Zelda Art The Wanderers - Reworked

[Din Akera]

Alright, I just want to say thank-you for all of your patience. I know I made you all wait. I wanted to have more than just the prologue and chapter one for all of you this first time I posted. So...

This is 'The Wanderers' reworked. You will recognize lots of it, but it is important if you want the full effect of the rework, that you read it new in it's entirety. There has been lots of little changes that will cause there to be big changes later on.

I also wanted to say thank-you to all of you that have been following my story for the last few months. I am very appreciative of all of you. Through this prosess of informing you all that I am restarting the story, I learned that I have many silent followers. Please, everyone. Leave feedback. It is extremely helpful to me. It helps me improve my writing or even give me that extra bit of encouragement to keep going on it. If you want more, tell me that you want more. ^^

So, without further delay, I give you the revised version of "The Wanderers" written by Din Akera.

---------- Post added at 09:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:58 AM ----------

Prologue:

The stone room was dark, cold, and damp. Mold grew in the cracks between the bricks of the walls and water droplets fell in random patterns from the ceiling. A set of ruby red eyes scanned the small dark space. His hands, clasped tightly in shackles, rubbed against the opposite walls of the room. His knuckles had been rubbed raw from the amount of time they spent scraping against the stone. The shackles holding his arms angled awkwardly up above his head, held the majority of his weight. This position caused his shoulders to ache. The wooden plank holding his spine straight pushed splinters into his back and held the cold metal bands around his hips and ankles tightly in place. The foot of empty space from the floor to his feet was wet with sweat and droplets of blood from the bondage digging into his skin. The metal collar around his throat had three large spikes that pressed hard into his throat if he even flexed the muscles in his neck.

The man closed his eyes and hung his head. This crucifixion position prevented any movement except that. The cell held nothing but this man with ruby red eyes and his harsh restraints. He was growing weaker after all this time suspended and suppressed in the cell.

The man heard something he had not in a long while, footsteps. He tilted his head to the side and opened his left eye to see orange light coming down the corridor. With light on the other side the bars at the front of the cell, straight shadows were thrown across the floor inside the cramped space. The light also showed the additional restraints, ones not visible in the darkness. Two green translucent spheres covered the man’s hands and sealed off around his wrists. The prisoner was surrounded by the green translucent hue. It made a screen over the floor, ceiling and walls of the cell. The light came closer and eventually three Gerudo guards appeared behind the bars of the cell. The women wore the tradition purple of guard rank and each held the preferred weapon of Gerudo guards, long pikes.

“Alright newby. Go for it, we got your back.” One of the guards teased.

The guard closest to the door opened one bar in the front of the cell and passed through the green barrier.

The man with the red eyes showed little interest but one corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk. Newby.

The woman approached the prisoner and held up a flask. She put it to his lips and he drank. Once the last drop of the fluid had entered his throat he lurched in his restrains and growled at her. The guard jumped back and fell to her butt on the stone floor. The man hadn’t moved more than two inches, for his bondages wouldn’t allow it, but he had scared her good. The man chuckled to himself; this was his only entertainment. Outside the cell, the other two women were laughing at the new guard. She got to her feet with a furrowed brow and hung her head low. She stalked out of the cell and replaced the bar. The three left the prisoner, now fed, once again in darkness.

The man glanced down to where the woman had fallen, a spot catching his eye. He could see something sparkle in the vanishing light. The light grew dimmer and then disappeared completely. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the blackness once again. The sparkle was a small jewel. Looking down harder at the spot he saw that it was indeed a circular piece of jewelry, a bracelet, which must have slid off of the woman’s wrist when she fell. The bracelet had several beads on it, but more to the prisoner’s attention were four pointed bones, that looked to be the teeth of a beast. Something moved inside the prisoner and thousands of thoughts ran through his mind. Could he do it?

The man looked straight forward toward the bars and concentrated hard. The prisoner’s body began to grow, his neck expanding and pressing into the spikes. The man tried to ignore this pain and focus lower on his body. From between the base of his shirt and the hem of his pants grew a black tail. The man focused hard on the tail and tried desperately to shrink the size of his neck while still grow the tail. The spikes began to dig through his skin and draw blood. The spikes drove through the skin and into the muscles of his neck. The pain was growing exponentially. The man’s tail grew to be quite long. He swung it around the wooden post and brought the tip of it forward. The end of his tail touched the bracelet and began to drag it across the floor, closer. The prisoner angled his tail and pressed the piece of jewelry up against the base of the post. It bent and he got the end of his tail through the hole in the center. He picked it up and carefully wrapped the end of his tail around one of the pointed teeth. He brought the tooth up to the clasp on the back of the spiked collar causing him the excruciating pain. By feel, he was able to find the lock. Carefully the man got the end of the tooth inside the lock. He felt around and turned the tooth one way and then the other.

After what seemed like hours the man heard a small click. The man’s stomach leapt into his chest. The pressure around his neck relaxed. Looking down in disbelief the prisoner let the bracelet slide farther down his tail. With the tip of the black tail the man grabbed the collar and pulled. It came off and clattered to the ground beside him. The man’s eyes lit up with determination and excitement. His neck and body grew larger to a point where he was no longer fighting to keep the tail active. Taking several deep breaths, the man waited until the pain died and the blood slowed.

The man slid the bracelet to the end of his tail once again and set to work on the lock of his right wrist. When the lock sprang open the prisoner grabbed his tool with his hand. The green sphere seemed to bend and allow him to hold the tooth with the barrier between his fingers and the tool. Looking to the left, he stretched to reach the other wrist and began to work that lock. Once both hands were free the man took another deep breath. His tail retracted and his body and neck shrank to normal size. He used the teeth on the bracelet to open the locks on the metal bars around his hips and ankles much more swiftly, now that he was able to use his hands. The man jumped down off the wooden post to the blood and swear soaked floor. With a giant stretch the man cracked his stiff joints and sighed. His face turned toward the green hue over the bars of the cell and he looked down at the spheres covering his hands. The prisoner thought for a minute. Around his fingertips, inside the green spheres, black particles began to form, but yellow sparkles sprang from the inside of the spheres and the black speckles disappeared instantly.

“Hm.” The sound was that of a question. Then, the man smirked and his body began to grow again. The long tail stretched out from his back and wrapped around over to his right hand. The same black particles formed around the tip of the tail. Yellow sparkles appeared from the walls of the cell, but took half a second to cross the space and dispel the black ones. With a confident noise the man stood in the very center of the cell and held the tip of his tail one inch from the outside of the sphere. Quickly the black particles appeared, but before the yellow sparkles could reach them, the black ones touched the outside of the green sphere and it popped. The man looked at his hand, stunned for a minute. Realization then dawned on his face. He held his now free hand above the sphere covering his other hand and popped it as well.

A chuckle escaped the man’s throat and a huge smile spread across his face. Crossing over to the bars the man looked as far down the corridor as he could, but could see nothing. Turning to look the other way he could see another cell across the way, on the opposite side of the hall. Straining his eyes hard in the darkness, he could see what he had been hoping for.

“I don’t believe it.” His words came out in a barely audible whisper and he shook his head slowly from side to side. The man raised one hand and sharply flicked his fingers upward. Inside the other cell an object jumped off the wall and floated midair. The man bent his wrist slowly and the object floated up to the bars. Turning his wrist from side to side, the object rotated on the spot and was able to pass through the bars. The floating sword came down the corridor and hovered on the outside of the green barrier. The black and silver sword responded to every movement of the man’s hand. Backing away from the barrier the man once again created the black particles around his fingertips. When he did, the tip of the sword copied this action as well. The yellow particles attacked the black ones on the inside of the cell but not those on the outside. The man moved the tip of the sword to touch the outside of the barrier and it too popped and disappeared.

“Hm!” This time the sound was confident and victorious. The man moved to the bars and reached though grabbing his sword. He strung it to his belt and reached his hand through the bars back toward the other cell. With movements of his hands the man was able to bring each piece of his silver and black armor into his cell and assemble it in place on his body.

The man looked down at himself after he’d finished tying his second arm guard in place, the last piece of his beloved armor. He smiled proudly, he hadn’t felt this good in so many years. Looking up at the bars, he held up both hands and the black particles enveloped his whole hands, turning into black and purple balls. The man wound up and shot one ball from each hand at the bars of the cell. The balls turned into beams of black and purple magic. The bars and the stonewall opposite them, exploded and disappeared completely with the impact of the black magic. The loud bang shook the building and the walls in line with the beams crumbled. Sunlight shone in though the now gaping hole and the man took off at a full run for the outside world.

(End Prologue)

 

[Ooccoo Watcher]

Very good, I liked a lot of the new writing alot better than the old prologue, but at the same time I felt there were some places where the first draft was better. :S

 

[Din Akera]

Very good, I liked a lot of the new writing alot better than the old prologue, but at the same time I felt there were some places where the first draft was better. :S

Really? the prologue really did not change much at all. Only a couple words here and there.
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Chapter 1 –
The streets were fairly empty at this time of day. Only a dozen or so more people scurried along on their way home from whatever it was that constituted their day. Dusk was heavily set in over the marketplace and the streets of Castle Town; the stars were beginning to show themselves in the purple blue sky. A man, dressed in the clothing of a warrior, was walking through the market enjoying the peaceful scene. The man was broad and somewhat tall in stature, his dark brown hair hung just above his matching deep brown eyes. He wore black pants and well-worn boots. A dark long sleeved shirt hid the thin layer of chain mail, but left the silver-plated arm guards glinting in the yellow glow from the street lantern lights. The warrior appeared to be in his mid 20’s and Hylian enough to walk the streets of Hyrule’s market place. Though, unknown to those walking past him, this man was no Hylian. In fact, the man was a Dragir, hiding in Hylian guise. The Dragir looked around the street and thought about how the Hylian’s would react to his true form. The Dragir race had not been seen in many years and he assumed that many of these people would have never even heard of his kind.

The warrior heard a disruption in the quiet streets, loud shouting and whooping was coming from the voices of many men. Looking ahead and quickening his steps, he put his hand on his belt where the hilt of his blade hung at his side. Once closer, the Dragir could see a large purple collapsible tent, set in a grassy area lined with flower boxes. Several men exited the tent and passed by the Dragir laughing and smelling of alcohol. They were jabbering about the excitement of such entertainment having been set up in their town. Curious as to what sort of entertainment had these men so aroused, the Dragir entered the tent to see for himself.

Once through the curtained door the Dragir’s senses were flooded with the new environment. The most obvious were the sounds. He was greeted with the harsh crash of metal shaking, followed by loud cheers of the men that had overcrowded the tent. A white haze filled the room from the men’s cigarettes and the smell of alcohol and the smoke was overwhelming. Once his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting and the hazy cloud, the Dragir could see a large cage made of crisscrossed metal situated in the center of the tent. The structure took up quite a large amount of space in the tent and reached all the way to the roof. Two men were inside the cage. One of the men was on his hands and knees up against the containing metal. His nose was bleeding and the skin around one eye was blackening quickly. The other man was walking around the interior of the cage holding both fists upward in victory, gaining praise from the crowd. The victor was holding a pair of nun-chucks in his right hand.

The Dragir smirked as he understood the situation, cage fighting. Now he understood what the hype was all about. Looking around he saw a higher place to stand to get a better view. As he was moving to his new location, the cheering died down and a single voice rose above the rest.

“Alright gentlemen, the time has come to close tonight’s tier, our two winners will now fight each other!” Another round of exclamation rang from the crowd, and the announcer, dressed in an odd green outfit, waved them back down. “Betting starts now! Who wants to put money on the one-hit-wonder, the man who puts men on their faces, ten seconds into the round? Or who wants to raise the bar and bet on the underdog?!”

The crowd rang out in applause and catcalls at the mention of the last match of the evening. The fighter holding the nun-chucks seemed unimpressed and cocky about his upcoming fight. The announcer opened a door in the bottom of the cage and much to the Dragir’s surprise, a women slipped through into the interior of the arena. She was wearing a black tunic with a red scarf that was wrapped around her neck and snaked its way all the way down her left arm. Knee-high leather hunting boots covered her legs and the hilts of two daggers peaked out the tops of the boots. She had shockingly red hair, waving down her shoulders all the way to the middle of her back. The women stood off center of the ring, eyeing her opponent. The Dragir’s mouth fell open slightly, she was beautiful, but most of all he was amazed at her courage. She must be a good fighter to have made it that far into the tiered battle, and he guessed she would only be about nineteen years old. He could not take his eyes off of her.

The man in green’s voice broke through the noise of the crowd again. “Alright! Who will bet on the male fighter who has gone four rounds this evening, none of them lasting more than two minutes in length! This fighter is fresh and ready to go gentlemen! Or, who will bet on the little lady having gone six rounds this evening all lasting more than fifteen minutes, she should be tired boys but she is still standing! And boy does she look ready for anything! Come on folks lets see those rupees!”

As the announcer began to take the money from those that were intoxicated enough to pay up, the Dragir looked the situation over. The male fighter was livening up the crowd. He threw his arms in the air and pounded his fist on his chest, his mind set on the fact that he would win. But the woman was standing watching the man, a look of determination on her face. She was assessing him, watching his movements and shifting her own weight from the ball of one foot to the other, testing her own balance. The Dragir could tell from her actions she was indeed a fighter and would not be taken easily. Shifting his eyes to the funny shaped hat on the announcer’s head, the Dragir saw an elderly man handing over an entire wallet of rupees as a bet. Shaking his head, the Dragir thought he would never understand the point of throwing away money on an event such as this.

A shrill ding pierced through the air of the tent and all went completely silent. The announcer with the funny green hat entered the cage and stood in the center. The two fighters approached and stood facing each other to either side of him. The tent was completely quiet, waiting for the match to begin.

“Once again, to clarify the rules. You may use one weapon of your choice. Two daggers qualify as one weapon due to their size.” He said looking toward the women. “If either of you possess magic abilities, they are not to be used against your opponent in anyway. Do not kill your opponent, a kill shot should simply be indicated by a close hit once your opponent is unable to defend or respond. Good luck.” The man stepped back and exited the cage. A rumble grew in the throats of the observers and the door of the cage clanged shut. Once again the shrill ding shook through the air in the tent and both fighters immediately jumped into a fighting stance. The crowd erupted in shouts, catcalls, and language of ever kind.

The man took the first swing with the nun-chucks, which the woman easily dodged. She hopped out of reach and sunk into her hips. With a flash she launched herself forward with one fist drawn back headed for the man’s nose. This was also dodged through fast movements of his feet. The two fighters danced around the ring for several minutes with no hits, but sweat and effort pouring out of both of them. The woman spared a quick glance at the announcer who gave her a very subtle nod. The Dragir was observant and witness this exchange. The women quickly looked back to the fight, but this moment had left her open to attack. The nun-chuck hit her dead in the chest and swung around smashing into her chin. The audible crack of bone was heard through the tent, as all the force of a one hit fighter made contact with her body. A roar burst from the crowd at the double hit. Falling backward she slumped against the cage but caught herself with her hands behind her back in the metal. She sagged there for a minute, the other fighter basking in his glory from the crowd, not going for his kill shot chance.
The Dragir watched closely and witnessed something he did not expect. The elderly man, who had bet all his money, took his hand out of his pocket, reached up and laid his hand on the writs of the young woman through the bars of the cage. Within a second the woman stood up and resumed her fighting stance, completely energized. The fighter with the nun-chucks smirked and lunged at her, his weapon headed in the same path as the first time. The woman bent and pulled both daggers from her boots. The knife in her left hand met the swinging end of the nun-chuck and deflected it. The right-handed knife came upward with amazing speed and hooked a link in the chain that held the two pieces of the man’s weapon together. Caught off guard by this move the man hesitated giving the woman another second to act. Pulling the dagger, and now the man’s weapon, across her body she drove the blade into the left side of the man’s body armor, trapping his weapon. Angered, the man reached over with his free arm and hooked it harshly over the back of her neck, head locking the woman. With an instant reaction she hooked her leg behind the man’s knees and pulled them forward, simultaneously pushing the dagger in the side of his armor upward. These two motions used in combination slipped his arm over and off her head and sent his legs out from under him. In the moment of suspension in which the man hovered horizontally, the woman smashed her foot into the center of his chest and brought her entire weight down on him, driving him into the floor of the arena. With a groan of pain, as the air was forced out of his lungs from the impact, the man lay motionless. Squatting on his chest the woman planted the left-handed dagger beside his head, millimeters from his ear.

A moment of silence hung in the air as the woman delivered the simulated kill shot. The Dragir’s first clap broke the silence and the crowd soon followed his lead and gave her the acknowledgement she deserved. The woman pulled her daggers out of their placements and replaced them in the tops of her boots. She stood and looked at the crowd through the cage. She nodded to the bulk of the crowd as a sort of bow and headed for the door of the cage.

After the event was over the men began to file out of the tent slowly, headed home for the evening. The Dragir did not move from where he had watched the match. He was still fascinated with this woman’s performance. He wondered about the two exchanges he saw during the battle. Why did she need confirmation from the announcer and why did the elderly man touch her through the cage? While these questions and the supposed answers ran through his head, the Dragir watched the elderly man approach the announcer and hold out his hand with a smile. The man who had collected the rupees earlier rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. The announcer handed over the man’s winnings, after betting on the woman, a rather large sum by the look of it. The elderly man kindly smiled, took his money and headed for the door.

The red headed woman also walked up to the announcer, but only once the majority of the spectators had left. He handed her a small purse, which she swiftly stuffed into her boot. She nodded at him politely and went to a corner of the tent where a small bag was laying. She picked up the black bag and removed several items, weapons to be specific. The woman slung a large quiver and longbow onto her back and tied a metal chain around her waist and to her belt. She left the bag where it lay and headed for the exit. The Dragir watched her go. There had to be quite a story to this woman. She must come from somewhere special, she was no ordinary girl.

The Dragir followed the young fighter from the tent back into the grassy area of Castle Town’s market place. He walked several feet behind her as not to give her notice of his presence. Once outside the Dragir saw the woman talking to the elderly man from earlier that night. Just as before, as with the announcer, the girl took a small purse from the elderly man and stuffed it into her boot. She shook his hand and headed off down the street at a rather swift pace.

Curiosity got the better of the Dragir. He wanted to talk to her, find out where she came from and how she was trained. Quickening his steps, the Dragir followed the young woman down two streets and around several corners. Turing the last corner where he had seen her disappear the Dragir found himself on an empty street. She was gone, simply vanished. Confused for a minute he looked back and forth for any sign of her. Then he heard a small sound from behind him; he knew the sound well, an arrow leaving a quiver. The Dragir spun around and drew his blade in preparation for what he might see. He found himself staring into a pair of red-brown eyes glaring at him from behind a strung arrow pointed at his forehead.

The Dragir could not believe his eyes. She was even more striking up close. Only slightly shorter than him, he could see the defined muscles of a trained fighter and one or two battle scars on her skin. Her hair flickered under the lantern lights like the flames of a wild fire.

“Why are you following me?” Her melodic voice did not match her current stance, yet it was harsh and accusatory.

The Dragir shifted his own stance from an aggressive one to a more defensive position.

The woman pulled the string of the bow back father at his movement.

Stopping short as not to provoke her, the Dragir spoke.

“I mean you no harm.” He loosened his grip on the hilt of his blade and let it swing to point at the ground. He raised both hands in front of him.

The woman’s expression softened slightly, but she did not lower her weapon.

The Dragir continued, trying to calm her nerves. “You fight very well and I was curious as to where you trained.” The woman lowered her bow and relaxed the tension on the string. A mixture of relief and frustration swept onto her face.

“That’s the question I always receive.” She rolled her eyes rather coldly.

The Dragir looked at her waiting for further reaction. “I…I’m sorry if that upsets you. I…” The Dragir searched for the right words. “I just wished to speak with you. I wanted to introduce myself.”

At these words the woman’s expression softened and her stance relaxed. She dropped her arm holding the bow pointing it at the ground and replaced the arrow in its quiver.

Seeing this the Dragir felt more comfortable. “My name is Rad.” He held out his hand in offering.

After a moment of hesitation the woman extended her free arm and took his hand. “They call me Din.” A quick flash of a smile appeared on her lips.
The two looked at each other for a minute and the street was still.

Unsure of how to continue Rad simply smiled back at her. “Were you headed somewhere? I’m sorry if I am keeping you.” Rad let go of her hand and motioned to the street where she had been heading.

Din hesitated, “No…not really.”

