Chapter 10: Forgotten Magic
"You know, this is not easy."
"Whoever said it was?"
"If I could recall, you did."
"Oh, did I?" she questioned with feigned innocence. Seeing the sullen look on his face, she lightly giggled at him. "You just need to concentrate more. A lot more. Now try again."
"I've been concentrating a lot more than usual and it still doesn't work."
She frowned. "The only thing you've been doing more than usual is complain. Now, come on," she motioned with her hand. "Focus on this particular flower in front of me."
Letting out a deep sigh in defeat, he briskly nodded with a small pout. "Fine, fine. I'll try one more –"
"No, no. We are going to do this all morning. To use Farore's Wind more effectively might prove useful to you one day."
"Yeah, fifty years from now if I could ever use it at all," he grumbled as he raised his arms behind his head. "I prefer the warp-from-one-set-point-to-another-set-point method."
She rolled her blue eyes before crossing her arms in frustration. "You've already mastered that so it's time for something new."
"It's not easy for me since I'm not skilled in magic as you are."
She pointed at the lonely, white-petalled flower before her feet. "You will eventually," she reassured. "But not today, that's for certain." Ignoring his sarcastic response, she glanced at him impatiently. "Now hurry up and try again. Be sure to direct your magic around you then focus on this flower when you cast the spell."
He whispered a prayer to the Goddesses under his breath.
"If you would prefer to do something else, l can summon Impa in here and you two could do a little training. How about that?"
"What? No! Fine, I'll do it!"
"Wake up."
"Oh, looks like it's time for you to go," she said, looking a little disappointed.
He blinked. "Go? Go where?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow. The look she was giving him was sad and distant and he wasn't sure why. It was still early morning; he wasn't leaving yet, (even though he really wanted to so he could avoid the pointless magic casting), so why was she upset? "What are you talking about? There's still plenty of time to practice."
"Hey, get up."
She slowly smiled as she approached him, one small step at a time. "Link, before you go, I want you to remember that the Goddesses will always be watching over you and... so will I."
"What do you mean?" Before she reached him, everything, including her, disappeared into a thick white fog.
"Wake up, already!"
Someone was nudging him awake with something hard. Slowly opening his eyes, he groggily stared up at an impatient pair of emerald orbs. Siegfried was prodding him with the end of the sheathed Master Sword.
"Quit that," Link mumbled as he lazily batted the sword away. Groaning at the stiffness of his body, he slowly sat up and rubbed his tired eyes. Every muscle seemed to ache from the afternoon's 'practice' and his energy was well spent. The evening sun was a deep orange glow in the horizon while the pale moon was high in the red sky. He must have fallen asleep shortly after laying down to rest.
"It's time to head back," he heard Siegfried say as something dark and soft was thrown right at him. Untangling himself, the object turned out to be his cloak. Link painstakingly climbed to his feet and stretched his sore body before equipping his discarded satchel, quiver and bow. He buttoned his cloak as he ran to catch up to the older boy who was already walking towards the city. The wind had picked up, blowing cool gusts over the field and chilling the Hylian slightly. In silence, Link walked behind the knight, keeping his eyes on the older one's back and the Master Sword was once again hidden under the remains of the dark blue blanket.
He couldn't help but smile at the other boy as he quietly followed him on the dirt path. Siegfried had called him a friend. Siegfried, the arrogant, stubborn, long-haired jerk, had actually considered him a friend! It was truly a startling surprise for Link.
"... friends do not break promises."
The young boy's wide smile slowly diminished into a sad one. "Friends don't kill each other either..." he silently added to that memory. Link glanced up at the darkening sky. The promise he made to Siegfried was going to be a hard one to keep. The mere thought of lifting his sword against the knight pained the Hylian heavily. Link could never muster enough courage, even with the Triforce, to kill the older boy let alone to ever hurt him intentionally. The past few times he had accidentally harmed Siegfried had already wrought a deep sense of guilt inside his heart...
That was why he made another promise to the older boy shortly after Siegfried's spoken words.
"I must be hearing things. Did you say 'friends do not break promises'?" Link had feigned ignorance when he asked that.
"You heard what I said," Siegfried had grunted irritably.
"No, no. I think I heard it wrong. What exactly did you say?"
There was a deep sigh before Siegfried shot a sideways glare at him. "For one with ears as long as yours, you should know exactly what I had said," he growled in irritation.
Rolling his eyes, Link sullenly stared at the older blond. "There's nothing wrong in repeating what you said, you know."
"Hmph!" Siegfried turned his head abruptly away. It was only a short moment before he faced forward to stare out at the open field bathed in sunlight. "Friends do not break promises, Link. Remember that." With that, he closed his eyes, obviously not wanting to talk about it anymore.
Managing a small, sad smile, Link achingly shifted to lie onto his back, resting his head over his crossed hands. Through the gaps of the tree, he gazed up at the blue sky. "I'll always remember that, Siegfried. That's why... I want to make another promise to you." He glanced over at the other boy and saw no change in his position. He paused shortly before continuing, "I promise that I will destroy Soul Edge and free you of your curse."
A harsh laugh escaped the older boy's lips. "Do you understand what you're saying? You are deluding yoursel-"
"I will do it," Link interrupted with a confident smirk. "I really will. I promise you."
"It is futile, boy. That promise will inevitably be broken," Siegfried had said with a touch of hopelessness. "I cannot be saved."
"No– "
"Just listen to me: It is hopeless to ever think that I could ever be completely free. My blood is tainted, my soul is corrupt… Even after the light had severed my connection with Soul Edge, I still fall under the sword's evil grasp. Tell me, how can you truly free me of this?"
"I'll find a way."Link gave the other a determined look. "I promise you. I will do it no matter what."
Siegfried snorted. "Everything I have done, everything I have committed, all my regrets will never perish even if that cursed blade was destroyed once and for all. I can never be forgiven for my actions... I can never be free."
"You just have to believe."
