Chapter 2

To the Castle Town

A spacious city surrounds Hyrule Castle, the evening providing a sleepy, roseate hue in the sky. The outskirts are not as impressive, adjacent to struggling farmland with hacienda-style homes.

The knight strolls through the rural outskirts, slowly looking side to side. Crickets sing, scythes swing, wheat rustles. Most farmers and ranchers are finishing up the day's work. Even children toil in the earth, pick grapes or fruits, chop firewood, and pluck out root vegetables. Though, there are quite a few empty baskets and piles of dead wheat here and there.

It's so peaceful here. I wish my home could be like this… The knight sighs. A bee buzzes across his helm. He hears music.

Up ahead, sitting on a fence, is a teenage blonde playing a pan flute with her eyes closed. Elsewhere, an old chap sits on a veranda playing guitar slowly.

Across the road, behind fences, are goats. They are huge and have massive horns curling into each other. A farmhand rides a horse, leading some goats toward an open barn.

"Hyah! Heyyah!" the farmhand shouts, though most goats scamper away before entering the barn.

"C'mon, Fado! Get those goats in already!" a big fat guy shouts from the barn.

The rider shakes his head, rears his horse, and tries harder. The goats scurry to every corner of the pasture. The rider groans, wiping his brow. He notices the knight.

"Who's that?"

Being taller than most, and heavily armoured, the knight draws more and more attention. Farmhands murmur. The girl stops playing her pan flute as the knight passes her. Even the big paunchy cows turn their heads.

"Is he from the castle?" a boy asks his father.

"Doesn't look like a Hyrulean knight."

"I don't think he's from around here," a woman remarks.

"Oh, he ain't from 'round these parts!" the old guitarist comments.

"Just passing through," the knight says. A group of boys jump over a fence and scurry to the knight, eyes big and faces eager, one of the boys holding a stick. Even a Deku Scrubs unearths himself and scampers forth, little arms swaying. The knight stops as they amass before him, a redhead girl the last to arrive.

"Wow! A knight! A real knight!"

"That helmet looks scary!"

"He's not a big knight," the smallest boy remarks.

"Cool! Shiny armour!" the Deku Scrub squeaks, jumping up and kicking his legs out midair. Despite his excitement, his face is gloomy, as if a mask of misery.

"Can I see your sword?" the boy with the stick asks.

"You're too young to hold a sword, Talo!" the redhead girl retorts.

"Do you serve the king?"

"Do you slay monsters?"

"How much does the armour weigh?"

"Can you teach me to sword fight?" Talo asks as he swings his stick about.

"Hey! Watch where you swing that thing!" the girl whines.

The knight chuckles. Kids here are so cute… But what the hell is that tree-guy? I think there's some of them in the Lost Woods.

"Whoa!" someone yells as a large goat bursts through a fence gate, causing the girl with the pan flute to fall off. A rope is around the goat's neck, Fado dragging behind. "AAAAGGGHHH!" The goat turns down the road, Fado rolling sideways then losing grip.

"Watch out!" the flutist cries as dust plumes. Other farmhands rush towards the road.

The knight spins around as the goat charges. All the boys except Talo squeal and run away, but the redhead girl gasps and cannot move. Talo drops his stick, grabs the girl, and forces her off the road. Yet, the knight remains and punches his gauntlets together.

"Umm…you're on your own!" the Deku Scrub remarks then vibrates away.

Snorting, the goat lowers his head, presenting horns at the shiny obstacle. The knight bends his knees and readies himself. The goat smashes into the knight, yet he grips the beast's horns while sliding backwards.

Sabatons digging into the earth, the knight wrenches the goat's head, "Te abite!" Using the beast's own momentum, he hurls the goat off his hooves. The children and farmhands exclaim their amazement as the animal flies through the air—and slumps upon the Deku Scrub.

"I think I'll go now." The knight continues his walk. The children, Fado, and the flutist scamper back to the road and watch him go.

"He is a real knight…" the redhead girl comments, lost in daydreaming.

"Hey! I saved you, Beth!" Talo whines, crossing his arms, but the girl does not react.

Fado helps the goat up. The Deku Scrub pops his head out from underneath with a squeak, shaking his snout. The kids chuckle.

"You okay?" Fado asks. The goat groans then walks off with him. The big fat guy handles the goat toward the barn.

"Y'know, for such a quick little thing, I'm surprised you couldn't get out of the way," the flutist remarks as the Scrub gets up.

