Chapter 7

Link couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"Complain."

"Mmm?" Ilia said, distracted. She was walking a little ahead of him, her eyes searching the dimly-lit, deserted Kakariko street. "I don't see anything. You sure your mask got it right?"

Link reached forward, caught Ilia by the wrist and spun her around. "Look at you," he said. "You've got rings under your eyes. You've been wearing the same clothes for days." He took her other wrist and pushed her gently against the wall of a nearby building. "You...you're not my happy, smiling Ilia anymore, and you don't even complain! Why don't you complain?"

Ilia's eyes widened. "Uh..."

Link blinked, suddenly realising how close he was pushing against her. With an embarrassed cough, he released her.

Ilia made a swift exit out of his reach. "So," she said, her cheeks flushed. She pulled on her tunic."Your, uh, mask -"

"Fi."

"Yeah. Fi. She sure there's a door here?"

Link couldn't look Illy in the eyes. "I trust her."

"I know." Ilia's voice was soft. A dog barked somewhere nearby. "That's not what I meant."

"There's a door. She said it'd be easy to find."

He looked around. Tall buildings hemmed in the narrow street on both sides. Steam drifted across the rooftops above. A damp, cobbled pathway lay beneath their feet. They were trying to find an establishment - a secret one - that Fi had described as a 'Music Parlour.' It belonged to a man named Tingle. Apparently he could help direct them to the Breach of Black Glass.

Ilia rubbed her wrists and Link felt a twinge of guilt in response. There were ink blotches on her fingers, too, the result of a letter she'd written to her father telling him that she was safe and not to worry. It wasn't hard to get mail to the Mayor. Still. Link wished he could be as confident as her about safety.

And, yet, despite it all he was happy she was here. Really happy.

"Well," Illy said. The dog barked again. "Maybe you should put the mask on and ask one more time...?" She sucked on the inside of her cheek for a moment. "It's just...I don't see anything here, Link. Just endless, blank walls." Her voice became more cautious. "Orrrr...we could go to -"

Link shook his head. "We're not going to Princess Zelda."

Illy sighed. "Doesn't she want what we want? To close this breach...? Isn't that was the mas - Isn't that what Fi said...?"

Images flew across Link's inner eye. Garett telling his team to shoot down the youths. The twisted ecstasy of the spectators at his Game. The screams in the air when he'd fought the bandit.

"I don't know what Zelda wants." Link finally looked up at her. "I just know that I don't want to see her. At least not now." He sighed. "Is this what you were talking about, Illy? The Cycle?"

"I think so, Link." She looked at him with softened eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Over and over. Never ending" He shivered. It wasn't just from the cold, night air.

"I never said that. Not never ending." Ilia seemed to guess where this was headed. "What are you trying to say...?"

"It has to finish somewhere," he replied, his voice strained. "Why go on? Why give people a chance when they just waste it? When all they want to do is hurt and hurt and hurt?" His throat felt raw. "You said the Cycle had ended before. And now here we are - and look at the state of us. Why close the breach at all?"

Ilia stepped in close, alarmed. "Hey. Hey. Where's this coming from?" She slid her fingers into his. Link didn't resist. He realised his hand was trembling. "You've been through a lot. We both have. You're not thinking straight. We're not letting this...this Smiling Man win."

"But what if he's right?"

"I believe in happy endings, Link. I don't know why - blame all those books I read." She leaned in, the heel of one foot lifting out of her shoe, and searched his eyes. "And what about me? Don't I get a chance to live...?"

Link stared at her, blinking, then dissolved into a smile. A sense of calm washed over him. It felt like the inner glow he'd experienced after his vision. Ilia's face relaxed. She smiled back.

And Link froze.

"What is it?"Illy said, her smile fading.

"The dog," Link said. He tightened his grip on her hand and looked back down the narrow street. "It's stopped barking."

Ilia frowned. "What dog?"

"Illy - move!" He broke into a sprint, pulling Ilia with him.

Just as he did something whistled through the air and struck the wall where they'd been standing just seconds ago. They both jerked around to look.

"What was that?!" Ilia cried.

"Sleep dart," Link replied. "It's a Tracker. Down!"

