"Master, I have returned."
Icarnos turned slowly to regard the intruder, the only man that could enter his private sanctum and survive. His wizened face slipped into a scowl as he regarded his kneeling apprentice coldly, practically daring the man to make an error in etiquette. He would tolerate no mistakes from his pupil, and coming into this room uninvited was one of them…under normal circumstances.
"Did you find him?" The demand was cold and flat. Seron blanched slightly; that tone was never a good sign.
"Ah…no. The ranchers had not seen him in some time, and he was not in Kakariko either. I don't have any idea where he could have gone to, but-"
"Enough! If I wanted speculation, I'd go to a more intelligent source!" Fuming, the aged wizard whirled in a flash of robes, turning his back to his student. "Are you so incompetent that I couldn't trust you to find your own toes? Buffoon!"
Seron glowered at his master's back, wanting nothing more than to show the cranky old fool just how competent he really was. Restraining himself, he turned his gaze across the clutter and mess of Icarnos' private workshop, trying to distract himself from the slight ache in his knee; he dared not rise from his kneel lest he face a headache from Icarnos' redoubled complaining. All around were tables with heaps of unidentifiable arcane trinkets, closets full of dust-shrouded diagrams and vials of murky liquids, shelves piled over with moldy books and transcripts on yellowed parchment. One man's treasure is another man's refuse, but Seron doubted anyone possessed of his sanity could find value in the rubbish strewn across this room. Of course, the person in question was none other than his addle-minded excuse for a teacher, so sanity would probably leave this room the moment Seron did.
His eyes continued their meager amusements, wandering over the room as he master continued to rant and rail. He eyes passed over the medallion without notice, but were drawn back inexplicably. He blinked, leaning forward for a closer view to the thing.
The medallion was actually a black crystal, held on a simple leather cord looped over the edge of one of the cabinets. The crystal was a smoky black, but if Seron squinted he could make out a darker shade inside, another, much smaller, crystal, set inside the first. This one was a black the likes of which Seron had never seen…it was darkness taking physical form. Seron stood, wanting to move closer. That black gem…it looked somehow…familiar…
Icarnos glanced to the side as he recovered his breath. He couldn't believe his eyes as he noticed the black crystal pulsing weakly, growing in strength. He whirled, finger pointing in accusation at his apprentice, who froze, halfway across the room, approaching on the medallion. Icarnos growled as he took a threatening step toward his apprentice. "OUT! Get…out!"
Seron stepped back, but cast a hesitant look to the medallion, not wanting to leave it. The bolt of lightning that flew from his master's finger and struck his shoulder changed his mind. Seron threw himself to his feet and dashed out of the room, a second lance of electricity striking the door just after he passed through it.
Icarnos stopped, chest heaving in fury as he stared at the doorway Seron had fled through. He pivoted slowly, facing the medallion. "He isn't for you, not yet. Not while I cannot be sure of him. You are better not wasted on one of such negligible talent, even considering his lineage."
The wizard turned, considering the door and the apprentice that had passed on, running through the halls of Icarnos' lair. "No, not yet. Not ever."
And with the matter settled, Icarnos turned back to his musing about that young man, Wynn, and gave the matter not another thought.
******
"Do you mean to tell me that he, this young Hylian, is responsible for the demise of the Zess? He is the one who has lifted the curse from the fountain?"
Wynn sweated under the king's scrutiny, scratching his head. Somewhere deep inside, he wondered if he should be offended by the king's doubt, but that wasn't very important. What was important was the fact that Zoras were quickly filing into the throne room, desperately curious about the fall of the monster that had threatened them once again with an icy prison. More than a few of these were scrutinizing Wynn with the same intensity as the rotund king that stared down at him, and that was making him feel more and more like dashing away from the swell of people that encompassed him.
"Yes, Uncl-… that is, yes, Your Majesty! Wynn here single-handedly defeated the beast! I've never seen such bravery, such skill! Without him, we would-"
"Ahem! I would like to claim some of the credit as well, hmm?" Wynn gazed with relief upon Tane, who was making his way down to the petitioner's platform Wynn stood on. The mercenary gave his partner a nod, and the Zora girl a disapproving frown.
"Well, yes, of course. Both Wynn and…what was your name? played a role in the beast's defeat, although it was Wynn who climbed atop the serpent and struck the killing blow." The Zora girl, who had slipped her arm around Wynn's, squeezed him gently. Wynn blushed, mainly at his own inability to find the words to dispute the woman's over-exaggerated depiction of the role in the battle.
"I am Tane, thank you very much, and-"
"Farore be praised!" the king exclaimed, raising his hands into the air. "Once again, we find ourselves in the debt of a young Hylian, once again freed from a curse through the valor and determination of a hero from outside! We must reward him for his bravery and service to our people!"
"Them," Tane said, but it was lost in the joyous shout of the crowd. "Them, not him. Am I invisible?"
"I'm afraid you are giving me more credit than is my due, Your Majesty," Wynn managed. "Without my partner, Tane, I would have never stood a chance."
"Finally!"
"I see," the royal Zora rumbled. "There can be only one course for us now. We must hold a feast to honor our young heroes!"
Wynn glanced over at Tane and Fami. The mercenary gave him a grin, finally pleased to be in the spotlight. Fami was scowling at Nerah, who was once again squeezing Wynn's arm.
"Word shall be sent to the cooks immediately! But you must be exhausted from the battle. Please, accept our hospitality this night."
Wynn started to reject the king's offer as kindly as he could; he had more important business elsewhere, once he got the rupees. Tane beat him to the punch, but his answer wasn't quite the one Wynn had intended.
"Certainly, Your Majesty! We accept you gracious offer."
Wynn sighed. Surely one night wouldn't hurt too much…
"Wonderful! Nerah, kindly escort our guests to their rooms. We have a celebration to prepare!"
Nerah leaned closer to Wynn so she could be heard over the cheers. "Right this way," she purred, not relenting her hold on his arm.
She led the three up and out of the throne room, back into this Zora's Fountain. Wynn was pleased to see the fountain had nearly returned to normal, save that meant they had to wade waist-deep to follow the Zora woman. This time, she led them away from the shrine, to the wooden fence that the water passed through on its way to the river. Nerah released Wynn and stepped boldly up to the fence, and called out, "Nerah, with guests of the king."
Although the Hylians couldn't see why or how, a section of the fence swung away untouched, permitting the four to pass beyond. The Zora led them downhill, the route being a rough, weathered trail that ran alongside and sometimes across the runoff from the fountain. Finally, they reached a clearing, where the water fell off a man-high cliff into a small lake. Beyond, the ground dropped away, and the rumbling thunder of the water let the three know they were just above the waterfall that guarded the city.
