Chapter 9 is here and I love this level. The music, the cutscences, they're better than some of the main games.

Last chapter, Link unofficially pronounced his love for Zelda, but...hehehe, he won't get it that easy. Especially after this chapter. Some things seen weren't meant to be seen. Josh and Lana come closer, and unlike the Zelink, they're almost near the end of their pre-romance before they take off. But let's...separate them for a while. After all, jealousy is a playground for a writer. Sheik and Impa hasn't confronted each other yet, but heads will be butted.

The next chapter will be a short break, probably will be revealed after I write the chapter. The following eight are action chapters. Two with Cia, two with Link, two with Lana and Josh, and the last two with the Sheikahs. With that, I need your input. Who do you want first? Link or Lana/Josh? They'll come after the Cia chapters, but I won't do the Sheik/Impa two until after Nintendo or Tecmo announce the MM characters. So those two are up to you before I pick the fun one first.

If you enjoy HW music, you know which awesome song goes with this level. If you never heard the music, look up "Eclipse of the Sun". It's not the best of the three "Eclipse" songs, but it is great in its own right.

Without further adieu, here's Chapter 9! The longest chapter yet!

"Oh, Aveil..."

Lana jumped straight up after hearing that.

It was 2 a.m., and she just so happened to wake up at that noise. She tried remembering how she fell asleep. 'We relaxed in the hot tub, practiced hand-to-hand combat, listened to his stories of him and that bitch Aveil...now I'm here.'

She heard it again. "Yes, Aveil. I will..." Lana grew instantly jealous.

'Is he...dreaming about that witch? Oh no! She won't steal him from me like Zelda stole Link...well, they met each other first, I guess. But Josh is mine! I sound like Cia. Guess I'm still like her in some ways, but not enough to do what she's doing.'

She looked to her left. He wasn't there. "Josh?"

There was a groan. "Down here, Lana. How is the comfort of my bed?"

She feigned happiness, then can up with a plan. "10 out of 10, wish you could feel the Sacred Realm surrounding you while you sleep. Join me, pleeeeeeease?"

"I'm just being a chivalrous man. Now go back to...Put me down!"

The sorceress used a wall she created to raised the boy from the floor and plopped him on the bed. She quickly jumped on top of him, her legs on both sides of his lower torso. "Lana, Lana, Lana, do you know how tired I am?"

She traced a finger on his chest, clearly wasting time. "Noooooooo...but you look very energized. Care to share?"

Her seductive voice caught him off guard, but he's Gerudo. "What do you want?"

Happy she was winning, she rose off on him, and plopped down hard on him, her head on his neck. He tensed up in pain, but allowed her to lay on him.

"Really, Lana?"

She faced him, her chin on her hands, which are on his chest. "Yes. How is a king going to sleep beside his queen if he can't sleep with a commoner like me?" We all know the "cute" face.

"You're not a commoner to me. If anything, you're a maiden."

"Not queen?"

"No."

'What? But he lets me do things that even the Gerudos don't do. Like now. Unless...no.' She was jealous. 'Of course. That whore...Aveil. Stealing my man.' Like I said in Chapter 4, Aveil and Josh were close. Some Gerudos pegged her as their queen. And Lana has caught some jealous looks from the young Gerudo. "Then I guess Aveil is queen."

He was really caught off guard. Her tone and choice of name rang alarms in his head. "What?"

She got off of him and stood up. "Aveil. A-V-E-I-L. You know, the 'Queen of the Gerudos.' Nabooru's apprentice. The girl you've known for seventeen years."

"I know who she is, Lana. Why are...you know what? It's too damn early for this. Good night!"

He went back to the floor. She didn't let him close his eyes. "Are you in love with her? Have you went hot tubbing with her without those stupid clothes? Cuddled with her at night? Because I would believe so, you ass!"

He looked at her with a very deadly gaze, one that could cut diamond. "Why does it matter to you?"

She glared back. "You should know why? She's an ugly, backstabbing, jealous little girl!"

Screw cutting diamond. It's melting now. "Oh, so you're mad because no male on this planet looks at you. Hmph, I understand why. Your jealous of my relationship with her."

"I'm not moaning her name at night!"

"Get Link's name off your togune before you chastise me!"

He turned and went directly to sleep. Lana, however, was angry and surprised. He didn't even deny it, and he went as far to insult her. And he meant it. 'Wait till morning, Joshua. Just wait.'

