Chapter 9: Invisible Bonds

Following a red-haired young man through the bustling crowds of a busy merchant street in Athens was a challenge for one particular young Hylian. With one hand keeping his dark blue hood on, Link's other hand clung tightly to the end of Yun-seong's light gray cloak.

"Hey, hey! Quit pulling!" The owner of the cloak bellowed at him when the boy accidentally tugged a little too hard, choking the man slightly as Link navigated between two strangers. The redhead stopped and waited for him to catch up. "Come on, can't you walk faster?" Impatience was obvious on the man's sullen face as he stood there with crossed arms.

"It's impossible! There's too many people and I can hardly see!" Link gestured to the noisy, moving crowds surrounding them with the wave of his hands. Not only was it difficult to traverse, it was also uncomfortably hot with so many people bumping into each other under the bright morning sun. Link was sweltering under his hood.

Yun-seong heaved a sigh and rolled his brown eyes. "Come here, brat," he said, making Link glower at him. The man stepped towards the pouting boy, reached down and surprisingly picked the Hylian up with ease to place the child behind his head and onto his broad shoulders.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Link hollered from his new height.

"Making this faster," Yun-seong replied in a low mutter as he started walking. "Hey hey! Don't poke my eyes out, kid!" he shouted when Link yelped and latched onto his forehead, almost hitting his eyes in the process.

From his new view, Link could see the many faces that crowded the streets and the countless merchant stands and open shops on each side of the road. Seeing so many people moving about still amazed him like the first time he had arrived in Athens. The marketplace of Castletown had never been as chaotic as this grand city!

"Now, where are we going again?" his carrier questioned.

"To buy some arrows!"

Yun-seong began to move, shuffling through a group of gossiping young women standing around a cloth-seller. "Arrows? What for?"

"I need to restock. I used up most of mine when I was chasing that thief."

Yun-seong said sarcastically, "Did you manage to feather him? Or did it all miss?" When the young boy didn't answer, he snorted, "Your aim must be pretty terrible then."

"He was fast and he hid well in the shadows!" Link defended his marksmanship in a grumpy tone.

They passed by a stand surrounded by loud giggling children of various ages, buying what looked like sweets. Over the laughter, Yun-seong muttered, "I still find it hard to believe that you are actually–"

Using his left hand, Link quickly covered the redhead's mouth. "I know it's hard to believe but you don't have to say it out loud," he whispered in the man's ear.

Yun-seong pried the Hylian's hand off. "It's not like anyone can hear us. It's so damn loud early in the morning," the redhead grumbled in annoyance. He sidled through an idle group of Athenian soldiers. Link overheard the men's discussion, speaking of the missing holy sword and the arrival of the bony monster that appeared soon after. Yun-seong had slowed his pace and eventually stopped nearby to eavesdrop on them.

"... a curse!" one of them said fearfully.

"Removing the sword had unleashed the monster?" another asked.

"It is what they believe."

"It was a gift from the Gods, was it not?" asked another, his tone deep and calm as he waited for someone to answer.

"I heard that a demon had pulled it out," stated a fourth, making Link freeze. "Someone had claimed to have witnessed the daunting fiend steal the holy sword before merely escaping the demon's wrath!"

The Hylian couldn't help but cringe at the ridiculous story he had just heard. Was the thief from the shrine the one spreading such rumours? Suppressing his anger, he continued to listen.

"A demon? Preposterous!" said the one with the deep voice.

"A demon, you say? It may not be a coincidence that the monster appeared soon after the sword disappeared…"

Having heard enough, Yun-seong resumed walking down the street. Link frowned at the words of the last speaker and asked worriedly, "Could it be true? That the creature was released because of me?"

"They're just rumours, kid," Yun-seong scoffed. "How could you have suddenly unleashed a monster? Didn't you say you lost your sword over a week ago?"

The boy nodded although the other could not see. "Yeah."

"Then how could it have kept the ugly thing sealed before then? That monster… it was Soul Edge, remember? Or something like that anyway." The redhead turned into a narrow alley, away from the crowd and heat. He breathed a deep sigh in the cool shadows, his brow slick with sweat which resulted in Link, unnoticeably, having to occasionally wipe his moist hands on the man's cloak. "It must have sensed my fragment and followed us into the city. That's the most likely explanation." Yun-seong's tone was bitter and regretful when he said that. "If all those people died because of my shard... I... I..." He punched the wall of the alleyway and cursed in his native language.

The evil fragment attracting the one-eyed creature was a possibility for its sudden appearance, however Link had a feeling the reason was more than that. The black bird with eyes that glowed red… It was in the mountain city, Malucci, when they escaped with Siegfried; watching them with its chilling stare as if a hawk eyeing its prey. Thoughts of the cursed bird brought a terrible sense of dread to settle in the pit of Link's stomach. Yun-seong's explanation had lightened the boy's concern to a slightly lesser degree but the Hylian was still worried.

They entered another busy merchant street at the end of the alley and the return of the sun and noise brought Link's attention back to the task at hand. "Hey, look! Over there!" he cried out, recognizing one of the shops. He lightly patted the top of Yun-seong's spiky hair and pointed. "That's where I bought some arrows before. Let's go!"

With a reluctant sigh, Yun-seong headed in Link's pointed direction. After plowing through the crowds and entering various shops to buy their necessary needs, they ended up in the stables where Yun-seong had left his horse. "What are we doing here?" Link asked as he climbed off the man's back.

Yun-seong wiped the trickling sweat off his forehead and approached his dark brown horse. Only the stable boy was around in the nearly empty stable, piling some hay into a corner near one of the entrances. Two other horses were in their stalls beside Zephyros, Yun-seong's brown horse he had bought in the exact same stable a couple days ago.

"Here, brat –"

"Can't you at least say my name?" Link interrupted with a pout.

Yun-seong took out a key from his pouch and smirked. "Sure... demon-boy. Here." He handed a small silver key to Link.

