Wild Pursuits

Oh Hylia. It's the Lizalfos...they're going to kill me...

It felt as though she was kicked in the stomach. Her breath came in ragged gasps. Their eyes watched her greedily. She was to be their meal. From where she was treading, she could smell their foul breath. It smelled like death and decay. She would be torn apart by these Lizalfos piece by piece, her limbs mingling with dead bodies in their stomachs and then digested. The only thing that would accompany her dead and digested skeletal remains was flies.

Her stomach lurched in disgust, her eyes stinging from the salt water, and she was freezing to the bone. Zelda felt as if she would rather fight Ganondorf for 100 years than die like this. Not only would she be eaten but she would feel their teeth tearing at her body, piece by piece.

She knew she was outmatched, and that her speed in the water would be no match for them. Although, the odds were slim that she'd escape she preferred slim to none, so she took off and plowed through the murky waters in the other direction. She saw the true form of the Lizalfos as they leapt out of the water in anticipation at catching at their prey. Their scaly bodies of green, blue, and silver shimmered. Zelda's arms cut through the water like knives and her feet kicked to propel her forward away from the Lizalfos. Her blood roared in her ears, her heart leapt in her chest at an irregular pace and a primitive instinct for survival took over her body.

A silver Lizalfo tried to bite her right hand off, but her malice-infested left hand was quicker. As the jaw of the Lizalfo neared within an inch of her flesh, her left hand reached out and grabbed its neck. The Lizalfo shrieked in pain and writhed in Zelda's hold. She gritted her teeth and squeezed its neck. Only when the monster's eyes rolled back into its head and its body went limp did she let go. It fell back into the water. At the sight of their limp comrade, the other Lizalfos gnashed their teeth, enraged at Zelda's actions.

Zelda screamed when teeth dug into her boot. She could feel pointed teeth piercing her skin. She shook the Lizalfo off though it did take her boot with it. Her foot screeched in pain she couldn't use her right leg anymore.

I'm not going to make it.

The young heroine stopped trying to flee anymore, she closed her eyes. This was it. She was too tired to fight anymore. She'd never been so tired, so depleted, so absent of stamina. Zelda couldn't fight anymore. This is how she would die: eaten by Lizalfos. Although Zelda would have preferred to die either peacefully or in noble combat her wish obviously couldn't be granted. The Lizalfos didn't waver in their chase. They grew nearer and nearer with hunger laced in their eyes. Zelda gave a soft cry and her hands reached futilely above her as she felt her body sink below the surface.

Hello, Hylia.

"ZELDA!" Zelda's eyes flew open at the sound of her name. To her great surprise, she saw Prince Link standing on...an ice block? The ice block shimmered in a crystal blue that lit up the cavern in a beautiful glow. To Zelda's dismay she saw the two Yiga standing beside her prince on the ice block. Prince Link outstretched his hand to Zelda. "Come on!" Zelda didn't hesitate to take it.

A Lizalfo snapped at her feet though it was disappointed since now Zelda was safely on the ice block. Zelda stared confused at the ice block beneath her feet. How was this possible? She was alone a moment ago and now she was standing on a solid block of elegantly carved ice.

Prince Link seemed to read her mind, "Oh...yeah." Prince Link showed her the Sheikah Slate which was in his hand. "Don't you remember inventing this together. You can summon an ice block with it, remember?" The Yiga behind Prince Link didn't seem to question how he was able to make an ice block. "For a scientist Zelda you are very forgetful." Prince Link gave her a quick wink as he turned his head so the Yiga couldn't see his face. Zelda's puzzlement evaporated. Prince Link was pretending she and he were scientists, so the Sheikah Slate wasn't questionable and so their identities could remain hidden.

"Uh...yup. Because... science. Yup. Pretty handy." Zelda nodded awkwardly. She stared down at the lunging Lizalfos. She turned to glare at the Yiga. How exactly did Prince Link wind up these two? "So...should we be going?" Zelda asked.

"Yes, yes! Agreed!" Master Kohga threw up his hands impatiently. The Yiga Leader's eyes fell on the slate and pointed at it. "Couldn't you get a move on Link! I'm a very busy man!"

"Correction: Doctor Link" Prince Link snarked pedantically out before fiddling with the Sheikah Slate. Zelda rolled her eyes. If Prince Link kept behaving aloofly, Master Kohga may not catch on, but Sooga still might. "My title is necessary after all I am the second most esteemed scientist in the world... after Dr. Purah, of course."

