Chapter 25

It's All Fun and Games …

Malon huddled around Zelda's bed with the rest of her dear friends, giving the princess a brief hug of relief before joining in the little circle they formed. It was their second night at Koon City, the capital of mercenaries (their first was when they got Zelda into Koon and to Kitty-Loving Poe). Although Poe's mind-boggling abode lacked any windows, the crazy-inventor said (after he came back crying, drying his tears and blowing his nose) the torches within his home automatically brightened and dimmed with day and night. Currently, the fireplace held nothing but dying embers, while the torches died with small wisps of faint fire. The strongest sources of light came from the rainbow fountain and the entrapped Poe souls (Malon almost felt sorry for them when she saw crazy man Poe eat the ghosts like snacks). The water fountain shooting drinkable rainbows captivated her at first, but when Poe smacked his lips and said it tasted like unicorn pee, she put up an invisible mental force field around the colored water and refused to breach the shield. Yet with the glow-in-the-dark rainbow acting as their nightlight, it had the terrifying effect of darkening the room's shadows, forcing Malon's horrified imagination to picture skulls with a major hairdo popping out from the darkness solely to scare her.

Pinching her cheeks, she focused on the extreme matter at hand. With Poe loudly snoring on the second-floor, which was in plain view, and Lina resting quietly in her waterbed at the far side of the room, now was the perfect time to discuss the matter on everyone's mind. Malon and her friends sat in a circle around Navi, who was nominated to be their personal candle; Suvi spread his wings around them all to contain the fairy's light and avoid awaking their two hosts, and while Zelda's wall-bed groaned under their combined weight, it still supported them all without a problem.

"Are they both asleep?" Zelda, whose face was flourishing with health, asked.

Fairy Boy nodded, wiping an abnormal amount of sweat from his forehead. "Lina was pretending to sleep in order to eavesdrop on us, but she's not faking it anymore."

"Eavesdrop?" Rail murmured, pushing aside Suvi's wings ("I just polished my scales, damn it!") to peer at Lina, who was more than thirty feet away. "How was she planning on doing that from all the way over there?"

"She's got good ears," Fairy Boy mumbled.

"Wow, I think that reminds me of someone. Oh wait, it's you!" Suvi chuckled as quietly as possible. "So what in Volvagia's great name is going on? Does the Fiend have two spawns, or she like that blasted runt that's been following us all across Hyrule?"

"She's not lying," Navi piped, shuffling her pretty wings. "Trust me, I can tell from her face. She's telling the truth."

"Her face? You've met her before?" Zelda asked, scrunching her eyebrows as an itch irritated her nose, yet her arms continued to remain defiant. Malon scratched the prickle for the princess, and Zelda thanked her.

"No, I haven't, but I've seen that truthful expression before," Navi replied, turning her attention towards Fairy Boy.

Everyone looked to him for an answer, but he only wearily sighed, "I'm the kid who didn't even know he had a mother until a few weeks ago. How am I supposed to know if I have another …" he struggled for the right word, "… sibling."

"Are you okay?" Rail asked, noticing Fairy Boy's tired condition.

"Not really," he admitted. "I was feeling better before, but I hadn't completely recovered after my first Wind Blade. Using a second so soon is making my magic act up. I actually feel like puking a little."

Suvi moved away. "Watch the wings, Forest Boy. I did not polish my scales so you could spit your stomach garbage all over them."

"It's because you undertook a task that has crippled many and killed even more," Zelda explained. "Your magical progress is astounding as always, but you lack a severe common knowledge when it comes to the basics of your powers. There are repercussions for using Modified Magic, a combination of Inherited Goddess Spells and Original Spells, which you were unaware of."

Malon had no idea what the princess was talking about, and remained puzzled as Fairy Boy laughed lightly; his merry chuckle was eerily similar to Lina's. "If that's the case, I'll hold you to your promise; you owe me a few lessons in magic."

Zelda returned the smile. "I look forward to it."

"In the mean time," Suvi rudely butt in. "Why doesn't we talk about the girl who could be Forest Boy's sister? Usually, I don't give a Dodongo's crap about these sort of human matters, but since it's Link we're talking about, I can't help but be interested. So, did the Fiend have more than one spawn?"

"Impossible," Zelda strongly objected. "Link was born the same day Lillian killed her husband, Cross. It's unlikely Lina is Link's sister."

"The witch might've gotten lonely and bored, you ever think about that?" Suvi cackled, prompting Fairy Boy to smack his elbow into their dragon's face.

"She could be Link's older sister," Rail offered as Suvi muffled his mouth to hold in a biting stream of curses. "Maybe Lina is older than she looks."

"Unlikely," Suvi growled, pinching his reddening nose. "She smells too young, so I bet she's ten, maybe eleven."

A thought came to Malon as she glanced back and forth between the identical boys. "What if Lina is Fairy Boy's twin? They act the same way, and they look really similar too!"

Zelda disapproved of her somewhat-reasonable conclusion. "Link is an only child. If Lillian had a daughter as well, I'm certain she would've told us back at Denion. However, twins …" The princess pondered the possibility, and lit up as an idea flickered to life. "However, you have the right idea. Link is an only child, but his father Cross, was not."

"Whoa, wait!" Rail loudly interjected, receiving a collective "SHH!" from all of them as his outburst caused Lina and Poe to stir in their respective beds. "Sorry, sorry! But seriously, Cross the Fallen had siblings? Did anyone else know about this?"

"How would I?" Fairy Boy shrugged.

"Not really," Navi admitted.

"Am I supposed to care?" Suvi yawned.

Malon shook her head, also oblivious to such a startling piece of information. "Are you sure, Zelda? If you're right, how come none of us have ever heard of Fairy Boy's dad having siblings?"

"I suppose it's only natural," Zelda whispered as soon as she was sure their two hosts hadn't awoken. "Cross was like a sun, covering the stars around him out of sight with his radiance. It's not surprising no one knows much about Cross's older brother, Groon, and his younger twin sister, Linnet. While Groon died in battle fighting in the Great War against the Gerudos, Linnet lived through the terrible era wrought by Ganondorf's servant, Dark Cross. Though not many, including me, knows what happened to her after the Skyloft family fell from grace because of Dark Cross's horrendous deeds, I'm fairly certain she is Lina's mother. The only way to be sure is to ask her."

"Wait," Suvi mumbled, trying to connect the dots in his adorably slow head. "So how is Lina related to Forest Boy? If she's the daughter of the Fiend's sister, that makes her Link's … twice removed sibling?"

"No, it makes her Link's cousin," Rail quietly laughed. "Seriously, how do you not know how the family tree works?"

"Shut up," Suvi growled, more embarrassed than angry. "So it sounds good as speculation, but we don't know for sure, do we?"

"No, we don't," Zelda greed.

"So how do we find out? I hate all this guesswork."

"We can only ask."

"Well, that's sure to be fun," Rail groaned. "So who wants to walk up to the girl who helped save Zelda's life and ask if she's related to one of the most notorious men in Hylian history? No offense, Link."

"None taken," Fairy Boy reassured as he leaned over due to his short of stamina, which threatened to plunge him to sleep at a moment's notice. "All things considered, we should just drop the topic. We don't ask her anything related to my dad, and we don't tell her I'm her cousin."

"What? Why?" Malon demanded. "She's your family! Aren't you happy to know you have a cousin?"

"Honestly? I'm a little thrilled, sure, but how would she react? I'm the son of Cross, and my current reputation isn't doing much to better things, is it? If she learns I'm being called the 'Spawn of the Fiend,' how do you think she'll react? Zelda, you said my dad is being blamed for destroying the Skyloft family?"

"Yes," Zelda mournfully confirmed. "As soon as Cross was branded as the Fiend, the remaining innocent members of the Skyloft Family were accused of harboring a monster. They lost their land, wealth, and status, and even as common beggars, there was no one who wished to associate with the family of the Fiend. If Lina is your cousin, then her life must have been unendurable. Unlike you, she was not sheltered in the Lost Woods, and would have had to live with people secluding and tormenting her as a follower of the Fiend."

Malon was crestfallen they wouldn't be able to reunite two long lost relatives, but felt the weight of Fairy Boy and Zelda's words. They were doing little to better the reputation of the "Spawn of the Fiend," and the last thing Lina needed was to know her forgotten relative was being called the "Next Bane of Light." Still, she couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure, Fairy Boy?"

"I'm sure," he replied firmly. "I've been pretty selfish, and everything is finally coming back to bite me. I kidnapped Zelda on a whim, and now we've got Hylian Knights stepping on our tails. I've publically called myself the son of Cross and Lillian because I'm proud of who my parents were, but my recklessness put the rest of you in danger. I've got a bit of maturing to do."

"Do you regret you actions?" Zelda asked meekly, sounding afraid to know the answer.

Fairy Boy merely laughed with his usual smile. "Never. I took you from Hyrule Castle, and I've enjoyed every day I spent with you." The princess's face turned a deep shade of red, but Fairy Boy turned away before he could see her blush. "I've called myself the son of the Fiend and Savior because there's nothing to be ashamed about, and I'll keep doing so as long as it doesn't put any of you in danger. But from now on, I've got to be careful not to act too brashly. Zelda paid for my mistakes back at the Kakariko, and it nearly cost her life, so I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Bravo, excellent speech," Suvi muttered with disinterest. "So you don't want to talk about your cousin? Fine. So what's next? We head straight for Lake Hylia as soon as the Princess learns how to walk again?"

"The lake is the entrance to the Zora's Domain, the capital of the Zoras," Rail agreed with a nod. "Since they're the bearers of the Spiritual Stone of Water, wouldn't that be the best course of action?"

"Not necessarily," Zelda informed. "While Koon City remains oblivious to Link's identity thanks to their stubborn leaders, the rest of Hyrule is well aware of his parentage, meaning the Zoras know he is Cross's son."

"So?" Malon asked, wondering why Fairy Boy's parents mattered to the Zoras. Then she remembered: "That's right! Everyone thinks Fairy Boy's dad killed the Zora Queen!"

"Correct, and the Zoras loved their Queen with all their hearts, especially the King. Should either Link or Suvica take one step inside the Zora's Domain, I fear the Zoras will rend them limb from limb without a second to spare."

"Not if I kill them all first," Suvi scoffed.

"You will do no such thing," Zelda said with such authority their cuddly dragon flinched. "While Link may not care what the world thinks of him, I do. He will not go down in history as the Spawn of the Fiend, but will be known as the hero who prevented Ganondorf from bringing about the next dark age. If dare sully Link's name any further, I will clip your wings and tailor them into doormats, cut your tail and serve it as sushi, and hang your head on my father's throne as a decoration for all to see and mock."

"Damn, Princess, you're getting scary," Suvi mumbled.

"Zelda, you really don't have to—" Fairy Boy began, but the princess silenced him with a glare.

"Argue this with me, and I will convince Malon shave all the hair from your head, eyebrows included. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Fairy Boy said immediately, protectively shielding his eyebrows with his hands.

Malon giggled, happy to see how well Zelda took control of the situation. To think a few weeks ago, she could barely speak without begging for an apology for her "impudence." She preferred this Zelda over the old puppet princess any day, yet the change also made her a little sad. Zelda had overcome her inhibitions thanks to Fairy Boy, while Fairy Boy was gradually subduing his hatred towards Ganondorf thanks to Navi, his mom, and the princess. Malon initially followed him to help with his troubles, yet found he'd recovered well enough without her. Perhaps she wasn't needed here.

No, no, Malon told herself, lightly slapping her cheeks while assuring everyone she was only trying to stay awake. She wasn't going to start questioning her place with her closest friends. She was happy here, and she'd never doubt this joy. If Fairy Boy and Zelda were overcoming their problems, then it was time for Malon to think about her own. She glanced at Suvi, who was making static snot bubbles with his nose, and wondered if it was time to tell him.

"Tell me what?" Suvi suddenly asked, startling Malon with his mind reading powers. Then she realized he was speaking to the princess, who had asked him a question Malon had missed while she was contemplating to herself.

"Tell you something that's been bothering me ever since we left Denion," Zelda replied while Malon settled down her racing heart. "Lillian told me something I've been afraid to ask you until now."

"Why the change in heart?"

"Before, I feared your wrath, but after a tea party with death, I find you're not as terrifying as I once believed you to be. I wanted to know—" Zelda continued before Suvi could angrily interrupt, "—why Lillian called you the last Thunder Dragon."

The princess's question abruptly cut off Suvi's supply of fury. "The witch called me the last Thunder Dragon? Why?"

"This is what I wish to know."

"Who knows, who cares?" Suvi shrugged, still a bit smug all the same. "Perhaps the others died off because they were too weak. Either way, it's none of my business."

"I always thought a Thunder Dragon was … no, never mind," Zelda said, ending her subtle curiosity. "As you say, it does not concern us, and we have more urgent issues to discuss. The retrieval of the Spiritual Stone of Water is our top priority."

"I still say we massacre the Zoras and take it from them," Suvi smirked, clearly enjoying the idea. "If we're their enemies, why bothering trying to play nice? If they want us dead, I say we return the favor and fill the Zora's Domain with their blood! We can always take the Spiritual Stone afterwards. All that matters is keeping it from Ganondorf's hands, right?"

"That's really mean, Suvi," Malon pouted, disliking it when he talked about blood and battle with a grinning face.

"And it would be a hopeless cause," Zelda added.

"Why? You think I can't do it?" Their dragon snarled, letting sparks snap at the depths of his throat.

"Yes, there is that, but if you kill the holder of the Spiritual Stone of Water, we will never be able to retrieve it."

"How come?" Rail asked as Suvi mumbled about bringing down the Zora's Domain with one hand tied behind his back.