Curious, the boy studied it. It was Yun-seong's inn room key.

"Watch over my stuff, okay?" the redhead told the other as he opened the stall door to his horse. He tossed the leather bag containing their newly purchased items at the Hylian and the boy caught it with a look of confusion.

"What? Why?" Link asked, forming a worried frown. "Where are you going?"

"It's been two days..." said the young man softly. "I'm going back."

The Hylian's frown deepened. "It could be dangerous…"

Beneath his cloak, Yun-seong adjusted the sword secured in his belt before taking Zephyros's reins into his hands. He then hopped onto the saddled animal and stared down at the boy. "I know that! That's why I'm going alone!" he answered in frustration. "You stay here with that lady and take good care of my things, all right?" He gave the boy a cocky grin. "I'll be back in two days or less." Seeing the uneasy look on the young boy's face, he added, "And stop giving me that look. You look like Mi-na when she has a bad hair day and believe me, that's not a good look."

Link glanced down at the key. The unease he had felt from before had returned. "Are... Are you sure you'll be all right?" he carefully asked.

"Well, yeah," the man retorted high atop his horse. He pressed his heels into the sides of the animal, walking the mount out of the stall and stopping beside the small boy. "I've waited long enough. Women... They can be so damn annoying, you know? And just because she's slightly older than me, it doesn't mean she can boss me around," he scoffed with contempt but his expression was softer than his tone. "You stay here, got it? I'll be back. Promise. Now, here," he dug into his coin pouch and handed Link a few silver pieces. "Don't go spending that on candy! It's for emergencies, all right?"

The boy nodded with a small, sad smile. "Yeah, I understand."

"Good. I'm off then. Take care of that little punk you call a friend, demon-boy," were the redhead's departing words spoken with a wry grin. The man guided his horse towards the stable exit.

"It's Link!" the boy corrected with a smirk. "Be careful!" Yun-seong acknowledged him with a lazy wave before disappearing behind the stable walls.

Finding himself in the stables, Link smiled gleefully at the two horses within. He glanced over at the stable boy, who appeared to be slightly older than Siegfried's current age. The boy had his light brown hair tied behind his back with a few loose strands sticking to his forehead as he worked. He glanced up at Link with his blue eyes and kindly smiled before wiping the sweat off his face with a rolled up sleeve of his brown shirt. Link smiled back and the boy gave him a nod before grabbing a metal pail and left the stables.

The young Hylian pocketed the key and silver coins into his rupee pouch and placed Yun-seong's leather bag on the floor. Excited, he approached one of the horses. He had always been fond of horses because of their loyalty and companionship (and mostly because he had one of his own). Looking up at the gallant white beast before him, he could imagine his old friend staring back.

He raised his hand and the horse lowered its neck to nudge his palm with its snout. Smiling, he happily stroked its muzzle and the horse shook its head with a small whine. He giggled quietly and rested his forehead against the great beast's cheek. The familiar musky scent of the animal wafted through his nose. "Epona... I miss you," he whispered sadly. "I miss everyone…"


"S-Sophitia…" Wide, emerald eyes stared into a pair of soft green in both surprise and disbelief. He was speechless as he gazed upon the familiar woman before him. She was older; over seven years had passed since he had last seen her after all. Mature yet still beautifully young, her face looked very much the same. She was kneeling beside his bed bearing a small, relieved smile. "Siegfried, it really is you, isn't it?" she exclaimed, placing her right hand over his smaller left fist.

He flinched at her touch, realizing that he was not dreaming. "Sophitia?" he slowly questioned the woman, just to make sure he was wide awake. He met her gaze evenly. "Are you... really here?"

Sophitia softly laughed and nodded. "Of course, Siegfried. I am right here," she answered with a light squeeze of his hand. "It has been a while, has it not? And you have certainly changed since then," she implied with emphasis all the while giving him an amusing stare.

The boy blinked a few times, completely perplexed by her presence. "You… How did you– wait," he suddenly paused and took in his surroundings. He was sitting on a bed in what appeared to be an inn room. Golden rays of sunshine poured through the cracks of a draped-covered window in the centre of the left wall facing the door. Another bed was placed along the right side with its covers piled into a mess. A small, square, wooden table with two chairs stood beside the left wall beneath the window with a dark bundle and a familiar shield lying on top of it.

He was certainly not in the same inn as before. "Where... am I?" he inquired as he studied the room. He remembered being in a different room with the Korean woman, Seung Mi-na. There was a storm, he recalled, and he was watching it by the window. Everything was hazy after that.

"You are in Athens." Sophitia had answered while he tried to recall the past few hours. It was difficult to remember however, with a dull headache throbbing against his skull. Not only that, his body was aching and he felt rather weak. He was shivering as well, probably due to the fact that he was shirtless.

"Athens..." he repeated quietly. He frowned with frustration. Why was he in Athens? How did he return to the city?

He gently removed his hand away from Sophitia's and rubbed his forehead with a sigh. He closed his eyes and concentrated, ignoring the growing pain in his head. The storm... Something happened while he was watching it. The wind had grown cold and the air, bitter like frost. A voice, harsh and wicked, had silenced the rain and thunder…

Kill them...

"Stop! I don't want to hurt you!"

"Siegfried! Stop!"

His blood ran cold for he was overwhelmed with horror. The awful voice had pained him but also granted him power... He had listened to it, driven mad by desperation and hate. Their pleas rang through his horrified mind; their faces distorted by fear were clear in his memory…

A soft touch on the arm made him jerk away. "Siegfried, are you still feeling unwell?" Sophitia asked, knitting her brow with deep concern.

"Where is everyone?" he suddenly asked, his heart heavy with remorse. "W-What happened to them? Are they… Did I...?" The boy was choking on his own words, fearing for the worst. He averted his eyes down to his hands, remembering the crimson stains that once covered them. Was it just a nightmare? Or did he really kill them? He drew an unsteady breath and shuddered.