Siegfried narrowed his eyes into a glare. "You really are a foolish, naïve child."
"That may be but I'm also your friend! And I'm not going to give up in trying to save you!" Link had spoken the truth; he would find a way to free Siegfried of his curse no matter the cost, even if he had to risk his very own life.
Siegfried closed his eyes tiredly. "There is always darkness in everyone's heart. And mine is stained a deep dark black. Nothing can save it... not even you." A glum silence had fallen between them after that but Link had kept his vow.
Link was silent as he followed Siegfried towards the city. Before they reached the outskirts of Athens, Link bounded up beside the other. "What are we going to do now?" he asked, making Siegfried glance questioningly at him. "Soul Edge lies somewhere in the East and it's clear that we cannot continue on our own. Sophitia and her sister could help us. Perhaps Yun-seong and Seung Mi-na too!"
Siegfried glared at him from the side for no apparent reason (unless he was annoyed by Link's hopeful tone) before slowing his pace. He heaved a sigh before answering in a low voice, "I don't want any of them to get involved with us..."
"It's too late for that," replied the Hylian, keeping in pace with the other, "All of them are now involved in this situation more than ever. They helped us… I'm sure we can trust them. It seems like they have the same goal as we do and that's to find Soul Edge." Link saw Siegfried shift his eyes to the ground for a mere moment before glancing irritably at the younger blond.
"They are all fools," he grumbled bitterly, resuming his normal pace. "Anyone that involves themselves with that sword will always be met with misfortune. And they should not burden themselves with Soul Edge. It is my responsibility…"
"Even so, how do you expect to handle the responsibility alone?" Link argued crossly. "After what has happened to you so far, it's best to seek the help of others willing to fight against Soul Edge."
"No. I will not drag anyone else along for our cause," Siegfried replied in a fervent tone. "If I had a choice, I would have told you to leave Soul Edge to me. But curse our fates, we have turned into children and the only hope for restoring our bodies is to seek out that accursed sword…" His gaze lowered to his raised right hand, stained copper from dried blood. "This is my fault… If only I was stronger, I wouldn't have fallen prey to Soul Edge's control. I could have prevented this fate and you wouldn't have had to endure all the pain I've caused you… I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?" Link ran slightly ahead to give the grieving knight an assuring look as he carefully walked backwards. However, Siegfried averted his eyes from the other within an instant. "What has happened, happened," the boy in green stated. "You couldn't have foreseen the incident back in the forest. Besides, being a kid again isn't so bad." The knight snorted and rolled his eyes at that, visibly disagreeing. The Hylian shortly laughed and raised his sore arms behind his head in his usual posture. "I'm actually happy for this 'cursed' fate. If we did not meet on that day, I would still probably be wandering these lands, lost and alone." With a yelp, he stumbled over something and would have fallen back if Siegfried hadn't roughly grabbed his flailing arm to stabilize him. After that, the younger boy bashfully fell in step beside the annoyed knight.
"Why are you here?"
"Why am I here?" Link raised an eyebrow at the odd question but Siegfried did not look at him.
"Yes. Why are you here? In our world?" Siegfried clarified, a little irritated for having to repeat himself.
The Hylian sighed at the older boy's impatient demeanor. He looked straight at the vast city before him. "Do you remember the shard of Soul Edge I used to carry?" Siegfried's face noticeably darkened. "It fell upon my world and into the hands of a powerful wizard. For a time, Hyrule was shrouded in darkness…" Link failed to elaborate on the details, hating to recall what others had named 'The Period of Despair'. "I'm here to destroy the source of the evil that befell my homeland."
"You were sent here." It was a statement rather than a question.
Link slowly shook his head. "No. I was destined to come here."
"Destined?" Siegfried did not laugh as expected. Instead, he seemed interested. "You truly believe in destiny?"
With a wry smile, Link nodded and met the slightly bewildered gaze of the other. "My fate has already been chosen by the Goddesses of my world since I was born."
The knight lightly snorted and frowned with uncertainty. "What are you? A knight? A holy warrior of the gods?"
Amused, the younger blond laughed. "Not at all. I'm not a knight or anything considered of noble class or any other grandeur title. I am merely…"
"A child," Siegfried finished for him. Before Link could protest, the older warrior continued. "That is what you really are, boy. Your Goddesses are beyond cruel to send the likes of you to deal with Soul Edge. You truly do not belong here, Link."
The smaller boy shrugged and said in a dramatic voice, "Alas, I'm already here. It is my destiny to come here no matter how cruel it can be. I cannot go against the wills of the heaven."
Siegfried gruffly snorted at his reply. "Yeah... your Goddesses from the heaven sent you to be Soul Edge's next meal. I'm sure the sword has never tasted the soul of an elf before. It might die from soul poisoning." Seeing Link's odd expression, Siegfried raised his hands up. "Haven't you ever had food poisoning? You're so annoyingly happy and cheerful that it might cause Soul Edge's evil digestive system to malfunction."
Link pouted at the older boy's jest before returning to the more serious discussion at hand."You should reconsider letting Sophitia and the others help us." When he saw the look of disdain on the knight's face, he quickly added, "You have to admit that there is very little the two of us can do as we are now."
His head downcast, Siegfried said nothing as they continued down the road.
"Are you afraid to tell them the truth?"
"The truth…" the older boy murmured quietly, "would only bring fear and hatred." He quickened his pace, signalling the end of their discussion.
The Hylian furrowed his brow and silently followed right behind the other. As the older blond had stated before, Link knew nothing of Siegfried's past besides the fact that the knight was once the wielder of Soul Edge. It was not the young swordsman's place to pry and he made it clear that he did not need to know.
"You do not know the truth of my crimes," Siegfried had whispered on the second night of their transformation. Link could only imagine the extent of Siegfried's crimes but the others may have witnessed them personally… If they learned the truth about Siegfried, would they brandish their weapons against him out of spite? Link had failed to realize the consequences for revealing their identities from the others sooner. However, Link had promised to tell Seung Mi-na and Yun-seong the truth and it was up to Siegfried to reveal it all if he ever chose to. That was Siegfried's decision and his burden to bear...
