Chapter 17: The Breaking of Innocence

"Well, I see that Thade fixed you up well," Link's voice whispered softly in the silent air.

Suto looked up at the door, having remained where the Lizalfos had left him; still stroking the worm's head. The glint in the boy's eyes was not friendly.

Link just gave a smile, leaning on the doorframe with his arms crossed. "I can see that he told you something unpleasant."

"He said you were crazy," the boy replied in a disgusted voice, hand still stroking the worm's hard head.

The Hylian chuckled. "There are some who would think that of me."

"But you're not crazy! I know you're not!"

Link stood up from the door and walked over to his son; sitting beside him on the table. To someone else, that would seem far out of character for Link while only Nita would've loved to see Link spending time with their son, if her life hadn't come to an end.

"Now, what did Thade tell you about me?"

"He said you kill people," Suto whispered, sounding like a child telling an embarrassing truth.

"Who doesn't nowadays?" The Hylian gave a short laugh. "Thade was in no position to say such things," deep blue eyes rolled to lock with emerald-gold ones, "when he has slaughtered so many in the name of his ever-changing Lord."

"Is he going to kill me?"

"Only if his strongest desire is death," his son look frightened and he answered with a slightly crazed smile, "because I will not allow it."

In silence, the boy watched his father slide off the table; depositing his cape and hip-sash on his throne when he walked by it. Softly, Suto edged off the table, the worm following its Master, and he followed his father into the bedchamber.

He caught sight of Link pulling a black long-sleeved shirt over his bare upper half. Its collar was separated by a V-cut that ended mid-way down his torso, leaving quite a bit of the Hylian's chest bare.

"I was about to call you in here anyway," said the Hylian man to the boy who wore nothing but the bandages around his torso and a pair of tattered pants.

He walked past his son to a closet, opening the door to pull out a box, and walked over to the bed—across from the full-length mirror. With a finger, he motioned in request for the boy's presence. He was not disobeyed.

"I've got a little something for you," Link's soft voice said gently; a gentle tone that only Suto knew. "I was going to give it to you on your birthday, but now is as good a time as any."

Suto blinked. His father was going to give him a birthday present? That was a surprise to him, since he thought his father didn't even care about him, more or less his birthday. He scooted closer to Link when the Hylian gave him a beckoning motion.

Link opened up the box and pulled out a sleeveless wrap-around vest. "This is for you."

Suto's young face twisted in confusion upon taking the piece of clothing from his father. He didn't know quite what it was, as well as clueless as how to act upon receiving a gift since he never had been given one before. "What is it?"

"It's a vest made from the toughest leather in Hyrule," Link replied, fingering the edge of it.

"Where's the leather come from?" Suto glanced up at his father.

"The hides of Dodongos. An ancient race of lizards that are now extinct in Termina, but endangered in Hyrule."

"Endangered?"

"There are not a lot of them left," Link explained calmly. "Pretty soon they'll all be dead, or extinct."

"If there's not many left, why kill them?" Suto felt confused.

"The less of them there are, the more valuable items are that are made from them." Link placed his hand on Suto's, his so much larger than the boy's, and leaned down near him. "When you wear this, no sword can hurt you. No tooth or claw can take out your heart."

"And normal leather couldn't protect me?"

"Not even a chance." Link pulled away. He walked back over to the closet and rummaged through it. "Those pants you're wearing. They're terrible. Take them off."

Suto blinked, glancing down at the ragged piece of clothing that hung to his hips. Without a moment's hesitation, he followed his father's order and stripped himself naked.

"Oh come now," Link said, walking back over to his son; noticing his uneasy expression. "No one else is in here so don't feel so worried." He handed Suto what he had carried over. "These will be better."

Suto took the new pair of pants from his father. They were a calming shade of grey, much nicer looking that his dirty, old brown ones. Not used to feeling air against his lower body, Suto gladly pulled the pants on. The fabric was soft, a great contrast from the itchy fabric he had gotten used to.

"That's a lot better, isn't it?" Link asked, kneeling down next to Suto; as tall was the boy who was standing. He turned the boy so he was facing him and unclasped the vest. "Hold your arms out." He put his son's arms through the holes and clasped the right side to the underside of the opposite side and pulled the left flap over to boy's chest to clasp on the top of the right flap. The leather vest completely hid the bandages the boy wore.

