Author's Note: Dance practice, vocal lessons, school, friends, work...Life is busy. Hope you guys are doing all right. I'm so tired right now I can barely see straight. I'm gonna go collapse into bed after I post this. x.x

A quick note, though. Make sure you check out Game Informer and NGamer if you want to see more of Skyward Sword before it comes out. They're both doing huge exclusives on it this month. Er, for October. But it comes out this month. xD

Reviews:

LadyxHydrangea: Oh, no. I don't want your head to explode! D: See, see? I updated!

princess-of-all-saiyins: Ah-ha. When I read that, I went "Hmm..That's an interesting idea..." I'd never thought of that before. xD

XemyPoo: Or is it? You'll have to keep reading and find out. :3

MissLozSoue39: I'd meant nothing happened right away, but you're right. The castle does explode at one point. Thanks for the reminder. :D

kenegi: Guess you'll have to read and find out, huh?

ChocolateMilkLOL: I'm updating as often as I can, I promise. x.x

Myriads of Mysteries: I wish I could, but I can't tell you~

tsume: Hehehe...

AnimeFreak2306: :D

Devonlizz: I updated, so now you can find out. D:

megzarie: I'll never tell D:

merkkari: Thank you for reading it and I'm glad you like it. Only a few more months till Skyward Sword! owo

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Arbiter's Grounds

Was I dreaming again? I had to be, right?

"What's going on here?" I wanted to reach up and pinch myself on the cheek to make sure I was really awake. I tried shifting back a little bit to put distance between myself and the blade. "Whatever I did, I-"

"You heard me. I said don't move!" I yelped as Link thrust the sword into the rock two centimeters away from my head.

What had gotten into him?

A small voice piped up from behind him. "You missed. She'll get away."

"Don't worry. She's not going anywhere." He had that dangerous look in his eye, gaze never once leaving me.

"...She?" I wanted to peek behind him, but his sword was in the way. And I was afraid that if I moved, he'd take off my head.

The voice did sound kind of familiar, though...

I didn't have to wonder where the voice came from for too long, because whoever this 'she' was peered around Link timidly. My jaw dropped. The girl behind him was not only familiar...she looked exactly like me. Same face, same hair, clothes...everything.

But it obviously wasn't me. I wasn't that much of a wimp.

"Who is this?..." An answer wasn't needed. I could see his face in the moonlight. He was looking at me like I was some kind of monster. "Link?..."

A large lump on the other side of the fire caught my attention. Livius shifted from his side and sat up. He rubbed an eye with one hand, his blanket slipping down. "What's going on here?..."

"I found the source of my problem." Link said,

There was that word again. Was I really that much of a nuisance? "If I'm so much of a problem, then why don't you just kill me now?" Livius was looking at me like I was nuts. Maybe I was, but there was a bit of uncertainty in his eyes along with the anger. Something was up, and I was going to figure out what.

Link lowered his sword, frowning at me. "How could you say that? Angry with you or not, I could never-" I saw the girl weave her arm around his, and he held his head like it hurt. It was like she had him under some kind of spell. What exactly was she?

"I've sensed something weird going on between the two of you the past few days." Livius stood up and dusted his hands off. "Is this where all this is stemming from?"

My double automatically resumed the role of the victim as she reached for him now. "No, she-"

"I was talking to her, not you." He said, staring down at her unflinchingly without any compassion for her sorry state. She blinked and stepped back, jaw clenched in annoyance.

"Yes." I wasn't about to tell him what the argument had been about, but he didn't seem interested.

"I see. And was this why you showed up in town that way?"

"Who cares about that? Come on. How do you know who is really telling the truth just by that?" She was clinging to Link's shoulder now. Ugh. I would never do that. Well, at least I know how stupid I'd look if I did do it.

"I suppose the pourquita there has a point." Livius said.

"Livius..." If he turned on me, too, I had no chance.

The Gerudo observed me with calm grey eyes for a second before walking over to my double. "As pretty as you are, taegala..." He stuck a finger under the girl's chin much as he had a few days before and made her look at him. "...you are a fake."

