A/N: Wooo... So here's another chapter. xD Hope you guys enjoy it! ...Actually, I've been having a bit of writer's block for this fanfic, so some of my chapters are coming along really slowly. Hopefully this stupid writer's block won't damage my updating schedule, but we'll see how things go. As usual, feel free to critique, and thanks for sticking with me! ^^;

Bulblins. What an awful word.

At that one word, the entire village spiraled into panic. People rushed into the nearest buildings and locked the doors as quickly as they could. Zelda stumbled backward in fear, as if she were unsure of whether or not she should stay and fight, but Link stood his ground and drew his sword.

Zelda drew a deep, shaky breath. "Link. Please, lend me your bow and arrows."

He glanced over his shoulder at her, then quickly slipped his bow off his shoulder along with his quiver of arrows, and handed them to her. The princess accepted them with slightly trembling hands.

Gorons were gathering at the entrance of Kakariko, clenching their huge hands into fists. Then came a terrible moment of complete silence - Link held his sword ready to fight; Zelda had an arrow nocked to her bow and readied herself to draw and aim; the Gorons stood in the Kakariko pass like a stubborn wall of rock. The enemies were mounted on the backs of their large boars; others were on foot. They held bows and arrows and clubs and swords. And then they attacked.

A mounted bulblin charged forward, and a Goron met it head-on, punching the boar right in the face. The creature squealed and crashed to the ground, throwing its rider off its back. The bulblin fell face-first into the dirt, and the moment it tried to stand up again, Zelda aimed and shot at it. It fell with a garbled screech.

The sounds of battle echoed across the tall cliff walls surrounding Kakariko Village. The Gorons stood their ground, punching any enemies that dared to come too close to them. The bulblins tried to shoot the Gorons, but they'd simply shield their bodies with their rocky arms, and the arrows would harmlessly ricochet onto the ground. Link was beginning to feel restless - he wasn't even doing anything. The Gorons were doing all the work for him.

And then three bulblins somehow managed to slip past the defenses of the Gorons. Bulblins had already burned down Ordon, and Link wasn't going to let them do the same to Kakariko Village. He rushed forward, sword poised to attack the bulblin directly in front of him, but another one of them got in his way, garbling its nonsense at him. Without hesitation, Link sliced the bulblin's head off, and it rolled onto the ground as the body slowly collapsed into a heap. Then he stabbed the bulblin behind it through the chest, and the creature fell with a pained wail. Zelda nocked an arrow to her bow, drew the string to her cheek, and shot the third bulblin in the throat.

Link quickly lifted his eyes to scan the remaining bulblins, but there were only a few more, and they were quickly and effortlessly being dispatched by the Gorons. Only when all of their enemies had fallen lifeless to the earth did the Gorons rest. They took a few steps back, flicked blood off their hands, and turned away from the scene of battle. The corpses of bulblins and their boars littered the ground.

"All right, where are the rest of them?" yelled an angry female voice from behind Link. He turned to face the source of the voice, only to see Ashei standing there, sword in hand, her eyes narrowed. She scanned the carnage in front of her and frowned. "Are they all gone?" She tilted her head. "I was too late."

Link sheathed his sword and breathed a long, heavy sigh. Zelda stepped up beside him and pressed his bow back into his hands. He slung it over his back as Zelda pulled the quiver of arrows off her shoulder and passed it to him.

Ashei huffed and put her hands on her hips. "Well, at least Kakariko's safe, yeah?" She motioned to the mess of corpses scattered across the ground. "And since that's finished, don't you both think we should head to Castle Town?" She looked between Link and Zelda.

The princess looked at Link for a moment, and then she turned to face Ashei. "I would love to return to my people and free them from their misery, but I fear that I have not yet recovered my strength. I am not confident in my ability to fight as of yet." She lowered her eyes. "I apologize, Ashei, but I do not think you should leave yet either. You are still wounded. I believe we should all stay and heal before we rashly venture to Hyrule Castle Town."

Ashei frowned. From the look on her face, she was obviously displeased about waiting around, but she didn't voice her feelings. Instead, she paused for a moment before she finally said, "Yeah, all right... but as long as we get to leave tomorrow."