When Link's hands pulled away from the vest, Suto lunged at his father in a hug; wrapping his arms around the Hylian man's neck and buried his face into his shoulder. The boy started to sob, too many emotions running through him that he couldn't make sense of them or hold them inside. His grip tightened in earnest when he felt Link's arms reluctantly encircle around him, like the Hylian wasn't sure what to do.

"Don't cry, Suto," he heard Link's voice say in a pleading tone; since it seemed he wouldn't know what to do if he did start crying.

"Don't leave me," the boy whimpered in return. "Don't leave me alone!"

Link's arms tightened around the boy as he stood up. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm tired of being alone," the boy continued to whimper.

"Thoughts like that won't get you anywhere, Suto. At your age, I can understand wanting to attach yourself to someone. I did, and wanted, the same thing when I was your age. But do you know what I discovered?"

Suto was still locked in a hug, his father's strong arms holding him gently, and he stopped sobbing. "What?"

"It only causes pain in the end. You, of all people, should know that by now."

Suto's grip sagged. "You're right."

"Of what importance were you to him if he leaves you behind like a piece of everyday garbage?" Link placed Suto down on the bed. "Let him go, Suto. He's not coming back for you."

"How do you know that?" Suto demanded, suddenly defensive.

"Did he ever say he as coming back? For any reason? Once?"

"…No…" came the soft reply.

"What does that tell you?"

"…He doesn't care for me…"

"Correct." Link smiled, pleased at where this was going. "What are you going to do about it?"

Suto's eyes suddenly hardened, a spark in them much like Link's. "Hurt him…."

The Hylian's smile broadened. "Why?"

The boy's eyes darkened. "To make him suffer.…Suffer like I have."

"Are you sure?"

Harsh golden-emerald eyes flicked up into deep, dark blue ones. "May the Goddesses stop me."

Link was highly impressed on how quickly the snapping had occurred. The boy must've bottled up a lot of emotion and now it had just exploded. Just what kind of emotions Suto had been holding for this other boy were lost to Link, but he planned on using them to his advantage; not figure out what they were.

"Now you're full of hatred…it's a powerful thing." The boy's eyes watched his father pace and ears listened to him speak. "It can crumble cities, destroy lives, consume passion….The list goes on and on." The wheels in Link's mind spun furiously as he planned how he could use the child to do his dirty work. "But as you know…one does not go charging into revenge. It's simply not done that way. Patience is the key to any success. Just wait, my son," Link placed a crooked finger under Suto's chin and forced the boy to look up at him, "and your heart's desire will be fulfilled in time."

"Here is the boy, my Lord," a Gerudo woman announced; dressed in something that didn't quite fit her by a margin. "All washed like you ordered."

Suto's hair was shiny and soft, fluffed out mostly at the right side of his face; semi hiding his eye. The hair in back only came to the base of his neck; all of it still somewhat frizzy and shaggy. All the dirt and grime had been scrubbed off his thin, boney body; his skin tone a lighter shade of tan than originally thought, but still a tad dark from his Gerudo blood. His old bandages had been switched for fresh ones, them now covered by the Dodongo hide vest. The legs of his grey pants were tucked into identical leather boots; the rims lines with the smaller fangs of Dodongos. Black armor bands covered his thin upper arms, the lower arms covered in one piece of fabric that attached to the base of the middle finger of both hands; exposing both palms. The boy's eyes still gleamed with newly born hatred, but it hid behind the happy childish shine.

"Looks like you did your job well," Link commented, lounging against the doorframe of his bedchamber; having taken off all his usual wear and had the silky black shirt and matching black pants on instead. "I am pleased."

"We are all too eager to carry out your whims, my Lord," the Gerudo woman replied with a deep bow; one hand out to the side and the other keeping herself into the small tank-top—it wasn't as tight fitting as she had hoped it would be.

Link chuckled. "Change into something that suit your better."

"As you command, my Master." The woman departed immediately.

"Daddy, those ladies are really nice!" Suto announced, skipping over to Link.

"You mother was once one of them," Link replied softly.