The Valley of Seers was three hours from the forest, so time was a factor during the march. However, Link noticed tension. He was used to the Sheikahs, but Josh and Lana wasn't even together as usual.

"Proxi, what's with them?"

"Probably the same stuff we got through. Argument leads to separation."

"We don't separate."

"Right. Must have had a big fight."

Link walked to Sheik. He noticed she would glance at him, and he had a strange feeling that he enjoyed the attention. Who wouldn't?

"Can't keep your eyes off, can't you?"

Sheik laughed. To her, the laugh was her own. To Link, it was familiar. "Don't have a big ego, hero. It turns women off. Or on, probably."

"Which ego, my little Sheikie?"

The Gerudo prince had a mischievous smirk on his face, and Sheik had it in her eyes. "Yours isn't even big enough for a microscope."

The hero and ninja chuckled at the prince's embarrassed expression, but that smile returned. Glancing at Lana (who was laughing herself alongside the soldiers that heard), he simply said, loudly so Lana could here, "Aveil would certainly disagree with that."

Lana fumed and turned away from the group. Josh quieted down and told Sheik and Link. "She thinks my best friend back home is my girlfriend. Very angry she was."

"Like you yesterday."

"My reason had merit. Her's doesn't." He turned to Link. "So, lover boy, you're Ordon's finest lip locker? Zelda would put that to the test."

Link blushed, and Sheik may have done the same, but that scarf covered it. "Impa told you, didn't she?"

"Yep. Made my morning...what is that?"

The group turned and saw the purple sky. They were getting closer.

The Hyruleans engaged into battle. Lana and Link went west, Sheik and a reluctant Impa went east, and Josh stood at the base.

He was going to battle, why wouldn't he? He just needed some think time. 'Where to go? Lana or Zelda?' He wanted to figure out why Lana was mad at Aveil. But, knowing Impa, she would leave Sheik behind, and, hypothetically, Sheik died and she was revealed to be Zelda, Impa and Link would never forgive themselves and become boring. But Lana was his best friend, even more than Aveil. Prehaps even more than that...He didn't realize how much time passed until he got a call from Impa for assistance. He saw who it was.

'Ah, yes. Time to actually fight fire with fire.'

Let's backtrack to the beginning.

Cia saw the army. She knew what was going to happen. She knew her beloved was here.

"Ooh, has the hero come to see me at last?" Well then, Link, don't keep me waiting. We got things to do."

The witch then imagined everything. Her capturing the hero.

Her killing his friends.

Her seducing the hero.

Her kissing the hero

Her unclothing the hero and vice versa.

Link saying her name and Cia saying his.

"Yes, Link. We got things to do."

"Cia's at the top of the ruins, Link. Let's take her out and stop her from summoning more monsters."

"Aye, Captain!"

The duo and their Sheikah companions to the east were making their way to the East and West Ruin Keeps. Taking those as well as the dully named East and West Keeps will provide a foothold against the enemy base. Sheik said something like that.

Link and Lana made it to the West Keep.

Six walls, three on each side, appeared, and Lana jumped from one end to the opposite side before denonating the walls. Bokoblins died everywhere.

"Nice one, but we still got more." They fought on until the keep was under Hyrulean control, and move to the-

"Watch out Link!"

Link and Lana ducked at the fairy's warning, and a blade passed over their heads. Looking up, they saw a Darknut. Knights in dull, yet tough armor.

"Lana, I got him. Take everyone to the keep." Like a boy, Link didn't have a plan to beat the monster. Like his ancestors, he just jumped into battle and waited for an opening.

The eyes flashed red, and the Darknut thrusted its sword forward. Link dodged and struck the knight, and eventually returned the knight's own move back to it. The Darknut returned to dust.

Lana had her own troubles. It is called a Beamos. A laser shoots from the pole enemy, and it also has an explosive effect to it.

Lana had a plan. She waited for it to fire before she moved, got close to it, and threw bombs. The Beamos fired its last laser.

The keep was taken when Link arrived. "Great, now hopefully the Sheikahs can cooperate."

'Can Sheik be trusted?' Impa thought of that as she slayed Bokoblin after Bokoblin. Her answer? Nope. The Gerudo Prince was even more trustworthy, and it pained Impa to think that.

She had to get away from the girl. "Sheik, my apologies, but I feel I'll be better used elsewhere. You're own your own."