She smacked his hand away. "I think it's you who are the fake."

"Perhaps. But I'm still not about to let this happen." Livius turned and reached into his bag and tossed me a long, thin object. "Amanda! Catch!"

I caught it and stared at it in my hands. It was a long rod with a sturdy handle and an ornate silver perch that held a sparkling red orb. Literally. Sparks seemed to be jumping inside the orb. It was radiating with the same power as the Ice Rod.

"Don't even think about it." Link was back under whatever spell she'd put on him.

Too late. I thought about it. "That's not me standing next to you, and I'm going to prove it." I was getting used to using magic, because I was able to bring up a bright red aura within seconds. Or maybe it was just because I was mad. Either way, it worked. "Livius!"

He grabbed Link from behind, but he was too good. Link shoved an elbow into the Gerudo's ribs, causing him to double over. Now I knew he was strong, but I most definitely heard something crack. He used Livius' stunned state to knock him to the ground and flip his sword back into his hands.

He was coming for me next. If I didn't do something quick, he really would kill me.

"You..." The other me didn't say anything. She just cowered over by the rocks, frightened of everything that moved. "I've had about enough of you."

She stood up, hair covering her face. "Oh really?" When finally she looked up, her eyes were that of a monster's. Blood-red and angry. "Just how do you think you'll get to me?"

Whatever she was, she had a point. Link was going to protect her because he thought she was me. He was already back in front of her, ready to kill me as soon as I made a move. I had firsthand experience with his skill. I would never outrun or overpower him.

Time to try another tactic.

"How could you believe that...thing?" I watched her, and her eyes went back to normal when Link looked over his shoulder at her.

"Amanda would never lie to me. You have. More than once. It's obvious she's the real one and you're the imposter."

His words caught me off-guard. Was this how he really felt? What he wished were the truth? The fact that he'd never told me hurt. But it was only fair, I guess. It's not like I had confided much in him. A little voice inside me said that wasn't true, that I had told him as much as I could under the circumstances, but I knew it was an excuse.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry I kept everything from you. I wish I could do everything over again, but I can't. But there's one thing I can prove here and now to you." I reached around to unclip the necklace Link had given me as a birthday gift. The gold pendant and chain danced in the firelight as I dangled it in front of him. But it wasn't for his sake that I did it. I turned my attention to the thing hiding behind him. "You don't have this, do you?"

She reached to her neck and panicked when there was nothing there. "Th-that doesn't prove anything."

Link turned and backed away from the other me a little. "Doesn't prove anything? If you're the real Amanda, you should have the necklace and know where it came from."

Yes! One point for me, zero for her.

"I-it's the necklace my boyfriend gave me." She was nervous now. Ah-ha. Gotcha. "Isn't it obvious? I came here with it, but you must've stolen it."

"Sorry. Wrong answer." I said.

Her lie was falling apart in front of her and she had nowhere to go. I think it was time to put an end to this. She had more than gotten on my nerves. The rod began to glow and more sparks jumped off of it. I pointed it at her and she screamed, stepping back.

He held his head, and fell to his knees, dropping his sword.

The flames consumed the her, reverting her back to her original form. A phantom. And she was ugly. A purple black cape, blood-red eyes and a lantern in her left hand, much like Poes. Oh yeah, and her hands had claws.

The fire died down and she glowered at me. "You think you've won, don't you? There's more of us around than you think. Don't get comfortable." Her entire body slowly became transparent until all I could see was the lantern. It flittered off into the sky, and I made sure to watch until I couldn't see it anymore.

It was headed for the Arbiter's Grounds. I had a bad feeling about this.

"Is it...gone?..." Link sat up, looking like someone had just knocked him around a bunch.

"It's gone." I said quietly.

Livius held a hand to his ribs as he sat up. "Where's Siena?"

"I'll go find her." Link shook off his pain and pressed a hand to my shoulder to keep me from following. "You make sure Livius is all right. I'll be right back."

He picked up his sword and sheathed it, walking away. I busied myself with getting some medical supplies from my bag so I wouldn't have to look at him. His remarks, made while under a spell or not, still stung.