"Can I see them again?"

"You're free to visit them whenever you like."

"Really?"

The Hylian gave a nod.

The young boy ran around in a happy circle, the worm scuttling in chase of its highly pleased Master.

"Tell me, Suto. What is that worm's duty in following you?" Link asked, somewhat curious about it.

"He is my body guard," Suto replied happily, wrapping his arms around the spiky worm and giving it a hug; chin resting on the crown of the brown head. "He is to never leave my side and is to alert the others if they're needed. At least, that's what Molgera told me."

Link found that interesting. "Told you?"

Suto poked his own head with a smile. "Yep. Told me when he brought me back."

"The worm spoke in your mind?"

The boy nodded. "Isn't that normal? Can't your dragon do it?"

Link his son an amused smile. "No. He can't. It's better that way."

"Why?"

"For a creature to be able to voice its thoughts in its Master's mind is a sign of tremendous power. I don't need to listen to a dragon's bitching in my mind."

"Is it bad then?" Suto seemed saddened.

"I'll leave that decision up to you. You're old enough to decide for yourself."

Suto looked down at the worm, whose triple blue eyes looked back, and he looked back up at his father with a smile. "The nice ladies helped me name the worm. He is to be called Amuu now!"

Amuu seemed quite pleased with its new title.

Link snorted a laugh. "Much better than 'worm', I suppose." He was slightly surprised to see the worm nod along with Suto. Maybe Amuu was a lot smarter than he was giving it credit for.

"You go run along and play," he said, waving a dismissing hand at his son. "I have some things to do that do not concern young children."

Suto didn't object. He knew as well as everyone else that to disobey the Hylian was to befriend Death. A childish bounce in his step, the boy skipped out the chamber's door; Amuu skating quickly behind.

Now feeling much more comfortable upstairs, Suto took his time in looking around at the dark halls around him and the deep red rug that lined the hallways. Much to his surprise, he bumped into something and fell to the floor. He looked up and saw a tall Lizalfos standing over him. At first, he thought it was Thade but the tell-tale scars on the snout gave it away.

"Jsu!" the boy shouted, trying to sound threatening despite the pain in his rear.

The Lizalfos cackled, saliva covered teeth shining in the torchlight. "Oh dear boy! I am sssso pleassssed that you remember me." His hissed voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"How could I not?" muttered the boy, standing and trying to relieve the pain in his butt. "You're not allowed up here! You know that!"

Jsu cackled again. "I am free to come up here assss I wissssh when I have bussssinesssss with my Masssster. That bussssinesssss issss, however, classsssified from people like you." His gold eyes gave Suto a criticizing look. "I ssssee that my Masssster hassss finally taken an interesssst in hissss own sssson. How tragic!"

Amuu coiled defensively about Suto's feet upon sensing bloodlust in the air. That just made the lizard laugh harder.

"What'ssss thissss? A worm? A worm to protect you? Ha! You sssshould know better!"

"Amuu could easily rip out your throat, Jsu," the boy replied darkly.

"It hassss a name now? You never csseasssse to humor me, boy. Thissss hassss been a mosssst entertaining chat, but my Masssster awaitssss my pressssencsse. Another time." The Lizalfos walked right by the boy and worm and continued down the hall in the direction Suto had come from.

Suto's eyes glowered at the scaled back of the lizard. One day, he would shut that reptile's large mouth for good. The surge of heat that had risen into his cheeks receded and the boy continued onward; his hatred sliding off him like water.

The boy soon came across his destination: a set of plain black double-doors. He grabbed onto the handle and pulled it downwards; flooding the dark hallway with light.

"Master Suto! Back so soon, are you?"

"Daddy shooed me out of his room," Suto told the Gerudo woman that had come to greet him, "so I came back to see you again."

The woman smiled. "Well that was very kind of you." She looked down. "And I see our little friend has come too."

"Amuu follows me everywhere," he said proudly; Amuu looking proud of its name.

"Well, he seems to enjoy his name," the Gerudo said with a smile.

"Did you change your clothes, Caty?" Suto asked, noticing her different attire.

The Gerudo was wearing a dress that better accommodated her figure than what she had been wearing before. It, to say the least, looked a lot more comfortable.