"Do each of you remember how King Darunia presented the Goron's Ruby to Link?"

"Yeah, it popped out of nowhere," Malon said, vividly remembering how the priceless jewel came into existence through a flash of crimson light.

"It's because the Spiritual Stones are kept in a vault more secure than any physical security system: They are stored within the spiritual bodies of their bearers. We could've searched King Darunia up and down, but we wouldn't have been able to find the Spiritual Stone unless King Darunia allowed it. It may be why Ganondorf did not take the Spiritual Stone when he had the chance."

"So what would happen if Suvica stupidly killed the one protecting the Spiritual Stone of Water?" Fairy Boy asked past Suvi's bickering.

"The worst case scenario," Navi replied in Zelda's stead when the princess was looking weary from speaking. "The Spiritual Stones are protected by one of the six most powerful Inherited Goddess Spells: Goddess's Commandment. It takes a great deal of magic to cast, but when used properly, you can store any object you wish within someone's spiritual body, keeping your treasure from physical hands. If our stupid lizard—," Navi zigzagged through the air as Suvi furiously tried to grab and crush her, "—killed the holder of the Spiritual Stone of Water, the stone would instantly relocate itself into a random soul. It can be anyone so long as they're a resident of Hyrule, and we'll never be able to accurately pinpoint its location. Even the new protector of the stone won't realize they're holding it. It's the best way to keep the Spiritual Stones safe."

"Which means we can't retrieve it by force," Fairy Boy surmised, stifling a yawn; the night was growing darker, and everyone's eyes were starting to sag (except for Suvi, who was still trying to snatch Navi out of the air). "In other words, we've somehow got to get on the Zora's good side to receive the last stone."

"Indeed," Zelda said, confirming their worst case scenario. "But how we're to accomplish such a feat is beyond me."

"Wait a second, something's bugging me," Rail interjected. "If the Goddess's Commandment really is the best way to keep the Spiritual Stones safe, are we doing the right thing by collecting them all? Once they're in Link's pouch, anyone can take them, can't they?"

"Do you think I'm that careless?" Fairy Boy asked.

"No, of course not! But you have to admit, it's odd. We all know Ganondorf holds tremendous influence over Hyrule as it is, and he's strong enough to defeat Lillian the Wise, so why hasn't he made a more direct move to claim the Spiritual Stones. We already have two, yet he hasn't sent any of his Gerudos to take them from us. He has to know we have them and we're moving to claim the third, so what's he up to? As far as I can tell, he's barely tried to stop us himself."

Malon had to admit, Rail made a fair point, but Fairy Boy was already subjecting his words to speculation. "Not exactly. He killed the Great Deku Tree to claim the Spiritual Stone of the Forest and revived the ancient King Dodongo to strong arm the Gorons into forfeiting theirs. Since he can't take them by force, he's resorting to more roundabout ways."

"Plus, he still holds the title of Commander of the King's Royal Guards," Zelda added sleepily. "While we know his ultimate goal, he must still maintain appearances. Should he act against Hyrule before then, he will reveal his deceitful plans, which will foil all his schemes. It is why he used the Red-Eagle Gate to isolate the Gorons, who know of his treachery, and cursed the Ltula Family in order to keep them silent. I'm sure Ganondorf would make a more direct move against us if he could, but with his current status, he cannot do so without compromising his intentions."

"I guess that makes sense," Rail surrendered, bowing to Fairy Boy and Zelda's logic. "Still, I never thought it'd be this easy." Everyone stared at him like he was mad, forcing him to hastily add, "I'm not saying things have been a cake walk to begin with! There have been loads of times where we almost died, but come on, Ganondorf, the Curse of Demise and the King of the Gerudos, is our enemy. I thought he'd make things way harder on us."
"I see someone is eager to wrestle with another King Dodongo," Suvi snickered.

Rail sighed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "You know what, you're right. Maybe I seriously overestimated Ganondorf and his plans. I'll try not to think too hard about it."

"No, you are right to be concerned," Zelda said. "I never hurts to be on guard for the unexpected. However, for your previous question about the validity of collecting the three Spiritual Stones, I have my doubts, but I still believe it is the correct choice to make. Ganondorf's mad desire for the Triforce will never die, and unless he is stopped, Hyrule will always remain in peril of the Gerudo King. Collecting the three Spiritual Stones, luring him from the safety of Hyrule's flag, and defeating the Gerudo King, is our best bet to end him once and for all."

"But what if we can't?" Rail continued, his brow wrinkled in worry. "What if Ganondorf is too much for us to handle and he pounds us all into the ground and takes the Spiritual Stones from us?"

"I have thought of that possibility. Those who will face Ganondorf will do so, but we will leave the Spiritual Stones in the hands of a noncombatant. If we cannot stop the Gerudo King, we will use extreme measures." The princess swallowed, almost disbelieving the words coming from her mouth as she said, "We will open the Door of Time and use the Triforce to vanquish Ganondorf."

Rail was stunned by the proposition, but Suvi was a bit too pleased with Zelda's idea. Fairy Boy had a harder time swallowing such an underserved victory, but agreed it would be their only way to stop Ganondorf should combat fail. Malon didn't like the plan, because she had a sneaking suspicion she was the noncombatant the princess was referring to (it's not like she could help her friends by throwing rocks at the King of Gerudos). She didn't want any part of the plan in that case, because the dark seductions of the Triforce would be too great for her to bear. She knew how easily susceptible she'd be at the prospect of using the divine artifact for her own purposes, and feared the person she'd because with such power in her grasp. Fairy Boy and Zelda exchanged a glance, passing a silent conversation everyone else was not a part of, but it was thankfully clear one of them would shoulder the burden of the Triforce, letting Malon breathe in ease.

As the night grew older, everyone decided to rest for the remainder of the moon's presence. Zelda fell asleep so quickly Malon almost thought she'd died, while the boys found their own comfy spots on the floor. Knowing how many cramps she'd get in the morning if she slept on a hard surface, Malon snuggled next to the princess and slowly drifted away.

"Morning!" Lina shouted so loudly Malon jumped to her feet, blinded by the blanket mummifying her face, and would've tripped and fallen to the ground of Zelda hadn't caught her. As she blearily got her bearings, she was overjoyed to see the princess had regained the use of her arms, though her legs were still defiant to the end.

As Malon squeezed out her last remnants of sleep with a yawn, she brushed her hair from her eyes to see everyone else was wide awake. Fairy Boy and Suvi were arguing with Poe, who was trying to get the identical boys to sign a piece of parchment which gave him the right to dissect their bodies when they died. Rail was stroking the soft fur of the kittens stored within Poe's cauldron, passing one of them to Zelda, which she fondly cuddled in her arms. Malon kindly turned down Rail's offer when he tried to hand her a loveable cat; she wasn't as affectionate towards these animals as the princess was, because stray felines were always snacking on their Cuccos back at Lon Lon Ranch. Lina was preparing breakfast for everyone in the fully stocked kitchen with a wonderful exhibition of culinary skills by frying eggs, flipping pancakes (Fairy Boy must've given her the recipe), cooking sausages, and baking potatoes all at the same time. She was a bit overworked as she made a meal large enough for twenty people (who told her about Suvi's appetite?) but seemed to enjoy herself nonetheless.

When she was done cooking, Lina stacked the food onto individual plates before tossing them to their particular owners like Frisbees. Not a morsel was dropped as the saucers flew across the room, but while Link, Suvi, Rail and Poe snatched their dishes with relative ease, Malon was not expecting this specific method of delivery, and instinctively threw her arms over her head. Suvi caught her dish with his tail, tapping her on the head with the plate before dropping it into her hands.

"Thanks Suvi!" Malon called while Lina walked over and handed Zelda her meal. The food was scrumptious, and Malon was fighting for seconds before Suvi got a chance to eat everything. While they dined, Poe and Fairy Boy talked about his Modified Magic, while Malon stayed with the princess in order to talk to Lina about different cooking recipes they could try out later. While they exchanged ideas, Malon noticed Suvi and Rail were elbowing one another. Apparently, Rail was still curious to know exactly how Lina was related to Fairy Boy, and Suvi was telling him to "Man the hell up!" while pushing him forward. She had fun watching Rail nervously walk towards the unsuspecting Lina with his mouth half open before sulking away because of his fear in hurting Lina's feelings.

Eventually, Suvi could bear no more as he shoved Rail aside, strode towards Lina, and demanded, "What's your relationship to the Fiend?"

"Pardon me?" Lina said as the house grew silent; everyone was waiting for her response, while Poe plucked one of Fairy Boy's hairs and dropped it in a test tube.

"You heard me. You said your last name is Skyloft, which means you must be related to the Fiend. Are you the famous 'Spawn of the Fiend' everyone's talking about?" Suvi snickered wickedly as he shot Fairy Boy a taunting leer.

Thankfully, Lina wasn't offended by the question, but her playful attitude changed into seriousness as she replied. "The Fiend's my uncle. My mom was his younger twin sister, and she passed away a few years after the Fiend was killed and I was born. Satisfied?"

"Immensely."

"You're certainly a direct one. Most people usually fidget like crazy while trying to ask me how I'm related to Hyrule's most ruthless criminal." Rail dropped his shoulders in shame. "You, on the other hand, just come right out with it."

"Dithering and making happy talk is a pointless waste of time," Suvi shrugged. "So what do you think about the Spawn of the Fiend everyone's talking about?"

"Propaganda," Lina said, dismissing Fairy Boy's existence. "We've only been in Koon City for a while now, but it's obvious the King and his council dogs are still trying to subjugate this city. The only reason they don't use their military on Koon is because the mercenary force here is quite powerful. Therefore, they're trying to frighten the leaders of this city with false stories about the child of the Couple of Tragedy. If the Fiend's son really did exist, why wait until now to show himself? It's all lies if you ask me. I'm rather pleased we came to Koon the same time the kingdom started spreading their deception, because we're safe from their petty deceit here." Malon saw Fairy Boy was baking with relief, yet simmered with an odd hint of discomfort.

"Good to know!" Suvi chuckled, yet continued to probe by asking, "So what's it like, being the niece of the Fiend? Must've been a hard life."

"Hard enough for my dad to abandon my mother, breaking her spirit and causing her to die when I was three," Lina shrugged, trying to appear indifferent, yet unable to keep the stray feelings of discomfort and buried grief from Malon's eyes.

"I thought you said your parents died, as in both of them. Why say that when your dad left you and is probably still breathing somewhere?" Rail asked.

"He's as good as dead to me as far as I'm concerned. Sure, life was hard with the scorns and jeers from everyone who had a loved one lost to the Fiend, but I didn't want someone else's crimes to judge me forever. So I got on my feet and walked forward. I met my teacher a few years later, and the rest is boring history."

"I see," Suvi nodded approvingly, though Malon knew he was only interrogating Lina to get a rise out of Fairy Boy. "One more question."

"Seriously, haven't you said enough?" Rail said, searching for a place to put down his cleaned plate.

"I don't mind, I get asked these things a lot," Lina smiled at Rail before putting on her stoic face for Suvi.

"Let's say the Spawn of the Fiend wasn't a lie made up by the idiots at Hyrule Castle. What would you do if you got a chance to meet with the son of the man who ruined your life?"

"What would I do? I'd treat him like family," Lina replied, catching Suvi (and Fairy Boy) off guard with her unexpected response. "I know I've had it bad being the Fiend's niece, but I bet my troubles are a grain of salt compared to what the Fiend's son would have been through. I'd understand what he's endured, and I might be the only one who can help him. I've suffered a lot too, but I don't regret a thing. I hate my dad and it breaks me to remember my mom, but my life has molded me into the person I am right now. If pain has taught me anything, it's that I can be better than the idiots who made me this way. If the Fiend's child was alive, I wouldn't hate him, because he doesn't deserve to shoulder his father's sins. There, better?"

Suvi stared into Lina's eyes for ten long seconds before stomping away, grumbling, "Damn it, I thought she'd be more fun."

Malon, excited and awed by how grown-up Lina acted, tried to tell her the good news, that her cousin was standing a few yards away from her. However, Zelda held a steady hand over Malon's mouth, wordlessly telling her that this was Link's choice to make, and for his sake, they should let it be.

As Malon pouted, the princess said to Lina, "You're very mature for your age. I did not think you were this … grown-up when you spoke to me of boys yesterday."

"I was a lonely little girl who had to learn how to take care of herself for five years," Lina replied, like she was proud of her resilience. "The only way I could do that was by growing up. Crying, whining, and blaming people who were already dead wasn't going to do anything for me, so I moved on. Simple as that."

For sure, Malon knew Link and Lina were related. They spoke of and accomplished the most ludicrous and difficult tasks like they were the most basic problems in the world, and they did it with a smile. The two of them would be a force to be reckoned with if they ever worked together, so it made Malon wonder if Link would leave Koon with another loving family member, or ignorant sibling.

When breakfast was finished (Suvi swallowed the last of the pancakes), teeth brushed, and faces washed, Lina offered to give them a tour of the city. She said she'd only "been around the block" once or twice, but already knew it as well as her own name. Everyone was eager to see a few sights while Zelda recovered, but the princess asked them to take her along. While Fairy Boy originally objected, saying she needed rest and not a city-expedition, Lina solved their problems by bringing out one of her teacher's earlier inventions (Poe was meticulously examining the strand of hair he'd plucked from Fairy Boy, and paid them no mind as Lina shuffled about his storage of antique belongings). It was a dusty oak chair on wheels, supported two large rear wheels and a smaller set attached to a swivel on the front, allowing the chair to feeling maneuver left and right as it moved. Lina said it was called a wheelchair, and while Zelda was placed in the cushioned seat, Fairy Boy grasped the handles nailed to the back of the ingenious invention and pushed her along, allowing the princess to easily travel without using her own strength.

