a lesson in betrayal (pant pant)

[Master Annoyer of the void!!]

A warm east wind caused the trees to gently sway and the leaves to rustle quietly, whispering a soothing lullaby of nature. It was night. The forest was dark and quiet. Through the canopy, the full moon was partially visible, hovering in a sea of blackness like an island in the sky. Though the foliage was dense, some of the moonlight still managed to penetrate the trees and cast its beams to the forest floor. However, the tranquil night was not enough to mask the deadly conflict that moved about the wood. Two figures dashed from the darkness and through a pocket of the moon’s illumination. For a split second, they were visible in the light, only to disappear again as their hasty movements returned them to the safety of the shadows.

Sweat beaded on his brow as he ran. The evil was all around in the forest. It swept through the trees like the wind, moving swifter than any human could pace. Fatigued, the lead figure motioned to stop. There would be no more running. The enemy was too close and too many in numbers. Also breathing heavily, the second figure flanked the first, melting deeper into the shadows by pressing close to the base of one of the trees. After a short nod from the first figure, they both drew their swords, moving carefully and silently, making sure the reflective metal avoided the beams of moonlight. The slightest glint of mirrored light could betray their positions and their already diminished element of surprise, something they could not afford. However, those who pursued them took no such precautions. Spying from behind the trees, Neilson could see their approach.

Moving in a line that stretched through the wood, five medrian knights strode through the underbrush. Here and there, they would become briefly visible as they broke through a beam of light. A glimpse of a shoulder, the tail end of a cape being tugged by the wind…the dark gleam of a drawn sword.

"This is it," Neilson whispered to his companion. "We fight now." Neilson saw the movement of a nodding shadow acknowledging his words. "I’ll attack to the left, and you cover my flank, just like always." Another nod. May the Gods of Gailins be with us, Neilson prayed. We must succeed here tonight. To fail is to die and dying is not what I had in mind. Neilson looked the other way to where he knew was the edge of the woods. Just beyond that lay a field and a river. Once they crossed the river, they would be exiting Gailins and entering the kingdom of Hyrule. Only a hundred meters to the edge of the forest, Neilson thought. But what good will that do us? To cross the field to the river is a good hour’s journey. We’ve been lucky to evade capture with this forest as cover. There is no way we can traverse the field without being found…and what would keep the medrian knights from pursuing us if we got to Hyrule anyway?

Neilson felt a surge of determination. The entire kingdom is counting on us succeeding here. We cannot fail them. This is our last chance. To fail is to die; to die is to fail. Failure is unacceptable. Once again, he glanced at the second figure, still holding steady at his post, waiting for the signal to attack. The movement of the trees swaying back and forth caused the beams of light from the moon to shift throughout the wood. The light skittered briefly across his face. The boy’s brown hair was wet with perspiration. His green eyes glinted with determination and fear. He stood perfectly motionless apart from his nervous fiddling with the leather strap on the hilt of his sword. He’s only fifteen, Neilson thought. I feel bad for him, his parents being killed by the invasion and all. It’s sad what this world has come to.

The sounds of snapping twigs and shuffling leaves drew nearer. Neilson took one deep breath, and then another. Relax and concentrate, he ordered himself. Hugging the base of the tree, he strained to hear for their approach. While staring blankly ahead, it finally struck him how beautiful the woods were. The heavenly rays of moonlight flitted about in random patterns, offsetting the thick, dark silhouettes of proud trees. The forest was at peace, calm and content.

Next time I get the chance, Neilson promised, I am going to find time to just sit and admire the beauty of this world. Of course, he often planned to do that, and other such things, whenever the circumstances got to be as dire as they were. Spend time with nature, time with his wife and children, time with his friends and hobbies.

Once we get back to Gailins, I’m going to take the family on a picnic in the woods. Marcus and I can spend the afternoon fishing and I’ll end the day by taking Lenoir and Garret to the pub and buying everyone a round! Neilson smiled at the prospect. It would have to wait, though. There were slightly more pressing concerns to be dealt with at the moment.

[Master Annoyer of the void!!]

The sounds of footsteps grew closer. Neilson guessed they were only about twenty meters out. Frustrated, he took another slow, deep breath and held it. It always took him time to adjust when he was forced to deal with an enemy without his magically enhanced abilities. Given normal circumstances, he could have sensed their presence and exact location. Now his only option was to hold his breath and listen. He could hear the footsteps move around the forest, becoming farther between each other. They must be spreading out, he figured. We will still have to attack them first though, that will…what? The sounds of footsteps stopped. Neilson listened harder. Nothing. He looked to his left. His partner still stood, waiting, then turned and gave Neilson a worried look as he too noticed the absence of crunching leaves. Neilson returned the expression and then chanced a quick look from behind his tree. The forest beyond was empty. The moving beams of white acted like searching lights, but turned up nothing.

Glancing back at his friend, Neilson got a glimpse of his face as the light once again shifted in the wind. His countenance had an expression of terror burned on it, his green eyes wide as saucers. "Neilson! Get down!"

Immediately, Neilson flattened himself to the ground, just as a long, black broadsword swept through the tree that had been his cover. Had he remained standing, he would have been caught by the blade as well, and shared the severed tree’s fate. With a grunt, the medrian knight shoved the tree over, attempting to crush him, but Neilson rolled away, jumping to his feet and bringing his sword up in defense.

Two medrian knights drove from out of the darkness, attacking from both sides. Neilson dodged the attack from the right and blocked an overhead swing from the left with the flat of his sword. To defend against the medrian knight’s massive strength, Neilson was forced to brace the sword on his other wrist, resting it on the flat plate of his arm guard. With great determination, he managed to throw off the medrian knight’s blade. Losing its balance, the knight stumbled back, giving Neilson just enough time to charge the behemoth and strike at its unguarded mid-section. However, Neilson’s hasty attack left him open to a strike from the right, and the other medrian knight exploited that vulnerability.

The black sword sliced through the air as Neilson attempted to spin out of range. Sharp pain carved itself into Neilson’s body as the slash penetrated the armor on his left shoulder. Not wasting a moment and blocking out the pain, Neilson formed a ball of yellow magic energy in his right hand. Still spinning about, he launched it at the medrian knight with all his strength. The knight simply batted it away with its armored gauntlet, sending it high into the air, tearing through the trees and out into the open sky. The knight advanced still. Oh, shit! Neilson thought. They’re stronger than ever!

Two more knights approached from the right. Where is that boy!?! Neilson growled to himself. I told him to flank me to the right! The answer came as a glowing yellow dagger flew from the darkness and imbedded itself in the helmet of the knight who was farther to the left. The other knight stopped and refocused its attention on the new threat, turning just in time to catch a second flying dagger…in the neck. It fell to the forest floor, and like its companion, disappeared in a fury of black flames.

Yes! Neilson silently cheered. Three down, two to go. Unfortunately for Neilson, the two that were left decided to team up and attack him rather than split up and engage both adversaries. With his left shoulder screaming in protest, he swung wide and hard to his right, forcing one of the knights to jump back. Using his momentum to bring him about, he spun and lifted his sword up to deflect the other medrian knight’s attack. The swords impacted with force, sending sparks and chips of metal into the air. The black blade of the medrian knight received not even a scratch from the powerful encounter, whereas Neilson’s sword was blown a huge dent in its sharp edge. Recovering from the overextended attack, Neilson skillfully drew a dagger from its side sheath and flung it into the faceplate of the medrian knight as he spun. Ducking just in time, the warrior managed to evade the machete, but not Neilson’s rebound attack. The medrian knight collapsed to the ground as black flames fed upon its body, leaving no trace of its ever existing.

Even with this small victory, Neilson knew he had made a fatal error concentrating too much on one enemy. Red-hot pain seared through his right side, even as he rolled forward. The fifth knight swung its evil blade again and knocked Neilson’s weapon from his grasp, sending it cart-wheeling into the darkness of the forest. Moving sluggishly now, Neilson still attempted to battle, fading right and back as the medrian knight attacked again and again.

Out of the darkness, another glowing dagger shot through the air, but this time, the medrian knight’s fist intercepted it. The blade was deflected and skipped off the knight’s armored gauntlet to embed itself in a nearby tree. Angered, the knight let loose a dark ball of energy. It raced through the woods and Neilson heard a muffled cry as it found its mark in the darkness. Neilson took advantage of the knight’s distraction. Lunging to the tree with the dagger in it, Neilson wrenched it from the wood. Charging it up with all his magic energy, he whipped it at the knight as it turned about. The attack was so powerful that it tore through the knight’s armor and flew straight through its chest. The final knight fell and burned away, screaming until the black fire evaporated its voice. Neilson fell, but remained.