“Would you like to join me at The Milk Bar? It’s one of the lounges in town. I was going to have a drink.” A joking smile crossed Rad’s face. “Celebrate your win?”
A single giggle escaped Din’s throat and a smile appeared in full on her face. She thought about the offer for a minute. She looked at this friendly stranger with curious eyes. She had never actually spoken to any of the men that had come up to her after seeing her fight. This one seemed friendly enough and somehow different from the others.

“Okay. Sure.” She said with a small smile.

******************

Loud laughter filled The Milk Bar. Several people were enjoying themselves with friendly conversation and banter late into the night. Rad and Din sat at one of the tables exchanging stories humorous stories. The two had been talking for a couple hours by this point and were past their first few rounds of drinks.

Rad’s deep voice was exasperated, “So the pike is sticking out of the guy’s helmet! And I’m thinking to myself, ‘oh great, this is only training and one of us is dead already.’ But the lad stood back up, and removed the piece of armor. The thing got wedged in his bloody erring! So of course we never could get him to take it off after that, he believed it saved his life!”

“Of course not!” Din howled as she rocked back in her hair clutching her stomach. The constant amusement was beginning to take its toll.

Rad was enjoying making the beautiful girl laugh. She had loosened up considerably once they had begun talking about other things than her fighting. Rad looked at her with more serious eyes. He was still curious about what he had witnessed that evening.

“So, tell me something Din…”

“What would you like to know?” She snickered.

“What was all that about tonight? I saw you look at the fight announcer partway through the match. And why did the elderly man touch you through the bars?”
Din’s expression changed from the laughter to seriousness and her voice came out in a sigh, “How I fight? Where I learned? What was that? Why was this?” Din punched out the list of questions and tipped the rest of her dink back down her throat. “That’s all you guys ever want to talk about after ya see me fight!” She was not angry, but seemed rather bored by the idea of these questions.

Rad leaned both elbows on the table. “Many question you after?”

Din nodded and rolled her eyes. “Gets old after this many years and this many shows.”

More questions jumped to Rad’s lips but he shut them tightly, not wanting to push her too much.

Din looked at him from her relaxed seat in the chair. “You really want to know?” She stared him straight in the eyes. “I’m a woman of great morals, Rad, but sometimes you have to cheat a bit to make it anywhere in life. I have a hard time holding a steady job. But that’s mostly because I can’t stay in one place to long without becoming restless. So I make a living by moving around Hyrule and ‘performing,’ so to speak, for money. Cage matches, archery, unarmed combat and even a little magic competition.”

“Magic?” Rad was surprised to hear the word come out of her mouth and wasn’t able to hold that question down.

“Yes, magic.” She stuttered a little bit. “I don’t know why I am telling you this. Probably because I am a little drunk.” She laughed and smiled at him.

“What kind of magic, Din?” The man seemed fascinated with her and the mention of her abilities.

Din looked at him for a minute. She rarely told anyone about what she could do let alone show someone when it wasn’t necessary, but what the heck one won’t hurt, she thought. Din reached over and picked up a lonely napkin. Glancing over both shoulders to make sure no one was watching Din held the napkin up in between them. Suddenly the napkin went up in a burst of flame, burning it. The flames went out almost instantly. If Rad had blinked, he would have missed it.
Shock rocked through his mind, he had not expected that.

She looked at him and grinned. “That isn’t it though.” She added. “Give me your hands.” Din held out both hands, palms up, toward him across the table. He looked at them for a minute and then decided to trust her. He placed his hands in hers. Quite quickly Rad’s hands became extremely cold, as if they had been on ice for a period of time. Shocked, he jerked his hands away from Din’s. She giggled a little at his reaction. “Hey, you asked.” She shrugged.

A little confused Rad wanted an explanation. “So fire… and heat?” he asked while rubbing his hands together.

“Sort of. I can create and manipulate fire. Heat is more of an energy source rather than ability. I can pull it out of anything that is hot or warm or push it out of me into an object or person.” She explained.

Understanding grew in Rad’s mind. “So, when you were tired in between matches you could pull heat, or I guess energy out of the people in the room?”

Din nodded at him once.

“And when you were injured tonight and that man touched you threw the cage… He gave you heat as energy?” Rad added.

Once again the woman smiled and nodded. “He and I have a bit of a deal. You see, he can’t really work anymore but he is trying to support himself, his wife, and his son. So he bets on me and gives me energy if I need him, I win, he gets a killing of money, and he shares part of it with me.”

Rad stared at her as he processed what she was telling him. “And the announcer?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s a similar situation. Having a woman beat the guys in an unbelievable turn of events is really good for business. So I play weak until he gives me the signal. Then I go for it. The announcer and the old man don’t know about each other though.” She giggled on her last sentence.

“Well you certainly have things figured out for yourself here don’t you, Din.”

She shrugged. “I guess, but like I said, I don’t stay in one place to long.”

Rad looked at this beautiful woman with disbelief. She was so cunning and such a well-trained fighter. This was something he had never seen in such quantity in a woman before.

“I hope you don’t think poorly of me Rad, just because I swindle men out of their money to survive.” She poked at him playfully.

He laughed at this. “No. No. Not at…” Rad trailed off as loud yells were heard from outside the door of The Milk Bar. Both fighters stopped and looked toward the door at the source of the disturbance.

There was stillness in the space for a moment. Rad and Din looked at each other and back at the door. Rad’s hand found it’s way to the hilt of his sword. Suddenly the door burst open, swinging all the way around and smashing into the wall, the cold night air filing into the bar. The man who Din had defeated in the cage marched through the door with three other men following close behind. All of them were obviously aggravated.

Din and Rad quickly looked at each other across the table, then back at the angered men. Extremely swiftly, Din slipped out of her chair to the back corner of the bar. She hoped they hadn’t seen her. She knew why his man was here, and why he had brought his friends; like Rad’s questions, this situation was not new to her. She looked around for a way out. The bar was set low into the ground. They had come down a full flight of stairs to sit at one of the tables across from the counter. This left little options for escape. There were no windows and only the one visible door, currently blocked by her former opponent and his friends. Din’s mind raced. How was she going to get out of here? She’d rather disappear than start a fight in a bar.

Rad straightened in his seat. His eyes swept over the four men, also understanding their motivation. Rad began assessing each of them. Only the man Din had defeated held a sword. The other three had various forms of street weapons. One held a wooden bat, another a heavy metal chain, and the last a piece of pipe.
The leader’s eyes swept the bar looking for the redhead who had humiliated him.

Rad stood and turned his back to them hiding Din from their sight. “Okay, we can make it out of this easy” Rad looked over his shoulder at them.

She looked up at him, staying as hidden as she could behind him. “I don’t like public fights, then tend to end badly. I’m usually asked to leave town.”

Rad snickered. “I know what you mean there. Use the counter to get to the stairs.” Rad turned around and began to walk away from Din. She quickly did as she was told and jumped behind the counter. She started to inch toward the stairs squatting and holding the counter for balance.

“Gentlemen.” Rad’s voice rung out through the bar “We don’t want any trouble here. We are all trying to enjoy a nice social gathering--”

“I don’t care!” The fighter cut Rad off. “I know she is here, she isn’t anywhere else in the town! That redhead is not the best fighter around, and she needs to know it!”

“Well, obviously she isn’t here” Rad gestured around the bar. “So why don’t you all sit down, have a drink, and calm down, or be on your way.”

The man eyed Rad and the words that formed from his mouth were cold. “Maybe we will have a drink or two.” He gestured for his buddies to sit at the counter. The man walked over to the bar and leaned on it hard, his expression sour. The man knew this game; it was too easy. He leaned over and saw Din hiding underneath the counter. Within seconds his face turned to pure rage. A holler rang from his mouth as he threw everything on the counter to the ground with one sweep of his arm. Placing both hands on the counter he jumped on top of it, headed for Din.

Before he could make it any farther a set of unusually strong hands grabbed him by the back of his shirt, pulling him off the counter to the floor. The man stumbled but threw his fists in Rad’s direction. Rad grabbed the man’s writs and twisted it out of the way, as a wine of pain came from the man’s throat Rad smashed his elbow into the his nose. Rad threw the man down and drew his weapon, pointing it at the man’s neck.

Jumping from her hiding spot, Din ran to the other end of the bar, to the stairs leading to the exit. Looking back she saw the other three men descending on Rad. Without hesitation she drew her daggers and raced back. Upon reaching them she leaped onto the back of the man with the pipe. Holding the dagger to his throat and restraining both his arms with hers in a headlock, she threatened them all. “Move and I’ll kill him or he will kill your leader.” She growled nodding to Rad. The other two men froze, looking completely shocked.

The leader lay on the floor, both hands up in a surrender position, with a look of complete hatred on his face, his broken nose bleeding profusely. His sword having slid out of reach in the fall was useless to him with Rad’s weapon in his face. “I WILL kill you! And your little friend here too!” The man’s rage was coming out of him in heaps as he yelled at Din.

Din and Rad’s eyes met. ‘Okay, now what?’ Din’s thoughts were racing as she tried to figure out the next best course of action. Planning had never been her strong suit, just winning the fight. Rad’s eyes flickered to the man holding the bat and then back to Din. Very slightly, he jerked his head in the direction of the bat.
After a moment of thought Din understood. Holding her hostage tight see looked at the man with the bat. “You should probably get some ice for that.”

The man’s confused expression matched the noise that came from his throat. Just then the bat went up in a huge flare of red and orange flame. “HAAAA!!” The man holding the bat let go and dropped his burning weapon to the floor. At this same instance Rad swung his sword and shattered the chain in the hands of the third intruder.

“GO!” Rad’s order filled the room and Din responded immediately. She threw the man she was holding forward and took off for the stairs. The man with the pipe stumbled a little but regained his balance quickly. Before Rad was able to get past him, the man swung the hunk of metal. With an easy dodge Rad turned and smashed the side of his blade into the man’s weapon. Rad hit with such force that the pipe left the other man’s hand and flew across the bar.
Leaving him holding his wrist in pain, Din and Rad took off for the door at a full run. They broke out into the street and took off down the road knowing that they would be followed. Hurtling around a couple corners and running as fast as they could down the streets of Castle Town, they began to laugh.
Rad’s words broke through their giggles. “To the field! They’ll never follow us that far.”

Din flowed him easily, her legs not much shorter than his. They reached the tall eastern gates and slipped through without a word from the guard standing watch. Once they hit the grass of East Hyrule Field, the two runaways slowed to a walk. They were both breathing a bit faster from the adrenalin.

“Well that was fun!” Din laughed.

“Yes it was.” Rad smiled and giggled at her as they set into a walking pace.

They kept moving until they were well away from the town walls and partway to the Eldin province. After a few moments to catch their breath Din broke the silence. “Alright, Rad of Manthys, so now you know all about me. How about yourself?” Din asked dancing playfully away from him and looking at the stars. She was in such a good mood, she couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this way.

Rad walked over to where she had stopped and looked up as well. The stars were something Rad treasured. No matter where he went, or what he did, they were always there. The same stars, watching over him, forever.

“My story is a pretty long one.” He said matter of factly while lowering himself to the ground. He pondered as he looked up at the sky; he didn’t know what to tell her.

“That’s alright,” she joined him on the soft grass of the ground. “Then just tell me what you think is most important, friend.” Rad turned his head fast and looked at her when he heard the last word. He had not expected it and didn’t know how to respond.

Din was taken aback at his reaction. “I…I’m sorry. It’s not something I get to say to often. But that guy said it back in the bar, and I thought…” She looked down at her hands in her lap, a little embarrassed.

Rad shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. I’m just not used to hearing it.” He smiled at her. ‘Friend.’ It had a nice ring to it. They sat for a moment in silence looking up at the night sky, now beginning to lighten behind the mountains to the east.

Din looked sideways at him. “So, what’s your story Rad?”

“I have lived a very full life. I don’t know where I should start.” Rad’s tone had grown much more serious, but he tried to give a woof of a laugh on the last word. Rad knew exactly what he should tell her, especially after she opened up to him. She had come to his aid too. She could have just left him once she got a break for the door in the bar, but she came back to fight alongside him. What’s more, she wanted to be his friend, which was something that Rad could not take lightly. But if he told her he wasn’t Hylian she might abandon that notion. Yet, he couldn’t lie to her.

Din looked at him, her eyes curious.

Rad opened his mouth. “Din… I’m--”

“Ms. DIIIIIINNN!!” A nasally male voice rang out and cut Rad’s sentence short.
Looking up, the two saw a man running toward them from the northwest. He wore a white shorts suit, a red hat, and carried a backpack with a large sign strapped to his shoulders.

The postman jogged up to where Din and Rad sat. “I have an urgent letter for you from the Desert province.” The man pulled out an envelope from his backpack and held it out to Din.

“Thank-you.” Din reached up and took the piece of paper from him. Before she looked up from it the delivery the man was already jogging off toward the Eldin province. The morning sun, now peaking over the top of Death Mountain, made Din shield her eyes with her arm to see the man go.
Glancing at Rad, Din couldn’t see any need to save it for later. Looking at the envelope Din tore one end open and pulled out the letter inside, upon doing so, a flurry of sand fell out and caught the wind.

Rad watched as she unfolded the piece of paper and began to read. Her body stiffened after only the first couple sentences and her eyes grew wide with horror. Jumping to her feet Din franticly began to read faster. Rad’s concern brought him to a standing position beside her and he laid his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. “What? What is it?”

Din’s face flashed between many emotions but finally settled somewhere between fear and anger once she finished the letter she had received. She shook her head from side to side as she processed the information. Feeling Rad’s hand on her shoulder she looked at him, disbelief in her eyes. “My… my home has been attacked.” Her words stumbled out and her eyes glazed over as she attempted to process the news.

“By what?” Rad’s voice was serious and stunned. There had been little evil in the world since the Hero of Time banished the evil king to the sacred realm. Rad had witnessed the event.

“The prisoner.” Din whispered looking downward. “The prisoner of Arbiter’s Grounds.”

Rad looked at her for a minute trying to understand. He had never been to the Desert province of Hyrule, and he had heard very little about it, other than it was hard to get there. Rad ran through all that he knew about the harsh Desert province. He had heard that even if you did make it there, the desert was a dangerous place where only a handful of creatures could survive. He knew that the desert was the dwelling of the Gerudo and that they allowed no outsiders near their land. He also knew of the fortress that stood in the name of their race and the prison; build hundreds of years ago to hold the unbanishable evils of the world.

As Rad’s mind moved through his previous knowledge a more pressing fact came to the front of his thoughts. “Gerudo Desert is your home? But, I thought you were--”

“I don’t know what I am.” Din cut him off before he could finish, her tone cold. “And it really doesn’t matter. I have to do something.” Din began to pace back and forth thinking hard. “I have to go back, I have to help them. She says the prisoner left the province, but Arbiter’s Grounds and the fortress are severely damaged.” She looked over to him.

Rad looked back at her. “Well, I guess we will need some supplies then, and some transportation. We need to get some stock of food and water, maybe a potion or two, to make it through the desert alive.” Rad began plotting in his head everything that would be required for this type of adventure.

“You… you want to come?” Disbelief broke from Din’s lips as she stared at him.

Rad stopped and looked at her. “I will lend you may assistance milady.” The words came out with a very small gentlemanly bow. “Think of it as repayment for helping me out tonight at The Milk Bar.”

The two looked at each other for a minute. Emotion began to form in Din’s eyes, and she smiled weakly at him. Quickly clamping her eyes shut she forced back everything that was coming out and with a deep breath she was able to speak. “Thank-you.”

Rad threw her a smile and lightly set his hand in the center of her back, leading her forward. His mind then went back to business. “Like I said, we will need to stock up.” Rad began to lead her east, to the Eldin province boarder just up ahead. They had moved just over half way across the field during the night.

“Where are we going? The desert is to the west.” Din pointed out, looking back over her shoulder.

“Yes, but Kakariko Village is just in the valley. They have plenty of stock, and I have some friends there.”

Din nodded with understanding. With a determined exhale she followed him. She knew he was right, they were going to need all they help they could get. Din looked up at the mountains ahead. She had never been to Kakariko Village, but she knew it was at the base of Death Mountain. With another deep breath, Din could feel the excitement of adventure building inside of her and the fear of what had happened to her home growing alongside it. The sun continued to rise, and the golden rays welcomed them, as the mountains grew closer with every step.

(End Chapter)

 

[Din Akera]

Chapter 2 –
East Hyrule Field took an hour or two to cross on foot, but Din was well aware when they reached the new terrain of the Eldin Mountains. The ground turned from grass and earth to stone and dust under her feet. The mountains rose on either side of them and the path they traveled became a deep valley between the rocks. The path twisted and turned, but was obviously well worn with foot and wagon tracks. Looking upward, Din could see the golden and brown mountains shining in the sunlight of the morning. Most prominent was Death Mountain. It was easily the largest and most prestigious of all. Din’s eyes traced over the paths carved into the side of it, running between the cave entrances that lead to Goron City. Din nodded in remembering the few Gorons she had met. She knew they had built their home inside the great mountain.

The two travelers continued walking in silence until Din’s senses became aware that the landscape was changing again, bringing her mind back to the present. The walls of rock on either side of them began to widen and the ground underneath their feet became much more flat. But what Din was most aware of, was the sound and smell of fresh water. Sure enough, as they rounded a corner in the rocks, buildings appeared. The village was nestled between the mountains in a large valley. The buildings, made of stone and metal, ran in a line on either side of the valley, creating a single street between them. This forced most of the buildings to be backed against the rising mountain walls. On the right, a stable, complete with a couple corrals, was pushed into the rock face beside the source of the water. The large Eldin Spirit Spring pooled between the rocks at the entrance to the village.

Surveying the scene, Din could feel the welcoming town would be a wonderful place to stay. A small group of children were playing in the center of the well-beaten dirt street. Chickens pecked away at the ground around the feet of a donkey and a few horses, and people moved in and out of the houses and shops that were built into the sides of the rock.

“Welcome to Kakariko.” Rad smirked at her looking it over. He headed for a dome shaped hut, the closest building to them.

Hurrying behind him, Din followed him through the door into a dimly lit one-room building that appeared to be some kind of sanctuary or church. The high ceiling and huge tapestries, along with the ring of torches made this evident.

“Renado?” Rad called into the open space.

After a moments pause a man dressed in full-length brown robes appeared through a door in the back wall that Din had not noticed before. The man looked at the two of them and a huge smile spread across his face. He then approached quite quickly.

“Rad! Oh, it is good to see you again!” The man in the robes extended his hand and the two shook. After releasing Rad’s grip, Renado straightened and looked toward the lady Rad had brought with him. “And who might this be? A special friend, Rad?”

Rad glanced at Din. “This is Din. She’s…” He let the thought go.

“Ah! So companions then.” Renado closed the thought, sensing the hesitation. He smiled at her. “It is very nice to meet you Din.” The man approached her and held out his hand.

Din looked up into his face. The man had very large brown eyes and full lips. His long dark hair hung in locks around his shoulders. She smiled back. “Yes, you too sir.”

Rad took a step forward. “We need some supplies Ren, we have a quest ahead of us.”

“Well, we have plenty to choose from. You know that everyone in town will help you in anyway they can.” Renado smiled at him and released Din’s hand.

Rad nodded to him. “Yes of course.”

Renado motioned to the street outside. “You should stop by Barnes on your way out for sure. He has some new toys since you last came to town. And of course Malo will have everything you need for any trip.” He paused and looked at Rad. “Would you care for some of my services as well?”

Din looked sideways at Rad, unsure of what the man meant.

Rad nodded comfortably at him. “Yes, that would be ideal.”

Renado turned and moved back through the door from which he had entered the room, disappearing from sight.

Rad looked down at Din. “Renado is a very talented shaman.”

Before Din could nod an understanding, Renado was back through the door with several small vials. He handed them to Rad in a sling. “These will do you well. They are labeled for instruction. And of course, only use them when you need them.” The shaman smiled at them.

Rad thanked the man and turned to go. He opened the door and turned for Din.

The lady smiled and nodded to the shaman and quickly made her way through the open door.

Rad and Din looked across the street to see an average sized grey building, made of stone, just like the others in the town. There was a large signboard on either side of the stairs to the door, ‘The Malo Mart’. With a sweep of his hand Rad motioned Din up the stairs.

Looking around the inside of the shop, Din thought that no one was inside. The floor and walls of the building were covered in wooden panels and a shop counter was placed in the center of the room. The wooden bookshelf behind it held all sorts of items for purchase, but there seemed to be just the two of them present.
Rad seemed completely unphased. He walked forward and leaned on the counter with his elbows. He looked at the items on the shelf, “Hello. How are you doing today?”

