Chapter 13: The Wizard From Kurran

About fifteen years ago…

Link woke when he rolled over in bed, and found something missing. He groaned softly as he found the empty bed-sheets instead of the warm body he expected there. He looked up and saw her sitting in her chair near the middle of the room. Though the treehouse had been expanded in recent years, to make room for their growing family, their bed was still in the main room.

Link sat up, and Kilishandra turned at the sound of the rustling sheets. "It's still early," she said, "You can go back to sleep."

"Hard to sleep without you anymore," Link said, rising from the bed and walking over to her, "And it seems I'm not the only one who couldn't sleep."

He smiled down at the bundle in Kilishandra's arms. Kilishandra also couldn't help but smile, their infant daughter sleeping in her mother's arms, while she gently rocked in the chair.

There was something about it that Link couldn't find the words to describe. There was a time in his life when children were the furthest thought from his mind. He'd even given up on expecting them. In fact, had life turned out differently, he'd still be with Midna, and he had no idea if a human and a Twili could even have children.

But there was something about seeing their children, of knowing they came from both himself and Kilishandra, that just filled his heart with warmth and pride to look upon them. That was how he felt when looking at Lance, their five-year-old son, and now their daughter, almost a year old at this time.

Link had made a habit in his younger days of never planning more than a few days ahead. He was constantly in danger and always had that spectre of death looming over himself. But now he looked much further ahead. He wanted to see his children grow. To see what kind of people they would become.

"I wish we could be here more," Link said, "Seems like there's always just one more thing we have to do, though."

"I know," Kilishandra said, "Maybe someday."

They stayed there for a moment, nothing else being said, as nothing needed to. The simple presence was enough for them both.

Yet Kilishandra's mind was a troubled one, and had been ever since the war. Even as she sat there, holding her daughter and her husband standing with her, she could not stop the memories from coming back to her mind. It was a nightmare that had woken her this night, and she saw the cities she had burned in the Blighted War. Tens of thousands of lives ended in an instant by her hand.

As far as Kilishandra was aware, she was the most powerful magician alive at this point. The only one she was certain was her greater had been her own adoptive father, and he'd died years ago. Just a few words and a flick of her wrist was enough to end lives.

Back in the war, she had been placed under a curse to ensure her loyalty by Khall and Tharkus, but she had taken it willingly then. She had believed that the only way to save her people was to destroy those she believed her enemies. She'd even tried to kill her own father, but had been unable in the moment to strike the final blow. If not for his quick thinking and greater skill, the curse would have taken her life.

Then she was given a gift far greater than any she deserved. It was mercy. Queen Zelda, back then still with the title of princess, gave her an opportunity to fight, to seek redemption for her deeds, and so she fought with them against her former allies. In the end, her contributions had been little compared to the others. Khall was slain by Link in single combat, and Tharkus was obliterated by Ganondorf. As satisfying as it was to see Tharkus reduced to a black mark on the floor, she had hoped that once it was over, something could still be done to save her own people.

But it was too late. When the opportunity came, less than three hundred people remained in her home. The lands had been blighted, poisoning the water and preventing any food from growing. Simple starvation had been the ultimate fate for most of them. Those that were saved were half-starved and barely able to stand when they were brought to Hyrule. Many more died in spite of the best efforts to help them. Some did recover, and were accepted into Hyrule, but ultimately, the very purpose Kilishandra had fought for, had killed so many for, was an utter failure.

She saw them in her dreams, both those she had slain, and those she had failed. They surrounded her, accusing her. She saw the starving, wasted bodies of her people, and the burning victims of her wrath, their flesh falling away in the fires of magic. There was nothing she could do to drive them away or escape. A sea of bodies all around her, all closing in.

Had things turned out different, had she been forced to face this alone, she doubted she'd have survived. In fact, she was certain she'd have likely hung herself only a short time after the war. The acceptance into Hyrule herself was more than she deserved. But then she had grasped on to him.

There was always something there, from the first time she had met Link, that she didn't understand at the time. She'd heard so much about him from Zelda and the others, building him up as if he were some kind of god among men. A legendary, untouchable hero. Among his greatest achievements was even defeating Ganondorf, her adoptive father, in single combat. At the time, Kilishandra couldn't believe it. Link was no wizard, and was no mightier than any other human. He was just a man with a sword.

At least, that was what she saw.