Still, there was one other problem. While Koon City did reject the wanted posters of Fairy Boy, leaving its inhabitants unaware of the Fiend's spawn, there were plenty of masterful paintings, expertly carved figurines, and twenty-foot tall marble statues of the princess all around Koon City (Malon saw many of them when they were rushing the dying princess to Poe's place in the dead of night). When Link informed Zelda her face was everywhere in the city, they knew they couldn't wheel the Princess of Hyrule out onto the streets in plain view. After Zelda got over her embarrassment, she reminded everyone they'd already prepared a counter measure for this sort of situation. Excitedly, Malon remembered the masks she stashed in Fairy Boy's pouch, eagerly retrieving their disguises and spreading them out on the floor for everyone to see.

"These will work nicely," Fairy Boy agreed, grabbing the Keaton Mask; it was a masquerade in the shape of a yellow fox, with cunning slits for eyes, a black dot for a nose, and long pointy ears. He handed Zelda the Skull Mask, a mask in the shape of a skull with two boney spikes sticking out of its forehead, and though the princess objected to his choice, he convinced her that no one would think a girl riding in a wheelchair while wearing such a tasteless disguise could be the Princess of Hyrule. Joining in with the playful atmosphere, Rail took the Gerudo Mask while Suvica pot on the Spooky Mask (it looked like the wailing expression of a ReDead), asking if it made him look threatening. Malon settled for the Goron Mask, while Lina, who said she didn't need a disguise for this city, took the Bunny Hood and snuggly fit it on her head.

Ready to go, Lina led them to the front door after taking her crossbow from its pedestal and tying it to her back, fastening a quiver of bolts to her waist. "This is the city of mercenaries," she explained when Malon gave her a quizzical stare. "You've got to be ready for danger." As she pushed open the doorway and stepped outside, Malon giggled to Zelda's gasp; she and her friends had been equally surprised when they first saw what the princess experienced now. Poe's house was like Fairy Boy's magic pouch; a small exterior yet massive on the inside. The moment they stepped outside, Zelda glanced back to see they'd emerged from an adult-sized storage box labeled: "RABBID MONKEYS! WILL STEAL YOUR BANANAS! DO NOT DISTURB!" At first glance, the untrained eye could've sworn only two grown men could squeeze inside the angry-monkey container, making it a good hiding spot for Poe's home. It also explained how he was a wandering traveler while still having a place to live, because his residence was easily portable.

While the rest of Koon City was harshly simple in comparison to Poe's bigger-on-the-inside home-box, it still did its best to impress them. It might not have been as large as Hyrule Market or as fancy as Denion City, but it was undeniably livelier. Weapon and armor stores ruled the vast majority of merchandise, and each was crowded with enthusiastic mercenaries searching for a replacement weapon or a blacksmith to re-sharpen their current armaments. Fights were constantly sparking between armed sell-swords; they couldn't walk five steps without passing by a small squabble. There were plenty of street performers as well, causing Malon and her friends to frequently stop to watch these amazing recitals. She saw insane men swallow their swords yet pull the blades back out unharmed, watched female swordswomen demonstrate their graceful skills by knocking down arrows aimed at them from willing archers, and gaped as a blindfolded knife-thrower hurled his daggers at his assistant, who was chained to a rotating board; each blade missed the sweating subordinate by centimeters, and Malon gasped each time she thought the assistant was a goner (which was every time).

Then there were the food stalls and mini-game centers. While most of the food sold was horrid abominations that deserved to be blown up with a Bomb Flower, there was one kind and burly man (whose brawny and scarred stature did not fit his occupation) pushing a trolley brimming with sweets. Now this guy was an artist, as everything he sold, ranging from his caramel-apples to his cotton candy, was a work of genius. Link helped himself to a candy-apple while passing Zelda her sugar-sculptured lollipop shaped into the smiling face of a dragon, which she eagerly bit off. Rail enjoyed a cup of strawberry-flavored powder sugar, and Lina bought a large wad of cotton candy. While Malon took a orange-flavored lollipop larger than her own head (avoiding the rainbow-colored candy for her own reasons), Suvi put the man out of business by handing him a gold rupee (a reward they received from Poe for "reviving a few dying brain cells") and devouring all the sweets in a matter seconds, proudly declaring (to Malon's burning envy) that dragons were incapable of getting cavities.

With their bellies bulging with sickly sweetness, they walked into the large section of Koon City responsible for hosting mini-games of strength, skill, and luck. The participants put their wallets on the line as they pitted muscle against muscle, swords and spears, and pushed their archery skills to the limit. Suvi was all too eager to "put a few humans in their place." With Poe's gold rupee wastefully spent, they relied on the small stash Link kept in his magic pouch, amounting to a measly forty-eight rupees.

"Not a problem!" Suvi snickered beneath his Spooky Mask, walking towards the nearest game corner after Fairy Boy handed him a red rupee. There was a small pack gathered around this station, so Fairy Boy had a little trouble steering Zelda's wheelchair around the clustered bodies; Rail eased things up by getting in front and shoving people out of the way, making room for the rest of them. As they arrived to the front of the crowd to see what the commotion as about, Malon saw they were at an arm wrestling competition called "Muscle Buster." Here, a muscle-monster man, seven feet tall, was flexing his bare, sweaty hair chest (ew) while flashing his mohawk. He was daring anyone willing enough to arm wrestle with him, and if they won, they'd receive the title of "Ultimate Muscle Man" (really now, boys and their silly titles) and receive all the rupees the hairy-hulk earned so far. According to the board behind him, he'd been challenged fifty-five times in a row and earned a total of 825 rupees. The entrance fee was fifteen rupees, and anyone could pit themselves against the muscular-titan as many times as they wished, but from the empty seat across from the bulky man, no one was willing to try, and Malon could see why; muscle-monster's arms were thicker than her own body, his veins surging beneath his skin.

Suvi stepped up, shouting, "Time to learn your place!" while tossing the red rupee onto the arm-wrestling table. At his appearance, the people gathered almost fell over in hilarity while the hulk glared down at Suvi with contempt.

"Ya think ya got tha stones ta challenge me? Go home an drink yer milk, boy!" Muscle man sneered, revealing his mouth dotted with missing teeth.

"Shut up and bring it on!" Suvi laughed, sitting down and bracing his right elbow against the table, holding out his hand with a sneer. Everyone went wild with laughter, and many started making bets on how badly Suvi would need a doctor. On the other hand, Malon, Zelda, Fairy, and Rail each folded their hands and gave Suvi's opponent their sincere condolences. Lina tried to convince the hairy hulk to forfeit now and save himself, but was rejected with ill-mannered jeers.

"Time tha teach ya a thing er two bout respect! Ya gotta know who tha boss is round here!" The ripped giant sat down across from Suvi, grinding his elbow into the worn out table and making Suvi's hand disappear inside his own. The witnesses doubled over in amusement at the stark contrast in size, but Malon was already covering the eyeholes on her mask.

"Ready!" A judge shouted. "On three, gentlemen. One … two … three!"

SMASH!

She dared a peek, immediately regretting her decision; the poor man's arm was bent the wrong way as Suvi slammed the back of his opponent's hand against the table so hard the wood shattered. The poor chap screamed as he held his mangled limb, while Suvi shouted, "Who's the boss now?" as he scooped his prize into his arms and walked away, his grin visible beneath his mask as he swaggered through the speechless crowd.

"Easy win," he snickered, snatching Fairy Boy's magic pouch and stuffing all 825 (845 if you included his red rupee) into the bottomless container. "My minions, we are set to raid the restaurants."

"Who's a minion?" Fairy Boy laughed, snatching his pouch from the grinning dragon and steering Zelda's wheelchair away from the still-wordless mob.

Next, they visited a shooting-stall. The targets were green, blue, and red rupees, each moving about on their individual platforms, which shifted and swerved in erratic patterns to make hitting them difficult. While the green rupees were the closest, the red rupees were the farthest from the front counter, where other children, and some adults, desperately tried to aim for the red gems without success.

"New customers!" The booth's owner applauded as one of the children gave up in a fit of rage, slamming his borrowed slingshot on the desk and storming away. "Are you interested in a little game of skill and luck?"

"Why not?" Lina said, but Link held her back.

"Let me," he offered, stepping up. "So, what're the rules?"

"Very simple, my boy!" The vendor grinned mischievously. "Pay me ten rupees, and I'll give you a slingshot with twenty pellets. You get to keep all the rupees you hit, but you'll walk away without any prizes if your aim is poor! Are you ready to play?"

"Sure, but can I use my own slingshot?" Fairy Boy asked, placing two blue rupees on the counter and showing the vendor his slingshot.

The booth's owner twitched in annoyance, but the sign of aggression was so fleeting Malon almost thought she'd imagined it. "Certainly, my boy, but you have to use my custom pellets! Anything else is against the rules!"

"That's fine, I'm out of ammo anyways."

"Excellent! Here are your twenty shots!" The suspicious man gave Fairy Boy a small bag filled with white beads. "Begin!"

Fairy Boy armed his slingshot and pulled back, firing with absolute confidence. Malon had never seen him miss before, so she was surprised when his bullet went askew and flew over the intended red rupee. Fairy was just as astonished as she was, for he picked up one of the pellets and balanced it in his hand.

Lina must've smelled something suspicious, because she pinched one of the beads and rolled it between her fingers, examining it with deep scrutiny. "This thing is faulty!" She cried furiously, shoving the defective projectile back into its bag and gaining the attention of the other participants, who glared at the vendor. "No wonder no one can hit anything! You've sabotaged all your equipment! You're a thief! This isn't fair!" Her words made Suvi growl and incited Rail to reach for his Hylian Shield.

"Now, now, bunny girl," the cheapskate snickered, poking Lina's Bunny Hood. " 'Fair' isn't good business. You got a problem with my little game? Too bad. Suck it up, because I never said using damaged equipment was against the rules. This little game booth is my turf, so you play by my rules."

Malon's own irritation pricked at her chest at the grown man's lowly scheme, and Suvi and Rail would've knocked the cheater's teeth out if Fairy Boy hadn't raised one hand, motioning for them to stop. "He's right."

"He's what?" Suvi snarled, baring his teeth.

"It's his game, so he makes the rules," Fairy Boy replied, spinning the defective bead on the tip of his finger. "If we have a problem with that, we should just leave."

"Ah, I'm glad there's someone sensible amongst you all!" The immoral owner chuckled approvingly.

"How can you tolerate this man's actions? He should be punished for exploiting the goodwill of others!" Zelda objected, struggling to move her immobilized legs.

"Yeah," Lina agreed. "We should have some fun beating manners into him."

Fairy Boy laughed. "I agree with that too, but do you know what's more fun? Beating him at his own game." With one swift movement, he armed his slingshot with the fraudulent ammunition and fired. His aim went wide, yet the faulty bead curved on its own accord and knocked over a red rupee over eighteen feet away. The store owner's mouth dropped, and Fairy Boy's efforts were met by the swindled customers' cheers.

"How … how …?" The vendor gasped, turning pale beside the morning heat.

"Simple," Fairy Boy said, fired one bead after another while sniping the distant red rupees with impossible accuracy. "I've gotten used to using these little fellows, that's all." Within the span of twenty seconds, all the red rupees were knocked over, and the deceitful vendor had no choice but to present Fairy Boy with his prize: 380 rupees. Then he said, "This is fun, I'd like another go!"

After four more rounds, the humiliated scammer had no choice but to close shop as his wallet dwindled. A grouping mass of people, all customers who'd been conned out of their savings by the shameful stall-owner, cheered as the man was forced to walk away. Their gratitude only increased when Fairy Boy gave each of them a fair share of his earnings, returning their wrongfully taken rupees with a little interest as well. In the end, he was left with fifty rupees, but his friends (except Suvi) were beaming at him beneath their masks.

"That was extremely kind of you," the princess said as Fairy Boy pushed her wheelchair along, searching for another attraction to enjoy.

"I did what I thought was right, nothing more," he assured.

Suvi was still bitter over Fairy Boy's generosity and their lack of winnings, so he kept to himself. Lina, alternatively, was staring at Fairy Boy with admiration. "That was great! I never knew you were so skilled with a slingshot! Have you ever tried your hand at archery, maybe a crossbow, before?"

"Nah, I usually use magic to compensate for ranged attacks."

"You should try archery! You'll be shooting apples from people's heads in no time!" Lina said enthusiastically, wrapping her arms around Fairy Boy's.

It was odd to see Fairy Boy's cousin hugging him so affectionately, so Malon squeezed between them and asked, "How about that game? It looks fun!"

Thus marked the start of their winning streak. Suvi was a beast (naturally) when it came to games of strength. Civilians and mercenaries alike dropped their jaws with each impossible feat he accomplished. When he stepped up to the High Striker (a game where he had to use a hammer to strike a lever and shoot a puck upward, sending it alongside a tower of wood to see if he could hit the bell at the top), he obliterated the mallet and the game with one heavy swing, sending the puck so high it pierced a hole in the bell before shooting for the sky; they had to wait several seconds for it to come back down. In the Mountain Mover (where contestants pushed a large boulder across a racetrack to see who could move their rock the farthest in the allotted time), the audience sneered at Suvi's participation as he stood beside the other beefy constants, intensifying their mockery when he chose to move the largest boulder available. They all clammed up when he picked up the hunk of stone, held it above his head, and ran for the finish line laughing. The feat which garnered him the most attention was the Wrestle Mania, where all the applicants gathered in a small arena in a free-for-all battle; you lost if you shouted "I'm a pansy!" and won if you were the last man standing. Forty seconds after the game began, all ninety-eight contestants were piled into a giant mound of unconscious bodies, with Suvi sitting on the top. Malon thought his Spooky Mask made him look rather funny at first, but as he wore it while standing on a pile of unconscious mercenaries, he was very threatening.

