in terrified glee as he pounced upon her, his hands roving about her soft skin, feeling the budding tips of her nipples.

"Daddy!" A squeal erupted from the nearby room prompting both of them to scramble for the fallen cover and yank it over themselves before their daughter could burst into the room and find them indisposed.

Within moments, a young girl with dashing chestnut hair exploded into the room, her beige nightgown whipping behind her. She ran the short distance from the doorframe to their bed in seconds before leaping onto the bed, much to her delight at her parents yells. She proceeded to fake snap, claw and bite them as they squirmed under the blanket, trying their best to evade their would-be predator. After several minutes of rambunctious mirth, their mood calmed as they held each other close, soaking in the last moments of quiet.

Presently, Myra scruffed her daughter's hair as she carried her off the bed and set her down on the cool rock flooring. "Come now Elysia, let's get dressed and cook daddy up some great porridge this morning." With a wink, "You know, with the special spices you prepared yesterday!"

A dawning realization came to Elysia at this before she winked back, "Ah yes mom! 'Those' spices! I'll get right on it!" The girl gave a mock salute before dashing out of the room.

Brennan cocked an eyebrow at Myra, "Spices? Just what sort of concoction are you making me woman?" He huffed.

She put a finger to her lips, "Oh nothing I'm sure you can't handle." Her lilting laugh bristled his beard as she shook her rump at him as she went to put on a morning dress. He couldn't stay mad at her long. It was going to be a glorious morning.

Stretching his arms wide, he swung them down to his sides as he walked over to the open window and looked out across the fields and crops. He could see his servants just beginning to wheel their barrows out to the stalks of fresh grain, eager to set to harvest that day before it grew too hot. Although he was king, it was the simple pleasures in life he enjoyed. Maybe one day, after the capital was finally finished would they move into the castle that was to be built for him and his family. How strange it would be. He was a farmer at heart yet his people trusted him to lead them.

Brennan had just finished lacing up his boots when the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg began emanating from the kitchen alcove. With audible and visible sniffing, drawing giggles from Elysia as he stalked into the kitchen like a hound dog on a trail, he snuck up on Myra before wrapping his arms around her bulging belly. She yelped at the sudden grasping but relaxed into his embrace as she flipped over the dough pancake.

He dug his face into her neck and nuzzled her skin, making it tickle with the hair of his silver beard. "I can't wait to see what we have produced Myra." He groaned huskily.

She snickered at his advance and shied away from his assaulting facial hair, "What I'm producing is a special batch of pancakes made by your daughter." She smirked, nodding her head towards Elysia, sitting cross-legged on the bench beside them.

"I gathered the spices just last morning out in our backyard daddy!" She piped up cheerfully.

He walked over and ruffled her hair as he sat down beside her, eagerly awaiting the meal that was to come. "A home made meal, from my own little girl?" He said with great dramatic prose, "I can't possibly believe she can cook!"

Elysia scowled her best as she folded her arms crossly. "I can too cook!" She spouted.

"Of that, I have no doubt." Myra confirmed as she waved her crude, wooden spatula at Brennan before resuming the flipping of yet another ready pancake. "She has a good teacher."

Brennan chortled, "As will our second child!"

Myra smiled inwardly as she placed a loving hand on her stomach, massaging the stretched skin as she felt a little kick to her palm. "I feel it is going to be a boy, Brennan." She stated as she brought him his meal, placing the plate of steaming dough before him.

He picked up the proffered utensils and began cutting into the patties, "If so, he'll be a wonderful, strong, strapping lad."

"Just like his dad?" Myra joked, poking the slight trace of pudge around Brennan's middle.

"Yes." He said gruffly, "Just like him."

Myra waved a hand to dismiss his comment as she turned back to the stove, humming as she served breakfast to both herself and Elysia. No surprise to anyone, Brennan was infatuated with the pancakes. He scarfed him down with gusto, causing raucous laughter from Elysia as he went back for seconds. It was a most satisfying meal and Elysia was glowing with pride at her first cooked meal. Sure, her mother had to handle the hot stove in cooking them but she still mixed the batter together, so it still counted.

"Such a shame we had to send back Releshaun to Hyrule." Brennan lamented as he took the responsibility to clear the table himself and place them in the adobe sink basin at the far end of the counter. "I've gotten quite used to having the Sheikah around here, doing these types of menial tasks."

Myra placed a knowing hand over his as he picked up a boar brush to begin scrubbing, "I know, my love. I miss her too. She was like family to us but it was the right thing to do to return her to the country of her origin." She pondered a moment before continuing, "She's probably near the castle by now if she rode hard since she left. She'll be alright. She will be with her brothers and sisters. Once this nasty war is over with, we will get her back and all will be well."

At the mention of the war, his countenance darkened, "Don't remind me. I have to go back to the front by the next moon."

"I know dear." She shushed. She gently took the brush from him before locking her eyes onto his, "Tend to the fields early today, I'll take care of this."