They ducked. Another dart cracked the wall above them. A tiny stream of rubble rained down on them. Link stood, again breaking into a run. Ilia followed without question.

"Trackers," Link explained, glancing over his shoulder. "They're part of Zelda's army. Search and capture. They'd get a bit...creative on the capture part. Captain Rusl had to get it through their heads that their targets should still be breathing when they brought them in."

"And the princess has sent one...after us?"

Link nodded. "There was one in particular. Liked to practice on animals. Dogs, mostly." He considered further. "Wolves were exempt for some reason."

Link looked up. There. On the rooftops above, the moving shadow of a tiny figure. He felt the dart fly before he saw it; his sword whispering out of its sheath in a heartbeat to deflect the attack aside. Ilia's panicked cry died gurgling in her throat.

"We're easy targets out in the open," she said. "Where is that door?"

Despite the situation, Link was impressed. Just a few days and Illy was developing quite the strategic brain. Then again, she'd always been smart.

Link saw something from the corner of his eye. "Back!"

They threw themselves against the wall, their backs pressing against the hard stone. Ilia saw what he'd spotted. "An owl," she said. "You have got to be joking."

Link gave a small shake of his head. "Stay down."

Link sheathed his sword and they both fell into a crouch. Another dart slit the air and pinged harmlessly nearby.

"Outstanding," Link breathed. "Frying pan or fire."

"Were in deep shadow here," Ilia said, hope rising in her hushed voice. "The Tracker can't see us, right?"

"Darkness is what she likes best."

"She? You know her...?"

"Know of her."

"Where's the owl...?"

"Still there." Link pointed with a gloved figure.

The creature hadn't noticed them yet. It was perched on the roof of the opposite building, its eyes searching, left, right, left - It jerked upright, then toppled over, a dart protruding from the back of its head.

Link felt Ilia stiffen next to him. "Was that good or bad?" she said, her voice clearly straining against the panic she felt. "Where is this Music Parlour?"

"Let's find out."

Link pulled on the Silver Mask.

'Fi. Where's the door to Tingle's?'

'I would like it noted that I do not care for this interruption. Could you go back to bonding with your female paramour? I was finding that quite enjoyable.'

'She's not my...paramour.' Link had to resist the urge to shake his head. 'Where's the door?'

'On the contrary. I predict that there is a ninety-eight percent probability that you and her will -'

'WHERE'S THE DOOR?'

'There is no need for mental shouting. Look behind you.'

Link turned to look at the wall behind them. Someone had scribbled a crude 'T' on the surface.

'Oh, and duck.'

Link did so, pulling at Ilia so that she'd do the same. A dart clattered into the wall.

'Didn't I tell you it would be simplicity itself to find? Now place your hand on the letter and push.'

He did. Link and Ilia fell through and landed on their feet.

The lights hit them first. Lanterns of various colours winked on and off in the crowded room. The noise was next. Music blasted their ears at a volume that was far too loud. An all-Zora band played in one corner. A nearby board proclaimed them to be the 'Indigo-Gos'. Swaying people swarmed the room, grins plastered on their faces, their eyes glazed.

What was this place? Seeing Hylians dance to Zora music would have been unthinkable a year ago. This time Link did shake his head. There wasn't any time to wonder. He pulled the mask off and attached it to his belt.

"Come on," said Link.

They walked through the revellers in a sleepwalk, rigid like ReDeads, unaffected by the music and the high spirits. It was too hot, the close proximity of so many people suffocating. Link kept a tight grip on Ilia's hand. There was a bar in another corner - he looked over it, and the skin prickled on the back of his neck. An owl was there.

"Down," he said.

"Left?" Ilia whispered as she craned her neck downward.

Link threw a casual glance that way. There was a door over there, true. But also another owl, perched on a shoulder of a girl far too oblivious to notice. "Negative," he murmured. "Keep straight on." He risked a look backward. Something small and dark was snaking its way between the dancing legs. Link took a deep breath. "Tracker's here, too."

"Link, stop."

Ilia slipped her hand from his and turned around. Link stopped, his eyes wide. "Illy - what -?"

"Where is she?" Ilia said, standing her ground. The lanterns cast shadows of blue, green and red on her face. Her eyes looked feverish. "Where's the Tracker?"

