Whom She Found

by HylianHero5465

Before the battle with Nergal, before the fight for Caelin, before her journey began, Lyn found a young man unconscious on the Plains of Sacae, only he wasn't a tactician or even from the same world. LegendofZeldaFireEmblem cross. Please R&R.

16. The Heir of Caelin

Disclaimer: Legend of Zelda and Fire Emblem are property of Nintendo. I only wish I owned them

Well now this is it! The Final Chapter in Lyn's story and it's my biggest one yet even without the Reader Responses and A/N at the bottom! This chapter took a while to get how I wanted it but I think it turned out well so I really hope you all enjoy it! It took quite awhile to get to this point but I made it and now I can start working on Eliwood's story. Also just so no one complains, I know that technically in this chapter its supposed to rain on and off during the battle as a tutorial gimmick but I chose not to have that happen since I think it's kinda dumb. So rather the battle will take place on a clear sunny day.

Thank you to everyone who caught my editing mix up concerning Lundgren and Eagler. I really appreciate it!

Reader Response:

To:

Lazruth: Yes Wallace is pretty awesome. It's a shame that he technically falls short in-game compared to Oswin and you don't get him till pretty far into Eliwood's story but he's still awesome! I'm glad you liked the focus on other characters. I try to flush out everyone although it's obvious I favor a few. As for Florina...you'll just have to read and find out (as well as read the A/N at the bottom). Thanks for the support about a Link pairing in general. I also don't have a problem of a girl going with Link and who's to say that they can't go back and forth or even if he ends up leaving at all...

Obiki Doragon: Thanks for the compliment. I am aware of the wasted plot problem and I doubt I'll go much farther with it. I have enough to deal with as it is. I just wanted to come up with a more realistic way of bolstering Lyn's forces and at least tie the knot on the whole Eagler/hostage thing cause they sure don't do that in the game. It probably won't go much farther than that outside of MAYBE a cameo or name mention. As for the whole class promotion thing I forgot to talk about that in my last A/N but you're right, Wallace is pre-promoted in my fic and I do have a plan laid out for the promotion system in general so don't worry about that. As for Link...I also have plans for his class but let's just say for now that it has something to do with the Triforce of Courage. No I'm not promoting Link into something else. He's awesome as it is. I hope you like what I have in mind once I get there.

chm01: That's an interesting idea. I'm still not fully sure how far reaching Link's timeskip journey is going to be but that is definitely something to keep in mind. And yes there will be fluff between girls and Link and he will either be hopeless or a lady killer or a combination of both! Muahaha oh the possibilities! And yes Link is definitely going to garner Karel's attention...as for where that goes...heheh...

Dessel Ordo: I'm glad you didn't find it too rushed and yeah it felt slapped together in places for me too. Man I hate that but I guess we have those chapters...As for the whole magic thing I have a general idea that I really like but it's really hard hammering out details without contradiction. I think I like what I'm creating though. As for Link in this chapter...Well I really hope you like it cause I had fun with it!

WildfireDreams: Thanks I'm glad you liked it! I hope this one blows the last chapter outta the water though!

Animajunki1230: Hey man! Glad you liked it! Thanks for the compliment and the support concerning my one shot challenge. I think I'm going to post guidelines for it pretty quick in my profile but I'm not sure about making anything official yet. If you wanna give it a go though I'd look forward to it.

Anarion Star-Dragon: Thanks, I'm glad you liked the chapter. I'm still in debate over what I want Link to accomplish during the 1 year time period. I do plan on mentioning things throughout the main story like you said and I'll probably write a few sides as well but I also am kind of curious as to what other people think he should do. The challenge is mostly for me to get ideas and for others to have some fun with my groundwork and there would be guidelines so no can happen but I'm not sure about making the challenge official yet. Like you I have mixed opinions.

Shadow Zeranion: Yup. Hylian Magic is pretty wicked stuff but Link is going to explain a little bit more about why that happened in this chapter. There's a little more to it than Erk originally thought. Yes, inspiration has been taken from Super Smash Bros. Love that game! Granted Link CAN'T through those spells around like Zelda can but he's still capable of doing some of them to an extent. Haha I'm glad you like how I'm making characters work together and utilizing their different abilities. It's a lot of fun branching out further than what the game does. I have several more combinations in mind as well for the future. As for Link and Wallace...seriously in the game I can't help but see an Iron Knuckle whenever I see a General Class animation so I decided Link should too. Gotta admit it was pretty fun. Glad you liked it! Now we get to see what happens to Lundgren...

Raikouga: Thanks for pointing out the error in names, it sure does make things confusing. Sorry about that, it's fixed now though and I've also clarified Matthew's line as well. As for the magic mixing, it's still in development but Link explains some stuff to Erk this chapter that he didn't tell them before. I hope you continue to read and enjoy and I'll try to get this story completed!

Greener223: I'll take that as constructive criticism and I appreciate it if that's the case. I am fully aware of Link's overpoweredness right now and I have good reason for doing so that will affect the story line down the road. As for Link's magic, just because he can do something doesn't mean he can do it often. Link is capable of the teleportation magic (think Zelda in SSB) but he's not nearly good enough to throw it around like Zelda can. I just thought that Farore's Wind was INCREDIBLY useless in OoT and I much preferred how it was done in Super Smash. He's already used it a couple of times throughout my story but only in emergency situations. As for Lyn vs Lundgren...I can't say I didn't toy with the idea but I worked out what I wanted to happen awhile ago and you'll just have to read and see what happens.

Ishmu the Crazy: Thank you for the review and the compliments! The mistakes were addressed. Thanks a lot! If you catch anymore errors that mess up the story in the future please let me know.

masterbow: Thanks a lot! Haha a boss monster would definitely be interesting! I'll think about it...

21stGenerationHairstyle: Yes I did get inspiration from SSB. Love that game and Zelda is one of my best characters! I'm really glad you like my story and think I'm actually doing a good job with it. I hope I continue to impress in the future!

Mitsuki Shigamatsu: Yes it is powerful and yes he does need to be careful. Link is going to clarify a few things as well.

Datu824: Thanks! I plan on finishing it no matter how long it takes.

Jimbobob5536: Haha! Your previous short reviews of my earlier chapters made me grin when I saw them. I'm glad you like my story!I hope the finale lives up to your expectations! I'm pretty excited for the next few chapters too although they are probably going to be a bit slow to start.

Brian303: Thanks so much! I'm glad you think so! I try really hard to flesh out the characters as best as I can. It's pretty challenging at times but it's worth it and makes for a good story.

JustAPerson: Wow...You know it's reviews like yours that really make writing fanfiction worthwile. I really appreciate your thoughts and support. I try my best to write a story that I myself would like to read and I've read A LOT of fanfiction so I have some pretty solid "Do's and Don'ts" in my mind that determine whether or not I can actually read a story regardless of whether or not it's a good idea or even original idea. It's reviews like yours that let me know what I'm doing right and tell me that all the extra thought and effort I put into stuff is worthwhile. Thank you! I am so glad that you enjoy my story and I fervently hope I get another review from you. Haha I am partial to a good multiple pairing story myself but I don't think thats going to happen...Please see my A/N at the bottom for a little more in depth planning in that field...

KaizerDragoon: Thanks, I'll try to update more often. Yes they will eventually find out about Link and as for full strength...heh well I hope you enjoy...

BladeAdict: Wow thanks! Thats a compliment if I ever heard one! I hope you continue to enjoy!

KeeperoftheWays: Thank you very much! I have a lot of fun with Link and his awesomeness and I hope this chapter blows you away!

SunLord89: I'm very glad you enjoy this work of mine and the additions I'm making to the canon. That's a good question about continuation though...I'm pretty sure I'll just add it on to this.

Linkypoo: Thanks a lot! I'm trying to update sooner and get in habit of doing so. As for Link getting back I can't reveal that yet but a pairing will happen, sorry. Yes it is free to join fanfiction, though you probably found that out already.

Free137: Yeah Link's been around the block...heck he may have even built the block and he's still going strong! As for love interest...honestly when I started I was heavily leaning towards Lyn but as I've written and let the characters develop I honestly don't know where his love interest will be now. Just have to see how it plays out I guess.

Linkolas: Yeah Link has A LOT of experience in the ways of combat. He's pretty awesome!

Fenix of the Light: I'm really glad you like it! I hope you continue to do so! Yes I have read the OoT manga and Volvagia was really cute, though I'm not really sure where you want me to go with that unless you want some crazy thing to happen where Link adopts a baby Fire Dragon and it grows into a god stomping beast that eats Nergal for breakfast and kills Ganon with the ensuing atomic fart caused by Nergal...hey now there's an idea...Hahaha wow where did that come from? I'm glad you liked how I dealt with Eagler. It always bugged me too especially since you never find out how Lndgren held sway over him. As for the battle with Lundgren...you'll just have to read and I hope you like it. Don't worry about spelling errors. They don't really matter in a review unless your criticizing my own spelling. Besides I have an Iphone with a keyboard that hates me so I know where you're coming from.

Cloud Link Zero: Wow speed reader...Nice. Glad I caught you in the net of my story! As I've mentioned to others the pairing situation is growing on its own and I'm not really sure where it's going. My A/N at the bottom talks a bit more about it. I can agree with pretty much everything you said about Link and Lyn but as for your comment about Florina I can both agree and disagree. Yeah she might be a bit timid and Link could easily go for a stronger and more independent woman but one could also argue that after being around so many of them maybe he's more attracted to a more timid and introverted woman...honestly at this point it could go either way and may even end being with neither of them but someone else entirely. I just can't seem to pin it down yet. I'll get it though, don't you worry!

xxx

Well that takes care of that! So now without further ado I proudly give you:

Whom She Found

Chapter 16

The Heir of Caelin

xxx

In the large study of Eagler's mansion the core members of the Legion had gathered around a large map that showed the area around Castle Caelin in order to plan their strategy for tomorrow. This would be the first time that they could actually take the time to form a solid plan for the coming battle and they were not about to waste the opportunity.

"I will lead the main brunt of our forces to meet Lundgren's defenses head on." Wallace stated while placing several markers on the map. The castle was situated several miles outside of the capital, similar to Hyrule Castle, amidst several scattered groves of trees and rivers. The castle was also built against a small mountain range that formed a rough half moon shape, giving a natural defensive barrier. Lyn's forces would be approaching from the northeast , going around the mountains, through the trees, and over the rivers. It would be a relatively tight fit for a large army but space did not really matter much for their size or that of the defenders. They would have plenty of room.

