I'm back. Please read and review. I don't own Legend of Zelda.

I crossed a bridge back to shore. It ended near the river. I hadn't been able to see this side of the lake until now. The burnt out husks were all that remained of the buildings. So this was Lake Town. Grass and flowers grew out of the bare dirt. They made a poor memorial.

There were few skeletons to be seen. The bodies must have burnt up with the houses. Grief threatened to choke me. I gasped as the memory of Castle Town flooded my senses. I fell to my knees as Tiernan, the soldier I had watched die, hovered before my eyes. I struggled to get a grip on reality.

I heard a faint voice call out, "Master..."

The town thoroughfare was crowded with fleeing citizens. I shouldered against the masses. One hand was on the sword at my waist and the other held the sleeve of a girl beside me. I shouted, "We have to reach the city limits before my sister!"

"Mistress, there is a chance-"

"I told you to stop calling me that," I interrupted. I knew the odds were low. The crowd thinned enough for us to run.

The edge of the city came into sight and with it, my hope plummetted. She walked with purpose, a pale man at her shoulder. A swirling black mass formed into the mouth of a terrible beast. It roared. The girl behind me grimaced and covered her ears.

I drew my sword. "Turn back, Demia. Stop this."

My sister stood before me. She sneered, "If you intend to fight me, you should draw your other sword."

She held out her hand. The man knelt before her and took it. He transformed into a jagged blade.

"Mistress Hylia, the citadel is ready," the girl whispered.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Go, Fi. I will be alright."

With a flash of blue light, the girl disappeared. I turned toward the city and chanted the spell. As the citadel began to rise, I blew a kiss.

"What have you done?" Demia raged.

I faced her with tears in my eyes. "I've sent them where you can never go. The humans are gone, Demia."

"You betrayed me for the last time, sister."

I smiled in defeat. "I know."

I sat up with a start. The sun had set. A small fire crackled nearby. An old man gave a bucktooth grin. "You're awake."

His joints creaked as he tinkered with my equiptment. I tried to move toward him, but was stopped by a length of rope wrapped around a tree. My hands were tied together. Confusion and fear made my chest tighten.

The old man chortled to himself and continued his task. He asked, "What's a young thing like you doing out here?"

I didn't answer. I sat up, taking stock. The master sword and my pack lay behind him out of reach. My hookshot and bow were to his left. The helmet from Ruto was in his hands. He turned it over and scraped the inside with a dull knife. I turned away as the noise set my teeth on edge.

"Not very chatty, huh," he muttered. "No matter. Seeing you, I thought a zora had washed ashore. Would have made more money from a zora, but you'll still sell."

I glanced back. Sell? Dear Goddess, were there slave dealers in Hyrule? My heart in my throat, I cried out, "Navi! Navi where are you!" I pulled at the restraints. "Let me go!"

The old man pointed his knife. "Huh?"

I glared at the man and demanded, "Release me."

"A foreigner. Just as well. This way no one will come looking for you." The man shook his head. "I don't understand the language you're speaking, but I think you'll understand this." He held out a bottle filled with blue light.

"Navi!" I cried.

My fairy slid against the glass. He pounded his hands on the inside of the bottle. The old man shook it. As Navi fell down inside, the man explained, "This little creature is important to you? If you want it back, you'll do what I tell you. Or..." He held the bottle closer to the fire. Navi paled inside the bottle. The blood drained from my face. The old man gave a shrewd smile. "Deal?"

"Yes! Yes! Please don't hurt him!" I nodded emphatically.

The old man chuckled, proud of his guile. He set the bottle down beside him. Navi fell to the bottom and curled up. I swallowed as my heart threatened to leave my chest. I looked at my hands. Surely there was something, anything, I could do.

"Your buyer will be here in a few days. You'd best get used to following orders. That's all you'll do for the rest of your life." I glared at him as he laughed at his comment. Rage boiled within me. I touched my wrist. Nothing happened. I looked closer.

The bracelet was gone! There was a brief moment where I felt utter devastation. Then that moment was shattered by the sound of pounding feet.

The old man stood up to see. A hooded figure appeared out of the dark, black on black. I watched as the newcomer drew a sword and slashed the old man across the chest and neck. It happened so fast, I couldn't even scream.

Blood splattered the grass near me. The smell of hot copper hung in the air. I shrank away as the old man fell to the ground dead. The hooded figure turned toward me. They approached with even steps. I crawled away backward, but they grabbed the rope and used their sword to cut it.