Fairy Boy was equally successful, though he was more subtle about it. While he could've easily dominated the games of strength thanks to his Goron's Bracelet, he settled for the shooting games. His accuracy made him an instant enemy of the shooting booths as he ended each game with a perfect score, no matter how difficult or rigged the game. When Lina joined in, it immediately became a competition to see who the better shot was; her crossbow against Fairy Boy's slingshot. Malon always smiled as she watched the siblings enjoy themselves with each other's company.

Rail opted to take on the games of endurance, and he was very good at them too. When it came to holding his breath underwater, he was practically a Zora, refusing to resurface even when all other competitors surrendered to the lack of oxygen. The Tingle Chair was a contest to see who could bend their knees and hold the position the longest, like they were sitting on a chair made of air. Rail was unmovable, setting a new city-wide record with his impressive persistence. After he won a prize from the Human Flag (hanging onto a vertical pole while keeping your body parallel to the ground), he presented the child-sized happy-cow-doll to Malon, who admiringly thanked Rail for the wonderful present (it reminded her of home). When she smiled at him, he hurriedly turned away while rubbing his face. Malon got a slightly uneasy feeling, and hoped Rail hadn't fallen for the wrong girl; she didn't deserve a kind boy like him. As it turned out, Suvi saw Rail's gift in her hands, and it suddenly turned into a race between the two of them to see who could bury her beneath the tallest mountain of prizes. Ultimately, Malon had to start giving them away, because it was impossible for her to lug around a small caravan of wooden toys and stuffed dolls.

While Zelda couldn't participate in any of the activities, the princess was still having a wonderful time. Malon watched her ardently applause to Fairy Boy's eagle-eye sharpshooting, laugh at the ruckus left behind by Suvi, and cheered Rail on as he proved his endurance. It was apparent she wanted to enjoy herself with everyone one else, so Malon tracked down a game even the temporarily-crippled princess could participate in. She found something called Whack-A-Peahat, where little sculptures of the field pests randomly popped out from a box dotted with holes, and Zelda had to use the toy mallet to "whack" the Peahats when they came out. The game stand was just the right height for the princess to turn into Hyrule's most feared Peahat exterminator, unable to repress her open smile of joy as everyone cheered her on. After Zelda achieved a new high score, everyone else had to test their skills. Lina furiously pounded away at the onslaught of wooden figurines, and was a few Peahats short of the princess's record. Rail was absolutely terrible at the game, unable to focus on more than one Peahat at a time. Malon was fairly average, and was at least proud that she beat Rail's score by a small margin. Fairy Boy cheated by using a toned-down version of his Farore's Wind, unleashing a squall of mallet-blows with his magically speed up arm, beating Zelda's high score by at least double the points. Suvi ended it all by tossing aside the rubber mallet and playing the game with his fists. When he was done, all of them were running away from the game-owner's fit of rage as the Whack-A-Peahat station was reduced to a pile of wooden chips.

Malon was given a chance to have a little one-on-one time with Lina when Rail and Suvi found another game to compete in, letting Fairy Boy and Zelda watch their conquest for victory from the sidelines. Lina led Malon to a large archery range meant for all ages. While the adults and veterans sniped targets more than eighty feet away, Lina was tutoring Malon at the kid's section, where the arrow-clustered haystacks were only ten feet away. There were other children there as well, watched and instructed by the archery field's adult supervisor; they used easy-to-use toy bows, pretending they were masterful bowmen.

"Try this," Lina offered, taking one of the small rental crossbows from a rack of used and donated equipment. She showed Malon how to arm the weapon (with a blunt bolt), hold it properly, and fire. In a matter of minutes, she was using her child's crossbow with ease, and drew a happy face in her target with her quiver of quarrels. Lina used her personal arbalest to join in with the fun, but while Malon's was a device smaller than her own chest, Lina's used a monstrous weapon as tall as herself. Her crossbow wasn't only large, but crazy powerful as well, completely penetrating her targets and striking the stone wall they were braced again.

"How do you draw that thing?" Malon asked as she watched Lina rearmed her mini-ballista. She could barely redraw her crossbow's string to lock it into place in order to fire another blot; the grueling labor took her more than ten seconds at a time. In Lina's case, all she had to do was the crank the lever-type trigger on the bottom of her crossbow to instantly redraw its string. Not only that, but there was a intricately added metal cylinder built into stirrup at the front of her handheld ballista; each time Lina cranked her crossbow, the cylinder would rotate one latch at a time and automatically set another bolt onto the flight groove, allowing her to fire immediately. It was as easy as that: Fire, crank, fire, crank, fire, crank! It looked a little ridiculous, having a girl barely an inch taller than Malon, use such a huge and ill-fitting weapon, but Lina's accuracy could not be denied.

"It's really easy for me," Lina said, demonstrating a quick reload with her crossbow's lever and firing off another bolt, nailing her circular haystack against the wall. "My teacher made this for me as a birthday present. Out of all the useless things he's made over the years, this is not one of them." She patted her weapon fondly.

"Does it have to be so big?"

"The bigger it is, the more powerful the shots," Lina shrugged, detaching the cylindrical bolt-holder from her crossbow by unfastening a series of complicated latches in order to refill the empty bolt-stock. When it was filled, she slammed the loaded chamber back into place and shot another projectile to make sure it still worked; it did.

"Isn't it heavy?" Malon asked, pretty sure the contraption, regardless of how ingenious it was, weighed hundreds of pounds.

Lina grinned mischievously, a face Fairy Boy frequently made when plotting something dastardly. "What to try holding it?"

Malon quickly shoot her head. "No thank you, I'm pretty sure I'd drop it."

"Good call," Lina giggled, twirling her weapon in her hands with a graceful display of skill. "In reality, this thing doesn't weigh much at all, and if it wasn't cursed, you'd be able to pick it up no problem."

"C-Cursed?" Malon retreated several steps back, bumping into the boy practicing behind her. The teenage lad leered at her for interrupting his shot, threateningly hefting his one-handed crossbow as if he intended to use it on her; his arrogance left him faster than an arrow from a bow when he saw Lina aiming her ballista at him, saying, "Try it, mine's bigger."

"Don't fret," Lina continued as the poor boy ran for his life. "Just because something is cursed doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Plus, the curse was cast by my teacher, so it's alright."

"Poe cursed your crossbow? Why?"

"Don't get the wrong idea, it's a good curse. Well, for me, anyways. Here, take a look." Lina held up her crossbow for Malon to ogle at. It was a beautiful masterpiece, and while Malon was averse to dangerous objects, she had to admit Lina's arbalest captivated her. The foregrip, limbs, and stock were made from polished black lumber, and the metal arrow track, trigger, and cylinder chamber shone with a silver sheen. Funny jade pictures and illegible symbols were scribbled and scrawled all across the dark wood, and it took Malon a moment to realize they were glowing faintly.

"Is that … magic?" She wondered, poking at the illuminated figures; they were pleasant warmly to touch.

"It is. My teacher cursed my crossbow so no one but me can hold and use it. If anyone else tries, it'll gain an extra thousand pounds, making it impossible to lift."

"That's so cool," Malon whispered, fascinated such a handy spell actually existed. She wondered if Poe could curse her toothbrush back at home, so her dad would stop accidentally using it in the early mornings.

"You won't find magic like this anywhere else," Lina said with a hint of pride. "My teacher is the only one capable of pulling off such a spell. Not even my dead aunt, Lillian the Wise, could use such complex magic."

She's not exactly dead, Malon thought sheepishly, while asking, "So there's nothing else in the world with thief-protection like your crossbow? That's so cool."

"Not exactly. I'm betting there are ancient artifacts, rare treasures or weapons of great power, that have a curse similar to my crossbow's. My teacher didn't invent the spell, he rediscovered it. Wouldn't it be interesting to find a sword only one person in the world can wield?"

"Not really?" Malon admitted. "Because if you find the sword and can't use it, you can't really do much with it, can you?"

Lina giggled into her hand. "Good point, but discovering something like that would be exciting, don't you agree?" Malon admit, it did make her heart dance to think about such wonderful hidden treasures. "I think the boys are done trying to show each other up. Ready to go?"

"Oh! Wait, there's one thing I still want to do!" Malon hurried to put her crossbow back on the rental rack before picking one of the children's bows. "Let me try this!" She said, holding up an ordinary trainer bow, a curved stick with its ends connected by a basic line of string. The handle was worn down by countless hands and an infinite number of fired arrows, but Malon thought this bow was just right for her.

Lina observed her choice with her lips pressed in a puzzled flat line. "Are you sure? Bows are notoriously more difficult to use than crossbows. Why would you want to try one?"

"Because using a bow looks prettier?"

Fairy Boy's cousin laughed to that, but agreed to instruct her to the best of her abilities as she fetched a quiver of arrows. As Malon clumsily notched an arrow, dropping it several times before she could get the hang of it, she followed Lina's instructions word by word, keeping her back straight and her body perpendicular to the target. Slowly, she raised her bow, pulled on the string until the arrow's fletching brushed her mask, and stared down the shaft of the arrow to line up her sight. Her hands grew sweaty as Lina meticulously inspected her form, often straightening Malon's shoulders or readjusting her arm. Finally, she shouted, "Fire!" and Malon let her arrow fly.

Way off target, if she might add.

"Aw," Malon mumbled as her arrow haphazardly missed her haystack by several feet, plopping onto the ground and skidding to a halt. Despite her lack of success, her chest fluttered. There was something more invigorating, more satisfying, by loosening an arrow from a bowstring rather than firing a lump of metal from a crossbow.

"See? Hard, right?" Lina said, anticipating Malon's failure. "It's easier to stick to a crossbow, if you ask me."

"But that's what's fun about bows!" Malon happily protested, hugging her shabby archery equipment. "Isn't sharpening your skills with lots of practice, getting better little by little, what makes it so exciting?"

"Ha, ha! I guess so!" Lina smiled, strapping her giant crossbow to her back. "I like you Malon, you're really easy to be friends with."

"Aw, thanks!"

"Mister," Lina said to the man watching over the rental gear. "I want to buy one of these bows for my friend. How much are they?"

"Depends on which one ya want."

"What're you doing?" Malon asked, jogging to Lina's side.

"I've got to give my new friend a gift before she leaves," Lina said with a wink as she tried to select a suitable bow. "You won't be staying in Koon forever, and neither will my teacher and I. Who knows when we'll part ways, but it'll be soon, I know it. Before that happens, I want to give you something."

Malon would've protested, saying she only needed Lina's kindness to remember her forever, but considering how this was Fairy Boy's cousin, she didn't see how she was going to convince Lina otherwise.

"What do you think of this one?" Lina asked, holding out a fanciful bow with a recurve, designed with plentiful carving pictures of slain monsters. "It's a bit over priced—" she shot a look at the used weapon lender, who pretended he didn't hear her by whistling noisily. "—but with our winnings, it's no big deal. What do you think?"

"This one is fine," Malon assured, still hugging the basic bow she'd selected from before.

Lina made a face. "Are you sure? That thing will probably snap the next time you use it."

"It's my first bow, so it's fine."

"Well, it's your present, so it's your decision. How much for it?" Lina asked the weapon's keeper.

"Five rupees, lass."

"It's barely worth one," Lina grumbled, tossing the bargaining fellow a blue rupee all the same.

"Thank yee very much. Yer quiver, bow holder, and arrows'll come with tha purchase. Have a nice day, lassies." The lumbering man dipped his head in a bored but customary gesture of gratitude before returning his watchful eyes on the archery-practicing children at play.

"I could've gotten you something so much nicer," Lina whined as the two of them left the shooting range. "We can still walk back now and get you something better."
"This is fine," Malon repeated, smiling at her purchase. Her "bow holder" was a scratched up belt, allowing her bow to hang from the back of her waist. She also tied her quiver, with its seven shoddy arrows, to the side of the belt. She wasn't about to start shooting monsters with her nonexistent archery skills, but she could still set up a range back at the ranch for a bit of fun and practice.

"Well, at least it suits you," Lina said as Malon gave her new accessory a little twirl, glad neither her bow nor her quiver fell off, yet accidentally dropped one or two arrows. "Your archery form is definitely magnificent."

"Really?" Malon asked excitedly, picking up her arrows.

"But your aim is terrible."

"Oh."

Lina laughed at Malon's fluctuating expressions. "Don't worry about it. With a couple years of practice, I'm sure you'll be an archer Hyrule will be singing praises about. You can't grow as famous with a crossbow."

"Why not?"

"Because people say it's overpowered, doesn't take any practice, and is cheating. Using a bow takes skill, but a crossbow only requires a trigger finger. You ever heard of the legend explaining why the crossbow was invented?"
There's a legend about that? Malon thought in wonder. "Nope."

"They say the crossbow was built to mimic the power of a bow so powerful, it could create holes in the sky if fired at the heavens," Lina, Malon's excited storyteller, said with sparkling eyes. "A long time ago, when demons and evil roamed Hyrule like the land was their backyard, there was a warrior who guarded the Lost Woods. Some say he was an enthusiast who loved the forest, while others describe him as an immortal guardian created by the trees themselves. Either way, the forest hero fended off evil with his unbreakable sword, but the little dagger couldn't stop all his enemies. Therefore, he crafted himself a new weapon, fashioning it from the strongest lumber he could find and strengthening it with the soul of the forest. When he was done, he'd created a weapon, a bow, so powerful it punched holes in mountains, split the seas, and parted the clouds with a single arrow! Many called it the Green Guardian's Bow, some named it the Dark Breaker, but the warrior called it the Fairy Bow. Many people witnessed its power and tried to replicate it, but with little success. The crossbow was the closest they ever came to copying its awesome might."