There was soft hush before Sophitia grasped his smaller hand within hers once more. "It is all right. They are safe," Sophitia cooed, giving him an assuring smile. "Link is with that young man, Yun-seong. They should be back shortly."

Siegfried furrowed his brow when she failed to mention one other person. "Where is the woman, Seung Mi-na?"

The Athenian did not answer right away. Instead, she hesitated, her head downcast, making him tense with dreaded fear. Slowly, she shook her head. "We do not know," was her tentative answer. Her eyes rose to meet his. "It has been two days since the monster attacked Malucci and we have not heard from her."

"Monster?" His voice wavered with uncertainty. "What monster?" The powerful evil he had sensed within the city... the one that brought the disturbing chills… Was Sophitia referring to that?

There was another soft hush as she reached up to gently brush fringes of his blond hair away to place her hand on his forehead. He flinched back, startled by her touch yet again. "Please, do not worry about it for now. You should get some more rest," she said with a small smile. "We can catch up on things after."

By the tone of her voice, Siegfried understood she was not willing to discuss the subject any further. He lowered his gaze at the last of her words. "So… You know who I am," he stated more than asked.

"Yes."

The boy brushed a hand through his hair to hide his sudden embarrassment. "Then you are probably wondering–"

"No need to explain," she told him, bringing his focus back onto her. "Link has told me everything."

"Everything?" he blurted out loudly, which made Sophitia jump back in surprise. He quickly apologized and repeated the word more calmly. "Everything?"

She gave him a puzzled look. "Well, he told me how you both had come to be. Which sounded rather unbelievable," she answered truthfully, gazing off to the side. "However, I do believe that what happened with you two is true since you are unmistakably a child now."

Siegfried bit the inside of his cheek. Did Link tell her the exact events that resulted in their transformation? Did she know that he was Nightmare? "You are not... afraid of me?" he carefully asked.

A little surprised, she raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Afraid? Why would I be afraid to see you like this?"

He shook his head to hide his relief. "Never mind. It is nothing," he lied. It was obvious she was unaware of the truth so what exactly did the elf tell her?

Although she looked rather confused, she nodded and rose to her feet. "It is now noon," she noted as she peeked through the drapes, allowing a few beams of bright sunlight to enter the room and reflect the shimmering dust in the air. "They should be back by now." As if on cue, the door of the inn swung open and in strolled a hooded little boy carrying (and dragging) a large bundle of travelling bags into the room. "Link?" Sophitia questioned as she watched the boy pile the luggage into the far left corner. "What are you doing with all those bags?"

"Yun-seong," the elf began without looking over at her as he continued to throw numerous leather and cloth sacks on top of each other, "says that he's going back to find Seung Mi-na. So he wants me to watch over his stuff."

Sophitia immediately took a step towards him. "No! It's far too dangerous to go back! And alone too? What is he thinking?" She bit her lips worriedly and asked, "Is he still here?"

Link shook his head as he closed the door. "He left after giving me the key to his room," he replied before turning to face her, taking off his hood. He suddenly perked up when he noticed Siegfried watching him. "Brother! You're awake!" he cried as he rushed over and threw his arms around the older blond in a discomforting and painful hug.

A burning sensation on Siegfried's back had gone unnoticed until the pesky little brat had touched him. The knight weakly pushed the elf away with a growl to hide his pain. "Will you stop doing that?" he hissed through clenched teeth.

The younger boy grinned. "I'm just glad you're all right. You had me worried," he replied a little less than joyful. Visible on the child's face was a deep purple bruise on his left cheek.

Siegfried could vaguely recall that he was the one who knocked the boy aside… "Hmph," he responded in a softer tone. He then looked away from the elf's happy face, feeling a strong regrettable guilt swell deep inside of him. "I did it again, didn't I?" His words were barely a whisper but he knew Link could hear them. The pain in his back had subsided as he stared grimly at his hands. For once, the elf did not say a word.

Sophitia kneeled beside him and gently felt his forehead once more. "Your fever is gone but you should get some more rest," she told him, breaking the awkward silence. "Forgive me for leaving so soon, Siegfried, but I must go and attend to my duties."

Siegfried lightly shook his head. "That's all right," he murmured.

She patted Link's head as she passed him. "I trust that you two will be all right on your own?"

"I'm sure we will be fine," the elf answered, his wide childish grin returning.

She smiled at them both. "I will return tonight. Hopefully, we will be able to talk then," she said as she approached the door. "Please rest, Siegfried." She gave him a worried smile and he nodded.

Link waved goodbye before she left the room. "So," he began, obviously wanting to grab the other's attention. "How are you feeling?"

Siegfried shot him an irritated glare before looking away. "I'm fine," he grumbled. In a softer tone, he continued, "And I'm sorry… I–"

"Don't worry about it," the elf interrupted.

"How can you say that?" the older boy snapped in frustration, glowering at the elf. "I hurt both of you… I nearly killed–"

"Siegfried, we're okay." Link's expression was stern and his tone was assuring. His blue eyes were steadfast with the belief that the older blond had done nothing wrong. Before the fuming knight could say anything to ridicule the elf's naivety, Link had suddenly changed the subject; "Are you hungry?" The boy in green bounded towards the table as he spoke and grabbed a wooden plate hidden behind the large shield. "Did you know? Sophitia works in a bakery!" the elf exclaimed with a cheerful smile. He strolled over and shoved the plate full of assorted breads and sweet-smelling pastries into Siegfried's face. "Try one. They're really good."

Siegfried eyed the plate in annoyance before shaking his head to the side. "I'm not hungry," he growled before pushing the food away. He didn't have the appetite to eat anything at the moment.

Link made a disapproving noise. "You haven't eaten in days so here. And you wouldn't want to waste her efforts and time in making these for you, do you?" The boy placed the baked goods on the other's lap. "I bought some fresh milk too. Wait right here." Before Siegfried could turn and glare at him, the elf was already moving towards the pile of bags and started to rummage through them. "Hmm? Where did I put it?" the boy pondered out loud as he continued to dig deeper into the pile.