I fell from the sudden lack of resistance. They grabbed my pack and sword, stopping to open the bottle. "Can you walk?" I stood slowly and nodded. The man added, "Grab your things and follow me."

He kicked dirt over the fire. Navi was the only light source. I grabbed the last few items from the ground. When I was still looking, the man encouraged, "We need to move. Come on."

Navi flew to the dead man's pocket and grabbed hold of something. Pushing down my revulsion, I reached for the bracelet and slipped it on before jogging after the man.

He was fast. When he got too far ahead, he would wait for me. We stopped at a small hut on the other side of the lake. The man held the door open for me, scanning the lake before closing it behind us.

I leaned against the wall panting. The man went to the stove and lit a fire before setting a kettle on. Navi landed on my shoulder. I grabbed him and held him to my face. "I was so worried!"

Navi hung on. "I never want to be caged like that ever again!"

The man turned to look at us over his shoulder. I asked, "What?"

He shook his head. "I can't understand you."

Navi asked, "Where did you learn to speak faerie?"

"I'm speaking a different language?" I asked stupified.

Navi nodded. "Think about what you want to say. Hylian will come back"

I concentrated on the syllables and slowly put together sentences that made sense. The man filled two cups at a small table and sat down. He gestured at the other chair and threw back his hood. My suspicions were confirmed. I sat across from Marin and gripped the cup with both hands. I said slowly, "Thank you for rescuing me."

He raised his eyes to mine. "You're welcome."

I sighed in relief. He had understood. But that language... Had it come from the vision? Marin looked down. "You were careless. This area is crawling with bandits and worse. What were you thinking?"

I looked into my cup. "I-I..." I couldn't continue. What had happened? There was nothing after my panic attack. "I can't remember how that man captured me. Screams and smoke filled my mind. Death was everywhere!"

I covered my face with a hand. The horrible memories were coming back. My chest was tight again as I grew overwhelmed. I started to hyperventilate. Tentative fingers touched my hand. I looked up at Marin. He gave a half smile and held my hand on the table. I explained, "I've seen horrible things. I try not to let it bother me, but sometimes... The trauma is too much to bear."

Marin nodded and looked at the floor. After a pause, he said, "I understand how you feel. One... event drives me on. It was the day of the castle town siege. My mother came to my room. We tried to flee, but became trapped. She hid me." Marin's throat constricted and he clenched his jaw. "My parents were killed right in front of me. A sheikah found me. They trained me to fight. That's why... That's why I'm going to kill that woman from the desert."

I sipped my tea in thought. Marin hunched his shoulders as he stared into his cup. "Is that why you came to my forest?"

Marin nodded, head still down. "I needed to reaffirm that I was on the right path."

"Your quest for revenge?"

"It's not that simple," he answered.

"I fail to see how it isn't. I know the world would be better without her, but did the sheikah know what you planned to do with their training?"

Marin's eyes widened. "Are you angry with me?"

"How can I not be? Your actions aren't unlike what befell the temple. If I had known, I would have killed you in the sacred grove. Or at least kept you out of the temple. The blessing is wasted on such a foolhardy mission." I stood from the table as my sudden anger made me nauseous. "This land has had more than enough bloodshed for ideals like yours. There is no wisdom in it."

"Calm down," Navi suggested. "You said yourself that Guinan needs to die. What does it matter why?"

"Because we have to be better than her!"

I jumped in surprise as Marin slammed his hand on the table. "Shut up!"

"Why?" I challenged. "Do my words sting? You told me it took years to find your sacred realm. Now I know the reason."

"I told you to shut up!" Marin stood, his chair falling over behind him. "Why do you get to make such accusations? You didn't grow up with this! I did! I was alone! I lived every day filled with fear and hatred. You were away, safely hidden until you were ready to face the evils of this world. But what about me? What about the rest of us?" His chest visibly rose and fell from where I stood. He was waiting for my response, but I stood frozen. He shrugged. "What? No answer?"

Thunder shook the house. I was numb. "I've been scared since I left the temple of time, but never in the way I am right now."

"Link," Marin placated as he stepped toward me.

I took a step back and held up a hand in reflex. Marin paused. I lowered my hand, covering my wrist. "Not once. I never told you my name was Link, Marin." Marin shot me a dark look as he realized I had trapped him. "If that even is your real name."