They entered the outskirts of the city with the night sky above them. Their only source of light was the waning blue moon and it was awfully quiet in the dark, desolate streets. Towering buildings made of stone, marble and wood cast deep black shadows that hid the alleys. The wind could be heard, howling through narrow passages and billowing up dust. Besides the wind, the echo of their footsteps sounded around them along with the rhythmic clinks of Siegfried's armour. Such emptiness made Link wonder how an eerie side of the city could exist in the usually crowded and lively Athens. Even though the streets appeared bare and empty, he had an unnerving feeling that someone was watching them. Carefully, he scanned the shadows of each alley they passed and found nothing. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end with unease.
He was so distracted by his wary feeling that he did not notice Siegfried talking to him until the older boy shook him by the shoulders. "Did you hear what I said?" Siegfried asked, obviously annoyed. But he too, seemed to be as uptight as the Hylian. His emerald eyes shifted left and right as he spoke.
Link shook his head with a quiet, nervous laugh. "Err, no... What did you say?" he asked.
Siegfried did not answer right away, he was busy looking around. "I said," he spoke slowly and carefully, "someone is following us." With that he slowed to a stop.
Link nodded and turned to face him but a sudden flicker of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. "Look out!" he cried as he dove into the older boy, knocking them both onto the ground. Link felt the knife fly past his head before it soundly embedded itself into a wooden beam of an old abandoned merchant stand nearby. Ignoring his sore limbs, he clambered to his feet while drawing his bow and an arrow. Groaning, Siegfried was slow to rise beside him.
The Hylian heard a frustrated curse coming from the shadows within the alley to his right where the knife was thrown before a second silver blade was hurtled at him. Link leapt to the side to avoid the dagger, nocked his arrow, and fired into the shadows just as another knife was thrown. His heart skipped a beat at the deadly point aiming straight for him. It was too late to react… But then a strong hand pulled him safely out of the way and the knife split into wood to join the first and second. A snarl of pain sounded from the shadows, a clear indication that Link had hit his mark.
Siegfried loudly cursed, snapping Link's attention to the older boy who quickly stepped behind him. The knight swung out his armoured gauntlet, backhanding another dagger that was thrown by a second attacker hidden in the opposite alley. The blade was sent twirling into the air before clattering onto the stone ground.
"My, my. These little brats are good," praised the second attacker, a man whose voice was oily and deep. A burly man stepped into the moonlight, his icy blue eyes narrowing at Siegfried first before falling on the young Hylian in a vehement glower. He was awfully tall, towering over the boys by over a metre. Short, light brown hair stuck out in all directions and partly over his thick eyebrows. The dark, loose garments he wore were covered by a light armoured breastplate and plain shoulder guards that softly reflected the glow of the bluish moon.
Link met the gaze of the hostile stranger evenly as he carefully pulled back on his newly drawn arrow. Siegfried glared at the man, his body tense with caution as he favoured his wounded arm with his left gauntlet.
A slim sneer adorned the man's finely chiseled face. "Mardok, are they the ones you spoke of?" he asked the shadows of where the first attacker lurked, his piercing gaze never leaving the small boy. There was a drawn out hiss of pain as a man in dark clothing limped out of the alley. His angry scar-ridden face was unmistakable.
"You!" Link growled in contempt upon recognition. He quickly shifted his aim towards the same thief that dared to steal the Master Sword back in the mountain shrine. "How did you find us?"
The dark man stiffened and pointed a trembling short knife in his hand. "You cursed little demon," he hissed through his blackened teeth, his words laced with poison. "Don't think that I'll let you run off with something so valuable!" A vengeful smile twisted his ugly face. "There's no one here to protect you this time and I'm now more prepared against your foolhardy tricks." He looked at the other man, almost in desperation. "They have the sword! So don't just stand there! Kill them!"
Link abruptly turned his aim back at the tall man but saw that he remained in his position. The brute continued to sneer, his icy blue eyes reflecting a hint of amusement. "Demon? This puny little freak?" Link lowly growled at the insult while the man guffawed, barely able to contain his laughter. "How can you be afraid of mere children, Mardok?"
"Jarro, you fool! Don't be deceived!" snarled the shorter, unruly-haired thief. "The little one has powers in its arrows! Don't let it use them!"
"Now's your chance to freeze the damn bastard," Siegfried muttered under his breath, his attention fully on Mardok.
"Gonna be hard with two of them and you defenseless," the Hylian hastily whispered. He kept his arrow pointed in the larger man's direction. He had a terrible feeling that Jarro was a more capable thief than the other.
Along with a sinister smile, cold eyes glowered dangerously at the armed boy. "Powers, hmm?" mused Jarro. He took a step forward, sliding free a large dagger from its sheath by his belt. The sharp edge glinted maliciously under the moon. "I want to see your powers, little monster."
"You asked for it," Link retorted with a smug grin, imbuing his arrow with holy magic. Aiming at the man's breast plate, he released a Light Arrow in hope of blinding the thief to give Link and Siegfried a chance to run and hide.
His escape plan dissipated when the muscled brute easily knocked the magical arrow away with the flat of his dagger, sending the golden projectile upwards. Golden light exploded over the dark street for a mere second when the arrow struck the roof of a nearby stone building. Link huffed in annoyance and drew another arrow before Jarro recovered from witnessing the boy's magic.
"Interesting. Very interesting," said the man, his icy stare gleaming with excitement. His sneer widened, showing the whites of his perfect teeth. It was clear that he was not afraid of Link, making the boy mentally curse and tense with caution.
There was a frustrated growl from Mardok. "Damn you, Jarro!" He was soundly running forward. "Go for a swift kill!"