Snorting in irritation, Siegfried glowered at the back of the boy before sighing. He didn't quite understand Link. How could the foolish child ignore the pain Siegfried had inflicted upon him both physically and from the hurtful words he had uttered and yelled out of spite? Not only that, the elf was aware of the danger he was putting himself in by being near the former demon; yet the young boy never showed any signs of fear. How could that be? Twice, Siegfried had lost control of himself and ended up harming the elf each time so why did Link not loathe or resent him? Or for the best... fear him?

Ever since Siegfried was freed from Soul Edge's control and turned into a child, the elf did not see or treat him as the Azure Knight. Link saw him as a normal person... no, more like a friend. Perhaps that could explain why the damn child was constantly worried about him and why he would always shrug away the pain and cruel words Siegfried inflicted on him. Link must have wanted to make Siegfried believe that his immoral actions were not because of his true intentions; that his heart was only manipulated by the evils of Soul Edge.

Emerald eyes glanced over at the boy still scrounging for that milk. A friend, huh? You stupid little elf... When the boy happily announced his finding, Siegfried quickly looked away and hid a small smile.


That afternoon, Link had no choice but to answer Siegfried's demanding questions no matter how much he wanted to avoid talking about the incident in Malucci. With reluctance, the Hylian mentioned his use of the Master Sword. "It emitted a bright flash and it instantly knocked you unconscious…" Link told the knight with a guilty frown. "Did it hurt when I hit you? I'm sorry." He couldn't forget the painful scream that deafened his ears when his heavy blade struck the other. He sat cross-legged on the floor of their room, sorting out his equipment. His hands were busy untying the twine that held his new bundle of arrows together.

Siegfried, seated on the edge of his bed, was staring and poking at the partially eaten bread in his hand as he listened. After a moment of silence, he shook his head. "I don't remember any pain. You did what was necessary so don't apologize," he stated the last part fervently, his eyes still on his food. He was picking off little crumbs and making a mess on the floor.

When Link went on to explain the group's encounter with the one-eyed monster, he noticed Siegfried's body tense and the rain of crumbs completely stopped. "Did you see it?" Link inquired, watching the older boy's reaction intently. "When we ran into it, you were awake but… It looked like you were caught in a trance."

The knight bowed his head further, his long hair hiding his face. He did not move nor speak for a short while, making Link furrow his brow in worry. "I saw an eye…" was Siegfried's quiet response. Slowly, his head lifted and sullen emerald eyes gazed toward the open window that allowed cool air into the stuffy room. "It was the eye of Soul Edge. I thought it was a nightmare…"

"Can it really be Soul Edge?" The Hylian placed his quiver aside after filling it with his new arrows while keeping his attention on the other.

Again, Siegfried did not answer after a moment had passed. "No… No, that creature cannot be Soul Edge. The power to become a 'living' being without a host is beyond the sword's extent." He concluded that the monster was likely an innocent animal or human that was transformed by the evil shards that plagued the land. However, the knight appeared doubtful of his own explanation but did not elaborate on why.

"That bird was there too," Link added hesitantly, hating to keep the somber discussion going. "Do you think it could be connected to the one-eyed monster?"

The mere mention of the winged demon made Siegfried visibly shiver. He tossed his piece of bread back onto the plate beside him and sighed into his hands as he leaned forward to rest his elbows onto his knees. "That wretched crow," he seethed, pressing his palms against his forehead to alleviate the noticeable headache. "I saw it before I…" Eyes closed, he bit his lower lip and slowly shook his head.

Link knew it was difficult for Siegfried to remember but the Hylian was desperate for any possible answers as to why his friend was being sought after by fiends related to Soul Edge. Hearing nothing from the other, the young Hylian could only conclude that there was possibly a link between the black bird and one-eyed demon and their goal was likely Siegfried. But why? Was it because Siegfried was the former wielder of Soul Edge? Not knowing the exact reason frustrated Link. He was certain Siegfried was feeling the same if not more so.

Not wanting to dwell on it any further, Link went on to describe their escape from Malucci and how they met up with Sophitia. He spoke of Sophitia's reason for remaining in Athens (besides being her hometown): after returning to the city with Cassandra to recuperate, the sisters heard numerous rumours of monster attacks in the countryside. Suspecting Astaroth and his army, the two warriors sought out the golem but found no sign of him. For the time being, they remained in the city to gather more information. It may be possible that the rumours were related to the one-eyed demon…

"What exactly did you tell Sophitia and that damn idiot?" Siegfried asked after Link finished explaining. He was pacing around the room on his bare feet to stretch out his legs after being bedridden for two days. By 'idiot', the Hylian assumed Siegfried was talking about Yun-seong.

The younger boy grinned sheepishly at the knight. "Oh, nothing much. Just told them the truth that you and I are actually ten years older than what we look like," he said while picking up his bow. "And how that happened, I told them that you and I met in the forest and we ended up in a bitter quarrel so we viciously battled," he dramatically emphasized by clenching his right hand into a fist before him, "and before we knew it, a 'time portal' opened up between us and we ended up like this."

Siegfried rolled his eyes before pausing in front of the Hylian's equipment. He crossed his arms over his bare chest and studied Link's hookshot with mild interest. "Did you mention Soul Edge?" His tone was weary, matching his appearance.

Link shook his head as he pulled back on the bowstring of his bow to test its tension. With his short arms, he struggled to pull it all the way back before releasing it with a sharp twang. "I didn't tell them anything about you being the demon-knight. Wouldn't be a good idea, right?" He raised his brow at the older blond who only snorted in response. "Yun-seong didn't really believe my story so I challenged him into a sword fight."

Siegfried raised an eyebrow at him. "And you won?" he asked dubiously.