"I love you." Brennan murmured, kissing her passionately.

"And I, you." Myra returned before tending to the task at hand. "Lunch should be ready by the top of the day." She glanced over briefly to Elysia, "Be sure to be back and washed up before then, okay? Until then, go play."

"Yay!" Elysia yipped as she bounded off the bench and rushed out of the home.

Brennan shook his head jovially, "What am I going to do with that girl? She is so headstrong."

He paused briefly on his way out the door as Myra returned his musings, "Better that they get their stubborn attitude from their father!"

"You watch yourself woman!" Brennan jested, waggling a finger at her before stepping out into the fresh air.

A curious scent wafted into his nose, perking it up at the slightly acrid flavor it had. He completely missed it while inside the home, masked behind the haze of cinnamon and nutmeg. He spun around, trying to identify the direction of the smell until he spied a plume of smoke rising in the east. There was the stench of burning flesh and metal burning on the wind and it was coming from the capital!

Brennan crouched low, his hands twitching as his pupils darted around looking for a weapon as a flurry of movement staggered forth from the tall grain stalks across the road. A common man, equipped with nothing but simple waders and a peasant shirt stumbled towards him, blood streaming from his temple and a wounded leg visibly broken.

"Fletcher!" Brennan cried as the man collapsed into his arms. "What is going on?"

"The Hylians!" Fletcher croaked; his throat dry. It was evident he had run the entire distance from the capital without rest. "They came upon us like demons and destroyed our homes and livestock. They murdered and raped the women. My son! They killed my son!" He raved before passing out from exhaustion.

"Fletcher!" Brennan yelled again as he tried to hold the Fletcher up but had to let him slip to the ground under the dead weight of the unconscious man. What in the world? Why would the Hylians be attacking them now? What possible cause could they have in starting a war with them?

He did not have to wait long as a low rumble of hooves alerted Brennan to the horses down the path, mere specks at this distance. He hailed a nearby servant towards him to relay a message to his cousin to take his nephews far away from here. The messenger was off like a shot through the tall grass beyond the house. With a grim look, Brennan turned and picked up a sickle and waited calmly for the entourage to arrive at his doorstep. There would be much explaining to do if it was indeed the Hylians who had attacked.

Something was wrong. They were a mere hundred meters from him yet they had not slowed down. He could now see the crest of the Royal Family upon the banners being held by the lead horsemen. It seemed they were coming straight for him, their sorrel horses thundering down the dirt road. He steadied himself, his sickle poised to strike at the legs of the first horse within range when a cry from behind jolted him out of his calm. Myra was at the door frame; hand on the edge, looking down the road at the deadly consort of Hylians.

"Myra! Get inside no-" Brennan could not say more as the butt of the nearest pike rammed into his temple. He hit the ground hard and darkness took him.

* * *

><p>His mind reeled at the sudden, intense throbbing in his brain. He cried out in agony as any movement simply brought more misery. He was then acutely aware of the stabbing sensation in his lower legs. His eyes fluttered open and gazed down to see he was suspended off the ground by several feet. He moaned in anguish upon seeing two rusty nails staked through each foot, securing him to a rather thick post of rotting wood which was pounded into the earth. His arms ached with the soreness of being tied back behind him around the post, his wrists already chaffing from the rope. He had been stripped to nothing but his breeches.<p>

A familiar voice made his skin crawl as a feeble rasp emerged from his right, "Good morning Brennan Arelious Naar."

Sitting atop a chestnut stallion was Hendrick Johanses Hyrule, King of Hyrule. Sitting astride his horse before him was Lucrecia, Brennan's sister, swollen with child. She had a pained look on her face but she was kept in check by the seemingly frail arms surrounding her which belied their inner strength. He was dressed in his finest armor, no doubt put upon him by the stable boys before riding off to Glaun'rung to sack it that very morning. His wispy white hair flew freely in the breeze. Off to the side were the huddled forms of his wife and daughter, chained and weeping together beside one of the horses.

"What…do you…want?" Brennan managed to groan through the pain with gritted teeth.

"I am hearby charging you with treason of the highest order." Hendrick leered at Brennan as he snapped his fingers for a nearby soldier to bring him a scroll. He unfurled the parchment and began reading the sentence. "By consorting with internal terrorist factions and by stealing Hylian government property, the Sheikah, to assist and overthrow the Hylian government, your patron country, you are being sentenced to death."

"No!" Lucrecia screamed. She craned her neck around hard to glare at Hendrick in the saddle. "You promised me he would live. I would only go with you willingly if you promised he lives."

"Indeed." Hendrick sneered. "I did promise you that. That proclamation was written before I granted you that mercy and I always hold to my vows." He turned to his men and crowed, "That does not, however, extend to his family. Take them and do as we agreed."

"No!" The uttered cry was made in unison by Brennan, Lucrecia and Myra. Several dozen soldiers hopped off their steeds and took the chained wife and child and threw them down into the dirt before Brennan.