Nerah turned when she reached the lake, and waited until Fami had caught up with the others before motioning to the water. "You are the first Hylians in many, many years to be permitted to enter this part of our home; the last were the King Harkinian and his infant daughter, and one of his court magicians. While our peoples have not been hostile to each other, it takes great deeds to earn enough trust to be allowed to enter The School." She beamed at Wynn. "Much like what you did here today." She turned, wading into the water. "This way."
As the others watched, she walked out near the center of the small lake, now past her waist, and then suddenly sank below the water. The trio paused, waiting for her to resurface, but the surface of the water remained unbroken. The three looked at each other, uncertain.
"She ain't the brightest," Tane noted, nodding to himself. "First, she forgets how many people it took to kill the snake. Now, she forgets we don't have gills."
"I trust she knows that…maybe its just a short distance underwater?"
"Or maybe she's trying to drown us," Fami muttered darkly.
"Well, if they wanted to kill us for some reason, they have had plenty of opportunities before now."
"And what would you call sending you to fight a colossal, ice-breathing serpent created by the King of Evil?"
"Uh..."
Fami smirked, crossing her arms. "That point being made, who wants to go first?"
Tane nodded to Wynn. "You're up, pal. At least she likes you…that much has been made quite obvious."
The darker-haired man's shoulders slumped. "Thanks."
"No problem. If it really is trouble, just shout, and I'll be right there to help."
Wynn didn't waste energy pointing out the obvious, intentional flaw in Tane's logic. Instead, he made his way forward, out to the place where Nerah had disappeared under the water. As he reached the spot, his foot failed to find ground, and he pitched forward, falling into the hole in the lake's bed. A current yanked him down further, pulling him under the water's surface without so much as a chance for a last gasp of air. The water captured him, shuttled him into the dark earth. Wynn was bounced about senselessly as the water jostled him against the walls of the chute, until he no longer knew in what direction he was moving, only the sensation of speed and darkness.
Wynn coughed, his remaining air forced from him by burning lungs, and suddenly the darkness deepened. His friends had been right to fear; Nerah had led them to their deaths. As his body's demand for air grew too strong to resist, a dull roar built inside his head, and suddenly he was floating, falling, flying- making a large splash as he hit the bottom of the short waterfall at the end of the chute.
Flailing, he scrambled for the surface, and his head burst out of the water with an explosive gasp. He felt gentle hands on his arm, guiding him to shore, but could hardly do anything to help them. Finally, his knees made contact, and he pushed himself up out of the water, retching and coughing water onto the ground.
"My, my…not much for water, are you?" quipped the Zora girl, peering down at the bedraggled man.
"A warning…would have been nice…" Wynn managed.
"I guessed you would figure it out."
"Do me a favor and lower your expectations of me a little, all right?"
Nerah laughed softly at that. "No, I don't think so."
Wynn slowly climbed to his feet, wiping the water from his eyes. He noticed he was in a tunnel, which led from the pool behind him to a corner a short distance away. He glanced back at the waterfall that poured from the chute into the pool. The water surged out from a hole several body-lengths above its more peaceful end, which probably seeped out and back towards the river.
As he examined the fall, the water current increased, a wave of water preceding a red-topped blur that plummeted into the pool. Wynn weakly stepped towards his partner, but Nerah made no move to do the same, instead grabbing his shoulder and pulling him back, motioning towards the top of the waterfall, which was again growing in strength.
Wynn winced as the green shape that burst out of the chute collided with the struggling form of Tane. He hurriedly waded into the water, Nerah just behind, and grabbed on to one of his prone friends. The pair dragged them to the shore, where they began to expulse the water in much the same fashion as Wynn had.
After they had recuperated enough to speak, Tane turned on the Zora woman. "What was that?!?" he demanded, taking a threatening step forward.
"The chute?" Nerah smiled, shrugging. "Security measure."
"Security measure! Ha! No wonder you people have a name for being paranoid!"
Nerah's eyebrow raised. "You would be too, if you Hylians had half the number of catastrophes we've had to face in the past 20 years."
"We'll not get into that right now."
Nerah nodded, motioning further down the passage. "Well, if you will follow me, I'll take you to your rooms."
The Zora woman led them forward, down the tunnel that led away from the chute. The trio followed closely behind her, marveling at the smooth walls of the tunnel, walls that had been carved not by tools or the hands of mortal workers but over centuries by the waters of the fountain, waters that had been redirected by the Zoras. The walk was not a long one, as soon they came to the heart of the School, a massive cavern even larger than the Domain where they had met the king.
"Its…" Fami trailed off, staring in wonder at the subterranean city.
"Its home," Nerah said warmly, sweeping an arm out. "Welcome to the School."
Wynn gaped at the city, or at least what he could see of it. Below them, at the base of the cavern, was a flat span of rock that was already being decorated for the coming feast. The area was large enough to seat the entire Zora population, Wynn guessed, and probably would that night. Not far above the ground, a ring of stone formed another path around the base of the city. Set into the walls of the ring were doors, carved into the stone wall of the cave itself. Above that was another, similar ring. The pattern continued, expanding the cavern as it went up until the rocky roof of the cave capped the final ring, the one just above where Wynn and his friends stood.
"Do all of those doors lead into people's homes?" Fami asked, incredulous.
Nerah nodded. "Most do; some are shops or other businesses."
Tane smirked over at the awe-struck Fami. "A bit bigger than what you're used to, eh?"
"You could say that," Fami responded, her voice taking on a slightly nervous tone.
"Now, if you'll come this way," Nerah prompted, leading the group to a ramp that led to the ring below. She led the down several levels before stopped at an inset door decorated by ornate carvings around the cave wall that framed it. Wynn paused as she knocked at the door, running his hand over the stonework.
"This is Goron work, isn't it?" Wynn inquired, admiring the skill it had to have taken to carve the stone so subtly and beautifully.
Nerah smiled, impressed that he had noticed. "Yes, it is. As a token of peace, the Gorons sent several of their stone carvers to us just after the Great War. They helped us repair damage the School had taken during the war, and also expanded the cave to better fit our population."
"Hunh. So, someone actually managed to attack this place during the war? They must have been pretty determined, if they got past your…security measures."
Nerah's face darkened in response to Tane's remark. "Yes, several magicians managed to make it into this cavern during the last years of the war. Many Zoras were killed, and if not for the sacrifice of one man our home would have been lost. But that is a story for another day." She pushed the door open, motioning inside. "Your rooms are right in here."
The door led into a hallway, lit by several torches along the walls. Doors staggered along the walls until the corridor turned a corner. Nerah led the trio to one such door, pulling a key from the pocket of her coat. She slipped it into the door and pushed it open, smiling at Wynn. "Here is your room. I hope you like it….if you need anything, I'll be down at the floor of the School as soon as I'm done here.
Wynn thanked her, stepping into the room and pulling the door closed. He glanced about the small area, nodding in approval. The room was brightly lit by two lanterns hung on opposing walls. The majority of the space was taken up by an expansive bed, easily large enough to hold two; Wynn forbid himself to even wonder if that was why Nerah had chosen this room for him. A dresser sat against another wall, but Wynn only had the clothes on his back, so that was of no interest to him. A couple of chairs and a desk were the only remaining furniture in the room.
Wynn collapsed onto the bed, groaning in relief. The mattress was dry, despite the humidity present everywhere in the cave. Feebly kicking his boots off, Wynn pushed himself further onto the bed. What he needed was a few hours of peace and quiet, and a little sleep. As a matter of fact, he decided, now was a good time to try for just that. His lips curled in a small smile as he closed his eyes, allowing his mind to sink into listlessness just as his body sank into the plush mattress.
His eyes shot open as a knock sounded at the door. 'You've got to be kidding me,' he thought, pushing himself off the bed and stumbling towards the door.
He pulled the door open to find Tane on the other side. "Hey, partner," Tane greeted. "Thought I'd check out your room before I settled in."
He stepped past Wynn, who took the opportunity to roll his eyes in exasperation, inspecting Wynn's temporary home. "Not bad, not bad. Hey, you got a bigger bed than me." His face reddened slightly as he came to the same conclusion Wynn had avoided earlier. "Ah. Yeah. Lucky you."
Wynn shook his head, rubbing at his temples. He glanced around, noticing the dresser again. "Say, Tane, what are we going to do about clothes? This sounds to be pretty formal, and the only clothes I have are these I'm wearing. Considering they're bloody and dirty, I figured I might want to change."
Tane chuckled. "Wynn, pal, don't know if you've noticed, but Zoras don't hold much respect in clothing. Well probably have to mention something to that girl…or preferably someone else, who knows what she would give you."
"But…well, I noticed that male Zoras didn't, but…"
"Nerah was probably wearing that coat because she was cold. Female Zoras don't wear anything either, usually."
"…Oh."
Tane laughed at his partner's discomfort. "You'll get used to it."
Another knock at the door cut off Wynn's reply. The man opened it to find a male Zora on the other side. "Your clothing, sir. Lady Nerah sent word that your party would need a change of clothes," he said, the last part coming out slightly strained as though the concept seemed odd to him. "We fortunately have some on hand that should fit your measurements."
"Thanks," Wynn said, taking the folded bundle from the man. "It's much appreciated."
The Zora bowed deeply before saying his farewell. Tane chose that moment to leave, hoping the Zora would have the same for him. Wynn shut the door behind his partner, and then walked to his bed, lowering the bundle of clothes onto it and spreading it out. He smiled when he saw the blue shirt, holding it up to the light; he had always liked the color blue. He lowered the shirt back onto the bed and sat down beside it, indulging himself with just a moment's more rest. He could already tell he would need it, since it was obvious he wouldn't be seeing much more until after the feast.
'I appreciate the king's hospitality,' he mused, 'but right now, the kindest gift he could give me would be a good nap.'
Sighing, he pulled himself off the bed, and started cleaning himself up for the coming feast.
******
"Feeling better now, Lord Jaco?"
Jaco shook his head slightly, chuckling at the hint of sarcasm when his former subordinate used his title. He groaned loudly as he stretched, hearing the bones popped as the long-unused muscles stretched to their limits. "About as good as could be expected, Panu. Which isn't saying much."
Panu smiled ingratiatingly as he leaned against the wall of Jaco's chambers. "I remember the feeling well, milord. After all, I was just freed from the ice two days ago."
Jaco frowned as he heard Panu used his title once again. That was not a good sign. Sighing, he turned to regard the other Zora, his eyes narrowed in cautious suspicion. Knowing Panu, his next few words had quite the sum of rupees resting on them. The skinny Zora smiled even wider back at him. He was dressed well for the coming feast; a well made leather vest covered his chest, his lucky pair of dice, made of pure gold, nestled against the neck of the vest. He wore a sword belted to his side, as would all that had served in the Zoran military; such was considered an honor in their society. His scabbard, however, was tooled in gems and gold. Jaco had a rough idea of just how much that had cost the man, which was nothing at all; Panu was master of the dice and other forms of easy money.
"So, out with it, man. You're here for a reason."
Panu opened his eyes wide, his mouth opening with a protest, which would of course be a blatant lie. Jaco shook his head as he raised a finger, urging the man to honesty. Panu dipped into a small bow, the smile never leaving his face. "You know me too well, Commander. But, honestly, the main reason for my visit is just as a favor to you, not in search of profit."
"Your main reason, hmm? I guess profit would be the other one."
"True enough, as always. I came to bring you some information, straight from trustworthy sources, I can assure you."
"Just like always. You have the most precise rumor mill I've ever heard of."
"Thank you, Commander. Actually, this is about the Lady Nerah…" Jaco had turned his back to Panu, choosing a tunic to wear to the feast, but Panu could see his shoulders stiffen at the mention of that name. Jaco's affections for Nerah were the most widely-known secret of the Domain, even though Jaco would be certain that absolutely no one knew.
"Yes? Out with it, man, I haven't got all day!" Jaco said gruffly, camouflaging his eagerness with a gruff tone.
"Ah, rumors are beginning to spread that she is showing a less than…healthy…interest in one of the Hylians."
Jaco froze, scowling darkly. "You mean, the hero? The one who slayed the Zess?"
"Yes, I do believe that is him; the darker haired one. Her behavior has been almost unladylike while she is around him." Panu tried in vain to restrain a snicker; titles aside, he would call Jaco a lady before he did Nerah.
Jaco sighed, shaking his head slowly. "Her behavior is none of my business, Panu. Who or what she shows interest in is no concern of mine."
"You just wish that interest was you."
"What was that?!?"
"Nothing, milord. Just something caught in my throat, that's all."
Jaco gave Panu a long, dark stare. "Right. Is that all, Lieutenant?"
Panu's smile became strained as he reached for the doorknob. When he used titles, it was a joke; when Jaco used titles, it was time to leave. Quick. "No, I believe that is all; just wanted to send the information your way."