Rubbing the back of his neck nervously, Link let out a small laugh. "No… I lost."

"Heh, I expected as much." Siegfried sneered at him and resumed his pacing.

"What do you mean?" Link fumed, dropping his bow. He crossed his arms and pouted angrily at the older boy. "He was bigger and stronger than me so it was practically unfair! But I almost had him! Or I thought I did..." he muttered the last part under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Anyway, I think you should get some more sleep." Link examined his boomerang next. The smooth, polished wooden surface of the carefully crafted weapon shimmered from the outdoor light while the central ruby-red jewel glinted. He tossed the boomerang upwards into the air, making it vertically twirl a few times before catching it.

The knight grunted and shook his head as he crossed his arms defiantly by the table right behind the younger boy. "I'm fine," Siegfried muttered, his tone firm and slightly annoyed. "Where's my shirt?"

Link caught his boomerang again before glowering at the stubborn boy over his shoulder. "It's on your bed. And you really should. You've been falling in and out of consciousness for the past two days. Besides," he added before Siegfried could retort, "Sophitia told you to so you should listen to her." He grinned mischievously. "She really cares about you. So what kind of relationship do you have with her?"

"Relationship?" Siegfried repeated with a start. "There is nothing between us. We only met once a while back. That is all," he answered while shifting his eyes furiously to the side.

The younger boy raised a curious brow and smirked in amusement. "Oh, really? Well, she's been worried about you ever since we arrived here. Every night, she would stay by your side for hours. I had to try very hard to pry her away from you so that she could go home to get some rest." Siegfried glanced over, slightly surprised and Link continued, "She was worried that you would hop out of bed and run off to do something silly, brother."

Groaning in frustration, the long-haired boy glared down at the Hylian. "Will you stop with the brotherly act already?"

Link's teasing smile broadened. "But Sophitia really thinks we are brothers!" It was a lie, of course. Unfortunately, the older blond didn't easily fall for it.

"How so?" the knight spat, "You told her everything, didn't you?"

Disappointment fell over the younger warrior's pouting face. "Yeah… I did." He shortly laughed. "I wanted to see how you would react if you believed me."

With a dangerous gleam, emerald eyes narrowed as a nefarious smirk spread over the older boy's lips. "I would wring the life out of you within an instant."

The boy in green tensed under Siegfried's deadly stare and bashfully smiled. "Aww, come on. Pretending to be brothers isn't so bad."

"Yes, it is. Especially with you, little elf."

"Hylian."

"Whatever." Huffing in annoyance, the knight rounded Link's equipment and sauntered towards his bed. The plate of breads and a glass bottle half-full of milk were still sitting on top of the messy sheets.

Link only gave him a sullen glance when he noticed a large red mark on the knight's back. "Hey, what's that?" he asked, standing up to follow the other to take a closer look.

Siegfried sharply turned around with an irritated glare. "What's what?" he growled impatiently.

Link motioned for him to turn around. "On your back," he explained while Siegfried continued to glower. "Well, turn around so I can get a better look."

With reluctance, the arrogant blond slowly did so. "Make it quick," he grumbled and crossed his arms.

Sweeping away the older boy's long hair, Link carefully examined the red blemish and found blistered skin. Not only that, he could make out the faint outline of the three sacred triangles marring the centre. "The Master Sword," Link began as he lightly brushed a finger over the burn. It was hot to the touch and Siegfried visibly flinched from it. "When I used it to stop you, it burned your skin." He frowned with guilt at the injury as he touched it once more, making Siegfried twirled around with a snarl.

"Quit that!" the knight hissed.

Link grinned apologetically and backed away towards the pile of luggage in the room. "Sorry! I'll put something on it. I'm sure Miss Seung Mi-na has some ointments in her bags… somewhere… maybe… hopefully." He started to look through each leather and cloth bag.

"Hmph. Forget about it," the older boy muttered. "It doesn't hurt too much."

The young Hylian ignored him and continued to dig through each bag, finding all sorts of items such as scrolls of paper, brushes, small wooden boxes with pieces of jewellery and lots of exotic-looking clothing. One small pouch contained dried herbs and bottled round pellets. Another held five tiny ceramic bottles with strange foreign symbols carved on the glossy white surface speckled with blue. He took one of the bottles and carefully twisted the corked lid off. Slowly, he brought the opening to his nose and sniffed it only to suddenly reel back from the immensely vulgar, herbaceous aroma of the thick, dark liquid inside. A disgusted cry escaped his lips before he quickly recapped the bottle and its vile fumes.

"What are you doing?" Siegfried demanded. Now wearing his shirt, he towered beside the Hylian with a tired, sullen glare. "I told you to forget about it."

Link showed Siegfried the bottle. "Do you know what it says on here? Can you read it?" The older boy's glare deepened while the Hylian countered with a smug grin. "If you won't cooperate and let me help you, then I will tell Sophitia about it. Would you prefer her gentle hands?"

The comment sparked a desirable reaction from the stubborn blond. Irked, the older boy hastily brushed a hand through his hair as he heavily sighed. After a brief moment of contemplating silence, angry emerald eyes flickered over the odd letters on the bottle. "A painkiller," he lowly snarled in defeat.

Smirking in amusement, the younger boy switched to another bottle. "This one?"

"Same thing, brat."

Link continued to show each bottle for Siegfried to translate and it turned out the last one contained an ointment that was probably used for treating burns. After much coaxing and a heated exchange of name-calling and insults, the Hylian managed to force the arrogant knight to allow him to treat the wound. Oily and smelling strong of spice, the ointment was gently applied to the burn and soon covered in bandages the younger boy had found after scrounging around Seung Mi-na's and Yun-seong's belongings once more.