"Okay, I think I should take a look at that." I said, dropping my things and plopping down next to Livius.

"Really, pourquita. What's with the fuss? I'm fine." He grimaced when I poked his ribs.

"Oh, really?" I gave him a skeptical look.

The Gerudo pulled himself up with the help of the rocks. "See? Fine."

"You're stubborn is what you are. I heard something snap when he hit you. You have at least a broken rib or two."

"So? It'll heal."

So?... So?

I give up. All the men here are stubborn as all heck.

"You know, you called me by my name for the first time." I said. "I was surprised."

"Really?"

"What does pourquita mean, anyway?"

"It's a secret." He took my hand and kissed it, winking at me.

I blushed.

"Livius! You'd better come over here!" Link's voice carried through the ruins from where he was on the other side of the rocks.

Livius was a good liar, I'd give him that. He made it look like he broke a rib every week. Link had come back with Siena nearly draped over him. She looked like she'd passed out. Livius walked over to pick up his sister and carried her with no problem. If he was in any pain, it didn't show.

"What happened?" I asked as he set her down.

"She was like that when I found her. Completely disarmed and lying in the sand." Link said. He set down two swords that must've belonged to Siena. "It looks like that phantom attacked her before coming into the camp."

I wondered how powerful it must've been to have gotten through her. Ever since arriving in the desert, she hadn't missed a single monster that approached her. And to get through Link, too...I was beginning to feel more than a little unsafe.

"I think we should keep going as soon as she's awake." I said, picking up the medical supplies I'd left in the sand. "I wouldn't want that thing to come back."

"I don't think it'll come back here." Livius said.

"I hope you're right." I wasn't prepared for another encounter like that.

Link turned and reached for my hand. "Amanda, we really should-"

I evaded his grasp. "Please, don't. I think you said pretty much everything that needed to be said, don't you?" There was pain in my chest, but I shoved it down and put some distance between us. "Besides...what Midna needs is more important right now than any silly thing between us. I came here to guide you through the grounds and that's all. We should stick to that and leave personal business out of it."

I was half worried he'd try to push the topic, but all he said was, "...You're right." He looked as hurt as I felt.

It wasn't like I didn't want to hear him out. I'd been ready to sit down and talk since this morning. But now just wasn't the right time. If something went wrong here, everything could go downhill fast.

"Livius, I told you, I'm fine." Siena was sitting up on her own now, trying in vain to keep her twin from checking her over for the fifth time.

I smiled a little. It was sweet to see Livius fussing over his sister. "You feeling better now?"

"Yes, thank you." She was graceful in her movements as she set her hands on her lap.

"So, can you tell us what happened?" Link asked.

"I don't remember. One moment I was watching the landscape and the next..." Siena trailed off.

"So you don't know what happened."

"It's easy enough to tell you that. Phantoms roam the desert, deceiving travelers. They use their emotions and memories as a means of attack rather then weapons or magic. Though they do use both of those as well." Livius leaned against the rocky cliff next to his sister. "I figured you were well aware of that. Siena was supposed to warn you before we left."

"She never said anything to me." Link said. "Amanda?"

I shook my head. "No, nothing." Or did she? Back at the house, she did tell me to watch my back. But how had the phantom gotten by with Siena on watch?

I could tell that it bothered Livius, too. He was watching his twin sister closely. She wasn't injured, but she definitely was a little dazed. Usually nothing left her sight without her knowing about it. Her eyesight was better than anyone I'd ever seen.

So why had she missed a simple phantom?

"If you have any questions for me, you should save them for later." Siena stood up, still a little wobbly. "If we don't attack that camp soon, we'll lose the cover that night provides."

"My sister is right. Dawn will be coming soon."

We put out the fire and picked up our things, leaving no trace of the camp we'd set up. Siena covered herself in dark scarves and stealthily snuck into a pen holding a few of the animals the bublins rode. She came back with two of them (I think they were boars), saddled and ready.