Sheik didn't need to voice her opinion. Impa was gone. But Sheik pressed forward. Taking the East Ruins, Sheik headed east to hit the East Keep from the eastern side, and to not get in Impa's way.

Impa, unfortunately, regretted her decision.

She had met with a terrible fate. Volga, the dragon knight.

He rekt (yep, its that bad of a beating) the troops like they paper. "Worthless. These vermin will barely qualify as exercise."

"Then let me help you."

Water splashed on the knight's face, and that made him mad. "Worthless Sheikah! You shall join your tribesmen in death!"

Fire and water, old foes they are, battled their eternal battle as both warriors used their abilities. However, fatigue was a factor. Volga was well rested. Impa wasn't.

"Pah. You're no fun. Don't you have a stronger warrior for me to duel? Or shall I end you?"

She began to get overpowered, and defeat was imminent. She reluctantly called for backup. She reluctantly called for the Gerudo Prince.

"Josh, I need help!"

"Where are...oh. On my way!"

She didn't know how long it was, but she was on her final stand. 'How is he so strong? Magic?'

Her answer came in a long stream of fire...from behind her. The dragon knight was stunned, and Josh summon the ball of fire with the Triforce on it. "It's dangerous to go alone. TAKE THIS!"

The dragon knight fell back, but got right back up. "Impa, assist Sheik. I got Hot Breath."

Staff clanged against rod as the two pyromancers fought.

Volga dugged his spear into the ground, digging up dirt and fire. Josh got dirt in his face, but wiped himself clean. He responded by implanting his rod into the ground, lifting Volga with a pillar of fire before twisting both his spear and the fire.

Volga changed his hand into a claw and swiped the ground. Josh jumped over the incoming attack and created an axe, tossing it at Volga. He missed, but the rod returned.

Volga then blew fire at him, and Josh countered with his flamethrower.

Josh then switched it to a fire tornado, catching Volga and raised his rod skyward. Volga was caught in a pillar of fire.

He wasn't done. He jumped back as Joshed stuck his rod in the ground, summoning a snake made of fire. His attack missed the now dragon Volga.

"Bye, now."

Volga blew a fireball at the boy before crash landing himself. Smoke was everywhere.

"HIYAH!"

Laser blast. Two laser blasts. Three laser blasts. Spinning rod attack. Shotgun.

All five attacks hit Volga, and as a last ditched effort, he twirled his spear and stabbed hit into the ground, summoning fire. It miss and his spear was stuck. He saw the prince form the ball with the Triforce again.

"Tell Cia that my women are a greater challenge than you." The prince fired.

The five heroes met in the East Keep. Josh led the conversation. "There are vines on the southern entrance, plus a gate. We'll have to go around. The west way is closed and filled with monsters, but there's a bridge on the east side. Here's the plan: An engineer is on route to the bridge and will bring it down. Link and I will deal with Cia. Sheik, take the west, Impa, the east, and Lana...just in case those monsters slip past the Sheikahs, protect our base. We're clear on orders?"

Everyone nodded, although Lana's was an unhappy nod. "Alright, let's finish this."

All except Josh and Lana left, and when they were gone, Josh spoke. "Lana, what's wrong with Aveil? Why do you despise her?"

Lana bursted. "Why her?"

He sighed. "Lana, we were never together." He hid his regret well.

She grunted and turned her back to him. "I find it hard to believe."

"Lana… if I was in love with Aveil, would I hang around you as I do?"

"Gerudos lie, cheat, and steal. How would I know?"

That's true (he was lying a bit), but not the point. "Ok. That's how it is. Fine! Be the rejected girl you'll always be. HE won't love you...no, HE doesn't love you. He loves her. Get over it!"

CRACK!

She slapped him. Hard. So hard, he almost fell.

And what did he do?

A. Walked away.

B. Give her some words.

C. Return to sender.

D. None of the above.

Got an answer?

Ready? The answer is...

...

...

...

Lana was on the ground, clutching her stomach. Now regretting hitting the Gerudo Prince, who led a group of tough women who were expect to fight, she looked at the angry...no sad prince. He knelt down beside her, holding her cheek.

"I'm not sorry for that. Don't expect me to. But if my words hurt you, then I'm truly sorry. But Aveil are not together. We're friends. Best of friends. I mean that. Yes, I've shared my perks with her. But I never did sleep with her, or even kiss her." And before she knew it, her cheek was met by his lips. "There's only one girl I did all of them with. Well, sleep sleep, because sleep now means something else. Now go."