"Very good. I assume you will strive to keep me informed, am I correct?"
"Yes, of course, sir. You can trust in me." Panu gave a false grin as he pulled the door open. "If you'll excuse me…"
Panu let a relieved sigh escape as the door slid shut behind him. He considered himself lucky; Jaco was an unpredictable man, especially where that spitfire girl was concerned. Of course, Panu mused, that unpredictability was what made being around him so fun.
And profitable. Panu turned the corner to find a huddled group of Zoras eagerly waiting his return. They all tried to speak at once, but he raised a finger, smiling. "Gentlemen, if you please." He pulled a sheet of paper out of one of the pockets of his vest and gave it a cursory glance. "Well, it looks like 'Cold anger and feigned lack of concern' wins it."
"Aw, crud, I was sure something like this would make him throw at least a book or something…"
"Ha! Looks like I'll be eating nice tonight!"
"You just wait. He'll throw a fit soon enough."
Panu smiled as the rupees changed hands, more than a small share going to his own pockets. Yes, he had been lucky that Jaco had taken it so well. But, Panu knew, he was always lucky.
******
"Wynn! Open the door, pal! It's almost time to go!"
"Hunh…? Whu…"
"Wynn! Come on! The feast will be starting soon!"
"If only we could get inside…I know just how to wake him up, and getting the water won't be too hard…"
Wynn groggily rubbed at his eyes as he sat up in the bed, fighting away the last vestiges of what had been a pleasant, dreamless sleep. Climbing unsteadily to his feet, he threw out a hand and braced himself against the wall. "I'm comin', I'm comin'," he mumbled, stumbling towards the door.
"Think I hear him moving around in there…"
Wynn pulled the door opened, his weary eyes squinting to make out the forms of Tane and Fami standing just beyond. "Yeah?" he said in greeting, rubbing an arm across his face. "What is it?"
"It's almost time for the feast, Wynn. You need to get ready!"
The man's eyes shot open as his gradually wakening mind registered what Fami had just said. "Oh no!" He slammed the door, dashing back towards the bed and the clothes the Zoras had given him.
Tane blinked as the door stopped just before it hit his nose. "Well, he took that calmly."
Fami giggled slightly at Wynn's reaction, blushing as she heard the sound of Wynn's swordbelt hit the floor. "He must have been tired. After all, he did just kill the Zess this afternoon."
"He? Don't you mean…oh, that's low."
A few moments later, the door opened again, revealed a panting Wynn, dressed in the Zora's loaned outfit. He ran a hand through his already messy hair, tugging at the slightly tight neck of the tunic. "Are we late?"
"Not yet. Just thought we might want to get there a few minutes early. I figure we're going to go through quite a few introductions tonight, so I thought we might as well get some of them over with. We're just waiting on Nerah."
"Unfortunately," Fami mumbled, reaching up and tugging at Wynn's shoulder, pulling him down towards her. Confused, Wynn complied, bending forward. Head tilted a little to the side, she ran her fingers through his hair, trying in vain to calm it somewhat. Wynn blushed as he heard Tane chuckle at him, but Fami's other hand rested firmly on his shoulder, refusing to let him straighten until her work was done.
"At least the Zoras have decent taste in clothes, surprisingly enough. The stuff they gave us ain't half bad," Tane remarked, glancing down at his own tunic. Wynn managed to turn his head far enough to regard the man; the Zoras had given him a brilliant red tunic, which was only slightly too small for the man, stretching tight over his arms and across his chest. Wynn glanced at Fami as she finally released his shoulder. She was wearing an emerald-colored dress, which sparkled in the torchlight. The dress was cut modestly, and had been meant for a less petite woman, but it still looked appealing on the young woman. Fami smiled at him as he inspected her dress, reaching up to straighten his collar.
"You look very handsome in that tunic, Wynn. Blue suits you."
"Yes, it does," purred a voice from just down the hall. The trio turned to regard the Zora woman walking towards them, recognizing the voice as that of Nerah. The reaction of all three was the same, jaws falling agape, as she walked up to them. "Very nice indeed."
Wynn blushed fiercely as he looked away from the Zora woman. As fish-like as the Zoras were, they were decidedly mammalian in some respects, and Nerah's form of dress, or lack thereof, made that obvious. Wynn's embarrassment only made Nerah's smile widen as she put a hand on his shoulder, looking him up and down. "I'll have to see about acquiring you a Zora Tunic, one that will fit you better. They give the wearer the ability to breathe underwater like us Zoras…very handy if you'll be around the Domain for a time." Her tone made it obvious that she hoped he would be.
"Aren't you going to wear something…anything!...to this feast?" Fami demanded, the pitch of her voice rising.
Nerah smirked at her, resting her hands on her hips. "Of course. I was merely on my way to my chambers, and decided to check in on you all. See if you approved of your rooms, and if there was anything you needed."
"No thanks," Fami growled. "We're fine."
"Very well then," Nerah said, nodding to them. "If you'll excuse me, I'll see to getting ready. I would hate to be late, after all. See you there," she said, her eyes meeting Wynn's as she walked past.
Tane watched her go, scratching his head. Wynn pointedly did not, which was fortunate, because Fami's eyes were daring him to so much as turn his head. "You know, I've been around my share of Zoras, so I'm used to the whole 'no-clothing' thing. After a while, it seems normal. But, her…she's naked."
"It's indecent!" Fami fumed. "Why can't they just wear something?"
"Hunh. Funny that you didn't complain until it was her."
Fami glared death at Tane as Wynn stepped nervously back. "Shouldn't we head on down?" the man asked, motioning down the hall Nerah had taken. "The feast should be starting soon."
Tane glanced down at his stomach, which loudly proclaimed its support of Wynn's plan. "Sounds good to me. Lead the way."
"Would it be bad to hope that she suddenly gets sick and can't come to this feast?"
"Bitter, much?"
Wynn ignored the two as he led them down the hall and back to the center of the School. He blinked as he opened the door into the main chamber, amazed at the volume of the voices coming from below. He walked across the path to the edge, looking down to the base of the cavern, and he gaped in shock at the sheer number of Zoras that had already congregated on the floor. He had never imagined there were that many Zoras in all of Hyrule, but seeing them all in one place…
"Wow. There's a bunch of them."
"You could say that," said the paling Fami, her voice quaking slightly.
Tane grinned as he saw his chance to get the girl back for her comments outside Wynn's room. "Aw, there's not that many. I mean, it's not supposed to start for a little while yet, and there'll be late-comers. Wouldn't surprise me to see, oh, half that number again when the party gets going."