"Well, Ilia, I'm rather surprised myself!" the Scrub admits, stroking his foliage then shaking his head.

"Ha ha! You're just clumsy and careless," Beth remarks, giving the Scrub a pat on the shoulder. The kids' attention goes back to the knight as he walks off.

"I wonder if he'll ever come back…" Talo wonders.


Meanwhile, the two brothers approach Hyrule Castle from elsewhere. Rather inconspicuous, they do not attract much attention from the farmhands and ranchers, most of whom are focusing on the end of the day. The blond lad rolls up his map and puts it away.

"This is where we part ways," the albino says, his brother looking at him with concern. "Let's just say…I'm not welcome here. Go find the Princess of Destiny. We'll meet again later." At that, the warlock becomes a translucent shadow with glowing red eyes. He jumps aside, sinking then vanishing into his brother's shadow.

"Hnh." The blond reaches the city gate, a merchant and his wagon passing through. The blond seems to be the last person entering for now.

A whistle shrieks.

"You there! Stop!" The blond's eyes widen as several mail-clad guards approach him. Each guard wears a tabard bearing the Hyrulean insignia. They also wear sallets, bevors, gauntlets, greaves, and steel-toed boots. The guards carry halberds, but each has a sword and dagger at their sword-belts.

Hauberks jingling, the guards amass before the blond, who has no idea what is going on. One of the guards, short and fat, raises his halberd and nearly loses balance.

"Is this that shadow-guy?"

"He sure looks like him."

"But with more color…"

"Should we take him in?"

A new guard steps through the others, this one wearing fuller armour gilded along the edges, but says nothing. Instead of carrying a halberd, he has a great sword slung over the shoulders. He and the other guards step closer, the blond unsure if he should fight or flee. Another dozen guards rush out the gate and surround the lad.

"Hmm… Who are you?" the gilded guard asks, tilting the lad's hat up, revealing a frowning, dashing face. He grabs the blond's shoulder, so he swats it off. The other guards shout while presenting their polearms.

"Time to get ugly, punk!" the gilded guard threatens.

"Tsei!" The lad throws a big nut to the ground while shielding his face. A blinding flash erupts, stunning the guards. Arms flapping, the short fat guard falls over, then his halberd falls on him.

"I can't see!"

"What the hell!?"

"You little prick!"

"When I see you again, I'll—"

"Help! I'm shrinking!"

"Don't go anywhere!"

Smirking, the blond scurries through them and enters the city. Once the guards regain their senses, they rush through the gate and look around, the short fat one running into another's back. The lad is nowhere in sight amidst passersby and market stalls.

An athletic woman stands next to jewellery stalls, and straightens her back, eyes wide, as the guards run past. She wears fine makeup, loose-fitting silken trousers, sleeveless shirt, long fingerless gloves, and shoes with tips pointing upwards. She has bright brown skin, a long hooked nose, yellow eyes, and fiery red hair in a tight ponytail. Bracelets, earrings, rings, and and neck brace adorn her body, all golden and encrusted. Even her barrette is golden and set with a ruby. Sheathed at her hips are a large, broad shamshir and jambiya, both weapons gilded and bejeweled.

"You half, that way! Everyone else, with me!" the gilded guard shouts, off they go, the short fat one farthest behind and almost dropping his halberd. Citizenry make room for the charging guards, some dropping their wares.

As the guards run off and dust settles, the woman sighs with relief. She looks at the merchant, a man wearing a sombrero and poncho.

"So, what did you do to get their attention? Steal something?" she asks while examining bijouterie. The merchant does not reply. The dark woman chuckles without parting her lips. She looks at him and raises her eyebrows, putting her hands on the stall. "Don't talk much, hm?"

She slowly tilts her head and smiles warmly, watching the merchant slip off his poncho and sombrero. It's the blond lad, who puts his wide-brimmed leather hat back on.

The woman taps her fingernails against the tabletop, What a good-looking boy… I'll have to keep my eye on him…

"Hey! Can I help you with anything?" the actual merchant asks, running to his stall. He scans his wares. Nothing seems missing. The lad shakes his head.

"Yes, actually… That pretty amulet with the rubies in shape of the Triforce…how much?" the woman asks warmly while bending over a bit. The merchant's eyes lock onto her cleavage.

"Ah, a fine eye, miss! That's three thousand Ruppees. I bought it for two thousand, but for you, how about half price?"

"That's quite a deal. You speak with confidence, don't Hylian ladies like that?" She gives him a warm look.