He left the stunned Lana behind, making his way to Link, who was gone.

"Damn Link, couldn't wait."

"Vines? What the heck?"

"Vines? Like the app?"

"No silly, like the plant!" Link turned and saw the vine blocking access to the top of the pyramid. He began to dig in his pouch.

"Ooh, what is he gonna take out today? Apples? Bottles? A horse?"

"Epona is at the stables, thank you very much. Ah, here it is!"

"A boomerang?" Link threw it and the vines were cut. "Well, Proxi, 200. Link, 1."

"Think it is the other way around."

Josh showed up. "Hey, why you leave? And nice work, tons of dead bodies. Why you standing there? Let's go."

When they got up there, all presence of their chivalry disappeared. Oh, remember Josh's training? Throw it away.

'DAYUM!' They even thought the same of the witch. She was perfect. Well, if they didn't count evil as a flaw, she would be.

"Link, time to play the Hero's favorite game. Get that girl all over you, Ordon's Finest!"

Link gasped. "What? No!" Josh ran away to assist the ladies. Or at least there was one lady back where he left them.

Link remembered what he had to do and step forward. However, Cia was notified of the Hero's presence as the Triforce of Power began to resonate.

"Oh?"

She turned and saw the hero in green. "Ah, Link, the great hero. Let me get a look at you." She walked down the steps, and despite his wishing, Link couldn't turned away. He was definitely entranced.

But Link is a bold Link, and quite the womanizer. Plus, Josh owes him one after this. 'Ordon's Finest, my ass!' So he allowed the witch to come closer.

She felt his hard chest, his skinny arms, and became entranced by his feral gaze. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she felt opportunity come. "You know, I did this for us. Join me, and we can have our desires. We can have the world. We can have each other. I'll give myself to you at any moment, no matter where we are."

Link laughed. "Sex in Hyrule Field is kinda my dream. Plus I see a damsel in distress. Gotta save her."

Cia laughed, and brought the Hero's face closer to hers. "You wish is mine then" .Lips clashed as the two connected. To Cia, this was bliss. Her hands grabbed the Hero's head, bringing him closer. Link grabbed her waist and, pretty much explored her body with his hands. Cia enjoyed it. She didn't expect it to be a ruse.

Link is going to make sure Josh pays for this.

"Oh, Link..."

Link began to kiss her neck. "Yes?"

"Ohh, come with me. We can do this in another place. Hyrule Field?"

"Definitely. But before we go..."

BAM!

Cia was on the steps, trying to process what happened. Who she saw enraged her.

Sheik was standing by Link. In a very bad mood. "Link I see you're...handling things your way."

It just got awkward. "Umm...yeah…thanks."

Cia noticed her Triforce was resonating more powerfully. "Two?" She looked at her adversaries. "Ah, I see. That's very welcome news."

She rose and turned towards the Gate of Souls. "Come forth, my servant!"

Josh and Impa felt the ground shake as a large Deku Baba appeared. Then three more appeared. On one body.

Josh knew what it was. "Manhandla!" He looked towards Impa, tossing her a boomerang. "That skin looks metallic. Wait for an opening!"

Impa nodded as the plant began to shoot a large seed into the air. The heroes didn't know where it landed.

"Josh! A giant..." BOOM! "...our base."

"Alright. Impa, our base is probably under attack. Look for an opportunity."

The heads lined up, and the metallic skin exposed a layer underneath.

"NOW!"

Boomerangs flew and hit their targets, send the heads sinking into the plant and exposing a red core. The two heroes attacked. Josh then summoned a meteor to hit the core, dealing massive damage.

Link and Sheik popped out of nowhere and stabbed the burnt core along with Impa. Manhandla was no more.

"Looks like we manhandled a Manhandla!" The Hero and Sheikahs groaned at the prince's bad joke.

Lana giggled as she joined them. "Good, we annihilated it! Let's not waste any more time. Cia is next!"

The place was empty as our five heroes came to the keep. Link looked to Sheik, who nodded. "Let's close that portal."

Link stepped forward, and Cia's magic held him, Sheik, and Impa in place. Lana jumped out of the way, and Josh was luckily near the edge of the trap. He couldn't help but say it.

"It's a trap!"

Cia reappeared, laughing maliciously. "Nice Star Wars pun, my prince."

"I aim to please."

