p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The eight days it took to get to the next town were slow and quiet for Link. Slow, because Neo - that was the pink haired girls name, which she had shown him on the strange device she carried - clearly wasn't at home in the wilderness and while whatever strange magic she used was useful for staying hidden from the few groups that had been sent to try and find them, that wouldn't matter if they managed to find their trail. Which basically meant Link spent as much time tidying up after her as he did walking. It wasn't perfect, but it seemed to be enough to keep them ahead of anyone chasing them. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The first few nights were especially awkward. The girl still didn't seem to trust him completely, because she had tried to stay awake as long as he did. Obviously, she failed, as Link could go for a week without sleep easily. It was part of the blessing the Goddesses gave him, a part that he kept even after Gannon was defeated, and he left Hyrule to search for Navi./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"After waking to find herself uninjured and him still there, she seemed to accept the idea that he didn't need to sleep as much as she did, though she did keep an eye on him a bit more at first, no doubt checking to see if he was tired. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"After a week she seemed to get used to him, and Link wondered if he should risk sleeping for once - he didn't need to, but he also probably didn't need boots either. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"They were just outside Oniyuri when they heard it. Shouts, cries for help, the strange barking sound of the weapons of this place. Link broke into a run, and a moment later he heard Neo sigh behind him, but follow suit. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Link wasn't quite sure what he was looking at to begin with, but to him the whole situation didn't matter. By the time they got there the fight seemed over, with four people on the ground. A fifth was standing over a familiar looking red haired girl, strange weapon on either hand, and a tail bending up over his shoulder as if poised to strike. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The hookshot was in his hand and fired before he had even made the decision. The tailed person glanced up at the sound, and seemed too shocked to react as Link blew past him, grabbing the red haired girls arm as he went and pulling her out of the way. She let out a pained cry as he did, and cradled her arm when Link put her down in front of the house he had shot to./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Link turned back to see Neo fighting him, and on the defensive. He moved to help. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sliding between Neo and their opponent, he barely raised his shield in time to block a tail thrust, the force of the blow pushing him back slightly. Neo's weapon stabbed past him, and was blocked by one hand, while the tail deflected Link's low swipe. They continued like that for a few moments, all of their attacks being stopped seemingly without effort as the smile on their foe's face grew wider and more deranged by the second./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I must say, this is almost entertaining!" he said, bending over backwards to lean on his tail, dodging a high kick from Neo while parrying a pair of quick thrusts from Link. "Truly, if I did not have more pressing constraints on my time, why I would stay and play with you all day! But alas, my Queen has set me a task, one that must be fulfilled and that you are all woefully inadequate to prevent me from completing." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Link dodged the next tail thrust by throwing himself to the side, rolling around their opponent. Halting on his knees, Link called upon one of the gifts given to him and slammed his fist against the ground. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Din's Fire engulfed him. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The flames swirled around him for the briefest moment before exploding outwards. Neo managed to dodge most of the blast, but their foe had been caught by surprise, sent crashing into a nearby building. For a moment there was only the sound of settling rubble, before laughter rang out from the ruins. Bricks shifted as their foe dug himself out, sections of wall the size of Link's torso sliding aside. When he was out of the wreckage, he paused in the hole in the wall he had made and looked at Link./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Hah! Oh my, that truly took me by surprise." Light shimmered about him briefly as he walked towards them. "Now, I know of sweet little Neo here from her time in my associates employ, but you I do not know. I am Tyrian, and I would very much like to know your name." He bowed slightly, though without taking his eyes off Link./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Link sliced at Tyrian, moving to the left as one of the others, a man in green, moved in to help, peppering their opponent with something to seemingly no effect. The pink haired one dropped from above, a heavy hammer blow being blocked by the tail. He dodged Link's sword easily, grabbing the blade as it swung by him. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As soon as his fingers closed around the blade he screamed, dropping the sword as if burned. His hand looked grey and rough, almost stonelike. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Off balance from his sword being grabbed, Link couldn't react in time to Tyrian's tail. Moving independent of the rest of him, his tail flashed towards Link and plunged into his sword arm. It withdrew after a moment, as the other blond swordsman smashed his shield into Tyrian's injured hand, shattering it. He screamed again and lashed out with his other hand, catching the blond on the shoulder and sending him into one of the buildings. Muffled screams came from under the rubble. The red haired girl swung at Tyrian but missed as he leapt onto the roof of a nearby building, and from there to another, quickly vanishing. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"It was at this point Link realised he was on the ground, Neo above him, concern filling her face. He pushed her back and, using his sword as a crutch, forced his way to his feet, where he managed to stay for a few seconds before fainting./span/p