Fami cast a longing look back towards the hall, where her nice, safe, uncrowded room waited, but Wynn placed a hand on her shoulder, urging her towards the ramp leading down to the floor. "Let's get this over with."
******
"There he is."
Jaco turned to look in the direction Zaruu was pointing. He picked out the Hylian easily enough, since his party was the only non-Zoras in the crowd. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing, merely shrugging. Zaruu, ever the good soldier, smiled and patted Jaco on the back as he walked towards the Hylians. Jaco had always liked Zaruu; he got on Jaco's nerves a lot less than Panu. Everyone got on his nerves less than Panu.
Speaking of the gambler…Jaco cast his eyes over the crowd, searching for the flamboyant rogue. He found him, standing between two Zora women, both wearing gowns that hugged their forms a tad too tightly. It figured. At least he wouldn't be around to twist the knife if Nerah did act…unladylike...around the Hylian.
"Ah, Jaco!"
Jaco smiled as he turned to regard the young Zora woman that had called out to him. "If it isn't the Lady Bera," he greeted, sweeping his arm before him in a formal bow. "It's a pleasure."
The Zora woman beamed up at him as she offered her hand, which Jaco bent over, planting a courtly kiss upon it before grinning at her. She returned his smile, and took his offered arm. "It's been a while, Jaco. I haven't got to see you since before the Zess came…as a matter of fact, not since you went out on the patrol that had you out of the Domain when the monster struck."
"Yes, I suppose it has been quite the time. I must admit, I am surprised to see you here unescorted; where are all the suitors you had following you when I left?"
The girl huffed, glaring in mock anger at him. "Oh, stop, Jaco. You know I finally chased them all off."
Jaco nodded. "I had heard something to that extent." Bera looked up at him, her eyes sparkling as she opened her mouth, but the distracted Jaco unintentionally cut her off. "Say, have you seen your sister about? I, ah, needed to talk to her."
Bera's face fell. "Oh, yes," she said, the biting sarcasm she placed on the words slipping past the oblivious Jaco, "I know she will be along shortly. She's off getting dressed. Said something about wanting to look her best, since this is to honor the hero that slayed the Zess." She smiled coldly when she felt Jaco stiffen.
"Is…is that so? Say, Bera, there is something I wanted to ask you about. Nerah…well, I mean, she is your sister, so I figured…ah…do you know how, well…"
Bera rolled her eyes in exasperation, cutting him off by motioning across the feast hall. "There she is, now."
Her ire grew as she noticed the awe on his face as he stared in her direction. Nerah had chosen to wear a blue gown to the feast, one that caught the light in a thousand different shimmers of azure. It clung to her tightly in places, not enough so to be distasteful, but still enough to stop the stricken Jaco in his tracks.
Jaco's amazement quickly dissolved into discomfort as he noticed Nerah heading through the crowd, moving straight for the group of Hylians. Managing a vague, "If you'll excuse me," he stepped away from Bera, trailing behind Nerah. Bera watched him go in disgust before stalking away, shaking her head in anger.
Jaco was completely hopeless, Bera decided. But she was stubborn. Nerah had no clue what she was throwing away, but Bera did, and she would get Jaco's attention, no matter what.
******
"Wow, being famous is nice."
"Yeah, except for the arm cramps I'm going to get from shaking everyone's hand."
Tane frowned at his partner. "At least they want to shake your hand. Most of them are still wondering who I am."
"Ah, Wynn," boomed a voice from beside the pair. "Allow me to introduce you to one of my dearest friends, a respectable young man that may one day take my own place." King Zora motioned to the Zora male following him. "This is Lord Jaco, one of our most skilled swordsmen, a man who has earned the highest praises from those that serve in our army with him, both his superiors and those who serve under him."
Wynn turned to face the king, nodding greetings to the Zora standing beside him and offering his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Jaco."
The Zora accepted Wynn's hand, shaking it firmly. "The honor is mine." Wynn was surprised to notice the Zora looked to be about his own age, as best he could judge. His tunic was a pale blue, almost white, and gold scrollwork decorated the neck and arms. He wore a sword belted to his side, but unlike most of the sheaths Wynn had noticed, his was plain leather, unornamented. The ease Jaco wore the sword with proved he was quite familiar with the weapon. His dark eyes pierced into Wynn's, cold and intelligent, but his face showed no emotion. "We are blessed to receive the aid of a hero like yourself at such a time."
Wynn smiled self-consciously, rubbing the back of his head. "Not quite a hero, I'm afraid. I was just lucky, and couldn't have done it without Tane and Zaruu."
Jaco nodded, his blank expression not shifting. "Yes, Zaruu; a good friend of mine, and a very able fighter. I had heard that he was defeated in the first moments of the battle, though."
"Yeah, but without that old lug, we wouldn't have known what to dodge!" crowed Tane, stepping up beside the pair.
Jaco regarded the red-haired man, a faint smile pulling at the side of his mouth. "Ah, you must be Tane. Zaruu has spoken much of you…so has another of my friends and subordinates."
Wynn glanced at the silent Tane, and noticed the man's face had gone a deathly white. "Aw no…"
"Ah, yes, there's Panu now."
"No no no no no…"
"Tane, buddy! Long time no see!"
Wynn frowned at his partner warily. "Tane, who is Panu?"
"Don't ask; just hold on to your rupees. And if he mentions the word 'bet', run for your life."
Wynn watched as the colorful Zora, wearing a pair of golden dice around his neck as well as a sword with enough decoration to make up for Jaco's lack, came up to Tane and gave the man a comradely slap on the shoulders. "It's been too long," Panu said, his smile stretched from ear to ear. Tane flinched as if he had been stabbed by the Zora's words.
"Yeah," Tane offered weakly. "Feels like it has been forever." He had obviously wanted to keep it that way.
"Oh, that is does, doesn't it. As a matter of fact, it's been years! Why, do you remember the last time we even saw each other?"
"Yes." The word was a sob. Wynn heard Jaco chuckle; obviously, he knew what was coming.
Panu continued, as gratingly happy as ever. "Heh…you know, I remember we had a bet going, just when you left. Something about the Gerudos, and whether or not you could sneak into the fort…"
If Tane had shuddered before, he convulsed now.
"Yes, Zaruu ended up telling me the whole story of what happened that night. The story is a classic, you know; we still tell it around the fire while we're on patrol."
Tane sighed with the defeat of a man standing before the headsman. "Great laughs, huh?"