"My Lord ordered it to be so and I obliged to his command." She held out her hand and closed her slender fingers around the boy's hand when he placed it within hers. "Come. I'm sure the others will be glad to see you again."

Suto nodded and went down the hall, Amuu following after shutting the door with its head.

The torches in the short entry hall burned a great deal brighter than the ones in the main hall and everywhere else in the fortress. The hall opened up into a much larger room, a room that was brightly lit and decorated with runs, tapestries, and other things of bright colors; giving the room a happy feeling that greatly contrasted the fortress's dull and grim feel. Several doors lead off to smaller rooms that were the necessities; food, bath, toilet, etc. The slaves were lucky enough to have a toilet, but that thing was so disgusting that, as nasty as it is to say, no one used it that often.

"Auntie Kera!" Suto shouted and ran over to the Gerudo he had spotted and hugged her around the waist, since that was all he was tall enough for.

The woman that he had tackled jumped from the sudden impact around her waist and turned her head around to see the boy behind her. "Suto! It's only been a few minutes," she said giving the boy a smile.

Suto let go of his aunt so she could turn around to face him. "Daddy shooed me out so I came back to se you and the other nice ladies," he replied with one of his large smiles that always cheered Sean up when the white-haired boy felt down.

"You really are a sweetie," Kera said with a smile, ruffling up the boy's hair which made him giggle. "Just like my big sister," she added sadly under her breath so the boy couldn't hear. Kera had been fifteen when Link had brought her and her older sister Nita, who was ten years older than her, to the fortress; Kera was only two years younger than Link at the time.

Suto opened his eyes, since having closed them to keep his hair out of them, and he spotted Lilith on the far side of the room, but when her sea-green eyes meet his emerald-green ones, she quickly swept from the room without a word. "What's wrong with her?" he asked his aunt.

Kera bit her lip momentarily before she spoke. "She…she doesn't trust you anymore," the Gerudo replied softly. "After she found out that you are Link's son," she looked down at the floor, "well…I'm not going to trouble you with her words. You're still a young boy and I know Nita wouldn't want you to hear it."

"Was it bad?"

Kera nodded. "I'm afraid so…I'm afraid so."

"But do not fret, Master Suto," Caty added, placing a hand on the young boy's shoulder. "We will always love you."

Suto blinked. "You love me?"

"Of course, silly," Kera chuckled, giving the boy a hug. "You're my nephew. How could I not?"

"And you're such a sweet little thing," Caty continued. "I'm sure you'll find someone special."

Suto looked over at her. "But what if he already left me here to die?" His tone was innocent, but his eyes gave a hostile flash.

Both Caty and Kera's faces dropped; along with the other harem women that sat nearby.

"Is that the boy that escaped two days ago?" his aunt asked. "Suto…I seriously doubt he left you."

The half-Gerudo turned to his aunt. "How would you know?" The boy seemed angry, through his eyes welled with a few tears.

"Suto, I'm your aunt and even though I rarely got to see you until now, I know how special you were to that white-haired boy. I have never personally met that boy…but when I'd be able to catch glimpses of you two," Kera started to seem saddened, Suto's anger washing away, "I knew I was looking at something special."

Suto was at a loss for words. His mouth moved but no sound came from it; no sound could. Kera's words clashed tremendously with his father's, confusing the young boy. Link had said Sean hated him, but Kera said the complete opposite. Which was the truth?

"Kera's right, you know," Caty said, catching Suto's attention. "You've known that boy for five years now. He's been very close to you. What makes you think he'd turn around and slap you in the face?"

Suto looked down at the floor, eyes remaining there even though Kera and Caty eased him into a couch and sat on either side of him. "He left me…he left me all alone," he whispered after a pause. "He didn't even say goodbye to me."

"Maybe he didn't want it to be a goodbye."

The boy looked up at his aunt when she placed a hand on his thigh.

"If he didn't say goodbye, he didn't want it to be one."

"What does that mean?"

"It means he plans on seeing you again, Suto. A goodbye is forever and he didn't want that."

Suto's gaze went downcast. He suddenly felt a terrible pang of guilt chill his body. He felt horrible for doubting Sean, who was really going to come back for him and really hadn't left him….Or so the half-blood hoped.