"You may commence with the punishment." Hendrick crooned.

Myra and Elysia quailed and screeched as the soldiers ripped their clothes off piece by piece. Within several agonizing minutes, they ploughed their manhoods into the two females, drawing blood from the younger as she was pierced for the first time. She screamed in abject terror at her brutal raping.

"Get away from them!" Brennan frothed, spittle flying out. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you all! You had no reason to do this! No reason at all!" He twisted and writhed but shooting pain rocketed up his legs from the nailed flesh, he felt slight pops in his shoulders as he struggled against the rope bonds.

"I have every right to deal with traitors." Hendrick scorned. Lucrecia was getting agitated and began to fight back against him. He motioned for several guards to sidle up to him, "Here, take her somewhere safe. It is best she not watch what is to come."

Lucrecia spat in his face, trying in vain to ignore the panicked cries of her sister-in-law and niece, "You monster! This child of mine will be no son to you! I would rather die than allow him to become a part of your wicked family!" Rage was in her eyes.

With a disinterested wipe, he flung the spittle from his cheek to the ground, "I should hope not. If it is a boy, I may have to kill it. I will allow no foreign seed become eligible and next in line for the throne. For your sake, I hope you pray that it is a girl."

Lucrecia screamed in wrath as she tried to lunge for Hendrick but was held back by the strong soldiers beside her. Ignoring her protesting ravings, the king turned back to the spectacle at hand. Already several men had their rounds with each female and another man was positioning himself up for the ride. With each successive ploughing, the men continued to spread Elysia's legs further apart. By the fifth man, they had popped them entirely out of socket, causing her to shriek like a wounded animal which caused them all to laugh as a sixth took her innocence.

As the hour slowly passed, Elysia's cries had given away to dull silence; a sort of numbness began permeating her entire being as she began to simply accept the treatment given to her, wanting nothing more than for it to end. Myra and Brennan's eyes were locked onto each other, tears streaming down unbidden. They knew how this would end and there was nothing they could do about it.

After the last soldier had had his fill, they were waved down by Hendrick. The king looked down upon the pitiful form of Brennen Naar, the once great leader of Nevachrea. "May this be a lesson to you and your country to never take what is mine." With a sniff, he lured his horse past the two females, "Burn them."

"No!" Brennan shouted.

Several Hylians at the back brought forth several jugs of what looked like water but Brennan knew better. They unceremoniously dunked Myra and Elysia with the oil before lighting several wicker torches. They advanced upon the two with a gleam in their eyes.

"Go." Myra whispered urgently to Elysia, pushing her roughly away. "Get away."

"Mommy…" Elysia sobbed as she began dragging herself by her hands, her legs completely broken and useless. She cringed at the sound of her mother's shrill voice splitting the air as they set ablaze her clothes. The flames quickly spread until she was a rolling mass of conflagrations.

Brennan could do nothing but stare at his only child struggling to get away from her killers, watching as his wife burned down to nothing but cooked meat. Elysia looked up at him one last time, begging for salvation from her father as the first lick of flames touched her leg. Within seconds, she was enveloped and was thrashing in place as the last words on her lips were, "Daddy…"

* * *

><p>He had no idea how long he had hung there, parched of thirst and stomach growling. The sun beat mercilessly upon his skin, tanning it a dark shade of brown. Before him, sprawled across the ground, were the last remnants of his life. His wife, daughter and unborn child were dead at his feet. His home had been razed to the ground and his fields burned. He had nothing left to live for. Hyrule had taken all that he had, all that he held dear away.<p>

He had no idea how long he had hung there. It wasn't exactly clear when he first perceived a change in the air around him. Maybe it was the sudden lack of birdcall in the distance. Or perhaps it was the lack of buzzing from the flies that besieged the corpses of his family. Whatever it was, something was different and the world around it was afraid. With each soft, padded step, he could hear the centipedes and spiders scrambling to get away from the grotesque figure approaching. The very grass was shriveling away from the being shrouded in heavy cloth.

A soft hiss was heard as the figure stopped just feet from Brennan's imprisonment upon the post. It regarded him with intense interest. At length, it spoke with the voice of a thousand damned souls, "You are suffering more than you can bear." Pleasure could be deduced from its tone.

"What do you want with me?" Brennan grated, head still hanging low.

"I want what you want." Its cackle sent a chill up his spine. "Revenge."

"There is nothing you can do. They are too powerful." What did it matter anymore? This…creature, this…man could not help him.

"That is where you are wrong. I can give you powers beyond your wildest dreams. I can make you immortal and strike down all that oppose you. You but have to agree to my terms and the bargain will be struck!" The figure shook excitedly within its robes, its hood sunk low over its head so as to see nothing but two yellow slits for eyes.

With something akin to hope slowly flickering in his heart, Brennan looked up at the odd man, "What is your name?"

After a pause, "You may call me Barrachas."

"Naar." Stated flatly. "We have a deal."


End file.

Legend of Zelda, Adventure, Drama