"Kent, Sain you two will each lead a contingent of cavaliers and strike from both corners with a pincer movement in wedge formation once we meet the first line."

The two knights nodded and a smirk appeared on Sain's face full of excitement for the battle to come.

"We will need archers and mages for rear support," Wallace continued. "And they will need to watch for enemy ranged units as well."

"Perhaps it would be wise to have several archers hide amongst the trees specifically for the task of picking off other enemy archers." Eagler suggested.

"A sound idea," Wallace nodded.

Meanwhile Link stared at the map intently, analyzing the natural terrain and the placement of Lundgren's troops that Eagler had provided. He tapped his chin thoughtfully for a moment before speaking up.

"What if we also employ a flanking maneuver here?" He suggested pointing at a grove of trees off to the side of Lundgren's troops.

Wallace looked at it for a moment but shook his head. "We don't have the manpower or the means of getting a large enough group soldiers stationed there."

"Heh, no need to worry about that," Link grinned. "I wasn't planning on a large force there anyway. Leave it to me."

Wallace raised an eyebrow and the rest of the gathered Legion looked at him strangely as well.

"You want to challenge the flank yourself?" Wallace inquired though a slight smirk tugged the corners of his mouth.

Link nodded.

"Haha!" Wallace laughed. "Well normally I would call that a foolish plan but I must say you've got guts boy! Fufufu you know what? Go ahead, I'm curious to see what you'll do."

Link grinned again and nodded. "Don't worry, I'll try to leave some for you, too."

"BaHAAWHAAHAAW!" Wallace roared. "Oh yes! I like you boy! I might even let you clean up the stragglers I miss!"

Link chuckled at the challenge. "Well we'll see who's cleaning up who's stragglers tomorrow."

"Aye," Wallace grinned. "That we will. Now then, once we route his initial forces here, we must proceed to the castle. Lord Lundgren will no doubt hole himself up by the gates; he is a skilled knight and would not lead his men from the safety of his throne. He has that much honor or pride at least."

"Leave my uncle to me," Lyn spoke up, her voice cold as ice.

"Are you certain, milady?" Wallace raised an eyebrow. "Lundgren is no pushover. He will be a very tough opponent to beat."

"Lord Wallace is right, milady." Kent agreed. "Lundgren is an experienced military leader and a master of the lance. You will be at a severe disadvantage against him. Let us help you."

"No, I cannot do that," Lyn shook her head. "If I am to truly succeed in this ordeal I must face him on my own."

She looked at the surrounding members of the Legion until her gaze fell on Link.

"Please..." She looked at him with pleading eyes. "I have to do this..."

Link returned her stare with a neutral expression for a several long moments before he finally sighed.

"Alright, Lyn," He relented. "If you really feel you must do this then I won't interfere."

Lyn smiled at him graciously. "Thank you."

"However," Link continued. "If you are going to do this then you need to stay back and let the rest of us make a path for you. You will not go into that fight worn out from fighting his soldiers."

Lyn looked at him for a moment in thought before nodding slowly. "Alright, I accept those conditions."

"Also," Link hardened his gaze. "I refuse to bury you, so you had better be the one standing when it's over."

Lyn nodded again. She would win. She had too.

xxx

After the debriefing everyone had dispersed to rest up for the night to prepare for the final battle to come. Each readying themselves in their own way. Wallace had left to instruct Eagler's former men about the battle and reestablish himself as Knight Commander. Dorcas quietly distanced himself away from the others and casually ran a whetstone over his axe, his thoughts wandering from his wife and her illness, to his debt to Lyn, and the final battle tomorrow. Rath, being nearly as stoic as the muscular axeman, sat nearby with his horse and fletched several arrows. Most left them to their business with worries of their own. Meanwhile Kent and Sain sat with their former mentor in the den.

"It's been a long time Kent, Sain," Eagler sighed from his large chair.

"That it has," Kent nodded while Sain sat with his hands folded and stared grimly at the floor.

"You have done well for yourselves," The former knight commander smiled. "You've both grown much stronger since I last saw you and you've maintained your honor even through this dark hour. More than I can say for myself."

"Sir," Kent shook his head. "It was not your fault."

"Yes it is Kent," Eagler replied. "It was my own weakness and short sight that allowed Lundgren to get as far as he has. Because of that I named you two traitors and opposed you when you were fulfilling your orders from the marquess."

"But Lundgren manipulated you!" Sain argued. "You had no choice!"

"Be that as it may," Eagler sighed. "I was the knight commander charged with defending the throne, instead I ended up aiding an usurper. I am no longer worthy of the title and now with this injury I am no longer capable. I will step down from military service once this ordeal is through."

"But sir!" Kent stood up in alarm.

Eagler raised his good hand to stop him. "My decision has been made Kent. Wallace will not stay long in office either; it is time for the next generation to recover Caelin's strength."

A moment of silence fell on the three knights before Eagler smiled at his two former students. "I am proud of you both. By finding the Marquess's heir you've brought hope back to Caelin. You've become shining examples of what a knight should be."

"Thank you sir," Kent replied with a weak smile of his own.

"Heh, we had a good teacher," Sain added smugly.

"Not good enough, it seems," Eagler chuckled. "I let myself fall and now you've both surpassed me."

"Well we had to grow strong," Kent replied. "We've had some pretty tough obstacles to deal with."

"I can imagine," the older knight nodded. "Why don't you tell me about them?"

Sain grinned. "Well sir, it all started when I first laid my eyes on a dazzling vision of loveliness..."

xxx

Wil gave a heavy sigh as he stared at where his last arrow struck. Although he had made vast improvement he was still nowhere near being able to perform the impressive feat that Link had done so easily. He sat down on the ground, leaning back on his hands, and stared at the sky. His guilt over Florina's injury was subsiding and his demeanor was slowly returning to normal especially after his more recent successes brought on by his training, but he still had a long way to go before he could even consider forgiving himself. The battle earlier and the competition with Rath had helped free his mind for a time from the guilt and had even helped alleviate some of it with how close the silent competition had actually been. His training was definitely paying off. He gazed at the clear night sky illuminated brightly by the moon and gave another sigh.

"I really should rest for tomorrow," he thought to himself. He needed to be at his best; he refused to fail anyone again. He turned his head back to his bow and then to the marker he had set up. "One more round..."

xxx

"How's he doing?" A voice brought Matthew out of his thoughts as he watched the archer from a distance. He didn't need to turn to see who it was, there was only one person it could have been.

"Improving," Matthew shrugged as Link strode up beside him. "But he still blames himself."

"It's not surprising," Link admitted. "It was pretty traumatic for him. But in the end I'll think he'll be stronger for it."

Matthew nodded in agreement. The Ostian spy didn't really want to admit it but he had grown quite attached to the Legion and was definitely taking more of an active role in it than he had ever imagined he would. He had become rather concerned for the cheerful archer and would frequently check up on him from a distance.

"How about you?" Link asked the enigmatic thief. Matthew shrugged at the question, knowing full well what he was referring to.

"At first I had my doubts about whether or not this little group could succeed against such odds. Originally I was just meant to validate the credibility of the Lady's claim and analyze the potential threat of Lundgren; but it seems I've gotten myself far more caught up in this ordeal than I had planned." He chuckled a bit. "Not that I'm complaining. It's been rather fun hanging around you guys."

"Heh," Link smirked. "And you've certainly proven yourself a valuable ally. So..." He prodded.

Matthew gave him a wry grin. "What? You expect me to drop out now? Egad! I'm wounded Link, truly and deeply wounded! I may not like front line combat or brawls but I can still fight."

Link laughed. "I'm sure you'll heal. And I wasn't questioning your ability to fight. By participating tomorrow you'll be playing an active role in this dispute and the House you represent is supposed to be neutral."

Matthew cocked his head to the side and held a finger to his chin in thought before smirking. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a simple thief that happens to be quite good at my job. I'm sure any family would deny my existence if someone threw around wild accusations of allegiance."

"I see," Link snorted and shook his head. "Well Mr. Simple Thief I'm glad that you plan on sticking around for the fight to come."

Matthew sniggered. "Why I wouldn't miss it! Just think of all the stuff I can steal in the mayhem! I mean there are hostages, possible prisoners, Lundgren's unguarded chambers and study...Such valuable treasures must be liberated post-haste from the miserly clutches that hold them and placed in the hands of someone truly appreciative."

"Ah," Link laughed. "Well we certainly can't have that now can we? And I can assume that you'll be able to find someone appreciative?"

"Oh I'm sure I can come up with something."

"Well then I'll leave that area to your expert hands," Link chuckled and walked away to check on someone who probably didn't share Matthew's cheery confidence.

xxx

Florina busied herself in the stables tending to her Pegasus, Huey. She was extremely nervous about the upcoming battle and brushing her steed helped calm her nerves.

"We've come a long way, haven't we boy?" She asked him with a smile.

"You certainly have," Link answered, startling the lavender haired girl who gave a squeak of fright and whipped around holding her brush up as a shield.

"Whoa there," Link held up his hands to protect himself from the deadly weapon. "Please don't hurt me!"

Florina blushed nervously and quickly hid the brush behind her back while instinctively stepping closer to Huey.

"Oh...S-Sir Link," She stammered. "W-hat are y-you d-doing here?"

"Relax, Florina," Link chuckled lightly and calmly stepped forward. "I just came to see how you were doing. Everyone seems to be on edge about tomorrow and I was worried about you being out here on your own. I just wanted to make sure you were alright and if you needed to talk."

Florina's blush deepened and she turned back to Huey's flank. She placed the brush against his coat but didn't move it. Her thoughts returned to the upcoming battle tomorrow and she couldn't help but tremble slightly from the anxiety. She was afraid. Scratch that, she was terrified. Tomorrow they would be facing their biggest battle so far against fully trained soldiers and she knew very well that the possibility of death was high, even with Eagler's added men. She was trying to convince herself that she had grown stronger along with everyone else. Strong enough to stand at Lyn's side against her trials rather than be protected by her friend. Unfortunately all she could see was the gap between them and it hurt.