"Wow," Malon said, wondering why she'd never heard such a fascinating story before. The warrior was a guardian of the Lost Woods? She wondered if Fairy Boy knew anything about him. "So are crossbows as strong as the Fairy Bow?"

"No idea," Lina shrugged. "It's not like I've got it stashed in my closet somewhere. Many say it's a mythical weapon hidden deep inside a magical temple within the Lost Woods, but no one dares to venture into those haunted woods. Still, doesn't mean the Fairy Bow actually exists. After all, it's only a fun fable to tell. And even if it did, I've already got myself a lovely partner." She gave her large crossbow a pat. "Say, what're you going to call your bow?"

"Hmm? It needs a name?"

"Of course it does! When you become a well renown archer, people need to know the name of the bow you use to they can stare at it in awe!"

Malon looked to her rudimentary bow hanging on the back of her waist. "I don't think it really needs one."

"How can you say that? Shooting things is only half as fun if you don't give your bow a proper name!"

"Then tell me your crossbow's name first!"

That put a wrinkle on Lina's brow. "It doesn't have one … yet."

"And you're still asking me to immediately name mine," Malon grinned, spotting Fairy Boy and the others several steps away. "If names are so important, why haven't you given your crossbow one yet?"

"I … I'm not really the best when it comes to names," Lina admitted sourly. "My first idea was Bad-Guy-Beater, but when my teacher almost died laughing at the idea, I put it on hold."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll come up with something lovely!"

"I know I can!" Lina said vigorously, an attempt to raise her spirits. "I made a list of ideas already, but the best one so far is Dandelion Blaster! What do you think?"

"I take it all back, you should let someone else name your crossbow."

"Malon!"

"Sorry, sorry!"

Gong! Gong! GONG!

Time halted within the city as three bell-tolling rings bounced through the air. Vendors stopped selling, tourist ceased buying, and children ended their games. The last time Malon remembered a city becoming this quiet, this abruptly, was when Gerudos were invading Oron City; right now, the silence enveloping Koon was giving her a very bad vibe.

Someone screamed, and Malon almost cried in alarm. It wasn't, however, a yell of terror, but a shout of joy. This holler sparked the fuse the rest of the city needed to explode in pulsating cheers, nearly deafening Malon's ears.

"What's going on?" She shouted, trying to make herself heard as everyone around them stopped what they were doing and flocked for the center of the city.

"I've heard about this before!" Lina laughed, shouting back over the collective noise as they moved aside to avoid getting trampled by a stampede of eager tourist and fervent mercenaries. "It's that time of the year!"

"What time?"

"It's Koon City's Grand Battle Tournament!"

Malon and Lina managed to regroup with Fairy Boy, Zelda, Suvi, and Rail after Navi appeared out of nowhere (keeping her existence a secret from Lina) and told Malon where the others were. Once they were all together, Lina explained what was going on.

Once every year, the leaders of Koon City held a tournament open to everyone who wished to participate. The prizes depended on how well each participate did. Most were new weapons forged by talented blacksmiths, discounts at the city's most reputable stores, or a year's supply of booze. However, the champion was given the option of selecting any one of these three prizes, along with an addition 500 rupees, and a chance to join one of the three major guilds of Koon City: Golden Sky, Silver Moon, or Red Shadow (Fairy Boy grimaced when Lina mentioned Silver Moon, though Malon didn't know why).

"Is being in a guild that great?" Suvi yawned as they made their way to the coliseum near the center of the city. Most of the streets were already barren, the stores closed, because everyone was gathering to watch or participate in the yearly event. "Heck, what does a guild even do?"

"I've talked to a few of the members in Red Shadow, and they're an okay bunch," Lina said, readjusting her Bunny Hood when it became to slip off. "According to them, a guild accepts assignments and requests from clients will to pay. These jobs can be really simple, like gardening a Noble's lawn, to assassination missions."

"Assassination?" Fairy Boy said, pushing along Zelda in her wheelchair. "If that's the case, why hasn't the King of Hyrule or some rich Noble shut them down? Someone can hire a guild to kill a Noble, can't they?"

"They can," Lina agreed. "But you'll be surprised to know how often Nobles use guilds to do their dirty work."

"I've heard about that," Rail added, his mask shifting as he scowled. "When a Noble doesn't want to get directly involved with a bloody assignment, they'll hire a guild to do the dirty work for them. They say a guild never rats out their client."

"That's right. Plus, there are some guild funded by Nobles, acting like their personal little militia. Still, while some guilds are pretty much pets to Hyrule's upper class, there are some decent guilds out there. Take Golden Sky for example: They draw the line at murder, and refuse to accept any commissions which order them to kill. The Red Shadows don't support that restriction, and will do whatever they have to in order to get the job done, but only if it's for the right reasons."

"What about Silver Moon?" Fairy Boy asked.

"Their policy is: 'If it isn't nailed down, take it.' They'll do anything for rupees, whether it's through grunt labor or a village-wide massacre. The Golden Sky and Red Shadow guilds are at odds with the Silver Moon for their ruthless nature, but don't dare to make a move against them."

"Why not?" Malon asked; they were nearing the expansive fight arena, where the boisterous cheering was starting to drown down their voices.

"Because the Silver Moon is the guild wealth families call on the most in order to carry out their filthy schemes," Lina replied as they pushed their way into a wall of bodies, moving deeper into the open-ceiling arena. The circular structure was imposing from afar, and more so up close. The place was a crowded palace, with banners (showing a diverse range of symbols and images to represent different guilds) hanging from the walls, and crystal chandeliers reaching down from the faraway polished ceiling. "If the Golden Sky or Red Shadow tries to take Silver Moon out, the people backing Silver Moon will make a move against the other two guilds, and since all three are powerhouses, the remaining two would be in a weakened state after pitting themselves against the Silver Moon."

"Which guild is the strongest?" Rail asked, shouldering aside a few mercenaries that got in their way as they continued into the coliseum.

"They're pretty equal so far, but I'd have to say Golden Sky is the strongest. They don't have a lot of members, but they focus on quality rather than quantity. Each member can take down the strongest of Hylian knights, and they're pretty fierce when they fight as a group. Silver Moon has the most members, but a lot of them lack talent. I heard they're scouting for remarkable individuals these days."

"That part I know," Fairy Boy chuckled softly.

"As for Red Shadow, they specialize in stealth, ranged combat, and silent kills. Their spies are a class of their own, always stealing vital information from Golden Sky or Silver Moon. It's the main reason why the other two guilds want spies of their own."

"You know a lot about these guilds," Fairy Boy noted.

"Certainly. I've been in this city with my teacher for five days, but I didn't want to spend all my time with just him. When I heard about the three greatest guilds, the Big Three, in Koon, I wanted to know more about them. Golden Sky and Silver Moon don't exactly give tours of their inner workings to strangers, but the Red Shadow guild was much kinder. I was always welcomed to stay at their hideout, and I got to listen in on many of their conversations."

"Wait, isn't that kind of weird?" Malon asked. "The other guilds don't let you see their bases, but the guild of thieves and spies let you in without question? They must be really nice."

Lina laughed. "They are, and since my teacher saved their guild master's life in the past, she was more than happy, so to say, to greet me with open arms. I think she wants me to join the Red Shadows, but since I'll be leaving once my teacher is ready to go, I had to decline."

"Seriously," Rail sighed as walked by several posing sculptures of previous tournament winners; the one which caught Malon's attention was the marble statue of a man holding giant spoon as he would a sword. "Undead, corrupt Nobles, the Legacy of the Cross, and now sell-sword guilds. My granddad—" He chewed on the word, remembering his "grandfather" was actually the first King of Hyrule, "—always used to say how beautiful Hyrule used to be, about how the Nobles were a sign of justice, and our relationship with the Gorons and Zoras were so strong we were all brothers and sisters. Looking at the world today, it's hard to believe."

"Hyrule is still recovering from the damage the Fiend caused," Zelda said, and Malon saw Fairy Boy sigh while Lina tensed. "The kingdom's wounds are still festering, and there are those who would take advantage of those scars to better themselves while ignoring the plight of the land as a whole. My fath—" she stopped herself when a group of mercenaries strut past them, "—King Ceylon does his best to restore Hyrule to its former splendor, but many believe his goal is folly. He was crowned during a time of turmoil, shortly after Cross the Fallen was killed, so there are plenty who believe he does not deserve the throne, but do not say it out loud. Additionally, all the previous members of the Royal Council and Court, many men of honor and righteousness, were killed by the Fiend when the late King and Queen of Hyrule were slain. That is why their vacant seats were hastily filled by men who were ill-prepared to receive their new positions of power. Hyrule is on shaking grounds, and can collapse at any moment. It is a sorry state, and I am sorry for that."

"What're you apologizing for?" Lina said, patting Zelda's head. "It's not like any of this is your fault. I'm sure things will get better when you're Queen."

The princess put on a sad smile. "That is what I hope."

"Hey, where are we going?" Suvi demanded as Lina led them to an abnormally long line of warriors filled with scarred men and bulky women in a spacious lobby room. "Better yet, why are we even here? Let's go play around some more!"

"That would be hard to accomplish when the whole city is gathered here," Lina laughed. "You want to play? Here we are. Everyone who wants to prove their worth comes to Koon City at this very day, because it's the greatest chance they'll ever get to see how strong they are while fighting for a chance to get into one of the Big Three. Anyone interested?"

"I certainly hope you're not planning on entering," Zelda said to her. "I mean no offense, but having a known relative of the Fiend participate in such a large tournament would not be beneficial to your wellbeing. This yearly competition would be the perfect excuse to kill you in public to … purge the world of the Fiend'evil."

"Don't worry about me, I learned that lesson a long time ago," Lina replied, involuntarily rubbing her shoulder and shifting her blouse. Though it was only for a moment, Malon saw a mess of scars deforming her skin, and felt a welt of pity for Lina as she imaged what sort of terrible life she must've had. "So, who's participating?"

"I'm not," Suvi yawned, surprising them all with his reluctance. "What? Putting humans in their place as a short time killer in a few games keeps me entertained, but fighting in a tournament filled with hundreds of weaklings trying to act stronger than they actually are for hours at a time? I'm not committing suicide through boredom."

"Are the Big Three guilds going to watch the competition?" Fairy Boy asked. When Lina confirmed that they were, he readjusted his Keaton Mask and said, "Then I'm out. I met a member of the Silver Moon back at the Kakariko Village, and I'm pretty sure he'll remember me, with or without a mask. I'd rather not have the Silver Moon chasing us. Running for our lives from cities is becoming a bad habit of ours."

"A good point," Lina agreed. "The Golden Sky, Silver Moon, and Red Shadow guilds rule this city in place of Nobles, so their word is law. While they are moderately fair leaders, standing against a member of a Big Three guild is equal to digging your own grave. What about you, Malon, Rail?"

"Me? Why would I compete?" Malon giggled at the thought.

"I'll do it," Rail said sternly. "I want to see how far I can go."

"Alright, good luck," Lina encouraged, slapping Rail on the butt and flushing his ears with color. "Stay in the line, and you'll eventually get to the front desk, I think. Give them your name and tell them what weapon you plan on using, and you're in. Wait, are you going to fight with that mask on?"

"Yeah, why not?" Rail asked, lifting the rim of his Gerudo Mask to peer at them directly with his eyes; his cheeks were still a little red.

"It's a Gerudo Mask."

"So?"

Lina smiled at him. "Brave and resolute. Want to go out with me?" The Gerudo Mask quickly fell back into place to hide Rail's face as he ran away to find the end of the still-growing line. "So adorable. C'mon, let's find some seats. If they're all taken, we won't be able to watch the fights."

Getting to their seats was actually pretty easy. Even with the hallways packed with bodies and eager spectators, all they had to do was follow Suvi as he pushed and threw everyone out of their way. Many people recognized him as the "Beast Boy" whose strength defied common sense and voluntarily moved aside. Thanks to him, they managed to get some front seats. The wide, oval-shaped, and sandy fight arena was surrounded by high walls so no one could flee in the middle of battle. The tiered seating circled the central area, several yards above ground level.

As the amphitheatre continued to flood with people, Fairy Boy helped Zelda into her seat and sat beside her. Malon was on the other side of the princess with Suvi on her right, leaving Lina to take a spot beside Fairy Boy. In a matter of minutes, the thousands of seats in the stadium were filled to the limit, and armed men moved in to kick and keep out those too slow to secure themselves a spot.

"So how does this work?" Suvi mumbled, kicking back with his hands behind his head. "Is it a free for all where they all kill each other at once, or is there a tournament tree to make things even longer?"

"It's one on one," Lina answered as the hundreds of contestants entered the sandy fight stage below. "Of course, this competition would go on for months if they only held one battle at a time, so right now, they're thinning the herd. Look."

Below them, Malon watched the fighters break off into pairs, moving to an isolated spot on the field with a referee, easily identified by their flamboyant orange cloaks along with the large sign strapped to their backs, waving in the air saying "REFEREE." As hundreds of individual battles too place simultaneously, Malon noticed barely anyone was actually paying attention to them; the audience was chatting animatedly to one another, placing bets, or ordering food from busty waitresses with short skirts.

When she asked Lina what was going on, she said, "They're just waiting for the main attraction to start. Out of everyone who entered, sixteen will be chosen to use the whole field as they see fit as they go up against their own individual opponents. Since those sixteen are obviously going to be the best out of all the fighters down there, everyone is waiting for the main battles to start."

I wonder what chance Rail has of becoming one of the sixteen? Malon searched the spacious field for their friend, but had trouble spotting his usually noticeable scarlet hair. "Does anyone see Rail?"