Marin turned away. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration as he paced. Navi hovered at my shoulder. I asked, "How did you know about the prophecy passed down by the sheikah? Why do you play the same harp as my friend?"

Marin walked to the other side of the hut. "I can't tell you."

My lip trembled. I tried to stop my voice from breaking and failed as I said, "Please. I need answers."

Marin backed away. He was defensive. He replied, "Stop asking. There's nothing I can tell you."

His intensity surprised me. I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Then I can't trust you any more than that man you killed by the lake."

I reached forward and grabbed the master sword before turning and running. Marin cursed. I heard him jump the table as I slammed the door. The sky lit with lightning. Navi flew low to the ground to help me keep my footing.

"Linore!" Marin called behind me.

The sound of pursuit spurred me on. I slung the master sword over one shoulder. My heart in my throat, I sprinted faster. His boots hit the ground close behind me. A steep hill was to my left. I slid down it on one leg. At the bottom, I pushed back onto my feet without pause.

Above me, Marin cursed again and ran parallel to me. The path I was on met his at the bottom of the hill. Mine was shorter, but he was faster.

Rain began to fall. It pelted my face with gale force. As I passed the bottom of the hill, a hand snagged my arm. I was pulled around by my momentum.

"Let go!" I screamed.

Marin struggled to keep his hold as I fought to get away. "Stop running! We shouldn't be ou-"

Navi flew into his face and flashed bright white. Marin was temporarily blinded. I yanked free, his nails scrstching ny arm, and ran. Marin was slow to pursue. I ducked off the path and hid in a hollow along the hill. I held Navi in my hands to hide his light.

My pulse was loud in my ears. I prayed it wasn't loud enough to hear over the storm. Marin stumbled around above me. He paused a ways to my right. I could hear him panting.

I jumped as he shouted, "Linore!" I was shaking. He begged, "Please! It's not safe out here." Silent tears fell down my face. They mixed with the rain. He shouted again, "Link!"

He walked left up the path. The ground began to rumble behind me. I stepped forward in surprise. I realized what was happening. The hill above us had become weakened by the sudden rainfall. A mudslide was coming toward us. Marin looked up at it in confusion. I surprised myself when I warned, "Run!"

I sprinted away from the path of the mudslide. Marin ran above me, hurdling objects in his way. Navi flew high and bright. Marin had gotten ahead of me. The mud splashed against the back of my legs.

There was a break in the path ahead of me. As I jumped, a tree branch struck my leg. I went down hard. The edge of the mudslide caught hold. I was going to be swept away!

"I've got you!" Marin grabbed hold of my forearms. He was above me, his knees bent and locked over a tree root embedded in the hill. I clung to his arms as he pulled me out of the torrent. Using an impressive amount of physical strength, he lifted me off the lower path to safety.

I sat beside him, my ankle stinging at my side. I wouldn't be able to outrun him now. Marin rested his head on his arms crossed on top of his knees. We were both breathing hard. Navi landed between us. My defender. The roar of the mudslide faded as it slowed down. The mud began to wash off of us with the rainfall.

I stared straight ahead. "So what happens now?"

Marin shot me a sideways glance. "What do you mean?"

I couldn't meet his gaze. "How can I trust you again?"

"I guess I just have to earn it." He stood and held out a hand. "Can you stand?"

I pushed off the ground and tentatively put weight on my bad ankle. It gave out beneath me. I winced and would have fallen if Marin hadn't grabbed my arm. I shook my head. "It's no good."

Marin stepped forward and lifted me in his arms. "Is this okay?"

What could I do? There was no other option. I nodded. Marin carried me to a path above the mudslide. Navi lit the way. It was slow work made more difficult by the driving wind and rain. By the time we made it back to the hut we were both soaked to the core.

Marin walked in and set me on the bed. I noticed he put himself between me and the only exit. He asked, "Do you need anything? Can I get you something?"

I shook my head. "I need a moment of privacy."

"Oh," Marin answered. He turned toward the wall. "Is this better?"

He wouldn't leave me alone even with an injury. I sighed, "Yes." I unbuckled the armor at my neck and let it fall away. "Can you hand me my pack?"

I lifted the blanket in front of myself as Marin handed me what I needed. I changed into the spare clothes I had. "You can look now."

I examined my bruised ankle as Marin turned around. I spared him a glance. He flushed in the candlelight. I looked away. Marin came to the bedside. He up righted the chair he had tipped during our fight. I flinched away. He hesitated and sat slowly. "It seems our roles have reversed, guardian."