"Successful lifestyle and behaviour are more important."

"Mm. Confidence and success are all a girl needs." She steps around the stall with a fiery look in her eyes, the merchant leaning back a bit, surprised from the change of mood. "My eyes are up here, mister…" A few women happen to walk by. "Maybe I should start talking about you to the ladies? I can only imagine where you eyes have been gazing…" the tanned lady asks with a louder voice. Nearby women glance.

"Oh, uhh! No, it's not that, miss, I…"

The blond notices the woman's hand slide off the stall, and just like that, a few things are missing. The dumbstruck, embarrassed merchant does not notice.

"Did you see that, Chris?" the woman asks the lad, who remains silent.

"Oh, I…d-didn't know you… Thought you were single and…" The merchant rubs the back of his head and stares at the stoic lad. The woman inconspicuously slips the ruby amulet out its box.

"Chris, hold on, I gotta go tell Miriam something…" The tanned woman flicks her hair and walks off. The merchant looks at the lad.

"Hey, sorry man, I didn't know…"

The lad shrugs and walks away.

"Hey! Shouldn't you wait for your girl?"

The blond keeps walking.

After a few seconds, the merchant checks his stall, "GUARDS!"


The blond lad spends the next half hour walking, wondering where to go. Despite Hyrule Castle towering over everything, the streets are labyrinthine. He passes a small group of guards but they do not react. It would take some time before even half the city guards know what is afoot.

The lad sees a familiar knight up ahead. The foreign knight watches a poster, great helm held under the arm.

"He's wanted here, too? Huh. Well, Shadow…you always seems to be in trouble." The knight walks away, crossing paths with the lad. The knight lifts his chin to the lad while putting his helm back on, but neither say anything.

The blond examines the poster. His eyes widen and his mouth drops. The poster has a picture of his older brother, depicting him as a depressed criminal. Red irises, white hair, tanned skin…there is no mistaking him. It reads:

WANTED!

Sorcerous scoundrel of immense height, simply referred to as Shadow, assumed to be a barbarous Gerudo, a traitorous Sheikah, or unlawful foreigner.

Wanted for trespassing, burglary, racketeering, and waylaying, even threatening and stealing from the Royal Family! Very dangerous and roguish!

Escaped apprehension after almost stealing the Triforce!

Those with any information are to report to the guards immediately!

99,999 Ruppee reward!

Dead or alive! Just bring him in, dammit!

The lad's mouth remains open for another second. He simply cannot believe it. He gains confidence from disbelief and shakes his head. There is no way his brother is such a criminal. He turns around and scans the area. A few passersby look, but nothing happens. The lad steps backwards and bumps into someone.

"Hm? What?" a deep voice exclaims as the lad spins around, gripping his sword but unsheathing halfway. Before him is not a guard, but an immense, musclebound, fierce man in a long black duster unbuttoned down the front.

The man has tanned skin, short red hair, piercing yellow eyes, and an aquiline nose. Underneath his duster, he wears a full body hardened leather outfit. A broad shamshir and jambiya are at his belt.

The two just stare, both unblinking and unflinching. The man raises his eyebrows for a second, then slowly chuckles without parting his lips.

Nearby passersby notice the tenseness and disperse.

"You've got guts, kid." The man grins, revealing a row of perfect white teeth. He puts two fingers on the lad's pommel and pushes it back in its sheath. The lad lets his hand drop from his hilt. The man's sinister demeanor dissolves. He looks at the poster.

"Pretty big warrant, hunh? Heard that all bounty hunters who went after him failed." The man crosses his arms and looks around. "Only a king of thieves could truly capture Shadow for good…" He places a hand under his chin and thinks heavily.

The lad notices a flash of red. He and the man turn their heads, seeing several guards running after a familiar redhead woman. She slips through crowds and stalls, leaps over stacked wares and short people, and disappears down an alley.

The big man chuckles, "Oh, Nabooru, I keep telling you…if you only steal to survive, you'll never develop true instinct. Even the grunts are better thieves than you."

The guards stampede to the alley, crashing into each other before they can actually enter.

The immense man turns his attention to the blond.

"Very few would even think of unsheathing a blade against the King of Thieves." He places a hand on the lad's shoulder and leans into him. The lad becomes cross-eyed when he realizes a big curved knife at his throat. The two make fierce eye contact. "But, kid…if you ever draw a blade on me again…" He pats the blond on the shoulder, sheathes his knife, and walks away.