What she felt was exactly what Zelda had described. Link had an amazing feeling around him that was hard to not get swept up in. Simply having him nearby had a way of just making one know that everything would be okay in the end. Seeing him in action only pushed that further. He was just human, with all the weaknesses that implied, and yet he kept coming out on top against opponents mightier than himself. It was in the way he thought, the way he moved, and the way he inspired others. Kilishandra was always amazed by how invincible she felt when fighting at his side.

So it was no surprise that even if he did not intentionally do anything, he was the one to pull her from that darkness of her own memories and depression. What was the surprise was that he would return her feelings. When Kilishandra met him, Link had been with Midna, the princess of the Twili, and she had seen real love in their eyes when they looked at each other.

But in the end, Midna had been forced to make a choice. She could return to her own people, to her responsibilities to them and never see Link again, or she could choose her own feelings, staying with Link but losing any chance of ever returning to her own realm.

In that moment of truth, Midna had chosen her people over herself. Over Link.

Kilishandra respected that. Such a painful decision, but when she imagined herself in such a place, if her own life or happiness could have been traded for her people, she liked to think she would have done the same, but the opportunity would never come to her to find out.

She had then found herself partnered with Link, by order of Zelda no less, and their task to simply do what Link had always done: To seek out dangers to the people of the world and hunt those evils in their lairs. And when no such evil could be found, then to simply travel about doing good deeds, such as slaying monsters or bandits that threaten innocent lives.

Link had been initially cold, and Kilishandra knew it was holding up his own pain at Midna's leaving, but he did open up again over time. And having him close gave Kilishandra the strength to not succumb to her memories. Link was not a forgiving type, but he never judged her or asked about what she was thinking back then. It was most likely that he knew she was doing her best to atone for her past and accepted that.

But it was the mutual weakness that brought them together. Link had nightmares of his own. A brush with a Twili named Cain had left a deep scar on Link's psyche. Though it had been a confrontation in a dream, and no physical damage had been done, Cain had destroyed him in that encounter. Link had experienced the pain as if it were real as Cain tore him limb from limb, over and over, for hours upon hours. All while Midna was bound and helpless, forced to watch.

That nightmare came back, again and again, as vivid as when it occurred, and Link would awake with a scream in a cold sweat. It was not the pain he had felt that was the worst of it, but the feeling of helplessness, that he could do nothing to save Midna from that monster.

Cain was dead now. It had been a terrible fight, and possibly the closest that Link and Kilishandra had seen the world itself come to absolute ruin in the process, but it was over. But the nightmare did still come to him every so often.

They had both seen each other at their strongest, but also at their weakest. This went far to creating a trust between them had never since been shaken, and that trust was what gave way to that first night of passion that turned into their marriage a few years later.

Now as Kilishandra sat there with her husband, holding their daughter, and knowing their son was asleep in the other room, she almost couldn't believe it possible how far she had come, and all thanks to Link in the end.

She had no count for how many lives she had taken from the world. Too many was all she could say. Lance and Ana were the only good things she had brought into it. And they were only because of Link as well.

She didn't deserve them, she knew. With her past, she didn't deserve happiness. And yet, here it found her. A warm feeling in her chest when she looked at them. That she'd find peace as she lay in bed with Link's arms around her, or when looking on her children.

For all her power, she hated her magic. It was in fact something she never wanted. But she had to learn to control it when she was younger, because of a natural affinity for it that made her dangerous to both herself and others without training. If she could live the rest of her life without using it, she would.

But she had no hesitation to use it for Link's sake, or for their children. She could use it to protect them. She could most certainly kill anyone she had to if it was to protect them.

And she silently thanked whatever gods were watching that Lance showed no such affinity, and prayed that Ana would not either.

Kilishandra knew she did not deserve this happiness, but here it was, and it brought tears to her eyes to experience it. She looked up at Link, and he smiled at her again. After a few minutes, they returned to the bed together, and lay there in the dark, Kilishandra with one arm around Ana next to her, and Link with his arm around Kilishandra.

She could never escape what she'd done or the darkness of her memories. But she had this happiness now, and it was enough to protect her from being swallowed by them.

About four years ago…

The northern plains of Hyrule had become a wasteland following the Blighted War. Years ago, before the current generation were even born, a dark army came down from the far north. They had crossed the world itself through the arctic just to reach Hyrule and tear it down. A great, raging battle was fought in these fields against foes not just to the kingdom, but to life itself. Corrupted by dark magics, the enemy's black blood tainting the ground where it fell, and even now, decades later, nothing would grow in these once green fields.