I smiled wryly. "And yet I never intended to make you feel like a prisoner."

Marin sat back. He shook his head, exasperated. "Goddess, Linore, I'm sorry! What do I have to do to prove I'm on your side?"

I sat against the wall as far as I could be from him. "I don't know."

And that was what hurt the most. I had seen innocence and hope in him, but now there was only pain and lies. Marin nodded stiffly and went to the other side of the hut. He sat in a chair facing neither toward or away from me. I pulled my knees to my chest as new sobs wracked my body. He had said he was alone before, but here with him now was the loneliest I had ever felt.

I jerked awake. My back spasmed from the sudden movement. I sat up quickly and pushed back the covers. I didn't remember falling asleep like that. My ankle throbbed. One glance told me what had happened.

Marin had wrapped it while I slept and laid me to rest. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I called out, "Marin?"

The hut was empty. I stood and tentatively put weight on my bad foot. It hurt, but was bearable. I hobbled to the door. When I tried the handle, I half expected it to be locked. Instead it opened to let in the morning sun.

I spotted Marin working through a drill with his sword at the bottom of the hill. A familiar blue light flew beside him. I turned to the ugly scar where the mudslide had happened.

Trees had been ripped out by the roots and strewn along the path of the mudslide. Large boulders littered the ever widening trail until it hit the lake. The damage hadn't seemed so bad in the dark.

Looking back to Marin, I saw him toss his shirt away before continuing. I eased myself down and leaned against a stack of wood. I closed my eyes to meditate. I tried to go to my sacred place, but it was no good. Marin had thrown everything off.

Navi landed on my shoulder as boots approached. I opened my eyes. Marin smiled down at me, his shirt in one hand. I asked in a civil tone, "Good workout?"

"Yeah. It's a good morning for it too," he answered quickly. The moment passed into awkward silence. Birds chirped. The wind blew through the grass.

Marin opened and shut his mouth several times as he tried to start a conversation. I raised an eyebrow. He looked away. Eventually he settled with, "How does your leg feel?"

I pulled my leg closer. "I won't thank you for wrapping it, but it does feel better."

Marin sheathed his sword with more force than necessary. "I only did it because the fairy asked. Would you please stop treating me like the villain?"

I raised an eyebrow at Navi. He looked away, a child caught red handed. "You were whimpering in pain and growing feverish. I didn't know what else to do."

I braced myself and slowly stood. Marin reached out to help before pulling back. I asked, "Would you please bring me my ocarina?"

Marin nodded curtly. He hurried off, glad for the distraction. I waited with bated breath. Would he pass the test? When he returned, I risked a half smile. "Did you find it?"

Marin held out the ocarina. "Yeah. It had fallen to the bottom of your pack."

I watched for any reaction. Nothing. He may have known about my part in the prophecy, but he didn't recognize the Ocarina of Time. He asked with a confused expression, "Aren't you going to take it?"

Realizing my blunder, I reached out and grabbed hold before he could ask anything more. "Uh, thanks."

Marin let go easily. I started walking. He matched my slow pace. When I was half the distance to the lake, I asked, "How long do you intend to follow me?"

"I told you it's not safe out here," he answered a few steps ahead of me.

"Marin," I replied. "What's the real reason?" He stubbornly refused to answer. "I won't run. I can't, remember? And you have my things."

"Didn't stop you last night."

I bit back my next words. He wasn't wrong. I hated what I was about to say. "Please. I promise I won't try to leave again. I just want to be alone right now."

Marin folded his arms. "Fine."

He stomped back the way we'd come. Navi landed on my shoulder. "So where are we going?"

"It applies to you too, Navi."

He puffed up, turning an ugly shade of red. I frowned disapprovingly. Navi jumped off my shoulder. I rubbed the sting left behind as he flew away in an angry huff.

I walked for a few more minutes and stopped by a small stream. It whispered as it flowed downhill. I stepped in. The cool water felt good on my bare feet and helped take some of the pain out of my bad ankle.

Taking the ocarina, I played the song of time. My mind cleared for the first time in days. I sat at the edge of the stream and played. My songs changed and evolved as they combined. I played for hours. At last, I played Sheik's lullaby. The lake echoed with the notes as I lowered the ocarina.

Thinking back, I started speaking in the language from Hylia's memory. "Mother. White Goddess." Nothing felt right. I tried out Malone's word. "Ma, I need your guidance." My face hurt as I held my emotion in check. "Please. I don't know what to do. Why did you show me that? The girl... was she the spirit of the sword? How do I speak with her?"