Siegfried was already on him before Link could turn around. Throwing all his weight, the knight collided into Mardok with his left shoulder, tackling the man to the ground. At that moment, Link sensed the other thief coming up behind him. Being short had its advantages, allowing Link to simply ducked under Jarro's outstretched arms that wanted to grab him. The boy rolled away, drew an arrow as he hopped onto his feet and fired an Ice Arrow at the brute, but again the man simply smacked it away. A dark blue flash filled the moonlit street for a short moment as ice began to noisily form on the side of a nearby building. Jarro was highly amused by the frozen spell yet his focus was quick to return to the Hylian.
The situation looked dire: Jarro's reflexes were far too good and he was obviously a formidable fighter in close combat. Link would definitely lose to him in a sword battle in terms of strength and speed.
Clenching his jaw tightly, the boy backed away and drew another arrow while keeping a steady gaze on his dangerous opponent. There was a shrill cry of pain followed by a screaming curse from Mardok before he roughly kicked Siegfried away. With a yelp and a grunt, Siegfried landed hard beside the Hylian.
"You all right?" Link quickly asked him, not leaving his eyes off the muscled brute that looked at his fellow thief in contempt.
He heard the older blond mutter a few breathless curses before seeing Siegfried slowly stagger to his feet in the peripheral of his vision. "Never been better," the knight spat out sarcastically, his voice noticeably strained.
The situation was turning badly; Siegfried was too injured and also unarmed to fight and Link could not keep an eye on both annoying thieves. Let alone, he couldn't even lay a finger on the muscled brute... Running was no option either; they wouldn't get very far in their weakened state. They had to escape immediately but how?
Goddesses… He started to pray for some sort of plan but soon stopped when he recalled the words: "… the Goddesses will always be watching over you, Link." They were spoken not too long ago, he vaguely remembered, within the dream…
"We cannot fight them," he heard Siegfried hiss through pain.
Link slowly nodded, trying in vain to rethink back on the dream. The Goddesses... That's it! Grinning, he knew what to do.
Mardok sprang back up on wobbly legs all the while clutching his bloody face with one gloved hand. Through his bloodied fingers, he glared murderously at Siegfried. "You will pay for this, you little whelp!"
"Close your eyes," Link whispered to the other boy.
Link closed his own eyes just as he heard Mardok pick up a fallen knife. As the thief soundly charged straight towards them, the Hylian released an arrow of light at the stone ground before him.
Siegfried did not ask why he should close his eyes. He obeyed without hesitation, believing Link had something planned. Indeed, the elf was up to something when Siegfried 'saw' light flash beneath his tightly closed eyelids and hearing startled yelps from the two men.
He snapped his eyes open when he suddenly felt small arms wrap around his upper body. He glared down at the brat. "What are you –" he started to demand but was quickly cut off.
"Shh! I need to concentrate!" the boy told him sternly. With his brow deeply furrowed, Link was staring hard at the thieves; focusing not at them but on the road behind them for some damn reason.
Concentrate for what? Siegfried hissed inwardly. What was the elf doing giving him a stupid, awkward hug in the middle of a battle where they were likely going to be killed by those insolent thieves? Link has totally lost his sense of pride! The fear of death must have gotten to him...
When Jarro and Mardok finally managed to regain their sight, their furious gazes instantly fell on the two boys and a series of angry threats were muttered out of their lips. Daggers in their hands, the promise of a painful death was evident on their twisted faces.
Siegfried swore out loud. He was in no condition to fight against the grown men. His wounded arm was stiff and badly hurting from his tussle with the cursed Mardok and he lacked a proper weapon. And worst of all, he had an elf clinging onto to him for dear life.
Aggravated, the knight was about to tell the boy to unhand him and stand up like a warrior but Link's entire body suddenly began to glow a gentle shade of green. The light brightened and soon, Siegfried saw nothing but green. He felt a powerful gust of wind blow by; so strong that it lifted him off his feet and carried him with it! He was floating within the world of light, fearful yet exhilarated at the same time. It lasted only for an instant and when the light dispersed, he found himself standing back on the moonlit road but surrounded by different buildings. The thieves were nowhere in sight or so he had thought. He heard their confused voices, echoing from a distance behind him. The two thieves, with their backs towards him, were farther down the road where he and Link were standing only mere seconds ago.
Dumbfounded, Siegfried could only blink.
Link immediately pulled him by his injured arm, leading them into the dark narrow gap between two old, stone buildings. The elf fell against the wall for support, stifling his heavy breaths in fear of being heard. Siegfried favoured the wall as well, pressing Link's hidden sword into his back against the cold stone and holding his breath to listen to the yells of the thieves.
"… did they go?"
"I told you to kill the little one quickly, fool!"
"Why didn't you tell me that he could do that?"
"I didn't know he could!"
"Mardok, you idiot! Search the area!"
Siegfried mentally cursed, fearing to be found if he and Link remained where they stood. He sidled up to the corner and took a cautious peek out into the street, grateful to see it empty. He glanced over his shoulder at the elf hunched over onto his knees. "We have to move," the knight whispered. Link was obviously exhausted, probably from performing that strange spell with the green light but he nodded wordlessly in response.
The older boy scanned the desolate road once more before slipping out into the moonlight towards the shadows of the tall buildings on the opposite side. With Siegfried leading, they travelled deeper into the city, staying within the darkness of the alleys and the streets. There were a few instances where they heard footsteps seemingly following them but after much hiding and waiting, the footsteps often faded or turned out to be a simple passerby and not one of the thieves.
As they neared the heart of Athens, the roads became more populated with late patrons and civilians. Burning braziers and hanging torches lit the stone paved streets alongside the doors of pubs and merchant stores still open late into the night. Assuming they were near the marketplace, Siegfried was certain they had lost the thieves. But unfortunately, they were lost as well. Siegfried had failed to take note of where their inn was located considering it was his first day stepping outside. Adding to that, they didn't exactly follow the same path back into the heart of the city either, further losing their sense of direction.
The knight could only curse the damn thieves to hell. He was frustrated, tired and hurt. The painful wound on his right arm had been bleeding, making his right hand sticky with blood that seeped through the soaked bandages. His left side was tender from where Mardok had kicked him and his body was covered in new scrapes and bruises. One thing he could grin proudly at was the fact that he had managed to give the black-toothed bastard a few new scars to join his old ones. Then again, the man was already so ugly that it probably didn't make too much of a difference.
He wearily glanced around the torch-lit road that oddly looked the same as every other road they had recently passed through. The few people that roamed about ignored the two boys loitering in the darkest light. Leaning his back against the cool stone wall of a building, Siegfried let out an exhausted sigh.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground beside the knight, Link made a choking noise as he drank a tiny portion of one of his potions. Once finished, he looked up at the older boy and offered the open bottle. Siegfried grunted. "You know very well I will not drink that atrocious potion," he grumbled, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
"You're bleeding," the elf stated, noticeably frowning. "I can smell it."
"The bleeding has stopped. Put that away already. I'm not touching it."
The younger boy pouted but soon looked thoughtful. "I can dilute the taste for you." He dug into his bag while Siegfried sighed once more. Link uncorked a bottle one-third full of water. "The blue potion is pretty powerful… One drop should relieve some of your pain." As he spoke, he carefully tipped the contents of his potion into the other bottle. After swirling the mixture, he prompted Siegfried to take it. "You won't taste anything. Maybe a mild bitterness," Link assured in a sullen tone when the other boy hesitated. "Come on! And you say I act childish? You're acting like one right now."
Siegfried bared his teeth in an annoyed snarl but Link's accusation was enough to make him comply. He failed to grasp the bottle with his weakened right hand, forcing him to shift over to use his left. Metal lightly clinked against glass as the knight encircled his dirty iron fingers around Link's bottle. When the first drop of the cool liquid touched his tongue, he didn't care about the odd taste as he downed what was left in the bottle. He hadn't realized just how parched he was. Without a word, he handed the empty glass back to a satisfied elf.
"So we're lost," Link murmured, staring glumly at a pair of staggering drunkards leaving a tavern right across the street. "You really have a knack for getting lost in the dark."
"Oh, shut up," Siegfried muttered, his tone gruff. "If it weren't for those damn thieves…"
"How'd they find us anyway?"
The older boy could only shrug at the troubling thought. Allowing Mardok to escape back in Malucci was a grave mistake. The thief most likely followed the sword into Athens and perhaps knew where Link and Siegfried were staying in the city and gathered information nearby. If that was the case, the man must have trailed them when they left the inn in the morning. But then, why did Mardok not attack the boys when they were out in the field? That would have been a good opportunity… The only assumption Siegfried could make was that Mardok lost sight of them in the busy crowds and patiently waited for them to return. For now, it was safe to say that it was a good thing they were lost. Mardok and Jarro would surely be searching for them back at the inn.
"What was that green light back there? Was it another spell?" Siegfried questioned, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Link glanced up at him and formed an impish smile. "It was an altered version of a spell I had been trying to master for a long time but never did. Until today!" he said happily. His proud smile dimmed slightly as he gave Siegfried a sheepish look. "Well... I haven't really mastered it completely. It drained all my magic in one go."
The older blond raised an eyebrow at him. "More magic, huh?" he asked, a little surprised. He wasn't aware the elf was capable of more than those different arrow elements.
Link nodded. "Farore's Wind," he began, pausing to lean back against the wall, "It was a gift granted to me a long time ago. With the blessing of the Goddess, I can use the wind to teleport instantly from one place to another."
Siegfried was baffled. "Use the wind to do what exactly?" he asked.
The elf furrowed his brow. "To teleport. Do you know what that is?"
Siegfried gave him a blank stare, indicating that his answer was a 'no'.
"Hmm, well... How did she put it?" Link muttered under his breath. He frowned in thought and scratched his chin. "Well, it's like this: it's an instant transportation of something from one place to another with no means of physical movement. Farore's Wind made us suddenly disappear then reappear somewhere else, namely behind the thieves. Do you understand?"
Siegfried stared in disbelief. It sounded completely absurd. To actually go from one area to another in a blink of an eye should be impossible! Then again, Link was from another world and the strange boy was full of surprises. Siegfried hid his dumbfounded look by turning his head abruptly to the side in an angry manner. "Hmph. It sounds too crazy to be true," he scoffed.
"Hey, you've just experienced it so don't go saying something like that could never happen," Link retorted. "I can't believe that I actually managed to complete the spell. And with you too! Not once could I ever pull it off alone. Thank the Goddess, Farore."
"What would have happened if it didn't work?"
"Then we would've been left standing in front of the thieves like idiots. Then we'd probably be dead…"
The knight grimaced at the morbid thought. To die while being hugged by Link... His ancestors would probably roll around in their coffins and laugh at him in the afterlife... With a shake of his head, he pushed off the wall, feeling slightly better from drinking the diluted potion. "We should keep moving."
"Moving where?" Link grumbled, hopping onto his feet. "We're hopelessly lost. The streets look so different at night and I don't recognize anything. Oh! Maybe we could try asking someone. Over there." The elf pointed at a group of drunken men laughing and stumbling farther down the road. "What?" He noticed Siegfried's look of disapproval and crossed his arms. "You have a better idea?"
Siegfried only managed to open his mouth before clenching it shut. There was a sudden chill in the air, making his blood run cold and his body tense. He sensed something with a weak evil aura and it was drawing close incredibly fast. Eyes wide and frantic, he sharply turned in the direction of the incoming signature and scanned the shadows of the road.
"What is it?" Link was instantly beside him with a look of concern.
"Something's coming…" the knight lowly hissed, his words barely a whisper. He took a slow futile step back just as the sinister presence was among them, dropping to the ground before the boys with a silent, crouched landing.