The young Pegasus Knight fought back tears that threatened to spill when she suddenly felt a pair of strong hands on top of her own. She gasped and whipped her head over her shoulder to see Link standing directly behind her, his strong frame enveloping her own, with his hands covering hers. Instantly her face flushed crimson and she cringed in on herself, her mind racing as she tried to comprehend what had happened. The Hylian had came up behind her without her even noticing him move and had done so without any reaction from the normally protective Huey! Even now she instinctively wanted to run away but being trapped between her pegasus the elvin warrior's embrace she had nowhere to retreat. Florina's breath quickened as she started to panic until she noticed that her hand with the brush was moving. She turned her attention to the appendage and saw Link guiding her hand back and forth down Huey's flank in a very rhythmic and gentle manner. Stunned by the motion she stared for several long seconds before slowly craning her neck back up to see his face. She was surprised to notice that his attention was not on her at all but on the brush and the hand that clutched it as he guided it along.

Despite her nervousness, Florina couldn't help but stare at the focused and incredibly calm visage on the Hylian. His piercing blue eyes held no trace of fear, deceit, or hostile intention. They were pure, honest, caring, and trustworthy. Very similar to Lyn's green eyes only more intense. After awhile she turned her attention back to the moving brush although she made no attempt to move it herself. How long the two of them stood there she couldn't say but as Link continued to guide her hand in slow, rhythmic silence Florina felt herself relaxing. Her breathing returned to normal and her muscles slowly unwound. Link inwardly smiled when he felt her shivering stop and continued to move the brush expertly along Huey's flank.

"It's alright," He said gently. "Tell me what's wrong..."

Florina closed her eyes and unconsciously leaned back into his chest. It was strange, even though she feared men, for some reason she felt very different around Link. She had grown closer to him than anyone else in the Legion besides Lyn and despite her initial fear and reaction she now felt...safe, in his arms.

"I'm...afraid..." She found herself answering. "T-Tomorrow...the battle...Lyn..."

"Shh..." Link soothed. "It's ok, calm yourself. What are you afraid of?"

"It...it's so much!" Florina felt tears gathering again. "How can she do it? H-how does she f-face it all?"

She slumped her head and her shoulders began trembling again as she fought the moisture in her eyes. Sensing her distress, Huey turned around away from the brush and brought his muzzle towards her. "I-I thought I c-could help her...B-But I c-can't k-keep up...I'm n-not s-strong enough..."

The young Pegasus Knight collapsed, tears streaming down her face, and released her hidden emotions. Link, who had caught her when she gave out and gently lowered her to the ground, kneeled beside her with his arms wrapped around her petite frame as she sobbed.

"I-I've always looked up to her. S-She's so strong and b-brave, more than I could ever be. E-even when she is burdened by all h-her s-struggles she still finds time to l-look out for me and I... I can't do anything for her! A-All I do is stare at her back and w-wonder if I'll ever be able stand by her side! I've tried...s-so h-hard to be like her...but I can't do it! She's so c-caring and beautiful y-yet strong and determined; I'm nothing like that! I c-can't ..I don't...This battle...it's going to be the b-biggest and most d-dangerous so far and I can't help but feel like s-somebody is going to die!"

Florina hiccuped and continued sobbing, her body shaking with the overwhelming emotions. Link for his part remained silent and listened to her rant while maintaining his comforting grip around her. He understood the feelings she was going through and was glad that he decided to see her. He didn't want to think about what would have happened to the poor girl had she stayed out here alone. After a long while Florina's cries subsided to quiet whimpers giving Link the time to speak.

"It's ok to be frightened," He said soothingly. "Fear is not something to be shunned...It's a natural emotion that we all feel, Lyn included. I know she is your best friend and you look up to her, but Lyn suffers from many of the same doubts that you do. In fact I think you two are more similar than you realize."

Florina lifted her head and looked at him in shock. Link merely smiled in return and continued. "It is true that Lyn is all that you say she is but she also has many of the same concerns and fears that you do. She is afraid to fail, afraid to live up to her tribes legacy, afraid that she won't be strong enough to achieve her goals. She does not see herself as being anyone special despite her circumstances and she is afraid that she isn't worthy of the trust or dedication of the people around her. She may not show them as readily as you but Lyndis has just as many fears."

"B-but...it feels l-like she isn't af-fraid of anything..." Florina replied.

Link chuckled lightly and shook his head. "Florina, do you know what courage is?" Not waiting for a reply he continued. "Courage is one of the most important of human virtues. One who possesses courage isn't free from fear but is willing to carry on despite its existence. It is courage that allows Lyn to do what you admire so much in her and is also a quality that you possess in spades as well."

"Me?" Florina blinked.

Link nodded. "Florina you are scared of a lot of things and you openly show those fears but I've seen you face them all when you had to. You've volunteered to fly in dangerous areas, you've faced down brigands stronger than yourself, you've even charged down an archer, one of your biggest fears, all for the sake of helping your friends." He stared directly into her eyes. "You may not be brave for yourself but you are certainly brave for your friends and that, Florina, is the greatest kind of courage."

He smiled and gave her a comforting hug. "Never doubt your strength. You may not see it but you possess great potential and a strong heart; something both you and Lyn have in common. It is true that the battle tomorrow may be our greatest yet but neither you nor Lyn are facing it alone. You have friends who look out for you just as you look out for them. As long as we all stick together, everything will be fine."

Florina stared at him with a mixture of emotions on her face. Her nervousness was completely gone replaced by wonder and appreciation for the man before her. She was still afraid about what tomorrow would bring but she felt infinitely better than she did before he talked with her.

"T-thank you, Link..." She gave a weak smile to him. "I...r-really needed to hear that..."

Link grinned and nodded. "Anytime, Florina." The Hero of Time then reached into his belt pouch and withdrew an armlet that he had carried with him for years but hadn't worn in a long time.

"I want you to have this." Link held the armlet to her. "It's a treasure that I received as a child from the Goron's of Death Mountain. The Goron's treat each other as one big family and any true friend they consider just a important. They are among the toughest and strongest creatures in Hyrule but also the most bighearted people you'll ever meet. Wear this so that you will always remember that strength comes in many forms."

Before she could protest he slid the Goron Bracelet onto her right arm up past her elbow. Florina blinked when she felt a warm feeling of power emanate from the armlet throughout her body.

"It also has the added benefit of increasing your physical strength a bit." Link smirked. "It'll help you for now until you feel you no longer need it. I was planning on giving it to Lyn, but I think you need this a little more than she does right now."

"I...I..." Florina's blush returned and she turned her gaze to the beautifully crafted gold armlet. "Thank you..."

"You're welcome," He replied before helping lift her back to her feet. "You should get some rest. You'll need all your strength for tomorrow and now that I think about it, I might need your help with something.

"Me?" Florina blinked again.

Link smiled and nodded.

xxx

Ninian and Nils sat in one of the normally unoccupied guest rooms of Eagler's mansion. The young dancer was gingerly trying to stand on her foot with the support of her brother.

"How is it?" Nils asked gently.

"It's still sore," Ninian winced slightly. "But I can stand on it without too much trouble. It should be fully healed in another week or so."

The dancer had quietly denied any healing from Serra for her own personal reasons and preferred to allow the injury to heal on its own. She hadn't hampered the Legion's pace or caused any significant burden so no one said anything.

"So what then?" Nils asked as he helped her sit down on the bed. "After tomorrow everyone will be staying at the castle and their journey will end. What do we do then?"

Ninian sighed sadly and bowed her head. "We...will have to move on..."

Nils groaned but nodded in agreement. "It's been nice hasn't it?"

"Yes...it has," Ninian replied. "Everyone has been so kind; it feels good to have others around...Even if we are deceiving them."

Nils nodded sadly. "We can't impose on them any longer can we? Our presence puts them all at risk."

"Yes," Ninian concurred. "We can't let them be pulled into this..."

"What about Sir Link?" Nils asked. "I...I think he's the reason we feel safe. Maybe he could help us?"

Ninian shook her head sadly. "No, we can't ask that of him. It's true that he is the cause, I've felt as such ever since the others left to retrieve my ring. But...you know he's not from this world. I'm certain that if we asked he would help but he's trying to find a way back to his home and we can't burden him with that after all he's done for us already."

"What about the Gate?" Nils asked.

Again Ninian shook her head. "No, the gate is only meant for dragons and as far as I know it only connects this world with the Dragon Realm. Besides even if Link could use it, HE is there..."

The Hylian had done a lot for the two of them and Ninian would forever be appreciative of the generous and kind man. She couldn't bear the thought of him getting hurt for their sake. It was then that she realized that she would miss Link more than the rest of the Legion and not just for feeling of protection he gave off to them.

Nils winced and nodded grimly. "I guess we have no choice then." He sighed heavily. "Well it was nice while it lasted."

"Yes," Ninian smiled wistfully. "It was..."

xxx

Lyn sat on the windowsill of her room, gazing at the moon and stroking the hawk sitting in her arm. Shakkar happily craned his neck into her finger and occasionally shifted his body around to change where she stroked. The Sacaean women, lost in thought, paid little heed to the hawks actions. She let out a heavy sigh and bowed her head.

"Something on your mind?" A voice startled her from her reverie.

"Oh, Link." She turned to the Hylian standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

"It's alright." Link chuckled as he approached and sat in a nearby chair. "It's no surprise that your distracted. You're not the only one caught up in their thoughts tonight."

Lyn nodded lightly and turned her gaze back to the moon. The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes before Lyn spoke softly.

"Tomorrow...it's all going to end, isn't it?"

Link nodded but did not reply.

"We've come such a long way in a short time but it feels like we've been fighting for so long..." She sighed again. "I can't help but feel that we've been lucky to make it this far as successfully as we have."

"Well the odds were certainly stacked against us, that's for sure." Link agreed.

"Yes, and for that reason I wonder how we will fare in this final battle...It's been a miracle we haven't lost anybody so far...but this battle is going to be so much bigger than anything we've faced before...Link...I'm worried."

If Link had been anyone else he would have missed the slight shiver that shook Lyn's shoulders, but to him the movement might as well have been a full blown tremble. It was amazing for him to see the range of emotions and facets that Lyn's personality possessed. For the most part she maintained the image of a strong willed and determined young woman who would let nothing stand between her and her goals. She protected her friends and stood up for her beliefs against all adversity. There was no doubt in Link's mind that this was the prevailing facet of Lyn's personality; but here in the dark and left to her thoughts she bore a striking resemblance to Florina. She had worries, fears, and many doubts hidden behind her usual demeanor. In fact in some ways Lyn was even more delicate than her shy friend. Lyn held herself to the highest of standards and shouldered many burdens but the platform on which she stood could shatter from a single mistake. She was not arrogant, she knew that luck had played a major part in their success so far. They had several close calls in the past and the fact that none of them had died during all of their previous battles was nothing short of a miracle.