I gushed forth as I let it all out. I told her everything. My fears for my friends and my love for Ruto. I told her about Marin. I asked her why she had blessed him. I was met with silence.

I closed my eyes in defeat. The soft touch of fairy wings brushed my cheek. I pushed them away with a hand. "Not now, Navi."

More wings brushed my arms. I opened my eyes to see hundreds of fairies around me. Blue lit up the ground beneath me in a twenty foot radius. The air was still. The loving touch of a hand on my shoulder let me know I wasn't alone.

The faeries healed my leg and flew into the air with a burst of wind. But over a dozen lingered beside me. The hand at my shoulder moved as if someone sat beside me. I put my hand to my wrist as I knew what to do.

Farore's light hovered before me. I asked in the faerie language, "Show me where to go."

The green light went thirty feet to my right and stopped before the undergrowth. i sighed and called, "I know you're there Marin. You too, Navi."

I counted to five before he crawled out of the brush. Navi flew around with the faeries above me. The light around me faded as I met Marin half way. His mouth was open in dumbstruck surprise. "What is this?"

"I saw her, Link! I saw Hylia! She was right beside you. You look so much like her," Navi ranted.

"I should hope so. She is my mother," I replied.

"Your mother?!" Marin paled. He had to steady himself against a tree.

I stood proud. "I am Linore, daughter of the White Goddess and the Knight Sef. It is my destiny to wield the master sword and lead Hyrule out of this age of darkness. Marin, you have far too many secrets for me to trust you. Yet, the goddesses all tell me I can. Farore wants me to stay close to you. We'll see how that comes to pass."

Farore's light faded as Marin asked, "Wait, you trust me?"

His wide eyes held so much hope. I answered, "On faith."

Marin stumbled forward. He clung to me. When his legs gave out, I went down on one knee to support him. His voice cracked. "Thank you, Linore. You have no idea how desperately I want to tell you what you've been asking. I've never been more sorry I can't tell you. So, don't abandon me, please."

His pleading made him seem much younger than he was. Resting my head on his shoulder, I reassured, "We'll take care of each other, Marin."

He took a deep breath before squeezing me a little too hard. I choked out, "Marin, you're hurting me."

"Shh. There's someone watching us. To your left," he whispered.

Navi and the other faeries took to the sky. I looked around as discreetly as I could. Marin whispered, "Can you run?" I nodded against his shoulder. He mumbled, "On my mark. Go!"

Marin pushed back and spun, snatching my hand in the process. I sprinted as fast as I could. Marin was still dragging me along. The underbrush exploded behind us. I heard multiple people in pursuit. We emerged from the trees to see riders on horseback. They turned to cut us off. A voice shouted behind us and the riders adjusted their pattern.

Marin cursed and drew his sword. We veered sharply back toward the trees. A shrill bird call made me glance up. I set my feet in and pulled Marin to a halt as a net landed in front of us. Men dropped out of the trees in a semicircle, blocking the way forward. Marin held out a protecting arm. "Stay behind me!"

The men rushed together. Marin reacted with lightning reflexes. They were organized and well practiced. We were slowly being pushed back into open field. The riders were nearly on us, the others not far behind. We were flanked.

I turned and summoned Din's fire. A wall of flames erupted from the ground. The horses screamed in fear as they were cut off. More than one man was tossed as the horses balked and shied away. The clash of swords paused behind me for only a heartbeat.

I spun around Marin and joined the battle. My flames changed the flow. These men hadn't trained for this. Marin pushed through, creating an opening.

I flipped through as Marin jumped the man he had knocked down. I ran and dodged around trees with Marin on my heels. I shouted, "Who are these men?"

"Gerudo! Keep going!" Came his terse reply. "We'll outpace them if we can make it to the field. They'll be forced to go around!"

A noise hit me. It was familiar and I felt the impact as Marin took the hit. He fell behind me with a cry in pain. It was loud in my ears. He was slow to get up. Blood dripped from the arrow embedded in his shoulder. The sound of pursuit grew closer. Now there would be a trail to follow regardless of how far we ran.

Marin knelt below me. He said through clenched teeth, "Pull it out."

"If I do that, you'll bleed out," I replied.

He looked over his shoulder. The first gerudo were visible. He cursed. "Leave me! They're not after you. Go and they shouldn't pursue you."