Zelda whispered out of the corner of her mouth as quietly as she could, "We better get going or they may recognize us. We don't want to test our luck." Prince Link looked disappointed to cut short his charade but acknowledged her suggestion. He fiddled with the Sheikah slate, and another ice block sprouted up in the waters in front of them.

Despite Prince Link's best efforts to go as fast as he could, they progressed slowly. It was tedious and boring to leapt to another ice block and wait for Prince Link to summon another. It grew annoying listening to Master Kohga comment about everything around them. Master Kohga couldn't even leap to the next block without Sooga giving him a boost each time.

Zelda was very keen to learn how the Yiga and Prince Link had become temporary allies. She didn't know how to ask without sounding like she didn't want the Yiga to be alive. "So...you guys are not trying to kill us anymore?" Master Kohga looked up at those words.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean...nothing personal. We did kind of want to kill you. Uh...witnesses to something like what was happening...you know...back when Queeny and Lord Ganondork—Ganondorf were doing their fighting, dueling, whatever. It's a rule from Lord Ganondorf to kill anyone that sees something that he didn't ask to be seen. It's weird but Lord Ganondorf's got his reasons I'm sure...he's like something...Hylia knows how old he is but it's best not to question him...I'm sure when you're that old you've got to be pretty wise," Master Kohga was trembling and stumbling over his words, quaking with fear.

Though, Ganondorf may be older than the whole world put together. He spent all those years imprisoned in Hylia's prison...I'm sure talking to no one else for that long...will make you a bit...interesting.

"I sometimes wonder though...he is a bit secretive nowadays. When he first broke out from his imprisonment recently, he was all strong and tough and awesome. I mean...he's great and all but he's so preoccupied by other things that we can't ever plan any attacks or anything! The guy is always gone somewhere, every three days he leaves exactly at daybreak and then comes back at midnight! Poor Jerry our night watch has to actually stay up on those nights and let Ganondorf in every night that he returns. And I have had the worst burden of them all! I've had to make up even more games to play every night to keep the clan members entertained since we're getting bored of our current games while we wait for Ganondorf to make a move. I mean I love to settle down and play "Hot Banana" every night but without the thrill of terrorizing in the day we've had to play games all day...it gets really draining. Worst of all I'm running out of bananas to give as a prize to the winner!" As Master Kohga's frustration grew, his voice trembled less.

"Master...I wouldn't give too much information to these strangers." Sooga interjected, straightening his posture and staring at the duo. "Regarding the...games. The adult clan members are forced to play the games with the children I assure you. We don't enjoy them. We are an extremely serious clan."

Master Kohga turned to Sooga. "What are you talking about Sooga? The kids never want to play with us! They always want to go spar or practice with their swords or whatever. It's an outrage that the new generation does not value the importance of fun." The Yiga Leader pointed at Sooga. "And you literally just played a round of "Find-the-Banana Bunch" just last night with me, Gera, and Sandy! Oh, boy let me tell you, you had no shame in gloating when you won five times in a row!" Zelda swore that she saw Sooga's mask tinge red. Sooga decided not to reply.

What in Hyrule is happening?

The rest of the journey was in silence, Sooga seemed too embarrassed to speak which he rarely did anyways. Zelda couldn't blame him. From Master Kohga's brief explanation of the Yiga Clan they seemed more farcical than menacing though she knew that wasn't quite true. Although the Yiga Clan were known to be fearsome, she had learned that they had a great affection for bananas and also were not always as frighting as they seemed. At least Kohga wasn't. Sooga still was intimidating. She had heard around the training camp back in Hyrule and even in her village in prior months that people had recently begun sympathizing with the Yiga claiming that they are not understood and have become dehumanized due to rumors. Zelda had dismissed these arguments angrily since they had killed her mother.

Although the Yiga leader before her was somewhat harmless, his clan had murdered her mother and had recently tried to assassinate Prince Link while he was in the hospital ward recovering from encountering Ganondorf in the Lockup.

She reflected on what she knew of the foundation of the Yiga Clan. The Yiga had once been Sheikah who were banished from the kingdom of Hyrule at the command of a long-forgotten King of Hyrule. It was said that the King grew afraid of the Sheikah's quickly climbing technological feats. He told the Sheikah that they must abandon their scientific skills and live a simple life, prohibiting any more scientific research.