"There," Fairy Boy and Lina said in unison as they pointed out their friend's location.

The two of them stared at each other in surprise, and Lina said, "You've got good eyes."

"Likewise," Fairy Boy replied.

Malon strained her own, and managed to make out Rail and his opponent. They were on the other end of the stadium from where she was sitting, so it was difficult to make out their battle. She breathed easy when his opponent fell over, and Rail raised his Hylian Shield in victory. Their referee declared him the winner, and asked him to wait for his next opponent.

The process continued for more than an hour, by which time, Suvi was snoring, Zelda was tipping her head as she stared to doze off, and Fairy Boy was struggling to avoid Lina's prying eyes and searching questions. Malon was still on the edge of her seat, because she'd been tracking Rail's progress; every time he faced a new opponent, she became stressed, because it was impossible to foresee the winner (when Lina said killing was allowed, Malon was all the more freaked out), and sagged into her chair when Rail was the victor, each and every time. Finally, he was declared one of the sixteen final participants.

"Is it over yet?" Suvi moaned when he abruptly jerked awake.

"No, they're letting the fighters rest another hour so they can battle each other in top condition," Lina replied, and Suvi groaned loudly.

As the audience was subjected to another long wait, Malon noticed there were people stepping into the barren, yet lavish, podium posted higher than the rest of the coliseum seats, giving the occupants the best view possible.

Malon reached across Fairy Boy and tugged on Lina's sleeve, pointing to the new arrivals. "Who are they?"

"They?" Lina checked to see who she was referring to and lit up a grin. "Finally! It's going to start!"

"Warriors of Koon!" The incessant ramble in the coliseum was silenced almost immediately as the man spoke. He stood near the edge of the VIP longue, spreading his arms wide as he addressed everyone, his voice booming with intense volume. "I welcome you all to our yearly Grand Tournament held here, in Koon City! I am Isaac, guild master of the Golden Sky!"

The crowd erupted into cheers as they beheld one of the leaders of the Big Three. Even from a distance, Malon could tell he had an imposing stature. His russet hair was divided in the middle, curtaining the sides of his head. His cobalt coat was knee-long and unbuttoned, majestically breezing with the wind, along with the silver scarf around his neck. His lightly tanned face was wide and ridged, the look of a warrior, but was kind at the same time.

"I am Natasha, master of the Red Shadow guild!" The female warrior on Isaac's left announced. Despite her slender appearance, there was no doubt this lady was a cold and efficient killer. Though her round face was very pretty, and her straight black hair bountiful, its fringes almost covering one of her purple eyes, she never displayed a hint of emotion, emoting like a talking statue. The onyx, sleeveless, dress she wore fit her form tightly, reaching all the way down to her ankles, yet had a slit up one end so she could move her legs freely. Her skin was frightfully pale, no doubt from all the time she spent sneaking around in the darkness. The enthusiastic cheers she received were just as great as Isaac's. "You have come to see which of these sixteen fighters, the best unnamed warriors in Koon, is the greatest, and deserves our respect!"

The last man in the podium with the other two guild leaders was averagely built, his peachy skin obviously cared for and washed daily. He had no hair, and was clothed in a pallid silk robe that hid his feet from sight and cloaked his hands with wide sleeves. Its surface was embellished with golden dragons (something Suvi found strangely funny), and when he swung his arms to embrace the crowd, his clothes swished noisily; when he spun in a circle to flamboyantly show off his outfit, Malon saw a silver crescent moon sewn on the back, with a rupee in the center. Though he smiled widely, it was a crude and crafty smirk; this man was a monster who would do everything in his power to accomplish his goals, even if half of Hyrule had to burn. When he stepped up, the cheers were unenthusiastic and strained.

"Scoff, is that how you greet Zladimir, the beloved leader of the Silver Moon?" The man sobbed in a blatantly false tone, rapidly blinking his black pupils as if he were crying. "Why, I feel so depressed … I might want to see a few heads roll to cheer me up!" Responding to the indirect threat, the audience frantically forced themselves to applause with all their might. Zladimir bowed repeatedly, like he'd won the tournament already and it was alright for everyone to go home now, but Isaac leered at the arrogant guild leader's back, while a crack of irritation broke Natasha's expression of stone. "Now, as my two dear friends we saying, welcome to the Grand Tournament of Koon City! I should tell you all about how hard the Silver Moon guild has worked to keep the peace in this dreadfully harsh capital, so let me—!"

"OH SHUT UP! HURRY UP AND GET ON WITH THE STUPID FIGHTS!" Suvi roared, cutting down Zladimir's prepared speech before it even began. A thousand eyes riveted onto the critically bored dragon, some with respect, while others gave him the Are-You-Insane glare.

Zladimir snarled, but faked a cough to hide away his scowl and resumed his lie-tempered smile. "It seems we have a restless guest in the crowd! Perhaps you are new to Koon City, my naïve fool, but within these walls, I am the—!"

"YOU'RE PISSING ME OFF! GET ON WITH THE FIGHTING!"

This time, it was impossible to miss the small pockets of amusement that popped up. Golden Sky's leader Isaac laughed without restraint, while stone-face Natasha gave Suvi a wink.

"Very well!" Zladimir barked. "You are lucky I am in a good mood today, twerp! I received most pleasant news, and I shall not let you ruin my day! On with the tournament!"

The crowd cheered (for real, this time) as the leaders of the Big Three named the contestants while they stepped into the arena. There was Bison (a colossal guy-giant with big muscles and a two-handed hammer), Alice (a female archer from Luxvil), Bryce (an ex-Hylian Spearman), Leofrick (a knife-thrower), Rulf (swordsman who trained in the Gerudo Desert), Henry (mace wielder with a wooden peg for a left leg), Hadrian (used a really big sword Suvi called a "flamberge"), Fendrel (a short little guy swinging around a pair of clubs longer than himself), Ulric (an experienced gladiator with a trident and steel net), Rowan (a shield and hammer), Thea (another lady with a pointy sword, a rapier), Arthur (sword and shield), Drake (he was carelessly swinging a still-bloody scythe), and Lief (a odd fellow with no weapons, only a really big cloak which hid his entire body from view).

Then there were the two who caused the most controversy. When Zladimir called in Venjack, a man with a mean face wielding a sickle on a chain, he was assaulted by a storm of boos. Before Malon had time to figure out why, Zladimir announced: "What's wrong, lowly grunts of Koon? The rules do not say a guild member from one of the Big Three, specifically the Silver Moon, cannot enter the tournament. Well, at least you know where the prize rupees will be going!"

"Zladimir!" Isaac roared, grabbing the scheming guild leader by the front of his robe; his inexplicably thunderous voice could be heard by all. "What is the meaning of this? We all agreed none of our guild members will participate in this competition! This is a chance for us to see the talent of others, not for your men of dishonor to fill their wallets!"

"When did I ever agree?" Zladimir snickered, freeing himself from Isaac's hold and straightening his silk garment. "The two of you said 'Yes,' but I remained perfectly silent! Blame yourselves for misinterpreting me."

Malon was afraid the Big Three were going to having a falling out, but Natasha placed a restraining hand on Isaac's shoulder, "Enough. We are before the people, and all your actions set a bad example. We can see this as an opportunity."

"What opportunity? How can any of these amateurs defeat that venomous snake!" Isaac shouted, pointing a harsh finger down at Venjack, who bowed like he was being praised. The other competitors shuffled their feet in annoyance for being labeled as "amateurs."

"Should any of them defeat him, they prove their outstanding skills in combat, regardless if they make it to the final round or not," Natasha replied. "Stay your blade, Isaac. We shall see where destiny guides us."

"Bah!" Golden Sky's leader scowled, yet sat back down in his throne-like chair regardless.

"Now, introducing our last contestant," Natasha resumed with the introductions like nothing had happened. "Rail Grand!"

The second hot topic of the day walked in, and while the audience jeered at Venjack with insults, they mocked Rail with arrogance.

"It's a little lost Gerudo! Need directions to get back home?"

"Try not to die too fast!"
"How many people did you bribe to get here?"

"Get lost runt, you don't belong here!"

"Guess it's time to play Kill-The-Gerudo! Ha!"

Rail ignored all the petty remarks and callous comments, keeping his head high as he walked down the line of contestants to stand in his place. Contender Lief stuck out his foot to trip Rail, but Rail kicked the extended limb so hard Lief fell on his face, grabbing his shin. The insensitive taunting continued, but Malon noticed there was a small group of defeated warriors, leering at Rail from the arena's entrance, fighters who didn't—no, couldn't—join in with the degrading shouts. These were the men Rail defeated, and they knew what he was capable of. Glad to see there were some who were humble enough to keep to themselves, Malon got to her feet and shouted, as loud as she could, "Go get 'em, Rail!"

A few people in the audience turned in surprise, and while her voice was drowned out by the collective ill-remarks, Rail turned his head to her direction, and she saw his cheeks rise in a smile beneath his Gerudo Mask.

At last, it was time to draw lots, to see who was facing who. A referee stepped forward (with the ridiculous "REFEREE" sign still hovering over his head) and presented a closed casket to each of the contestants. Each of the fighters drew a number, and their opponents were determined. A stone dropped in Malon's stomach when Rail's match was first, and his opponent was muscle-hulk Bison.

As the other fourteen left the arena to give Rail and Bison as much space as they needed, the referee shouted, "We shall now hear from our three leaders to see who they believe has the greatest chance in emerging as this year's champion!"

Zladimir cackled. "Is it not obvious? I choose my second-in-command, Venjack!" The chain-and-sickle man raised his weapon in the air to accept his leader's encouraging words.

Isaac, still disgruntled, said, "I shall place my bets on Ulric, veteran gladiator from the Silent Chasm Coliseum!" The gladiator bowed deep.

When it was Natasha's turn, she took a moment to assess the competitors, and then said, "I choose Rail Grand." Her choice stunned the coliseum silent, and even Rail was surprised. When the referee asked why she made such an odd choice, she replied, "I can see his inner strength, his resolve, the fire that burns bright within his heart. It will carry him far." A confused ripple of murmurs spread amongst the audience.

The referee got back everyone's attention to start reciting the rules, saying how anything was allowed as long as victory was attained. As he spoke, Malon asked her friends, "Who do you guy think will win?"

"Alice the archer," Lina said.

"Rail," Fairy Boy voted confidently.

"Rail," Zelda nodded.

"Rail, who else?" Suvi scoffed.

Their confidence in their friend comforted Malon greatly (while baffling Lina), but she had to ask why they thought so.

"Because he's traveling with us and he's still alive."

"He's my cousin, and I believe in his abilities." ("Rail is related to the Princess of Hyrule?" Lina gasped. "Score.")

"He fought the King Dodongo with us and didn't back down. Compared to that lizard, the rest of these weaklings are cake." ("King Dodon-what? What are you guys talking about?" Lina demanded)

The fight started.

Then ended.

It happened so abruptly the stadium was deathly quiet for almost ten seconds after Bison hit the ground, unconscious. The giant had swung at Rail with his hammer, excepting their friend to go flying with a tap. Instead, Rail knelt down and blocked the attack with his Hylian Shield, and before the muscle-hulk could react, he charged forward and slammed his shield against Bison's shin, causing the bulky mountain to kneel over in pain. Once his face was in range, the rim of the Hylian Shield was smashing into the titan's chin, sending Bison onto his back, unconscious.

The only ones who cheered were Malon and her friends, while the rest of the stadium was unable to speak (Lina included). Someone shouted that the fight was fixed, and this opinion was rapidly supported by everyone else, who couldn't accept the reality of the situation. Rail walked to the waiting bench where the rest of the fighters were while the booing chased his back. As Bison was dragged out by a squad of identically dressed referees, Isaac ceased the commotion with a booming, "ENOUGH!" so the tournament could continue.

Next up was Alice the archer against Drake, the scythe psycho; Alice dropped Drake with several arrows to his arms and legs, ending the battle with an unconditional victory (Lina cheered harder than the others). After them it was Rulf the swordsman and Lief (the one who tried to trip Rail). As it turned out, Lief was a magician, startling his opponent with a small display of magic before burning him with a Din's Fire. The crowd roared in approval at the rare display.

"Wait, what?" Suvi shouted. "He can use magic? How? I thought all the magicians put on collars and were licking Hyrule Kingdom's boots! What's this bum doing here?"

"Not all users of magic serve the kingdom," Zelda said, struggling to make herself heard over the earsplitting applause as Lief walked away, waving his arms brazenly. "There are many magicians who believe serving Hyrule Kingdom would restrict their freedom to use their powers freely, so they keep their existence and abilities hidden. You can understand why the kingdom would not want someone with such abilities to wander the world freely, which is why they try to enlist or capture all the magic users they can. The statement that says all magicians work for Hyrule is a fabrication devised by the Royal Council."

"Oh really?" Fairy Boy snickered as contestants Rowan and Ulric stepped to the center of the arena. "And Suvica so adamantly told me all Hylian magicians served the kingdom back at Hyrule Castle. Does that mean what I think it means?"

Suvi sweated fiercely, ignoring the battle. "Shut up! That doesn't count towards our deal! Nonsense like that's supposed to be common knowledge! I wasn't wrong, I was lied to!"

Fairy Boy laughed; below, Ulric had snared Rowan in his net and stabbed him through the chest, resulting in the tournament's first death. "You really love your scales, don't you? Come on, why don't you give me this point? You've still got one chance left."

"Never! Unless something I said which I believe is true turns out to be wrong, it doesn't count!"

"What're you two talking about?" Lina demand, increasingly agitated by how little she knew about what they were referring to.