Din’s eyebrows fell in confusion. Was he talking to himself?

Without waiting for an answer to his question, Rad continued. “We will be needing some travel food, bottles of water, a slate for my sword and the lady’s daggers, um…maybe some arrows for her bow as well.”

As Rad was talking Din could hear the scuttle of feet on the wooden floor. Taking a couple steps forward, she looked down over the counter to see a boy. He appeared to be no more than ten. The boy was pulling items out of drawers from the bottom of the bookshelf and behind the counter. He was short enough that Din had not seen him from behind the height of the counter. She looked at Rad, slightly surprised that a boy this young was running a store.

Rad’s words cut through Din’s thoughts. “Some lantern oil and matches would probably be a good idea too.”

Din cleared her throat at his words to get his attention.

Rad turned and looked at her and she shook her head form side to side. Confused, Rad mouthed the word ‘what?’ in her direction.

With a small roll of her eyes Din reached out and laid her hand on his elbow leaned on the counter and heated his arm quite quickly.

Pulling away from the heat, Rad let out a small laugh and sighed. “Scratch the last two items there Malo.”

The boy looked up over the counter at Rad and blinked; surprised he didn’t want the heat providing objects. Malo shrugged and put them back in the drawer he had pulled them from. “Alright, anything else?” The small voice echoed in the space.

Rad looked at Din. The two thought for a minute then both shook their heads. “No, I think we are good to go.”

Din reached into her boot and pulled out a few rupees. She leaned on the counter and placed them down.

Rad looked up at her. “No, it’s alright. I got it.”

“No way, I’ll pay for my half.” Din looked at him, having not expected the gesture.

“Seriously, it’s fine.” Rad put down one large rupee and picked up their things, dropping them into a string bag. “Keep the change Malo.” Rad turned, and without another word, was through the door and holding it open from the outside for Din.

The lady rolled her eyes and followed him.

Once back out on the street Rad pointed to the second largest building on the single street. “That’s Barnes’s. He’s our last stop.”

As they approached the building, Din noticed that this one was made completely of metal, unlike the other buildings in the village. Their boots clanked as they went up the metal steps. Rad grabbed hold of the heavy door and pulled it out of the way.

The outside of the building was not the only thing that was different. This shop looked and felt different from The Malo Mart. The floor was still wooden, but the walls and ceiling were metal. There were huge pipes running along the walls and roof to a large piece of machinery placed at the back of the room. The counter, also metal, bared chain-link metal from its top to the roof. Separating the room in half, the metal proved to be a barrier between the two halves.
A man, dressed in a pair of jeans, a white shirt, and a heavy duty-black apron, looked up when the two came in. He pushed the wielding mask he was wearing up so that he could see his customers better. When his eyes landed on Rad, he stood and came up to the counter from behind the chain-link. “Rad! Long time no see.”

“Hey, Barnes.” Rad smiled and approached the fence between them.

Din looked over the machines and pipes as she followed Rad forward.

Barnes grabbed hold of the chain-link and lifted a leaver. A small portion of the cage swung sideways, creating a small window. Barnes hurried to the back of the room excitedly. “Rad, you have to see my new invention! You haven’t been by in so long, it isn’t that new anymore, but it is still new to you!” The man picked up a package and brought it forward, setting it on the counter in the window. He looked up at Rad extremely excited, hunched over the package, like a small child would having brought home a captured bug. “Ready?”

Rad’s amused smirk turned into a nod as he leaned on the counter with one elbow, looking down at the object under Barnes’s arm.

Din leaned over Rad so that she could see, the curiosity getting the better of her.

Barnes removed his arm and flipped open the top of the box. Inside, was something Din recognized as an arrow. But the arrowhead was rounded rather than pointed. This confused her. A rounded head would make any arrow rather useless.

Rad looked up at Barnes with shock on his face. “Really?” Rad sounded exited and amazed.

“Yup!” Barnes smiled proudly, placing his hands on his hips.

Rad looked over his shoulder at Din and nodded toward the arrow with his head. “This is more up your ally.”

Barnes looked at Din and saw the bow strung to her back. “You are an archer?” His voice rose in excitement.

Din looked at him and nodded. “Yes. But…I don’t understand.” She looked back down at the rounded head.

“Oh! Pardon me miss.” Barnes seemed embarrassed. “I should have introduced myself more thoroughly. I am Barnes, the one and only bomb maker in Kakariko. Also, the only one in Hyrule who experiments with making new types of bombs.” He then put his hand to the side of his mouth and whispered slightly. “Personally, I think everyone else is just to scared.” He folded his arms across his chest and smiled proudly.

Din smiled, amused at his confidence and mannerism. She looked back down at the arrow. “So, this is a bomb-arrow?”

Rad and Barnes both nodded in unison.

Din’s eyebrows went up. “Wow. I am impressed.”

“I will make you a deal miss …” Barnes trailed off, waiting.

“Din” She said.

“Miss Din. I will give you a free sample of my ‘new’ invention for my lack of introduction, if you promise to use them, and tell all your other archer friends about them.”

Din laughed a little. “Sounds like a good deal to me.” Excitement grew in her stomach. This was indeed a new and very useful weapon.

“Wonderful!” Barnes pulled the arrow out of the box in front of them and held it up. “The only downside is you have to light it. So, you see this fuse here. Use a match and light it, take aim and release. It will explode on impact or after about seven seconds. So, don’t hold it too long.”

Din looked sideways at Rad to see his smirk. She knew he was thinking the same thing as her. Lighting it wouldn’t be much of a downside for her.

“Thank-you very much Barnes. I’m sure hey will come in handy.”

After thanks and good-byes, Din and Rad left the store with the promise to come back and visit. Din led the way down the metal stairs back out into the street.

Rad came up beside Din as she fitted the second quiver to the back of her belt. “Ready to go?”

Din nodded. “I think so.”

The two turned toward the beaten path that led out of the town back to Hyrule field.

“Hold up there!” A calm soft call floated through the air from behind Din and Rad. Turning, they could see Renado coming up the street toward them. In each of his hands were a pair of reins, and following him on either side were two very large warhorses.

“I was guessing you might be in need of some transportation?” Renado smiled at he two of them and handed the reins over once he was next to them.
Din was stunned at this gesture; two warhorses…Rad must have a really good reputation with this guy.

“Well, thank-you Ren.” Rad took grey-black colored horse by the saddle and began tying their supplies to the saddlebags.

Din took the reins of the brown horse that had a beautiful black mane and tail. She mounted easily and looked over to see Rad doing the same.

Rad looked down at the man, “We’ll be seeing you around then Ren, thank-you for all this. It is all very well.” Rad smiled at him.

“I’m glad my friend. Happy traveling.” Renado turned and went back into the building from which he came without another word.

Din noticed a different tone in the last sentences the two men had exchanged, but she could not understand its purpose or place what the hidden meaning was.
Rad kicked his horse into motion and he trotted forward down the path that led to the Lanayru Province.

Pushing her horse forward, Din caught up beside him.

“Alright, now it’s your turn. Which way?” Rad looked slightly North and South as they entered East Hyrule Field once again.

“The path isn’t through Lake Hylia as most people think. They try to go through there with little success. There is a passage that runs right along the boarder of Peak province. It is mountain cliff and desert sand, and by no means easy to navigate, but it is the best way to make the transition.” Din explained. “So, North. We’ll have to go through the Northern Field to get there.”

Rad nodded and pushed his horse into an easy canter. Din followed suit and the travelers fell into an easy pace, the horses moving quickly across the rocky passage from East Hyrule Field to North Hyrule Field. For this time, they rode together in silence. Rad, deep in thought about what was to come, and how he could help this girl who he’d just met. He didn’t really understand why he wanted to help her; he just felt he should. He glanced sideways at her and nodded. She was also a pretty good company.

Din was also lost in her own mind, thinking about where she had been, and this man that had become a friend in such a short time. Her mind wandered away from Rad to where they were headed. The vision of her home having been attacked developed slowly in her mind and all the satisfied feelings of her new friend vanished and were replaced by a sickness in her stomach.

As they rode down off the slope into North Hyrule Field, Rad could see the stone bridge ahead. Changing his course slightly to cross the river that flowed through the field he glanced over at Din. Her face was creased with worry and she seemed almost completely out of it. “Hey Din. You alright?”

Din looked up at him quickly and shook off the external signs. “Yeah. Sorry. I’m just a little worried.”

Rad nodded in understanding. “We will be there soon.” He looked up at the sky. The sun was directly overhead. “We will make the pass by nightfall. In the morning we will be off into the Desert Province.”

Din smiled weakly at him and nodded. “Yeah.”

Rad tried to comfort her as they made their way down the path that led to the boarder of Lanayru and Peak Province, by telling her more stories that he thought might make her laugh or smile. He found it more difficult this time, but he tried nonetheless. After a time he tired the direct approach. “Din, everything is going to be fine.” He said in a matter of fact tone.

She looked over at him. “I hope so. Rad, I’m sorry I’m not very entertaining today.”

He let out a small giggle and gave her a friendly smile. “It’s alright. No one could expect you to be happy all the time.”

Din smiled at him. He certainly was becoming her friend. She only hoped that he felt she was his friend too.

Nightfall landed at almost the same time as they reached the pass. Looking over the rock cliff littered with sand, they both dismounted.

“I don’t think it would be such a good idea to try and do this in the dark.” Rad eyed the sloping cliff. The path wound tightly against the mountains of Peak Province, sloping downward along the cliff that contained Lake Hylia.

Din shook her head. “No, that would be dangerous for us and the horses.
Rad looked around the area in which they had stopped. Several trees were clumped up against the rocks of the mountains and the green grass of the field grew all the way up to its edge.

Din followed his gaze and took his horses reins. Walking them over to the trees she tied them for the night. Rad removed their tack and laid it against the rocks for the two of them to use as pillows. Both of them lay beside each other on their backs looking at the sky.

“This is becoming our pastime, Rad.” Din giggled as she traced shapes in the sky with her eyes.

“Yeah, sure is…”

Din’s mind wandered back to her friend, and away from the disaster at home. She thought about how to approach all the questions she had for him. She didn’t want to upset him. “So…how do you know Renado?”

Rad’s expression did not change, but his thoughts began running at the speed of light. What could he tell her?

“We met several years ago in Kakariko.” He said.

Din was confused with the half-hearted response. “And you became good friends?”

“You could say that.”

Din sat upright and folded her legs under her. She was frustrated with the lack of answers he had been giving her. Not just now, but since they met. He seemed so interested in her. Yet, he rarely answered her questions. Maybe she wasn’t right to have trusted him so quickly.
Rad saw the flash of frustration on her face as she moved away from him. A wave of guilt moved through his stomach as her face disappeared from his view behind her hair. He knew exactly why she was upset. “Din…I…I can’t…” Rad trailed off.

“No, I get it.” She said looking at her hands in her lap.

Rad sat up and looked at the back of her hair as she was slightly in front of him. He struggled with himself for a minute, could he really tell of his past?

“No. I would like to answer you, I just don’t know how.”

Din looked back at him over her shoulder, waiting.

With a moment of hesitation Rad shifted to one hip to sit beside her, trying to look her in the eyes. Din rotated herself as well so that she was facing him, giving him what he was looking for.

“Din…” He began again. “I haven’t always been a good creat--person.” He cut himself off as the word started to come out. He was too comfortable with her, and he was upset with himself for it in that moment. But he knew that he needed to be on some level, otherwise their friendship wouldn’t last. “I have done some horrible things, none of which I am particularly proud of. I have been trying to clean up my life and do good.” Rad looked off into the desert for a minute as the thoughts and emotions of the past began coming back to him. Din tilted her head and caught his eye with hers. Slowly she reached out and very gently laid her hand on the back of his, causing him to turn back to look at her.

“Rad, you are a good creature and person. I have seen it.” She dropped her hand back to her lap. She had caught the word before Rad had been able to hold it back. “So maybe you have some bones in your closet, but…” She searched for the right words and a small smile appeared. “No one can expect you to be happy all the time, or good.”

Rad woofed out a small laugh and shook his head, looking at the ground. “Din, I have killed people, people who did not deserve to die. I am not…good” Anger was mounting in his voice. A deep breath escaped him. “I try to be.”

Din looked him deep in the eyes. “That’s all anyone could ask.” She could see an inner struggle in him she had not been aware of before.

Rad looked at her with disbelief. Did she hear him? He wasn’t sure. How could she accept that so easily?

“I can’t tell you why” Din began, “but I have started to trust you much more quickly than I have with anyone else I have met. Maybe because you got me drunk the first night we spent time together, but that is beside the point.” She giggled. “But, I will trust you if you will trust me.” She turned her head to the side and looked up at him. “I know that I said it the other night. But Rad, I don’t have a lot of friends, and I’ve really started to think of you as one…” She trailed off thinking she was talking too much.

Rad nodded, “You are my friend, Din.” He looked at her and struggled for the right words. “And I will grow to trust you. I do, to some extent already. Which is rare for a fighter like me.”

Din smiled, she was satisfied that he had opened up to her, even just a little bit. Looking back up at the stars Din lay back down in the soft grass.
Rad looked down and her and joined her on the ground. The two went back to watching the stars and eventually drifted off to sleep.

(End chapter)

 

[Din Akera]

Chapter 3 -
Rad woke with the first rays of the morning sun over horizon. He looked at the woman asleep only a couple feet away from him. She lay there sleeping soundly, her hair covering part of her face. Rad reached over and slid his finger under the piece of hair in her face; gently he pushed it back behind her ear. Rolling to his side and sitting up he looked toward the desert pass with determination. His thoughts rang clear in his mind. He was going to do and be good. He was going to do everything he could to help her. Maybe this could be a true start to his new life.

Looking back down at her, Rad reached over and placed his hand on the lady’s shoulder. “Din. Wake up.” He shook her gently. Din stirred and opened her eyes.
She looked up at him, smiled and stretched.

“You want to go home now?” he said quietly.

Din’s expression fell and she sat up. She nodded slowly. “Yes, let’s go.”

The two packed up, mounted their horses, and began to pick their way across the uneven and rock thrown path. The narrow and untraveled path was by no means easy and it took from dawn until just before noon until they hit the soft sand of the Desert Province.

Rad could tell that the distance had been half of what they covered in the fields, but had taken the same amount of time. He looked at the loose sand and thought about their horses. Looking back at Din he saw she was already on her own feet and was leading the horse through the sand. With a smirk and small nod Rad dismounted and took his horse’s reins. It was difficult enough for the horses to maneuver on the uneven and shifting ground without having to carry a rider as well.

“There is a stable in that rock. A Hylian lady lives there and takes care of the Gerudo horses because they don’t do very well in the sand.” Din pointed toward a large piece of rock that was no more than half a mile away.

The stable was simple and held about ten horses; twelve after Din and Rad felt theirs as well. Rad wondered why this lady lived in the desert. She was not Gerudo, but she lived in their territory without problem. She even took care of their horses. The lady eyed Rad and was almost standoffish and extremely shy with him. She wouldn’t look at him or talk to him. Again, Rad thought this slightly odd. But Din seemed to be completely relaxed with her.

After watering the horses Din returned to Rad outside the rock hidden stable. “We will have to walk the rest of the way to Gerudo fortress. Here.” Din held out a headscarf to Rad. “This will help with the heat.” With that, the two set out in the direction Din had pointed, without words.

After what seemed to Rad like hours, they reached a low path through two high reaching cliffs on either side of them. The ground turned from sand to rock and the cliffs turned a reddish brown color.

Din reached over and grabbed Rad’s arm; stopped him. “Okay. How do I say this… the Gerudo don’t take too kindly to men. Only one man is born every hundred years and the last one didn’t go over very well, but I think you know that story. If you are attacked, do not engage. They won’t hurt you; only restrain you. I will need to explain your presence.” Without further word, Din marched down the path between the rocky cliffs and Rad followed her cautiously.

As they got closer Rad could see stonewalls rising above the cliff on the right; large clouds of black smoke billowing out from portions of them. Din began to walk faster as she saw the smoke coming from the place she used to call home.

Just then, the sound of rushing air broke the silence. Rad looked up to see two women jumping off the cliff from above him. The first hit him in the center of the chest and used her weight to throw him to the ground. Reacting out of instinct, Rad reached up and grabbed her, preparing to throw her off of her superior battle position. The second Gerudo reacted to Rad’s offensive movement by thrusting her pike in his face.

“Rad, NO!” Din’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Don’t fight!” Rad remembering only then what she had told him. He let go of her and lay back on the ground motionless. Raising his hands to a surrender position, no longer struggling against the attackers.

Din was right beside the woman who landed on him and she placed her hand on her shoulder. “Ella, it’s me, Din.” The woman turned and looked at Din, relaxing her stance once recognizing her. Din breathed easy. “He is with me. He is my friend.”

This seemed to satisfy Ella to some extent and she stepped back from Rad. “Avail has been waiting for you.” Her voice came out harsh and with sadness. The woman threw a glance at the man on the ground after speaking to Din.

Din nodded to Ella and reached down, offering a hand to Rad. He took it and stood.

“Hard part is over.” Din whispered into Rad’s ear.

Ella turned on her heels and began to walk up the rest of the path leading between the rocks. Din and Rad followed her quickly. As they came to the end of the rock face on the right, the valley opened up into a huge open space. Filling it, was a great stone building built into the rocks.

Rad looked up in astonishment. The fortress was massive, but did not appear grand or flashy in anyway. It was easily five stories tall and seemed to be built out of several large stone building blocks, stacked in random patterns on top of one another. Each block was made of the red stones that created the landscape of this portion of the desert. There were several doors carved out of the different blocks on all five levels. Each door lead out onto a landing; created by the unevenly dispersed blocks. Rad’s eyebrows rose as he noticed several pacing guards on each landing. The fortress was indeed guarded well. He glanced back over his shoulders at the high cliffs from where he had been attacked and knew there had to have been more guards top them as well. Looking back toward the fortress Rad began to survey the damage. It was obvious several of the central blocks had been destroyed, causing structural problems. More of the blocks had fallen inward from the missing support. The column of smoke that had been visible to them earlier was now dwindling out of the large hole.

Din’s small gasp broke Rad’s observations. She clasped her hands over her open mouth and shook her head from side to side in disbelief.

Ella turned to look at her, without slowing her walking pace. “You should see Arbiter Grounds. This is nothing.” Her voice was creased with pain and anger.

Din let her hands fall to her sides and felt her fist clench in an involuntary gesture. “Where is Avail?”

Ella raised a hand and curled her first two fingers in twice, and proceeded through the closest of the carved out doors.

Din quickly fell into step behind her and glanced back to make sure Rad was still there.

Ella led them down several different passages and through many different doors, including out onto some of the exterior landings and back through into the building. Rad felt like he was in a maze that he could never get out of after all the twists and turns. He looked forward to Din as they went up a couple ramps and down a few more; she seemed to be at ease. Taking a deep breath he reminded himself that this was her home, she would be comfortable here, even if he wasn’t. Her words from the night before ran through his mind, forcing him to take a deep breath. Trust.

Finally, they reached a high ceilinged room that had a large dirt floor open ring in the center, appearing to resemble a training center, complete with seating on both sides of the room. But the ring had bedrolls and assorted forms of living necessities laying in rows within it, rather than being cleared for battle. Two guards stood on either side of the seating on the right side of the ring, holding pikes with sharp blades on the end. They wore purple Gerudo attire and looked at Din, Ella, and Rad as they entered the room. Sitting in between the guards was a woman dressed in red clothing, creating a huge contrast between her and all the other Gerudo women. She sat on the lowest seat of the benches with her head in her hands.

“Avail?” Din’s question made the woman look up and toward the source of the voice. Din ran to the woman and fell to her knees on the dirt floor in front of the leader of the Gerudo. They took each other’s hands and looked at each other for a long moment with no words. Rad noted the connection between the two women. They looked completely different from each other, obviously of different races, but their actions showed the relationship of mother and child.

“He grew too strong Din.” Avail’s voice was shaky with emotion. “He broke loose of the chains and brought down the walls of the grounds. He came directly here and destroyed as much as he could as fast as he could. We are sleeping in the training ring for goddesses sake!” She gestured to the bedrolls and tears welled up in her eyes. She paused, regaining herself, but only slightly. She took a deep shaky breath and looked down at the girl kneeled in front of her. “Din. He has threatened to release the others…”

Worry creased Din’s forehead at this news and her gaze dropped downward for a moment. Looking back up at Avail, she spoke. “Mother, I won’t let it happen.”