"Oh, yes! Course, now that I think about it, I guess that means you lost the bet. Course, I never ran into you afterwards…never got to collect on the bet."
Wynn wouldn't have believed it possible, but the man's smile got even wider, and Tane even paler. The stocky man cast a haunted glance in Wynn's direction, and then back to Panu. "Listen, Panu, I meant to come pay you, but I never-"
"Oh, no worries, my friend, no worries at all! I am, after all, a very patient man. It doesn't matter now, since you're finally here."
"Ah, yes, about that...any chance I could get back to you on that? I mean, you know I'm good for it…"
"Of course! Well, I'll have to charge you interest…on principle, you know. Can't have everyone thinking that they can skip out on paying me."
"In…Interest?"
"I assume you're familiar with the practice?"
Tane gulped loudly, fumbling in his tunic. Pulling out his pouch of rupees, he thrust it at the man. "Take it! It's all I've got, but it's enough."
Panu opened the pouch, peering inside. "Why, my friend, I'm afraid you are wrong; you're still short. Fifty rupees, to be exact."
"What?" Tane yelped, his eyes darting in Wynn's direction as he nervously ran his hand through his hair. "The bet was a hundred, pal."
"Yes, it was…two years ago."
Tane slumped, defeated. "Wynn?" he pleaded.
Wynn's eyes narrowed lethally as he regarded his friend. "Yes?" he asked, the word cold enough to freeze.
"I, ah…hate to ask you this…"
Wynn reached into his own tunic and pulled out his own rupees. Panu caught the pouch as Wynn tossed it to him. "That's fifty."
Panu didn't even glance inside this time. "It's been a pleasure, gentleman. I hope I haven't inconvenienced you in any way."
Wynn glared at Tane, working his jaw. "Not at all."
"Well, then, I shall take my leave of you. I would hate to keep you from the rest of those waiting to talk to you." He glanced to the side, and then nodded at Wynn. "Speaking of…"
Wynn turned as someone came up beside him, placing a hand on his arm. "Wynn," Nerah whispered. "I hope you're enjoying yourself."
Wynn blinked at the woman, not noticing Panu vanish back into the crowd. She was wearing a beautiful blue dress, which accented her features enough to draw stares from all around, including both Wynn and Jaco. She smiled warmly at Wynn, pleased at the effect it had on him.
"I…" He coughed into his hand, "Yes, I am enjoying myself. I'll never be able to remember a fraction of the names of the people that keep shaking my hand, but…"
Nerah's smile grew even more mischievous. "Maybe that will come with time, hm?"
"…Nerah. It's been a while."
For an instant, Wynn thought he felt Nerah flinch, but when she turned to face Jaco she showed no sign of it, or any emotion for that matter, on her face. "Hello, Jaco."
The Zora bent into a stately bow, and then straightened, a warm, if wary, smile on his face. "I had been worried about you, since I hadn't seen you since before the freezing."
"How kind of you." Wynn grimaced at the monotone of her voice, and Tane let out a nearly silent whistle. Nerah's usual personality seemed to be as frozen as her body had been before, and Jaco was catching the brunt of the blizzard. The Zora realized it too, his smile slowly sliding away. It disappeared at once when Nerah placed her arm through Wynn's, to his surprise, and pulled him away from the other man. "Come on, Wynn. There's some people I wanted to introduce you to."
Jaco watched the pair go, his face blank but his frame shaking as his fists tightened. Tane took a step back from the intent man, looked around for support. Aid found him, however, as Zaruu came up behind his commander, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Let her go, Jaco. She'll come to her senses soon enough."
Jaco blew his anger out in a sigh, shaking his head. "You've been saying it for years, Zaruu."
"Yeah, well, it has to happen eventually, right?"
"Yeah. Sure." Jaco turned away, wading into the crowd. Zaruu shot Tane an apologetic glance before following, not willing to let his comrade get too far ahead of him.
"Wow. Looks like Wynn is the one to step into it, this time."
"That it does, doesn't it?"
Tane winced at the familiar voice. "Let me guess…"
"Interesting situation, don't you think? Heh…some of the guys are already putting money down on how this one is going to work out."
Tane glared at Panu. "Don't even think about it." With that, he retreated into the crowd, leaving an amused Zora behind.
"Your loss, then."
******
'She was bad enough when she wasn't wearing anything,' Fami thought grimly, 'but then she has to find something that just shows off more than it hides.' The young woman sighed, barely resisting the urge to wave her hand in front of her face. The School was still a cooler temperature than what she was used to, but the combination of the humidity and the mass of people crammed along the tables was enough to make her want to dash for the outside. That was supposing, of course, she could find a way out that didn't involve drowning. 'Hunh. I bet there's a door from the Domain to here. She just took us the way she did to make us suffer.'
"…and without the bravery, the determination, the skill, of these brave men, we would still be living under the cold shadow of the Zess. We owe much to these courageous Hylians, who came to us in our time of need and destroyed the greatest threat to our lands. Now, that we are free from fear, free of both Ganon and his monster, we…"
Fami willed her mouth to stay closed, unwilling to give in to the temptation to yawn. She had figured the king would speak before the feast began, but she had never heard a speech before, and hadn't been prepared for the excruciating boredom of the practice. Factoring in the fact that unlike Wynn, she had not taken a nap before the feast, she direly wanted to lay her arms on the table and rest her head on them.
Trying to find something to capture her interest, she glanced around the table. Her eyes first fell on Wynn, who was sitting upright, looking at the monarch with something that almost resembled interest, apparently unfazed by the boredom that was plaguing her. To his right sat Nerah, who was looking at him even more intently than he was regarding the king, who was to his left. Tane, however, seemed to be suffering just as much as she, maybe worse considering he sat just to the left of the royal. His mouth opened in a colossal yawn, which was cut off as Zaruu, who was seated on his other side, jabbed an elbow into his ribs. Tane shot the Zora a wounded look, and then returned his gaze to the king. It didn't take close observation, however, to notice his eyes were half-lidded.
At least one other person's attentions were not on the king, even if it wasn't far from it. The Zora male Wynn had spoken to earlier, the one that had stared at Nerah so desperately, now glowered in Wynn's direction. Another Zora sat behind him, whispering in his ear. Fami wondered what they were discussing as she watched the first Zora's face darken.
She probably would have sympathized, had she have heard their talk. "It just isn't natural, Panu."
"Maybe not, but not impossible. Consider, for example, her lineage. Perhaps it runs in her family."
Jaco glanced back at his friend. "That was different."