"Nothing!" Suvi growled, plopping back into his seat, waiting for the next match to hurry up and start; this battle was between Henry the mace wielder and Thea, the female swordswoman with the rapier. Everyone went "Oh!" and "Ah!" as Thea nimbly dodged all of Henry's heavy attacks, ending the skirmish by stabbing her foe's weapon hand, dropping his weapon, and resting the point of her rapier on his neck. Henry surrender, and Malon and Lina cheered to girl power. Next up was the former Hylian Spearman Bryce and throwing dagger enthusiast Leofrick, the win went to the ex-soldier, who had many years of training under his belt. After them, Hadrian the flamberge wielder faced off and defeated midget Fendrel and his dual clubs.

Now it came down to Venjack from the Silver Moon and Arthur, who raised his sword and shield. Malon couldn't watch as Venjack's chain-sickle moved like it had a life of its own, slashing and hacking open red ribbons all across Arthur's body. To make matters worse, Venjack's purposely kept his already-defeated challenger alive as long as possible, chipping the life from Arthur's body one cut at a time and taking extreme pleasure from it all the while. When the Silver Moon killer was done, Arthur's body was surrounded by a lake of his own blood, and nobody cheered. The first round was over, and there was a fifteen minute intermission to give the competitors time to recuperate.

The second round started with Rail and Alice, while everyone was jeering at Rail for being a cheater and a shameless briber. Malon shouted as loud as her lungs could bear in order to support her friend, but was muted by the buzz of negativity.

Alice took the opening move, firing four arrows, each targeting a different one of Rail's limbs; he ducked behind his Hylian Shield as the arrowheads bounced off the mysteriously hard metal. When Alice knew she couldn't win with range, she patiently waited for Rail to drop his guard while keeping her bow notched and the string pulled back. Rail cautiously approached her step by step, and she refused to budge as he got closer. Finally, the two rush at each other; Rail tried to ram his shield into Alice, but she placed a foot against his protector, using it as a foothold to leap over him while keeping the point of her arrow trained on his back. Rail let go of his shield the moment Alice's foot touched it and was lunging at her while she soared above him, but she'd already fired an arrow, which buried itself into his shoulder.

Rail didn't flinch, knocking into Alice in midair, causing the two of them to tumble across the stand. Somehow, he managed to get on top, keeping one hand on her throat as he ripped out the arrow in his shoulder and let it hover over Alice's eye. The archer conceded her defeat, and Rail won his second match. Again, the crowd was frozen, only thawing to accuse their friend of cheating in some unforeseen way.

Someone shouted, "That's why women shouldn't leave the kitchen!"

"Oh really?" Lina snarled, on her feet and drawing her crossbow. "I think he's right, because I'm about to show him what happens when we do!"

It took all of Fairy Boy's persuasive power to convince his cousin otherwise, but she was still seething when she sat down. The following match pitted Lief the magician against Ulric the gladiator. While Ulric put up a fight, he eventually crumbled to Lief's constant use of Din's Fire, badly burning the warrior. The third match of the second round was won by Thea and her rapier when she outmaneuvered Bryce and his spear, lodging her weapon in his heart and giving the tournament its third casualty. The fourth was Hadrian the flamberge user, who fell to the villainous Venjack's sickle.

"Do you think Rail's okay?" Malon asked during the second intermission.

"It's a love bite, he can lick it clean," Suvi mumbled, on the verge of sleeping.

"Alice had no wish to mortally harm Rail, so she did not shoot her arrow with full force, thus the damage to Rail was minimal," Zelda added.

Lina was rubbing her head like she had a migraine. "I still can't believe he won two matches! If it was you, Suvica, I'd get that, since you're a dragon, but how's Rail doing so well?"

"Compared to the monsters we've been up against, fight someone who's actually human is a sight for sore eyes to Rail," Fairy Boy said, leaving Lina begging for more answers.

When the third round commenced, Rail charged at Lief before the magician could cast any spells, disrupting his concentration and leaving him open for Rail's attacks. He managed to hit Lief three times (a kick to the shin, punch to the stomach, and shield-smack to the chest) before the magician could cast a spell, which threw a gust of wind into Rail, sending him flying back and halfway across the arena. With the proper distance between them, Lief continued with his victory tactic: spamming Din's Fire. While the audience gaped and cheered at the magical display, Malon was hardly impressed, and Rail must've felt the same, because he sprinted at Lief without a moment of hesitation. Compared to the outstanding things Fairy Boy and Zelda did on an almost-daily-basis, Lief was a novice. Already, the magician's face was pale and covered in sweat as his meek flames harmlessly splashed against Rail's Hylian Shield. By the time he reached Lief, the exhausted magician was on his knees, coughing out his defeat. Several people shouted "Boo!" but they were feeble; after three consecutive victories, no one could avoid the truth: Rail was strong.

The next battle ended the moment the referee shouted, "Begin!" Thea put away her rapier, declared her resignation, and walked away. No one objected to her decision (or made any kitchen jokes) after what happened to Venjack's last two victims.

It was the final round. Not one person made a peep as Rail and Venjack faced each other; Rail was unflinching as always, while his enemy twiddled with his sickle and chain, as if trying to settle on the best way to kill Rail. Malon vividly remembered how the sick killer's first two opponents ended up, and the thought of seeing Rail get murdered made her stomach so upset she needed to use the restroom.

Venjack attacked before the referee had a chance to say, "Begin!" hoping to catch Rail off guard; he lashed out with the metal weight on the end of his sickle's chain. Rail protected himself with the Hylian Shield, defending against all of his cowardly opponent's attacks.

Malon's fears worsened when Venjack tossed his curved sickle, hooked it around the rim of Rail's shield, and yanked it away from him. With Rail defenseless, Venjack freely whipped his chain, which Rail was barely able to dodge. He tried to make a diving-grab for his discarded shield, but the Silver Moon's killer fished the shield with his sickle and chain, pulling it towards him and away from Rail. Unable to get up in time, Rail's left arm was smashed by the weight on Venjack's chain, and his right shoulder was slashed open by a whip from the killer's sickle.

With blood flowing freely, Rail's arms were numbed by his wounds. Malon wondered if she should intervene, but her nonexistent bow skills wouldn't do her much good. What about the others? Zelda was still recovering from her ordeal, so her magic was forbidden. Lina could save Rail with her crossbow, yet how would the crowd react when the niece of the Fiend interrupted a one-on-one battle? Zelda and Lina were both fidgeting nervously as Rail struggled to avoid Venjack's attacks. Only Fairy Boy and Suvi were utterly relaxed, without a smug of fear on their faces.

The crowd gasped, and ice ran down Malon's back when Rail suffered another injury to one of his legs, dropping him face-flat against the sand. Gloating his pre-determined victory with a flaunting display of skill, Venjack casually strut towards his latest victim. The arena was quiet as they excepted another head to roll.

Only one person shouted: Suvi. "C'mon Rail! Hurry up and finish him off, I'm bored already!"

Almost everyone in the coliseum turned at Suvi like he'd lost his marbles. Though Venjack gave their dragon a curios glance, he focused back on his prey and lifted his sickle to begin his torture session.

That's when Rail struck. He shook the Gerudo Mask from his face and pushed himself up to one knee, lurching forward and sinking his teeth into Venjack's bare ankle (the problem that came with sandals). Venjack noisily screamed as he became the bearer of pain, and Rail wasn't done. With his teeth firmly around the crybaby's foot, Rail stood up, toppling Venjack onto his back, his sickle and chain loosely clutched in his hands. Not giving his enemy a chance to recover, Rail released the bleeding ankle and his teeth descended on the fallen man's throat. Malon turned away and closed her eyes as the audience roared. When she was somewhat certain it was safe to look, she took a peek to see Venjack pressing his hands against the side of his neck (a nonfatal injury, but painful all the same), his blood seeping between his fingers as he begged for mercy. Rail spat something from his mouth (Malon didn't dare identity what it was) and demanded his opponent's surrender.

The stadium was consumed by a sky-filling applause, cheering harder than ever before, their misconceptions about Rail's previous victories blown away. After all, why would a rupee mongering killer willingly forfeit a bountiful prize? There was no cheating, bribery, or foul play, only a fair-and-square victory.

The leaders of the Big Three themselves came down to the sandy arena to congratulate Rail, who was wiping the blood from his mouth. While Zladimir immediately started kicking his fallen subordinate, Isaac and Natasha praised Rail's efforts (Natasha's face was still a creepy slab of stone, unmoving and emotionless).

"Well done!" Isaac boomed as the people filling the coliseum settled down. "Kid, how old are you?"

"Fifteen," Rail replied, his voice suddenly magnified when he was in proximity of Isaac (it occurred to Malon that the leader of the Golden Sky guild must've had a magical device which amplified his voice; no wonder he was so loud).

"Amazing! Such tenacity at such a young age! You are, without a doubt, the rightful victor of this year's tournament!" Isaac's declaration was met with another round of ovation. By his command, a referee brought in a large sack of rupees (500, if Malon remembered correctly), as well as the option to choose a new weapon, a scroll which let him shop anywhere in Koon City at a discount, or a year's supply of ale. Rail accepted none of these gifts, saying the championship alone was enough for him. He hastily changed his mind when Malon shouted: "Get the discount!"

"I'll take the discount," Rail corrected, inciting a squall of playful laughter.

"You have a very handsome face," Natasha said, stroking Rail's chin to lift his head so she could get a better look at him (it was creepy to hear her say that while looking like a blank doll). "Why did you wear a mask?"

"For fun?" Rail wondered aloud; another round of merry cheering followed.

"I must ask you," Isaac stepped in, brushing away Natasha's ashen hands and handing Rail the discount scroll (which Malon would be prying from his fingers in a few minutes). "What pushed you to continue? What made you seek victory so badly you used your teeth to finish off your foe? Do not worry about the snake you step on, he deserved it." Zladimir shot Isaac an ugly glare.

"I wanted to win."

"One does not risk life and limb for a single victory," Natasha said. "You have underlying goals driving you. Feel free to speak them, for you are today's champion, and this city is here to praise you."

"It's … it's nothing complicated," Rail stammered, his face a little rosy. Did he have to be embarrassed every time a girl complimented him, even by someone probably ten years his senior? "I'm traveling with a group, a really extraordinary group. They do things I wouldn't have dreamt of accomplishing, and they fight with strength and valor I've never had. If I couldn't win against someone like that—" Rail jerked his head at Venjack, who was being carried out on a stretcher, "—then I didn't have any right to travel with them."

"Well said!" Isaac approved, clapping his wide together. "Kid—no—Rail! Though it is customary for us to give you a chance to join one of our guilds, the Golden Sky, Red Shadow, or Silver Moon, this time, I insist that you do! Become a member of the Golden Sky! I would be honored to have you join us!"

"Ludicrous," Natasha said, wrapping her arms around Rail and pulling him close to her, so the back of his head was cushioned by her breasts. Really now, watching him go red over something like that. Boys. "You will join the Red Shadow guild. Tenacity is a major aspect required in spies, for if they are kidnapped, you must have the willpower to keep vital information from enemy hands despite all forms of torture." Malon giggled as Rail's blushing face turned as pale as Natasha's.

"Bah! You're always like this, Natasha! Steal all the capable ones for yourself!" Isaac barked, pulling Rail away from her. "Ever since we were children, you always had to take what was mine!"
"Only because you could not keep a proper eye on your belongings," Natasha replied in her same monotone voice, grabbing Rail's right hand and tugging on him.

Issac grabbed Rail's other arm and pulled as well. "Then this is one battle I shall not lose!"

As their friend became the unwilling rope in a tug of war battle between two of Koon City's most powerful guild leaders, the stadium hooted at the childish display. Many stood up to leave, while the few who placed their bets on Rail went home with overflowing wallets. Malon and her friends agreed to wait outside the coliseum for Rail, who'd doubtlessly be here for a long time. After Fairy Boy moved Zelda into her wheelchair, a sudden river of people walked their way and swallowed them all. Malon held Lina's hand and tried to reach for Fairy Boy's so they wouldn't get separated, but mistakenly caught onto one of the handles on Zelda's wheelchair, dragging the princess along as they were separated from Fairy Boy and Suvi.

"Hold, fair haired maiden!"

Malon, Lina, and Zelda were waiting on the side of the street outside the emptying coliseum, scanning the tides of leaving people for Fairy Boy or Suvi, when the voice interrupted her concentration. At first, she didn't realize she was the "fair haired maiden," so she tried looking for the maiden with hair so fair. After the persistent chanting refused to cease, she realized she was the one the voice was speaking to and tried to locate the source.

An involuntary, "You!" escape her mouth when she saw the boy with flaxen hair, chubby cheeks, a miss front tooth, and the unforgettable mole staring at her from between his nose and lips. Lavin the Scary Stalker was on the other side of the street, and was wading his way through the torrent of people exiting the stadium.

The moment he reached them, bending over to catch his breath, Zelda saw his face and cried, "You!"

"Who are you two—?" Lina asked after seeing their open mouths, but when she also saw who they were gaping at, she yelled, "—You!"

This was apparently the common reaction when faced with Lavin the Bad Liar.

"I've been search for you everywhere!" Lavin said to Malon, ignoring Zelda and Lina (whose Bunny Hood was twitching in disbelief).

"M-Me? Why me? I thought you were stalk—I mean—tracking Princess Zelda to save her from her kidnappers," Malon stuttered, bewildered as to how Lavin followed them from the Kakariko to Koon. "A-And I think you have the wrong person!" Doh, I should've said that to begin with! Malon chided herself, smacking her Goron Mask.

"I cannot be mistaken! Your flaming curtain of hair is unmistakable!"

"I remember you!" Lina interjected, angrily stepping between Malon and Lavin.

