A.N: So... I FINALLY got round to uploading this. (And actually writing it, too, might I add.)

See, my tablet decided to delete everything on it and I had no back-ups (silly me!) so I had to rewrite everything!

Anyway, on with the story! And this story has 10 favourites! I'm glad you 10 people like my story enough to fave it!

Chapter Eleven

"A... demi-God?" Vio repeated, shocked into an almost silence.

"Yeah, Vi," Shadow sighed. "But we'll get rid of him, don't you worry. Whoever's hired him's gonna get a thrashing, too."

Vio couldn't help but smile slightly at how determined Shadow seemed as the two decided to walk back to Layla's room.

"Are we gonna tell her about the fight with Staegl just now?" Vio asked as they reached her door.

"I say we don't; it might stress her out and then her wounds won't heal as well." Shadow said, reaching for the door handle and twisting it to open.

In the room, Layla was perched on the edge of her bed. She was talking rather animatedly to the figure sitting on the chair opposite her, but both Vio and Shadow couldn't see who it was from where they stood. The brunette seemed perfectly fine, no traces of her ever being impaled seemed to remain present.

Layla noticed them and turned to face them, a huge grin on her face.

"You okay, Layla?" Shadow asked. "Who're ya talking to?"

"Me, you dimwit." The other person in the room replied flippantly and Vio instantly sussed who it was. Vaati.

"So, Vaati, you're back. Bryony's been wondering how you are, you know." Shadow said, though his tone was slightly laced with venom.

"I know," Vaati snapped. "I went to see her this morning. Thanks for telling me she was ill."

"You weren't here to be told, dumbass." Shadow retorted.

"There are more methods of communication nowadays, Shadow. We don't live in the dark ages anymore."

"So, besides from personally telling you, I could have written a letter. Well, that would be impossible because you didn't seem to mention where the hell you were going!" Shadow spat.

"..."

"See? Got nothing to say now, hey?" Shadow smirked in triumph after his little 'fight' with Vaati.

Vaati felt his temper snap, but he tried to hold himself back as wind blew dangerously throughout the room. If he started a fight here, Vio and Layla would get hurt.

Then again, since when did he really care?

A small tornado flew from Vaati's hands and knocked Shadow out of the still-open door, into the hallway outside.

Vio walked over to Layla cautiously and held her back as Vaati approached a now very angered Shadow. He knew not to stop those two in the middle of a fight. Most people would have known that.

"Shadow's going to get hurt, isn't he?" Layla asked, slightly worried.

"He should be fine, unless Vaati really loses it. I doubt that he will, though. This is nothing compared to Vaati really losing it." Vio assured the brunette.

Layla nodded in response as both she and Vio watched Shadow and Vaati fight.

Shadow's hands were consumed by flames as he attacked, whereas Vaati kept his distance as he hurtled sharp gusts of air and small tornadoes at his opponent.

The battle seemed to be fairly matched, despite the elements of fire and air being the ones at arms.

Vaati had managed to knock Shadow to the ground, and vice versa, several times before both begun to look tired. Vio knew he should step in, but thought better of it. If he, himself, didn't get hurt from it, Shadow surely would.

With one particularly strong burst of air, however, Shadow had been knocked down and he didn't look like he'd be getting back up anytime soon.

"Shadow!" Vio exclaimed, rushing over to the fallen fighter with a red potion in his hand.

"I'm fine, Vi. It just... knocked the wind outta me." Shadow smiled weakly, trying to convince Vio that he was okay. The purple-clad Link refused to believe so, though. He could tell that Shadow was injured; it wasn't as if he hadn't just been struck down to the ground rather forcefully.

"You expect me to believe that?" Vio raised an eyebrow. "Just drink this. Please."

"Fine, fine," Shadow sighed, taking a gulp of the red potion. "There. Happy now?"

"I'd be happier if you stopped fighting with Vaati over nothing."

"He started it!" Shadow complained like a young child.

Vio just sighed. "Then you can finish it. Don't stoop to his level, Shadow."

"Oi! I can hear you, you know!" Vaati protested from where he stood.

"Then stop this!" Vio exclaimed, becoming slightly frustrated. "You're both better than this! Why fight over a tiny little bicker? What's wrong with just talking things out like adults?"

"He's right, you two." Layla interjected from inside her bedroom, peeking out from behind the door.

Vio couldn't help but laugh a little. Shadow and Vaati, they were basically just big kids. They were a handful to try and look after, they quarrelled over petty things and they ended up being best friends again afterwards.

'Comical, really," He thought to himself. "I basically just live here with two big kids, and Layla. We're like some weird family.'

"What's wrong, Vi?" Shadow asked, snapping Vio out of his thoughts.

Vaati and Shadow had long since stopped fighting, had both apologised, and were now sitting in the rather too large living room with Vio. Layla was still up in her room, not wanting to go downstairs because she felt tired.

"Nothing," Vio smiled. "I was just thinking about how much us four are like a family. Layla and I are the older siblings, and you two are the little kids."

"Hey!" Vaati and Shadow protested in unison. "We are not little kids!"

Vio just chuckled even more.

Meanwhile, deep within a dark part of the Palace's dungeons, Staegl paced back and forth across a pitch black corridor. His footsteps echoed eerily as he walked.

He was waiting for someone to arrive and they were late.

Very late.

A small, quite feminine-looking figure appeared from around a corner, nearly retching at the stench of blood that lingered in the air.

"You're late, Layla." Staegl snarled.

"Sorry, sir! I had to make sure the others wouldn't be around." Layla bowed her head, the hood on the cloak she was wearing falling down a little further over her face.

"No matter. You know what to do, right?" Staegl asked, handing the girl a silver dagger that was wrapped in a cloth.

"Of course, Sir." She nodded, taking the weapon and hiding it under her cloak.

"What must you do?"

Layla's eyes flashed a dangerous hue of red.

"I must kill the purple Link."

A.N: Dun, dun, duuuuun! Cliffhanger! I'm so nice to you, aren't I? :3

Yup, Layla is working for Staegl! Willingly? Who knows? Hell, I don't even know!

Make sure to leave a review and I'll be back with the next chapter ASAP!