Anastasia, the daughter of Link and Kilishandra, saw these fields for the first time when she was twelve. She had just been accepted for training and education to one day be a knight of Hyrule. For now, she was being schooled by the royal instructors and the greater physical training would come when she was older.

She'd heard about those plains long ago, of course, but that didn't compare to seeing it herself. How suddenly the line of grass ended to dead, blackened earth. There was a soft breeze, and it carried with it an unearthly smell. Like a faint, distant rotting that never truly faded from the air. There was something else as well. Like the wind carried with it faint sounds, memories of the past. As she gazed out over the field, she could almost hear the clashing of steel and the screams of the fighters in the distance.

She nearly jumped as a hand landed on her shoulder, and she looked up to see her mother. Kilishandra smiled at her and looked out over the field as well. "Your father and I both fought in the battle here, before you were born," she said, and then pointed at the eyepatch covering her right eye, "It was here that I lost my eye, too."

"How did you lose it?" Ana asked, and realized she'd never thought about it before. Her mother had simply worn that eyepatch as long as she could remember, so it was normal to her.

"One of the monsters, a pale corrupted woman, jumped on me from above," Kilishandra said, "Jammed her thumb right into my eye socket. I survived with a bit of luck that she didn't reach deep enough to do more than burst the eyeball, and the healers were quick to act with the bloodstopper. Those healers are the real reason I'm still alive."

It was strange to think. To a girl as young as Ana, she always heard the stories of her parents' heroism, both in the war and since then, and she had come to see them as invincible. Perhaps that was natural for any child, but for her it was especially strong. Her parents had been away for long stretches of time, and they always returned with new stories, though she also felt there were always parts they weren't telling.

"I can almost hear it," Ana said, "As if there are still swords clashing and screams all just out of earshot."

"Every battlefield I've been on is like that," Kilishandra said, "The scars left by war are not just felt by the people, but by the land itself. As if all the negative emotions, the energy, seeps into the earth and never truly lets go. You remember what Walpurgis Night is, right?"

"That's the eclipse," Ana said, "It lasts an entire day, every four years. When it's like twilight all day."

"It's also the time when the barriers between worlds are at their thinnest," Kilishandra said, "If you look out here during that eclipse, you might even see the ghosts still fighting all these years later."

That event was only a few months away at that time. Ana wondered if her mother was telling her that she should look out here during that time.

"Mother, this might seem random, but I want to know," Ana said, looking toward her, "How many people have you killed in your life?"

Kilishandra took a deep breath, holding it silently for a moment before letting it out as a long sigh. She then turned her head to look straight at Ana.

"Too many, Ana," she said, "Far too many."

"You and father always always told me that killing was wrong when I was young," Ana said, "But when teaching me to fight, he also told me that when no other choice, and it is my life or theirs, I should do everything in my power to make sure it is not mine. What he never told me was where that line is."

"Let me explain it like this, Ana," Kilishandra said, putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "The first person you kill, their face will be permanently burned into your memory. It will follow you for the rest of your life. And every other person you kill, their faces will join them. More and more faces following you for life. Eventually they become too many to remember. That start to blend together, and become dark. Killing becomes easier because each face becomes less distinct. The darkness continues to grow, until it feels as if one wrong step and you'd fall into it. You'll either become numb to it, callous and with no value on life, or you'll fall into it. Despair and darkness take you, and there is no escape.

"Or so it may seem," she added before Ana could speak, "Unless you find a reason to keep standing, to not fall. Or another gives you that reason. That was your father to me, Ana. I was going to fall into that darkness, and he caught me. He was my reason to keep stand, to not fall in. And now I have more reasons. You, your brother, and all our wonderful friends in Ordon.

"And this is the last thing I can teach you before you start your formal education. That you want to be a knight is not a unique or special dream. But it is a harsh one that few who try actually achieve. As a knight, eventually you will have to fight and kill. You do this for the sake of those who cannot. So that others do not have to start into that darkness. Those who do not value life will take it from the innocent without a care, and those are the monsters you will fight against. And you will take those monsters' lives so that the innocents will not have to sacrifice their innocence in self-defense.

"It's not too late to change your mind yet," she finished.