Satisfied by Siegfried's 'cooperation', Link offered to play his ocarina and, surprisingly, the knight accepted without any word of protest. With the older blond asleep, Link returned to sorting out his equipment. He neatly stuffed all his items into his satchel and placed his bow and quiver on the table beside the hidden Master Sword. With his Kokiri Sword in hand, he quietly sneaked out of the room and slipped into Yun-seong's room that was right across from Link's. He still had the key and decided to keep it for the remaining three days Yun-seong had paid for. He might as well put the room to good use.

He locked the door behind him and pushed the table and chairs aside. Taking a deep breath, he stood in the middle of the room and withdrew his sword. The blade rang softly as it slid against its wooden scabbard. Blue eyes examined the sharp edge closely with fond remembrance. The sword was the sacred treasure of the Kokiri. Countless monsters big and small had fallen in defeat by the small yet powerful weapon.

Except for that redhead that had brutally defeated him... The boy pouted at the memory, remembering the young man's cocky grin and taunting laughter. A monster Yun-seong was not but the man was still a considerable foe, talented in the way of the sword. Not only were his kicks fast and powerful, his combos flowed seamlessly together and weaved a wall of inescapable attacks at the young boy. That small quarrel they had in the open fields proved that Link needed more practice. It was obvious Yun-seong wasn't fighting seriously either. If only he had a proper shield to use, it may have been possible for Link to defeat Yun-seong.

Breathing out a sigh, he took off his cloak and practiced his swordplay.


Siegfried mentally cursed at the awful noises in the morning. Bright sunlight poured through the open window and the noisy crowds of people could easily be heard outside. Then there was the pestering elf sharing the room with him. Link was annoyingly persistent with the need to shove food in the older boy's face. A fresh batch of baked goods had been dropped off by Sophitia the night before. Seeing that Siegfried was asleep, the Athenian did not stay long, explained the elf.

Having woken up earlier than the knight, Link had already eaten his share of bread. "You cannot possibly be full after one," the irritating child mused with a raised eyebrow. "Eat some more."

Seated at the table, Siegfried pushed the plate of food aside and snorted. "I'm full," he stated, barely able to keep his tone from sounding angry. Thrice, the damn brat had told him to consume more bread. It was getting very annoying.

Sitting across from him, the elf finally shrugged and gave up. "Very well, then. Do you want some more milk?" Link asked, picking up his two empty bottles on the table that once held water and milk bought the previous day. "We could go buy some." He strolled over to his satchel and stored his bottles inside.

Siegfried groaned at the idea. "Go out in that terrible crowd again? I'd rather not."

"But there's nothing to do in here," Link replied, sounding quite bored. Sighing, he flopped onto his back atop his bed with his bare feet dangling over the edge. He was staring up at the ceiling with a small pout.

Annoyed by the elf's childish display, the knight snorted. "What have you been doing over the past few days?" he questioned the restless boy. He slumped forward on the table, laying his left elbow on the surface to rest the side of his head against his knuckles.

"I was with Yun-seong most of the time." Link sat up and smiled. "He's the same age as me."

Siegfried raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"I'm eighteen," the smaller boy reminded with a sullen stare.

"Are you really? You act more like a little brat than anything else so it's hard to tell," the older one scoffed.

"You certainly don't act your age either," Link countered, cocking his head slightly with a teasing grin. Ignoring Siegfried's scowl, the elf asked; "So what do you want to do? Sophitia won't be stopping by until later tonight."

Siegfried leaned back against his chair and rubbed his face. It was unfortunately still morning and he was stuck with a bored and whiny, pesky elf. Staying in the inn for the rest of the day would likely result in Siegfried wanting to strangle the annoying child to death (and that was without the dark influence of a cursed shard tempting him into murdering the damn boy).

The older blond sighed as he looked around the room, trying to find an idea that would stop the elf's complaints. He certainly didn't want to go out to the markets. The mere thought of traveling through the busy streets made his head hurt.

His eyes fell on the dark blue elongated bundle lying on the table before him. It was Link's Master Sword hidden under a layer of blanket. Standing up, he started to lift the sword's cover, eliciting a curious question from the elf.

Siegfried didn't answer right away. He studied the sheathed weapon, marveling at the metal purple hilt and pommel and the shiny yellow jewel peeking out of the scabbard in the centre of the guard. Even when sheathed, there was a strong sense of divinity radiating from the magnificent sword. Having experienced the sword's power to repel evil first-hand, Siegfried did not doubt its holy might. Being careful not to touch the weapon, he started to rewrap the blanket over the blade and scabbard but kept the leather strap free. "Grab your sword," he told the watching boy, "We'll waste the rest of our day with sword practice."

"Oh?" Link was obviously excited. "Where do you want to do that? The inn rooms are kinda small for two people to spar."

The knight slid the heavy sacred sword off the tabletop. He slung the thick leather strap over his right shoulder and buckled it tight across his torso. Even though he had held it once, the sword was still surprisingly hefty for its size. It was no wonder the little elf could hardly lift it in his current state. "We're going outside."

"Out on the streets? It's a little crowded and–"

"Don't be ridiculous." Siegfried rolled his eyes and headed for his boots and armour lying at the foot of his bed. "Where did you fight that idiot?"

"You mean Yun-seong? Outside the city in the fields."

"Then we'll go there."

Link seemed hesitant as he slipped on his boots. "Are you sure that's wise?"

The older blond understood the elf's reason to question. Once finished with his leg armour, Siegfried stood and slightly furrowed his brow in irritation at the boy. "I sense no danger."

"But there could be danger." Link was frowning with worry across the room. "Are you forgetting the rumours around the city?"

"Rumours are only rumours."

"How do you think rumours start up? Someone obviously witnessed something…"

"We'll stay close to the city border near one of the main roads." When the elf was not convinced, Siegfried glowered. "Would you rather stay in this boring inn?"

"Would be better than risking another encounter with the demons," the younger boy advised, his tone stern. "It's been three days… There's a chance the one-eyed demon could be around Athens if Seung Mi-na…" He trailed off, his expression grim at the thought of the worst case scenario.