Avail looked at her and closed her eyes, fighting back the tears. “You need to be careful Din. There is no way you can do this alone…”

Din nodded slowly. “I’m not” Din squeezed her hands and looked toward the door they had come through.

Avail followed Din’s gaze and her eyes landed on Rad. She looked him up and down. “Who is this?”

“This is my friend, Rad. He is a very skilled fighter mother. He helped me make it home as fast as I did.”

Avail looked at Rad with a serious expression and tears in her eyes. “Ark Mantrios, the great demon, has escaped from Arbiter’s Grounds. He plans to release the other three unbanishable demons from their dwellings…” The leader of the Gerudo stood and walked to stand in front of Rad. She looked him directly in the eyes. “Rad, will you help her?”

Rad was taken aback at first. If all four unbanishable demons walked the land of Hyrule, it would surely become a world of chaos once again. This was indeed his chance to turn his reputation around. He thanked the goddesses for the piece of fate they had sent him.

“Of course ma’am.” Rad nodded in a bit of a bow. He was not sure how to address the leader of the Gerudo. This close, he could see her flawless features. Her skin was golden from the desert sun and her deep red hair was tied back in a high ponytail. She was extremely slender and muscular. Rad felt slightly intimidated by her prestige.

Din looked at Rad with happiness in her eyes and worry on her mouth at his words to Avail.

Rad looked over and caught her expression. “We can do this together Din.” He assured her.

Din’s warm smile spread across her face. She nodded in agreement as a flash of determination jumped into her heart. They were certainly going to have an adventure. Four unbanishable demons to deal with…

Avail rubbed her eyes. “Would you both like some dinner? I know it is still early, but you must be hungry”

Din stood from where she was still squatted in front of the benches and moved toward Avail and Rad. “I think that would be wonderful.” She looked at Rad for his reaction to the question.

Rad smiled and nodded. “It would.”

With a flick of her hand Avail had guards rushing out of the room and down the twisting halls and passageways. Before Rad understood what had happened, he was led to a dining hall. The room seemed perfectly normal. Cooks were running in and out of door to the kitchen and guards were filing in and sitting down, having seen Avail going in for dinner.

“Would you join me at my table?” Avail gestured to the table at the head of the long room.

“Yes of course.” Din smiled and moved to the spot she had sat in to eat for her entire childhood. She motioned for Rad to sit beside her, knowing that Avail would want to sit in her own chair.

Rad sat, and the food was served immediately. They both ate hungrily, reenergizing themselves from their travels.

“So, where do you think we should look for him?” Din looked at Rad from across her plate.

The Dragir looked up. “I’m not completely sure. I think we need more information. I have a few hunches. If he is planning to release the others then he will have to make it there. I know roughly where each chamber is, but not specifically. I might have to pull some strings in Castle Town to find out.” Rad was more thinking out loud to himself now than answering Din’s question.

Din nodded. She could tell he was still processing and planning. She turned to the lady she called mother. Avail had barely touched her plate and she seemed to be off in a different place. Her eyes were glazed over and blood-shot from the stress and tears. Din spoke quietly to her. “Mother, would it be alright if I took Rad up to the shooting range?”

Avail turned to Din, snapping back to the present. “Yes of course Din. But don’t be going and showing off now.” Avail smiled weakly at her own joke.

Din smiled back at her and quickly turned to Rad.

He looked up at her and shoved the last hunk of bread into his mouth. He smiled around it and nodded.

With an excited smile Din jumped out of her seat. “I want to try Barnes’s invention.”

“Ah!” Rad swallowed and giggled, standing and pushing his chair back into place. He turned and looked at Avail. “Thank-you very much. I was starved.”

The Gerudo lady nodded. “You are welcome Rad.”

Din grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him off in the direction of another hallway. “Come on!” She let go and jogged down the stone passage.

“Hey, wait up!” Rad broke out into a run after her. “You know a person could get lost in here.” He noted to her, looking around the twisty halls.

“Stick with me and you’ll be fine!” Din raced around another corner and up a large ramp that had sunlight blaring down it.

“That’s what I’m trying to do!” Rad laughed running after her and shielding his eyes from the bright sun.

They emerged from the ramp onto what Rad thought must have been the roof of the fortress. He was able to see the entire desert from this vantage point, miles and miles of desert. He looked eastward and thought he could see Hyrule Castle in the distance. He could definitely see the pass from which they had came, and the little rock where their horses were resting comfortably. He shook his head in disbelief. No wonder no one could sneak up on the Gerudo.

“Hey Sammy!” Din’s voice rang out in the open air.

“Well whata ya know! The rumors were right. Little Din has come home.” An older female voice answered Din’s call.

Rad looked over and could see a Gerudo lady reclined back in a sling hung between two posts. She was much older than the other Gerudo’s he had see that day, but she still seemed spry.

“You wanna do some shooting? Big surprise there!” Sammy laughed and stood. She hauled herself up out of her sling and walked over to a small nub sticking out of the floor. With a good kick, the nub rotated and several long-range targets popped up out of the fortress roof at the other end of the building.

“Awesome. You’re the best girl!” Din jogged backward, to the other end of the roof from the targets. Pulling her bow from her back as she jogged, she smirked to herself. She felt like she was fifteen again, practicing for hours on end on this range. She looked over her shoulder to make sure Rad was watching. When she reached the end of the roof she planted one foot. Spun on the ball of her foot, while drawing an arrow from her quiver and stringing it to the bow. She planted her other foot and within half a second she let the arrow fly. With a small punch the arrow split into the target, dead center. Din smiled proudly and looked over at Rad.

Rad was staring at the arrow in the target, his mouth open slightly. He looked back over to her and raised his eyebrows. “I thought you weren’t supposed to show off?” He teased her.

Din smiled and shrugged. “It’s what I do. Makes money for me when I have an audience.” She giggled. Looking down the range she called. “Sammy! I need expendables. I have a new toy to try!”

The older Gerudo woman nodded and reached backward out of her sling, which she had returned to. She grabbed hold of another leaver and pulled it toward herself. As she did, there was a loud popping sound and a small black object shot out of the side of the fortress into the open desert.

Din grabbed one of the bomb-arrows and strung it. She aimed for the black object quickly and looked at the fuse on the arrow. Flicking her thumb over the end of it, she lit the fuse and let go of the arrow. Bringing her bow down, she watched with anticipation.

Rad also watched intently as the arrow moved in on its target. When the head of the arrow impacted the target the explosion happened immediately. The fire and the smoke of any full-fledged bomb, burst into the sky, obliterating the black shooting target.

Rad, Din, and Sammy both stared at the spot where the contact had been made for a moment. Rad was finally the one to break the silence. “Well, least you know he didn’t lie to you.”

Din laughed. “I hadn’t expected he did.” Smiling she pulled another one from the quiver and looked it over. “Well, these work pretty good. They will definitely come in handy.” She looked over at Rad.

“I think you are right there.” He looked at the deadly weapon in her hands.

Replacing the arrow in her quiver Din looked up at the sun. “You think we should be heading back? We’ll want to make it back over the pass before nightfall if we are going to do it today.”

Rad’s expression grew serious. “Yes, you are probably right.”

Din slid her bow back over her shoulders and waved down at the other end of the fortress. “Thanks girl!”

Sammy waved back from her lounged position. “It was good to see you Din!”

“You too!”

Din led the way back to the first floor of the fortress and stopped a guard doing her rounds to ask where Avail had ran off to.

“Out front waiting on you miss.” The guard informed her. She looked at Rad with curious but defensive eyes while speaking to Din.

“Thank-you” Din smiled and headed off in the direction of the exit.

Once out of earshot of the guard, Rad closed in tightly behind Din. “Why do they all look at me like that?” He whispered to her.

Din looked over her shoulder back up at him. “Because most of them have never seen a man before.” She nodded in reminding him.

Rad shook his head and let out an amazed sigh.

When they reached the exit, Avail was standing between the cliffs that formed the mouth of the passage back out into the desert.

She approached them. “Travel well, and please try and be safe.”

Din reached out and hugged the lady. “We will mother. But we are going to fight the some of the greatest demons in Hyrule.” Din tried to be as gentle with the reality as possible.

Avail’s eyes welled up once again. “I know…” The words were a whisper.

Din sighed and squeezed her again. This was just as bad as the first time she had left home, and the second, and third. She sighed to herself. It was never going to get easier.

Breaking the hug, Avail focused her attention on Rad. “You take care of her, you hear.” Her tone was threatening, but in a motherly sort of way.

Rad once again, dipped slightly and nodded. “I will do everything I can ma’am. We will stop the demons. We have too.”

“For Hyrule’s sake.” Din added.

Avail nodded slowly. She looked at Din once again and squeezed her hands. With that, Din and Rad set off toward the stable to retrieve their horses and return to Lanayru Province.

(End Chapter)

 

[Zelda's_Child]

I'm not going to be a silent reader this time!
Great job there, Din. I shouldn't have complained before- I think this is better!

Keep going!

 

[Ooccoo Watcher]

You have not updated in a while.....WHY NOT??

 

[Din Akera]

I'm not going to be a silent reader this time!
Great job there, Din. I shouldn't have complained before- I think this is better!
Keep going!

You have not updated in a while.....WHY NOT??

Thank-you both for the enthusiasim, and I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Here is chapter four. Chapter 5 is completely written, it just needs and editing read through and it will also be up.
------------------------------------------------


Chapter 4 –
Rad and Din had made it back to Hyrule field just after dark that day. The two fighters had collected their horses and picked their way back across the path in exceptionally good time. As they topped the rise to the grassy portion of Hyrule Field, where they had slept on their way to the desert, the sun disappeared completely. They stopped in the same spot; they were both tired and needed a break.

Rad sat propped up against a large rock as Din tied their mounts for the night. When she had finished, she walked over and sat down beside him.

“So, how do we even remotely go about finding Ark?” Din sighed as she slid down the rock to the ground.

“We need more information. What I don’t know is how to--”

“Mr. RAAAAAAAADD!!”

Din and Rad both jumped at the holler from the familiar nasally postman’s voice. They looked up and could see the little man running toward them. When he was beside them, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a letter.

“I have a letter for you from Kakariko Village.” He held out the envelope to Rad.

Taking it, Rad looked slightly confused. He rarely received mail. “Thank-you.” His voice came out quietly as he looked down at the piece of paper.

As the postman jogged away, Rad tore it open and skipped to the bottom to see whom it was from. “Renado?” Rad was even more confused now. He jumped back to the top and began reading:

Dear Rad of Manthys,

I was sitting in my study when I received a letter from a young woman I used to be in contact with. The woman lives in Gerudo Desert; she is responsible for taking care of the Gerudo horses. She is a very sweet girl and a kind soul.

Her letter told me that she dealt with you and a redheaded woman that she knew as ‘Din’ from her childhood. She recognized you from the pictures she had seen of the two of us in Kakariko.

At first I was delighted to think she had simply mailed to say hello and check in, but the letter grew longer. She told me that the great demon has escaped from Arbiter’s Grounds, and she asked me if you, Rad, had something to do with it, since you were in the desert.

Rad, I know you had nothing to do with the release, but please, if you are going to get involved in this, know that this is much bigger than you. If all the demons are freed there will be mass chaos. They are the greatest of the great. They were created to destroy Hyrule, and they will do it, given the chance. They will destroy anything in their path, and they have the means to do it easily.

If you and your friend intend to go on this type of an adventure, you need help. This is not something you can do yourselves, and I know someone who can help you. He lives in Castle Town; a Sheikah named Rishian. He has been in hiding for a while, but if you can find him, tell him I sent you. He can help you with information as well as battle.

Good luck Rad.

Renado


Rad nodded and smiled to himself. Ren always had the best timing and he usually knew what to do in any given situation. Rad looked up from the letter at Din. “Well, at least we know where we are going now.” He smiled and handed her the letter.

Din took it and read it over. Once she was finished she looked up and handed the letter back to him. “Rishian? A Sheikah? Don’t you think that will be a little…difficult?”

Rad nodded. “All we can do is try.”

Din shrugged. “I guess you’re right there.” Din lay back and looked up at the stars. “I know very little about the demons. All I know was that the hero of time chose to imprison them rather than kill them to make a point of eternal damnation. But other than that…”

“I know quite a bit about all of them.” Rad stated. He had been present in Hyrule when the hero had imprisoned each of them in their supposedly unbreakable cells. The Dragir had lived through many different historical events, but this one was one of the most remembered for him. He had decided to leave the side he had been fighting for and find something better to do with himself. Focusing back on the demons he began to tell her what he knew. “They are all made from dark magic and therefore cannot be banished to the sealed dark realm. They can be physically killed though. It won’t be easy by any terms, but it is possible.”

“Are they beasts? Or do they appear Hylian?” Din asked him.

“The true form of each of them is Hylian-like. But they each have a beast form which is stronger.”

Din nodded. She was not overly interested in all the details at this point. They had the entire trip back to Castle Town to discuss what was to come. The two were silent for a long moment, and then Din smirked.

“She likes you, you know. You should be very proud of yourself.”

Rad looked at her, confused. “Who?”

“Avail.” Din looked over at him and smiled. “Not only that, she asked for your help. That is probably first time in Gerudo history that the leader asked for the help of a man. Well, I guess it would be the second.” She giggled a little.

Rad smiled. “Well I’m glad she likes me.” Nodding to himself Rad knew this was the perfect opportunity for him to ask the question that had been on his mind since he met Din’s mother. “Din, I know you call her mother, but you aren’t Gerudo…”

Din looked at him, “So, what am I?” She finished his question for him.

He looked back at her a waited.

She turned her head and stared into the desert. “You, me, and all the Gerudo’s wonder the same thing. The truth is, Rad, I don’t know what I am or where I came from.” She looked back at him and took a deep breath. “My earliest memory was from when I was about ten. I woke up in a cell in Gerudo fortress. I was alone, cold and hungry. I was so angry that I was locked in, that I thrashed on the bars and grabbed hold of the lock. When I did, it melted in my hands. Avail saw what I could do and she took me in. I was trained as if I was a Gerudo warrior and I learned to use fire and heat to my advantage. That is why they named me Din, after the goddess of power and fire. Then desert and the Gerudo became my home.” She sighed. “Avail tells me that I had wandered into the desert from the mountains, but the truth is…” hurt was mounting in her voice, “I have no idea who my family is, or why I was left alone…I was just ten, and was left with nothing…no one…”

As she tried to remain calm she pulled her knees up to her chest and placed her chin on her knees. This was not something she liked to think about.

Rad reached over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He could feel small shakes come from her body. “Din…” He slid his hand across her neck to her other shoulder and pulled her close to him. She let her head fall and land on his collarbone. They stayed like that for quite some time. He hugged her gently until she fell asleep.

Rad felt sick as he thought about her story. Now he knew why he thought he knew her, because he did. He had met her before…long ago, when he was not fighting for the right side of the battle. Leaning his head back against the rock he eventually fell asleep, his stomach still churning with unrest.

**********************

The morning broke bright and blaring. The sun beat onto Din face and she stirred, turning away from it. As she gained consciousness she realized there was something against her back. Turning her head, she looked over her shoulder. Rad was facing away from her, but the two of them were back to back. With a smirk Din rolled her eyes. Warriors were so suspicious and cautious. They always have to have someone covering their back. She scooted away from him and sat up. Better than getting killed from behind though, she shrugged. Din stood and began readying the horses.

Rad moved just as Din got up. He jumped and grabbed the hilt of his sword quickly from where it lay under his head.

“Woah. Easy. You okay?” Din moved toward him and squatted beside his hip where she had been laying.

Rad looked around and saw only Din. He let out a relaxing sigh. “Yeah.” Letting go of his sword he rubbed his eye with the heal of his hand. “Just…bad dreams.”

Din nodded in understanding. He seemed to have a dark past. She had pieced that together through the small bits of information he had told her. She stood back up and went back to what she was doing, not wanting to push the matter.

Rad shook his head of the thoughts and got up, following her.

After regaining all of their gear and having a bite to eat, Rad and Din mounted up and set off northeastward toward Castle Town.

“So…this could end badly…” Din’s worried voice jumped a little as they trotted up the path toward the west entrance, the tops of the buildings of the castle and the market visible on the horizon.

“How do you mean?” Rad looked at her.

“Back to Castle Town Market. The place where we were run out of town for brawling in the local lounge.” A small giggle came out of her throat.

“Oh, that.” Rad laughed too. “Yes, well maybe we should stay away from that area of the market.”

“Any ideas on trying to track down a Sheikah, one that is in hiding?” Din’s voice was doubtful and a little sarcastic.

A single snort came out of Rad at her words and tone. “Yeah, that might be a bit of a challenge. I think our best bet is to find someone who has been in the town a long time, maybe they will have some idea on how to find him.”

“If someone doesn’t want to be found, Castle Town is probably the best place to hide; and he’s a Sheikah! Rad, I doubt many people will be able to help us. This might give Ark quite a bit of a head start.”

“We will figure it out. Okay.” Rad dropped the rein and reached over and squeezed her hand. The action surprised Din and she looked over at him. Letting go, Rad kicked his horse forward in a more urgent pace toward the town in the distance. After a second, Din shook her head and followed suit.

As they rode, Din became aware of a thudding sound. She looked down at the horses’ hooves and realized they did not match the same rhythm. She looked over at Rad. “Do you hear that?”

Rad looked downward slightly and listened. His eyes opened a little as the sound registered for him as well. He looked up at Din quickly. The two pulled back and slowed the horses to a walk. The thudding was rhythmic and sounded like it was getting louder.

They listened hard, trying to identify the source of the sound. Right then, there was a crashing from the west. The two of them looked back over their shoulders and saw something neither of them had expected. A giant green bublin, clad in armor, was riding a wild boar toward them. The sound had been them crashing through the trees. The king bublin held a long battleaxe, and a hunting horn. The evil creature spied them and mashed his armored heels into the sides of the boar. The boar reared up and charged toward Din and Rad, horns down, pointed for them.

Din and Rad both turned back around and kicked their horses into a full gallop, several curses screaming out of both of them. On this path, they were blocked on both their sides by the rocks. They had to make it to the field so they could have some room to move, this tunnel-like path way no place for battle.

Rad looked back, under his arm. The beast on his boar was getting closer. “Din! We need a plan!” Rad’s words were hushed due to the rushing air.

The bublin crashed through another lone trees, uprooting it, and flinging it over its head down the trail.

“We need to make it to the field! We have no other option for a plan in this tight space!” Din hollered back at him.

The horses ran as fast as they could, and both riders were pushing them for more. The creature was getting closer still. They both looked ahead and could see the end of the rocks, maybe ten strides away. Looking back the boar’s nose was only a couple feet from the ends of the horses tails.

The big creature drew his battleaxe backward ready to swing once they were in reach.

“Come on!” Rad growled under his breath watching the field coming closer.

As they closed in on the end of the rocks, the bublin closed in on them. The creature pulled the axe forward in a horizontal swing, aiming to take both of their heads off. Right as the axe came down, they broke into the open ground. Din hauled her horse to the right; Rad hauled his to the left, both of them hugging the opposite outer wall of the field. This placed both of them out of reach of the initial swing of the axe.

The bublin’s boar raced forward, straight into the field. The creature atop it, looked from right to left; trying to find the two fighters it had been pursuing. He slowed his boar down to an uneven trot.

Rad looked over at Din. “Well, at least they aren’t very smart creatures.” He laughed a little.

Din looked after it. “We had best deal with that before he hurts anybody.”

Rad nodded in agreement and the two kicked their horses again, taking off after the bublin on the boar.

Rad drew his massive blade and swung at its armor with huge force. The blade clattered against the metal, but did no extensive damage. “Din! We’ll have to get under the armor!”

Din nodded. She pulled her horse right beside the beast. Reaching out she grabbed the back of the saddle on the boar and leapt from her horse onto the boar’s rump.

The bublin looked at Rad and raised the battleaxe. With a good swing he threw his weight down in Rad’s direction.

The twist of his body showed Din the laces in the armor. She pulled her right-handed dagger and sliced through them all.

As the armor became loose on the bublin’s body he looked down, trying to discern what had happened. Looking over his shoulder he caught a flash of Din’s bright red hair.

“Crap” Din’s curse came out under her breath and she whistled for her horse.