I turned and yanked the arrow out. Marin screamed once and then again louder as I used Din's fire to cauterize the wound. I turned to glare at the gerudo. They slid to a stop, wary of the holy flames surrounding us.

I shot bitterly at Marin, "You're a bastard for saying that after what you said before."

Marin climbed to his feet. He was shaky from shock. I watched him from the corner of my eye. "I suppose I deserved that."

My flames were starting to falter. Damn. This was tiring. I lowered my hands and the flames sizzled out of existence. The ground smoked. The gerudo advanced slowly. I reached behind Marin and drew his sword.

When he tried to protest, I chastised, "Your sword arm is injured. You'll be useless if you try to wield it. Go. I'll hold them off and meet you in the field."

"Don't be late, Linore."

I rolled my shoulders and paced toward the gerudo. They paused as my audacity surprised them. I set my stance. They didn't budge. I sighed, "Come on then. I don't have all day."

The gerudo advanced. I was reminded of the gerudo by the river. A woman wielding a sword was unprecedented. I used that to my advantage.

The forest was a familiar setting. I fought dirty using techniques Sario had taught me long ago. But my arm grew heavy. I was covered in sweat and my breathing was labored when my grip went slack. The gerudo waited, unsure. I couldn't best them yet. I set my jaw and waited. I had just enough left, it might work.

Suddenly, there was a rush of wind as the trees shook their branches. I looked up to see the faeries returning. They rushed to me. The gerudo stepped back in surprise as the fairies pushed them back. My tiny allies pulled and pinched at skin and hair.

Navi flew to my face. "Marin is in trouble!"

A set of fairies flew around me, invigorating me before disappearing entirely. My grip tightened on the sword as I sprinted through the forest. I could hear shouts of protest and struggling.

Grabbing the branch of a tree, I swung up onto the wide branches and ran along them. More gerudo rushed by beneath me oblivious of my position. I chased them. They would lead me to Marin.

I saw him. He was surrounded by men. A rope held his wrist, but they were having trouble subduing him. A horseman rode out of the trees and tossed a rope. It circled Marin's chest. With a jerk, Marin fell ungracefully to the ground.

I gasped as I jumped to the last tree that would get me close. There was a bird call before something wrapped around my leg. I fell from the tree, but before I hit the ground, my leg jerked. I was hanging upside down from the branch.

The sword fell from my hands, landing ten feet below me. The gerudo backed up and formed a defensive perimeter. The horseman rode over. I glared at him. He lifted his chin. Was that approval?

With a glance at Marin, he commanded, "Tie them up. They're both coming."

He dropped the rope and trotted back into the forest. Marin struggled to look at me. The men quickly pushed him back to the ground and restrained him. One of them grabbed the sword and disarmed Marin's sheath. I was lowered before my hands and legs were tied tight.

I was lifted and given to a rider. He seemed unhappy with the riding assignment. Marin was pulled to his feet as a gag was tied around his mouth.

"Marin," I called. He shot me a terrified look before they blindfolded him. The rider I was with pushed the horse to a canter. "Please," I asked. "What's going to happen to him?"

The rider refused to even look at me. His arm wrapped tighter around my waist as the edge of the field came into view. The commanding rider watched the forest. My rider pulled up behind him.

"Tell me what's going on. What are you going to do to my friend?" I hated the fearful pitch to my voice.

The commander didn't look at me. "He will face justice for his actions." To the man behind me, he said, "Take your squad back to the fortress. Put her in my quarters."

I had no reply for him. The rider spurred his horse to a gallop. We entered the canyon. The horse's hooves echoed loudly against the stone. I scanned the skies. Navi was nowhere to be seen.

I took a deep breath and called up Din's fire one last time. The heat blasted the rope holding my hands to pieces. The man threw a hand up as the horse bucked. We fell. I rolled and brushed my hand against my legs. Free of the rope, I ran and tackled the man where he was trying to stand.

I knocked the breath out of him and grappled for control. He reached for his sword and I stepped on his wrist. Calling fire to my hand, I snarled, "Touch your blade and you're dead."

The man glared at me, but stopped moving. His horse trotted past and shook out its mane. His voice was low as he said, "You'll never get away. He's called out over a quarter of our force to capture that man. There's nowhere for you to hide."

I smirked. "That's why I'm not running. I'm going to the fortress. And you're going to take me."

Gah! I hope this chapter makes sense. And who knows what most of Marin's actions are referring to? His references just kept happening!