The older warrior turned away and narrowed his eyes at the factual truth. However, it was also true that he did not detect any evil presences within the city. "We'll head eastward to the outskirts of the city first then farther if I fail to sense anything out of the ordinary." In a quieter tone, he added, "I'm sure that woman is alive."

Link was quiet for a brief moment before sounding quite assured. "Yeah, she should be okay. From what I saw, she's a good fighter! And that other lady was helping her. They have to be alive." He stood from his bed, looking more confident, and draped the dark blue cloak that was once Siegfried's over his small shoulders. "All right. Let's head out. Promise me that you'll warn me of any danger the moment you sense it."

Siegfried lightly smirked as he equipped his gauntlet. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

As expected, venturing out in the busy streets of Athens was an absolute pain. It was noisy, crowded and hot. However, after much frustration, the boys eventually stumbled upon the alleyways where it was far quieter and seldom occupied by adult shoppers. The alleys were the streets for children and their games during the day.

Blending well with the laughing, giggling, dirty-faced occupants of the alleys, Siegfried sauntered through the narrow street that followed the main eastern road leading out of the city. Some children gave him curious glances as he passed by but he hardly paid any attention to them. Besides the annoying stares of the Athenian children, the knight was greatly relieved that he sensed no other eyes upon him as he had done so before. He couldn't be too careful however, for he also carried Link's valuable sword. There could be other eyes hidden within the shadows; eyes that bore no evil but other ill intentions.

The sounds of children gradually faded when they entered the outskirts of the city. Seeing that Siegfried continued on, Link ran up beside him. "You sense nothing?" the elf inquired.

"Nothing," the knight answered, turning onto the main road. From there, they left the city limits shortly after noon and crossed the fields until they found a small area with a few small trees that could hide them from travelers following the main road.

Tired from both the long walk and having to carry a heavy sword, Siegfried dropped against the rough trunk of one of the trees and wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his right hand. A pleasant cooling wind rustled the leaves of the trees and shrubs and sent ripples through the long green grass of the wide fields. Link joined him in the shade and took out two bottles of water he had recently refilled in the kitchen at the inn. Together they ate a small meal consisting of more bread. Once finished, Siegfried unbuckled the Master Sword's strap and allowed the sword to fall onto the grass.

Link asked, "Are you going to try wielding the Master Sword?"

Siegfried snorted at the idea. "And get shocked again?" He examined the branches of the nearby trees and found a suitable limb that he could use as a practice sword.

As he was snapping the branch off, the elf said, "I'm sure you can use it… Why don't you give it a try?"

In the midst of stripping his chosen branch, the knight furrowed his brow at the smiling boy. "No. That sword is not meant for my hands." He snapped the pointed end off his make-shift weapon before breaking it further for a desirable length.

"Use your gauntlet. You only used your bare hand to touch the hilt that one time. Maybe if…" The elf trailed off when he saw Siegfried's look of disapproval. "If you can use it, it will protect you," the younger boy stressed.

"It's a double-edged sword and I'm not speaking about this in a literal sense," Siegfried argued. "It's too heavy and it's capable of harming me. How do you expect me to wield such a thing in battle?"

"You just have to believe you can." The elf's blue eyes shone with confidence while the older boy shook his head at the ridiculous statement. "In time, you'll eventually learn how to use it."

"Believe?" Siegfried couldn't help but break out in mocking laughter. "Ridiculous," he finally muttered, smirking at the elf's amusing words. Not wanting to hear any more of it, the older warrior walked out of the shade and into the bright sunlight and pointed the end of his stick at the other. "Draw your blade."

At the command, Link sighed and moved his hands to unbutton his cloak. He then took off his bow, quiver and satchel and placed them on the ground beside the hidden sword. Stepping out of the shadows, the elf soundly unsheathed his small sword. Gleaming a brilliant silver under the light, the edge of the boy's blade was visibly sharp and deadly despite its small size. The circular red jewel adorning the center of the wooden hilt caught the sun, making it shine with a ruby flame. Link stood right across from Siegfried, bold yet uncertain at the same time.

The knight fell into his proper stance, feeling nostalgic for it had been so long since he had fought in his own human body. In spite of being trapped in the body of a young boy, he still had memories of his skills and techniques both his own and unfortunately Nightmare's. He wondered if his weaker form could manage to pull them all off. Emerald eyes narrowed at the elf in a challenging stare. "Come at me. Don't hold anything back."

Link was reluctant. "Are you sure? All you have is a stick."

"And you have no shield. It's only fair."

"Not exactly…"

"Hmph. You're underestimating me, aren't you?" Siegfried adjusted his hold on his weapon and deepened his glare. "If you won't come at me, then I will come at you!" He dashed forward, his armour noisily clinking with each heavy step. He was before the startled elf within an instant, his stick swinging around for a quick horizontal sweep.

Link was an agile warrior, capable of throwing his body back to flip out of harm's way. It was impressive but Siegfried did not waste any time to stop and praise the elf. The knight stepped forward and closed the distance between them just as Link landed. The end of his stick was thrust into the gut of the smaller boy. He held back in his attack but it was still enough to make the foolish elf double-over with pain.

"That hurt!" the boy wheezed, struggling to regain his breath.

Siegfried smiled and it wasn't friendly. "It was a mistake to underestimate me, elf." Twirling the stick in his hand, he commented, "In the hands of an experienced warrior, even a rock can become a deadly weapon. When I fight, I fight seriously and you should do the same. Now, it's your turn. Come at me!"

Growling, Link fell into his own stance, obviously livid from Siegfried's cheap shot. He lunged at the older warrior, fast and swift. However, the moment he was within range, hesitation flickered over the young boy's face. The sword that was meant to strike strong and quick became slow and predictable. With ease, the knight swung out and struck the wrist of the boy's sword hand, forcing Link to drop his weapon.

"What is this? Are you really a swordsman?" Siegfried demanded, prodding his stick into the chest of his opponent who quickly swatted it away with an infuriated snarl. "You can hardly swing that little sword of yours. If this is the extent of your skills, you will die on our journey!"

