Terribly sorry about the slow update, Just keep reviewing, reminds me to post another chapter. ;-) (Legend of Zelda belongs to Nintendo)

Chapter Eighteen

Breakout

Link awoke with a start. For a few seconds, he blinked uncomprehendingly at the unfamiliar thatched ceiling. Huh? He tried to sit up and immediately regretted it. Intense pain slashed through his brain, blinding him of all senses. He rolled off the bed and landed on the hard wood floor with a thud. The migraine still stabbing at his consciousness, Link slowly got to his elbows and knees. With bloodshot eyes, he looked around his new accommodations. Within seconds, the only door opened with a bang.

"Oh! Are you alright?" An old woman said from the now open doorway. She was carrying an old wooden tray with what looked like a steaming bowl of soup. "Petre! He's awake!" The woman suddenly shouted out the door before the confused hero could respond.

"Er…" Link managed to croak out before an even more elderly man came clambering up some stairs outside the door and poked his head in.

"Whot'choo doin' on the floor? Come on Marie, let's 'elp 'im up." The old man spoke with a heavy Cockney-like accent as he picked him up by the arm and helped him back on the bed.

"Here you go dear." Marie said, offering Link the soup like a grandmother. Link cautiously took a sip of the hot broth, its warmth spreading to the tips of his fingers.

"Where's Zelda?" He croaked out after downing the hot soup a bit too fast. The old couple simply stared at him.

"Well, there's no Zelda 'round here. 'Cept the princess 'o course, but—" Marie started.

"Yes, her! Where is she?" Link pressed. They simply stared at him. Petre scratched his bald scalp thoughtfully and muttered under his breath.

"Bump on the 'ead I reckon…" He cleared his throat and replied louder. "Well, I reckon she's up at the castle but tha' was attacked not three days ago!"

"No, she's not at the cast—Wait, what did you say?" He replied impatiently.

"The castle was attacked three days ago. By an 'orrible army o' monsters." He and his wife shuddered as they remembered the day.

"What kind of monsters…?" Link asked slowly, already suspecting the answer.

"All kinds." The man replied with a dark look. "Most o' them those awful skelo-tons. Whatter they called? O yeah, Sta'foes." He looked out a window that Link just noticed and continued. "Lucky our farm was just outta the way." The Hero stared out the window, recognizing the cliff wall. If he was where he thought he was, they were in the shrubby plain near the entrance of Lake Hylia. White sheep, Petre's livestock, were munching on the shrubs without a care in the world. In the distance, he could still see the smoking ruins of Death Mountain, now lower than ever.

"Where did you find me?" He asked the farmers curiously.

Ch-click!

Malon's eyes opened at the soft sound. She had finally picked the lock. Looking carefully into the corridor for guards, she gently pushed the gate open. After wincing after a particularly loud creak, the gate was open enough for the farm girl to squeeze through. Once she was out she carefully closed the gate and reattached the lock.

Click!

She flinched at the sound of the lock and was frozen in fear by the next sound. The grunting snore of a Moblin guard, sleeping in a nook next to her cell. For what seemed like hours, Malon stood frozen, not daring to make a sound.

"Psst! Hey girl!" A hoarse voice whispered behind her. She looked around frantically, trying to tell the speaker to shut up when the Moblin grunted its loudest yet. Terror overcoming the need for stealth, she dashed to the next guard nook and hid in it. The Moblin was the only guard on duty thankfully. With a spectacular snort, the Moblin woke up. After a quick check for superiors, he glared around the dungeon, trying to see what had woken him up. After a few guttural curses, the oversized pig closed its eyes and went back to sleep. Malon let out a silent breath of relief. That was too close… She was about to creep toward the door when…

BANG!

Malon jumped back with a shriek that was fortunately muffled by the door that had just slammed open. The Moblin was startled so badly that he jumped about three feet before landing on his feet in a full salute. Malon carefully peered around the nook wall and caught a glimpse of the Stal-King coming through the door, escorted by the stalfos general and two Lizalfos, before a bandaged hand suddenly grabbed her around the mouth and pulled her back. Her cry of surprise had been muffled enough by the bandages that the Stal-King hadn't heard a thing.

"Invisibilis!" A voice behind her hissed. Immediately, she felt as if the world was becoming somewhat muffled, somewhat unimportant. She was about to look behind her to see who had spoken when the Stal-King strode past as if she and her captor didn't exist.

"Where's the girl?" A stalfos' grating voice suddenly cut through the feeling of irrelevance. The Stal-King halted and turned around to face the Stalfos that had spoken. "There was a girl in here earlier." General Stalakor reiterated, glaring at the Moblin who was now staring at the empty cell with a stupefied look.

"Unnh…" The Moblin looked at the stalfos elite fearfully. "There—(grunt) wasn't uh… (grunt) a girl, (grunt-grunt) erm, here…"The Moblin lied in a completely unconvincing tone. With a venomous hiss, Stalakor wrapped his strong bony fingers around the pig's think windpipe and slowly began to squeeze.

"No girl? Was I hallucinating?" He hissed at him with seething red eyes. "We have an escaped prisoner, my lord." He continued to the Stal-King who was watching the show with a slight hint of boredom.

"Very well. It will be up to you to find her, General. I, on the other hand, have an appointment with the princess. Good hunting." The Stal-King swiveled around and walked around the corner toward the deeper dungeons. Stalakor looked back at the Moblin, who's eyes were practically popping from fear and suffocation. With a growl, Stalakor drew his blood-red sword and slashed the guard's throat in punishment. "Burn that thing." He said to the two accompanying Lizalfos, pointing at the dead Moblin. As the lizards dragged the body out, Stalakor looked around for the escaped prisoner (once looking straight through Malon), and finally stormed out the door, slamming it closed with a bang.

"Visibilis." The voice behind Malon spoke in a weary voice as he lowered his hand from her mouth. The feeling of irrelevance evaporated like a dream. The farm girl turned to see a white-haired boy no older than she was. He was leaning against the wall of the guard nook, clearly exhausted. He was wearing a dirty blue outfit with the faint symbol of an eye on his chest. His pointed face was pale, with spiky silver tattoos surrounding his tired red eyes.

"Thanks." Malon said to him, uncertainly. "Who are you?"

"I'm Quin… of the Shiekah…" He gasped out.

"I'm Malon… Are you alright?" She replied with a concerned look. He nodded, taking a couple more breaths.

"I'm… fine. Just not used to doing magic yet, not one that…continuous anyway. I'll be alright in a few minutes." Quin sat down heavily into the guard seat and recuperated while Malon took a cautious look around the dungeon.

It was all clear, but she couldn't help thinking about what the Stal-King had said. 'I have an appointment with the princess.' Had Zelda been captured? Her thoughts turned to Link. She knew that he loved Zelda dearly, and would be extremely worried about her. Perhaps he would come here and rescue them all! Wherever 'here' is… She thought as she helped Quin to his feet.

Hope you're enjoying the story. Thanks for the reviews!