"Neilson!" a worried voice shouted. "Neilson! Are you all right?"

"Over here, boy," Neilson groaned. The young warrior stumbled to where Neilson rested on the ground. The boy’s body was scratched and cut all over, and his shield had a large energy burn mark on it.

"Are you okay? Can you walk?" the boy questioned, worry creeping over his face as he got a good look at Neilson’s wounds.

"Listen up, boy," Neilson ordered, ignoring the question. "You have to continue on to Hyrule and deliver the king’s message. You are our last hope. The knights will have reinforcements coming shortly, and you cannot allow yourself to be caught by them, you hear?"

"Yes, I know! But what about you Neilson? You have to come with me!" The boy’s eyes watered as tears began to form. The pleading tone struck at his heart, but Neilson knew that he could not go on.

[Master Annoyer of the void!!]

"Boy, don’t worry about me. I just have to rest a while. I’ll keep the knights off your back while you deliver the message. Then I’ll meet you in Hyrule when I get the chance."

"But…" the boy began, not wanting to leave his friend alone in the woods.

"There will be no discussing it!" Neilson shouted, the pain in his side growing. "You must go now!"

"Okay," the boy agreed, "but if you don’t…"

"Now!" Neilson demanded, looking him directly in the eyes. "Don’t make me tell you again."

The boy nodded and took off in a dead sprint to the edge of the woods, looking back only once to see Neilson motioning for him to move faster. In seconds, he was lost from Neilson’s sight, hidden by the trees and the darkness.

I guess I will never be able to go on that picnic now. Neilson thought with a heavy sadness. But at least I will be able to enjoy this one last glimpse of beauty before I sleep…

The wind sung a song without words, pulsing, soothing Neilson’s mind. Neilson’s eyes, growing heavy, took one last look at the beautiful night. The rocking trees and the moving beams of light made the forest look magical and surreal. A single tear fell from Neilson’s eye as it closed for the final time, and he became one with nature.


~*~*~*~*~*~


Morning sunlight bathed the field in golden radiance. Stretching for miles, the tall grasses swayed in the breeze, turning the vast pasture into an ocean of movement. Very few shrubs or bushes grew in the field – nothing to break the sea of natural grace and beauty. However, the lone figure sprinting across the serene plain gave no notice to the splendor of the landscape.

A bridge could be seen in the distance. The babbling stream it crossed curved its way through the field, quietly making conversation with the rocks in its bed. Only a few minutes more and he would be in Hylian territory. The sight inspired his pace as the distance to the bridge quickly diminished. I will not fail you, Neilson, the boy thought to himself. The king’s message will be delivered and then I will come back and get you.

Unexpectedly, a freezing wind swept through the air and chilled the young boy’s bones. The temperature had not changed, but the barometer of evil skyrocketed. Mere meters to the bridge, the young soldier stopped and turned to look behind him. Nothing was there, but the feeling of dread remained. The source of the shift in ambience revealed itself as the boy turned around to face the bridge again. Directly between him and his path to Hyrule stood a solitary medrian knight.

"Out of my way," the young warrior demanded, drawing his sword and shield. The knight responded by drawing its weapon as well. "If that’s how you want to play it then, prepare to die!" Dashing straight to the knight’s position, he charged up his sword with light energy. The blade was enveloped in a shimmering aura of yellow magic. Lunging with a powerful two-handed jump attack, the boy slashed downward at the knight’s helmet. The medrian knight caught the attack high with a simple horizontal block. Bolts of energy sparked upon the impact of metal. Landing on the ground, the boy rolled to the left and dove forward. The medrian knight’s blade sunk deep into the ground he had cleared just a second earlier. Still rolling away from the knight, the boy skillfully converted his inertia to cartwheel to his feet, finishing off the maneuver with a back flip to land in a crouched defensive position with his shield raised high and sword stretched out behind him. Unimpressed, the knight went on the offensive.

Moving with surprising speed, the knight charged and struck at an angle from the high right, clanging into the boy’s shimmering blade. It’s sword blocked there, it quickly retaliated and struck again, this time from the lower left. Connecting with the boy’s shield, the knight was forced to fend off the glowing yellow sword with its gauntlet. Sparks flew as the blade skipped off the armored fist. The boy’s sword flew wide from the impact and almost wasn’t quick enough to block the next attack, a forward thrust aimed at his heart. Parrying the blade and spinning it off high to the right, the boy spun and cut down hard at the knight’s left shoulder. Again, the armored gauntlet caught the attack.

Rebounding and spinning the other way, the boy quickly struck at the knight’s right side. His glowing yellow blade was stopped short of its mark by the medrian knight’s black sword. Averting the blade’s position, the knight spun the boy’s weapon back to the left. Trying to recover from the force, the boy drew his blade back up in a high vertical defensive position, a bad move. Swinging with force, the medrian knight advanced and smashed its armored fist into the sword, catching it with so much power that it was ripped from the boy’s grip and sent flying towards the river. It landed just short of the river’s bank and lay there, its edge half buried in the sand.

Unarmed and with his shield as his only resource, the boy was driven back as he blocked the knight’s alternating attacks, the sword from the right and the swinging gauntlet from the left. Ducking out of the way, the boy managed to dodge a high cut of the knight’s blade. However, instead of moving back to strike from the opposite side again, the knight spun in a complete circle and came back from the right with doubled speed and power. Bracing his shield on his shoulder, the boy shifted all his weight into the blow, but stood no chance. The sword hammered into the shield and threw the boy five meters left. Struggling to get back to his feet, the boy turned to see the medrian knight’s massive bulk towering over him, casting its shadow and blocking the sun from his view.

I’m sorry, Neilson, the boy cried in his mind. I have failed you.

The medrian knight drew up its obsidian blade and struck with lightning swiftness.


~*~*~*~*~*~


The sound of clanging metal forced the boy’s eyes to open again. His vision returned just in time to see a silhouetted figure drop kicking the medrian knight in the chest. Staggering back, the knight slid into a defensive posture with its sword pointing to the boy’s right. Turning, the youth saw his savior.

Standing with his shield at his side and sword raised at a forty-five degree angle from its low position, was a blonde haired warrior. He wore no armor, but a simple green tunic and gray leggings. On his feet were brown leather boots, and he sported a long green cap that ended about halfway down his back.

"What is your business here and why are you attacking this boy?" he the newcomer demanded. The medrian knight, as always, didn’t respond. It simply stood there, studying the new threat that had emerged. The green warrior stood his ground as well, unflinchingly starring back at the knight. Then, in a slow and deliberate movement, the medrian knight returned its black blade to the sheath at its side. Formally, it drew forward in a polite bow, as a man would do when courting his lady. Both the young boy and the green warrior watched, bewildered, as the knight straightened, and disappeared in a flash of black light.

[Master Annoyer of the void!!]

"I don’t know what that was all about, but I sure am happy he’s gone," the green warrior spoke, unsure of exactly what was going on. Returning his sword to the scabbard on his back and neatly placing the shield over it, the green warrior turned and offered his hand to the boy, who was still on the ground. Willingly, the boy took it and was hoisted to his feet.

"Thank you," he stammered, still in shock from the close call, "for saving my life."

Casually, the green warrior accepted the thanks, "No problem, I’m just glad that I was here to help." Turning to scan the rest of the field, he asked, "You don’t think there are anymore of those things, do you?"

"I don’t know," the boy answered. As the green warrior turned back to face him, the boy noticed a symbol on the warrior’s shield. It looked like the crest of the Hylian royalty. "Sir!" he asked, becoming excited, "are you of the royal family of Hyrule? I have an urgent message for your king!"

The green warrior laughed. "No, not exactly, but I can take you to him if you would like." Smiling broadly, the warrior extended his hand in a gesture of welcoming. "My name is Link, welcome to Hyrule!"

Smiling back, the boy happily took his hand. "Thank you, sir. I come from Gailins. My name is Lauren."


~*~*~*~*~*~


Two figures walking side by side approached the castle from the east. One was a familiar face to the land of Hyrule. His unique style of clothing made him easy to pick out in a crowd, along with the sword and shield he carried everywhere, even if he was only going to the market to buy some bread or milk. Another reason he was readily recognized was the fact that he was the hero of Hyrule, a living legend of his time. The one who walked with him, however, was obviously a stranger, given away by his foreign attire.