"Oh, Suto," Kera cooed, cuddling up her nephew. "Why the sad face?"

"I doubted my best friend," he answered softly. "I thought ill of him and doubted him."

"Everyone doubts someone at least once in their lives, Suto. To doubt is nothing new. It's natural…and I know it hurts. You see, I doubted my older sister…your mother."

Suto looked up at her. "You did? Why?"

Kera looked away from him. "I…I didn't think she was doing the right thing when she fell in love with your father and they…well, when the thought of you entered their minds."

Suto seemed a little distressed. "You didn't want me to be born?"

Kera recovered quickly. "Oh no! I would never think such a thing! I could wish for no one better to be my sister's son. It's just…that night was the start of my sister's demise, but I guess that it was a take one or the other sort of thing. If you hadn't been born, maybe I'd still have my sister today; but with her death, I have you."

The boy seemed saddened. "Well…which were you hoping for? Me or her?"

"To tell the truth, I wanted you both, but the Goddesses were kind and let me keep my nephew. I couldn't ask for anything more." She gave Suto a hug. "I could've lost both of you."

Suto sat happily in the hug. "You mean that?"

"Of course, silly," Kera said with a smile, playing with Suto's hair again; the boy enjoyed that.

"Besides, it's nice to have a little boy around to pamper," Caty added, giving Suto a gentle pinch on his cheek; him gladly soaking up all the attention like a sponge. "And such a cute little boy at that."

"Does daddy get attention like this?" Suto asked, one eye open since someone was enjoying petting his head; he didn't mind.

"Your daddy's a busy man," Kera said, holding the boy in her lap, "and he gets some at the end of the day, but he gets his love and attention by…other means. But you, on the other hand, could use some unconditional love right now."

"What's that?" the boy asked.

"Love for no reason and no matter what you do, but don't let it go to your head."

Suto nodded, closing his eyes. "I won't."

"But, Masssster, you do know that ssssome people are having sssswaying loyaltiessss. They musssst be dealt with."

"Don't waste your breath, Jsu. I am not blind or deaf to what happens behind my back."

The Lizalfos immediately dropped to one knee with a lowered head before his Master, who lounged in the black throne; seeming exceedingly bored. "My apologiessss, my Masssster. I did not mean to be repetitive."

"Your rank and loyalty is higher than most that are. You have nothing to fear. Now stand up." The lizard did so. "Now, would you like to tell me who you think is being disloyal?"

"It would be my pleassssure, Masssster," Jsu hissed, one hand over his heart followed with a short bow. "My sssssourcssesssss tell me that the Gerudo Lilith hassss fallen out of your favor, Masssster. Sssshe issss in love with another man."

Link's attention seemed caught fully caught and yet not at all at the same time. "And that is?" His eyebrows rose in requesting an answer.

"The Zora named Reo, Masssster. Many a time have I sssseen then together in the hallssss. I know not what they disssscusssss, but I know it issss ssssomething that would not earn your approval."

"You've been with me for over twelve years, Jsu. I trust your judgment on what you believe my opinion would be."

"I recsseive your approval with much pleassssure, Masssster." Jsu gave a low bow. "It issss in my opinion that if they rousssse otherssss to their causssse, they could revolt. I hope I did not sssspeak out of tolerancsse, Masssster."

"Your opinion was welcomed and approved," the Hylian answered, watching the lizard with dark, yet bored eyes.

"What do you proposssse issss an appropriate coursssse of action for thissss treasssson, Masssster?" the Lizalfos inquired, hands folded at his back.

"That same as always," the Hylian replied. "Eliminate them."

"Would you like me to do the honorssss, Masssster?"

"I want my son to take care of this one, Jsu. It will be a good test of the worm's killing abilities…as well as my son's."

"Of coursssse, Masssster."

"We all know of Molgera's power, but the little ones elude me." Link stared Jsu in the eyes; unblinking blue versus gold. "No hard feelings about this, I trust."

"May the Goddesssssessss forbid ssssuch an emotion, my Masssster. I'm ssssure thissss one time of many will no russsst my sssskillssss."