"Ah, yes. A Hylian hero, valiantly saving the lives of Zoras and protecting the realm. A young man, with skills and courage that belied his age and appearance. Yes, I can see the glaring differences."
Jaco now turned completely, glaring at his friend. "Please don't rub it in."
"Of course, you could be right. It does seem unnatural that our races could interbreed…I've often wondered if it was Nerah's father's magical powers that allowed-"
"Do NOT continue that line of thought, please."
"Yes, milord."
"…and so, I offer this feast to honor our new-found allies, the heroes of our realm, Wynn and…ah…"
"…Tane."
"Ah, yes, Tane. So, let us show our gratitude to these brave men that have brought safety back to our home!" The king raised his chalice high in a toast, and with a roar of approval most of the Zoras mirrored the motion.
Wynn offered a nod in thanks for the king's kind words, snapping out of the trance he had slipped into. That was a skill he had learned early on; after all, Baro was a harsh teacher, and even harsher on students that allowed their attention to wander. He sipped at the wine that had been placed before him, eyeing hungrily the platters of food that were making their way towards the tables.
"You know, Wynn," the king mused, eyeing him from the side, "it is dreadfully unfortunate that only Nerah was able to witness the skills you used to defeat the Zess. You must be a master swordsman, if you could slay that beast."
Wynn shook his head, eyes locked on the mouth-watering platter of smoked fish that was moving in his direction. "I've had some training, yes, from my father, and also from a friend of the family. But I'm no master."
"Still, it is a shame that I couldn't see your fighting abilities in action. It must have been quite the sight."
Wynn nodded, realizing the necessity of pleasant chit-chat, but also realizing his stomach's desire to be full. He assaulted the unfortunate fish that had ended up on his plate, finding the meat to be perfectly seasoned, his mouth watering in the time it took for his fork to leave his mouth, spear another piece of food, and return.
"I wonder…do you think it would be possible to arrange a show of your abilities? It would be wonderful entertainment for this night, and I'm sure all present would appreciate the spectacle."
"That would be wonderful!" Nerah piped in from Wynn's side. "I would love to see you fight again, myself."
Wynn glanced at her, and then to the king. "Well…I suppose that would be fine…"
"Wonderful! I shall announce it at once!"
Wynn's fork paused in mid-swipe as his mind struggled to register what had just happened. 'What', he wondered, 'have I gotten myself into?'
The king's chalice rang out as he tapped his spoon against it. "Good people of Zora's Domain," he shouted, beaming at the collected Zoras, "I have an announcement to make. The hero, Wynn, has declared that he will give us a demonstration of his weapon skills!"
Wynn blushed as the crowd roared its approval, inspecting his plate mournfully. He glanced over at Tane, who gave him an apologetic smirk before returning his attention to his own plate, which had once been heaped over but was very far along its way to bare. Fami, sitting at another table, gave him a confident smile, which he tried to return, but failed dismally. Fighting a monster was one thing, but showing off in a crowd like this…
"Excuse me, your majesty, but how can I show them my swordsmanship without a blade?"
"Ah, good point, good point indeed. Servant! Bring us a pair of practice swords from the training rooms."
"…A pair?"
King Zora gave Wynn a wide smile. "Of course. Why, the best way for you to show us your abilities would be to spar against one of our own fighters!"
"…"
"I would ask for a volunteer, to fight a mock duel against our hero. Is there any Zora here who thinks that his skill is enough to match up with Wynn's?"
Wynn glanced to the side, and saw Zaruu begin to raise his hand. Before he could half complete the motion, however, a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, pulling it back down. Wynn blinked as he noticed Jaco shake his head at his friend, and then push himself back from the table, standing up and facing the king. "I would see how a Hylian swordsman matches against myself, milord. I will fight him, if it pleases you."
"Absolutely marvelous! We are in for a treat indeed! Swordsmaster versus swordsmaster!"
Wynn swallowed loudly. "He's that good?"
"Yes, he is, the oaf," Nerah huffed from beside him. "He certainly brags enough about it."
Wynn winced; he had the sinking suspicion that if Jaco did brag, he had good reason. He glanced down at his plate, and pushed it away. He had suddenly lost his appetite.
******
"Good luck, Wynn. I'm sure you'll do fine."
"He'll do better than fine. Just remember, he's good, so don't hold back." Nerah gave him a smile that made Wynn uncomfortable. "If you happen to hit him a little hard, rough him up a little, I'm sure no one would mind."
Wynn gave the two a transparently confident grin. "No worries here." His voice quaked only a little.
He glanced about, trying to find the last member of his party. Tane hadn't come over to wish him luck, and the duel was going to start in just a second. Wynn found him, oddly enough, talking to Panu, pointing enthusiastically in his direction.
'I swear,' Wynn thought, tightening his grip on the wooden practice sword, 'if he loses any more of my money, I will leave him to that card shark and run.'
He turned his gaze across to his opponent. Jaco met his gaze, staring intently at him. His eyes narrowed as he swung the sword back and forth, loosening his muscles. Nerah noticed the eye contact, and smiled broadly. "Oh, Wynn?"
"Hm?" When he turned to face the Zora woman, he felt her lips press against his cheek.
"For luck," she whispered, and stepped back into the crowd.
Wynn nervously looked back to Jaco, and found that Nerah had defeated that purpose; if Jaco had been intent before, his eyes held murder now.
"Are the combatants ready?" bellowed the king, rubbing his hands against each other eagerly.
Wynn nodded, and Jaco did the same, their eyes locked on the other's. "Then begin!" came the cry, and they stepped forward, wooden blades at ready, moving to strike.
They circled for a moment, judging their opponent, checking for obvious weaknesses. Finding none, Jaco took the first move, darting forward and thrusting his blade out, aiming for Wynn's gut. The larger man deflected the stab, and moved to counter, but Jaco retreated, still measuring Wynn's skill.
Wynn allowed Jaco to set the pace of the fight, waiting for the Zora to strike. Jaco continued to move around him, waving his blade slightly, sinuously, as to keep Wynn guessing when the next strike would come. Still, Wynn was patient, until finally Jaco lunged, stabbing high at his chest, but pulling back and thrusting again. Wynn didn't fall for the lightning-fast feint, stepping back and deflecting the real blow. Wynn took to offense then, stepping forward and swinging his sword across in a powerful slice. Jaco couldn't bring his sword in line to block, but twisted away, coming at Wynn's side. The Hylian stopped his swing, and reversed it, blocking Jaco's strike as he turned.