"I envy you..." She said softly.

Link blinked in surprise. "Why is that?"

"You're so strong, Link. Stronger than I could ever hope to be." She said. "You're a stranger to this world, not knowing how you came here or how you were to return, yet you've never once complained or shown any sign of worry. You've put your own problems aside to help me rather than search for your own answers when you had every right to do so. You have skills and abilities that I can only dream of possessing and your temperament in battle terrifies me; yet you have such a kind and gentle heart that even Florina is relaxed in your presence." She paused for a moment to gaze at the man in front of her. "Even after all this time you are a complete mystery to me and yet... I trust you with my life."

Link stared at her for a few seconds in silence before chuckling. "You know it's funny, Florina said something very similar about you a few minutes ago."

Lyn blinked. "Really?"

The Hylian laughed and nodded. "You give me too much credit Lyn. The only reason I am how you see me is because I've had the time to gain the experience necessary to be such. We may be close to the same age but I started out a lot earlier than you did; you shouldn't compare yourself to me." He stood up and rested a hand on her shoulder. "You're strong Lyn. You've had things happen to you recently that are just as life changing as my circumstances, perhaps even more so, and you've faced your problems head on. You have also grown much stronger since I first met you as well." He smirked. "Batta would be a pushover for you now." He laughed lightly again before continuing. "You may look up to me Lyn, but many people also look up to you. Come what may we are all willing to follow you and help you face your trials. You're not alone, Lyn, and you should never forget that."

"I know I'm not alone," Lyn smiled at him. "And I have you to thank for that. I wouldn't be half as strong without your help. Thank you for your words, Link, you always know how to cheer me up. Perhaps the day comes when I no longer need them and I will be worthy of my people's legacy."

The Hero of Time gave her a smile. "You have great potential Lyn and I'll keep reminding you of that until you realize just how strong and worthy you truly are."

He turned to leave and as he walked out of the room Lyn stared down at the sword at her side. When he had said the word "worthy" he had touched its hilt, drawing her attention to it.

The Mani Katti...the sacred sword of the Sacaean Plains. Even after all this time she had not drawn it once from its scabbard since the shrine. How could she? She had been raised to revere it as a holy artifact, a spiritual weapon without peer waiting for its rightful wielder to come forth. To merely touch the Mani Katti was considered a great honor granted only to a few. Now having that same sword at her side and claiming her to be its true owner was something that she still couldn't wrap her mind around. Despite this, not a day had gone by that she didn't carry it at her side. Ever since she had first put her hands on it the sword it felt...wrong...not having it with her. It was hard feeling to describe; like someone who wore a hat so long they forget that they wore it until it goes missing. Lyn often wondered why she felt like that way concerning the sword but she would always push those thoughts to the back of her mind. Lyn was suddenly brought out of her musings by the hawk on her arm fluttering his wings.

"Hey," She smiled and stroked him again. "Are you as nervous about tomorrow as I am?"

Shakkar merely ruffled his feathers in response and began preening a wing.

"I guess not," Lyn giggled lightly. "You know I really envy you. Sometimes I wish I had wings...Then I could fly away from all my problems and embrace the freedom of the sky."

The hawk didn't respond but continued to preen his wing. Lyn sighed again and returned her attention to the moon and the starry sky. It was such a clear and beautiful night...Lyn leaned her head back against the windowsill and for a moment she was back in the Sacaean Plains with her father and mother staring at the sky and forgetting about all her troubles and concerns.

xxx

"That should do it," Serra announced as the glow from her staff dimmed. Erk flexed his hands and nodded when he didn't feel any pain.

"Thanks," he replied. "I still can't believe how much that hurt..."

"Well that's what you get for trying something stupid when I warned you not too." Link said as he entered the room where Serra, Erk, and Lucius had gathered.

"So what exactly happened?" Link inquired as he pulled up a chair and sat on it with his arms crossed over the back rest. He listened to Erk's description of the fight and the subsequent attempt at utilizing his life energy to power his spells followed by the overwhelming power that burnt his hands.

"Is that how it feels every time?" Erk asked. "Is what your teaching us really that hard to control?"

Link sighed and shook his head. "Yes and no. There is a reason I told you not to go beyond feeling for your energy right now. I was trying to learn a little bit more about this world's magic and how its use differs from mine. From what I can see you gather energy, bend it to your will, shape it into your various spells, and amplify the effects through mediums. Your magic is all about precision and control and that is where your problems began." He paused for a moment to make sure that he had their attention before continuing. "Hylian magic is powered by life energy which cannot be controlled. You can guide it, mold it, and focus it, but you cannot control it. Life energy exists within you as a constant flow that maintains its own balance and when you separated a fragment of that energy from its main source it became unbalanced and grew wild. When you started trying to mix it with your normal magic power it tried to regain balance with it. Unfortunately there is little for it utilize since the two energies are different so you had to use much more of your magic power than you normally would. It wasn't just the unstable and thick mixture of power that caused your injury but also the use of far more magic power than you are conditioned to using at a time."

"But then how do you use life energy if it cannot be controlled?"

"You learn to guide and direct its path. Think of it like water. You can cup water in your hands but as soon as you try to grab it the water spills everywhere. Yet farmers dig ditches and canals to direct water to where they need it to go. You must learn to guide your life energy and mold it to what you want it to do. If one could control life energy freely then the borders between life and death would mean nothing since that person would be able to bring people back to life. Theoretically it is possible I suppose but that would involve not only a lot of power and intimate knowledge of life energy but also an incredible amount of preparation and support. Not even Ganondorf, the greatest dark wizard my world has ever seen and the one who wielded the Triforce of Power, was able to boast that level of mastery. The closest he was able to come to doing so was reviving an ancient dragon that had been sealed away for hundreds of years." He took a breath to let the information to sink in and to gather his thoughts. "Now that doesn't mean that Hylian magic isn't as precise as yours, it just means that you have to change your mindset and how you handle your magic power. As you get more experienced with it you can learn how to cast complex spells that require a very high level of precision to accomplish very specific affects. You will also discover that simple spells become as easy and quick to cast as breathing."

As he said this he demonstrated by raising his palm and conjuring a ball of flame almost instantly. The three other magic users blinked in surprise and stared at the fireball in mild shock. It was a little stronger than one of Erk's own fireballs, though not nearly as powerful as Din's Fire, but Link had created it without using a Tome and made it look as simple as waving his hand.

"Even though your magic varies in nature gathering the energy needed to fuel your spells is the same for both Light, Anima, and I'll also assume Dark magic. Therefore you are all going to run into the same problem initially that Erk did." He dispelled the fireball and stood up. "Before you go any farther with Hylian magic you must learn to feel the life energy within and grow comfortable enough with it that you can touch it instantly. Once you can do that you need to focus on how it flows throughout your body and the paths that it follows. From there you must learn how to create, modify, and control those paths to allow the energy to flow to where you need it. This process is not an easy task and I expect you to master it before I teach you any further."

He then turned to Serra who had been uncharacteristically silent the entire time. "The reason that I have been teaching Erk and Lucius but not you is because they understand the weight of the responsibility that comes with it. While I do not doubt your ability, your boastful personality and exuberance makes me feel unsure about whether you can both accept and uphold that responsibility." He paused a moment to let his words sink in. "If you can swear to me that you can live up to my expectations and rules concerning this then I will teach you as well. If you need any clarification about what that entails I'm sure Erk can enlighten you, especially after his recent incident. Come find me when you've had a chance to think about it."

With that said the Hylian left the three magic users to their thoughts.

xxx

The day had finally come.

The final battle for Caelin's throne

The conclusion to the dispute of inheritance.

The end of Lyndis's Legion's journey.

The tension in the air was thick as the newly reinforced Legion stared at the awaiting forces of Lord Lundgren. Although the addition of Eagler's men made them a formidable force they were still at a numerical disadvantage. Luckily the defending soldiers had little time to prepare for the substantially larger company than expected and the quality of the Legion members would also even the odds. Despite all this it was disheartening to know that no matter which side won Caelin would be much weaker in terms of military strength. House Caelin stood divided; some supported Lyn but many were loyal to the Marquess's brother. At the end of the day casualties would be high and many good men would fall. It would take a long time for Caelin to recover. Even so it was a battle that had to be fought and nobody would shirk away from what had to be done.

Lyn gazed at the Castle in the distance, a myriad of emotions and thoughts swam through her heart and mind. It was time. She turned to the men assembled behind her, all of whom stared at her in return. Although she wasn't raised a noble, nor had she been in such a large scale battle before, she knew the value of morale and she knew that she was the technical leader of the group even if she didn't feel she was worthy to be such.

"I...I know that many of you have only met me yesterday and I know that I am not the Lady that Caelin may have expected..." She spoke hesitantly at first but grew stronger and louder as she gained confidence and continued. "But I have seen the atrocities that my uncle has done for power and I cannot abide such a man to rule when I can make a difference! Many of you may be reluctant to raise your arms against your fellow countrymen but I ask you to steel your hearts and help me to prevent a greater threat to the land you have sworn to protect! Men may fall today but if Lord Lungren takes the throne then Caelin will suffer a far worse fate! I stand with you now as a warrior who has sworn to stop him and I ask of you...Will you stand with me and prevent this man from usurping the throne? Will you help me right the wrongs that have been done to so many by his hand?"

"FOR CAELIN!" Sain roared from his horse lance held high into the air. His cry was followed by a resounding chorus from all the troops around him.

"RAAAAAHHWWWW!"

"FOR MY GRANDFATHER!" Lyn raised her own blade to the air. "My friends! My brothers! Men of Caelin! ATTACK!"

A deafening roar filled the air and the soldiers of Caelin charged forward. They all knew what to do and now it was time to put their preparations to use.