Although many of the Sheikah obeyed the King's demands and abandoned everything which they had built up a few Sheikah rose up, defying the King for this outrageous suppression of knowledge and skill. These Sheikah continued their scientific research as an act of revolt and these Sheikah were banished. These banished Sheikah formed the Yiga Clan.

Fleeing Hyrule due their banishment, the Yiga's sought haven in the Gerudo Desert. The Gerudo's allowed the Yiga to live there and ever since it has been rumored that the Yiga Hideout is hidden among the dunes of the desert. In the Gerudo desert where they fled, they turned to worship the ancient Ganondorf who they believed had been wronged by the royal family as they themselves had.

Zelda frowned as she glanced at the two Yiga's. She couldn't imagine how long this clan had survived. Although worshipping Ganondorf back then may have been meant to irritate the royal family it had grown to more than that for the Yiga. How had it survived that long? Did these Yiga truly still stay true to their vile religion, to worship an evil man?

Master Kohga interrupted Zelda's thoughts. "Hey, I just thought of something. Your names sound familiar. Zelda and Link." The Yiga Master tapped his temple with his pointer finger as though to shake the info loose from his brain. Zelda's hand beaded with sweat despite the coolness of the ice block below her feet and her temples were starting to throb. Prince Link inhaled sharply but didn't look up, merely redoubled his efforts at building ice blocks as fast as he could so the party could finally get ashore. Zelda looked up and could practically see the wood marks on the docks. They were so close.

"Dr. Link. How many times must I repeat it?" Prince Link spun on his heel to glare at the Yiga Leader. In doing so Prince Link had paused his focus on trying to summon the ice block. Master Kohga put his hands on his hips, glancing between the two of them.

"AHA! I know who you are!" Master Kohga pointed at Prince. "And you!" he then pointed at the red-faced Zelda.

No, no, no, no! Not now! We are so close!

"I have been suspicious as well Master." Sooga stood with his hand hovering over his blade and turned to face his Master, standing close and whispering furtively in his ear. Prince Link saw the situation was flying out of control. With redoubled speed Prince Link's fingers flew over the Sheikah Slate and ice blocks sprang up from the water. The heroine and the prince leapt across the ice blocks slipping at each step but finally they made it to the docks leaving Master Kohga and Sooga a few blocks behind.

"You're Prince Link and she's your precious heroine! I'M A GENIUS! Wait...where are they?" Master Kohga looked around, bewildered. Sooga pointed across from them onto the dock. On the dock were the prince and heroine. Two ice blocks stood between the Yiga and the dock. The prince wore a smirk which made the Yiga Leader become uncomfortable. "Uh...oh."

"See you guys, later!" Prince Link pressed a button on the Sheikah Slate and the two Yiga glanced at each other. Their ice block shattered and the Yiga plummeted into freezing waters. The two ice blocks in front of them shattered in rapid succession as Link pointed his Sheikah Slate at them and gleefully pressed buttons. Zelda loomed over the side of the dock, staring down at the helpless Yiga's as they splashed furiously in the waters. Though there were no Lizalfos in the immediate vicinity and no dangers in the waters below it was surely numbing to the bone.

"SOOGA! HELP! MY ARM'S BROKEN! I CAN'T SWIM! HELP!" Sooga scooped the flailing Yiga from the numbing waters and slung him over his back, swimming slowly towards the dock given the extra load. Master Kohga shook his fist at the prince and heroine. Sooga treaded water. "OH, I'LL GET YOU! I PROMISE YOU, I WILL! NEXT TIME SOOGA'S GONNA BREAK YOUR ARM!" the Yiga Leader turned to Sooga. "Right, Sooga?" Sooga nodded. "PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM, HEROES!"

Master Kohga's loathing was evident from where Zelda stood safely on the docks. She forced a laugh although it was hollow, without any mirth. She was mildly relieved that Link had broken the blocks only after the Lizalfos had been left behind. She now saw the Yiga splashing in the water as somewhat pitiful and certain to clamber up onto the docks after a few minutes of discomfort. Part of her was relieved they wouldn't be eaten by Lizalfos but part of her couldn't see past the cruel eye of their mask nor the blood-colored uniforms nor their cruelly cut blades. Everything had spiraled out of control so fast.