With his hood down, Link stood between the rising figure of a woman and Siegfried, his short sword drawn into his hand in preparation of a battle. Clad in a skin tight, sleeveless, scarlet suit and wearing armoured gauntlets, shoulder guards and shin protection, the dark-haired woman stood tall before them. Behind her waist and over her right shoulder were two short, thin swords sheathed within their scabbards. Her sharp, dark eyes studied them briefly before she raised her hands in the air and took a careful step towards them. "At ease, children. I bring you no harm," she said. Her voice was stern, calm and rather reassuring.
"You stay back," Siegfried snarled, baring his teeth in warning as he shifted away from the evil aura surrounding her. He shivered from the bitter cold emanating from the evil in her possession and held his body. It felt like a cursed shard of Soul Edge in both strength and malevolence.
The woman paused and her eyes narrowed suspiciously. But then she replied quietly, "I will not hurt you, child."
"It is not you I fear, it is what you carry!" the knight snarled, his words angry.
Her face darkened. Realization instantly dawned upon her as she met the boy's fervent gaze with insightful eyes. "I see..." Immediately, she took a few steps back, lessening the strain on Siegfried. The knight was slightly relieved to know she understood his suffering but he remained cautious of her.
Link suddenly gasped and lowered his sword. "Wait, aren't you… Ta-ki, wasn't it?"
To Siegfried's surprise, the woman nodded. "Yes. I am Taki," she replied, briefly glancing down at the elf before fixing her wary stare upon the older boy.
Siegfried furrowed his brow at the familiarity of her name. It felt as if he knew her but he had no clear memory of ever meeting her before at the moment. It made him uneasy, however despite that, the boy did not entirely mistrust the woman. Link had mentioned that she was the one that aided in their escape in Malucci.
"Indeed, you two are the ones I seek," she said, crossing her plated arms. "Sophitia has asked me to find you two."
"She did?" Link questioned, sheathing his weapon.
Taki gave a curt nod. "When she saw that neither of you have returned to your room at such a late hour, she requested my aid. Come, she is waiting." With a flick of her hand, she motioned for them to follow as she turned to walk down the road.
"Wait!" the elf exclaimed, making the woman stop and peer over her shoulder. "If you're here, then are–"
"Yes. Both of them are safe and are currently at the inn. Now come. I shall lead you two back." She resumed her pace.
Link sighed with relief and started to follow only to pause when he noticed that Siegfried was not moving. The elf furrowed his brow in worry which the older boy abruptly dismissed with a wave of his hand and an annoyed glare. Being rather patient, the younger warrior stood by and did not question the other.
Siegfried was waiting until he could no longer sense the dark energy coming from Taki. Once she was at least two buildings away down the road, he moved forward and soon joined up with Link.
The pair trailed behind the woman in red who led them through multiple streets and dark alleys that felt equivalent to crossing half of the city. It made Siegfried wonder how he had ended up so far away. During their trek, he informed Taki of their reason for being lost, to warn her of the possible danger lying in wait for their return; "We were ambushed by thieves; two men who wish to take this sword I carry. There is a chance that they know of our location since our arrival in Athens." His voice was loud enough that it echoed around the empty road.
"Are you sure about that?" the elf asked, strolling beside him. Link stayed annoyingly close, fully aware of Siegfried's tiring condition. The effects of the potion-water had faded some time ago, leaving the knight to suffer with pain and fatigue. Carrying the elf's heavy Master Sword across the city was also exhausting. His pace had fallen, forcing Taki to stop often for him to catch up and not lose sight of her. She offered to help once but Siegfried downright refused, not wanting to risk getting near the cursed thing in her possession. Since then, she kept her distance and remained silent, speaking only through the simple gestures of her hands and body to guide the boys through the city.
"It is my assumption but it is most likely the answer. How else do you think they found us?" Link only shrugged. "There's a chance the two of them are preparing another ambush near the inn."
"If that is the case," Taki began, standing afar near the corner of a closed trading shop, "then I shall scout ahead once we are near our destination." The moment came an hour later. She gave them (overly) specific directions to find their inn before disappearing into the shadows.
"She said to go right, right? Or was it left?" Link questioned, scratching the back of his hooded head. Clueless, he looked down the street they had just entered in hope of seeing anything recognizable. The road was decently lit up with torches and braziers and occupied by a handful of individuals strolling about.
Siegfried surmised that they were on step fifteen of Taki's needlessly long list of directions. "What does she mean by 'turn forty-five degrees in the direction where the moon and sun sets and then pass right by the lonely structure that stands sentinel to your left'?"
Link shrugged. "We passed by a lonely signpost… on our left, then we turned right, right?"
"No, we turned left on the last corner," Siegfried grumbled in frustration. Closing his eyes, he leaned onto a nearby wooden barrel for a brief rest and tried to recall the final steps. "'Through the second passageway bordered by wooden stands'… and then something about a 'hanging flame guiding our path.'"
"She's rather poetic, don't you think?"
The knight wearily glowered at the brat bearing an amused smile. "I have a feeling it was not her intention…"
Link scanned both sides of the road. His face brightened when he saw something that caught his eye. He pointed to their right but from Siegfried's position, the older boy saw nothing but a wall. "I think I see our 'hanging flame'. It's a hanging coal basket – oh! The inn's just a little farther down the street… I think. We have to get closer. Can you walk?"
Heaving off the barrel with a deep sigh, Siegfried nodded. "I'm fine," was his stubborn reply. "But this ridiculous list of directions is making my head hurt..." he thought to himself grumpily.
They slowly made their way towards the building, keeping their senses alert for any hidden thieves and any suspicious people walking along the same road. Moments before they reached the large building that was an inn, (which Link had confirmed was the correct one), there was a startled yelp coming from above them at the same time Siegfried detected the evil aura.