A dark blue vest was partially visible from under the light cuirass he wore. The plated armor covered his midsection and right shoulder, wrapping down and around his right arm, stopping at his wrist with a thick metal guard. The sword he carried hung sheathed at his left side, clicking against his armor as he walked.

His hair was brown and thick, ruffled by the wind and looking as if it hadn’t been combed forever. Piercing brown eyes told a story of pain and hardship, a tale of horrible loss. However, in light of his mission almost being complete, his step was lighter and carried more energy than it had in months, despite his immense fatigue.

That didn’t make up for any of it though. He was still just a boy - a boy thrown unwillingly into a war, just like Link had been years ago. Being forced into such conflict at such an age was an injustice, a subject Link sometimes dwelled on in the dark hours of the night. Looking at his new friend, Link could see something…a part of himself, in the young boy: something he wished he didn’t see.

"Wow!" the boy exclaimed, "It’s even bigger than the one back at home!" Link smiled at Lauren’s amazement as Hyrule castle came into view. "How tall is it?" he asked. Link thought for a moment.

"I have no idea," he confessed. "It never occurred to me to find out."

"Oh."

"Anyway, exactly who was that guy after you and what did he want?" Link inquired. "What kind of trouble are you in?"

"That was a medrian knight. He wanted to kill me, so I couldn’t deliver the king’s message."

"Wow," Link commented. "What is the message that you have to deliver? It must be really important."

"It concerns the whole country!" Lauren bubbled, "For months, Gailins has been under attack by those medrian knights! The king knows that they are being sent from Kerah, but we can’t declare war on them unless he can prove it." Lauren sighed heavily, "But it doesn’t matter because their army is much bigger than ours anyway."

"I see," Link mumbled, thinking the situation over. He vaguely recalled the kingdoms of Gailins and Kerah. They were considered to be lands of mysterious magic and war. Several times a century, they would clash in battle over territory, neither one ever gaining any major advance in the end.

That was not something Hylians often had to worry about, being that they were rather isolated from other nations. Bordered either by mountains or desert or water or seemingly endless plains, Hyrule had few visitors from other nations when compared to Shiloh or Mecca, two of the largest trading centers in the world.

Gailins and Kerah both were a good month’s travel east of Hyrule. Trading over such a distance was costly, and profits were near impossible to turn after such a trek, so it was rare indeed to ever find goods from the area. In fact, the only thing Link recalled about either of the two lands was something he read in a Hylian history book.

It had been a rainy afternoon and he had been bored. Link was still a boy and the castle had been new to him. By chance, he had stumbled into the royal library. The massive room was stacked wall to wall with thousands of leather-bound books, some relatively new, some nearly ancient. Each bookcase stretched from the floor to the towering ceiling, about three stories up. Link couldn’t believe he had never been in this room, given its enormous size.

Directly across from the entrance was a series of huge windows. Rain batted against them and the dark clouds stretched out far beyond the horizon. The storm didn’t look to end anytime soon. Lightning struck through the sky, illuminating the soggy Hylian countryside displayed through the glass.

"Ah! Young boy, what knowledge do you seek?"

Link had been so surprised that he had knocked a stack of almanacs over off a table. The hunched over old man had seemingly appeared from nowhere. "W-what?" Link stuttered.

"What knowledge do you seek," the man had repeated, not paying attention to the books all over the floor.

"Umm, I’m sorry about the books," Link apologized. "I didn’t know anyone was here. I was just bored and I’ve never been in this room before."

"Ah. I see." The man squinted at Link. The spectacles he wore were thick and oval, with a chain linking them to a pocket on the front of his simple brown robe. "I see that you have the spirit of an adventurer, young boy. Is that what you seek?"

"Huh, adventure?" Link asked, confused by the little man’s strange questions. "I guess…like I said, I was just bored and wanted to see what this room was. If you would like, I can leave."

"You may do what you wish, but please take this book." The old man handed him a heavy, brown leather-bound book.

"The Greatest Battles in Hylian History"

Surprised by the weight, Link had to grasp the book in two hands.

"The knowledge you seek is in there. In the past we find the future. It is an inescapable cycle. History repeats itself. To know the future you must first know the past…" With that, the small man picked up a stack of books and disappeared through a door between two towering shelves.

"That was weird," Link mumbled to himself. Not wanting to dishonor the strange man’s offering, Link plopped himself down on a purple, velvet couch next to a lamp and opened the book to the first chapter. He had become so enveloped in his reading, he was on chapter twelve about the great crusades when the princess of Hyrule, Zelda, finally found him.

"And what are you doing in here?" she questioned, her tone uninviting and her hands on her hips. It was obvious that she had been looking for him, and the library was probably the last place in the whole castle she had thought to check.

"I’m reading, Zel," Link stated, absorbed in the book.

"Obviously," Zelda shot back, annoyed. "When did you become so interested in reading anything?"

"What do you mean Zelda," Link teased, looking up and smiling, "I love reading. Knowledge is a powerful tool. To know the future is to know the past. History repeats itself and stuff. You know that."

The jest had annoyed Zelda even further. "Whatever, book-brain. I’ve been searching for you because father has some dignitaries from Merhaven, or wherever, and he wants you to be there at the banquet."

"I believe that would be Marhaven, Zelda," Link corrected. "They were our allies in the second great war against the dreaded clan of Mignesh in the ninth century. But I’m sure you already knew that."

"You know what, Link," Zelda spat, "stop reading. I liked it better when you were stupid." With that, she turned and left, shouting over her shoulder that the banquet started at six and that he’d better be on time. Link could already sense that being smart could be fun. Not knowing what to do with the book, Link had taken it to his room in the castle. His quarters were sparsely furnished, plain and simple, just how he liked it. Link set the book on his nightstand, planning on reading more after the boring ceremony and banquet. Link was glad he had read it after Lauren asked his next question.

"Is it true that knights from Kerah saved Hyrule from an attack before?"

Link nodded. "Yes, that was about twenty or so years back. They helped us out in our war against Ganondorf."

Lauren looked up to Link as they walked. "What’s a Ganondorf?" he asked innocently. Link couldn’t help from laughing.

"Just a very evil man, who is now gone."

"As evil as Stebos?" Lauren asked. It was Link’s turn to ask an ignorant question.

[Master Annoyer of the void!!]

"Who’s Stebos?" The name sounded familiar, but Link couldn’t put his finger on it.

"Another evil man. He’s the high general of Kerah. Well, he was. But now we’ve been hearing rumors that he has returned from his exile and is back causing trouble. The king is very worried. Last time Stebos was in power, he started a great war and almost toppled Gailins. We were lucky to finally catch him though. They threw him in this prison called the Sacred Realm or something." Lauren stopped to think. "I think that is what happened at least. My brother told me a long time ago but I wasn’t even born at the time it happened." Link tensed up at the words "Sacred Realm."

"Where did they put him?" Link asked.

"The Sacred Realm," the boy repeated. "Well, at least I think that’s where he was sent. Like I said, I was too little. Nobody talks about those times anymore. I guess they were just too scary or something. My parents never talked about it either, even though my dad fought against Stebos…" Lauren trailed off.

Link was too rapt to notice the boy’s obvious distraught. The Sacred Realm… he thought. Interesting…how would the people in Gailins know about that? Finally noticing the awkward silence, Link spoke up.

"Yeah, well anyway, Hyrule was fighting against Ganondorf and we were losing badly. From what I read, a group of Kerahian warriors just happened to be traversing the country for something at that same time. Ganondorf didn’t know who they were and assumed they were on our side. He attacked them but they fought him off. Apparently, they were very well versed in the ancient art of Mei’Kerah magic, and took out his troops with little effort. They saved us and beat Ganondorf back into his own territory. He didn’t attack for months afterward!" Link thought a moment, straining his memory for anything else he remembered from the book.

"They just happened to be there at the right time I guess," he admitted. "Anyway, ever since, we’ve been in their debt, but they have yet to call us on it…" Link paused. "Well, at least that’s what I read in a book somewhere. At that time, I was just a little boy living in Kokri Forest, and I didn’t have a clue that there was even a world out here."

The duo entered crossed the drawbridge into the town and Link led the way through the bustling marketplace.