Again they circled, a bit more knowledgeable about what to expect from the other. Jaco again dove in, slapping his sword against Wynn's once, twice, three times, before duplicating Wynn's earlier chest-high slash. Wynn drove the sword up and behind him as he moved past, turning as he went to cut at Jaco's hip. Jaco blocked, but Wynn's momentum forced him on around, bringing his sword out to his left. Wynn came back across, and the defenseless Jaco dodged backwards, narrowly avoiding the swing. The two separated, both smiling grimly now.
"Very nice," Jaco commented, his earlier rage forgotten. "An interesting style…your teacher must have been a very strong man."
"One of them was."
Jaco's eyebrow rose. "Very interesting." His sword began to wave again as he reversed the direction of their circle.
Wynn chuckled, and then suddenly moved forward; Jaco wasn't the only one that could mix things up. He slashed across, aiming for Jaco's weapon. His swing caught the blade, nearly wrenching it from Jaco's hands, but the Zora allowed himself to twist, moving with the attack. He countered by bringing his sword across, aiming high, but Wynn deflected it further upwards.
Wynn stepped back, bringing his sword back and then sending it straight forward, the thrust aimed at Jaco's chest. The off-balance Zora might not have managed to deflect another of Wynn's powerful slashes, but this simple, familiar attack was easily defeated. He slashed his sword in front of his chest, turning so that he could follow the defense by striking at Wynn's hips. The stocky man couldn't dodge that, he guessed, and-
"Watch out, Wynn!"
Jaco froze, if just for a heartbeat; too long. Wynn wouldn't have needed the help, however. He twisted his arm as he thrusted, bringing it perpendicular to his body as he stepped forward. Jaco's deflection met only air as he stepped forward, and then his progress was halted as the wooden sword pressed against his throat.
Wynn nodded at the Zora, his eyes locking onto his defeated opponent's. Jaco met the gaze coldly. "I yield."
Wynn lowered his sword, and the feast hall erupted into cheers. Wynn switched the sword to the other hand, and offered his right to Jaco. Frigid eyes never leaving Wynn's, the Zora took the hand and shook it once. Both men gave their swords to the servant that came up to them, and returned to the crowd. Nerah ran up to Wynn, Fami close behind, but Jaco didn't notice, instead making his way towards the edge of the crowd and the ramps beyond.
Zaruu caught up with his commander a second later, but merely walked beside the man, silent. After a moment, he finally offered, "Still a little stiff from the ice, hunh?"
"He won."
Zaruu stopped as his leader made his way up the ramp and towards his rooms. As Zaruu turned and made his way back to the party, his eyes fell on Wynn, and the laughing Nerah that had her arms around his chest. It wasn't till then that he realized that, for Jaco at least, the sums of money Panu held and the pride Wynn had earned weren't the only things that had been at stake on this match.
******
"Well done, Wynn!"
"Amazing!"
Wynn laughed, trying in vain to pry Nerah and Fami off him. "I was lucky, and stupid for taking a risk like that."
"Does that matter? You won!"
"I guess you have a point."
Nearby, someone else was celebrating. "Well, now, looks like I finally win a bet against you!" Tane crowed, hands on his hips as he stood over Panu, who was busy counting rupees. "I'll be taking those fifty rupees, kind sir."
Panu chuckled as he tossed Tane a pouch, the exact pouch Wynn had handed him earlier. "There you go…but I must tell you, you weren't betting against me, but rather some of the other gentleman here."
"But…"
Panu gave him a toothy grin as he slipped an even larger pouch into one of his pockets. "My money was on your friend."
Tane's eyes narrowed. "You never lose, do you?"
"Not yet."
From there, the feast wore down. Not long after the duel, Wynn managed to excuse himself from the celebration and make his way to his room, leaving Fami and Nerah to search for him. He accepted congratulations from a few Zoras that were wandering the halls before finding himself at his door and stepping into his room for the night.
He smiled wistfully at his bed, but before he allowed himself to sink into it he arranged his armor in front of the door out into the hall, blocking it. He needed sleep, and no one was getting into his room, key or no. Plus, he thought as he rubbed his eyes, that would save him a lot of embarrassment in case anyone decided to pay him a visit during the night. Not that she would do that, he corrected himself, glancing warily at the large bed. No, she wouldn't. Probably.
Shaking his head, he climbed into bed, stretching out and feeling the day's aches as he fought to clear his mind. Despite the whorl of thoughts that fought to keep him awake, exhaustion overpowered it, and he finally closed his eyes, drifting into sleep. His last thought was relief that tonight, he would be too tired to dream, and certainly too tired to have more nightmares.
He was wrong.
Author's Note: I have officially surprised myself. This makes 3 chapters in a row that I've adhered to my 1-chapter-every-3-weeks schedule. Of course, the very next thing I have to add is that the next chapter will have to be late, since I'm heading home for Christmas break and don't have Frontpage to post the chapter. I guess that's O.K., though, since due to finals work has been delayed on that chapter anyways. Heh...the 4 weeks of Christmas break might not even be enough to finish writing that one, since it will have to be much longer than this one, unless I split it into two. Look forward to more fun hints about Wynn's past, the man who trained him, and the introduction of the fifth member of their party, a mysterious young man with, shall we say, a dark past (Dark everything, since he's, how was it once put, a shadow? ^_^;).
Another thing that has surprised me is the amount of new material I'm putting in this version. Anyone familiar with the old story will hopefully have noticed a few differences: the mysterious figure that watches Seron, the extra information about Wynn's past via his dark dreams (a trend which continues with the next scene, actually), the tie-ins with the varied pasts of the other adventurers... Over the course of the past four years, nearly five now, I've come up with a mountain of backstories and plot twists. Now, I get to put them all into the tale...the only hard thing is making sure I don't blow all the surprises too early on. (A constant fear, I might add, since I admit that I put something into this very chapter that hints towards one of the larger surprises I've had in store that won't come out fully until book 6.) Still, I believe the new stuff is well worth the extra effort; after all, this chapter was a small fraction of the original chapter three, which contained the major plot events of the last three chapters of the revised version. In short, I'm proud of how this story is coming along, and even more proud of its potential.
The only unpleasant surprise I've had is my depressing lack of reviews. Sigh...yes, I know, this is an original character fic, hardly deserving of the term 'fanfiction', but quite frankly I had hoped for a little more of a reaction, or at least a sign SOMEBODY beside the Muses is still reading. If anyone is out there, let me know! I'll keep my eyes glued on my inbox, just like I have for the last...month...and a half...
Ahem, anyways, thanks again for reading, and I hope you've enjoyed the newest chapter of Hyrule's Heroes: Book 1.
~Wynn Pendragon