Zelda nodded. "Of course." Link could see frustration boiling in her eyes, but she seemed to be trying to hide it. When Ashei turned and walked away, Zelda looked over at Link. "I am displeased with this situation. I wish to return to my people and reclaim my throne that I so foolishly lost, but I cannot. I am too weak. I know that if I were to march into my castle in my current state, I would only be captured again - or perhaps even executed. It is far too unwise to attack when we are all so weak. It would present us with a harsh disadvantage."

Link looked up at her and tried to smile. "We'll rest for a day, then, and we'll leave tomorrow, like you said."

She squared her shoulders. "Yes. We will." She stared at him for a moment, as if she wanted to say something else, but then she turned on her heel and left without another word.

Once she was gone, Link anxiously ran his hands through his hair. The princess was right - they were too weak to do anything at the moment, and they were probably going to be too weak to do anything tomorrow, too. They lacked an army. How were they possibly going to attack the Tenrian guards that had overtaken Hyrule Castle? Rusl had said that the enemy was probably short-handed, so at least they had that to their advantage - but what about the bulblins? There were plenty of bulblins guarding Castle Town. It would be difficult to fight all of them with the very few numbers they had. Link supposed they could ask the Gorons for help, but he couldn't do that. They needed to stay to guard not only Kakariko Village, but their home in Death Mountain as well. What about the Zoras? Could they help? It was worth a try to ask them for their aid. Link decided that he'd tell Princess Zelda about it later.

But for the moment, Link was hungry and tired, so he set off in search of food.

The rest of the day passed rather uneventfully. The people remained huddled inside buildings for most of the day, and Kakariko felt almost dead and empty save for the Gorons still gathered in the streets and atop the cliff walls. When the sun finally rose the next day, some of the people decided to venture outside. Link sat in the cool, refreshing Spring of Eldin, with Epona lazily chewing at his hat. He didn't bother to swat her away - instead he closed his eyes and leaned back into the water, letting it swirl around his head. Epona still didn't relinquish her hold on his hat.

And then Ilia was standing over him, a grin on her face. "What in the world are you doing?" she asked with a small laugh. She gently pushed Epona's mouth away from Link's hat. "That's not grass, silly girl!" she cooed, patting the mare's nose. Epona snorted.

Link smiled, and forced himself to sit up, despite the fact that he didn't really want to. "Morning."

"Hi, Link," she said in reply, sitting down in the spring beside him. "Epona seems kind of anxious."

Link's smile vanished. "Of course she is. Aren't we all?"

Ilia shifted uncomfortably. "Well... Yes. Especially after the attack lately." She shrugged. "But the Gorons are strong. They'll be able to protect us, right? I think everyone feels much safer here." She glanced up at him for a moment before averting her eyes. "So... are you going to stay here?"

"I wish." Link leaned back and stared up at the bright blue sky.

"You could stay... I suppose..."

He shook his head. "I can fight. I'd be a useless fool if I didn't go with the others to take back Hyrule Castle."

Ilia frowned and stared down at the clear water gently lapping at her feet and legs. "I talked to Rusl about what happened. He told me about the treaty Princess Zelda tried to make. The poor princess, being betrayed like that!" She sighed. "It's noble of you to help her take back her throne." She tried to smile. "You're right, you can't stay. But don't worry about us here in Kakariko. We'll be fine."

Link didn't reply. He wasn't quite sure what to say, and sometimes he preferred silence anyway. And the silence that passed between them then wasn't an uncomfortable one. He and Ilia had been friends for years, and he didn't mind being in her company, even if they weren't saying anything to each other. She seemed to feel the same way, since she didn't ask him any questions or say anything else to him. Link closed his eyes, soaking up the warmth of the air and the coolness of the water. Epona nickered softly behind him.

"Link." It wasn't Ilia's voice. He opened his eyes, only to see the princess herself standing over him, a sword sheathed at her hip. Ilia scrambled to her feet and bowed low.

"Princess Zelda!" she said excitedly.

Zelda smiled. "Please, there is no need to be so formal. You may call me Zelda. What is your name?"

"Ilia," she said quickly, bowing again, despite the fact that it was obvious Zelda didn't want her to. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," said Zelda in her calm, smooth voice. She looked much more lively and healthy than she had a couple days ago. She looked at Link with a smile, and he quickly got to his feet to face her, though she stood a few inches taller than him. "Link. Are you prepared to leave?" she asked.

He gave a single nod. I'm as ready as I'll ever be, I guess, he thought to himself, despite the fact that he really didn't want to go anywhere. It was a strange feeling - on one hand, he was anxious to make himself useful, but on the other hand, he wanted to laze about and do nothing at all.