The bublin twisted in the saddle and threw his elbow at the girl on the back off his boar.

Din looked up as the heavyset arm came at her. She had nowhere to go. Taking the hit, she was thrown backward off the boar. She rolled as she hit the ground; standing quickly, ready to continue the fight. Replacing her dagger, she pulled her bow from her back and strung an arrow. As the bublin roared away from her, she aimed for the shoulder-plate of his armor. Releasing the arrow, it made perfect contact. The shoulder-plate flew off and clattered to the grassy field.

Rad looked back over his shoulder to make sure Din was alright. He had watched her come off and almost stopped the pursuit to make sure she wasn’t badly injured. But as she continued to fight, Rad returned his attention to the bublin who was running amuck in the field. Rad grumbled a little as another of Din’s arrows took off an arm guard. They were going to have to get the biggest pieces out of the way. Closing in on him once again, Rad swung his blade at the heavy metal covering his body. This time, it took the breastplate clean off.

The bublin looked down at Rad again and howled an enraged cry. It swung the axe again, and Rad pulled his horse to a stop to avoid the hit. The horse reared up a bit at the sudden stop from a dead run. As it lowed back down, Rad calmed it with a quick pet.

The bublin turned the boar around and looked at his two attackers. Rad on the horse, only a few feet away, and Din down the field.

Din strung another arrow and released. The arrow clanked the neck guard off the bublin. “Yes” She hissed to herself, now its entire front was exposed.

With another enraged holler the bublin began another charge, this time, at Din.

Rad sidestepped his horse and rode to the right, expecting the boar to chase him. When it didn’t, Rad looked at it in confusion. He turned to look farther down the field, and his eyes landed on Din. With a gasp of understanding, Rad kicked his horse. “Go! Go!” His stomach churned as he watched the boar head for her at a full run.

Din stood her ground and drew another arrow. Aiming for the neck she released. The arrow pierced into the green hide of the monster, and it looked down at the arrow with stunned expression. Din strung another and shot again. The second arrow made it through the tough hide. The bublin reached up with a hand and covered its neck. As the blood began to run from the major wound, its eyes fell shut and it slumped over on the boar.

Din smirked, that was easier then she thought it would have been. Then, she realized the boar was still very much alive and at a full charge, no longer with a rider to control it. Her stomach leapt into her throat and she looked for a way out. The boar was only five feet away and closing fast with every stride. Even if she jumped to the side, the boar would easily swing and trample her. Knowing there was no way to avoid the contact, Din’s throat erupted in an involuntary fearful scream.

Rad came thundering up beside her, between the boar and her body. He reached down with his right arm.

Din reached up quickly and grabbed him with both of her hands around his forearm. He pulled hard, and she pushed off the ground. Swinging her up Rad got her on the horse in front of him without stopping the horse’s gallop. They both looked over and saw the boar swing its head as it just narrowly missed the horse’s rump. The left horn on the boar’s head smashed into Rad’s side and threw him to the ground from the horse.

“Rad!” Din’s scream came out more panicked than she had expected. She wheeled the galloping horse around and cantered back to him. She pulled the horse up beside him, hoping to protect him slightly. She leapt off its back and landed in a squat beside him. He lay on the ground, curled up in a defensive position.

Din looked up to discern if she needed to protect them from the boar. She watched as it ran, out of control back down the path from where it had entered the field. Turning her attention back down, Din could see him gasping for air. “Rad! Can you hear me? Are you okay?” She put one hand on his shoulder and the other moved to take off the chainmail so he could breath easier.

He reached up and grabbed her wrist, squeezing it hard. Taking short labored breaths he held onto her, preventing her from removing the armor.

“It’s okay Rad, we are both safe, he’s gone, just relax.” Din was trying to calm him. It was the only way he would be able to regain himself. She thought nothing of the gesture. She let him squeeze her.

“Ahh” The pained sound was the first one he had made, and Din jumped.

“You’re alright, lay back.” Din rolled him onto his back slowly.

“Mm” Rad grimaced and drew his hand to his side where the horn had contacted. His breathing was beginning to come easier now. “Ow.”

Din looked down at him, one hand on his chest, the other on his shoulder. She didn’t know what she could do to help. “Rad, can you talk?”

Rad nodded slightly. “Yeah.” The word held more air than voice, but seemed to be with little pain. “Knocked the air out of me.”

Din nodded. “Okay, you’ll be alight. Just take it slow.”

Rad nodded and began to pull his elbows under him.

Din reached down and wrapped one arm under his shoulders, helping him come to a full sitting position. She looked across the open field toward the west castle gate. “Maybe we should stay here for the night. Once you are rested up we can go into town in the morning to look for the Sheikah.”

Rad nodded slowly. “Good idea.” He sucked in another strained breath.

Din set to work on setting up camp in the spot where Rad lay. She whistled for both of their horses, and was able to calm them both fairly quickly. She sat Rad up against the larger of the two saddles on the soft grass and tied the horses. As she finished the last knot she looked up at the sky, just to see it starting to change color. Her gaze moved down from overhead to land on the visible wall of Castle Town. They had made it over half way across the field and would easily make it to the city in an hour on horseback. Din stood stroking her horse’s neck, starring off at the castle. “Where do you think the bublin came from? Most of the monsters have died off, or been killed off since the time of peace set in.” Din looked at Rad over her shoulder.

“Ark” Rad’s single word explained it all and he growled at the thought. “The balance has been upset. They will start appearing again because of the evil energy.”

Rad looked out at their destination to the east and back at Din. “You did really well earlier.”

Din looked down at him, propped up against the saddle on the ground. He was holding his ribs and looking up at her. With a smile she patted the horse, walked over, and lay down beside him against her own saddle, “Thank-you. First time I ever fought a monster that big! I’ve fought lots of people, and moblins and such, but that bublin was massive!” Her voice was excited. She turned her head and smiled at him, glad not only for the compliment, but also that he seemed to be feeling better.

Rad gave her a very small smile, but then shifted his gaze to the twinkling stars.

Din’s smile faded, “Wait, you have fought monsters like that?”

His face grew more serious and he opened his mouth to speak but then shut it again.

A small sigh escaped Din. “I know; you don’t feel like you can tell me.” Her voice was calm, but held the smallest hint of emotion in it.

Rad took a deep breath and rolled to his side, facing her, he grimaced a little and tried to keep his rib cage straight. He propped himself up on his elbow and looked at her. “I don’t want you to think differently of me, Din. I...I want to be your friend…and if you knew what I have done, I don’t think you could--”

Din rolled and shifted to her elbow as well, leveling her eyes with his. “Rad, after all we have done together, how could I think anything bad of you? You tried to hide me and defended me at The Milk Bar. You have agreed to help me on this ridiculously risky quest. Earlier you risked your life to get me out of trouble, and wound up hurt. And for what? To make a friend, and protect the world against the great demons that are soon to be released.”

Rad’s flashback came to him quickly. He remembered seeing Din standing there, the giant boar bearing down on her. He remembered her eyes widen as she realized she had no way out. But most of all, he remembered her scream and the pain in his chest as he thought he was about to watch her die. He couldn’t have let that happen.

“That wasn’t the only reason I did it…” The words came out in a whisper and his eyes dropped to the grass between them.

Din’s brows furrowed as she tried to understand that. She looked at him and decided to try a different tactic. “Rad, you don’t have to tell me, but I want to understand you. Understand what you are, what you want, what you feel, and all the rest of it. All the things in your past are part of that, good and bad.”

Rad looked deep into her eyes for a long moment. He didn’t know how she could be so accepting. She was an amazing woman. Without thinking, Rad reached out his free hand and pushed the hair on the side of her face back behind her ear. His fingertips traced along her jaw through the motion. He left his hand on the rear of her face, his fingers curled gently around the back of her neck. He leaned forward to her and closed his eyes. Feeling her heat, Rad placed his lips very gently on her left cheek. Without any period of pause, he released her and moved back away. Rad lay back down on his back, using the saddle as a pillow once again.

Din’s eyes opened a little wider as the gesture sunk in. She blinked as she watched him lie back down and close his eyes. Raising her hand to her cheek, she touched the spot where his lips had briefly touched her face. She looked back over at him. With the release of a deep breath, she also lay down on her saddle. She looked at the stars for a long time before finally drifting off to sleep, her thoughts running in several different directions.

(Chapter End)

 

[Zelda's_Child]

That was really nice Din!

I can't really say anything about spelling, but I found something that I think is wrong.

"But as she continued to fight, Rad returned his attention to the bublin who was running amuck in the field."

I read somewhere that it's amok, I think.

Anyways, great!

 

[Din Akera]

Chapter 5 -

The morning sun rose blazing through the sky, throwing orange and yellow light against the clouds high above. Din and Rad had risen early and were coming up on the gate through the western wall of Castle Town with only one thing on their minds, finding the Sheikah. They rode through the large wooden doors into the city, giving a nod to the guards on either side of the entrance. The streets of the city were bustling with activity as usual in the morning hours. All the people were going about their business, getting a head start on the day’s activities. Din and Rad boarded their horses in the stable to the west side of the market square and walked into the center of the market, stopping beside the center fountain.

Rad gazed around at all the faces of the people coming and going from the stores and wagons buying and selling various items. This was going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack. No, worse than that, it would be like looking for a hair in a haystack, and one that was able to run away extremely skillfully. Rad sighed shortly.

Din stood beside him, also scanning the faces, she knew this would not get them anywhere, but she had an idea to get them started. “Rad, maybe we should go find Talon, the elderly man that I was working with at the cage matches. He has lived here his whole life, he might have an idea to help us out.” Din looked up at him.

Rad nodded, “Good idea. Lead the way.” He gestured with one arm to the town around them.

Din moved through the growing crowd of people toward the west trail of Castle Town. She moved down the allies, Rad following close behind. She came to very small wooden door hidden in between the panels of plasterboard and wood that created the back walls. Rad would have missed the door if she hadn’t stopped. Din raised her hand and tapped her knuckles against the piece of wood. After a moment an elderly woman opened the door, only two inches, a door chain prevented a larger space. The woman peered at them through the space from behind the door, quite shyly.

“Yes?” Her voice was hesitant and quiet.

“Hi, I’m a friend of Talon’s, is he at home? I was hoping to speak with him.” Din smiled at the woman.

The lady eyed Rad and her eyes landed on the hilt of Rad’s massive blade. She seemed to become more uncomfortable. Her eyes shifted to Din and also looked her up and down. “He should be at Telma’s Bar. It is just down the street and down the set of stairs.”

Din nodded once, “Thank-you ma’am.”

The lady nodded politely and closed the door, Din and Rad heard her slide a deadbolt across the frame from the inside.

Din looked at Rad and shrugged. The two turned and headed down the street in the direction the woman had indicated. They came to a back ally that indeed fed downward as a set of narrow stairs. Din eyed them warily. The stairs lead to a dark corner, set low against the other buildings, and a door scarcely visible to the left of the base of the stairs. The mood between the two of them shifted instantly. Both of their fight instincts waved red flags at the isolation and dark nature of the space.

Rad looked back over his shoulder, there was no one behind them in the street. He nodded to Din and she descended the stairs, Rad followed close behind. When they reached the door, Din looked up and saw the small sign reading exactly as they had expected ‘Telma’s Bar’. Rad reached around Din and opened the door. He placed his other hand on the middle of her back and gently pushed. Din moved through the door quickly, feeling Rad look once again over his shoulder to the empty hollow and follow her into the building.

The room was very dimly lit and the wooden walls held a damp texture to the air, creating a musty odor. The room was shaped as a backwards ‘L’. The longer stretch of the room ran forward from the door, and the shorter arm stretched off to their left. That portion of the bar was almost completely absent of any light. The counter of the bar was to the right wall from the entrance, at what would be the base of resembled shape. Several tables were scattered about the rest of the open space. There were only four or five people in the bar, typical of an early morning bar scene.

As Din and Rad entered, a larger woman emerged from behind an archway on the back wall that led to another open room of the bar. She had wispy natural red hair that was pulled back off her face. She seemed to be in her early forties, but did not dress so. She wore a low cut yellow top with a black vest and a long flowing purple skirt with two slits up the sides of the material. The woman came toward Din and Rad with a curious expression on her face, as she moved her many bracelets and earrings jingled.

“Hello, can I help you?”

Rad spoke first, “Yes, we are looking for a friend.”

“Well, I can probably help you with that. Do they frequent my bar?” Telma asked.

“We were told he would be here…” Din’s voice trailed off as she looked around the bar. It was very dark in several of the corners, but then she saw him. Talon was standing over one of the tables about halfway back toward the left potion of the L-shaped room, away from the counter. The man wore a grey, capped sleeved shirt and black trousers. A blue rag was draped over his right shoulder, and he was using another on the surface of the table in front of him.

“Talon.” Din’s voice was friendly.

At the mention of his name the man looked up and saw her. An equally friendly smile appeared on his lips. He reached around behind him and picked up a large tray stacked tall with glasses and bottles. Holding it on his forearms, he came out from the dark space and approached them.

“Well hello Din.” Talon’s voice was soft.

She smiled back at him. “I have a question for you, Talon.”

The man’s expression became questioning and he slid the tray onto the bar. He looked back and forth from Din to Rad, “Yeah? And what would that be? I will try and answer it.”

Din looked around the bar briefly before speaking. The patrons that were present did not seem to be paying any attention. Two men in the room on the other side of the arch were leaned back in their chairs barely awake, Telma had returned to the back room, and the last man was far enough away into the dark corner that she didn’t think he would be able to hear, and he didn’t seem to be paying any attention anyway.

She spoke quietly to Talon, “We are looking for a man named Rishian. He is one of the last Sheikah around. Do you know where we could find him?”

There was an obvious shift in the air as Din’s words came out, but Rad pushed the gut feeling aside and concentrated on Talon.

Talon’s friendly gaze hardened and became defensive at the mention of the Sheikah. Quickly, he tried to cover up the drop in his expression and placed a straight face back into the wrinkles that lined his eyes.

“You are looking for a Sheikah? Hrmp. Good luck with that.” Talon crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. “You really think you can find a Sheikah that doesn’t want to be found?”

Din was slightly taken aback at Talon’s reaction. He was always so polite and friendly.

Rad jumped in, “We realize it isn’t the easiest to attempt, but can you help us get on the right track?” Rad was suspicious of the man, and didn’t like the attitude he was giving Din.

Talon starred back at Rad. He shrugged his shoulders, “If you really want to go and hunt down a Sheikah, go to the Temple of Time and pray to the goddesses. Din, a Sheikah is more likely to find you, than you are to find him.”

Rad was becoming more impatient with the elderly man, his fist balled up unwillingly. “Look, can you give us any helpful advice? Or we will be on our way.”

Din placed a hand on Rad’s forearm to try and signal him to calm himself.

“I’d try the darkest, most isolated, and most intricate place you could think of in the town. That’s all I can tell you. I’m sorry.” With that, Talon picked up his tray off the counter and turned around toward the back room. As he spun he threw a direct glance in the direction of the man who had been sitting in the dark corner, draped in shadows, but the man was gone.

Din and Rad turned and left the bar after Talon had disappeared into the back room. As they came out from the little entranceway into the hollowed out space between the bottom of the stairs and the doorway, Rad got another eerie feeling. He stopped where he was and looked around. Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement on the ledge above them where the buildings became level with the ground. Rad turned quickly and surveyed the ledge and surrounding area, but saw nothing. Discomfort rose in Rad’s stomach. He placed his hand in the middle of Din’s back once again and urged her quickly toward the stairs, his eyes still on the spot where he had seen the shadows move.

“What? What is it?” Din stopped about half way up the stairs and turned her eyes toward the place where Rad’s were fixed.

“I don’t like the disadvantage of lower ground, and I thought…” Rad’s thoughts trailed off. Now higher up, Rad starred at the ledge, there was a grate in the wall, but it seemed to be completely intact. “I think I’m imagining things.” Rad threw a half-hearted smile at her.

As Rad and Din headed back down the street toward the center square, debating what to do next, a brilliant blue eye peered at them through the bars of the grating. The eye belonged to a man. He seemed to wrap the shadows around himself, becoming almost invisible. The figure moved completely silently backward from the grate and up through a small crack in the stone, to the roof of the building. The figure backed against the stone stack that created a second story on the building and disappeared again from view. The shadow watched them: the man and woman who were seeking the Sheikah. The shadow’s single visible eyebrow furrowed downward. His other eye and entire left side of his face was covered by a white cloth-like material that seemed to resemble bandaging. Short strands of brown hair fell loosely out from under the covering. Pieces of stray bandaging blew in the light breeze away from the dark leather underlay covering the majority of his body. The white covering wrapped its way down his neck and around the tops of his shoulders and chest. Wrapped in the shadows, the figure squatted on the edge of the roof, listening to the man and woman from that far away.

“The water-system to the castle would be isolated, intricate and dark, but I doubt anyone could live down there.” Rad was almost whispering to Din.

“I have not been here long, so I can’t really think of any other place to look. Though I think looking during the day is a bit of a lost cause.” Din glanced back at him.

“You are probably right. We can go stock supplies and find somewhere to eat until sundown, then we will search?”

Din nodded in agreement and the two continued off down the street toward the main square.

The man hiding in the shadows let them go, he did not need to hear more or follow them further. With a hard expression he contemplated. Neither of them appeared to be of the royal family or the guard, nor did they seem like hunters or even historians. Why, after all this time would someone be looking for him? The figure wrapped the shadows tighter around himself and disappeared completely into the town’s intricate rooftops and stone streets.

For the remainder of the morning, Din and Rad went about Castle Town. They moved in and out of the many shops, browsing to see what there was, as well as purchasing a couple necessary replacement supplies. They eventually wound up at the outdoor café in the southern portion of the market square. As the sun hit high noon above the city, Rad stood from the table where they had been eating and offered a hand to Din, still seated. She took it and stood, leaving the right amount on the table to pay for their meal. The two left the friendly half indoor, half outdoor restaurant that looked over the main square of the market place. The water in the fountain was glistening a beautiful blue under the magnificent sun. Din and Rad had planned to go to the castle and see if there was anyway to get into the water system from the outside before dark, and then head down once the sun had set. Their second option would be to go back to Telma’s Bar and survey the grate that Rad had told Din about during their meal. As Din followed Rad toward the castle across the now sparsely populated square, a male voice came up behind her.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t miss fighter…”

Din stopped mid-step and her shoulders tightened, she knew the voice. Rad stopped in reaction to Din’s freeze. Both of them slowly turned around to see exactly the person they had been trying to avoid. The man was leaning against one of the stone buildings on the edge of the square, one foot bent up against he wall, arms crossed, with a cigarette fuming from his lips. The man’s right cheek and eye had a tinge of green and yellow to the skin, a fading bruise, and his nose seemed to have an unusual bend to the left in bones. The man pushed of the wall and took the cigarette out of his mouth. In doing so, the chain between the two sections of his numb-chucks jingled from his back pocket.

Din cursed under her breath and her eyes darted about the square, looking to see just how many people were around.

Rad took a step forward with his left leg, placing himself partially in front of Din. “We have no business with you.” Rad’s tone was even, but low.

“Well sure you do. You have come back to swindle more money and bruise more reputations--oh pardon me, that’s her, not you.” The man’s eyes were threatening and cold. “You, just bruise faces.”

Rad’s eyes turned down into a shallow glare, “And you do any better?”

The man did not respond and turned his gaze to Din. She had not moved and was comfortable standing partially behind Rad this way. She crossed her arms when the man’s eyes landed on her.

“I think you owe me something.” The man’s voice held more anger now.

Din’s expression hardened and she glared at him, “I won that fight, I don’t owe you anything.”

“It is against the rules to use magic in the ring!” He was becoming agitated, and this made Rad more cautious.

“No! It is against the rules to use magic against the opponent!” Din was angry too now. There was no reason for this argument.

The man’s eyes opened wide, “You little witch! You used magic in the ring! That is the only reason you were able to defeat me!” The man’s eyes charged with anger.

Rad put his arm out across Din defensively; he could see what was coming. The man lurched forward his hands going for Din’s throat.

Din dodged backward and Rad bent, grabbing the man around the waist with his outstretched arm. Rad pushed forward from the balls of his feet and threw the man backward against the stonewall behind him. The man brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled through them sharply. He then bent and pulled his weapon out from his pocket and began to swing it expertly over his arms and around his body. Rad smirked and bent his knees and hips, both fists clenched, ready for the man. Din shifted the weight to the balls of her feet. What was the whistle for? She looked at him carefully.