Link patted the thing and observed me as I slid my knife into one boot. "These things aren't like horses. You sure you can handle it?"

"Just watch me." I used a nearby rock and pulled myself up. The boar-like creature was tall and strong. My feet barely reached around it, but it wouldn't be a problem. Link would be the one jumping on and off. Livius was riding the second one. Siena had her pair of swords and sat behind him. He was riding with me.

"Keep to the left side and watch for arrows." Link said. "Once they spot us, they won't hesitate to shoot."

"I know."

I was only used to riding horses, so I was startled when I tapped the animal's sides and it snorted, jolting forward. It nearly knocked both of us off, but Link was quick and created a tight grip with his legs and feet, keeping us both on.

I recovered my balance and adjusted to the way this boar-like creature ran. It was by no means fast, but if I wanted to break down a fence, I'd have the power to do it.

"Keep it steady!" Link called into my ear over the rushing wind.

I pulled up on the reins a bit as we neared a tower, matching the pace of Livius who was on the other side of the camp. Link fired two arrows in rapid succession. Both hit the two bublins situated on the top of the left towers. Siena's aim with a bow was equally as deadly.

He leapt off and slashed through another bublin. I kept an eye on his position and circled the camp. Siena sliced through another two. That left at least two or three more. But where were they?

I gripped the reins tighter and looked up. There they were, those little pests. Two were still climbing, one had made it to the top and was aiming for him. I turned the boar sharply and did a u-turn, running straight for the tower. The tusks of the creature splintered the wood as I crashed into the structure, and I barely threw an arm up in time to keep it out of my face.

Link grabbed hold of the saddle as I rode by and pulled himself up with ease. Another u-turn and we were back in the direction of the Arbiter's Grounds.

"Where are you going?" He asked when I didn't stop.

"You'll see." I said. "I suggest you hold on."

I kicked the sides of the boar harder and it stopped and reared for a moment. He reached around me and grabbed the reins before the animal took off. I was glad he had done so, because we'd be flying every which way now as we sped towards the grounds.

The pounding of hooves was behind us as we few past the landscape. Livius and Siena must've been following behind us.

"Get down!"

Link grabbed me around the middle as we suddenly slammed into one giant wooden gate, then another. The boar dug in it's heels and stopped, sending us flying. Thankfully, we landed in a pile of sand.

"Ow..." I rubbed my backside. My halberd was sticking up from the sand a few feet away. I'd landed on a small rock.

"You know what?" He coughed up some sand and gave me a look. "You're crazy."

"Maybe." I brushed some sand out of my hair. "But admit it. That was fun."

The corners of his mouth lifted a little bit. Ah-ha. He agrees with me.

"You two all right?" Livius rode up with his twin sister on the boar and dismounted gracefully.

"Just fine." Link helped me up and I plucked my weapon out of the sand. "How much further?"

"It's just ahead now. We'll open the gate for you."

There was a network of small caves we had to walk through before we came out into an open area. The Arbiter's Grounds were fully visible now and they were an amazing sight. Grand spires towered over us, springing from a coliseum-like building. A massive gate with the royal crest blocked our way.

"We're almost there. I can sense it." Midna whispered from the shadows.

"What you're looking for is on the top floor." I said softly, so only she could hear. "And this place is huge.

"You'll get us there." She floated up and rested on top of my head. "I have faith in you."

Livius looked over his shoulder and she dove back down into hiding. "Did you say something?"

I shook my head and bit my lip. "No."

"You're a strange one, pourquita. Has anyone told you that?"

"Maybe a few times."

I walked a little further, and a fire arrow whizzed past my ear, singeing my cheek.

Link had his bow out already and aimed for the tower. The bublin dropped it's weapon and shrieked, falling to the ground.

More arrows landed at our feet and he grabbed my hand. "Let's go!"

"We can't get the gate open that fast! There's a passageway to the left!" Siena called from behind us. "Duck behind there while we unlock the door!"

As we neared the gate, Link pulled me sharply to the left and up an embankment. Once safely behind a wall, he leaned out and shot a few more arrows. He must've missed because he narrowly avoided getting shot himself.