Zelda turned to Ilia and respectfully bowed her head, which seemed to surprise Ilia. She hastily bowed in return. "I wish you and your people the best," Zelda said. "I hope that we meet again."

Ilia smiled. "Of course we'll meet again. You'll reclaim your throne, princess, I know it." She bowed her head for what seemed like the millionth time, which seemed to amuse Zelda, and she only nodded in reply.

Then Ashei and Rusl appeared behind Zelda. Ashei tilted her head. "This is all of us? Well then, let's go. The sooner we go, the better, yeah?"

"Are we all prepared for the journey?" Rusl asked. "I've got plenty of jerky and dried fruits, but you'll all need your own."

"Renado packed me some food," Ashei said simply, then looked between Princess Zelda and Link. "He told me to give you these." She handed them one bulging sack each, probably filled with food. Link didn't bother to look inside of it - instead he turned to Epona's side and packed the sack of food into her saddlebags. Ashei continued, "Sorry it isn't a royal feast, princess, but we'll have to deal with it on this journey. We can always eat better when all of this is over, yeah?" She shrugged.

Zelda didn't reply. Instead, she tied the sack of food to the sash at her hip near her sword.

"Oh, and Link?" Ashei took a step closer and whispered to him, "Sorry I didn't return this yesterday." She passed his pouch to him, and he eagerly accepted it. "The Light Shell's in there. I haven't told the others about it yet. I don't really know what to say about it, but I'm sure we can explain it at some point, yeah?"

Link smiled at her in thanks.

Rusl folded his arms across his chest. "Well, since we're all ready, let's go."

Ilia looked at Rusl for a moment, and then she turned to stare at Link. She clasped her hands in front of her and frowned. "I hope you'll all be safe," she said, but her words seemed more directed to Link than anyone else. He looked at her and tried a smile, but he didn't say anything in reply. He didn't really want to. He hated goodbyes.

Ilia bit her lip and continued, "It's wonderful of you to help the princess like this, but please keep yourself alive. I'm so sick of you leaving me so often... so just promise to come back, okay?"

Link looked down at his shoes and stared at them for a long time, his shoulders sagging. Poor Ilia - she must have worried so much for him each time he ventured off into Hyrule. "I'll be okay," he finally replied with a heavy sigh. "Stay here and keep yourself safe too, all right?"

She nodded and tried to smile. Then she patted Epona's neck, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "Bye, Epona," she said quietly. "Make sure that Link doesn't do anything stupid." The mare tossed her head in return.

Ashei shifted her weight and grumbled impatiently. "So, if we're done with all the long goodbyes, we can go now, right?"

Rusl huffed at her. "Ashei..."

"Sorry," she said reluctantly.

Suddenly looking embarrassed, Ilia retreated a few steps and averted her eyes from the group of people in front of her. Link tried to smile comfortingly at her, and she looked up for a moment to return his smile before looking back down at her feet again.

Link gently directed Epona away from Kakariko Spring and toward the vast expanse of Hyrule Field, with Zelda, Ashei, and Rusl in tow. Link desperately tried not to think about how pathetically outnumbered they were and how hopeless he felt. Instead, he squared his shoulders and looked ahead to face the world.

The candles were out. The curtains were drawn. The room was nearly pitch black.

Ameia pointed to the shadows surrounding her and made a series of complicated motions with her hands and fingers. The shadows moved to obey her every beck and call, and she formed them into the shape of a hard, domed shield around her person. "Attack me," she demanded.

A bulky, green-skinned figure stood in the corner - King Bulblin. He and his people - if they could even be called such - had been Princess Ameia's faithful followers ever since they had seen her perform a small feat of dark magic. But she was so much more powerful with the wonderful Dark Crystal in her possession. When King Bulblin had seen her increase of magical strength, he had pledged his utter, unfailing loyalty to her, promising her that he "followed the strongest side". And Ameia intended to remain the strongest until she drew her last breath; if she was lucky, she'd discover the secret of immortality and be blessed to continue breathing for eternity.

When King Bulblin didn't move, Ameia demanded again, "Attack me!"

He only hesitated a moment longer before he stepped forward, dragging his enormous weapon with him. He lifted it into the air and brought it crashing down onto the shadowy shield that swirled around her. A horrible, screeching clang resounded through the room. The shield cracked but did not shatter, and Ameia giggled with delight. "It works! I made a shield, I made a shield!" She dropped the shadowy shield from around her and grinned. "Look how powerful I am. You'll never find anyone stronger."

