To InsanityPika, you have basically made my life! You are the first person ever to make me one of your favorite authors and I will love you forever!

I hope everyone likes it :)

Chapter Three

Zelda woke up determined. Today she was going back into the attic.

For a whole week, she had stayed far away from the creepy room and was constantly on edge. The three burned markings were etched in her mind, she couldn't concentrate on anything else. She was doing terrible in her matches, losing to Bowser and just barely defeating the Ice Climbers.

She had to settle this, losing to Bowser? This was pathetic. Zelda needed to go back to the attic for her own sanity... as well as her pride.

Zelda stood at the top stairs, staring at the dark wooden door that concealed the attic. She grasped the handle and forced her hand to turn. She stepped into the room and noticed the light was out. In her haste, she had left it on. It was probably burned out by now. Zelda reached out anyway and tried the switch.

The light snapped on in a friendly glow. Zelda tipped her head to one side, how did it still work? Her hand trembled on the switch.

Someone must have seen the light and come up here to turn it off. Zelda was sure that's what happened. She clenched her hand into a fist as she moved to the back of the room.

Kneeling on the couch, she examined the burned table. The candle still lay where she had set it, the book she had been looking at still open face-down on the floor. Zelda trailed her fingers along the table surface, her fingertips turning black.

There it was. Clearly burned into the table, as if someone had written it in charcoal. Roy. Zelda scratched at it with her nail, frowning.

"Roy." Zelda whispered. Her head shot up as a pile of papers fluttered to the floor. She glanced at the window, it was closed. Zelda sprang up and walked to the papers scattered on the floor. Her heart pounded as she scanned the room.

A shimmer in the edge of her vision caught her attention.

The candle flickered as a little flame danced on the wick. Zelda rushed towards it and brought her face as close as she could. Her nose warmed in the fire's soft heat. She leaned back, perplexed. What did this mean? Was there a ghost here? It had to be some kind of trick.

"What is this?" Zelda whispered hoarsely, eyes still locked on the flame.

"Fire." a voice breathed behind her.

Zelda jumped up and spun around. A man stood by the door. He looked young, maybe 19 or early twenties. He was dressed in deep blue and white pants. A navy and red cape hung on his shoulders, his wild red hair was held away from his face by a blue headband. A sword hung on his side. His whole body was covered in a strange dull sheen.

He shuffled his feet and scratched the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly.

Zelda stepped closed to him. He stood up straighter.

"Who are you? I haven't seen you in the mansion before." Zelda said, hoping her voice sounded strong. Her heart was about to beat out of her chest. She slowly crept closer.

"I'm Roy." The boy said. Zelda gasped as she got close enough to notice that she could see right through him! She stumbled backwards and grabbed the candlestick tightly in both hands.

"Stay away from me!" Zelda cried as she held the candle before her. She suddenly realized how pointless it was, he was a ghost, she couldn't hurt him. She clenched the candlestick anyway and backed up against the wall. He was blocking the door, she couldn't escape!

"No! It's okay! I won't hurt you!" Roy said as he stepped tentatively forward, his hand outstretched. He looked worried. Zelda breathed hard as she shrank to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest.

"What do you want?" Zelda cringed as he came closer, his body parts sporadically disappearing and reappearing. He knelt in front of her, about three feet away.

"A friend." The ghost said and bit his lip. Zelda's fear slightly melted as she noticed the despairing look on his face. He played with one of his fingerless gloves and peered up at her anxiously. He sighed sadly, "You can leave, I won't bother you again."

Roy faded away and reappeared next to the window. Zelda sprang up and scrambled to the door. She hesitated before opening it and looked back at Roy. She flung open the door and ran to her room.

Zelda sat on her bed, rocking herself back and forth. She couldn't get that last image of Roy out of her mind. He was leaning against the wall, his head bowed. His face was so heartbroken, he looked close to tears. If ghosts could cry, that is.

Zelda sat at her desk, picturing Roy's desperate face.

She knew what she had to do.