The excitement of the day had become jumbled up into what felt like less than 20 minutes. The young heroine hadn't had any time to process who she was with or who she was against. The Yiga were the ones who were responsible for taking her mother's life. It had been so long ago, and she could still picture vividly the cruel emotionless inverted eye on the mask of the Yiga who killed her mother.

Zelda knew that neither Sooga nor Master Kohga could be responsible for the death directly. Sooga couldn't have been much older than Zelda judging by his strong build and the timber of his voice. Master Kohga had only been recently appointed as the new master a few years ago. The death had happened a decade ago which proved that her mother's murder couldn't have been done by them. Yet with their faceless masks so similar to the ones from Zelda's past, those two reminded her of the life which was taken from her.

Although the duo splashing before her were innocent of that crime, something evil and hateful gnawed at her, whispering that it was their fault her mother was dead. A nasty small part of her sincerely hoped the Lizalfos would be attracted by the splashing and perhaps be hungry as well.

Her left hand subconsciously reached out though no flesh met its grip. It closed suddenly as if choking an invisible person in the air. She brought herself back to the day of her mother's death, the scent of freshly baked pie, the chatter of the townsfolk and the clicking of horseshoes. Her life as she knew it stopped when the Yiga appeared with their cruel blades slicing in the air.

In her mind's eye Zelda was not a child but a mature young woman with no helplessness in her eyes as her younger, weaker self-had possessed. She relived the scene, but this time Zelda grabbed each of the Yiga by the neck and choked them until the light left their eyes. After all the Yiga were dead, she turned to meet the warm gaze of her mother. Her mother's dress had no stains of blood, nor any sign of pain drawn her face. A comforting smile graced her mother's countenance. Zelda's mother held Zelda's face in her hands and placed a kiss on her forehead before looking her daughter in the eyes. "I'm so proud of you." Then the warm scene faded away as the coldness of the underworld returned. Zelda's fantasy was gone in a blink of eye. Though it was a simple daydream Zelda felt a tear tug at her eye.

"Let's go." Zelda didn't ask for Prince Link's opinion and grabbed his hand before the prince could say a thing. The warmth of Prince Link's hand soothed her as the tears tugged at her eyes. She couldn't protect her mother but maybe she could protect him. Her heart which had dropped slowly lifted itself back up at that thought.

"Wait! Where are we going?" Prince Link whispered loudly to Zelda. Once again, the heroine and the prince were muscling past the crowd. Prince Link tapped Zelda on the shoulder with his free hand. "Aren't you going to compliment me on my Cryonis ice blocks and my quick thinking on secret identities?"

Zelda turned quickly to Prince Link, "Yes. Very clever," she spit out, more harshly than she intended. "Actually, it was really quick thinking and I appreciate it. But we've got to find the Queen." Zelda knew that when they had left her, the Queen was holding her own in a duel with Ganondorf but there was considerable danger to both parties in that battle. The Queen seemed surprised by the true extent of Ganondorf's power. If Ganondorf was able to manipulate the Queen's power...who knew what else, he could do? "She may be hurt or worse..." Zelda murmured.

As Zelda and Prince Link neared "The Blood Bucket," Zelda's hope to find the Queen still there and uninjured evaporated. Before them the sturdy ship of "The Blood Bucket" was ablaze with flames that roared high in the cavern. "A fire?" Prince Link's eyes went wide. Prince Link now was the one leading the duo as he tried to push past the crowd to get a better look. Alas, the crowd were mesmerized. A foolish painter had set up his easel and was painting the crumbling ship murmuring, "Ah, what a sight to behold. I must capture it on canvas."

"My mother...She's...she's not..." Prince Link stammered.

A burly female Gerudo emerged from "The Blood Bucket" with a scowl drawn on her face. Zelda recognized it was Nemesis who looked both furious and miserable at the sight of her infamous casino burning to the waters. As Nemesis passed by the heroine and the prince, the Gerudo murmured angrily. "I'm going to make those good-for-nothing Triforce wielders pay for this."

From the singed swinging doors of the casino emerged a towering male Gerudo. It was Ganondorf. Everyone in the crowd shrieked. He plowed swiftly through the crowd. Nemesis dared to shake a fist at him, "YOU THERE! GET BACK HERE!" To her dismay, Ganondorf didn't break stride to acknowledge Nemesis's calls. "I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE THE TRIFORCE OF PEEVISHNESS OR WHATEVER YOU ARE! I DEMAND YOU TO GET BACK HERE AND HAVE THE DECENCY OF PAYING FOR THE DAMAGE YOU HAVE CAUSED!" Nemesis shouted over the excitement of the throng.