Lauren’s voice changed tone, one that sounded heavy with defeat. "Oh, well, since he did you that favor, I guess there’s little chance of you helping us fight them then, huh?"

Not wanting to dampen the boy’s spirits, Link decided to answer safely. "I don’t know. That will be the king’s decision, not mine." The conversation died as the duo left the marketplace and approached the gates to the castle.

"So Link, where’s that ten kilo fish you bragged you were going to bring back?" the sentry at the guardhouse poked.

"Give me a break, Darren," Link started, "I didn’t even get to cast one line when this boy here comes out nowhere being attacked by a huge knight."

"Right, Link," the guard snickered. "My, my, your excuses just get better and better."

Lauren piped in to verify Link’s story. "He’s right, sir. If it hadn’t been for Link, I would have been killed!"

Darren frowned. "So, what you say is true then?"

"Yes, sir," Lauren answered.

"Well then, you’re one lucky young lad that good ‘ole Link was in the neighborhood. Why were you being attacked?"

"He has a message for Harkinian," Link answered. "That’s where we’re heading now actually."

"Well, go on ahead," Darren urged, swinging the gate wide open. "The counselors from Newsbrook just left, so I think his majesties’ meeting is finished."

"Good," Link said, "Because from what I have heard, this message is of grave importance." Lauren looked up at Link, and then to Darren.

"It is," he chimed in, "very important!"

"Then don’t let me slow you down!" Darren said, stepping from their way.

The path leading to the front entrance of the castle was worn and well trodden, the feet of countless dignitaries and visitors having crossed its surface. No matter the importance of the visit, whether it be to deliver the daily supply of milk, or news of a terrible war or disaster, each message started from the same gate and traversed the same ground, equals in that aspect.

Link couldn’t begin to fathom how many times he had walked the trail over the years. However, it was one of only a few times he strode across the proud walk with the specific intent of seeking audience with the king. With a slight nod to another of the guards standing sentry by the gate, Link and Lauren made their way into the main hall. A gasp of stunned awe escaped Lauren’s mouth as his eyes were greeted with the sight.

The vaulted ceiling of the foyer shot upward about twenty meters. That gave the room ample space on the towering stone walls, space that was occupied by hundreds of vibrant, colorful tapestries. Every tapestry represented a village or town or city in the Hylian kingdom, with each showcasing what that location was renown for.

On the wall straight ahead, was the tapestry representing the agricultural village of Naptown. The vivid greens and rich browns of the background cloth were offset by a basket of produce and a large sheath of wheat, symbolizing the fertile lands and open fields of the area. The ripest and largest fruits and vegetables were found in Naptown, and always brought in a fair profit when their cart was wheeled to the Hylian marketplace.

On the far right wall, the deep scarlet and violet banner from Mishel displayed a suit of shining armor behind a crossed broadsword and mace. Mishel was home of the most skilled blacksmith clan in all of Hyrule. Their weapons and armor were praised for their great strength and reliability, giving their town the nickname "Home of the Iron Artists," for it was true that they could do anything with metal. Link’s own sword and shield were presents from the town, forged by the oldest and most skilled smith in the guild.

For a short while after saving Hyrule from the evil clutches of Ganondorf, Link had spent some time traveling throughout the country. In those many months, Link had made scores new friends and experienced life as a free man, not a child cooped up and confined in the Lost Woods. His travels took him as far as the East Coast and all the way to the Illian Mountains. There, on the mountainsides, Link stayed in the snowy Mishel village. Not long after arriving, Link heard stories of a terrible ice yeti that had been preying on the village’s thinning herd of mountain sheep. For weeks, the monster had been hunted, but as the days drew on, and more sheep kept disappearing, the people were beginning to lose hope. The sheep were an extremely important resource to the residents, who relied on the wool for their winter clothing.

As always, Link gladly offered his services to help. After a week of waiting, the ice yeti struck once again. On the ready, Link had confronted the monster, fiercely battling it to retreat up the mountain. As Link pursued the monster, he found out the reason none of the villagers were able to slay it. The ice yeti was a rare and enchanted creature, able to use it’s magical abilities to influence the weather and control the snow and ice.

Following the beast higher and higher up the mountainside, Link found that he had made a grave mistake. He had gone too far, finding himself in the yeti’s home territory. Manipulating the frozen ice and snow, the yeti had formed mystical ice figures, each one of them glowing with a frigid blue light from within. Link had dealt with the frozen statues in the Ice Temple, but nothing had prepared him for the challenge brought forth by the ice yeti.

Each of the frozen attackers wielded an ice blade, deadly scythes as hard as steel. Link’s trusty sword could hardly chip the blades, which instantly healed their wounds in the cold weather. Retreating from the battle, Link managed to escape with his life, barely.

Limping along with his damaged blade and dented shield, he somehow crawled back to the village. While recovering from his wounds and severe frostbite brought on by the ice swords, the elder blacksmith, Mirrah, ordered his understudies to search for the most pure of iron ore, deep in the mines of the mountains. With the utmost care and skill, Mirrah worked to transform the materials into the finest steel ever fashioned.

By the time Link was back on his feet, Mirrah had finished sculpting the new armaments. Wielding the new blade, Link immediately knew that he had the upper hand on the ice yeti. The detail in the craftsmanship was so acute, it was amazing. Custom fit to Link’s hand, the blade was long and relatively thin. Link had been worried about its durability until he first tested it. It was rigid and firm, yet solid and light. Mirrah had assured Link that the razor sharp edge could never be dulled.

[Master Annoyer of the void!!]

The shield proved to be an equally exquisite piece of equipment. Made of the same metal as the sword, it was remarkably light and could absorb a tremendous amount of damage. Nothing Link had encountered since his adventure to Mishel had been able to put a dent in the defensive barrier.

Needless to say, Link had easily dispatched of the ice creatures and the yeti with the new weapon. As a display of their immense gratitude to his selfless deeds, the town had given him the sword and shield to keep.

That same sword was now resting in its scabbard on his back, the shield placed protectively over its polished edge. Mirrah’s claim had stayed true to its word for all the years Link had battled with the weapon. It had never chipped or cracked, unlike the blades of unwary stalfos or other monsters, which broke and shattered upon impact with Link’s steel. It had been a long time since then. Link was now a man, a man charged with the heavy burden of defending Hyrule and its citizens.

Every time he entered the hall, which was quite often, he was always overwhelmed with the memories of his travels. It had been years since his last visit to Mishel or Capeport or Saintsans. Link promised himself that someday, he would go and revisit the towns that had showed such kindness to him, see old friends and catch up on the local news and gossip.

Taking a turn down a hallway to the left, Link pushed open the door to the main audience room. In the chamber, stood King Harkinian, shaking the hand of the final few senators who were leaving the meeting. Upon seeing Link’s entrance, the king smiled, then took on a concerned expression as he noticed the look of solemnity that possessed both faces of the newcomers.

"How does it go?" the king greeted them in a cautious manner, waving to the last of the dignitaries as they left the room. "Who do we have here?" Lauren bowed to the king.

"It’s truly an honor, your highness," he politely stated.

"Thank you," Harkinian said. "And for what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Sir," Link cut in, "this is Lauren from the kingdom of Gailins, and he bears news of a conflict that is ravaging his land."

"Well then," the king mused, "perhaps we should sit and you explain this conflict." Harkinian took a seat at the head of the table. Link took a chair to the right and Lauren to the left.

"Well, it all started three months ago," Lauren started. "The meridian knights attacked us for no reason! They first struck at Lemura, then at Harloem, and then at Greenwald! All in the same week! After that, they…"

"Whoa, slow down, boy," Harkinian interrupted. "Easy, calm down for a minute." Lauren stopped, but was wiggling in his chair. "You said something about meridian knights? Who are they? To whom is their allegiance?" Lauren looked down at the table.

"We don’t know, your highness," he finally answered. "Our best bet is that they are being sent from Kerah, but we have no proof."

"Okay," the king stated, nodding his head, "then what is it that you want us to do exactly?"

"I have come to request your aid in the war against Kerah," Lauren stated, in a different type of voice, formal, like he had practiced the phrase over and over.

"But you offer us no solid evidence of Kerah’s involvement in the attacks of your country." Lauren just shook his head. "I cannot declare war on another nation if they are not implicated in any wrong doings. I am sorry," the king apologized. Lauren looked as if he could cry.

"But wait," Link countered, "Gailins needs our help. What kind of country would that make us if we just stood on the sidelines while they are being torn apart by an enemy? We could at least extend some aid to them without involving Kerah."

The king thought a moment on the issue. "I just don’t know about that, Link. Sure, it would be the noble thing to do, but how long will the people of Hyrule support a war against an unknown foe, an entire nation away? Once we start losing soldiers, the people will begin to question whether we should even be getting involved in other countries’ affairs. I’ve seen it happen before. It could end up in a major political and military disaster."

"I see," Link said, "but actually, I don’t see. I know that Hyrule’s welfare is your primary concern, but what of the innocent citizens of Gailins?"

"Yes, I feel for them, Link," the king answered. "But Hyrule simply cannot enter into a war against a phantom enemy. From what the boy has said, it seems that the people of Gailins have failed to mark Kerah, or anyone else, as the culprit of the attacks after three months."

"But if they could, would you help them?" Link asked, fishing.

The king opened his mouth, then closed it. "That depends."

"What?" Link asked, his tone betraying his shock at the king’s words. "Depends on what?"

"Link, it is too complicated to explain," Harkinian answered, his tone changing to one Link couldn’t get a read on. "It just depends on who is attacking them and what their motives are."

"I can see how that might effect our actions, but I still don’t see why we can’t simply help a nation in trouble. How would you explain it to the innocent citizens of Gailins that we can’t help them? Because, what? Our populace will not support an extended military campaign against a phantom enemy?"

"I think," the king said, "that you summed up the entire thing quite well."

"Is that it?" Lauren spoke, quiet and withdrawn. Link had almost forgotten that he was sitting there. "That is your answer, your highness?"

Harkinian turned to the boy. "I am afraid so, Lauren. Hyrule simply cannot help you." Link starred angrily at the king, but then noticed Harkinian’s expression. The decision was obviously not one that the king wanted to make. His eyes were distraught, conveying sincere sorrow for the situation.

"Then, as a citizen of Gailins, would you please make a formal statement so I can report back to my superior?" Lauren’s use of words turned cold. "You said that you could explain it to the citizens of Gailins. Please explain it once to me. I have shared in Gailins’ hardships. My parents and older brother were slain by the medrian knights in the first month. Neilson, our closest family friend, died while delivering our king’s message here, along with other soldiers. I am all that is left of twenty, sent here to beg your aid, and only because Neilson let me come because I had nowhere else to go." Tears were running down Lauren’s face now. "So my only request is to know why you won’t help us. There must be more reasons. King Favar said that you are a compassionate, caring man. He said that you would help. Is he wrong? You will not help us?"

Harkinian looked away, out one of the side windows. The sun was high in the air, signifying the middle of the day. When he finally turned back, he wore a new expression on his face. He turned to his right. "Link, you are going back to Gailins with Lauren. If you can pin these attacks on anyone, report back and I will mobilize our forces to defend Gailins." Joy surged across Lauren’s face, evaporating his tears.

"Thank you, thank you your highness!" he cried, almost bouncing from his chair, "The people of Gailins are forever in your debt!"

"Thank you for reconsidering, Harkinian," Link said. "If you have no more for us, then I will find a room for Lauren to stay the night. We can leave first thing next…"

Lauren cut Link off in mid sentence. "I can leave now if you want!" his tone revitalized and energetic. At the same time, a large growl escaped his stomach. He looked embarrassed at the noise. "Well, I mean, if you guys have any food here I could have before we go, if it’s not too much trouble…I’m kinda hungry…" His pleading green eyes looked up at Link.

Link chuckled at the request. "As I was saying," he continued, "Lauren and I will be departing for Gailins immediately following lunch." Harkinian just nodded, not finding humor in the young boy’s request for food, as if he was already having second thoughts about his decision.

"Just be careful," was all he said. Link and Lauren stood and made their way to the door.

"Thank you! You’re just as great as King Favar said!" Lauren shouted.

"I look forward to your return," Harkinian replied. Link and Lauren exited the room, and the doors shut, leaving Harkinian to his thoughts.


~*~*~*~*~*~


Link had never moved so fast in his life. Trees whizzed by in a blur, the green and brown hues melding together in a massive wall of color. Lauren was just ahead of him, streaking back and forth across his line of vision, dodging the many trees in the forest back to Gailins. The last time Link had experienced any speed that even compared to how fast he was traveling now was when he had used the Pegasus boots, a long, long time ago…and this was still much faster. Link remembered the problem he had come across at the castle - Gailins was over two hundred kilometers away.

[Master Annoyer of the void!!]

By horseback, it would have taken days to get there. However, Link had been reminded exactly why Gailins was said to be a land of mysterious magic. Lauren had given him a silver medallion to wear around his neck, saying he would become a hundred times swifter once wearing it. Now, with the medallion, Link could outpace any horse by many times. It almost felt like he was falling off a cliff, but sideways instead of down, like gravity had been skewed and was pulling him forward. It was an exhilarating experience…but ended unexpectedly. Link could feel himself slowing down. Is the magic wearing out? he thought to himself. Suddenly, Link’s forward movement came to an abrupt halt. It felt like he had run into a stone wall. Staggering back, he strained to keep his balance.

"And that," Lauren said, leaning against the trunk of a tree to keep his balance, "is why we don’t run away from them…" A troop of five meridian knights stood in their path, along with another form wrapped in a black cloak.

"How foolish it is to be running on grounds that are not yours, little one!" the cloaked leader chastised. "And who is your green friend here?"

Still dizzy, Link answered him. "I am Link, a warrior from the nation of Hyrule."

"Ah, my Link friend," the cloaked figure mused, "you are a foreigner here; I suggest you find your way back to your own lands, quickly."

"I am sorry,’ Link stated, his vision clearing, "but I am under orders to escort this boy back to Gailins."

"Really? Under orders from who?"

"King Harkinian."

The figure thought a moment. Lauren had rushed to Link’s side and drawn his sword, nervously eyeing the medrian knights. Link stood his ground, with his sword still sheathed. "Right, but unfortunately for you, this boy is under arrest," the leader of the knights finally spoke.

"Under what charges?" Link demanded.

"Trespassing. This land belongs to the kingdom of under the rule of Lord Stebos, and unless you want to be arrested as well, you had better leave."

"You lie!" Lauren shouted. "This land belongs to Gailins! It always has!"

"Then it is your word against mine, and I seem to have more support to my case than you do to yours."

"Come on Link, let’s show these fools not to mess with Gailins!" Lauren urged. Link put his hand up, motioning to Lauren not to move.

Link tired to negotiate. "It seems that my friend and I may have taken a wrong turn. I am sorry we have caused you this inconvenience. We will leave this property immediately…"

The leader of the meridian knights cut him off. "Yes, you will leave, but the boy stays. He has committed a crime and must face the consequences."

Link scoffed at the remark. "Trespassing hardly qualifies as an offence that requires consequences. Clearly the boy is just a little mixed up. He has had a rough day."

"I don’t make the laws, I just enforce them," the leader stated.

"Liar!" Lauren shouted. "Kerah has no laws! Your only laws are those which benefit themselves!"

The leader laughed. "Who ever said we were from Kerah?" he asked.

"You can’t play stupid with me!" Lauren shouted.

"Calm down, Lauren," Link warned. "Let me handle this."

"There is nothing here to handle, friend," the black leader cut in. "You will give us the boy and leave."

"It seems to me that you do not understand what I am trying to say," Link retorted, growing annoyed. "My orders are to escort this boy to Gailins."

"Careful stranger," the leader warned. "You are on thin ice. You had better reevaluate your situation. It seems like you have difficulty comprehending our laws here. If you interfere, you will be taken care of."

"I have my orders," Link replied.

"And I have mine," the leader answered back. "And since you are interfering in the law, you must be dealt with. I will take the boy, by force if necessary. Do not make me do that."

"I have my orders," Link repeated.

The leader stood silent, thinking. "Then you leave me no choice." He motioned to the knights, who had been waiting patiently the entire time. Pointing at Lauren, he ordered them. "Take him."

The meridian knights began to move forward.

"Come on Lauren! Run!" Link tried to move using the medallion’s magic, but didn’t get very far before running into another invisible barrier.

"Link, we can’t run," Lauren shouted. "The meridian knights create an energy bubble that blocks most types of magic, including this medallion’s magic. We can only fight!"

"Thanks for telling me!" Link yelled back, turning to face the oncoming enemy.

The knights advanced in a V-formation, with the tip aimed toward Lauren. Their sheer size and menacing black armor were extremely intimidating. Link had yet to battle one by himself, but his brief encounter with the one in the field earlier that day had shown that they were adversaries not be to take lightly. Lauren didn’t know it, but he had been closer to death than he probably had realized.

It had taken all of Link’s strength to deflect the attack that would have killed the boy. Even so, Link had faced off with more powerful foes. The meridian knights were still smaller than the Iron Knuckles he had clashed with in the war against Ganondorf…but not by much.

"You will pay for what you have done to my country!" Lauren yelled. Link looked at him, just in time to see him take a dagger from a hidden sheath on his side. Link felt the power from Lauren grow as he charged the blade with magic energy. Launching it like an arrow straight at the leading knight, the surprised knight had no time to react. It buried itself deep into the knight’s breastplate. Collapsing, the knight fell to the ground and disappeared in a fury of black fire.

"How did you do that!?!" Link asked, amazed.

"With magic, how else?" Lauren answered quickly, drawing his sword. "Ok now Link, I will need your help here. We are closer to Kerah now, so these knights will be even stronger!"

"What?" Link yelled. "What do you mean they will be stronger?" Link didn’t hear if Lauren answered, because he had to dodge the black orb of energy that was speeding his way. The ball of energy barely missed Link’s body and tore through the woods behind him, smashing through trees and boulders. Flipping through the air, Link dodged two more attacks and landed on his feet. So, is that how you want to play it then? Link thought. Getting ready for the next wave of attack, Link readied himself with his sword.

Two knights broke off from the formation and moved toward Lauren, leaving two to remain focused on Link. They stood with the hand with the gauntlet on it raised. Black energy, starting from their shoulders, rushed down their arms and blasted from their fists toward Link. This time he was ready. Swinging his sword, he caught both blasts and sent them back to their originators. Clearly, the knights hadn’t expected this. They tried to move to avoid their redirected attacks, but moved too slowly. The black energy that was meant to kill Link instead turned on its creators, sending them to the forest floor to their demise.

Link turned to be astounded. Lauren had dispatched of his two knights before Link had, and was now glaring at the cloaked leader.

"Now it is your word against ours," Lauren commented, turning the cloaked figure’s own words against him. "So what are you gonna do about it?" The cloaked figure answered by vanishing into thin air.


~*~*~*~*~*~


They had to walk the final twenty kilometers to Apen, the capital city of Gailins. The whole way, Link asked all sorts of questions about everything he could think of, and Lauren struggled to answer them. The first thing Link asked about was how Lauren had dispatched of the two medrian knights with such ease when Link had originally found him unable to defend against one of the foes near the river. The conversation had been extremely enlightening and confusing at the same time, lasting over ten kilometers of the trip.

[Master Annoyer of the void!!]

"How did you defeat those two knights so quickly?" Link had asked

"Simple, I just used my magic," he answered, which didn’t answer Link’s question at all.

"I mean, when I saw you by the river, why did you have so much trouble against that one knight?" Lauren thought about it.

"Well, there are a couple reasons. First off, after running to Hyrule for two weeks, it gets kind of tiring. Setting up camp just to have to pack up and leave again because the knights are too close; covering ground extremely slowly without our magic through a thick forest, while all the time under attack. It can quickly wear a person out." It almost sounded like sarcasm, but not quite. "Also, since we were far from our lands, our magic was already weakened from the distance. Except those knights, who are still pretty strong even if they are far away from Kerah."

The insight made sense to Link, but the part about the magic still confused him. "Why does the distance from Gailins effect your abilities?" he had questioned.

"Because the earth is magical. It gives us all that we have."

"That doesn’t help much, I’m afraid," Link said.


…………………………………………………………………………………..…………..


Lauren sighed on the inside. He was having a difficult time explaining how his world worked to Link. He had never met an ‘outsider’ in his entire life before and it seemed alien to him that Link didn’t understand the magic of his land. It had always been a part of his life. The people he lived with understood it. He tried to explain it better.

"This is how it works," Lauren started again. "Everything about this land is magical. That medallion you are wearing is made from metal mined deep in the earth. The earth is magical, and so is everything in it. That is why it gives you special abilities. The magic creates life; it nurtures us. It grows the crops that we eat, and flows in the water that we drink. We live on the land and it gives us its power.

"Now this power is given to the land by the Gailian crystal, a gem that holds the energy of the land. It is kept in the castle and heavily guarded. If that crystal were to ever leave Gailins, our world would slowly die. However, that is why people from Gailins never venture too far from home. It makes them weak and tired, like when we were going to Hyrule. Normally, we could have made a journey of that distance easily. However, because we were so far from Gailins, it gave us a lot of trouble.

"For those in the group that were older, the absence of the magic under their feet hit them hard. They had never experienced life without the ever-present feeling of the land supporting them. That is why the meridian knights overtook us so easily…I only survived because I don’t depend on the earth as much as they did…"

"But you can use that magic now, can’t you?" Link asked.

"Yes, because we are on Gailinian lands, I am much stronger! Being on foreign ground makes me feel slow and weak. You get me on Gailinian lands like we are now, and I can take out a whole slew or medrian knights, as long as we control the land."


…………………………………………………………………………………..…………..


Link was deep in thought. The way of life in Gailins was odd, with all its magic and its ‘earth energies.’ After more consideration, however, he struck that thought out. Link let out a small laugh at the thought. Ironically, he used to live a lifestyle quite like the one that Lauren was describing. In his few years living in the Kokiri forest, it was a known fact that no one could ever leave the woods, or else they would die. The forest was the life force of the Kokiri, just like Gailins seemed to be like for Lauren.

Of course, when Link finally found out that he was actually a Hylian, he was given the opportunity to leave the forest. Link had always known he didn’t quite belong there. When the other Kokiri children would talk about the forest speaking to them, he always would pretend that he could hear it too, as not to be shunned even more by the others than he already was.

Link had known for a long time that he didn’t quite fit in. The only person who really had seemed to understand how he felt was his best friend, Saria. When the rest of the Kokiri would talk about the forest telling them of the upcoming danger of Ganondorf, Link had never heard a thing. None of that really mattered though, since at that time, he was having terrible nightmares of his own about Ganondorf.

"I think I understand what you are saying," he told Lauren. Lauren nodded his head, probably in relief that he didn’t have to keep trying to explain himself. "So, you’re saying that the power you live off of comes from the land then?"

"Basically, yes. Everything we use comes from the land. The older you are and the more accustomed you are to living off its power, the harder it is to leave. Some people are so dependent on the land that they probably would die if they got too far away. That is why land is so important to us. We are always fighting with Kerah for more of it for that reason. They live just like we do."

"Can’t you just set your borders and live in peace then?" Link asked, a very stupid question, but one that needed to be asked.

"No, the people of Kerah will never have peace. They just want to destroy us and take all the land for themselves. They are wretched barbarians. They will never be able to live in peace with their greed. As long as we hold control of our lands, we will fight them to the end."

That statement brought up another question in Link’s head. "What is with controlling the lands anyway? Isn’t it all the same?"

"Can’t you feel it in the ground?" Lauren asked. "Let’s stop here." They stopped and rested for a while. "Now just stand still and close your eyes. Can you feel the power from the ground?" Link was surprised at what he felt. He hadn’t noticed it before, but now that his attention had been drawn to it, the warmth and energy radiating from the ground.

"Yes, I feel it," he answered. Link was almost mesmerized by the effect. "Wow," he commented, "I can see why you guys don’t like leaving here too much." Link opened his eyes and they started walking again.

"See, Link," Lauren said, "you got that nice warm feeling because this is Gailinian land. If you were on Kerahian soil, it would feel much different."

Link was beginning to understand now. "So is that why you knew that we were on Gailinian land when we were stopped by the meridian knights?"

"Yup," Lauren answered. "You catch on pretty quick for an outsider."

Link smiled. "Thanks. Would it feel different if you were on Kerahian ground?" Lauren shuddered at the question.

"Very much so. It feels cold and draining, like, like…I don’t know. It’s just very, very cold…" Lauren shivered again. "I’m sure you’ll feel it right when you step on it…"

Link nodded. Well, if I am going to survive out here for very much longer, I had better learn as much about this magic as I can, he thought. "How much longer until we make it to the city?" Link questioned.