Blue eyes flashed with anger. Retrieving his sword, Link gritted his teeth and grounded out, "I'm just not used to fighting in this body yet. That's all!"

The knight scoffed. "A poor excuse. You fought against that red-haired idiot. How can you not be accustomed to your body? Unless you really are a weak little elf."

"Hylian!" the younger warrior snapped. "And I'm not weak!"

"Then prove it! Do not hesitate to show me your true strength!"

Link angrily huffed to the side before returning his burning gaze at the other. Roaring, he charged at the older boy. But again, hesitation was noticeable in the boy's actions and Siegfried took advantage of it, forcing the fool into the ground once more. The younger warrior sprung back up and resumed his attack. However, no matter how many times Link tried, Siegfried would always knock the boy into the dirt. With each fall, the knight taunted, ridiculed and dismayed the elven warrior. His tone was harsh and his words, harsher, bristling the elf with each remark.

Siegfried wanted to break the soft-hearted boy. He wanted to make Link fight with vengeance; to burn with rage and have his blood boil with hate. Towering over the boy who had fallen onto his back and propped on his elbows, Siegfried thrust the tip of his stick beneath the elf's chin and roughly lifted the seething child's head. Their eyes locked; a fiery blue against steely emerald. "Loathe me," the knight hissed. He did not want concern. He did not want sympathy. He did not want pity. They were faces he had often seen on the little brat and it sickened him. "I want you to despise me."

Link smacked the broken wood away and jumped to his feet, furious but also confused. His face was flushed from exertion and frustration, his clothes, covered in dirt and grass, and his body, scratched and bruised. Siegfried was tired as well, but unlike the ignorant elf, he was hardly suffering. Between breaths, Link snarled, "There is no hate in a spar."

"Since when was this a spar?" Siegfried spat, "This is a battle; a battle we never finished. Back in the forest when we first met, I would have killed you if that portal had not appeared. You would be dead and your soul taken."

"I wouldn't be defeated so easily!"

"You would have been slain within an instant!" The older boy advanced, lightly jabbing the end of his weapon into the chest of the younger. "From what I've witnessed so far, your skills are lacking and absolutely terrible. If this is how you truly fight then your only chance at victory is relying mainly on the power of your Master Sword. You don't deserve to be the wielder of that sword! You are nothing! Only a foolish little child! An ignorant elf–"

Link knocked Siegfried's stick aside with the flat of his blade and leapt forward with newfound rage. Hiding his smirk, the knight brought up his gauntlet to defend the green swordsman's downward slash. The sound of metal hitting metal rang through the air. The older boy flinched from the impact but held up his guard. Link followed with an upward cut that Siegfried managed to avoid by stepping back. Using the thicker end of his stick, Siegfried countered with a quick thrust only to miss the rolling elf.

Cursing under his breath, the knight swerved in the direction of the evading boy and instinctively swung out his weapon just in time to block the silver edge coming down at him. Or so he had thought… The elf's sword was indeed as sharp as it looked, easily slicing through the thick wood like paper. He felt the blade bite into his right forearm before he even saw it hit him.

Hissing in pain, Siegfried stumbled back and fell to one knee, grasping his new wound with his armoured hand. Blood instantly bled between his iron fingers, trickling down his wrist and bare hand where it dripped onto the flattened grass beneath him. There was a sharp gasp before Link rushed to his side, his pale face full of guilt and worry. "I'm so sorry!"

Siegfried sneered in satisfaction. "Don't apologize," he muttered, glancing sideways at the frowning elf. "That was… excellent."

"Excellent?!" Link exclaimed furiously. "I got you hurt! This is why I hesitated! You only had a stick!" He got up and ran toward his items left under the tree.

The knight snorted. "And you had no shield."

"It's not the same!" Link returned with the dark blanket that was used to hide the Master Sword. With his smaller sword, the elf cut a few strips and motioned for Siegfried to show him the wound. Slowly, the knight pried his bloodied gauntlet away to reveal the deep cut that ran diagonally down his forearm. "Farore, Nayru and Din…" the elf breathed out, completely horrified. He worked diligently, staunching the flow of blood first before bandaging the wound with the strips of torn cloth. Once finished, he apologized again.

"It's fine, boy," Siegfried grumbled, rising stiffly to his feet. "This is what I wanted from you. Remember, when you fight, you must never hesitate. Showing mercy to your opponent is being cruel to yourself. And this... is what I deserve."

"But–"

"That's enough for today." The knight headed towards the tree littered with the elf's belongings and slumped against the trunk to shade from the late afternoon sun. "We'll rest until sunset. I don't want people suspecting me of murder with all this blood on my hands."

Without a word, Link joined him under the same tree. After a few moments of silence, the boy suddenly asked, "Does it hurt?"

Siegfried rolled his eyes and cursed. "Yes, it hurts," he muttered. His arm was throbbing with a dull pain and the make-shift bandages were already wet and stained dark with blood. He had to be careful not to move it too much.

"I'm sorry…"

"Shut up. I don't need to hear it." Siegfried let out a weary sigh. There was a long pause before he spoke up. "I want to ask a favour of you."

He heard Link shift in his position. "What kind of favour?"

"First, I want you to promise me that you will do this favour no matter what."

"Well..." Link hesitated and Siegfried gave him a sideways glare.

"Do you promise or not?"

The elf looked over at him and nodded. "Sure, I promise."

Siegfried closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. "Good. Now listen carefully," he began, hearing a small sound of agreement from Link, "If I ever lose myself again, fight me like you have done just now. Stop me with everything you have. Do not hesitate. Understand? Kill me before I get a chance to hurt you or anyone else again. Do not show any mercy... or you might die when I lose all of my self-control."

"What? Have you–"

"You promised me, Link," the knight hardened his gaze at the other, "and friends do not break promises."