She laughed again as her Triforce shone. Link looked and saw his left hand have the familiar mark of Courage. Seeing the same light on his left, Link saw the third piece.

He had Courage.

Cia had Power.

Sheik had Wisdom.

Impa looked as if she couldn't believe she won the lottery.

Josh looked as if he knew this. He thought everyone would connect the dots.

Lana was almost as surprised as Impa. "Sheik, that's the..."

Impa finish the sentence. "The Triforce of Wisdom."

'Oh come on. CONNECT A TO B, IMPA!'

The pieces rose from their bearers to Cia, who snagged them and flashed them. "Ha ha ha! How nice of you to bring me the Triforce of Wisdom as well!" She walked as she had to Link earlier as she freed the trapped heroes. They lined up to face the witch.

Cia was intrigued by the nearly completed Triforce. "That means I have all three pieces." The pieces began to fit together as she held her hands under them. "Behold...the awesome majesty of the completed Triforce!"

Lana caught to what was going to happen. "No! Link, run!"

"What about the rest of us?"

"Run too, you idiot!"

He began to whisper a spell. "I'm in charge, dry eyes!" Light left his hands as a portal formed in front of the five. "Get in NOW!"

"Cia..."

"Yes?" She recognized the disembodied voice.

"The time to call the fragments of my spirit is NOW!"

"Yes, I can feel them seeking me out." She bent down and immediately sprang back up, summoning her wish.

"HaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The five heroes were far from Cia, but not from the sight they saw. A large purple pillar of energy flew towards the sky. A huge blast erupted from it.

They couldn't believe what happened next. The landscape began to change.

Lana got everyone's attention. "Everyone, gather around me!" Throwing the Book of Sorcery into the air, Lana grabbed it and slammed it on the ground, creating a barrier. The heroes watched as the pillars of dust passed them.

"What's happening, Impa?"

"No, idea, Link." Josh and Lana shared a look before looking to their surroundings. Time and space warped around them before they saw the result.

"Hey! Look!"

South of them was a very famous place. Link looked to Josh. "Isn't that...Death Mountain, but a different Death Mountain?"

"Yep. And to our west..." He pointed. They all saw a floating island.

Link and Sheik said it together. "Skyloft."

On the other side of Hyrule, a bridge form out of nowhere, encased in twilight in a endless plain. Near Death Mountain, a temple was created in a lake. And near Skyloft, a temple was formed, overlooking a spiral valley with a gray object in the center.

"Sheik, Lana, Impa, Proxi, and Link, I know what's going on."

Lana was confused. "You do? I didn't know."

"Really? Well, score one for me." He turned to Link. "What did the last hero do?"

"He...sealed the fragments of evil...ohhhh." The others didn't catch on.

"Exactly. We got bad news incoming." Pointing towards Death Mountain. "The Era of Time." Pointing towards Skyloft, "The Era of Sky, and somewhere in Hyrule, the Era of Twilight. Cia going to free three of evil's soul fragments."

Impa spoke. "So this was his doing. Well planned. We must stop her."

Lana stepped forward. "We need a plan. And rest."

Josh chuckled. "When's dinner time?"

"Gate of Souls...hear my voice...and open!"

The disembodied voice laughed. "My spirit will be freed!" Cia raised her hands and send a magical ball to each era.

In the Era of Sky, the Sealed Grounds.

In the Era of Time, the Water Temple.

In the Era of Twilight, the Palace of Twilight.

Each ball became a Gate of Souls, summoning monsters to terrorize the lands. Near each Gate of Souls, back smoke filled a nearby chained chest and freed the contents. A fragmented soul. All three made their way to Cia as they entered her.

The voice spoke. "Excellent work, child. Three fragments of my soul have been returned. The only one that remains is the one trapped by the Master Sword."

Looks like things are heating up. Next chapter, we resolved some issues with our heroes, except one. Zelink returns. Link is going to be surprised. Our two practitioners of magic will resolve the problem of jealousy. And we might have some Impa vs Sheik. Then we hang around with Cia for two chapters.

The battle between Volga and Josh are based on their weak+strong attack combos. Josh also has his full weak combo attack and his non-boss Weak Gauge special, which is that Triforce ball thing. The Weak Gauge special on Manhandla is the one everyone does on it (except Josh. That's Link's Fire Rod move).

Everyone got beef except Link. Speaking of Link...he's is a natural playa ^_^