Ana was silent for a long moment, looking out over the field again. It was still there, that sound that seemed a battle just out of earshot. It sounded like such a heavy burden, yet the stories always made it seem all right in the end. The darkness would pass and hope always sprang eternal.

"I'm not changing my mind," she said at last, "But this darkness of faces you describe… What is it like for you?"

Kilishandra sighed and looked back out over the field as well.

"I see an ocean waiting to swallow me."

Present day...

Midmorning in Hyrule found young Anastasia on horseback between the capital city and Kakariko village. She rode with a group of ten others, led by her patron knight, Ser Gerald Makor. It was a normal patrol, as any other day, as the group rode through the countryside on the lookout anything that might command the attention of the knight and his retinue.

But the main road between Kakariko and the capital was one of the safest routes in the kingdom. They were only one of many groups out on the length of the road this day. It was the main passage of both people and goods between the city and the village, and thus closely watched, and not just by Hylian forces, as one would frequently see Goron patrols on the road as well. They may have been smaller groups, but may be even more intimidating for those that would look to sack a merchant's wagon on the road. In a way, a group of just three or four Gorons might be even more dangerous than twenty armored Hylian soldiers.

Ana had expected when she was officially squired that she would be doing something other than riding on horseback through the countryside on a regular basis. As it was, she had still yet to see anything real, or at least what she'd call real. She rarely had to get out of her saddle, and on returning to the capital, it was the usual pattern of chores. After getting out of her armor, she'd tend to Ser Gerald's horse and her own, ensuring they were both fed and watered, checking their shoes and brushing them down. After that came the equipment maintenance, which should have meant straightening out bends or dents in Ser Gerald and her own armor, sharpening the swords and other weapons. But what it actually meant was usually just cleaning and polishing the metal plates of the armor.

After the stories Lance had told her of what Ser Edgar had taken him through, rooting out bandit camps in the wilderness and hunting down fleeing criminals, maybe she just got unlucky with her assignment to this particular region, but she couldn't help the boredom as they rode their route.

"Don't fall asleep," Ser Gerald's voice caused her to look up with a start, "You'll fall right out of your saddle."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Ana said.

She looked over at Ser Gerald. He gave her a small smile before turning his attention back to the road. He was relatively young for a knight, maybe only ten years older than her, with no lines of age or stress on his face yet, just that mustache he wore while keeping the rest clean-shaven. He was fairly handsome, Ana thought, though his own boredom showed on these patrols as well. He might not say it, but she could see it in those green eyes when he looked out on the road.

This patrol was his first real command, with Ana and fifteen members of the regular military. Knights in Hyrule were not nobility like they may have been in the distant past, she'd had that drilled into her all through her basic training. They were a career, the officers of the military forces. And this being his first command, it showed with Ser Gerald's rank was simply Knight. He answered to the Knight Captain above himself, and the only other knights Gerald had higher authority than were one rank down, as Knight Errant.

Lance was a Knight Errant, Ana thought to herself. He had been squired at about the same age she had, and took him over four years to reach it from there. But he'd seen plenty of action. She felt like she was just floating in limbo with her assignment.

Of course, she had never been one to experience the meaning of being careful what one wished for.

Because even as Ser Gerald started to reply to her, he was interrupted by a loud booming sound behind them.

Ana and Gerald both turned in their saddles, looking over their shoulders, and every other soldier in the group did the same.

"The city!" one of them said.

There was a large cloud of black smoke visible and slowly rising over the city walls.

"That was an explosion!" Ana said.

"About face, back to the city!" Ser Gerald ordered, and they all turned their horses, "Full speed!"

Ana kicked her horse, urging it into a gallop. She suddenly felt ashamed of herself. There she had been wanting some action, and now her first thought was there may have been people caught whatever this was.

They were not far out of the city, and it was only a matter of minutes there. As they came closer, they could see the outer gate was still open. That was wrong. The guards in the gatehouse should have dropped it already to prevent the perpetrator from escaping the city. The horses' hooves pounded on the wooden drawbridge over the ravine and onto the stone streets inside.

There were people in the streets, obviously trying to get a look at what had happened, or to get away from it. They slowed the squad's progress, but more guards were also rushing to the scene.

"Men, assume hostiles in the area, but our first priority are protecting the civilians!" Ser Gerald shouted over the growing din of voices in the street. There was screaming ahead, but also a great deal of shouting.

The site was a few streets into the city, and they pulled their horses up as it came into side on the left side of the road in front of them.

"Oh, gods..." Ana whispered.

It was a residential building. A large one, that looked like it was five stories, and there would be at minimum six family dwellings on each floor. A massive hole was visible on the front, exposing three floors and the insides of the dwellings. There were fires visible inside, pouring out a dark smoke. Brick and mortar had been thrown out into the street, and Ana could see people outside had been injured by the flying debris. Some were being helped to walk away by guards or other citizens, while some others were being dragged. There was one woman lying in the street as several crowded around her. It was hard to see clearly, but Ana caught glimpses of the pool of blood and hanging, ripped flesh that was all that remained at her left shoulder. Not far was a particularly large bring from the wall, covered in blood, and on the far side of the street, what remained of the arm, smashed almost beyond recognition.

There were bodies as well, lying completely still, either with visible injuries from the debris while some were burned, and still others with both.

"Who's in charge here?" Ser Gerald asked, looking around the guards.

Many of the guards turned to look, but the one that answered rose from the screaming woman in the middle of the street, leaving her to the others there as he approached.

"No officers here at present, sir," he said, "But this street is my beat right now."

"So you saw what happened, guardsman?" Ser Gerald asked.

The guard shook his head. "Saw the explosion, sure, but no idea who or what caused it."

Ser Gerald looked up to the burning building. "Don't suppose anyone here knows how much Goron powder it would take to make a hole that big?"

"It's not Goron Powder, sir," Ana said, moving her horse up next to him, "Goron Powder is a mining tool. First, smoke from it is white, not black like that. It also doesn't set fires, just the concussion blast and potential shrapnel, depending on the casing and surroundings."

Ser Gerald looked over at her, clearly surprised by this knowledge. "How do you know that?"

"I do a lot of reading," Ana said, "But that's kind of beside the point right now, isn't it?"

He didn't get a chance to respond, as there was a loud snap from the building, followed by a crash, and Ana could swear she saw the walls visibly shift.

"Guardsmen, we need to get the civilians away from here before that place comes down!" Ser Gerald shouted, and the squad quickly dismounted to join the other guards trying to move the crowds back.

He and Ana also climbed down from their horses. "Where's the fire brigade?" Ser Gerald asked a nearby guard.

"Not here yet, sir!" was the response.

"If there's anyone still in there..." Ana started, and another crack of a support beam inside caused another crash. This time Ana definitely saw it shifting. It wasn't going to be standing for much longer.

"That fire's burning through the supports fast," Ser Gerald muttered, "No way. Anyone who goes in looking for survivors is as good as dead."

What could make a fire that hot? Ana racked her brain. The first thing she could come up with was Sheikan Fire. A weapon used only in wartime, Sheikan Fire was a special mix of elements that made a sticky black tar that once it touched human skin, it was nearly impossible remove short of using a blade to cut off the top layer of skin it was stuck to. And when lit on fire, it burned so hot the flames were actually white. In addition, once it was lit, it could not be extinguished until the tar was completely consumed by the flame. It would even burn underwater. It was exceedingly deadly, and an excruciatingly painful death. The recipe was a closely guarded secret of the royal family, gifted to them by the Sheikah long ago. Nothing she had read on the subject had given Ana even a hint as to how to make it.

But the flames in the building were orange, not white, so they weren't hot enough to be Sheikan Fire. The only other answer she could come up with was magical fire. Magic flames did not behave like normal flames. They moved like they were almost alive, seeking out and consuming whatever they touched with what almost seemed like malicious desire.

Ana was expecting any moment for a child or someone to be screaming from a window for help any second, but none appeared. She turned to see Ser Gerald speaking to one a man in civilian clothes.

"I think was mostly empty anyway," the man was saying, "Middle of the day. Kids are in school and the parents are either at their jobs or out with other tasks."

"Not victimless, though," Ser Gerald said, looking at the bodies in the street and injured being carried away.

There was another snap as a support broke and the walls visibly shook.

"Get everyone back!" Ser Gerald shouted, "It's coming down any second now!"

Ana turned to see the guards pushing civilians back down the streets. There was another crack from the building and the people cried out, causing Ana to turn back to the burning building. It was such a surreal sight, that one never expected, to see the entire building tilting toward her, and her heart seemed to stop as she realized it was falling toward her.

"Move!" Ser Gerald shouted, pushing her, but it was too late, her eyes locked on the falling brick and mortar coming down on them.

Then a rush of wind struck them hard enough to knock them to the ground. Ana looked up from the ground and was greeted with an even more insane sight. The falling building, halfway down, had stopped in mid-air, suspended by nothing.

"What the hell?" Ser Gerald whispered, looking up at the sight above them.

"Magic," Ana said, "It has to be."

"Excuse me," said a nearby voice, "This isn't the easiest thing to do, so if you all wouldn't mind getting out from underneath it, I'd appreciate it."

Ana turned to the voice. There was a man standing in front of the crowd of civilians, his hands in the air over his head, with visible green glows between his fingertips.

"A wizard," she said, "He has to be."

"Come on," Ser Gerald said, climbing up and offering his hand to her to help her up.

They quickly moved out from under the suspended building, as did the remaining guards, and in a matter of moments the street beneath it was clear. The strange wizard then slowly lowered his hands, and the building itself slowly settled down into the street, and what shape it had left collapsed upon itself. Then with another wave of his hand, there was a rush of wind over the street, and Ana watched as the flames themselves were pulled upward, away from the building, spinning in a cylinder as if in a tornado, rising higher and higher and then they vanished with nothing to feed them.

"Magic," she said to Ser Gerald, "This one has power of wind, it seems."

They both turned to the strange man. He let out a sigh, closing his eyes as he relaxed. Ana could see the beads of sweat running down his forehead, showing this had been no small effort for him.

"Guards, check the wreckage, make sure there was no one else in there if you can. The rest of you, I want a full sweep of the area, bring in anyone suspicious for questioning," Ser Gerald said, then motioned for Ana to follow him, and the two of them approached the man.

He opened his eyes as they approached. There was murmuring in the crowd behind him.

"Ah, my greetings," he said, "You seem to be the one in charge here."

"I am Ser Gerald Makor, Knight of Hyrule," Ser Gerald said, and indicated Ana, "And this is my squire, Anastasia. We were out on patrol when the explosion here brought us back to the city. Who might you be?"

No Hylian, that was obvious at a glance, Ana thought. His outfit was strange, too brightly colored compared to Hylian fashion. A bright orange cloak over an almost painfully green tunic and trousers, and she couldn't even count the number of frills and stitches that served no practical purpose. And then looking at his face, he'd still stand out in a crowd even if his clothes fit in. His skin color was visibly different from Hylians. Maybe at a distance, one wouldn't notice it, but this close he had a slight golden tint to his flesh. His eyes were also much narrower than the average Hylian, with much sharper edges. His head was shaved perfectly smooth, which caused the sunlight to make it seem shiny, and he also had a single golden ring visible hanging from one sit of his nose.

The man flourished one arm, bowing in what she thought was an overly-dramatic manner. "My name is Suma Gi," he said.

The name cinched it for Ana and she put it together. "You're from Kurran," she said.

"Indeed," the man said with a smile as he stood up straight again, "I'll admit, I'm surprised someone here even knows of it."

Kurran was very far to the east, past the lands of the Empire of Riastad and the Bahdi's territory as well.

"You're a very long way from home, Mr. Gi," Ser Gerald said.

"I know I am the stranger in these lands, but I must request you refer to me by my family name of Suma," Suma Gi replied, "In my lands, personal names are only for close relations."

"Oh, yes, my parents told me of that," Ana said, looking at Ser Gerald, "In the far east, they introduce their family name first, to fit with their culture that the family, the group, is more important than the individual. Use of a person's own name is usually reserved only for family or for very close friends."

"I see," Ser Gerald said, looking back at Suma Gi.

"I am surprised," Suma Gi said, "I did not expect to find someone here who is so knowledgeable on the subject."

"And I'm surprised by your mastery of our language," Ana said, "I hear no accent. If it weren't for the look of you, I'd think you were a native speaker."

"I never do anything in half-steps," Suma Gi said, "In any case, pleasantries aside, I seem to have arrived at an opportune time to help."

"Yes, and while I appreciate it, I'm afraid we have to bring you in for questioning," Ser Gerald said.

"I am a suspect, then?" Suma Gi asked.

"No offense intended, but a stranger appears at just the opportune time to help, and he's a wizard besides," Ser Gerald said, "Wielders of magic are rare enough in this age, and while your help is appreciated, I have to face the reality that your appearance may just be coincidence, but it's also very convenient."

"No, I understand," Suma Gi said, "I'd do the same in your place. I surrender."

He held out his hands with his wrists close together, clearly waiting for shackles.

"No hard feelings," Ser Gerald said, taking a set from his belt and snapping them closed. They were not loose-chained shackles, either, but the wrists were linked together by a solid steel bar. The wizard had shown he could use his magic without speaking words, so gagging him would likely not stop him, but by locking his wrists like that should help prevent easy casting.

There were also special shackles specifically for spell-casters, which were essentially metal mitts that forced the hands into fists, to further prevent the dexterity needed in hand motions, but they were quite heavy and rarely used for any reason.

"Anastasia, since he is cooperating, would you escort him to the holding cells in the nearest guard station?" Ser Edgar asked, "I need to remain here until a guard captain finally decides to show himself."

"Yes, sir," Ana said, and motioned to Suma Gi, "If you'd come with me, sir?"

She did not show it or complain, but she knew she had just been pushed out the way. Hard to get in trouble escorting a completely cooperative prisoner, after all. The crowd parted as the two of them moved through the street, and Ana heard the whispers from the crowd, though she could not make out anything specific.

She led Suma Gi down the streets and turning corners. The guard station was only a few streets away. There were more than a dozen such stations scattered throughout the city, with the actual headquarters located near the castle in the heart of the city. As the city grew over the decades, the need for guards only increased. The front room of the office was empty, the front desk clearly vacated in a hurry. Normally there would be a clerk there to greet and take statements from civilians that came in with crime reports, but it looked like even the clerk had take up his weapon and rushed out at the sound of the explosion.

Down a hall to the right, there were four empty cells with iron bars on the front side. They were not meant to hold prisoners for long, only until an escort came to take the accused to the castle dungeons where they would wait for their actual trials.

"Sorry for this," Ana said, sliding the barred door open on the first cell and gesturing for Suma Gi to enter, "I'm sure this has interrupted your travel plans."

"It has, but resisting arrest does not seem to be a good way to make a first impression," he replied as he entered the cell. There were two wooden pallets chained to the walls with thin padding on the top of each. Suma Gi sat down on one.

"I don't have the key to your shackles, but I'd probably get chewed out if I took them off you anyway," Ana said as she slid the door shut.

"I'm fine for now," Suma Gi replied, "My apologies for taking your time. You look as though you'd rather be with the guards hunting the actual perpetrators."

"You're not wrong," Ana said, "Not the first time Ser Gerald has deliberately sent me somewhere safe and out of the way, though."

"I do admire your composure for one so young, seeing the injured and dead in the street," Suma Gi said, "And as Ser Gerald, he did manage to control it when speaking to me, but I saw his wide-eyed terror at the sight of my using magic to extinguish the flames. I'm sure many in the crowd did as well. But you seemed to take it in stride."

"Well, I've seen magic used before," Ana said, leaning back against the cell bars on the opposite side of the hall.

"You have?" Suma Gi asked, "So the rumors are true then. Hyrule does have a wizard in their ranks."

Ana realized she might have just said too much. Her mother was technically not military anymore, and she had been told her true position in the ranks was a secret because of the kind of work she and her father did.

"Not in the ranks," Ana said, "Technically, she's retired from using magic as well. Just a farmer now."

"I see," Suma Gi said, "I have thought about something similar myself, but can't bear to give up the years of work I put in to gain the power I possess. But she shows incredible will, not simply to not use her magic for her own gain, but to not use it all. If only I had the same. I might have been able to stay in my homeland."

"Yes, you are a very long way from home," Ana said, "Why did you leave? From what I know, wizards are the ruling class in Kurran. Are you on the run from a rival?"

"We used to be the ruling class," Suma Gi said, "That changed about ten years ago. Too many selfish wizards too ready to abuse their power. The people rebelled against us, and while most would think the wizards could put down rebels with our magic, the fact is we were also turned against one another. Assassins were striking us in our own homes, and all of the mightiest wizards were too busy blaming each other. I left while I could. I haven't been home in seven years now. I imagine it is a very different place now." He paused, and looked up at her. "Earlier you said your parents told you of my homeland. Have they been there?"

"A long time ago, before I was born," Ana said, "They did a great deal of traveling back then."

"I see," he replied, "That would make sense, I suppose."

Leaning against the bars, Ana glanced up the hall. With a sigh, she stood up. "I don't know how long we'll be here until someone comes, but I know each of these stations has a larder. If you're hungry, I'll go see if I can find something."

"I'm fine, thank you," Suma Gi said.

Unbeknownst to them both, they were not alone in the station, as one of the black clad ninja of the royal guard watched them silently from across the entry hall, in an office on the other side. On the other side of the local district captain's desk, there was a barred window open to the outside. A second ninja appeared outside, looking in, and the first silently made several signals with one hand toward them. The second nodded, and then was away with his message.

Queen Zelda rode in silence in her carriage, head leaned back against the seat as she dozed during the ride. She was wakened by the chiming in her ear that she knew to be earring there. Blinking to wake herself up, she reached to it one one finger, giving it the touch to activate.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Your majesty, it is Vargus," came the voice in her ear, "As you expected, they made their move."

"They didn't even wait a full day," Zelda said, "How bad is it?"

"Minimal compared to what we expected," Vargus said, "We're still getting a count, but right now it stands at eighteen dead and sixty-four injured. They bombed a residential building during the day when it was mostly empty."

Zelda clenched her teeth and tightened one hand into a fist, but forced herself to not curse. Any loss of innocent life was a tragedy, but she had to be pragmatic. She had been expecting much worse.

"So they used a bomb?" Zelda asked.

"We're still looking into it," Vargus said, "We've confirmed it was not Goron mining powder used for the explosive, due to the fire it set. In fact, an overheard conversation between Squire Anastasia and Ser Gerald, she believes it to be magical in nature. The fire spread unnaturally fast, so unless the entire building was coated in oil, I'm inclined to agree."

"Anastasia was there?" Zelda asked.

"She and Ser Gerald, as well as their patrol, arrived after the explosion," Vargus said, "They were on patrol not far from the city."

"I see," Zelda said.

"There is something else," Vargus said, "A man was arrested on site by Ser Gerald. The man used magic to extinguish the fire, as well as stop the building from falling onto the crowd."

"A wizard?" Zelda said, "Do we know him?"

"We have no records of him, and it does make sense," Vargus said, "Judging by his appearance and his own statements, he's from Kurran."

"That is a very long way," Zelda said, "Though if the rumors are true, wizards would be leaving. Do we know when he arrived?"

"Not yet, but we're looking into it," Vargus said, "He seems to have no other connections in the city."

"We may have just been blessed with fortuitous luck in the form of a helpful wizard," Zelda said, "but the timing is just too convenient for my liking. Any reason to rule him out as a suspect?"

"For what it's worth, he offered no resistance to the arrest, but other than that, no," Vargus said, "Pickings for other suspects are slim right now."

Zelda sighed. This was a different kind of war than she was used to. Invasions, wars for conquest or resources were easier, as the sides wore their colors and flew banners of their allegiance. But their enemy in this war walked among her own population, dressed as civilians, and could vanish into the crowds. If they were not cautious, they may start seeing foes where there were none.

"Where is the wizard now?" Zelda asked.

"Sitting in a cell in a guard station with Anastasia standing watch," Vargus said.

"If I turn around now, they'll know I have this line straight back to the city," Zelda said, "For now, unless evidence emerges that implicates him, we release the wizard into protective custody. In fact, we'll have Anastasia watch him."

"Why her?" Vargus asked.

"Her mother is Kilishandra, remember? She's been taught more of how to protect herself from magic than any other member of the knights," Zelda said, "He'll be free to walk the city, but only in her company. Meanwhile, I want you to place a guard unit of your own with them. That wizard is to be watched twenty-four hours a day, but neither of them are to know your people are there."

"It will be done, your majesty," Vargus said.

Zelda thought about asking for progress from the Yiga clan, but then shook her head. It had been only about eighteen hours since Vargus said he'd activate them. No chance they had real results yet. But she had another thought.

"Now, I have an idea," Zelda said, "We need to keep these terrorists thinking they're safe, that they're undiscovered. And then we're going to let them walk right into our trap. I'm still on my way to see the emperor of Riastad. But when I return in about a week, I will travel with a light guard. At least, light as far as outsiders will see."

"I think see what you mean," Vargus said, "If they intend to sow chaos and disrupt the kingdom, they won't likely be able to resist a chance to kill the queen."

"I'll be trusting my life to your people here, Vargus," Zelda said.

"Without you, your majesty, my people would still be without a home entirely," Vargus said, "We've made Hyrule our home, and will fight to the last to protect it and our queen. Have no fear, we will be ready."