"Where did they come from?" I asked, sitting back on my heels.

"They were probably waiting for us the whole time." He rubbed his poor ear, which was now slightly burned. I guess they had gotten him after all. "Come on. There might be more. I'm not taking any chances."

We traveled back farther around the outside of the grounds. It turns out they had whole camp set up. There were pots and pans scattered everywhere, burned out campfires, but...no more bublins.

"That's really odd." Midna vanished inside one of the tents, and popped her head out. "Where'd all this come from if there's only a few guys out front?"

That was a good question. This area wasn't supposed to be abandoned.

"I don't like this." I said, stepping backwards. "I think we should get out of here."

When I turned around, a single lantern swung in the air. Nothing was holding it. Just a single shining blue lantern. Another floated out of one of the tents. Then another from a knocked over bucket. And another.

Uh-oh. Too late.

"What's going on here?" Link asked, eyes darting from corner to corner.

"That's what I'd like to know." Midna said.

"Those are..." Those phantoms. Those were not Poes. The lanterns they carried were different. Plus, Poes looked less like they wanted to kill you and more just like they were dead. I'd seen a few around the city and the lake. Despite the large sickles the Poes carried, they were the least frightening thing I'd seen here yet.

As long as you maintained your distance, of course.

They zoomed towards us. The lanterns swirled around in a circle, as if taunting us to try and stop them. Then, without warning, they split in half. Two circled me and two went after Link.

My feet left the ground, and I felt a bit dizzy as I tried to somehow balance myself. "What is this?" The air sizzled and crackled with magic I couldn't see. I reached forward and immediately got zapped. It didn't hurt, but it was enough to make me pull my hand back.

"Didn't I warn you?" A fifth phantom appeared. A faint outline of me appeared before I saw it's withered face. Or what was left of it. It was the same one from before! "I wasn't finished with you."

"Put her down!" Link tried to run forward, but the phantoms picked him up off the ground and slammed him against the wall a few times and let him fall at least ten feet to the ground.

"Link!"

The phantom beside me laughed at him as he struggled to pull himself up. "We'll be taking her with us now."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Midna snarled. "That one belongs to me!"

Dark energy crackled in her hands and she hurled it towards the spirit creature. The phantom waved it's lantern and I nearly tumbled over as it moved me in front of it and used me as a shield. The shock of the impact suprised me more than hurt me.

"Amanda!" Link was furious, but not at me. "You coward!"

"Me? What of you? Hiding behind a pathetic Twili such as that one."

Midna's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say? Just who do you think you're talking to?" She rushed for the phantom again, but the ghostly creature quickly swerved me back in front of her.

"You dare to try that again, and the same thing will happen." The phantom warned. "You don't want to hurt her now, do you?"

She clenched her small fists and gritted her teeth, but didn't say anything.

"That's what I thought. Shall we be going?"

As if I had a choice.

Link and Midna got smaller and smaller as the phantom yanked me behind it like I was on a leash. I might as well have been, because I couldn't do anything except watch what was going on. Watch the halls and corridors fly by me as we went lower and lower into the Arbiter's Grounds.

We went a floor ot two lower than I remembered. There were prison cells there, and she yanked me into one. A few pits were scattered throughout the room, and I was hovered over the top of one.

"Now hold on a second..."

She didn't wait for anything and dropped me down in there, not caring how far down it was. I tried to grab onto something, but there was nothing to hold onto. I landed in the dirt on my arm and my side.

"Oops. Sorry." The spirit floating above the pit cackled.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, as if I would get a serious answer.

"We can't have you helping Mr. Hero now can we?" If the phantom still had a face, I bet she/it would be smirking. "Don't worry. You'll see him soon. Just be a good little girl until my master summons you."

I had a pretty good idea of who her 'master' was and I was more than a little worried. A door slammed and I heard the click of a lock above me. That seemed kind of unnecessary. Phantoms could just go through walls. Was someone or something else up there, too?

If there was, yelling for help probably wasn't a good idea.