King Bulblin grunted in agreement, then turned to leave without asking Ameia's permission. She scowled at this, and she would have reprimanded him, but she was in a good mood. She felt stronger than ever before, and she beamed with joy at the thought that nobody would ever be able to defeat her. She clutched the Dark Crystal in her hands, reveling in the feeling of power coursing through her.

Then the door opened, and Counselor Divith swept into the room. "It is far too dark in here. I fear for your health. Would you like me to light a candle or two, Your Highness?"

"Still haven't learned how to knock, I see?" Ameia huffed. She curled her hand into a fist and rapped it quickly onto the table. "There. I just knocked. It's easy - you try it!"

Divith ignored her sarcasm and drew back the heavy curtains in front of the window. The dark pink light of twilight spilled into the room, casting a beautiful cobweb of shadows onto the floor. With the Dark Crystal in her hands, Ameia stared at the shadowy design on the floor, a strange feeling pulsing through her veins.

With the crystal still pressed into her palm, the Tenrian Princess reached out toward the twilight shadows and flicked her wrist. The shadows curled upward, reaching spindly fingers toward the ceiling. She spun her finger; the shadows swirled into a dark circle. And then, in a finishing sweep of her hand, the swirling darkness flashed a dark pink; for only a fleeting moment, it showed the image of a strange building pointing toward a dark sky.

Ameia's breath caught in her throat. The swirling mass of shadows in front of her was a new magic she didn't recognize, but it felt beautiful and powerful. She impulsively reached forward and pressed her hand into it. Her hand passed through the dark mass and was greeted with a shock of cold. With a sharp gasp, Ameia withdrew her hand and dropped the Dark Crystal. Instinctively, she knew what the mass of swirling shadows was - a portal. She knew not to where it led, but she wanted to find out.

Divith stared warily at the portal, his eyes narrowed. "Your Majesty, that looks quite dangerous. What is it?" He frowned as she took a step toward it. "That's not advisable... Highness, please, be careful. We don't know what it is."

"I know what it is, Divith," she snapped. "It's a portal. Let me go inside."

"What if you never return? Your people need you."

Ameia hesitated. What if he was right? What if the portal led to a terrible world she could never return from? No. It wouldn't be like that - especially if she had her beloved Crystal with her. She bent down to pick up the Dark Crystal from the place she had dropped it on the ground, and she advanced toward the portal.

Divith quickly drew the curtains, blocking out the pink twilight. The room plunged into blackness once more, and the portal dissolved into the shadows. Ameia's eyes widened in rage, and she whirled to face her counselor. "Open those curtains before I make you vomit blood." Her eyes glowed with anger, and her fists were clenched around her crystal. She had found a portal, and she intended to see what was on the other side of it. Her counselor would pay dearly if he thought he could stop her.

But Divith remained unfazed by her threat. He simply bowed his head. "Majesty, I only wish for your best. I feel that I am protecting you."

"Open the curtains!" Ameia snapped loudly, reaching out a hand toward him. The shadows beneath her feet writhed impatiently on the ground, waiting for her command.

"If you insist," Divith sighed, obviously displeased - but despite the danger of the temperamental Princess Ameia pointing her terrible dark magic straight at him, he seemed impossibly calm. He turned toward the curtains and slowly drew them back.

Moonlight spilled into the room. The pink, dusky light was almost completely gone, and the shadows on the floor were much less dramatic. Ameia copied the exact same hand movements she had made minutes before, but the shadows only leaped around the room in a pointless display of acrobatics. They refused to shape themselves into a portal.

Ameia gritted her teeth. "You little demon," she spat, fixing her horrible glare on Counselor Divith. He calmly clasped his hands behind his back and shrugged. Ameia took a deep breath and continued, her tone icy and dangerously quiet, "I will spare you this once, and I'll try to create the portal again tomorrow at dusk. But the moment you try to interrupt me, I'll impale you with my shadows. Understood?"

Divith stared at her with a displeased frown, and he looked like he was resisting the strong urge to roll his eyes. He raised a brow. "Yes, of course, Your Highness."

"Good." Ameia lifted her chin and gave him a haughty look. "Now leave. I need to improve my shadow magic."