"No," Link cried. "Negative. No." The shadow was picking up speed now - he could see it in his peripheral vision. Link tried to grab Illy's hand, but she slipped out of the way."We are not talking to her."

"Why not?" Ilia said, the panic now clear in her voice. "They're not all bad, Link. Everyone with the princess isn't all bad. If we could just explain...convince her to join us. And then we could see the princ-"

Link snatched Ilia's wrist just as the shadow appeared. He caught a flash of yellow-orange eyes under an oversized helmet before he dove into the crowd with Illy in tow. His ear pricked as something flew past it. A moment later, one of the revellers ahead of them collapsed.

Screams shot out. People started jostling into each other - Link and Ilia found themselves rocked from side to side in a rough fashion. A murmur of confusion swept over the partygoers. The music had stopped. Link heard the slow flap of wings.

Owls.

Now he started to push people out of the way, elbowing some, aiming kicks at others. The sea of people began to part as he ploughed through them. He headed left, toward the door that Ilia had spotted earlier. One of the lanterns shattered as a dart hit it. More people screamed.

A choking gasp flew from Link's lips. He lost his grip on Ilia. Someone had decided to take offence to his aggressive pushing and had caught him by the neck. Instinct overrode thought. Link thrust an elbow into his assailant, causing him to be let go, and turned.

It was a big man - nowhere near as large as the Behemoth, but big enough. He threw a punch that Link easily dodged.

This has to be quick. He's just angry. He's not an enemy.

He spotted Ilia to the side, watching with an anxious look on her face. He couldn't tell where the Tracker was.

Link faced his opponent and hit three quick punches to the side of the big man's head. That seemed to stun him - but, to Link's surprise, only for a moment. The man lunged forward, caught Link in a bear hug and slammed him to the hard floor. Pain shot up his spine. His breath burst from his lungs. The world began to spin.

Link turned his head to the side. There his woozy eyes met an abandoned high-heeled shoe. With teeth gritted, Link grabbed it, sprung to his feet, and swung a glancing blow to the man's eye with the heel. His opponent howled as he stumbled backward.

It was enough. The man wouldn't be back for a while, and the damage to his eye was minimal.

Link reached for Ilia again - but she was already ahead of him. The fracas had caused more attention to turn their way, and Illy seemed to have decided to take things into her own hands.

Or feet in this case. With a yell, she kicked at the door. It splintered in the middle, but didn't open. Link finished it off with a kick of his own. The two friends dove into the opening and into a dark corridor with a faint light in the distance.

"Keep going," Ilia panted. "Run!"

Despite everything, Link couldn't help but smile. "Yes, ma'am."

Ilia glanced over at him and gave him a wry, lopsided smile in return.

They ran, and as they did so, the chaotic noise they'd left behind began to fade. No owls followed. They'd even seemed to have lost the Tracker.

Why were there even any owls here in the first place?

Link and Ilia slowed as they approached the light. The source was a lantern hanging from the ceiling, each motion accompanied by a metallic creak. There was a man sitting beneath on a chair. Alone, grinning. Link swallowed, and winced as the pain in his back caught up to him. A sense of unease began to spread over his heart like tar.

"You're Tingle?"

"I'm afraid not." the man replied. "There never was a Tingle. Unless you count what I'm feeling right now."

Link stepped in front of Ilia. The stranger snickered.

"That's not I meant," he said. His burning gaze dropped to Link's belt. "Nice mask. I used to sell masks, you know. The Happy Mask Salesman, they used to call me." A sudden flash of anger overtook his eyes. "Not anymore." Within an instant, his grin was back.

Link's hand hovered over the hilt of his sword. "Who are you?"

"Well, the real question is," the man replied. "Who are you? Let's discuss it, shall we?"

Link's mouth went dry. "You knew we were coming."

There was a gust of air. Link and Ilia spun around to see a wall drop down with a dull thud to cut off their exit. Their looked at each other, widened eyes locked.

"Ha," the grinning man replied. "Ha-ha-ha-ha. Yes, Silver Mask, you're absolutely right. I knew you were coming. You could even say that I've been expecting you."

The Smiling Man - the one who had once been known as the Happy Mask Salesman - threw back his head and laughed and laughed and laughed.