"Who do you think you are, peasant?" Lavin demanded, but when he saw who he was talking to, he jumped back with a yelp. "O-O-O-O-O-O-O-Oh! It's y-y-you!"

"You know this boy?" Malon asked her enraged friend.

"I know him very well," Lina grinned widely, baring all her teeth. "We met a few months back in the middle of Hyrule Field when my teacher was trying to discover whether or not a Peahat's blade can cure hemorrhoids if shoved right in."

"Pardon?"

"Regardless, that experiment proved … unsuccessful. I personally found out by testing the theory on a willing volunteer. Anyways, when I met this boy, he said he was a precious disciple of my teacher. What was your title back then? Lavin the Awesome Student of the Poe Hunter?"

"U-U-U-U-Um!" Lavin stuttered.

"Anyways, he stuck with us as we traveled to a village with a sick baby in desperate need of medicine. My teacher could cook it up in a heartbeat with the right ingredients, but the flower he needed was in a valley infested by a host of Peahats. Lavin here runs right along, saying he's 'Lavin the Peahat Exterminator.' Because my teacher needed to stay at the village to make sure the baby's condition remained stable, I went after Lavin. What to know how I found him?"

"Shivering in a lonely corner with his tail between his legs?" Zelda guessed.

"Exactly. Since he was nothing but a fibber, I took care of the Peahats with my crossbow and retrieved the flower my master needed. After I exterminated them all, he steps forward, saying there were thousands more before I arrived, which he killed before I got there. He said the only reason he couldn't finish off the rest was because he had a sudden—" Lina's eyes glinted fondly, "—hemorrhoid."

Lavin shivered, and Malon got a vague idea about what happened next.

"However! There was another host of Peahats in the distance, and they'd just raided a caravan of goods. All of them were sleeping, and the biggest Peahat had a silver rupee stuck in one of its blades. I could've cared less about the rupee, so I hurried back to my teacher to give him the flower, which he used to create a potion that healed the baby. Moments later, he comes running into the village with enough Peahats to block out the sky right behind him, and in his hand was a silver rupee. My teacher and I managed to fend them off, but much of the village was razed in the process. When the villagers demanded to know why the Peahats had attacked, he says it was my fault, saying I was the Spawn of the Fiend and that I summoned them here! He even dared to accuse me of stealing the medical herb from him!"

"That wasn't me!" Lavin insisted, while his sweating armpits, staining his travel tunic, told otherwise. "That was my twin brother, Kavin! I'm Lavin, the Totally Truthful, the Disciple of Glen the Courageous, the Slayer of Dragons, and the Mortal Enemy of the Spawn of the Fiend! I would never falsely accuse you!"

"I'm going to plug a bolt in your hole," Lina said pleasantly, drawing her crossbow. "I'll leave it to your imagination as to which one."

"Wait," Zelda ordered before Lina could do so. "There are things I must ask him before you discipline him."

"Can I have my way with him after you're done talking?"

"So long as you let me watch."
"Excellent."

"Lavin, what are you doing in this city?" Zelda inquired, glaring at Lavin the Lair through her Skull Mask. "Were you not tracking Princess Zelda? So what brought you here?"

"Ah, I'm glad you asked, peasant!" Lavin chuckled with his usual gusto. "If you knew who I was, you would not be speaking to the might me so rudely! I am Lavin the Man You Should Speak Respectfully To! Know your place!"

"Lina?" Zelda asked.

"On it," Lina grinned, arming her crossbow.

"I was following her!" He hurriedly replied, holding one hand over his butt while pointing at Malon with the other. "I saw her protecting Princess Zelda in the Kakariko Village's windmill and knew she was the princess's attendant, kidnapped from Hyrule Castle along with the princess!"

"I'm an attendant?" Malon murmured, wondered when her status fell so low.

"Why were you following Malon?" Zelda asked sharply, using her words like a whip; she really had no love for Lavin the Poor. "Why were you not following Princess Zelda?"

"I … um … that is …"

"Because you didn't know what she looked like, so you followed a face you recognized?" Zelda deduced, her speculation spot on judging from Lavin's reaction.

"O-O-O-O-O-Of course not, peasant! Do you not see all the paintings and statues of our fair princess spreading to the four corners of Hyrule?" Lavin shouted, indicating a nearby thirty-foot tall figurine which was the spitting image of the princess. "It is thanks to me such masterpieces exist! I am Lavin, the White Knight of Princess Zelda, her Right Hand Man, and Trust Advisor! I have always known what she looked like! Be in awe! I fought by her side when she was in Denion fighting—!"

"Yes, yes, I know your stories," Zelda sighed, then started grinning when she said, "But if I remember correctly, you spoke to Princess Zelda back at Denion when she was referring to herself as Saria. If you've always known Princess Zelda's face, why didn't you recognize her then?"

Lavin backed away in horror. "P-Peasant, how do y-you know—?" Zelda lifted the bottom of her Skull Mask for only a second, letting Lavin see her face during that brief moment. "P-P-P-PRINCESS ZEL—!"

Lina shoved the front of her crossbow into Lavin's wide mouth. "You breathe a word of this to anyone, and 'click', you get my meaning?"

Slowly nodding his head, Lina eased her crossbow out from Lavin's dropped jaw, which continued to hang open before he could say, "The one you met at Denion was my triple, Mavin. He was a fool for not recognizing you, my princess!"

"Oh, for the love of the Goddesses, I thought you said you were only a twin!" Zelda shouted.

"Certainly not! I am a quintuplet!"

"Lina, if you'd please."

"Finally!"

"Wait, wait!" Lavin pleaded as Lina raised her mini-ballista. "There is nothing left to fear, my princess, for your future husband has come to rescue you and bring you back to Hyrule Castle!"

"Lina, any day now."

"Right, sorry."

"I've come to save you from the Spawn of the Fiend, my princess!"

Lavin's words gave Lina a pause, and Zelda froze while Malon felt a black pit gnaw at her stomach. She'd come to realize something far too late: Lavin had seen Fairy Boy before, and there was no way he hadn't seen the alert notices labeling Fairy Boy as the Spawn of the Fiend.

"Lina!" Zelda cried, hoping to stir the stunned girl with urgency.

"Huh? Oh, right," she breathed, shaking her head to discard Lavin's words from her head. "Enough of your lies, it's time to vent my pent up anger!"

"It's true! I saw the Spawn of the Fiend! I saw him kidnap Princess Zelda in Hyrule Market, and I met him in the Kakariko Village! I would've slain him where he stood, but the cowardly demon took my dear future wife and her attendant before I could deliver the finishing blow!"

Malon saw it was already too late to stop the tragedy that was destined to occur; Lina lowered her arbalest and let it hang in one hand, asking, "You're … you're telling the truth?"

"Of course! I'm Lavin the Truthful! I would never lie! Why, the Spawn is here, in this very city!"

Malon's heart almost jumped out of her chest; of all the times for Lavin to start telling the truth, why did it have to be now? "L-Lina, he can't be trusted! I don't think he knows how to tell the truth!"

"Malon is correct," Zelda added, though her voice was straining at the mistake she made (not silencing Lavin the moment they saw him). "We should not believe him! When has he ever been honest?"

"Where is he?" Lina screamed, ignoring them both as she grabbed the front of Lavin's tunic and pulled him so close their noses touched. "Where's the Spawn?"

"I-I know where he is! I can show you !"

"Do it!" Lina ordered, freeing the perpetual liar and kicking his back until he started wobbling down the street, weakling beckoning for them to follow. "I'm sorry, Zelda, Malon." She said to the two of them. "I know we should be looking for Link, Suvica, and Rail, but this is too important to me. You don't have to come with me."

"No, we must," Zelda said firmly, "We will be there with you should Lavin be telling the truth."

"We're friends, we need to see this through together," Malon whispered, holding Lina's hand, feeling it tremble and sweat. If Lavin really was going to lead them to Fairy Boy, they all had a lot of explaining to do.

As Lavin clumsily navigated the streets of Koon, with the noon sun steadily shifting into an afternoon glow, Malon wondered what she should say when Lina knew Fairy Boy was her relative. Though Lina said she'd welcome him with open arms, reality and speculation were two different things. There was no way to prepare for the unexpected except to deal with it to the best of their abilities.

After getting lost in several dead-ends, Malon was starting to worry. The crowds on the streets were thinning out, and she saw less and less people as they continued to progress. Her suspicions made an uneasy tingle in her tummy; Lina was undeniably glaring at Lavin's back in distrust, but her desire outweighed her instincts as she pressed on, leaving Malon to push Zelda's wheelchair as they followed.

When he stopped, Malon had no idea where they were. They stood in front of a grand building constructed from silver stone with black tarps adorning the windows, each representing a crescent silver moon with a rupee in the center. Not a soul was in sight.

"No … no!" Lina shouting, raising her crossbow and pointing it at Lavin, who yelped at the sudden aggression. "This is the guild house of the Silver Moon mercenaries! I thought you said you'd take me to the son of the Fiend! Why are we here?"

"H-Hold your Tektite tails, I'll take you to him," Lavin stammered. "I just have to settle something first. Don't worry!"

"Settle what? Wait, what're you … no, DON'T!"

Too late. Lina couldn't stop Lavin before he inhaled and screamed, "Lavin the Awesome Deal Maker is back, you miserable PEASANTS! Come on out and show your miserable faces!"

They came out alright, right out of nowhere. One second, there wasn't a soul to be seen, and the next, mercenaries materialized out of thin air, their weapons drawn and completely surrounding them. The guild doors opened, and out stepped Zladimir, his smug expression more profound than ever.

Lavin, oblivious to their perilous situation, stepped forward with a triumphant smile. "See, peasant? You dared to mock me when you said I was lying about being Princess Zelda's knight of valor, but I've come back to prove you wrong! Observe, for this is the Princess of Hyrule, and I am her faith vassal and future husband!"

"That idiot!" Lina seethed, pointing her arbalest at the closest Silver Moon thug and whispering to Malon. "Get your bow out!"

"B-But I can't shoot!"

"They don't know that! Bluff if you have to, but don't give up!"

Malon weakly nodded, her hands shaking as she got her used bow and struggled to notch an arrow with her wobbling hands. She continued to shift her aim from one mercenary to another, but from the way they snickered at her feeble stance, all these killers knew she'd never manage to hit any of them.

"Princess Zelda," Zladimir whispered. "Is it really you? I must see for myself. Din's Sword." For no perceptible reason, Malon and Zelda's masks split in half like they were cleaved by an invisible blade, clattering to the street and revealing their faces. An excited murmur came from the Silver Moon mercenaries as they beheld their target: Zelda. To make matters worse, Zladimir could use magic.

"Ha! See for yourselves! It is the Princess of Hyrule!" Lavin cockily laughed, his hands on his waist and his nose high. "It is as I said before, I am Lavin, the Guardian of Princess Zelda and her Knight in Shining Armor! Now that I've put you maggots in your place, you will let us leave!"

Zladimir cackled so hard he almost fell over. "Leave? Foolish twerp. Your stupidity astounds me. With Princess Zelda as my prisoner, you are no longer needed. Please feel free to die any time you wish."

Lavin's face grew long as he slowly picked up what he was missing. "B-But … you promised. You s-said all I had to d-do was show y-you Princess Zelda w-was with me and y-you'd let us leave."

"HA! And you believed me? Naïve fool! Children have always sickened me, but your idiocy amuses me to no end! The underling I sent to the Kakariko said Princess Zelda would be coming to Koon City. I could not believe my luck, and when you showed up, an idiot with half a ReDead's brain, boasting about how you were acquainted with the Princess, I knew the Goddesses were smiling on me! With the King's daughter as my hostage, all of Hyrule will have no choice but to kneel before the Silver Moon guild!"

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Your lying! I-I-I-I-It's not t-t-t-true! I'm Lavin the—!"

"Sniveling whelp. Farore's Rage." It was the same spell magician Lief used on Rail during the Grand Tournament, but five times more powerful. Poor Lavin was thrown back so hard he crash through the wall of the building behind him, and Malon couldn't tell if he was alive or not. Things were really bad; from what she'd seen, Zladimir was a very powerful magician, far different from Lief. "Now, bring the princess to me. We have much to discuss about her future as the Silver Moon's cash cow!"

"As you command, Lord Zladimir," a mercenary pledged. "What of the other two, shall we kill them as well?"

"No. If I recall correctly, that little cur is Lina, the only student of the nameless sage. He must have a treasure trove of knowledge and magical artifacts, and he adores the girl as a daughter. The other is Malon, daughter of Talon, proprietor of Lon Lon Ranch. All of them have value as hostages. Bring them to me, undamaged as possible."

"You cur!" Lina fired a bolt at the Silver Moon leader, but he froze it in midair with more magic. She cried in frustration, shooting one bolt after another, but each was as useless as the first. One of the Silver Moon mercenaries got behind her and struck her head with the pommel of his sword, dropping her instantly.

"Lina!" Malon cried, unable to do anything as her bow and arrow were knocked from her hands. She tried to fight back, but an armored villain kicked her across the face with his metal boot, sending her to the ground. Her mouth filled with blood from a cut inside her cheek, and she whimpered as her assailant held her down by pining his foot against her head.

"Are you scared, girlie?"

"Yes, I'm scared …" Malon whispered, causing the mercenary to throw back his head in maniacal mirth, missing the rest of her sentence "… scared about what Fairy Boy and Suvi are going to do to you all."

EDIT: Thus ends chapter 25 of my fanfiction. It's been a while since I wrote a chapter this long, and from Malon's perspective, no less. I grew a little frustrated with this chapter, so it's not at its best. Sorry about that.

As always, please review and let me know if there's anything you like, find strange, or spot a plot hole I can fix. Thank you.