A third figure rushed out of the doors of "The Blood Bucket". The flames destroying the ship loomed behind their dark figure. As soon as Zelda saw the determined and controlled stride of the cloaked figure, she knew who it was. The Queen followed in hot pursuit of Ganondorf, using the path that Ganondorf had already paved for her. Her hood fell away from her face. The crowd gasped. Nemesis's face contorted into rage. "OH, THE HONORABLE QUEEN OF HYRULE! I KNOW THAT YOUR DIVINE CRUSADE IS IMPORTANT BUT SO IS THE WELLBEING OF MY CASINO!" Nemesis motioned to her burning casino and yelled again. "I DON'T KNOW HOW TO STATE THIS YOUR HIGHNESS BUT PAY UP!"

"Not interested." The Queen didn't even bother to glance at Nemesis. The Queen of Hyrule's eyes never left Ganondorf's retreating back. She didn't even blink as though she would lose him if she turned her gaze for a second. Prince Link and Zelda turned to one another. The prince arched his eyebrow, shrugging slightly. Wordlessly he and Zelda clasped hands and darted into the fray, following the Queen and holding tight to each other so they wouldn't be pushed apart by the jostling bystanders.

The heroine and the prince followed like a pair of blood hounds without letting their gaze on the Queen nor Ganondorf stray. They ran on docks, through ships, and came back to the docks. It was a constant state of movement... ducking, dodging, jumping which reminded Zelda eerily of the brawl from before. She and Link moved smoothly and silently, part race and part dance as they ducked under obstacles and hopped over debris on the ground.

Just as the crowd thinned a tunnel appeared out of nowhere. Zelda and Prince Link followed the Queen into the tunnel with Ganondorf leading the chase. Darkness engulfed them. Though the tunnel twisted and turned their direction was always clear since there were no branches and there was plenty of sounds to follow. Ganondorf shouted taunts at the Queen who fired back insults, their footfalls were loud on the wet stones, thus they were easy to follow though remarkably fast.

Just as Zelda began to pant from the sustained sprinting and felt her shoulders slump forward with exhaustion, a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. Ganondorf and the Queen were silhouetted briefly as they ran into the light out of the tunnel. Prince Link and Zelda slowed a bit to catch their breath. As Zelda stepped out into the light, she realized that she was back on the Lurelin shores.

Alas, Ganondorf was nowhere in sight. The Queen ran on the shore kicking up white sand everywhere as she ran in her searched for Ganondorf. Blue skies shimmered down at them, palm trees loomed over them, and the waves gently met the shores. The Queen fell to her knees, tearing out her hair and she looked up across the serene ocean. "Where is he?" she murmured quietly to herself. Her hoarse voice rose to a shout. "WHERE IS HE?"

"Mother?" Prince Link asked hesitantly. He let go of Zelda's hand and approached his mother. At the sound of Prince Link's voice, the Queen's shoulders began to shake in rage. The Queen turned and Zelda hadn't seen such a distressing appearance in such a long time. The Queen's eyes were bloodshot, dark heavy bags were under her eyes and it looked as if the Queen had aged 10 years. The Queen's eyes were lit with fury, her fists clenched at her sides and her face flushed. Prince Link's face went pale.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE?" the Queen screamed. A pair of seagulls pecking on the shore took flight. Her voice rang out through the empty dunes, ricocheting off the mountain which lay behind them. The Queen's furious gaze turned to Zelda. Zelda's body grew numb at the shaking rage in the Queen's voice. "I. TOLD. YOU. TO. LEAVE! YOU'VE DISRESPECTED MY AUTHORITY! BOTH OF YOU HAVE!" she shrieked.

"I TOLD YOU TO TAME THE DIVINE BEASTS AND YOU DIDN'T OBEY MY COMMAND! I ASKED YOU TWO TO DO ONE JOB AND YOU COULDN'T COMPLETE IT!" the Queen inhaled deeply before continuing. "YOU ALMOST RUINED EVERYTHING! I NEEDED YOU TO BE BUSY WITH THE BEASTS WHILE I COULD FINALLY SILENCE GANONDORF! IF HE TOLD THE KINGDOM OF THE LIES THAT OUR FAMILY—" the Queen stopped herself, horror dawned on her face as she looked up at the heroine and the prince. She stammered, looking at her son who had a bewildered expression. Zelda stared at the Queen with uncertainty.