Eyes narrowed and body tense, the blond knight sharply twisted around just in time to see a person clothed mainly in black crash onto the road with a pained cry. Under the faint red light of the distant fires, the man's ugly scar-ridden face glistened from the blood of his wounds caused by iron talons tearing across scarred flesh. Mardok writhed on the ground in agony, clutching what appeared to be a dislocated shoulder, hissing out curses and death wishes to his assailant. A lithe shadow flew across the night sky, dropping into the darkness between two nearby buildings like a hunting bird of prey. The ring of clashing steel echoed from within followed by the clattering of dropped metal. There was a deep grunt before a muscled brute stumbled onto the street with a woman dressed in red right behind him. She moved swiftly, forcing the larger man onto his knees and grabbed a handful of brown hair. Taki roughly pulled back and pressed a short, thin blade against Jarro's throat, its sharp edge reflecting a bright crimson from the light of a nearby flame. It looked as if blood had already stained her sword.
"Are these the thieves you spoke of?" Taki calmly inquired, her dark eyes meeting the fearful blues of the man under her grip.
Astonished, both boys stared at her. It was Link who answered, "Yeah! That's them!"
To Jarro, the woman demanded, "Are there any others with you?"
Shaking, the thief rasped out, "N-No…"
Satisfied, Taki withdrew her blade and sent the large man to the ground with a swift kick to the side. "Then begone with you. Do not come near these children again. If you do, my blade will not stop upon the skin of your neck."
The burly thief hastily clambered to his feet, his face distorted by anger as he glared at Taki with one hand rubbing vigorously around his neck. Icy blue eyes flickered over the boys for a short second before the man turned tail and ran. Mardok, seeing his stronger partner fleeing, quickly followed the other without another word or glance.
When the thieves were out of sight, Taki motioned for Siegfried and Link to enter the inn. "I will keep watch out here. Sophitia and the others are waiting inside."
"That was amazing!" the elf exclaimed, his face beaming. "Thank you for helping us!" He bowed in her direction.
She nodded, a small smile adorning her lips. "I did only what was requested of me, little one. Go now. Do not keep them waiting any longer."
Link grinned and bounded towards the small set of wooden steps leading to the front door. Siegfried gave Taki one final look of caution, the evil presence not forgotten. Standing with crossed arms, she studied him in silence; her face a stoic mask but her eyes sharp and knowing. With a small nod of gratitude, the knight turned away and climbed the steps where Link waited at the top.
"She's poetic and strong," the elf whispered. "I like her."
"They're hiding something," Yun-seong muttered between bites of his butter roll. "That little demon-boy was obviously lying about his story. Yet again."
With her wooden spoon, Seung Mi-na stirred her lukewarm bowl of uneaten stew for the umpteenth time. Even though she had not eaten since earlier in the afternoon, she did not have any appetite for the meal before her. She glanced up at Yun-seong from across the rectangular wooden table within the dining quarters of their inn. They were the only occupants eating at such a late hour. "It really is an unbelievable tale…" she murmured. Upon his arrival in Malucci, the redhead had told her about the boys' abnormally strange incident. "But there is some truth to it, I think. How else would they have become kids?"
The young man snorted after swallowing a mouthful of food. "That's the problem! Explain to me how a portal can suddenly appear out of nowhere. You can't! Because it's an obvious lie." He continued to eat, gulping down the last of his meal.
Mi-na rolled her eyes but silently agreed with her companion's suspicion. There had to be more to the children's story, she was certain of it. After all, the boys were absolutely terrible liars. Her eyes fell on the silver key lying on the table. Link, the younger boy with the pointy ears, had returned the key to Yun-seong after arriving safely back with Taki's help along with the other boy, Siegfried. Link was highly relieved to see the Korean pair again. Siegfried, on the other hand, only met Mi-na's gaze, with his eyes reflecting of guilt and remorse. She understood then that he truly regretted what he did. Not wanting him feel awful about it, she had quickly smiled and approached him to playfully tussle his hair as she said, "We're safe, little man," before he could say anything that would draw Yun-seong's attention to the incident.
The kid had growled in annoyance and tried to smack her hand away but ended up flinching back in pain. His right arm was injured and it had gone unnoticed under the dim light of the single oil lamp burning on the counter of the inn's lobby left by the night maid. Sophitia had practically dragged him away with her before Mi-na could ask what had happened. Link lingered for a moment to briefly explain the events that occurred during the day involving sword practice and that loathsome thief that Seung Mi-na had allowed to escape. However, hearing that Taki had properly dealt with the man and his accomplice brought a vengeful smile on the Korean's face.
"Are you going to eat that?"
Mi-na looked up to see Yun-seong pointing at her tray of untouched food with his wooden spoon. Sighing, she pushed her meal across the table and the young man happily switched his empty tray with hers. "Remember to chew before you swallow, you meat head," said Seung Mi-na, rolling her eyes when her companion started choking. She stood up, wincing slightly from the numerous flesh wounds she had received three days prior.
Many times she was nearly skewered by the replica of her weapon, Scarlet Thunder, wielded by the one-eyed demon. The confrontation against the ugly monster was annoying as well as frustrating due to the creature mirroring and predicting her every move. She was thankful that Taki had been there to aid her because Mi-na was certain she would have lost on her own.
The battle was long and many lives were lost when foolish, inexperienced warriors tried to take on the demonic creature alongside them. The creature was merciless with every killing swing of its copy of her beloved Scarlet Thunder. Bodies piled in bloody heaps before the monster's abnormal feet in mere seconds, leaving no more brave men standing and only just Mi-na and Taki. They both fought the demon with all their strength. However, Mi-na was the one that struggled through it all. To have her own moves used against her proved difficult to defend.