The man jumped forward and swung the wooden sticks toward Rad’s head. Rad dodged two swings easily and swung his fist into the man’s gut. With a grunt the man took the hit. Just as the man doubled over from Rad’s punch, a door in the stonewall swung open sharply. Three men came out of the door, and Din and Rad recognized them instantly. Even if they had not, the two fighters would have known who they were by their injuries. The first man through the door seemed in fine condition, the second had both his hands wrapped in ice gauze from burns, and the third boasted a plaster cast around his right wrist.

Din cursed under her breath when she saw the men. The three came running toward Rad at full speed. Rad ducked, dodging the first swing, and landed the metal end of his arm plate in the first attackers back. The man with the cast was next on him. Rad took a small hit in the breastplate, but grabbed the man by the shoulder and threw him backward into the third man. The man Rad had hit with his arm guard grabbed Rad from behind around the neck. Din charged him. She planted her right foot and pivoted on the ball of her foot. Bringing her left leg up she swung and landed her heel in the side of the man’s head. Falling to the ground, he let go of Rad’s throat. Din went back-to-back with Rad and looked at the original attacker with the bruised face.

Rad rubbed his neck with one hand and glared at the two already injured attackers in front of him. The one with the cast picked up a stray piece of wood lying in the street and swung hard at Rad’s head. Rad ducked and swung his fist at the man’s gut. He dodged, and his partner grabbed Rad by the top of the shoulders. The movement was so fast Rad didn’t have time to react. The man with the board brought the piece of wood down on Rad’s spine. Rad fell to one knee with a groan of pain, the blow knocked the wind out of him, again.

Din spun around at Rad’s painful sound. In doing so she opened her back to the man with the numb-chucks. He swung them hard and cracked Din in the head. The blow dazed her and threw her off balance. A pair of hands caught her from behind around the throat. Din blinked a few times and tried to clear her head. The man holding her wrapped a strong arm around her arms tightly, she couldn’t move. Looking down she watched the two men who attacked Rad, grab him under the arms and throw him up against the wall of the building, pinning him there. The man on the ground that Din had hit in the head got up and picked the piece of board up off the ground. He walked toward Rad dragging it along the street. Din struggled hard against the man who held her, but his hold tightened around her throat.

The man with the board swung and struck Rad across the face. The impact turned Rad’s head sharply. He opened his eyes; he was still trying to take in air. The two men holding Rad against the wall were strong, and they had the advantage of pushing against the cobble stone street.

Rad looked up at the man holding Din. The man’s expression changed from anger to a horrifying smile. The man twisted Din around, hooked his feet around her ankles and tripped her, throwing her to the ground.

He started to chuckle, “You, little wench, need to be taught a lesson, and your boyfriend gets to watch.” The man began advancing toward her. He reached down and began unbuckling his belt. This mouth curled up into an evil smile as he pulled the clasps open and grabbed her by the wrist.

Anger and adrenalin shot through Rad like a rocket. With an angered yell Rad threw all his weight backward against the wall onto the man with the casted broken wrist. The man screamed in pain as the pressure came down on his injured bone. The release of the hold gave Rad enough time to swing at the man. He hit him in the bottom of the jaw sending him stumbling backwards. Rad reached around and grabbed the man holding his other arm. Rad freed his elbow and planted the end of his arm guard in the man’s face. Launching off the wall Rad smashed all his weight into the man standing over Din. Rad’s shoulder plummeted into his stomach and threw him backward across the street. Rad leaned down and grabbed Din’s arm and hands and helped her quickly to her feet. Placing one hand on her back, he pulled her in the direction of one of the streets off the main square.

The two took off as fast as they could go in their current state. They jogged down the street and around a right corner into a back ally. Rad looked around and saw a dark corner. He motioned Din around the break in the stone and she quickly rounded the edge. Din stopped in her tracks; it was a dead end. It was just a little crevice in between two buildings. She spun around to face Rad who came around the corner behind her to see the wall blocking their path. Turning to go back out, Rad heard shouts in the ally. Rad grabbed Din’s shoulders and pushed her back against the wall of the building that backed onto the main street. He stood with only a couple inches between them, close enough in front of her to hide her from view. Rad placed both forearms on either side of Din’s head against the wall. He hoped the little space was dark enough that he would be able to hide their faces. He ducked his head behind his arms and listened.

Din tried to calm her breathing; she was a little shaky after what just happened. She tucked up as tightly as she could against the wall and looked sideways.
Rad couldn’t hear anything, but wasn’t willing to move for several minutes until he was sure they were in the clear. As the shock of the fight started to wear off and his heart and breathing rate returned to normal, the words of the man who had attacked Din ran through his head, ‘your boyfriend gets to watch.’ Rad couldn’t stop his mind from wandering back to the previous night. His eyes dropped down to see she was looking past his arm into the ally. He looked at her lips. His mind thought about what it would be like; how it would feel it kiss her. He thought about the night before, had she thought anything of his peck on her cheek? He looked her at her deep red eyes, and the word echoed again, ‘boyfriend’. He shook his head slightly. Rad’s questioning thoughts were starting to make him uneasy. He tried to push the thoughts out of his mind and focus on the sounds from the street. He could hear yelling and cursing from down the way.

Din took a deep breath. She looked up at Rad from the corner of her eye. He made her feel safe; standing protectively over her like this. Din struggled with herself. She had never been close to anyone before. She mentally shook her head. This guy from the cage match had called Rad her friend the first night, and that is what they had become. Now, he calls Rad her boyfriend…Din let out a deep breath that didn't relax her at all.

Rad’s words cut through her thoughts. “How’s your head?” His words were a barely audible whisper, but Din heard him, being this close.

“It’s okay.” She nodded more than she spoke.

Rad let out a deep breath. Slowly he leaned down and placed his chin on the top of her head, very gently, allowing him to relax his neck in this small space.

Din closed her eyes and let her head fall forward, her forehead landing on his collarbone.

“We have to find this Sheikah and get on with stopping these demons. We really don’t have time for this ****.” His voice was frustrated. Rad felt Din’s small nod under his chin.

A blue eye looked down on them from the shadows of the roof opposite the two of them. Demons? The single visible eye curled downward in a frown.

Din and Rad stood there for several moments hearing the shouting subside and eventually disappear. After a long moment of silence, Rad lifted his head and slowly looked around the corner into the alleyway. He turned back to Din and took his elbows off the wall.

“I think we are in the clear.” Rad’s words were at a much more comfortable volume.

Din nodded and pushed off the wall she had been leaning against. The two of them took two steps out into the ally. Just as they walked out into the open space something dropped from the top of the building into the dark shadows the two had just been hiding in. Rad’s Dragir eyes caught the movement in his peripheral vision and he grabbed Din’s shoulder and spun her behind him, putting himself between the movement and the woman.

Rad starred into the darkness, “Who’s there?” Rad’s tone was low and wary.

There was no movement from the corner for a long moment. Din and Rad looked hard trying to see through without light. Then, the shadows seemed to part and unfurl from the center of the space. A man took a step forward to the edge of the little crevice, the shadows hugging his shoulders and arms seemed to melt off of him very slowly.

Rad’s eyes opened wide in surprise, Din’s followed suit, but in awe. The man’s dark leather underlay proved to be a stark contrast to the white wrappings around his shoulder, neck, and face. Finally, the Sheikah took another short step and the shadows melted away completely.

“That was quite the show back there.” His voice was slightly muffled behind the white wrappings.

Din and Rad looked at the man in disbelief. Part of Rad had not believed that there were any Sheikah still around, but this man was indeed a member of the race. Din had never met one; she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. After a moment of silence on the part of the three of them, Din realized one of them should speak.

“Rishian?” Her voice was full of many more questions than the one that came out of her mouth.

The Sheikah nodded once, “Why have you been looking for me?”

Din was slightly taken aback by the harsh tone he gave them.

Rad nodded, he understood. The Sheikah had been in hiding for a long time and had intended to have it stay that way; they were interrupting that. He knew this man would help them only on his terms. “We need some information from you. Renado sent us.”

“Renado?” Rishian’s tone changed to surprise and recognition. He took another step toward them, his demeanor softening.

“Yes.” Din stepped out from behind Rad toward Rishian. As she moved there was movement in the main street around the corner from where they stood. Rishian disappeared instantly. Din whipped her head around looking for him.

“Come on, let’s go!” Rishian’s voice was urgent and slightly annoyed at their slow pace.

Din and Rad looked down the ally toward the voice and saw Rishian standing next to a ladder nailed against the building. Din jogged down the strip and grabbed the ladder. Rishian urged her and Rad up and followed quickly.

“Come.” The Sheikah turned and led them between the second story walls along the roofs of Castle Town. The sun was behind the wall of the city now, throwing large long shadows over the spaces. They slowed to a walk. Din followed Rishian over several peaks to what appeared to be a crack in one of the stone buildings. Rishian ducked and moved through the space. Din and Rad followed easily after him.

Din was hit with a wall of blackness; she couldn’t see anything. Stopping in her tracks she held her arms out in front of her but didn’t touch anything. Rad came up behind her, he placed on hand gently on her back and caught one of her outstretched hands with the other.

“You okay? Come on.” Rad led her forward, his sharpened Dragir eyes could see easily down the stone passage.

Din grabbed his hand and trusted him, “You can see?”

“Yes.” Rad laughed once.

He led her down the narrow pass and around a corner. He could see that this must be Rishian’s living quarters. The extremely small square room held a single cot against the left wall, a small cabinet sat between the bed and a small stove on the back wall and a couch was pressed against the opposite wall from the bed and had obviously not been touched in many years. Rishian turned around to see Rad leading Din into the room. Rishian’s visible eye narrowed at this sight. He looked Rad up and down, his thoughts growing suspicious. Not only did he fight like one, he had the senses and personality of one…

Din’s eyes were beginning to adjust but she could still barely see anything in the small room. Rishian lit two large candles sitting on the ground on either side of a meditation mat to make it easier on her. He gestured to the floor and couch for the two of them to sit.

Din, now able to see in the candlelight folded her legs under her on the floor and leant against the couch.

Rad simply stood beside her but did not sit.

Looking at Rad again, Rishian noticed a bruise beginning to form under the skin on his face. The Sheikah turned and went to the small cabinet and opened the door. Din saw that there was nothing inside on the shelves. Thinking this was odd, Din watched as he tapped the edge of one of the boards and the back wall of the cabinet seemed to spin around, revealing shelves full of potions, wrapping and what appeared to be an array of medical supplies. Rishian took out a small packet and a vial. He walked over to Rad and offered him the vile and moved to place the packet over the skin of his face.

Rad moved away and held up his hand in a halt. “I’m fine”

The Sheikah’s eye narrowed, “Right now, but in the morning…” Rishian pushed the vial into Rad’s hand and placed the packet on Rad’s cheekbone. Reluctantly Rad rolled his eyes, drank the vial and held the cold press on his face.

“You are new to Castle Town.” Rishian looked at both of them.

“Well, not really” Din laughed. “We have been here before and it ended about the same way.” She motioned to Rad’s injuries.

Rishian nodded, these two must have been the commotion in The Milk Bar from a couple days ago. “Now, Renado sent you to find me?”

“Yes,” Din began. “We need some information from you about the great demons imprisoned by the hero of time.”

Rishian nodded, “I gathered that from the conversation in the ally.” He folded his legs under him and sat on the meditation mat across from Din. The motion was completely smooth and made no sound.

Din looked up at Rad a little surprised. She guessed she shouldn’t be, the Sheikah were bred to be spies.

“Ark Mantiros has escaped from Arbiter’s Grounds” Rad’s voice was serious.

Rishian’s eyebrow rose up, disappearing behind his long brown bangs.

“He has threatened to free the others.” Din added.

“I see.” Rishian raised one hand to where his mouth would be if it were visible, he began to think. “So you have come to me to find out the locations of the other demons, as well as ask for my help in defeating them.” It was a statement, not a question.

Din nodded and looked up at Rad standing over her to gage his reaction to Rishian. She looked back at the Sheikah. She was still fascinated by him. He was so different from herself and other Hylians. She shook her head to herself. She knew Sheikah were a different race, but she didn’t think the contrast would be this great.

Rishian contemplated their news for a minute, “Do you know which demon Ark plans to release next?” His eye looked up at them both.

Rad spoke quickly, “No. We were hoping you might have an idea on that, or a way to track him.”

Rishian got to his feet and moved to the wall beside the cot. “How many days ago?”

“Four” Din said lowly, knowing that was not good news.

Rishian shook his head. He laid his hand on a brick in the stonewall above the cot. The upper half of the wall moved backward and revealed several stacks of books. Rishian reached between them and pulled out a map of Hyrule. Bringing it back he laid it across the floor between himself and Din.

“Alright. The demon’s chambers are scattered throughout Hyrule. The idea was to keep them as far apart as possible in an attempt to prevent their contact. As I’m sure you know, there are four of them in total: the demon of power, demon of courage, demon of wisdom, and the combination of the three affinities. Ark Mantrios is the combination.” Rishian looked at the map for a minute. “Knowing Ark, he will want to make a scene to tell Hyrule the demons are back and strike fear into the land.” He studied the map for a minute thinking hard. “The demon of power is held in Faron woods. If he has had four days already and she has not been released I would say he is thinking more about their entrance rather than the simple freedom of each of them.” Rishian nodded to himself. “The twin demon would make the biggest and most obvious entrance for them, as well as cause the most damage right off the start.”

Rad grunted an agreement and nodded.

Din looked up at him, almost having forgot he was still standing behind her. She was focused on all this information that was new to her.

Rishian began again, this time without hesitation. “The demon of wisdom is one soul split into two entities, hence the earned name ‘twin.’ Each entity was imprisoned separate from each other with the idea that if they couldn’t fuse or collaborate, it would be impossible for them to break free. Which would be true, if they didn’t have help from the outside world, which now they do… The twin demons respective prisons are Death Mountain and Peak Mountain.” He pointed to the two largest mountains of Hyrule on the map. “But the magic that conceals them can be released at the same time from here.” Rishian pointed to north Hyrule Field “The hero was afraid that if they were sealed at separate times, one would be strong enough to break free and release the other, so the doors were sealed at the same time, resulting in the magic chains meeting in the same place underground, half way between the two points.”

“So that is where Ark will be headed?” Rad’s tone had dropped to a more comfortable level.

“I would think so.” He nodded. Looking up from the map his eyes looked them both over. “In terms of the fight, you need to be able to think on your feet and fight together to defeat the demon. You will most likely have to fight the two entities at once, and then if you start succeeding in the battle they will fuse and you will have the demon’s beast form, which is stronger. My best advice to you is you must think. Brute strength will get you nowhere with them. They are the demon of wisdom. You have to think to be able to defeat them, use their own tactics against them.”

Din smiled and looked up at Rad, “We can do that.”

Rad looked back down and her and a sheepish smile appeared on his face. He then turned his attention back to the Sheikah. “Four days on foot, he will almost be there by now.”

Rishian nodded again. “Yes. The bridge that spans the river from Zora’s domain is the entry point to the chains that bind the two entities.”

Din’s eyebrows crunched down over her eyes. He sounded like he was simply giving them information. “Wait. Aren’t you going to come with us Rishian?”

The Sheikah’s visible eye turned up on the side, he was smiling behind the wrappings over his face. “I thought you would never ask.” He stood once again, rolling the map up as he went.

Din jumped to her feet as well and looked between Rad and Rishian with excitement. “Well, let’s go!”

Rishian snickered to himself; the lady certainly was full of energy. She was a little feisty too, but she seemed somewhat naïve.

“Yes, let’s get going. Ark already has a head start.” Rad nodded toward the exit.

With one swift movement of Rishian’s fingers the flames of both candles went out as he moved past them toward the exit.

Din turned and headed down the dark hall first. She placed one hand on the wall and used it to find her own way toward the crack that would lead her back outside. As she rounded the corner into the passageway Rishian caught Rad by the elbow, stopping him.

Rad jumped back form the Sheikah’s touch and looked harshly into his eye.

“She trusts you, you know.” Rishian’s voice came out low and almost threatening.

Rad nodded, “Yes.”

“Does she know?” Rishian’s tone became deep and defensive.

Rad turned to look at him. “Does she know what?” Rad’s voice was flat and slightly cold.

“Only those who know nothing of your race are fooled by this.” Rishian picked his hand up and flicked a piece of Rad’s bangs. “All the signs are obvious, Dragir.” Rishian watched him closely for a reaction.

Rad let out a frustrated breath, “No, she doesn’t”

The Sheikah looked at Rad’s face. He did not see what he had expected. There was slight fear and even sadness present.

Rad looked at Rishian with slight defensiveness, “So, Sheikah. Are you now my enemy?”

Rishian looked at him through his eyelashes, “I should be. Innocent people did not have to be killed.” His tone was harsh, “But I also understand. You had to do what you did. I probably would have done no better.”

“I’m trying to do better.” Rad’s voice was hushed now and far away.

Rishian looked at him, “I can tell.” He nodded in understanding of Rad’s motivation for the demon hunt.

“And you as well. You have secret all your own.” Rad looked at him from the corner of his eyes.

Rishian was taken aback by Rad’s statement. “I…I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Rad let out an annoyed sigh, “You no longer bear what gives you your name.” Rad pointed a finger toward Rishian’s chest. The leather underlay, dark against the white wrappings, was solid. The Sheikah crest absent from its usual place on any member’s chest.

Rishian’s eye tightened. This Dragir must have been around for a while; he knew much of the past. “Yes. I too have bones in my closet.”

“Tradition does not govern either of us anymore. Now we share a common goal.” Rad turned to face him, seeing if this sort of tactic would earn some form of comradeship between them.

Rishian nodded in response. The two men stared at each other for a moment, judging.

Rad extended his palm toward the other man, “Sheikah.”

Rishian looked at his hand for a moment and then took it, “Dragir.”

They released the shake and headed down the hall after Din who was standing outside the cracked wall on the rooftop. Rishian grabbed a couple weapons off the wall as they went by.

“Everything okay?” Din look at them both curiously.

“Yes.” Rad nodded and smiled at her.

Rishian took the lead again and led them through the second and third stories of Castle Town. They walked through his passages all the way to the eastern gate. Rishian slid through an unoccupied guard porticult and landed lightly on his feet in the grass outside the city wall.

Din followed his path and landed beside him.

Rad laughed, knowing he could not fit through the small space with his armor. He planted one hand on the top of the wall and vaulted over it.

Standing there, they looked between each other and turned toward north Hyrule Field.

“Cross the bridge of Eldin into Lanayru. When you get to the bridge, look upstream. You will see guards between the rocks where the waterfall ends. The shaft is buried in the rocks behind the water. It leads to the door where the magic chains are protected. There are guards for the door as well, but Ark won’t hesitate to remove them. We are probably already to late.” Rishian looked up at the sun just past high noon.

“You’re not coming with us?” Din’s expression was confused and slightly sad. “I thought you said…” She had begun to like the man in the short time they had spent.

“I’m going for reinforcements. If the of demons are released, especially the demon of courage…we are all in big trouble. We will need all the help we can get for the fight.” Rishian noticed Din’s expression, “We’ll meet up again. I will come as fast as I can to meet you. I won’t let you fight the twins all on your own. You can handle it for a minute I’m sure.” His voice seemed to hold a small smile.

Din smiled back at him and then looked back at the city wall. “I will go back and get our horses Rad.” She took off at a light jog for the gate.

The Sheikah turned to Rad once the lady was gone. “You will be able to fight much more effectively against the demon in your true form.” He stated looked off toward Death Mountain, the closer of the two prisons.

“I know that.” Rad’s tone held anger.

Rishian looked at him. “Then transform and tell her. The truth will come out. It always does. We ancient races try to hide, but even as I found today, the truth comes around to bite you, even this many years later.” Rishian seemed to hold some regret and pain down in his voice.

Rad looked at him with surprise as he processed what the Sheikah said. “You have some part in this?” Rad’s voice was full of shock and mounting anger.
Just then Din arrived behind them with their horses. “Are we ready?”

Rishian’s visible eye narrowed a warning at Rad.

Rad’s eyes tightened. After a hesitation, he answered her. “Yes, we should go.”

Rishian backed three steps away from them, “Good luck, and I will see you again.” The Sheikah threw his arm down and the crack of a deku nut split through he air. The flash of white light from the nut blinded Rad and Din for a full second. When they looked up, Rishian was gone.

“Wow.” Din seemed impressed.