What lies?

"Mother, what are you talking about?" Prince Link placed a hand on his mother's shoulder. He spoke kindly but with a sense of urgency in his voice. "What lies? What has our family lied about? What does Ganondorf have to do with this?" the Queen swatted her son's hand off her shoulder before getting up and brushing the sand off her cloak.

"Nothing. Nothing, Link." The Queen smiled at Prince Link though Zelda could tell it was not sincere. There was something pretentious in her eyes and her anger dissipated too fast. "I'm just babbling, my dear. Nerves, that's what it is. I'm just shaken up that's all. Ganondorf is evil and that is all that the Kingdom needs to know to justify his execution, my son." Although Prince Link appeared relieved at his mother's warm words Zelda could tell that he distrusted his mother.

The Queen smoothed out her cloak before announcing "Goodbye, my son...and Zelda. I must go slay Ganondorf. I will be back shortly. I have my suspicions about where he ran off to." The Queen's gaze swept over the horizon of the ocean before turning back to the duo. With a sweep of her cloak, the Queen strutted off. Although the Queen glided off gracefully, Zelda could still see the Queen's hands shaking.

"Wait, your majesty!" Zelda yelled and dashed to the Queen's side. The Queen paused her trek and glared at the heroine. The young heroine was growing more suspicions of the monarch's true intentions by the minute. Although Zelda agreed with Ganondorf being an evil man, the heroine could tell there was more to the story. She also knew that story was one the Queen was not going to spill easily. "I suggest you bring us with you."

The Queen scowled at Zelda's request. "Absolutely not. I, myself have taken up the messy duty of disposing of Ganondorf and I will fulfill it." The Queen placed her hand over her heart and fluttered her eyelids as if it was a sacred duty which it may have been though Zelda doubted it was simple duty.

"However, you failed the last time you faced him." Zelda spoke respectfully but firmly. The Queen jerked her head towards Zelda at these words. Although the words were true the Queen looked shocked as if failure was an unacceptable word in her vocabulary. Judging by the frantic chase by the Queen of Ganondorf it seemed that the battle had gone undecided, a stalemate between the two of them. Zelda motioned to Prince Link who was behind her. "It may help you if you have backup like Prince Link and I."

The Queen pondered while looking at Prince Link who was scuffing his toe awkwardly in the sand then she turned back to Zelda. The Queen's voice dropped, "I can agree to the heroine accompanying me if Prince Link remains here." Zelda was taken aback. "He's not needed," the Queen waved a dismissive hand.

"Actually, I believe I am, Mother." Prince Link's voice came from behind them. A hand reached between them and dangled the Sheikah Slate in front of their faces in a patronizing manner. Prince Link stepped in front of them with his left hand on his hip and his right hand holding the Sheikah Slate. "Let me remind you, mother, that I am the one with the Sheikah Slate and I am the only one who have mastered its complex system. You need me."

The Queen glared at her son then sighed before striding away from the duo. "Fine. You can come as long as you don't die. If you die the royal bloodline wouldn't continue, and that's bad for the kingdom." Zelda winced at that comment. It seemed as though the Queen regarded Prince Link as an item, an heir, but not a beloved son. She could feel the pain of his mother's comment radiating off of Prince Link.

Zelda decided to get the party off the harsh subject of family relationships. "Do either of you know where Ganondorf could possibly be, your majesties?" Neither Prince Link nor the Queen replied. Although, someone else did speak.

"Hello!" Zelda, Prince Link, and the Queen turned to meet the owner of the pleasant voice. Further down the shore was a girl. The girl waved at them in greeting. The Queen, Zelda and the Prince shared a curious glance before turning back to the girl. A boat bobbed in the bay beside her.

As the party reached the girl, they could see it was a Hylian girl draped in a purple cloak. Although she wore a cloak, she did not have the hood covering her face. The girl had a pair of eyes that shared the same color as the ocean which washed over her feet. The Hylian's blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders. The girl looked a bit younger than Zelda with an innocence in her eyes that was noticeable at first glance. She nervously fiddled with the folds of her cloak as she glanced between the members of the group.