Not that I was the damsel-in-distress type, anyway. No way I was going to just sit there and wait for Link to come get me. I paced the small pit, looking for a way out. There were no vents, no drains...The only way I would be to go back up the way I came in. Er, dropped in. Fell in? Oh, who cares. I was stuck either way if I couldn't think of a plan.

They'd taken my halberd and my dagger which I'd kept hidden underneath my clothes, but they didn't take my pouch. They probably assumed there was nothing of worth in it. I'd never been happier with the person who invented these things than right at that moment.

I took out my Ice and Fire Rods. If I could melt those bars, I'm sure I could get up there. I just prayed I wouldn't attract any unnecessary attention.

"This has to work.." I aimed above me and shot a large pillar of out at the bars. It was so hot that it was hard to look up at what I was doing. The temperature rose several degrees and I was sweating by the time I stopped.

I jumped out of the way as a few pieces of iron came raining down. Now I could look up, and I saw a small hole, not nearly big enough for me to get through.

"Okay, fine. Be that way." I exchanged one rod for the other and shot some ice up at the bars to cool them. They hissed, letting off a little steam.

There were no footholds for me to climb up, so I had to make my own stairs out of ice, which was trickier than you'd think. The flat shoes I'd put on for the sake of traveling through the desert were no good on ice. Of course, I had no idea I'd need to be walking on this kind of surface. I'd made it about halfway up my makeshift stairs before I slipped and slid down to the bottom.

That does it. From now on, I'm going to be prepared for any kind of terrain. This is ridiculous.

Some small rocks and gravel were littered along the bottom of the pit and I threw it on the ice to get some traction. It seemed to work, and I was able to climb high enough to reach the bars. I shoved my weight against them and they gave a little.

"Just a little more..." One more time should do it. I braced myself and rammed into them as hard as I could.

They snapped off and went skidding across the stone floor. I peered over the edge. The pit was part of a larger chamber. The left wall had weird hieroglyphs drawn on the bricks and chains hanging from it. For more prisoners, I'd bet. I scanned the other side of the room.

A figure was hunched over in the corner. It was tall, taller than any human I'd seen, decorated with strange armor and covered in bandages. It's eyes were eerily cold and dead, and...

Oh no.

I jumped back underneath the bars, heart pounding rapidly. Why? Why did there have to be ReDeads here of all places? Sure, they were hidden in walls throughout the temple...but here?

Whoever had ordered me here really didn't want me leaving.

Still...I couldn't just sit still and do nothing. I had to get out of here. And being trapped in that pit knowing it was in the room would be even worse. The ice was going to melt, so I had to make a decision quick.

Wait a sec. I wonder if...?

The ice cracked underneath my weight, and I jumped up out of the pit. I kept to the edge and didn't move. The ReDead was just standing there, solid as a statue. If I got near it, it would leap for me. So I had to try the next best plan I had.

I hummed a bit of the Sun's Song and waited. A minute passed, but nothing happened.

"Of course it wouldn't work." I muttered. "Why would they make it that easy for me?"

My heart was still pounding wildly in my chest. I didn't have anything else except the Ice and Fire Rods, and setting it on fire didn't seem like the best idea. It might come after me. I shuddered. Maybe I could create some kind of wall to keep it away? I was already exhausted from using the rods so close together, but it was my only hope at this point.

I concentrated and created a sheet of ice between the door and the ReDead. I made another one in front of it to box it in. I waited and held my breath, but it hadn't moved yet.

"Phew." I put the rod away in my pouch and tiptoed towards the door, reaching for the handle. It wasn't locked! I was glad I was wrong in what I'd heard for once.

I poked my head out into the corridor and looked in both directions. Nothing. The phantom was nowhere in sight, but I'm sure she was around somewhere. I prayed I wouldn't run into her on my way upstairs. Not that I was scared, mind you.

Whoever this 'master' of hers was, I really didn't care. I was going to make sure things went the right way things time, and no one was going to stop me.

Now if I could only find where they put my halberd.

Make sure you check out the new poll I put in my profile. It's just for fun, but I was curious to know what you guys think. XD