Not only that... the wounds she received burned with an unusual fiery pain. It felt like a hot red blade had tore into her skin, searing her flesh and burning her blood. The pain had been crippling; each bite of the monster's weapon unleashed waves of excruciating agony. But physically, the wounds weren't life threatening and they bled normally. Mi-na had felt deeply ashamed of her inability to ignore the pain like a true warrior. Her father would have expected more of her so she had done her best to try and ignore her wounds. However, another sensation threatened to suffocate her. Despite the fire in her wounds, an awful chill that hung around the area made her uncontrollably shiver and it numbed her mind. The situation had quickly changed into a desperate struggle for Mi-na to remain on her own two feet to keep on fighting as her body ached and her mind was filled with thoughts of despair. Thankfully, Taki managed to purify her wounds after the battle and only then, could she close her eyes from exhaustion and relief and fall asleep.
"Need some help?" Yun-seong asked, seeing the minor look of pain across her face. Her eyes were grim and he wondered what she was thinking about. He perked an eyebrow and she quickly waved him away.
"I'll manage," Mi-na replied, buckling the leather straps that held her weapon behind her. She limped slightly from the wound on her left leg.
"Where are you going?"
"To check on them. Which room was theirs?"
The young man shrugged. "Second floor, third on the right? I dunno. It's right across from mine. While you're at it, could you get our stuff back too?"
Mi-na turned and glowered in annoyance just as the idiot tossed the silver key towards her. Startled, she managed to catch the key after fumbling with it twice. "Why don't you go get it?" she grumbled.
Between spoonfuls of stew, Yun-seong muttered, "It's mostly your stuff! You get it!"
Huffing, Seung Mi-na twirled around and hobbled out of the dining quarters. Yun-seong could be such an annoying idiot! Most of the time anyway… For him to actually worry about her was truly a surprise. She had never thought that the self-assertive, cocky and hot-headed jerk would come back just for her. Although, he had never admitted it when he found her. He just told her bitterly that he only returned to make sure she was still in one piece or else Master Myong would have his head. But she saw that worried look on his face when he saw her wounds.
She couldn't help but smile as she made her way into the lobby. Ever since Father had taken the boy in to train under his guidance, Mi-na saw Yun-seong as a younger brother. Although they never could get along like siblings half the time, it was how she felt. She wondered if he saw her as family as well... After all, he didn't have any siblings. His father was taken by illness and no one knew where his mother went. In her heart, she could relate to his loss since she had also lost her mother and brother to sickness.
With a sigh, she continued up the stairs. When she passed the night maid carrying a small candle, they exchanged a small smile. Counting down the doors on her right, Seung Mi-na reached the third room and found the door open by just a sliver. She could hear voices coming from inside. Quietly, she leaned against the frame and listened.
"… best to sew it up." It was a young woman's voice; one that was full of concern.
"No. No stitches," was the brusque reply of a young boy.
"I insist –"
"I refuse. Put that needle away. Put it away!"
"This wound is deep. It will likely –"
"It will heal as long as I don't end up having to tackle another full-grown man to the ground."
"How about putting this on it?" another boy chimed in, sounding much younger than the first. "To ward off infection since you don't want stitches."
"Where did you get that? Do you even know what that is?" demanded the other boy.
"Found it with Miss Seung Mi-na's other medicines… It might be useful… Maybe?"
"Link, you should not touch Seung Mi-na's belongings without her consent," stated the woman in a stern tone.
"I've already used – err, I mean I haven't touched anything! I just think –"
"No. You put that back," snapped the older youth. "And no stitches! Sophitia!"
There was a tired sigh from the woman. "Very well, Siegfried. Allow me to bandage it for you then."
Seung Mi-na was smiling in amusement when she opened the door and stepped inside the candle-lit room. All heads turned in her direction and she was greeted with a nervous smile from Link, a short nod from Sophitia and a small frown from Siegfried before he quickly looked away.
Sophitia was gingerly dressing the older boy's wounded arm in clean, cloth bandages and both were seated by the small table that held the only source of light in the room. Link was standing next to them, hiding something behind his back.
The Korean narrowed her eyes teasingly at the little boy in green. "Have you been rummaging through my things?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.
Link's gaze darted to the side as he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Um, no…" he mumbled bashfully.
"I know when you're lying." She shortly laughed and strolled over, reaching out her hand. "What do you have behind your back?"
The boy pursed his lips to the side with guilt and handed over a small, white ceramic bottle that contained one of Mi-na's liquid remedies. "Sorry for not asking…"
She smiled and mussed up his hair beneath his hat, evoking a cry of protest. "It's fine, kid. You can use whatever you need only if you put it back to where it belongs. Don't be like Yun-seong." She pursed her lips slightly and shook her head. "That idiot always misplaces my stuff and it always takes forever for me to find them again."
Link grinned and nodded. "Don't worry, I'll put it back in your bag right away. But what does this bottle do anyway?" He tilted his head and poked the bottle.
She laughed as she gave him the bottle. "This one's for reducing inflammation. Why don't you keep it? I'm sure it'll come in handy, especially for you, little man." She gently patted the top of Siegfried's head.
The boy shriveled away from her hand, glowered at her and huffed. "I am not little." His anger vanished instantly and he turned away, eyes falling to the table. "Seung Mi-na," he began, his voice quiet. "What I did…"
"What you did was out of your control, wasn't it?" she cut in, softening her expression yet the boy did not see. Sophitia seemed curious but held back the need to question as she glanced between the two of them. "I think I understand," Mi-na continued. "You don't need to explain…" She walked towards the pile of luggage and dug through her things. She grabbed two bags that contained sets of clean clothes for her and Yun-seong. "I just came to pick up a few things. You guys better rest up."
"You should rest as well, Seung Mi-na," said Sophitia, her brow knitted in slight worry.
The Korean rolled her eyes at the other woman's caring tone. "I will, I will." Before she stepped out the door, she gave Link and Siegfried a small, pleading smile, however only the youngest saw it. "Tomorrow… Will there be no more lies?"
Link opened his mouth but was reluctant to answer. Instead, he frowned and glanced at the older boy. After a short moment of silence, Siegfried slowly nodded, his face solemn as he stared at the burning candle before him. "We… We will speak the truth…" he answered, sounding tired and defeated.