"That's good to hear," the Hylian said with one of his sly smiles, knowing that the lizard had said that only to please him. "I know you loathe my son for what he did to your face."

"It issss of no concssern, Masssster," Jsu replied, standing straight backed with his hands folded behind him. "The damage wassss minor and I healed quickly and properly only to ssssuffer a few sssscarssss. Do not worry, Masssster. I will sssstand asssside thissss time."

"You better," Link warned softly but sternly, "because if you don't, it'll be more than just your pride that'll be hurting."

"Undersssstood, my Masssster."

"Daddy?" Suto peeked around the edge of the door he had opened to see what was going on. He saw his father lounging in the black throne; him sitting in it, chin resting in his hand with the elbow on one of the arms while one leg hung over the opposite arm and his other leg looked as it would if the Hylian was sitting normally. Jsu stood a respectful distance from the bored emperor, hands folded at his back; both looking at the boy.

"What is it?"

"Can I come back in?"

"Jsu was just leaving with his orders," he cast the lizard a threatening glance, "weren't you, Jsu?"

The Lizalfos caught the glance and hint. "Of coursssse, my Lord." He gave the Hylian a bow and departed; purposely allowing his tail to whip Suto in the thigh as he passed.

"He's just jealous. Come on in."

Holding his right thigh, Suto hopped into the room over to his father with Amuu in close pursuit.

"What are you doing back so soon?" Link still looked extremely bored.

"Auntie Kera and Caty sent me back," Suto replied. "I don't know why."

"Where they mean to you?"

"No. Them and the others were very nice…but Lilith wasn't."

That interested Link. "How so?" His eyebrows rose.

"She left the room when she saw me and didn't say anything. Auntie Kera said it was because she doesn't trust me."

The Hylian liked the sound of that. "Really….I bet Reo is the same way."

Suto shrugged, massaging his stinging thigh. It made no difference to him either way if Reo and Lilith trusted him or not, though it would hurt.

Link adjusted his body so he was closer to the back of the throne and able to sit up without needing to brace himself up with an arm. "Why don't you come up here?" he asked, patting the seat before him. "Let daddy help you."

Suto climbed up into the throne and sat down, leaning back on Link's chest as if the Hylian was the back of the throne itself.

Link moved the boy a little more so his son was in his lap and made sure that they both were comfortable. He then proceeded to rub the boy's skinny thigh. "Feel better?"

Suto nodded, relaxing into his father's warm body and the soothing feeling the Hylian's hands gave to his leg.

Seeing that his son was feeling relaxed, Link decided to see what information he could draw out of the boy. "So what did you, Kera, and Caty talk about?" he asked, his son's eyes closing.

"Mommy," the boy answered softly, loving the attention from his father, "and Sean….Sean doesn't hate me."

"What makes you say that?" Link pressed, continuing to massage the boy's leg.

"He's coming back for me. Auntie Kera said he was."

"Well…even if he is, would that excuse him from what he put you through?"

Suto opened his eyes and looked up at his father's face. He didn't understand what Link meant.

"Would you excuse him for all that gut wrenching pain you've endured? All those sad lonely hours in that dark room? All those tears you shed because of him?"

Suto still only stared and Link kept on rubbing his leg.

"When does he plan on returning for you? A day? A week? A year? A millennia? Maybe he is returning for you, but how do you know it won't be when you're an adult? An old man? Dead?"

Suto dropped his gaze, feeling his heart do the same.

"You cannot wait for him Suto. You can't wait forever. Only foolish lovers wait for one another forever, but little does one know that the other has found someone new and will never come back."

"And how do you know that's true?" Suto countered in a sulky tone.

"How do you know it's not? The world is cruel, Suto, and will never give you want you want. If you want something, you take it. Don't wait for someone to give it to you because it may never happen." He stopped rubbing the boy's leg, but he didn't seem to notice. "Do you know who Sean spoke to last before he left? Besides you."

"Who?" the boy murmured.

"Lilith and Reo."

Suto looked back up at his father.

"It is believed that he helped him escape," the Hylian continued; knowing full well that it wasn't the truth. "And if he had never met them, he'd never had left."

"What are you saying?"

"Neither of them trust you now, do they?"

"…No…"

"If they are the reason that Sean escaped and caused you so much pain, what are you going to do about them?"