"I’m glad you asked," Lauren proudly stated as they cleared the crest of a hill, "because here we are!" Lauren thrust his arm out as to display the magnificent city that stretched along either side of a river in a massive valley. Small farms were dotted around the river’s bank on the outskirts of the town. Closer in were peasant homes, that surrounded the larger buildings and acted as the transition between the rural countryside and the urban city streets. In the center of it all stood a massive castle. It’s towering spires shot upward, reaching high into the sky, as if they were poised to pluck the stars from the darkening sky. Silhouetted by the setting sun, the shadows from the castle blanketed the town. Though it was not as large as Hyrule Castle, it was impressive nonetheless.

Lauren and Link made their way down the grassy slope. Across the fields, Link could see a farmer, his wife, and his children herding the last of their cattle into the barn for the night. Stomping hooves and random moos could be heard from the pasture. Lauren waved to the family in the field and they waved back. Link wondered if they knew each other, but didn’t ask.

Gradually, as Link and Lauren made their way closer to the city, the scenery transformed from the grassy, open fields, into paved roads of stone walled in by tall buildings on either side.

There were few people out on the streets. Even though it was getting late, for a city of its size, Link thought it would be much busier, with patrons emerging from restaurants and farmers entering pubs. The torches that lined the street flickered, throwing shadows across the moist stone road that was eerily empty. As they drew deeper into the city, many of the buildings were two or even three stories tall. However, only about a quarter of the windows were lit. The rest were cold and dark. Almost like he could sense what Link was thinking, Lauren piped up.

"Most of the people who live here are fighting in the war. They are stationed at the towns nearest to Kerah. I hope they are doing all right…" Lauren trailed off, and Link didn’t try to initiate anymore conversation. The duo shortly made it to the gates of the castle. A quartet of soldiers in full armor stood sentry at the entrance.

The blue steel of their armor threw off seemingly magical reflections off from the burning street lamps. A yellow emblem of a crescent moon and blazing sun was adorned on the upper left breastplate of each of the soldiers, probably the royal crest or insignia Link guessed. Link and Lauren approached them.

"I am Lauren Ashcroft Milliner of Larswoods Bay, member of Expedition Force Journey One, requesting an audience with the king to report on mission status." Lauren announced. Link was somewhat surprised at the statement. It sounded so precise and military.

[Master Annoyer of the void!!]

One of the guards laughed. Another one checked his papers. "Expedition Force Journey One is commanded by General Markond. There is no Lauren Milliner on his team list."

"I was an unofficial add on, late in the mission," Lauren stated.

This time, all the guards all laughed. "Right, kid," said the one on the left. "If that is true, why don’t you run along and tell General Markond to report himself?" The other guards slapped the soldier on the back for the cruel jest, laughing. Lauren’s expression was one of mixed embarrassment and anger.

"General Markond is dead!" he yelled. "So is Lieutenant Jerros, and the rest of the force. I am all that is left, and I have urgent news for the king!" This made the soldiers laugh even harder, all but one. He studied the sheets of paper in his hands. Tapping one of the other guards on the shoulder, he pointed to a line on the paper, and then another. The guard stopped laughing, starring at the paper. He motioned to the other two to come over and look. They talked in hushed tones. The soldier with the papers approached Lauren and Link.

"How did you know about Operation Journey One? That mission is classified. Lieutenant Jerros is stationed at Metros, he was not on that team."

"Right, then you are misinformed." Lauren desperately argued. "I already told you, I was part of the expedition into Hyrule. I am all that is left of the task force. I have urgent news for the king!" The guards still remained skeptical.

"And who is this you have with you here?" one of them asked, pointing to Link. Link stepped forward, speaking for the first time.

"I am Link, royal ambassador from the kingdom of Hyrule. I have King Harkinian’s response to King Favar’s inquiry. The message is of the utmost importance and urgency to your current situation of war." Link surprised himself with his military tone and precision. Maybe he was beginning to pick up on this diplomacy thing.

The guards looked at each other, still unsure of what to do. They drew together, whispering in hushed tones. Link couldn’t make out what they were saying. Finally, they broke from their huddle and the leader spoke.

"Very well, we shall escort you to meet with King Favar." With that, the guard turned and opened the gate, motioning for Link and Lauren to follow him. Two of the other guards flanked them on the left and right while the fourth took up the rear, closing and locking the gate.

They walked the stone path that led to the main entrance. The outer courtyard was filled with trees and colorful flowers that gave off a warm, pleasant scent. The gray stone path wound around tall rock planters that dotted the courtyard, each one containing streaming fountains and decorated with colorful foliage. Trimmed bushes lined the path on both sides, framing the walkways that meandered through the garden. After climbing up a wide stairway, they emerged from the pasture of greenery at the castle entrance, where two more guards stood duty. After a nod from the sentry leading Link and Lauren, the two guards opened the large wooden doors and Link and Lauren were led into the main hall.

Unlike the Hylian castle, the main concourse of the Gailian castle was shaped like a wide cylinder with a ten-meter tall ceiling. Red carpet led to the center of the circular floor from the front entrance. In the middle of the room, the carpet divided into five different directions to five different doors in the room, all of which were shut. Turning sharply, the leading guard led them down the carpet that was furthest to the left. Interesting place to put the throne room Link thought. One would have expected it to be the center door…

"Your highness," the guard proclaimed as he threw open the doors, "news comes from Operation Journey One."

King Favar was a fairly tall man, moderately built, with short, wavy red hair and a well-manicured mustache. He didn’t wear a crown, or a robe, or carry a scepter or anything else visibly royal. He was actually rather plain looking for one of his title, wearing a dark blue vest, one somewhat like Lauren’s, with a red sash crossing from his right shoulder to his left hip, and wrapping around his waist like a belt. Under the vest was a simple white shirt with puffy sleeves. His baggy gray trousers hung past his ankles and rested atop his glossy black boots. A sword hung sheathed at his side, but Link figured that, due to its flamboyant design, it was only for decorative purposes.

King Favar was standing up over a large table that stretched almost the entire distance of the middle of the room. It held numerous candles on its surface, as well as maps, letters, and what appeared to be battle plans. He was currently studying what looked like a map of charted enemy movements.

The room itself was exactly what Link had expected any throne room to look like, with the red carpet leading straight forward into the rectangular room to end at raised platform where the actual throne sat. On either side of the carpet, set close to the walls, were pillars holding up torch pockets and tapestries. There were windows on the right side of the room that faced to the inner courtyard.

A dim reddish purple light radiated from the windows, signifying that the evening was quickly passing by. Link was almost tempted to go over and peek out one of the windows to see if he could catch any little eavesdropping spies, but restrained his curiosity. He was here on business.

"Well, it’s about time we got some good news." King Favar greeted. The guard at the door moved to the side, allowing Lauren and Link to enter the room freely.

"You’re highness!" Lauren exclaimed, rushing up to the king. Quickly, he drew down to his right knee in a formal bow. "I have brought news from Hyrule."

The king looked at him. "Who are you, boy?" he inquired.

Lauren didn’t move from his position, his eyes still fixed on the floor. He answered, "I am Lauren Ashcroft Milliner of Larswoods Creek, member of Expedition Force Journey One."

The king looked down at him. "How do you know about that mission?" he demanded. "That mission is highly classified."

"I was a last minute add-on, your highness."

"I didn’t authorize that," the king countered. "Stand up and look at me, boy," he commanded. Lauren rose and looked the king in the eyes. "You look like you aren’t a day over fifteen! I would never authorize a child to take on such a dangerous mission!" Favar shook his head in disbelief. "Now tell me, boy: how do you know about Operation Journey One?"

"I…" Lauren started, then stopped. He looked down at his shoes in disgrace. "I am a friend of Neilson Cross. I begged him to let me go on the mission because, you see, your highness, I don’t have anything left and he…"

"Neilson Cross shall be reprimanded for bringing you along with him on such a dangerous mission!" the king exclaimed. "Bringing a child on a trek so far from the homeland! He could have put the entire mission in jeopardy!"

"Your highness," Lauren spoke, his voice full of shame, "Neilson Cross is dead, and so is the rest of the team…killed by medrian knights that pursued us from Kerah. I am the only one left." The king stopped his ranting.

"How did you survive," Favar finally asked.

"It was just luck that I managed to get to the border of Hyrule. I would have been killed, but Link here rescued me." Lauren gestured to Link. The king refocused his attention, almost like he hadn’t even noticed that Link had been standing there.