Rad rolled his eyes, “Yeah, they do that.”

The two warriors mounted up and took off at a full gallop toward Eldin Bridge. They had to stop Ark, if they were not already to late.

(Chapter End)

 

[Hero of Time]

You're an amazing writer Din! You should get published I hope my new fan-fic turns out like this.

 

[Din Akera]

You're an amazing writer Din! You should get published I hope my new fan-fic turns out like this.

Thank-you Hero of Time. Though i doubt that will happen. lol. ^^
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Chapter 6 -

Rishian slid a piece of paper into the ‘urgent’ mailbox with a sigh. If this didn’t help, he didn’t know what would. If they would respond to his letter and join them, maybe, just maybe Hyrule wouldn’t fall to the great demons the hero of time worked so hard to contain.

The Sheikah closed his eyes and took a few breaths. How could he let himself be tempted all those years ago? He shook his head from side to side. And now what? He would be swayed again! He ground his teeth together behind the white wrappings covering his face at his own thoughts.

He looked at the mail slot and turned away quickly. He would do right. The Sheikah leapt up onto the roof of the nearest building and headed back the way he had come, toward the battle he knew would soon be beginning.

***************************

“Hi-yah!” Rad kicked his horse. He and Din galloped over the largest of the sections of Hyrule Field. He could just see the stone structure of Eldin Bridge looming closer to them. Rad and Din pushed their horses hard, knowing Ark was a probably ahead of them. Din pushed the gut feeling in her stomach down. She knew it was going to be tight. The release of the demon of wisdom depended completely on how fast Ark had been moving the past few days. Chances are, Ark had to be there by now. They were galloping across the stone bridge, more than half way to North Hyrule Field.

As they hit the earth on the other side of the bridge, the ground suddenly began to shake and tremble. Both fighters looked at each other with worried glances. The horses slowed and began to dance around as the ground shuttered beneath their scared feet. Rad and Din looked up as Death Mountain and Peak Mountain’s tops exploded upward into the sky in unison.

Death Mountain’s explosion sent flying bits of lava, fire, and molten boulders cascading into the sky. The people of Kakariko Village sprinted out of their houses and stores to watch in horror as the explosion began settling. The Goron’s living on Death Mountain rolled down the mountainside as fast as they could to escape the danger all the while praying their city wasn’t destroyed.

Peak Mountain’s winter covered top threw hunks of ice, frost, and snow in every direction and large frozen rocks rolling down the mount. The Zora’s living in Zora’s domain dove underwater to escape the danger of the falling hunks of ice. Their prince stood from his throne and glared up at what he knew was nothing but bad news.

The ground had shook the entire land, and the people of Castle Town were running through the streets panicked. Something had gone horribly wrong even though they had been unable to see the explosions due to the Market walls.

From North Hyrule Field’s entrance, Din watched in horror as a large figure with a mane of fire rose from the lava pit of Death Mountain’s crater. At the same time, Rad watched a similar figure with an ice crystal for hair rise from the snow of Peak Mountain. A piercing cackle erupted from the throats of each of the figures and they began to fly toward each other, crossing the space between them.

Rad’s voice broke through the cackling, “Twinrova has been released! Go Din! Ride! We have to get to the half way point!”

Din kicked her horse hard and it leapt forward. The two galloped at full speed across Eldin Bridge to the rocky stone ground of the path leading into North Hyrule field.

The Hylians of Kakariko, the Gorons, and the Zoras also watched the respective halves of the twin demon rise from their chambers into Hyrule’s sky. As the fear began to rise, their leaders tried to calm them. A hero would rise, as always.

Din threw a glance over her shoulder as they descended down the rocky path to the grass portion of Lanayru Province. She could see the witch from Death Mountain flying up behind them. Spinning her attention around, she looked forward to see the witch of Peak Mountain flying towards them. Both witches rode on broomsticks. The two met each other high in the sky over North Hyrule Field.

As Din and Rad hauled their horses to a stop and looked up at the two entities, there was an earsplitting crack and a flash of light. Din and Rad were stunned for a second, but when it cleared Rishian was standing beside them on the ground.

Din smiled down at him, thankful that he came to help.

As they turned their attention back up into the sky at the demon, motion swooped beside the waterfall. Rad’s attention came down instantly and saw a shadow of a man sprinting away into the rocky walls that lead into the Death Mountain range.

“Ark!” Rad hollered.

“You deal with them!” Rishian hollered back and took off at a full sprint after the man dressed in black armor.

There was another cackle from the witches floating high above the field. And the witch with flames for hair spoke to the other. “Kotake! Did you hear that? I believe these fighters think they can bring us to our knees after we have fought so hard to be free.”

“I don’t think that is going to happen Koume, not now that Ark has freed us from our imprisonment!” The witch with crystal ice hair cackled.

“With my fire, I will burn them to their bones!” Koume howled.

“With my frost, I will freeze them to their souls!” Kotake screeched.

Din looked at Rad and he scowled at the two witches in the air. Koume and Kotake turned and looked at the man and woman on the ground. With one swoop of her arm Koume threw a large stream of fire in the direction of the two fighters.

Din reacted quickly. She held up both her hands out of instinct. The beam stopped a few feet away from her palms and disappeared. Quickly, Din and Rad both dismounted, knowing they could call their horses back if they survived the fight.

Rad pulled his massive blade from its sheath and took stance, looking up into the sky.

“Oh! It seems we have skilled fighters on our hands Koume” Kotake sounded surprised.

Din pulled her bow off her back and strung two arrows into the string. Taking aim, Din let them go. The arrows cut through the air with amazing speed and accuracy, each one headed for it’s respective target.

Kotake laughed. She waved her hand and both arrows turned to ice. The weight and loss of aerodynamic shape caused them to fall from the sky. “Two on two seems fair to me Koume!” she laughed.

Din and Rad looked up to see both witches charging them from the sky, plummeting straight down for them. Both witches held up a single hand. Koume’s began to glow red-hot and Kotake’s turned icy white.

“Dodge!” Rad’s command grabbed Din’s attention. The two leapt and rolled to opposite sides as their opponents’ fire and ice beams smashed into the spot where they had been standing. The witches pulled up on their broomsticks and flew around Din and Rad, much closer to the ground now. Each fighter turned to face one witch, back-to-back.

“One controls fire, the other ice.” Rad’s voice was low enough that Din heard him without the witches being alerted to the exchange.

“Rad, I can’t take a hit from her.” Din said, eyeing Kotake, “As a fire manipulator, water magic injures me deeply. I can’t fight with her. I will lose to only one or two hits. I can deal with fire, but not ice.” Din’s voice was creased with anger.

Din and Rad exchanged worried glances. He grabbed her and spun her around, switching their places, Rad now facing Kotake and Din facing Koume. Rad’s mind raced, he knew the whole point of this fight was to outsmart them. Rad raked his brain frantically for anything he knew of that could help them.

Being this close, Din could see just how big they were. Each witch was easily the same size as the giant bublin had been. In remembering that battle, Din felt a surge of determination run through her. She pulled her daggers from the tops of her boots and dug the balls of her feet into the ground, ready.

“Fight fire with fire!” Din’s determination erupted from her. Her hands and arms lit aflame and she threw a massive fireball at the fire witch in front of her.

The witch absorbed the flames, as Din would have, had fire come at her.

Din leapt forward with her daggers out, hoping the flames and smoke would have blinded her for even a second. Din brought both daggers down and the metal weapons clanged together as they hit nothing but air. Din looked at the empty space where Koume had been moments ago.

Rad twirled his blade in his hand eyeing the ice witch. He heard Din’s attack and watched as Koume appeared out of thin air behind Kotake. The two witches stared down at Rad. Din spun around and stood behind him looking up at their opponents.

“Well that wasn’t very nice.” Koume sneered at Din. The two witches began to charge balls of magic in their hands.

Din and Rad shifted their stance, ready to dodge.

The witches threw continuous balls of fire and ice at Din and Rad, the two continuously dodging from side to side. After a time, the exchange became somewhat dance like. The two witches hovered beside each other and two very large balls of the opposing elemental magic began to form in each other their hands. With a cackle they released the long beams of magic at the same time.

The ice beam shot out of Kotake’s hands and headed for Rad’s chest. Rad pulled his sword defensively up in front of him. The swinging motion deflected the beam off into the open field. The hilt became cold but the blade was otherwise unaffected.

Koume’s hands released a beam of flames, which matched Kotake’s ice for time and speed, flying for Din’s head. Din held up her hands and bent the flames over herself and threw them away. She took in as much heat from it as she could. She could feel her energy was at its peak.

“Oh! It seems the girl uses the fire to her energies’ advantage Kotake.” The fire witch laughed to her counterpart.

“And the boy is strong, very strong Koume.” The ice witch responded.

“Rad! They learn more and more about us the longer we draw this out! We have to do something, now! We are not getting anywhere by playing defense!” Din’s exclamation came between her quick steps avoiding the raining magic from above.

Rad’s tactile training and strategic planning thoughts were wheeling in his head as he tried to avoid the impact of the ice and flames. Ice and flames… wait! He remembered what Din had said about contacting opposite elemental magic. Rad’s attention shot up and he watched the two witches dance around the sky shooting at them. He saw exactly what he was hoping to see. The two kept an even two-foot space between each other.

“Din!” Rad grabbed her by the elbow and whispered quickly in her ear “Remember what Rishian said, use their own tactics against them!”

Din’s face turned from surprise to determination. She turned her attention back up toward the sky. “Got it!”

Din and Rad split and ran to opposite sides of the two magic witches. Din charged a small ball of fire in her right hand. Turning her attention she lobbed the ball at the fire witch.

Koume followed her with her eyes, “Let’s see just how much heat you can take!” A massive ball of flames began to form between the witch’s palms.

Rad ran around the other witch. He grabbed a large rock and threw it at Kotake.

The witch held up her hand and the rock turned to ice and fell back to the ground. She burst out laughing, “Well that was not the greatest throw for a skilled fighter” She followed Koume’s lead and began to charge a massive ice beam.

Rad and Din stopped across from each other, the witches above and in between them. They watched as both witches released their magic at the fighters below. A confident smirk appeared on Rad lips. He held his sword tightly, turning his body to make sure he had the right angle. He sidestepped and swung his blade as the beam came close enough. The beam came in contact with the flat side of the metal weapon and deflected back as it had before.

Din grabbed hold of the flames as they came down at her. She pivoted in a circle, on the ball of her foot, and swung the flames around herself and threw them back into the sky.

Koume’s redirected flames and Kotake’s deflected ice flew back upward into the sky at the surprised and stunned twin entities. The ice smashed into the fire witch at the same instance that the flames smoldered into the ice witch. The two entities screamed as the opposite set of magic made contact with their bodies. Both witches fell from the sky and thumped into the ground on their sides. They lay motionless for a full second. Kotake was the first to move. She got her hands under her and began to push herself up appearing to require much effort to do so.

“Go Din!” Rad ordered her.

Din ran over and threw her palms down over top of the ice witch. Huge flames ran down Din’s shoulders, over her arms, and out her palms to incase the ice witch in the fire magic. The witch’s screams heightened as the flames began to melt her from the outside.

Rad charged the fire witch, who was now also beginning to get up. He stood on her broomstick for which she was reaching. Rad swung his sword for her neck. The witch reached up with her other hand and twisted her fingers in the air. The metal blade in Rad’s hand turned white hot. With a quick gasp of pain he threw the sword down into the soil, hilt standing straight up into the air. In his moment of hesitation Koume rolled and saw Din killing Kotake. The fire witch held both hands up and sucked all of Din’s flames off of Kotake. The fire gave Koume heat energy and she jumped back to her feet.

Slightly startled, Din gasped as her flames disappeared and Koume righted herself. Kotake looked up weakly and reached out her left hand. She wrapped her fingers around Din’s ankle and forced her ice into the girl’s foot.

Din screamed as the ice licked into her skin and sucked at her energy level.

Rad reacted quickly. With a swift stance shift he landed a solid roundhouse kick to the center of the fire witch’s back. Koume fell forward and knocked into Kotake, releasing her hold on the girl.

Din staggered backward and reached down, wrapping her warm hands around her iced ankle.

Rad reached out and caught her under her arms to make sure she wouldn’t fall.

Koume took Kotake under the arms as well and stood her on her feet. “Come, let’s finish these two!” The two entities hugged each other, Koume supporting Kotake heavily. A flash of black light emitted from the center of their hug.

Din and Rad stood side-by-side, Din shaking off the pain in her foot, knowing what was happening. When the black light faded, in their place stood a single lady.

The demon stood as tall as Rad and easily as broad. Overall, she was smaller than the two witches had been, somewhat average sized in comparison. The demon was wrapped in a beautiful dress that fell to her knees. The left side of the dress was ice and appeared to be flowing as white freezing mist fell from the crystal. The right side of the dress was made of flame, dancing away from her body and creating a stark contrast between the two halves of her body. The lady had long dark hair that had pieces of fire and ice intertwined between the dark strands all over her head that cascaded down her spine. Her eyes were solid black; turned down in the inner corners next to her nose, and turned up on the outer edges. She smiled at them and a pair of razor sharp fangs appeared behind her lips. Her fingers curled and cracked. She had claws that extended two inches past the tips of her fingers. Around her wrists hung two gem stones, both large enough to easily take up her whole hand, should she hold them. One stone matched the icy side of her dress the other matched the flames. The demon curled her fingers around the stones and snarled at Din and Rad. Her black eyes darted about wildly like an animal. She was strikingly beautiful, but just as frightening.

Rad’s eyes opened wide; he recognized the beast from the stories of old. “Din…don’t let her get close to you. She…she feeds on blood. It gives her strength.” Rad’s mind raced. He knew that most of the vampire race had died out. Twinrova was their queen, but he had never known why until now. She was a demon that possessed the beast form of a vampire, as well as the elemental magic of the double witch entities.

Din looked at Rad in shock. He seemed unnerved, and that scared her.

Twinrova growled and spoke, “You should listen to your friend. You smell sweet.” Her voice was deep and had a sort of echo effect to it, yet it was still characteristically female. The demon crouched into a fight position ready to pounce. “And now you will both die for opposing me!” The last two words rose into a battle cry as the demon launched herself forward, fangs out and claws extended for their throats.

Din dodged quickly to the side and Rad back-flipped out of the demon’s reach. The battle was now two on one. The demon looked between them deciding her best course of action to bring them both down.

Rad caught Din’s eye and flicked them toward his blade sticking out of the ground, now behind the demon. Din gave him the smallest of nods. Din bent quickly and grabbed her daggers out of the tops of her boots, hollering as she did so. The Demon’s attention snapped to her and Rad leapt for his sword.

The demon spun toward Rad, unsure of his motivation for the movement. She watched him roll, grab the sword by the hilt, and pull it from the earth. Rad quickly wiped the tip of the blade over the material on his knee to clean the soil off. Din and Rad now stood just to either side of the demon, the three creating an almost flat triangle.

Din watched Rad’s eyes, hoping for him to tell her what to do. Rad flicked his eyes to the bow on Din’s back and shifted his sword. Din’s eyes flashed back to the demon; ready to do what Rad thought would work best.

With a grunt and a battle cry Rad charged the elemental vampire. Rad brought the sword down hard, aiming for the space between her shoulder and her neck. The demon reacted quickly and brought both gemstones up, catching the edge of the blade across the front of them.

Din pulled the bow from her back and strung the first arrow all in one motion. She aimed the bow at the evil creature and waited. She needed to make her shot count; she only had two arrows left. Rad swung again and drove the demon back with the force of his blows. She paired each and every attack he made, the blade clashing against the red and blue stones of fire and ice. Rad drove her back trying to turn her back to Din. Din shuffled her feet, trying to get behind her.
The demon was too smart to be outdone this way. She easily paired Rad’s attacks and kept an eye on Din, keeping Rad between herself and the lady with the bow. She chuckled to herself, this was too easy fro her taste.

Din was getting frustrated. She pulled the string back hard and aimed for the back of Rad’s head. “Duck!” She hollered at him.
Rad threw his head to the left, bent his knees, and Din released the arrow. The demon looked forward as Rad moved out of the way and saw the arrow coming for her face. The vampire threw her torso back and bent her neck toward the ground. She felt the arrow skim an inch over her face and whiz by off into the open field behind her.

Din shifted her bow in her palms, angry with the miss. As she moved it, she heard the tip of her bow clink against a pouch strapped to the belt on the middle of her back. Din reached her hand around, not remembering that she was carrying anything. Her hand landed on another small quiver. Her eyes opened wide as she remembered her purchase from Barnes in Kakariko Village. She pulled a bomb arrow out of the quiver and strung it.

Twinrova smiled, now that was a good play by these two, maybe she would have some fun with them. She decided on a different course of action. The demon bent her knees and launched herself up into the sky. She hovered there and glared down at them. She held the fire gemstone up above her head and began her attack. Flames flew downward like rain, cascading out of the stone and setting fire to the grass around them. Din opened one had and closed it sharply again putting out the grass fire, but the flames continued to rain around them.

Din grabbed Rad by the sleeve and pulled him close behind her. The fire around them got thick, but a small dome of space between the flames stayed in place as Din protected them from the magic. Looking up, she could see Twinrova’s stone producing the flames, but could not see the demon’s body. Din guessed that meant Twinrova couldn’t see them either. With a smirk she drew the bomb arrow back and aimed just below the firestone. She released the arrow, knowing it would light itself as it flew through the flames between them.

Twinrova glared down at the billow of smoke and flame. She heard a small sound but could not place it as the flames made it difficult to hear. From the center of the flames came the arrow, sparking, as the fuse was about to detonate. The arrow was too close before Twinrova was able to see it, and she wasn’t able to react in time for a complete dodge.

The demon bent back and the arrow exploded half a foot above her chest. The impact of the shock sent the vampire plummeting toward the ground. The flames from the gemstone ceased and the demon smashed into the earth with a loud bang.

Din clapped her hands together and the flames around them went out. When the smoke lifted, the two fighters saw Twinrova crawling back to her feet.
Rad sprinted toward her. He grabbed the demon from behind wrapping his strong hands around her throat. He hooked his elbows over her shoulders and restrained the top of her torso, trying to cut off her air.

Din pulled her last arrow from its quiver and drew it back into the string. Knowing that using a bomb arrow would hurt Rad as well. Releasing the arrow at the vampire’s exposed chest, Din prayed that it would dig through her skin and into her heart. The vampire brought her free arms up and she caught the arrow between the two gemstones. The arrow froze, then melted, and burned in flames between the two stones.

The vampire closed her eyes and felt Rad’s pulse against her skin. She could hear his heartbeat it in her ears and feel it against her back as he restrained her.
Twinrova snarled and her fangs came out from behind her lips with a terrifying roar. She twisted her head and sank her teeth into Rad’s shoulder.

Rad yelled in pain and horror as her fangs broke the skin and she began to suck blood from the wound. He had no choice but to release his hold on her and try to fight her off.

“Rad!” Din’s scream of horror pushed her forward at a full sprint. She threw her hands down in front of her placing them on the ground. Bending her elbows she threw herself feet first at the vampire. Her boots smashed into the distracted demon’s head, knocking her off Rad to the ground.

Rad staggered backward holding his bleeding wound. Din threw her hands up and held his face. “Rad! Are you alright?” She was out of breath with worry.

Rad looked at her, a little shocked. He felt her warm hands on his face and looked down at her worried eyes. Rad felt one emotion stir in his mind and heart and he didn’t know what to do with it. She was so--

The vampire rolled to her feet and roared in anger at both of them. Din and Rad’s attention rocketed back to the demon that wanted them dead. The blood had revived her completely as if she had never been hit by Din’s bomb arrow. She snarled violently at them.

Just then a set of hands, wrapped in white bandages landed on the demon’s shoulders. The figure vaulted himself up to a sitting position on her shoulders. Throwing his weight back and putting his hands on the ground, Rishian pulled the demon over backwards plummeting her head first toward the ground.
Twinrova reached up and grabbed his knees. Using the momentum she vaulted herself over him and landed lightly on her feet several yards away.

Also landing on his feet, Rishian backed up to Rad and Din, not taking his eyes off the demon.

“Ha, glad you could join us.” Rad said with a hit of sarcasm as he held his bleeding shoulder.

“No problem… He got away.” Rishian told them with anger in his voice.

Rad and Din both shook their heads; all three still focused on Twinrova.

“This fight has gone on long enough.” Din growled looking at Rad’s injured shoulders and feeling the pain in her ankle as well as her depleting energy level.