"You guys look lost. Do you want me to point you in the right direction?" she inquired helpfully. The girl pointed further down the shore to where the beach curved along the side of the mountains and disappeared. "Lurelin is that way. It's a nice little fishing village" She pivoted to point across the sea towards an island which lay within sight of the shore. "That's Eventide though I'm sure no one would want to go there. It's a curious place that island is." The girl turned back to the group with a smile on her face. She grinned as though proud of herself to be helping people. Zelda smiled along with the girl. The girl reminded Zelda of her younger self. A girl helping with little things here and there in an effort to bring happiness to every heart she touched.

The Queen stared at the girl coldly, "Did you see anyone come this way?" The girl seemed uneasy under the Queen's scrutiny. She looked out across the crystallized ocean surface before looking at the Queen and nodded.

"Yes. I saw a tall man row a raft out to Eventide Island." After a long pause she added. "I know you shouldn't judge appearances but...he did look kind of scary, almost evil." Zelda looked at the ominous shadow that was the island of Eventide. That must be where Ganondorf had gone.

The Queen reached into her pocket pulling out a bag which jingled with the sound of rupees. The Queen placed it in the girl's hand before the girl realized what was happening. The Queen commanded the girl. "Take us to Eventide."

The girl stared down at the bag with awe and opened it up to take a peek inside. As soon as she saw the shimmering of the rupees her eyes lit up and she jumped up and down. The girl clasped the Queen's hand before the Queen could protest. The girl fell to her knees in undying thankfulness and squealed "Oh, thank you so much! You are so kind!" The girl smiled sweetly at the Queen and the Queen began to fluster at the girl's graciousness. The girl got up from her kneeling position, grabbed an oar which lay in the bottom of the boat and sprang into the small boat. "Come onboard!"

The Queen and Prince Link seated themselves first behind the girl. Zelda stepped into the back of the boat and seated herself last. The heroine was eerily reminded of "The Toss" at the gentle sway of the boat and the number of people onboard. This memory quickly dissipated as she marveled at the exotic-colored fish swimming by their boat. The crystallized waters were so clear that every danger would be quickly visible which relieved Zelda as she needed to be poised to protect the two royals. Unlike the cavern, it was joyful instead of grim, and she felt safe unlike the place where they received "The Toss".

Zelda blinked as she returned from her thoughts as she felt someone watching her. She looked up to see the curious eyes of the girl staring at her. The girl smiled at her before handing Zelda an oar. Zelda knew that she was the back she should steer the back of the boat, so she accepted the oar. She knew she couldn't miss the chance to ask...so she blurted out. "What's your name?"

At that question the girl blushed, she began to stammer but was able to say her name. "Siré" The girl looked down at the ocean waters as if embarrassed. "The person that named me...had interesting ideas." It was quite an odd name, but Zelda smiled at the girl, Siré. She outstretched her hand towards Siré.

"Nice to meet you, Siré. My name is Zelda." Siré took Zelda's hand and shook it firmly. Siré's hand was cool to the touch despite the warm atmosphere. Zelda dipped her oar into the clear waters of Lurelin and Siré followed suit.

As the boat glided smoothly across the beautiful waters, the looming island grew nearer and nearer at each stroke of the oars. Siré asked abruptly, "Why do you want to follow the evil man?" she didn't take her gaze off the island, but she glanced back at the party occasionally.

The Queen interjected to answer Siré question. "As you said Siré, he is evil. Evil must be vanquished and must be eradicated. That is why we follow him, to scrub his evil off our good land."

"I don't know about you but...this place gives me the creeps." Siré thought aloud. The island's shadow loomed over the tiny boat as it came closer and closer to the shores of Eventide. The palm trees seemed to twist and bend over the place blocking out the sunlight. The waves violently crashed onto the shore as if trying to take a bite out of the land. Not a sound of wildlife emitted from the jungle of Eventide. It was as if the animals couldn't bear to live in this place.

As Zelda neared the island, she swore she could hear whispering in her ear. When she turned to see who spoke, nothing was there. The heroine turned towards the jungle...the voices...the whispering. It was coming from in there. Zelda's heart dropped and her stomach twisted as they neared the shores of the island.

Siré spoke in barely a whisper, her eyes wide with fear, "There's something I didn't tell you before." The Queen arched an eyebrow at this. Zelda braced herself for the words that Siré spoke next, "There is a reason why no one visits Eventide..."