Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda or any of the characters in the Zelda series (if I did, I wouldn't waste my time here). I'm not making any money of this and if I forgot anything else in this disclaimer I did or didn't do that as well.

Chapter 9 - Ikana Canyon

Link had gotten a room at the Stockpot Inn. Kafei let him have a room immediatly when he recognised the young man in front of him. Link sat on the bed with Romani caressing his back. He enjoyed her touch and cursed the man who chose to knock on the door, just as he was about to turn around and make love to her. Romani got up and opened the door.

"Ah, Romani," the owner of the shop of thieves greeted her with a big smile, "Kafei didn't tell me it was you who wanted to see me."

"She isn't," Link said calmly, "I am."

Link ran east with Romani close behind. The shopkeeper had told them not much but enough to make Link worried. Sakon had stopped going to the shop about a year ago. Partly because the shopkeeper didn't want his goods because they were stolen from important people, and partly because Sakon began to creep him out. He told Link Sakon started to wear a black mask with a brown hood the last times he was in the shop and that was the last time he saw Sakon. In fact, Sakon didn't even care about money much anymore. Link knew of the mask the shopkeeper was speaking although he didn't tell him. It was the Garos' mask, the mask of the Shadow assassins and thieves of Ikana canyon. But they had long perished and were now mere ghosts, shadows of their former selfs. How did Sakon gather a group of new Garos? Or did the ghosts aid him in his thievery? Link hoped it wasn't that last thing. Either way, it didn't sound good and he hoped Romani and him could handle a bunch of Shadow assassins with a bow and some Deku sticks. When he came to the fence he easily jumped it. His new green cape flung in the wind. He came to a stop when he realised Romani was still behind. He turned around to see her put her hands on the fence and flip over it, like he had flipped over the gate at Lake Hylia. Link cracked a smile and began to ran again. The next obstacle would be harder since he didn't have a hookshot now. He stopped at the stone wall and turned.

"If you have been to Ikana canyon, how do you cross this?" Link asked Romani.

"There is a carved path at the side, but that would take too long now. We have to find another quicker way to pass it."

Aha, that explained how Sakon could get there, not to mention the young Kafei. He grabbed Romani and while she tried to protest he threw her up. She grabbed the branch of the treetrunk on top of the wall and pulled herself up.

"Okay, that's a quicker way!" she panted.

Link jumped up and could barely grab the top edge of the wall. Romani pulled him up with a lot of effort.

"See? It was a good thing I came with you."

Link just smiled but his smile froze. Something drew near, something sinister and evil. He drew a Deku stick and looked around. Romani didn't know what was going on but she took out her bow, also sensing something was amiss. Suddenly a shadow emerged from the rocks and jumped towards Link. Link did a backflip and thrusted the Deku stick forward, like it was a lance. The stick hit the Garos right between the eyes and he was thrown back. He swirled his sword around trying to cut up the Deku stick but Link evaded his attacks and then kicked him in the face. The Garos fell. Two more Garos jumped from behind the rocks but were stopped mid air by two arrows. Link nodded at Romani to thank her for the assist. He pulled up the fallen Garos and threw him against the canyonwall.

"Talk," Link hissed, "where is Sakon and what did you do to him."

"We don't talk," the Garos hissed back, "but know, the thief will bring back the Garos and we will rule Ikana canyon and threaten the land once more."

Link hit him right on the face and a wet stain quickly spread across his black mask. If he had been real, his nose would have been relocated in his brain. Link removed the mask to make sure it was a ghost inside and the brown cape fell empty on the ground.

"And I thought aliens were freaky." Romani whispered.

"We have to stop Sakon." Link said.

It was the only thing he said and Romani knew this was now one of the most important things in his life. She wondered if it was more important than her.