“You have to outsmart her. It’s the only way to defeat her. She can’t see your plan coming, because if she does…” Rishian growled as the four of them had a stare down in the field.

“You are all finished.” Twinrova’s echo laden voice ripped through the air toward them. She once again leapt up into the air and glared down at them. The demon raised the ice stone above her head and sneered at them all. From the stone shot ice crystals shaped to a perfect point on the attacking end.

Din, Rad, and Rishian jumped out of the way of the deadly crystals.

Din’s stomach churned. If she was hit she knew she was done for. She had also been using a lot of magic; she was beginning to tire.

Rishian looked at Rad with intent. He nodded upward toward the sky.

Rad wrestled with himself. He knew what Rishian wanted. If he used his true form, this fight would be so much easier. The thoughts ran through his head as he looked up at the demon.

Din’s mind was racing; she had to come up with something before one of them was stabbed with an ice crystal, and something that the demon wouldn‘t expect.

Twinrova snarled down at them. She took aim with the ice and shot with amazing accuracy. One crystal fired down at Rishian.

The Sheikah dodged expertly, but a second crystal that he had not seen form split into his thigh. “Arhh!” The pained sound came from Rishian’s throat as he stumbled and fell slightly on the injured leg. Righting himself, he held his wound with one hand and looked back up just in time to roll out of the way of another attacking shard of ice.

Adrenalin shot through Din; they were now all injured. Quickly, she pulled out her daggers, “Rad! Throw me!”

Rad looked at her in shock. “I can’t throw you that high! Especially with this shoulder.” Rad measured the distance into the sky with his eyes.

Rishian leapt up, holding his bleeding thigh, and landed lightly beside Rad. “Together!”

Rad looked at Din and saw her running across the space between them at full speed. She limped slightly on the ankle that Kotake had iced earlier, but she paid it no mind. Rad and Rishian linked their hands together and bent their knees. Din jumped and stepped on their cupped hands. The two men threw her into the air as hard as they could with their injuries.

Din pulled her daggers over her head and yelled as she came close enough to the demon.

Twinrova was surprised by the attack, not believing they could have reached her this high in the sky, and she did not react in time.

Din brought both daggers down and the blades entered the vampire’ s stomach. Twinrova cried out in pain, but the impact did not pull her from the sky.

As Din began to fall, gravity pulled her back to earth, the demon wrapped her hands around the daggers and pulled them from her body. She spun in the air and looked at Din’s descending back with hate. The two daggers turned to ice and the vampire threw them with blinding speed and accuracy at Din’s back.

Din was watching the ground coming up to meet her and was timing her impact with her good leg. About a foot from the ground Din felt one of the ice daggers pierce into her back and the other into her shoulder. Din screamed as the ice seared her skin and sucked her energy from her body. The impact of the dagger threw her off balance and caused her to land on the ground in a heap. The pain was unbelievable; Din could barely stand it.

Rad wheeled around and saw Din hit the ground.

Twinrova cackled as the daggers inflicted maximum pain on her victim. She held the ice stone above her head and a great beam of ice magic shot out from the center of the stone.

Din looked up as she heard the release and the ice beam hit her directly in the chest. With a scream of pain Din flew backwards and smashed into one of the large rocks sitting in the battlefield. The second impact knocked the breath out of her. She slumped to the ground with her head hung. The ice turned to a pool of water against Din’s heated chest and a painful moan came from her mouth. Din collapsed to the ground and lay motionless as the water dripped down her arms and side.

Rad exploded toward Din and skidded to a stop on the balls of his feet, crouching next to her head. Rad reached down and placed his hand on the side of her face, moving her hair back. “Din! Din! Wake up!” His voice was full of worry and horror.

She did not respond. She lay completely still.

Rad’s furry exploded out of him. Spinning around on his heels he faced the demon, now laughing at what she had done.

Din could only feel pain coursing through her body, the cold water burning down her skin, her back and lungs desperate for any relief of the compression they felt. The wound on her back screamed. She heard a battle cry that was so powerful she opened her eyes in surprise. She saw Rad crouched in front of her, facing away from her, toward Twinrova. She looked up at him and couldn’t believe what she saw. The man shook from head to toe. Two small spikes emerged from under his hair and seemed to turn it white as they rose. His skin began to shimmer in the sun and two enormous black objects sprouted from his back. Rad launched himself into the air and drew his massive blade in his accent toward Twinrova. Din’s heart skipped a beat and the overwhelming pain was replaced with surprise and fear. The pain then consumed her and everything went black.

Clutching his leg, Rishian’s eyes opened in surprise as he saw what did didn’t expect out of Rad.

With blinding speed, Rad flew into the air and smashed into the center of Twinrova’s body. The surprise of his weight caused the two of them to fall to the earth. Rad landed on her chest, pushing all the air out of her lungs. He roared down at the demon in anger. The Dragir brought his sword down across Twinrova’s neck before the Sheikah could blink.

Rad glared down at the body of the demon for a long moment then stood. He looked up and saw Rishian watching him. Rad’s attention shifted immediately, paying the Sheikah no mind. Rad ran back to Din, still lying in a heap under the shadow of the rock.

Whipping his thoughts back to the lady, Rishian jogged over to them with a slight limp and stopped beside Rad.

The Dragir slid his arms underneath the girl and stood. Rad looked at Rishian with worry in his eyes.

“Take her, get her some help fast. I’ll clean this up and get your horses.” Rishian said motioning to Twinrova’s body. “Go!”

Rad needed no further prompting. He launched himself forward from the balls of his feet. With all the speed he could muster he pushed himself toward East Hyrule Field, toward Kakariko Village, clutching Din against his chest. “Hold on Din! You are going to be fine! You will be fine!” Rad called to her, hoping she could hear him. But he knew that his words were an attempt to convince him just as much as her.

Rad hurtled into Kakariko village hollering, “RENADO!!”

The shaman burst from the dome shaped building to see Rad coming toward him fast. Renado’s eyes opened wide as he saw Rad. “Master Rad?” His voice held fear, not questions.

Rad landed in a stop beside him holding Din. “Save her! Whatever you need to do, do it!”

Renado placed a hand over Din’s chest and the other over her forehead. She wasn’t moving in anyway.

“Quick, bring her inside.” Renado’s voice turned to serious concentration.

The two men carried her swiftly into Kakariko Inn.

(End Chapter)

 

[Zelda's_Child]

Great update, Din. The reworked version of The Wanderers has more description than the last one, in my opinion. I think that Twinrova's fight was well placed in the story, too. Great job!

 

[Din Akera]

Great update, Din. The reworked version of The Wanderers has more description than the last one, in my opinion. I think that Twinrova's fight was well placed in the story, too. Great job!

yes. ^^ Thank-you for that observation. It will be expanded in several areas and I have rearranged several things to better fit the timeline and the story itself.
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Chapter 7 –
Rishian sat atop Rad’s horse and held the reins of the other. He cantered into Kakariko Village with the sun setting behind him. It had taken him awhile to calm the two horses enough to pack the fallen gear and mount up. The Sheikah hugged the rock wall that led to the stables. The sun was still throwing orange light around the mountain village, making him uneasy at being so easily visible. He looked up at Death Mountain. The lava had hardened and the top of the mount had a new shape. He could see Gorons hard at work. They were removing boulders from their city and rolling out new paths with their stone backs.

Rishian dismounted and led the horses into the stable beside Eldin Spring. He glanced across the spring to the dome shaped shaman’s hut and across the path to the Inn. Rad and Din would be one of those two places.

Rishian looked down at his wounded leg and sat on a lone bucket left upside down in the stable. He began to wrap his thigh expertly, as though almost without thought. Once this was completed he looked up at the still skittish animals and moved to them. Removing the horses’ gear, he groomed them until the sun had dipped low enough behind the rocks to allow for him to be comfortable in the shadows of twilight. Coming out of the stable, Rishian wrapped the shadows around himself and moved down the wall toward the hut. Peering through the window he could see no light or movement.

He looked up and grabbed a support beam sticking out of the wall and swung himself up on top of the dome. Crouched in the night air, he could see lanterns burning in the halls of the Inn. He looked down into the street; no one was around. Wrapping the shadows tightly around himself he leapt from the dome, across the street to the wall of the Inn. He caught the plaster with his hands and grabbed hold of the wooden crossbeam with his feet. Turning, he placed his back against the wall and set his ear next to the window that fed to the upstairs hallway. He could hear footsteps and heavy breathing, a man’s, from the weight of the steps and the size of the breaths. Rishian shuffled closer to the window and peered with his one exposed eye through the open space. It was indeed Rad, pacing up and down the hallway.

Rishian grabbed the upright support of the window with both hands and swung his legs through the open space. Arching his back he landed on his feet at the end of the hallway with no sound whatsoever. The Sheikah crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Rad to reach the other end of the hallway, turn, and start to pace back.

Rad did exactly that, turned on his heel and began his path again. He looked up and saw the shadows hugging Rishian’s silhouette.

Rad let out a sigh that held no relief. “She is sleeping.” They were the only words he could muster.

Rishian nodded once. “I can slow Ark down.”

Rad looked up at the Sheikah.

“I have a good idea of where he will be. I can meet him and slow him down until you two can get back on your feet.” Rishian spoke quietly.
Rad nodded. He knew he should be more focused on Ark, but he wasn’t. His eyes landed on the second door in the hallway, the wooden block lay closed against the frame.

“I have called for appropriate reinforcements. But I don’t know if they will be willing to aid you.” Rishian continued.

A hardened expression appeared on Rad’s face. “You think they will even come if they know I’m here?” Rad’s words held doubt and anger.

Rishian shrugged. “All I can do is ask.”

A small and distracted nod came from Rad’s head. He leaned back against the wall beside the door and crossed his arms. “You alright?” Rad asked half heartedly, nodding toward Rishian’s wrapped thigh.

“Fine.” The Shiekah’s eyes moved to Rad’s still bleeding shoulder. “You on the other hand--”

“I don’t need anything, they have to focus on her.” Rad snapped at him.

Rishian looked toward the door of the room where Rad had indicated the lady was asleep. Closing his eyes he let the sounds of the Inn fill his attention, he could hear the cooks below them, the receptionist gathering her things for the day, and Renado talking to his daughter in the room next door. Concentrating, he focused his attention to the room closest to him, he could hear small staggered breaths. None of them seemed labored, but they were uneven and weak. The Sheikah opened his eyes again and looked back at Rad. “I will do what I can to slow Ark down. I will try and find out where he is headed.” Without waiting for a response Rishian grabbed the window brace again and threw himself back out the window into the night air.

Landing lightly on the braces of the second story wall of the Inn Rishian bent his knees and was about to push off and land in the bushes at the mouth of the village, but he stopped himself. His thoughts moved somewhere else. Straightening, he looked along the wall of the Inn, where the many windows were twinkling in the moonlight. His eye landed on the closest one and he took two unnoticed steps toward the glass. Leaning down slightly, he looked through and into the room, which he knew Rad was standing outside the door. Peering through the glass, he could see the beautiful redhead sleeping under the blankets of the Inn room. She was pale in the white moonlight, the room deep blue with night lighting. The Sheikah took half a step away from the window, intending to leave it alone, but something caught his eye.

Rishian opened the window silently and slunk through the small opening he had made. Without sound or movement of the air, the Sheikah moved to the side of the bed and looked down at Din, breathing unevenly and with some strain. His eyes moved away from her face to the color that had caught his attention outside the window, deep red. He could see blood on her tunic where the blades had entered her back and shoulder. Lifting the neck of her tunic open slightly he could see the bandage that had been put in place, that was now soaked though.

The Sheikah shook his head in displeasure. No one knows how to wrap properly anymore. He looked up at the door, listening for Rad. He was still leant against the wall, his worried breaths coming short. The Sheikah looked back down at the sleeping Din and let out a deep breath. He ripped the wrappings off his left arm and slid them under the shoulders of her tunic. He wrapped her wounds expertly, and gently enough not to wake her up. Once he was satisfied, he straightened and looked at her face. He had not really looked before in Castle Town. His eyes ran over her pale skin, and her pain creased eyes. She was still beautiful, even in this state. His eyes moved over her soft skin and landed on her closed eyes. Without thinking, Rishian reached one hand out to touch her flaming hair lying on her neck. It looked like flickers of fire laying on her soft neck. As his fingertips grazed over her neck, he heard Rad shift outside the door and lay a hand on the knob.
The Dragir took a deep breath, turned the knob and pushed the door open quietly, entering the wounded fighter’s room. Rad looked around the peaceful room and his eyes landed on Din sleeping in the bed. He took another deep breath and moved to the lone chair at the foot of the bed. Letting his head fall back against the wall he could feel a slight breeze. He turned and saw the window open only an inch and his eyebrows fell. He thought he had closed it. Rad stood and moved as quietly as he could and shut the window the rest of the way. Looking out the glass he saw nothing but the dark night sky.

Rishian looked up at Rad in the window from a comfortable squat in the tall grasses beside Eldin Spring. As Rad moved away from the glass the Sheikah looked down at his fingertips, red with Din’s blood. He leaned forwards and rubbed them together in the spring, watching as the red liquid dissolved away into nothing. His thoughts were with the deeply injured girl. She would be alright, he nodded to himself. He could feel it.

With one final look back up at the window, Rishian moved from his hiding place and exited Kakariko to the Southeast section of Hyrule Field. This portion known more commonly as Kakariko Gorge, due to the large crevice dug through the center of the open space. Rishian slunk from tree to tree making his way to the stonewall on the other end of the gorge. As he neared the tree line he leapt up to the top branches of one of the last trees before the clearing of the gorge. Peering through the branches he laid his eyes on the location he had been looking for; a crack in the stone just on the other side of the large crevasse.

Rishian looked hard and saw the smallest flicker of orange light behind the little break in the wall. The Sheikah smirked behind the wrappings and shook his head. Demons were so predictable; this was just too easy.

He launched himself from the tree over the great space toward the wall. Landing on his feet he rolled to stand with his back to the rock, now across the gap hidden once again in the trees. Peaking into the opening, Rishian could see the light was brighter. He turned and entered the small space. The stone tunnel led downward and twisted right and left several times. Rishian walked with complete silence down the tunnel, the light glowing brighter as he went.

Turning another corner, Rishian gazed upon the sight he had expected all along. He leaned against the right wall of the corner and waited to be noticed.
Ark Mantrios was crouched over a chest that sat against the dead-end of the tunnel, his lantern sitting on the ground beside him. Ark stopped as he sensed the Sheikah’s presence. The demon stood and turned to look over his shoulder.

“Ah, Rishian.” A friendly smile spread across Ark’s face. “I knew you would probably show if I made enough of a commotion. How is Twinrova?”

Rishian did not move or answer him in anyway. The Sheikah did, however, look him over. He seemed in perfect condition. Healthy, strong and even somewhat pleased with himself. His black armor glinted in the orange lantern light and his ruby red eyes pierced into Rishian with amazing confidence.

“Never much of a talker, were you?” Ark turned to face him completely. “You don’t have to come and question me. A deal is a deal Sheikah, your end has been held up and I will hold up mine. Though I do believe we never discussed the release of my siblings.” Ark tilted his head toward the Sheikah, waiting to see if he would get any reaction from that, and when he received none he continued. “My brother, Mas, has been treated horribly, and the Oocca are the only race now not aware that we are coming back…” He trailed off as if he were simply thinking out loud. His eyes dropped back to Rishian, taking in the expression evident on his eye. “Oh Rishian, do not think you can really do anything about this now. Isn’t this what you wanted? You even came to see me tonight, you knew I would be searching though my old hideouts.”

Rishian’s eye tightened into a glare. “Just wanted to make sure it was really you.” The Sheikah turned on his heels and navigated the twist and turns of the tunnel back out into the trees around the small opening of the tunnel.

Ark laughed and turned back to the chest. He leant down and pulled another piece of gold from the small box and stuffed it into his belt.

Shaking his head, Rishian questioned, after that many years of confinement, how greed could still be a number one priority? Rishian reached the exit and turned around to face the stonewall. Lifting one hand he flicked his hand at the crack in the rock. The stone heaved and crunched and the opening snapped shut. Quickly Rishian pulled a small dagger from his belt and carved the symbol of the Sheikah into the stone on both sides of the crack. The man sliced the tip of his forefinger with the blade and touched one drop of blood to both symbols and drew a line of blood between them. As this was complete, the symbols began to glow a teal blue in the night sky.

Rishian repeated this process at three other points on the crack. Once he was finished he stepped back and nodded to himself at his work. The Sheikah seal should slow him down by at least five days. Not only would he have to break four seals, he would have to make it through the rock. Rishian looked up and saw a large overhang overtop of the new seal. He grabbed a small rock from the ground and threw it at the overhang. The pile of dirt and rocks came crashing to the ground in front of the glowing seal.

The Sheikah let out a satisfied grunt. Now, no one would see the glows and Ark would have to dig even more. Rishian turned on his heels and took off for Castle Town through the night air.

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Rishian looked down at the large metal gate that led from Castle Town’s marketplace to the bridge that crossed over into the castle courtyard. He stood atop the left high wall that lined the bridge. The Sheikah was pleased, there was rarely anyone here and the guards were now posted inside the door between the castle and the courtyard. Folding his legs he sat on the narrow wall, rewrapping the bandages around his arm that he had given to Din while watching the metal doors. Very soon, he thought, they should be here…should they come.

Just as the thought made it’s way through his mind, the metal door moved. It opened very slightly and two figures slipped through onto the bridge with minimal sound. The larger of the two figures closed the door and they walked to lean against the opposite wall from Rishian.

The man who had opened the door had long brown and blonde hair pulled back off his face into a ponytail. His black jeans were slightly worn and his white collared shirt hung loosely from his chest and shoulders. A long scabbard hung from his hip where his ring covered fingers rested on the hilt.

Rishian’s eyes shifted to the female figure that had followed the man through the door. She seemed to almost match him, but her long brown hair hung loose around her shoulders. She wore a red dress that flowed away from her body around her knees. A bow was strung around her torso, accompanied by a quiver handing off her back.

The man and woman looked so similar, if they had not been different genders it would have been difficult to tell them apart. Their matching blue eyes darted around the open space, obviously looking for something.

Rishian leapt from the top of the wall and landed soundlessly in the shadows beneath it. He stood and the two figures turned to look at him. They both gave him a small smile as they recognized the Sheikah. The three walked toward each other, meeting in the center of the bridge.

“Good evening Rishian.” The man spoke first.

“Good evening Toan, Sophia.” The Sheikah nodded to the man and then the woman politely.

Sophia smiled at him, “It’s been awhile, friend.”

“Yes, too long.” Rishian smiled back behind the white wrappings, but it could be heard in his voice.

“So, you have a little problem brewing here in Hyrule.” Toan’s voice was flat, but held the slightest curiosity.

“More than little. As I said in my letter, the demons are being freed. There are a few working to bring them down and have succeeded with the demon of wisdom. But as you know, Ark will not go down without elemental magic.” Rishian spoke quietly. Toan and Sophia nodded and Rishian continued. “So, even though you know who accompanies the party fighting against the demons, you came?”

Toan’s expression hardened and he looked away.

Sophia gave him a warning look and spoke to the Sheikah. “My brother is not happy about it, but there must be something different about him if you are willing to fight along side him.”

Rishian nodded, “Yes, he is different from the others. And we need your help, friends.”

Toan looked down at Rishian, as the man was slightly taller. “We will aid you, and the…Dragir-- to save your land. The races of this world do not deserve to perish at the hands of the demons.” Toan stumbled on the word as he agreed.

Sophia smiled up at her brother. “Listen to yourself, you are right.” She rubbed his shoulder in encouragement.

Rishian lowered his head in a sort of acceptance and thankful gesture. “We are in your debt.” The Sheikah lead them back into the streets of the market and to the door of the town’s Inn. “I will come for you when we are ready to fight. Enjoy yourself until then, Castle Town is beautiful.”

Rishian left them at the Inn and disappeared into the night. They would have to wait for news on Din before any action would take place. Rad would not move on until he knew her state, the Sheikah could easily understand that fact. Rishian decided he would go and keep tabs on Ark’s current confinement until then. The Sheikah also racked his brain on how they would get to the city where Mas was held. If they had to go to the chamber of the demon of courage, they were going to need a ride.

(End Chapter)

 

[Myriadviper42]

Nice work. So the demon of wisdom is Twinrova, Hazel is the demon of power, and Mas is the demon of courage. Is that right?