Wallace charged headlong into the fray, surprising many with how fast he was able to run with his heavy armor, and was the first to crash into Lundgren's forces. They heavy knight wielded an enormous axe to devastating effect and his armor made him a towering juggernaut of destruction. He was not alone as he was quickly followed by the other soldiers who clashed with the front line. Some fell but others, bolstered by their allies' enthusiasm and ferocity, pushed forwards giving heavy pressure to the defensive line. Wallace was soon joined by the impressive bulk of Dorcas who swung his axe with fervent abandon. Together the two giants crushed any who stood before them. Once the main line had established its foothold, Sain and Kent each led their own squadrons into the fray from the corners. Their mounted men trampled through many of Lundgren's soldiers although several fell from countering lances. The two cavaliers of Caelin truly showed their skills, experience, and teamwork in leading their men through Lundgren's ranks. Soon the two had joined squadrons and together they swept over the battlefield felling any in their path. Several meters behind Kent, Rath broke away and began galloping through the battlefield around the various skirmishes taking place.

Rath rode like the wind, directing his mount with his knees, through the crowds of soldiers. His hands were a blur firing arrow after arrow into the crowds of soldiers. He dropped a few cavaliers from their mounts as they tried to charge him down and also prevented a soldier from blindsiding the unarmored Dorcas. He was in his element on the open field and his Sacaean heritage shone through for all to see. His horse responded instantly to his commands and his body shifted instinctively to compensate for its movements. Wil, who was positioned halfway up a tall tree, couldn't help but gaze jealously at the nomad's prowess.

The young Pheraen archer couldn't ride a horse to save his life and he could never imagine himself being able to shoot a bow at the same time. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he brought his own bowstring back and concentrated heavily on his target, an enemy mage gathering his magic power. One arrow later and the mage was never able to complete his spell. Wil inwardly grinned and knocked another arrow. Another shot sung through the air and dropped another mage. Movement out of the corner of his eye brought his attention to an archer who had noticed him in the leaves. Wil's eyes widened and with speed born from hours of relentless training Wil fired off a quick reflexive shot just as the other archer raised his own bow. His aim was true and the deadly bolt struck the archer hard in the chest. Wil breathed a sigh of relief and quickly scanned around to make sure no one else had located him yet. He did not see anyone else in the commotion that seemed to have noticed him but his eyes did spot a sight that made his heart skip a beat. An archer with his bow pointed to the sky. Wil's eyes darted upwards and his fears were confirmed when he saw Florina pulling up from a diving attack against a cavalier.

"No..." He breathed. "Never again!"

He immediately drew the arrow that seemed to materialize in his bow and focused every ounce of his being into his aim. Time slowed for him as he concentrated on his target, his mind registered nothing else but the trajectory of his shot. To him a single heartbeat felt like an eternity. A slow exhale led into an instant of complete stillness. In that instant, Wil released his shot. He could almost see the arrow bend as it left his bow and spiraled through the air. The arrow struck home, sinking deeply into the enemy archer before he could take his shot at the unknowing Florina. The man died instantly. Florina would never know what had taken place during her ascent and Wil would never fully realize how much that moment lifted the burden on his heart. He couldn't help but smirk when he subconsciously felt some of his old life return to his eyes.

"Heh, Headshot."

xxx

Florina circled overhead surveying the battle below and prepared to lend fast aid wherever she was needed. In the heat of battle her fears from the previous night were overshadowed by adrenaline and grim determination. She felt the armlet that Link had given her adorning her right arm and she was reminded of his words of confidence to her. With her resolve set she sought out opportunities to lend her aid to the battle. She urged her mount into a sharp dive and swooped down on an cavalier that couldn't react in time to raise a defense. She thrust her lance forward spearing him in the chest and knocking him from his steed. The added strength she felt from the magical armlet made the task much easier than she expected. She quickly pulled Huey back into the air and circled around into another dive towards an open swordsman. Huey flared his wings in front of the soldier who flinched away from the flapping pinions and allowed Florina to strike him down as well. Again Huey rose into the air quickly to avoid being pinned down and the Pegasus Knight used the time to survey the battle again. She soon spotted a target that Pegasus Knights like her were especially good at dealing with. A pair of mages that were throwing fireballs repeatedly at her allies. She quickly dove towards them and garnered their attention. One of the mages turned and threw fireball at her that she easily avoided. In response Florina used her lance as a javelin and struck the him down from a distance. She swooped in low and retrieved her weapon from his body as she passed in time to spear the other mage before rising again into the air, smiling brightly despite the bloody tasks. She was doing it. She was facing her fears and proving herself to be a valuable member of the Legion just as Link had said. It was only now that she began seeing it in herself and that fact made her extremely happy. She knew she still had a long way to go and much to learn in order to be what she wanted to become but for now she reveled in the knowledge that she was not as far behind as she had thought she'd been.

xxx

Lucius and Erk held back from the front lines and used their magic to attack from a distance. They worked in tandem, one throwing a spell while the other prepared. They had to be especially careful about letting enemies get too close to them since there were people everywhere. Erk was relying solely on his own power to fight, not being keen on reliving his last magical mishap, and Lucius was doing the same. The blonde monk wasn't really sold on participating in such a large scale battle but he understood the truth in Lyn's words about Lundgren should he assume the throne. As such he was prepared to do his part to ease the suffering of the people of Caelin, even if it meant staining his hands with blood. Serra hung back even further alongside Nils who was playing his music for all to hear. His song carried a dual purpose in no only invigorated the those that heard it but also directed them where they could go for healing. His innate danger sensing abilities provided enough cover for the two non combatants to stay out of harm's way and avoid any ranged fire as well. With the high morale and ranged support that the Legion was providing it was no surprise that the offensive force was quickly proving to be an effective and powerful one that the defensive lines were hard pressed to match. Although casualties occurred on both sides so far none of the Legion's members had been hurt and Lundgren's men suffered far more than Eagler's reinforcements. It was a battle that they were winning and it was about to take an even more decisive turn.

xxx

Once the soldiers led by Wallace had established themselves against Lundgren's troops Link strode forward, separate from the rest of the Legion, intent on completing his task. He had surveyed the battle carefully, waiting for his time to move, and he was proud of what he was seeing. His friends were performing magnificently; showing exactly how much they had grown in such a short time. He smirked to himself when he finally saw the moment he was to strike; it was his turn now. He cracked his neck as he walked and flexed his hands a couple of times to fully loosen up for the fight. Several of Lungren's soldiers noticed his presence and quickly alerted the soldiers around them of the coming threat. The flanking maneuver that Link was implementing was a common and effective tactic especially when a large force appeared out of the blue but the green clad warrior was alone and this fact automatically made him less of a threat than the frontal assault in the minds of the soldiers. However even if he was less of a threat he still posed one so several soldiers broke away from the main group to intercept him. Link flexed his hands one more time as they approached before slowly and methodically raising his arms to his back drawing both sword and shield in the same fashion as he narrowed his eyes into the dangerous, ice cold glare that the Legion so feared. One swordsman charged towards him intent on striking him down as soon as possible. It was over in a heartbeat. All anyone saw was a blur as Link swung his shield knocking the man's sword aside and plunging his own blade into his stomach in the same motion. Time slowed down for that instant as shock reached the dying soldiers face as well as the faces of his comrades. Link again moved slowly as he withdrew the Master Sword from its fleshy scabbard and stood tall while the body slumped to the ground. He turned his attention to the rest of the soldiers in front of him who all tensed at his glare. If only they knew exactly what it was they were facing, perhaps they would have thought differently about opposing him. Unfortunately this was knowledge that neither they nor anyone else in Elibe possessed; therefore, none of them could foresee just what was about to take place. For the first time since he had arrived in this new world - the Hero of Time was going to cut loose.

Link charged forward and slew a soldier who was too stunned to react and then pivoted fluidly to slash another. By this time the soldiers had managed to regain their wits enough to meet his charge. Link deflected a blow from one while slashing another before stabbing the first. Turning again he bent low and drove the elbow of his shield arm into the gut of another charging soldier, stopping him cold. In the same motion he grasped his sword with both hands and bisected the winded man. He continued his spin and twisted his body upwards to block an overhead slash from a swordsman with his shield and left the poor man a perfect target for the tip of his blade. Knocking the dead man aside he slashed again trumping the attack of an incoming swordsman and spun to deflect the tip of a spear from another man and followed through with a precise cut to the throat. He bent low again ducking under a sword swing and slashed the leg clean off of the attacking soldier whose own forward momentum carried him off his remaining foot and into the air. Before he hit the ground Link spun again and beheaded him. He then took another powerful lunge forward planting his feet and used his shield to flip another soldier over his head and stabbed him while in midair before reversing his sword grip and ramming his blade into the gut of another. Pushing that man aside Link spun and smashed the edge of his shield into the face of an axe-man crushing his skull and then immediately reversed his spin to bring the full breadth of the defensive weapon crashing into another swordsman. Not wasting a moment the Hero of Time threw the Master Sword into the chest of a charging lance man and as the man fell Link relieved him of said lance and threw it to impale a hapless archer trying to line up a shot on him. He retrieved the Master Sword in a fluid upwards slash that split the chest open of another soldier and immediately back flipped away from a lance thrust. The second his feet touched ground he countered with a powerful jump slash, slamming the man into the ground then front rolled over him twice before springing up with his sword thrust into the air killing a soldier whose guard he had penetrated. Link landed in a crouch and held his sword out behind him as by now he had started cutting into the main line of Lundgren's forces and soldiers began to crowd him. The Master Sword glowed with power and with a loud cry Link released his flaming Spin Attack destroying multiple soldiers surrounding him. Those that weren't immediately slain were scorched by the long reaching flames and blown away by the force. Using the open space he had gained Link sheathed his sword, drew his bow, and fired three shots in rapid succession scoring fatal hits on a mage and two archers before they could attack him at range. Another shot dropped a cavalier from his horse before Link returned his bow to his magic pouch and raised his shield to deflect a javelin throw by a second cavalier. In response Link drew his Hookshot and fired it at the knight. The arrow tipped chain pierced through his chest plate and Link brutally yanked him from his saddle. A loud clanking noise brought his attention to a pair of heavy armor knights charging towards him. Link again reached into his item bag and withdrew his massive Biggoron Sword. Wielding the large blade in a two handed grip Link swung the blade in a wide arc easily crushing the first knight and then swung again to fell the second without missing a beat. Link's face bore no emotion other than the cold merciless gaze that pierced ones soul as he continued on his blood filled path. Their numbers meant nothing to him; a fact that was quickly being realized by Lundgren's men; their fear turning into abject terror of the demon that was single-handedly swathing a path through their ranks. No movement was wasted by the Hylian warrior as he flowed through the battle; every step, every swing, every shift had a purpose, as if Link was performing a choreographed routine using every single soldier around him. He was in complete control. It was almost frightening how hyper aware he was to the point where even ranged attackers could do nothing. A subtle shift in stance and an arrow would miss as he attacked a different soldier, a controlled slash would drop another body in the path of the same archer while deflecting a lance, a spinning strike would carry him towards the archer while felling yet another soldier before finally reaching the ranged threat and striking him down.