"Return to them what they caused me."

"And that is?"

"…Horrible pain…"

"Good…that's good. What's motivating you to take this course of action?"

"…Because of them…I lost Sean…Now they shall suffer the same with each other."

"That's a good boy," Link whispered with a dark smile into his son's ear. "Does your leg still hurt?"

Suto nodded.

Link gave a nod with a look of mock sympathy and started massaging the boy's thigh once again.

"Reo…I don't like this."

"Like what?"

"Everything. How things have turned…and that boy."

"I think you're overreacting. It's not a sin to have children, you know."

"I know, but you haven't seen Suto lately. He's different…changed."

"I still think you're overreacting. He is just a child."

"I know, but his father is the larger problem. That damn bastard is twisted beyond hell!"

"I know…I know. There is not much that can be done about that now. Everyone knows he's been that way since his childhood…and how old is he now?"

"About twenty-seven…maybe a little more."

"Sounds about right."

"Why are we discussing that bastard's age?"

"Personally, Lilith, I find it somewhat fascinating that a man as young as he has almost completely destroyed an entire world….Something that takes most men well into their years to achieve."

"Well I personally don't care about his achievements. I just want to be rid of him in my life….I want to leave."

"Most want out of here, Lilith. It's a fleeting dream."

"But Sean got out!"

"He is a child and only about as tall as your waist. It would be a lot easier for one of his size to escape rather than one of yours."

"Oh? And when did you become the brains of the group? I thought you were the muscle."

"I thought you were the beautiful distraction. Somebody had to be the brain."

"Oh, stop joking around, Reo."

"And what are you going to do about it if I don't?"

"Are you going to kiss me? Or just stand there?"

"I might…I might not…."

"Well, make up your mind, Mister brains-of-the-outfit."

"Who's joking around now, hmm?"

The darkness of night of night had long fallen over Termina and the fortress, the torches reacting to this on their own and dimming for slumber, but bright enough to light the way for a late-night stalker. Reo and Lilith were alone in the dimmed black hall, enjoying one of their rare intimate moments, but this time, they weren't really alone.

"What'ssss thissss?" a sarcastic voice cackled. "I ssssee you two are at it again."

The Zora and Gerudo broke apart immediately, feeling the heat of their blood rush into their faces. Lilith didn't let her embarrassment stop her anger, however.

"What are you doing out here so late, Jsu?" she demanded, not willing to let the lizard get to her.

"I can assssk you the ssssame quesssstion," the Lizalfos replied; arms crossed over his scaled chest and leaning against a wall with his shoulder, "but I think it'ssss all too obvioussss." He chuckled softly for a few moments. "In ansssswer to your quesssstion, my sssshift for patrolling the hallssss issss during the night…and I find yet another usssslesssss piecsse of information to tell my Masssster."

Lilith felt the heat in her face increase, her hand finding Reo's for comfort and in no use to hide their relationship any longer from the Lizalfos. "He knows?"

"Of coursssse he doessss," Jsu laughed. "My Masssster hassss known for ssssome time now. Do you think a harem girl can keep a ssssecret from the only man sssshe will ever ssssleep with? I think not!" The lizard's golden eyes were crazed in thinking that the two before him were far inferior in intelligence.

Lilith's hand tightened around Reo's and he returned the grasp. "I never asked to be raped by him," she murmured darkly.

Jsu just gave a loud hissed laugh. "Nor did the otherssss…excssept for the boy'ssss mother. Sssshe wassss the only one who accssepted what my Masssster gave her…a child. While you would throw it away without a ssssecond thought. Wouldn't you?" Jsu loved the way both Lilith and Reo cringed away from his words. If he could not kill them, he would toy with their minds using the truth. "A fissssh and a humanoid. What hope of a full relationsssship do you think you can have in one that cannot producsse young? Issssn't that what loverssss want?"

"Stop talking like you would know," Lilith snapped, the braver of the two.

"Oh? And you do? I may be a mere Lizalfossss from a war-torn world, but I know my sssshare of what relationsssshipssss are, by courtessssy of my Masssster. He taught me many thingssss of hissss and both your culturessss. Do not take me for a fool, becausssse if you do…the fool issss you!"