"Your highness," Link spoke, politely bowing. "I am Link, ambassador from the kingdom of Hyrule. I come bringing a statement King Harkinian." King Favar nodded, motioning for Link to proceed. "King Harkinian has decreed that Hyrule will aid you in your war, but only after certain provisions have been satisfied. He has stated that the citizens of Hyrule, given the current circumstances in Gailins, will not support an extended military campaign here. From what we know, you have not yet identified who it is attacking you, nor accumulated any hard evidence that it is the doing of the kingdom of Kerah, or anyone else. If you can present Hyrule with evidence that any party is indeed responsible for the attacks that have fallen upon your country, Hyrule will mobilize its forces to defend you from the aggressor and defeat them. However, until that party is identified, Hyrule cannot extend any formal aid to your country."

King Favar pondered the message for a couple of seconds. "Well," he finally spoke, "I guess that is the kind of response I should have expected…"

"But don’t worry, your highness!" Lauren bubbled, "Link was instructed to help us find evidence that Kerah is behind all the attacks! He’s a great warrior!"

King Favar turned back to Link. "Is that true?" he questioned.

"Yes, it is, your highness. I have orders to assist you in finding out who is responsible for the attacks against your country." The king nodded.

"Well then, I welcome you and your help. However, your journey must have been long and strenuous. I will…"

Lauren jumped in, cutting off the king. "It was strenuous! We were attacked by meridian knights on the way and…! Ouch, Link! Why’d you kick me?"

Link cleared his throat, pointing to the king.

[Master Annoyer of the void!!]

"Oh, I’m sorry, your highness," Lauren apologized. "You were saying?"

The king smiled faintly. "Yes, I will arrange for a room for both of you. Tomorrow, I will prepare a briefing for you with intelligence we have gathered thus far."

"Thank you, your highness," Link said gratefully.

"Yeah! Thanks!" Lauren bubbled gleefully. The two were escorted from the room. Lauren practically skipped out the door. Already waiting in the main concourse was a castle servant. Link and Lauren followed her as she lead the way down the red carpet to the door directly opposite the throne room. Behind them, the double doors to the throne room closed. With that, Lauren jumped up into the air.

"Hey, Link!" he called wearing a silly grin on his face.

Link couldn’t resist from smiling himself. "What is it, Lauren?" he asked.

"We get to sleep in the royal castle tonight!"

Link laughed at the boy’s obvious excitement. "That we do, Lauren," he smiled. "That we do."


~*~*~*~*~*~


"Lord Stebos," a cloaked figure reported. "News from the mission to intercept the Gailins effort to reach Hyrule." A dark figure sat on a throne. The throne was crafted from black iron, and adorned with powerful gems mined from deep in the Kerahian soils. Intricate designs and patterns were carved across the metal, forming curves that made the ornate seat seem to move and flow with the lines.

"Report," Stebos ordered.

"Sir, it seems that Gailins has succeeded in contacting the Hylian kingdom and are receiving aid from them. In pursuit of the final remaining operative in their mission, we found that he was being escorted by a warrior from Hyrule." Stebos raised his hand, indicating for the report to cease.

"Well then," he pondered. "I believe it is about time for me to call in an old favor… Jenove, we are traveling to Hyrule tomorrow."

Jenove bowed at the statement. "I will make the necessary arrangements to do so, my lord."


~*~*~*~*~*~


Lauren sat on the bed, removing his armor and boots while Link examined the room. The room was on the second level of the East Side of the castle. The walls were adorned with oil paintings and solid colored tapestries. Link looked out the window. Guards patrolled the grounds, up to the tall stone wall that surrounded the entire area.

"So, Lauren," Link started, "I have a question for you, but I think I already know what it is…"

"So, you figured out that I wasn’t really part of Operation Journey One, huh," he replied. It was a statement. Link turned back from the window and nodded.

"Yes, and the guards at the gate were a dead give away. So how did you find out about the mission if you weren’t involved in it from the beginning."

"Well," Lauren started, "I lied about being part of the mission, but it’s true that my friend Neilson sneaked me along with them. He told General Markond about me and that I was a good warrior. So I actually was a last minute add on."

Link thought a moment. "You are a brave young boy, Lauren." Lauren turned a little red.

"Thanks, Link."

"It’s true," Link replied. "Now if you don’t mind, I am exhausted. How about we call it a night?"

"Ok," Lauren agreed. However, Lauren still had a question on his mind that he had to ask. "Link?"

"Mhmph?" Link answered, his face in his pillow.

"I have a question for you…" Link rolled over and faced the young boy, his long blonde hair falling in front of his eyes.

"What is it, Lauren," he asked, brushing the hair away.

Lauren stuttered, then asked, "Where do people go when they die? I mean, I’ve lost a lot in this war, and all the people I am close to…well…"

Link knew where he was getting at, and didn’t make him say it. "I honestly don’t have an answer for that question," Link admitted.

"Oh, ok," Lauren said, his voice now heavy and tired. It didn’t come to Link’s realization until that moment that he didn’t know when the last time the young boy had had any real rest. They had departed from Hyrule almost right after they had arrived. What a little trooper Link thought. He’s been through a lot.

"Good night, Lauren," Link said, blowing out the candles on the nightstand.

"Night," Lauren responded, his voice muffled by the pillow. The two warriors, one younger and one older, retired to their beds, and slept till morning…


~*~*~*~*~*~


Harkinian was nervous. Very few people could ever do that to him. He was the king of Hyrule and had confronted thousands of dignitaries and other important people over the years without so much as flinching. However, this time it was much different. The only other time he had felt so anxious about a meeting was a long time ago, when Ganondorf met him before the Great War. But now, he felt it again, the uneasiness in his stomach, like the feeling he got whenever Link volunteered to cook for him and Zelda. He was not going to enjoy this meeting. The door to the throne room was opened and the caller announced the newcomer.

"Lord Stebos Darkedge of Kerah," the caller proclaimed as Stebos entered.

"Your welcome is much appreciated," Stebos thanked Harkinian, "but your information seems to be rather dated. I am no longer…how to say this…with Kerah." This information instantly sparked an interest with Harkinian, but rather than show it by immediately questioning on the topic, he kept the conversation neutral.

"Hyrule is glad to see you here, Lord Stebos," Harkinian replied as Stebos entered the room. Two others followed him in, both wearing suits of black armor. "For what do we owe this pleasure?" Harkinian motioned to the long table that sat in the middle of the room. Stebos’ companions remained standing on either side of the door as Harkinian and Stebos took their seats. The table was covered in a lush variety of foods, ranging from fresh Zora clams, to tangerines native to the Kokiri forest. A delicate arrangement made from flowers grown in the royal gardens the perfect centerpiece, completing the presentation.

"I shall be blunt and straight to the point," Stebos began. "You remember the day, long ago, when I helped you in your war against Ganondorf, do you not?" Harkinian nodded at the question. That was not something he would ever forget…


<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>


The lines were breaking everywhere. Moblins and Stalfos were cutting through the Hylian ranks with what seemed to be ease.

"Your Highness!" one of the lieutenants hollered, "We must retreat! The enemy is too strong! We cannot hold them back!" Harkinian surveyed the battlefield. It looked hopeless. From what he saw, even retreat was not an option. No, this looked like the end. Ganondorf’s forces were carving their way straight through the field to the town. Even the castle walls would not hold back the enemy for long, given they lived long enough to retreat there. The only other option was to surrender, something Harkinian swore he would never do. So that left him in a tactical stalemate, with Ganondorf’s forces coming straight for them.

Harkinian opened his mouth to speak, but whatever words he was going to say were covered up by the gargantuan blast that shook the ground. Dirt and dust flew through the air, carried by winds of fury. It took many moments for the cloud to settle before anything could be made out of what had just occurred.

Out in the middle of the field, stood three men, shielded by black, glistening armor, one holding a broad sword, one a battle axe, and the third, a long handled mace. Around them, the bodies of moblins and stalfos burned away, the telltale sign that they had been freshly defeated. Approaching them from over far hill, was the king of darkness himself, Ganondorf.

"What have you done?!?" Ganondorf exclaimed, surveying the damage the three had created. "I don’t know where Harkinian found you, but you will pay dearly for this!" None of the three spoke. The warriors with the mace and axe looked at the one with the sword, as if questioning what the next move should be. The leader never had to make any orders because Ganondorf’s hastiness sent another wave of monsters to attack them. Swinging their mace and axe, the two black armored warriors tore through the monsters effortlessly. The one with the sword moved toward Ganondorf.