If Lyn was a feather dancing on the wind then Link was the embodiment of water's unbridled force. He had no form, flowing seamlessly into whatever shape he needed to be. Constantly in motion he was unstoppable; try to block him - he'd move you, try to slow him - he'd go around you, try to catch him – he'd envelop you, try to stop him – he'd go through you...One minute he was calm, collected, carefree, and soothing; the next he was raging, uncontrolled, ferocious, and terrifying. No words could describe the single handed path of decimation that Link was carving through Lundgren's men and it wasn't long before the frontal line of the Legion met up with him. When they saw the carnage that was wrought by their comrade's hands they couldn't help but gape; even Sain was struck dumb by they display. They all knew that Link was strong, having pulled them through many close calls, but it was only now that they began to see just how much of a gap there was between them. During their spars and training Link rarely used his shield and when he did it was only casually. Some of them had wondered why he choose to do so but seeing him now, not holding anything back, they understood. In his hands his shield was as much a weapon as his sword and his sword was awe inspiring on its own. They had thought Link was strong before...now he seemed unstoppable.

"Florina!" Link suddenly called out knocking most of them from their daze. The Pegasus knight in question was stunned for a moment but then hastily urged her mount forward. The majestic winged horse spread its pinions and took off towards the Hylian warrior. Florina approached low to the ground and leaned down to grasp Link's outstretched hand lifting him into the air. Thanks to the Goron Bracelet that Link had given her, the petite girl was able to carry him without significant effort. She urged her Pegasus up and brought Link over towards the middle of the remaining soldiers of Lundgren's army. Before any of the few remaining archers could shoot her down she released her grip on the Hylian and pulled away safely. Link cupped his hands over his head and gathered a ball of energy as he fell. He slammed the glowing ball of magic power into the ground instantly creating an explosive dome of fire that spread out and incinerated many of the soldiers around him. The aftermath left both sides completely frozen for a moment. In a short span of time Link alone had dealt with a very large percentage of Lundgren's forces and he didn't even look winded. The Hero of Time rose to his full height and drew his weapons again. His frightening glare seemed to pierce the soldiers to their souls and many of them took a nervous step back. The soldiers that survived the battle would later tell whispers of the green clad demon that tore through men like lambs to the slaughter and his eyes would haunt their nightmares for days to come. Link held the glare for a several long seconds, burning the visage into the minds of all who beheld it, before he smirked and looked over his shoulder.

"Hey Wallace?" He called out the armored general. "I'm winning!"

xxx

While the battle raged outside, a shadow slipped through the corridors of Castle Caelin and entered the private study of Lord Lundgren. Matthew grinned as he easily infiltrated locked room and began scouring the area for goodies. His sharp eyes easily picked out several areas with hidden stashes of valuble stuff. Jewels, gold, and important documents galore. He opened one stash and found several bottles as well as a pair of papers with detailed descriptions and formulas. Recipes for some kind of liquid. It didn't take long for the spy to determine what they were.

"Yeesh," Matthew sighed. "This guy really is bad news."

He quickly gathered everything that he deemed useful and was about to leave when a slightly ajar drawer caught his eye. He quickly opened it up to find a bunch of worn books most of which legitimate noble business and didn't really mean much to him. But one book stashed near the back garnered his attention and he opened it up. Thumbing through the pages his eyes widened at what he discovered.

"This is...No...It can't be..."

xxx

The Legion closed in around the castle gates. The defending soldiers were dwindling in number while Lyn and her friends continually gained momentum. As promised she had not participated in the battle directly yet and had been saving her strength for her destined fight. Everyone had done their part well and soon it would be time for Lyn to do hers. She could see her hated uncle, Lundgren, standing in dark-violet heavy armor similar to Wallace's and wielding a large matching lance. Lyn grit her teeth when she saw him standing there giving orders to his few remaining soldiers. Finally she could see the last obstacle in her path.

"Push them back! They are not but traitors and mongrels!" Lundgren roared.

His words, however, did little to stem the advancing troops as they tightened around him. Despite his growing rage Lundgren was very anxious and a drop of fear had also taken root in his gut. He had thought that his superior numbers, resources, and defenses would allow him to crush this band of rabble a long time ago and yet time and again they had prevailed against all odds to continue on their path towards him. Now they were knocking on the very gates of his castle and all of his forces were falling before them. He could not let them win! This was HIS land! HIS throne! And he would not let some upstart nomad take them from him!

"Lundgren!"

He turned to the voice and glared at the green haired woman who dared to oppose his reign.

"So you're the one claiming kinship with my brother!" He growled.

Lyn glared right back and her lips tightened in a scowl. "You will play this farce to the end, won't you, Lundgren?"

"The royal house of Caelin has no need for a Sacaean mongrel! You are foolish to try and oppose me!"

"To further your own black ambitions, you've harmed my grandfather and the very land you ought to serve." Lyn challenged. " I have neither pity nor mercy for you. Lundgren, prepare yourself!"

"Hah!" Lundgren laughed. "You wish to challenge me? You will have to come and get me then, if you can!"

He laughed as he turned and dashed through the castle gates the portcullis dropping behind him and sealing the way from the Legion the rest of his outside troops falling in to guard the way.

"No!" Lyn cried in rage seeing her target flee from her. She was about to lunge forward when a hand seized her shoulder. She turned to see the large gauntlet of Wallace holding her in place before he stepped past her.

"Do not be foolish, lass. Charging in like that will do you no good. Even if you were to reach the gate unharmed you can't get past it on your own. Allow me to clear the path!"

Wallace roared and charged into the last defending soldiers easily routing them and creating a clear path to the portcullis. Unfortunately the thick steel grate was impassable even for him; without the necessary siege equipment it was impossible for foot soldiers to break down. As it were they were lucky that Lundgren had been foolish enough to bring almost his entire army out onto the fields to meet them and thus no archers were stationed in the battlements to pick them off from above but even so they did not have much time to find a way through.

"What do we do?" Lyn cried desperately. She had been so close to facing her uncle only to have the coward run from her and every passing second meant less time for her dying grandfather. It was no surprise that she was starting to panic.

"Calm yourself, milady!" Kent replied. "It will do no good to panic. We have come this far and we will find a way through."

"Perhaps dame Florina can fly you over the walls?" Sain suggested.

Lyn was about to jump at the suggestion when the voice of her greatest ally once again brought all motion to a halt.

"No need for that. I'll take care of this." Link stepped towards the metal gate. All eyes were on him as the Hylian stared at it thoughtfully for a moment.

"Gold...?" He muttered under his breath. "Nah...silver should do it." He turned back to Lyn. "Once this thing is open, Lundgren is all yours Lyn. Be careful."

The Hylian then turned back to the metal barrier and placed his hand over the back of his leather fingerless gauntlet. A light glow emanated from his palm as he slid his hand up to his elbow and silver plating appeared on his glove. He repeated the motion with is other arm and stood clad in a pair of exquisite silver gauntlets. The Hero of Time flexed his hands a few times as he felt power course through his arms and body.

"Oh yeah..." He grinned. "It's been awhile since I've used these. Almost forgotten what it feels like." He glanced over his shoulder. "Everyone ready?"

Not waiting for a response Link bent down and dug his fingers under the portcullis, taking a firm grasp onto the heavy metal grate. His body tensed and Lyn's eyes widened as his normally dense, steel-coiled muscles flexed and bulged revealing themselves even through his tunic. With his signature cry of effort Link smoothly lifted the formally impassable barrier over his head and stood there like an immovable sentinel of power. The incredible feat of strength left not only the Legion stunned but Lundgren and his few remaining soldiers as well.

"Impossible..." Lungren swallowed nervously. For the first time during his coup he felt genuine fear. "He's not human!"

"St. Elimine's light..." Lucius stared at the sight voicing the thoughts of many.

After a moment of gaping silence, Link again turned his head over his shoulder. "All yours Lyn."

The declaration snapped Lyn out of her daze and she smiled at him. "Right, thank you Link."

She dashed past him quickly followed by the rest of the Legion and into the castle courtyard. Once they were all through a heavy thud indicated Link dropping the gate behind him. In the middle of the courtyard Lundgren stood unnerved by the Hylian although his helmet prevented anyone from seeing his expression.

"Lundgren!" Lyn stepped forward once again. "You have nowhere to run! Now face me!"

The usurper of Caelin glared at the girl. Although he realized he had no chance of winning this fight if that monster stood against him he also knew that this entire rebellion's success hinged on this little girl who was brazen enough to challenge him to a duel. If he killed her, victory was still within his grasp.

"Hmmph, you forget yourself girl." Lungren growled and readied his lance. "A lowborn mongrel like you is not worthy of this throne! IT BELONGS TO ME!"

Lyn lunged forward drawing her sword and slashed at her uncle but the large man easily blocked her strike and retaliated with his own. Lyn ducked out of the way and struck again. This time her sword was blocked by his armored forearm. She blinked in surprise and was barely able to pull away from a close range lance thrust.

"You fool." Lundgren sneered. "Do you think that pitiful blade has any chance of piercing my armor?"

He thrust his lance forward again and watched almost carelessly as Lyn side stepped and darted forwards again this time bring her sword to slash across his chest. Sparks flew and the sound of steel on steel rang through the courtyard but Lyn's sword barely made a scratch in the thick metal of Lundgren's armor. Before she could react the large man swung the shaft of his lance into her stomach and threw her away. Lyn coughed and hit the ground hard, gasping for breath. She was given little time to recover however and was forced to roll away to avoid her uncle's deadly lance.

"Pitiful." Lundgren grunted. "Give up, brat, you have no chance of winning."

"No..." Lyn coughed and struggled to her feet. "I've come.. .too far... to let you stop me!"

With renewed determination Lyn dashed forward again slashing relentlessly at her nemesis. She struck again and again each blow filled with rage fueled by her struggles and hatred. But try as she might she could not break through the guard of her much more experienced adversary. What few attacks he was unable to block or dodge on his own were easily weathered by his heavy armor. One slash was parried and she felt her legs swept out from under her by his lance shaft. She again rolled away but sprung up quickly to avoid the spearhead. The Sacaean woman tried to attack again only to find the back of Lundgren's armored gauntlet crashing into the side of her head as he backhanded her away.

She cried out in pain, her vision swimming as she tumbled to the ground. Blood dripped down the side of her face from a gash by her eye. She was lucky she was still conscious and even luckier when her mind somehow registered another attack and she reflexively twisted away from Lundgren's powerful lance. Unfortunately she was not fast enough and the spearhead caught her side and opened a gash in her waist.

"AAAH!" Lyn cried and dropped to her knee clutching the wound. Though it hurt and bled it was fortunately not deep.

"LYN!" Florina screamed and tried to rush forward but was held back by Link. "Let go!" She thrashed against him. "She's going to be killed!"

"No," Link spoke softly. "We promised not to interfere. She has to do this on her own."

Florina was about to protest violently when she felt the tightness of his grip and looked into his hard eyes. She reluctantly calmed herself when she realized that Link was just as worried as she was but was still staying back. She trembled as she turned her attention back to the battle before them unaware of just how much support she was garnering from Link's strong grip on her shoulders; without him she would have likely collapsed. The rest of the Legion were of similar states of mind, all wanting to help but knowing they couldn't. Sain grit his teeth in anger and openly showed his frustration while Kent appeared calm, although the hard lines on his face indicated otherwise.

"Hahaha!" Lungren laughed cruelly. "Such a disappointment! And here I thought the one who became such a thorn in my side would prove to be more of a challenge! You are weak, girl!"

Lyn's eyes flashed with anger and she lunged forward with a vehement cry of fury. Blinded by her rage she swung her blade only to have it blocked easily by his lance. Like a striking cobra Lundgren seized her wrist and lifted her painfully into the air.

"Ah such fiery determination." Lungren smirked and lifted her chin with the tip of his lance. "Perhaps you are Madelyn's daughter in more than just looks." He tightened his grip causing the girl to whimper in pain and lose her grip on her katana. The sword fell uselessly to the ground and he stomped heavily onto the blade breaking it off at the hilt. "But you have lost."

He paused for a moment to meet her glare and revel in his victory. His eyes trailed down her body and stopped at the sword still sheathed at her waist. "What's this?" He removed the spear from her chin and used it to slice the sword from her belt. He unceremoniously threw Lyn aside and picked up the sheathed weapon.

"Well now, this is a surprise. How did a blade like the Mani Katti end up in your hands?" He tried drawing the sword from its sheath but was unable to do so. "Hmph it seems even I am not meant for the sword. Oh well, it will serve well as a trophy."

"No!" Lyn roared. "Give it back!"

"And why would I do that?" Lundgren raised an eyebrow. "It's obvious you can't use it either otherwise you would have done so. If that's the case then you must have stolen it in hopes the sacred sword would help you defeat me. It doesn't belong to you. You are not worthy!"

Anger filled Lyn's frame as she struggled to lift herself from the ground into a kneeling crouch. She clenched her eyes and tightened her fists while her shoulders trembled with rage and despair. Memories began flashing through her mind at a rapid pace but with perfect clarity...

x

"I'm not running away. I will be back…someday. I'll be stronger…I will break their swords beneath me like twigs beneath a stallions hooves. I will avenge my people. I'll do everything in my power."

x

"I never dared to hope that I might meet the wielder of the Mani Katti in my lifetime. I am indeed fortunate to see your sword reach your hands."

"My sword?" Lyn lifted her head.

"Yes, your sword." The priest smiled and bowed to her. "It is time for you to go, Lyn. You face a great many ordeals. Grip this sword and meet your destiny head-on."

x

"That sword was waiting for you. You were meant to draw it."

x

"I am Lyn of the Lorca! Daughter of Hassar, chieftain of the Lorca!"

x

"I want to grow strong… I must grow stronger. Strong enough to avenge my parents and tribe…strong enough to protect rather than be protected… strong enough to overcome everything in my path…"

x

"I am proud of the Sacae blood that runs through my veins. My family, my tribe, my home…they mean everything to me. My people taught me the value of honor and truth; things I see lacking more and more among the people I meet."

x

"You'll do fine." Link reassured her. "You're stronger than you think Lyn. You don't need me to win."

x

"Don't underestimate them. Never underestimate your opponent – that's one of the first rules of being a warrior." Link stated. "However...it's just as bad to underestimate yourself."

x

"You have the ability and you made the decision to come. Now see it through."

x

"Too many people have suffered because of Lundgren. Let him never know the peaceful embrace of Mother Earth! I care not what others do but I WILL stop that man!"

x

"You have great potential Lyn and I'll keep reminding you of that until you realize just how strong and worthy you truly are."

x

The cry of Shakkar echoed overhead. Lyn's head snapped up and before Lundgren could blink she appeared in midair, curled in a tight ball, in front of him. She lashed out viciously planting both feet into his breastplate, kicking off of him, while at the same time grabbing the Mani Katti. Lyn arced gracefully through the air and landed in a low crouch, her sword clutched firmly to her chest. Lundgren stumbled back a few steps, surprised by the sudden show of speed and force, but quickly regained his footing. Lyn slowly rose to her full height and glared at her uncle.

"The sword chooses it's wielder," Lyn's voice was surprisingly calm and even. "It's taken me a long time to see it but you've made me realize something, uncle." She looked down at the sword in her hands and she could feel a strange thrum from the weapon, almost as if it wanted her to draw it. "It may be a sacred weapon and I may be undeserving of its power; but..." she raised the Mani Katti horizontally in front of her. "this sword...is...MINE!"

The proud daughter of the Lorca revealed the blade of the Mani Katti to the world, sliding it effortlessly from its sheath. The sword hummed as it sliced through the air, glowing with power. Lyn held the blade out in front of her and marveled at its splendor. It felt so...right in her hands. Like the blade had filled a piece of her soul she never knew was missing. The power was gentle and comforting replacing her anger and desperation with calm confidence. As the swords strength flooded her senses Lyn felt emotions that were not hers filling her heart. She felt relief, love, and pure joy wash away all of her own negative emotions and doubts. She smiled at the sword, staring directly into the reflection of the blade.

"All this time...you've been calling out to me and I couldn't hear you..." She shifted her stance grasping the hilt with both hands and raising it to her ear, the blade pointing towards Lundgren. "I'm sorry for making you wait."

She blurred again and struck at her uncle. Only his greater experience allowed him to block in time. He grunted, surprised by the force of the blow but pushed her attack back enough to counter with his own strike. Lyn smoothly slid past the thrust and struck again with an upward slash. Her blade met his armor again but this time the sacred sword sliced clean through the protective metal and opened a shallow wound.

"What? How?" Lundgren's eyes widened and he hastily stepped back out of her reach and examined the injury. The cut was smooth and clean, his armor may as well not have been there. He looked at his lance where he had blocked and found a large notch in the reinforced shaft as well. His gaze lifted to the girl who only moments ago was at his mercy now standing calmly in a loose but still guarded stance.

"It would seem that your biggest advantage has been countered." She smirked before lunging forward again. Lundgren was forced to rely on his skill and experience to defend against her slashes since his armor no longer protected him from her deadly blade. His metal plates could provide enough resistance to slightly lessen the wounds he received but they may as well have been made of leather instead of refined steel.

As for Lyn, she had never felt so alive and sure of herself as she did now. Every movement, every strike seemed to just flow into place as she continued her dance with the Mani Katti despite her wounds. The energy she felt from the spirit sword seemed to guide her steps as she attacked her uncle relentlessly until a powerful diagonal slash forced Lundgren back several paces and created the perfect opening to slide into the opening stance of her ultimate technique.

"Shadow Dance," She incanted lowly. Her image blurred before she vanished, a small cloud of dust left in her wake. Two flashes of light snaked across Lundgren's frame followed by a third brighter flash that emanated from the center of his body. The heir from Sacae reappeared in the same spot she vanished from sliding along the ground before coming to a halt and standing up straight with her back to her uncle, ceremoniously flicking her blade to the side.

For a few seconds nothing happened until a metallic noise broke the silence. The heavy metal of Lundgren's breastplate fell to the ground in pieces followed by his helmet, revealing his face to the Legion. The traitorous usurper fell to his knees with a cough as blood began flowing freely from deep cuts in his torso.

"No...it can't be..." Lundgren coughed weakly. "You annoying little girl...you're nothing...but a savage from Sacae...the Caelin Throne...it should be mine..."

Lyn turned to stare at him coldly. "I may be unlearned in your politics and ways and I may not have been raised in your courts or palaces but I have been taught honor by my father and clan and learned compassion from my mother. One who has turned their back on both has no right to rule anyone." She raised the Mani Katti again. "Do you have any last words?"

Lundgren coughed again but glared at her. "Curse you...

"For my grandfather," Lyn hardened her eyes and tightened her grip on her sword. One swift, clean stroke saw the head of Lord Lundgren, traitorous brother and usurper of Caelin, fall to the earth.

Silence fell over those that had gathered. Lyn stared impassively at the body of the man that had caused her so much hardship. She had done it. She had won. She glanced down to the sacred blade in her hand and marveled at its power. Never before had the technique come so easily to her as it did then. She smiled tenderly at the blade as she finally accepted the fact that this sword, sacred or not, was hers and with it she had fulfilled her vow.

With her musings complete she suddenly became aware of the loud cheering that echoed through courtyard. She turned to see all of the loyal soldiers of Caelin with their weapons in the air shouting her victory. She had to blink when she was suddenly tackled by a blur with lavender hair.

"Lyn! You did it!" Florina sobbed into her friends chest as she embraced her tightly. "I was so*hic*so worried!"

"Well done milady!" Kent grinned broadly as he approached.

"Indeed, that was amazing!" Sain roared heartily. "We've done it! We've won!"

"We've won..." Lyn breathed and her eyes fell on Link, the man she owed so much, who smiled at her and nodded. "At last...I can see my grandfather..."

"Yes, of course," Kent nodded. "We should hurry, the marquess will probably be in his chambers. Follow me."

Kent led Lyn into the castle and towards where he knew the marquess would be. Before they could reach it however they were stopped by an older gentlemen with dark greying hair and a mustache.

"You are Lady Lyndis, are you not?" he asked them and at Lyn's nod continued. "Ah thank goodness. I am Reissmann, the chancellor of the Caelin royal family. I had received word from Kent and Sain when you first met, but then Lundgren discovered the message and imprisoned me. It is my great pleasure to welcome you to your true home."

"Thank you," Lyn bowed graciously. "How did you get free?"

"Ah that was my doing." Matthew announced cheerfully as he stepped out of the shadows followed by a teenage girl with strawberry blonde hair.

"Matthew?" Lyn blinked. "Where have you been?"

"I infiltrated the castle during the commotion and freed any prisoners and hostages that Lundgren held. This is Eagler's daughter."

The girl in question stepped forwards and bowed. "My name is Linette. Sir Matthew has told me about my father and what you have done. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I am sorry for the trouble that I have inadvertently caused."

"It's alright," Lyn smiled at her. "You are not to blame for anything and the one who is, is now dead."

"I also found several incriminating documents and contact lists in his study that would have seriously hurt him politically if they were made public knowledge." He didn't mention the secret stash of valuables that he had found in Lundgren's bedchambers but he did hold up a bottle to Lyn. "I also found this."

"What is it?" Lyn asked curiously.

"It's the antidote to the poison that Lundgren has been giving your uncle. Obviously by now the poison will have ravaged his body but every little bit helps."

Lyn's eyes widened and she immediately pulled the man into a tight embrace much to the surprise of the normally slippery thief.

"Thank you!" Lyn cried. "This is more valuable to me than all the gold in this castle!"

She finally let Matthew go who gasped for breath upon his release and held the bottle out to her. Lyn gingerly accepted the bottle and then turned to Chancellor Reissman.

"May I see my grandfather now?"

"Yes, of course." He nodded and led her to the Marquess's chambers. He hesitated at the door and gave her a warning. "Do not be shocked by what you see. It is as Sir Matthew said before... Lundgren has been poisoning the marquess's meals for some time. His body has been ravaged... He's been bedridden for months."

Lyn said nothing but nodded quietly before stepping into the dark of the room. The room smelled musty and dank but that didn't concern the Heir of Caelin. Her attention was entirely on the dark figure laying in the large bed at the center of the far wall.

"Who is there?" A weak voice called to her. "I said no visitors. I will see no one."

Lyn hesitated for a moment but carefully took a step forwards.

"What are you doing?" the Marquess demanded. "Leave me...leave me to die..."

Lyn didn't stop until she was only a foot or so from the bedside.

"Umm...Pardon me..." She spoke nervously. Her expression was somber and downcast as she stared at the emancipated old men before her. He looked incredibly weak and his state brought forth waves of fear and trepidation. She honestly didn't know what to say to her grandfather now that she had finally found him.

"My name...is Lyndis."

"Eh?" Lord Hausen's eyes widened. "Did you say Lyndis...Is that..."

Lyn nodded as he trailed off. "My father's name was Hassar, chieftain of the Lorca. My mother was...Madelyn. I was raised on the plains."

"...Could it be?" Hausen's heart quickened and he struggled to sit up. "Come, come here child." He gestured to her. " Let me see your face."

Fighting back the tears in her eyes Lyn obliged and knelt down next to his bed. She felt bony but gentle hands lift her face to his eyes. The Marquess gazed into the beautiful green eyes of the young girl and he saw the face of the beloved daughter he had lost long ago. "Oh... Yes... There is no doubt... You are Madelyn's true-born child..."

Tears gathered in the old man's eyes as an emotion he had not felt in a long time filled his heart once again. With joy he pulled his long lost granddaughter into as strong an embrace as he could manage. Tears flowed freely from Lyn's face as she cried into his chest. He held her for several long moments before he spoke again.

"Lundgren told me my daughter, my heir, had died...and you too."

"Mother and Father were slain last year by brigands." Lyn replied sadly. " I... I was the only survivor. I lived on, but.."

"Thank you," The marquess sobbed. "Thank you for living...Ah I am blessed. Lyndis, please forgive a prideful old man. If I had but accepted your parents' love... There would have been no bandits. We would have lived here together in perfect peace."

"Grandfather," Lyn spoke gently. "My parents, my tribe... Our life was one of love and peace. The end was tragic, but up until the attack, we were truly happy."

"Truly? Madelyn had a life of happiness?" Hausen's eyes widened and he smiled wistfully. "Knowing that gives me so much joy. Thank you Lyndis. I can die in peace now..."

"NO!" Lyn's eyes flashed with anger. "Grandfather you mustn't say that! Here," She retrieved the bottle that Matthew had given her. "I have the antidote!"

"There's no avoiding it, Lyndis." Her grandfather shook his head weakly. "I've taken too much poison for far too long. It's too late..."

"Be brave, Grandfather! You will recover! Believe me!" Lyn cried desperately. "On the plains, we say that illness fails in the face of a strong heart! I am with you now! You mustn't give up!"

"You're...with me..." Hausen looked at her weakly.

"Yes." Lyn nodded. "We have so much to talk about, walks to take, music to listen to... There's so much I want to do with you, so much lost time we can recover!"

"That does sound...nice." the old man said.

"Doesn't it?" Lyn smiled again and uncorked the bottle of antidote. "And once you're well, I'll take you to the plains. I'll show you the endless sky, the oceans of grass... I want you to know the lands my mother loved so much!"

"The lands Madelyn loved... " Hausen stared at the ceiling wistfully before a determined look filled his eyes. "You're right. I still have...quite a bit of living left to do."

He graciously took the bottle and drank it down. "Don't worry Lyndis. I failed your mother but I promise to make it up to you."

"Oh Grandfather!" Lyn threw her arms around her last living family member and thanked the gods and all her friends that allowed her to finally meet him. She cried heavily as she finally released all the emotions that she had kept pent up since her parents' death. Her struggles and trials seemed to lift from her soldiers as her tears fell. None of her pain seemed to matter for at this moment she wasn't alone anymore.

She had a family again.

xxx

A/N:

And THAT is the END! WOOOHOOO! I finally made it to the end of Lyn's story! It only took me like what? 7 years?...wow bad track record but man does that feel good! Now I can boldly dive into Eliwood's story and start the long arduous process all over again...Or maybe I should figure out a way to shorten the chapters a bit...Haha aw what the hell! What will be will be so we'll just have to see how everything works out! Next chapter will be an Epilogue to wrap up everything and close Lyn's story before I move into Eliwood's. Man this chapter took awhile to write and I'm not sure if it's as climactic in writing as it is in my head...being able to picture what I'm writing helps and I'm not sure if I conveyed that properly. I really wanted this chapter to be a good end to everything that I've done so far without becoming repetitive or stale. I know Link is still awesomely overpowered but there is a reason for what I'm doing with him that will become known later down the line. That being said this is the first time that I've been able to write a Link-cuts-loose scene this entire fic! Man it felt good and I really hope people are able to picture it in their minds. Honestly I took some inspiration from that one epic fight scene in 300 but not all of it. Since Link has no real defined style I use an amalgamation of the moves from OoT, Twilight Princess, Soul Calibur 2, Super Smash Bros, the Spartans of 300, and my own imagination to create Link's style for my fic. I see him as being a master of (among other things) utilizing spins and pivots to not only dodge but also chain together his attacks. I may have overdone it a bit with the whole lifting the portcullis bit but I thought it was cool and I try to picture these fights and circumstances in a more realistic view than the actual games. I mean if Lundgren is losing why wouldn't he fall back into the castle? And from there it was either lift the gate or bust it down and I figured why bust down the door of the house going to be living in when you have a key? I also do a lot of research while writing in order to maintain a level of realism and accuracy so I don't write something completely out of context or something incredibly stupid.

Oh and if you need some visual assistance in picturing Link's Bad A** mode I've posted a link on my profile of an awesome pic I found on deviantart. Just substitute the red eyes for icy blue ones. When I saw that pic I almost crapped myself and thought "yeah...I'd hate to be whoever he's pissed off at..." So yeah...sorry Wallace but you lose this round.

Also for those of your who are wondering , I did not take Lyn's connection with her sword from Bleach. The Mani Katti is sentient in a sense that it chooses its wielder and possesses a soul so it has emotions but it's not going speak to her nor does it have a second form or even a personality. It simply wanted Lyn to accept it as her weapon. I hope everyone liked the battle between Lyn and Lungren. I didn't want Link to be the one to take him down cause that would be boring and besides it was her fight and him stepping in to save her all the time doesn't make for a good story. For those of you that wanted it to happen I hope Link ripping through his troops was good compensation.

I also had a wicked hard time again with Link's magic description. I'm trying to make it original but I'm being influenced by a lot of things and the more I write about it the harder it is to keep from contradicting myself with what I previously wrote. It's a lot of fun though and I really like what I'm creating. And for those of you who question Ganondorf being unable to bring people back to life, it is true. Sure he reanimates Redeads, Gibdos, and Stalfos, but those can hardly be called "living" and Volvagia was an ancient dragon with deep magic of its own. I kind of picture it being revived but unable to leave Death Mountain so it's not a full resurrection either.

And what was it that Matthew found? Revealed next chapter! Muahahaha!

Now then I hope everyone like all the character interactions that I put into this chapter especially the one with Florina and Link and I hope they were realistic. No this does not mean the pairings have been fully decided yet. I have determined that Link will have a strong relationship with most of the girls in the game (and most of the guys for that matter, he's just a friendly and caring guy) and although the official pairing is mostly between Lyn and Florina, he is still going to have a very strong friendship with whoever he doesn't end up being paired with and both girls will probably develop a crush on him, Florina just jumped ahead a notch. Heck halfway through writing this chapter I suddenly had the thought that Link and Ninian should be paired together! My mind immediately derailed on a tangent with the possibilities of developing that relationship and I had to fight to get it back on track. The FE girls are just so awesome and have soooo much potential for character development and fluff that it's REALLY hard for me to say this person needs to be paired with this person with any sense of finality. That being said some of the guys like Rath and Dorcas are harder to bring into the story cause they have the personality of bricks even though a lot of people love Rath cause he can turn into a beast. I have obvious favorites so I know more about them or have developed them better in my head than guys whom I don't like much or even those I like but rarely ever use. So I'm sorry if somewhere along the lines your favourite character gets neglected.

Wow longest A/N yet but I think that's about all I wanted to talk about. I'm still debating on the whole one shot challenge of Link's one year solo journey around Elibe but for those of you that want to give it a go just for the heck of it I'll post the guidelines on my profile later. For now this is me signing out and sighing in relief. As always please Read and Review!