Lilith found the lizard's words disturbing. Why was he even bothering in speaking to them, more or less what he was telling them? She was even more surprised when Jsu's mood suddenly changed, like he had somewhere to go, as well as very bored.

"Well, I musssst ssssay it'ssss been a pleassssure knowing the both of you," he said, straightening himself and dropping his arms to his sides. "I hope you two have a pleassssent life…however long it lasssstssss." The lizard chuckled darkly as he walked past them. "Cssiao."

Reo and Lilith watched the lizard vanish into the dark of the halls before they looked nervously at each other.

"What do you suppose that last part was about?" the Gerudo asked, wide-eyed.

Before Reo could answer, a scratching sound filled the hall, soon seeming to reach deafening levels. Long spiked creatures scuttled about the hall; some running along the walls. Reo clutched Lilith close, arm fins brandished outwards as a warning, as the worms surrounded them in the hall; cutting off their escape routes.

"In answer to your question," a young voice replied from the shadows; a young boy's body emerging from the darkness of the hall at a brisk determined pace, "he was inferring your eventual death…which will quickly commence."

The boy's brown-red hair fell over his right eye, hiding it completely from sight, while his left eye glowered out from behind shorter bangs at the two adults. Any hint of a young child within had been completely terminated.

"Suto…what are you doing?"

The boy made no move to answer or any recognition to the name. "You have fallen out of my father's favor and so must suffer the penalty. You must pay for this insolence with your lives."

"I told you he was different," Lilith muttered under her breath. "Damn his bastard father to the farthest depths of hell."

"You are, however, free to fight for your lives," Suto continued, as if he were a machine, "but do not hope for escape…for there will be none." He lifted an arm, hand directed at the Zora and Gerudo, but his hand was limp on his wrist; dangling uselessly on his straight arm. "Kill them," he ordered, his hand suddenly gaining strength and fingers pointing at the two.

The small worms immediately reacted and several leapt for them. Reo held up his arm fins was able to slice a few of the worms into pieces —green blood flying everywhere— but the worms' numbers suddenly increased from the surrounding halls and overtook both the Zora and Gerudo with merciless ease.

Suto stood as still as stone, Amuu obediently at his side, staring at the raging carnage before him yet his eyes did not see it; his senses blinded by rage. He finally blinked when a warm wetness splattered against his face, his eyes back to that of a young boy. He reached a hand up to his cheek and slowly drew it across his skin; heart beginning to race in his chest. He pulled his hand away and held it before him, fingers trembling along with his eyes and breath. Red blood dripped from his hand, hot against his warmed flesh from his own rushing blood. Something stopped in his throat, causing his lungs to stop taking in air as well as expelling it. He slumped down to his knees, feeling like he was about to hyperventilate.

"W-wh-wha-wha-what have I-I d-done?" he asked himself, body violently trembling. "What have I done!"

He clenched his hands into fists and pounded the stone floor repeatedly, eyes tightly shut and tears pouring from them. "I never wanted to kill them! Never! Never!" The boy sat there, his back arched as he sat on his knees and leaned on his arms that lay tensely before him on the stone floor. He sat there and sobbed silently as the worms feasted right in front of him, only Amuu remaining at his side and trying to comfort him.

A distance down the hall, a man stood in the shadows, his dark silky attire hiding him despite his brilliant blonde hair and battle-tanned skin that greatly contrasted the black stone. His arms were crossed and he leaned against the wall. "Bravo, kid," he said softly, face wearing a dark expression and grin, "you make daddy proud…very proud."

His blue-eyes gaze changed when someone walked up beside him; dark blue meeting amber gold.

"What do you think, Masssster?"

"I am pleased, Jsu," he looked back at the bent form of his crying son, "very, very pleased indeed."

I've just got one question, since I am very interested in what my reader's think of my writing.

What do you think of the plot twists that have occured in this chapter?

Please do take your time in any of your reviews and tell me what you really do think of my fic. I really enjoy deep and involved reviews, which help tell me what I'm doing well and what I need to work on. More reviews like that and I should be able to improve my writing skills and make this story more enjoyable for me to write and you to read. Thaqnk you lots. :bows: