The next day

There are stories about how the Lost Woods got its name, and for the most part, the stories are true. Some say it is because those who enter are forever. That's somewhat true. Some say that the woods house a hidden tribe, and the woods protect them from outside forces. That's true. Others say that once upon a time, a Hero of Hyrule was from the woods. That's true as well.

The real story is this: Centuries ago, before the Hero of Legend defeated Ganon in the Dark World, a race of never-aging children roamed the southern woods of Hyrule. To protect the vulnerable beings, a tree spirit watched over the woods, putting a curse among all who entered. If one entered, and couldn't navigate the woods, they will cease to be human, and become a skeletal monster. For centuries, the woods protected the tribe and its guardian, until a fateful day in which a man from the desert, his true name mostly lost in history, but would become the demon Ganon, cursed the tree to die. Once the guardian fell, unable to be saved by the young Hero of the era, the children evolved to protect themselves. The Lost Woods evolved as well, cursing anyone who walked its path to forever tread its woods until the correct route was made. So far, the only documented navigator of the woods is the Hero of Hyrule. However, rumor has it that the woods still house a hidden tribe, the evolved forms of the children. Whether that is true or not-

"ERLA? LOPSA? Where is everyone?"

Yeah, it's true.

Trekking down the forest trail, disrupting the peace everywhere, is a lone being called a Kikwi. It's face consist of black eyes and a short beak, with the top of their heads having some sort of short, green, plantlike outgrowth. They have short, white arms and stubby, black feet, and their bodies seem to have a slight pear shape, with their fur being very contrasted dark and light brown. On their posteriors is what looks like a bushy tail, but it is actually a bud that blooms into a green bush under which a Kikwi can attempt to hide itself. Our Kikwi friend, however, is on a mission: find his friends.

"Oloo? Bucha? Erla? Lopsa? Oh no…" The poor being searched high and low, left no stone unturned and no blade of grass implanted in the ground. But after hours of searching, it was growing tired and fearful.

Although none had been seen within the forest, monstrous beings have recently and literally appeared out of thin air and headed up to the mountains. The Kikwis' leader, Bucha, warned his tribesmen not to engage the monsters, after retelling of what happened the last time they roamed the forests. Although Bucha never met him, he spoke of a young human in green who fought the monsters and safety navigated the woods...and burned a few bushes as well.

Bucha was hiding as a bush and was lucky not to be a victim of arson.

Swish swash…

The Kikwi paused, hearing the sound of shuffling grass around it. Although it was day time, it was still early enough in the morning for the Lost Woods to be illuminated. The fear of meeting monsters and Bucha's words are still fresh in the poor Kikwi's mind, and it began to shudder as it slowly stepped forward. "Oloo?"

Swish swash swish…

The Kikwi froze in place, unable to move without knowing what was hiding in the grass around it. It was so frightened that it couldn't even fall to the ground to act as flora, and didn't even scream when it heard an unfamiliar, blood-churning screech. It didn't have enough fear to not look at the beings that found it. Bucha's warning came true.

The monsters that arrived a few days ago have breached the Lost Woods. Two man-sized, pinkish-orange, pig-like monsters breached the grass, approaching the stiff Kikwi threateningly. The pair wore primitive fur clothing, with a skull necklace around their necks, and wielded rusted knives, holding them on guard. They looked alerted, but the Kikwi didn't understand why the pair chose it.

As they came closer, the Kikwi unconsciously fell on its front and sprouted the greenery on its back. As the monsters screeched and moaned around it, the Kikwi used its peripheral vision to look at the beasts' feet. They weren't angled towards it, but facing the same direction it was, to the south. Were they ignoring him for something else?

"So tell me-What exactly are we looking for?" Distant but audible voices confirmed the Kikwi's assumption. The beasts were indeed alerted to the presence of humans. But why were humans in the Lost Woods? Didn't they know the danger? Why not take the safer eastern route around the forest to go north?

"Midna, I have no clue. But once we find it, we'll know."

"But the Demon is at the bottom of a lake."

"I know, I know." The Demon? Did the human mean the structure at the bottom of the lake? Bucha spoke about the boy in green lowering the water in the lake to access the structure, but the Kikwi didn't know how to do it. Maybe Bucha does, but with him gone… The Kikwi was pretty much scared to even venture out to find its friends, but if the humans were brave enough to go into the forest, and in turn wants access to the structure at the lake's bottom, their best chance would be finding Bucha and the other Kikwis.

Taking the chance that it would be heard by both man and beast, the Kikwi made the loudest scream it could possibly muster. The monsters beside it turned towards the Kikwi, confused as to how the plant beside them could make noise, and began to poke their knives with it. The Kikwi held its breath, hoping the humans heard its call.

The resulting screech of the monsters, the thundering of hooves, and the cries of death answered the forest dweller's prayer.

Silence ensued for a few moments, and the Kikwi peeped up to see its saviors standing behind it, looking down at the decaying bodies of the beasts. The female of the duo sheathed her blade and placed her hands on her hips. "They have entered the Lost Woods."

The male sighed as he twirled his dual blades into their place. "I… I hoped this is just a scouting team."

"I don't know. If there's a group of Bokoblins, a Moblin force isn't too far away."

"We must hurry to the Demon then."

CRUNCH!

"KWEEEEEEEEE!" The Kikwi suddenly jumped up, scaring the humans and the horses. It felt for the grass upon its back, and then turned to the culprit of its fright, the chewing male horse. "Why are you trying to eat me?!" The horse continued to chew, and the Kikwi, in defeat, turned to the humans. "Thank you, humans, for rescuing me from those monsters."

The female nodded. "So that was you that screamed? You're welcome, little guy."

The male looked indifferently to the Kikwi and turned to the north. "You're fine. C'mon Midna, we got to go."

"Gan," the one named Midna said, stepping in front of the one called Gan, "don't you think that we can get assistance from the Kikwi?"

"For what?"

"If it lives in the forest, it should know how to lower the lake and expose the dungeon...unless the Goddess of Doom and Gloom revealed that to you."

Gan sighed and walked past the Kikwi to his chewing horse. Jumping upon the horse's back, Gan looked off to the barely lit forest around him. "Din is the Goddess of Power, and no, she has not."

Midna smirked, and picked up the Kikwi as she returned to her steed. "Good. The Kikwi comes with us." Midna helped the forest dweller unto the horse, then positioned herself behind it. "What's your name?"

"Machi."

"Hello Machi, I'm Midna, and that bundle of joy over there is my friend Gan. We're searching for The Demon, an underwater dungeon. In the past, a hero drained the lake The Demon was contained within. We'll like to do the same. Do you know how?"

"The last time someone of your kind lowered the lake, he used an instrument to play a song. But I don't know what the song is. However, the Kikwi leader, Bucha, might know."

Gan turned around, intrigued. "Take us to him."

"I would, but I don't know where he is. I was hoping you may assist me in finding ?"

Gan looked up to Midna, who nodded, causing the Nabooruan to roll his eyes in agitation. "You know, there was a time when questing was more fun. There was no fetch-questing, no hide and seek, no time limits, just go out and save the world. But nowadays, you gotta do objective A, then objective B, maybe an objective C before you can get to where you want to be. They could be very boring, tedious, and feels like filler."

"Such a buzzkill."

The boy shrugged as he faced forward. "I speak truth."

Midna chuckled as she patted the Kikwi on its head. "Truth or not, we're going to assist Machi. This Bucha can help us out." When no opposition came from her comrade, Midna began to quiz Machi. "So, how will we find your friends?"

"I… I don't know. "

"Gan?"

"Hmmm… All creatures emit a magical signature. We can use Machi as a modem, and from him, we can seek the other Kikwis." Gan smiled as he winked to Midna. "Or we can burn the forest, and hope they run."

Machi began to shudder at the sound of that. Midna consoled the poor Kikwi while she glared at Gan. The boy sighed, and reached his hand out, getting a feel for Machi's magical scent. "Let's just get this over with."

Kakariko Village

"Bagu, Auru, upstairs."

The ex-General of the Hyrulean Army and his comrade beside him looked up to Error who had addressed them, standing at the bottom of the staircase. The man's face was cleanly shaven, allowing the intense glare he directed to Bagu and Auru take full effect. He walked up the stairs after a moment, not waiting for the two others. Bagu released air from his lungs as he turned to Auru. "He cut his beard…" Auru gestured to move forward, silently agreeing with Bagu. When Error cut his beard, that meant something big was on his mind, and it was definitely not good.

Climbing the staircase to the conference room, dubbed "The Bar" (by Gan, because it looked like the back of a bar) Auru and Bagu joined Error, who stressed himself over the map of Hyrule. His focus was right over the area the coastal Clock Town was, currently where Error had scouts staying after the news that the Imperials had invaded South Hyrule by sea. It would also be a center of recruitment, as the residents can definitely see the invasion force coming.

It was Auru who banked on that getting those who support the Imperials out of fear or hasn't supported a side for the same reason, to join them. Auru crossed his arms, clearing his throat to get Error's attention. "Error, what is wrong?"

Error didn't immediately answer, instead just looking up to Auru. The anger he saw written in Error's face was deeply imprinted in his brown eyes. It took Bagu to lean over the city of Clock Town to coax Error out of whatever beheld him. "What's with this mark over Clock Town?"

"There is no Clock Town. Not any longer… Yesterday afternoon, Imperials occupied and blockaded the city… Almost like Darunia Town…"

Like the moon grew a mocking face, had fallen from the sky, and obliterated an entire country, Auru, and by extension, Bagu, felt his world dropped and implode. Clutching his hands to the table, he looked at the map in distress. "No… Did our scouts?"

"No. Kafei sent me word via eagle. I doubt he and Anju left the city"

Bagu seemed to be the most shaken up, as he was literally paralyzed by the news. "Damn… Monsters are just appearing out of nowhere, and those wretches take the city? It had to be someone of skill… Like that Din-damned Agahnim… Now that it comes to mind, if the Imperials had indeed moved east, surely they have covered ground elsewhere… If those two…"

Error's glare to Bagu told the words that he wasn't able to pronounce, but once those eyes turned to Auru, the story was told. "I doubt they're dead, Error. No, I know they're alive."

"Sir, I don't want to think anything else, but they haven't reported in since they left-"

Auru harshly slammed both of his fists onto the table, startling the other men in the room. "I KNOW THEY ARE NOT DEAD! I…" The man beat the table some more, much more softly than his first attack. "I know Gan wouldn't let Midna or himself get into danger. I know he wouldn't."

"Auru-"

"I know he wouldn't. I trust that boy with Midna's life, more than I trust myself with hers, and today shall not be the day he fails me." Taking a deep breath and blinking his eyes, the general forced back his tears into their rightful place. "I will not mourn Kafei and Anju until I have confirmation that they are with Din, Farore, and Nayru."

"Then, sir, send me." The three men turned to the newcomer, the young Lorulean mastermind, Ravio. He parked at Auru's side, lending a comforting hand to the older man's shoulder. "Let me assemble a team, and by Din's grace, I will bring Kafei and Anju home alive. I know me taking initiative is out of character, but... They're my friends, and as friends, it is my duty to find them."

Auru silently gave his approval, and then walked away from the table to a glass case by the window. Motioning Ravio to his side, Auru lifted the cover of the case and stared at the object inside. "I will let you go. Who do you have in mind for a team?"

"I plan to take only a two man team, me and Hilda. I know her skills with magic, harmful as it can be to her in this world. I know nothing of the sort, but I guess she knows what she's doing and it could be invaluable at a time like this. If Anju's team is alive, we'll rendezvous with them."

"Good. But do not return here. It is now the hour." Auru took the item into his hand and presented it to the Lorulean. "Take this with you."

"What is it?"

"All I know that it is an instrument, it is blue, it has the symbol of the gods marked on it, and it was entrusted to me by His Majesty."

From behind, Bagu and Error eavesdropped on the conversation (technically Auru and Ravio weren't quiet with it anyway) and found great surprise by the mentioning of the former king. "You… You mean Vatis, right?"

Auru nodded. "Yes, right before I left the castle, he threw it to me. I remember his exact words, 'When the time comes, unite the three, and play it at the doors.' Of course, I have no idea what he's referring to, but I do have a hunch he means similar items of importance."

Bagu folded his mouth. "Only two people, well three, would know what Vatis meant besides Zelda, and Link died that day. Impa would know it because she's Sheikah."

"Yes, and we know Impa survived the attack. I also know where she's holed up." Looking away from Error and Bagu's baffled faces, the general placed the instrument in Ravio's hands. "I kept this a secret, only because I was asked to. I pray we don't lose her as well. Ravio, you have a second mission."

"What is it, sir?"

"Find Impa Shade in Ordon. She has who we need." Ravio nodded, and hastily left the room. Auru returned to the table, looking at the map of South Hyrule for a minute or two, and then abruptly left the room. Error and Bagu followed closely behind as they went down the stairs to the crowded first floor. Auru raised his hands, issuing an order of silence before he began to speak.

"Gentleman, ladies, the hour we have awaited has come. For five years, we have been in this hidden village of Kakariko. But now, things have changed. The Imperials have sacked three towns up to now, and have recently blockaded Clock Town, but who is to know what other evils they have committed. We formed this rebellion because we believed we are the good that stands in evil's way, the light to block out the shadow. We formed this rebellion because we believed in our old comrades whose blood cries 'Avenge me!' every day since Hyrule fell. We formed this rebellion because we believed that the ideals of Queen Zelda VII, King Vatis I, and the Hero Link. We formed this rebellion because we believed we could formed a more perfect union for our children, and their children, and their children's children. My friends, today is the day we are no longer bound to this hidden village of Kakariko. Today, we take up formation. Today, we sheath our swords, pack our tomes, and saddle our horses." As the men and women rooted under him, Auru looked up to the main door, with the symbol of the Royal Family, a bird flying towards the sky with the Triforce above it, etched on it.

"'Remember this day.' Simplest order an old friend, the guardian of the Queen, has given me. 'Remember why we fell.' She didn't wish tribute, or song, nor monuments, nor poems of war or valor. Her wish was simple. 'Remember us,' she said to me. That was her hope for every one of us from Rauru Town to here in Kakariko. And so my friends died, my king died, my queen died, my hero died, all in the last eighteen years. Long I have pondered the cryptic speech of King Vatis when he gave me a possession of the Royal Family. I don't know if I would admit it to his face, but time has proven him wise, like the queen. For from freed Hyrulean to the rest of the freed world, the word will spread that, in the time of unknown darkness, a resistance laid down their lives, not just for Hyrule, but for Labrynna, Holodrum, Calatia, Hytopia, and the rest of the world. Now here in this hidden village of Kakariko, The Imperial army faces oblivion! Upon Death Mountain, those beasts huddle, terror gripping their hearts, for they know the merciless horrors they encountered by the blades of Her Majesty and Legendary Hero. But now, they will stare at an army of men and women, without the fated pair, but we will fight like they would. They outnumber us, great odds for any Hyrulean. On this day, my friends, we begin our rescue of our home from evil and tyranny, and usher in a future brighter than we could imagine. I now call on your oaths to order. Let them hear our song of storms, because every monster we kill is rain, every battle we win is thunder, every person we save is lightning. By the end of this war, they will either play a ballad of the goddess, or we'll sing her lullaby." Auru unsheathed his sword, and gazed upon it thoughtfully. "Whoever shall sit upon the princess' throne, whether it be man, woman, beast or Ganon, I hope they pick a god and pray. I have chosen my three already. Bagu."

"Yes, sir?"

"Try to get back communication with Clock Town, and get word to Midna and Gan. I don't care how it is done. Get every able mage in here, and locate that magic mojo they all have. Error, for you, it is time we tip the scales in our favor. Tomorrow, we march for the Eagle, the Moon, and Ordon, and pray the Imperials are ready for what's coming." Error and Bagu moved to complete their tasks, and Auru made movement to return up the stairs.

"General." A contented voice echoed across the quiet room, and Auru looked to the source of the called title. It happened to belong to a man in knight's armor walking up to the leader of the Resistance, joined by a female in similar armor.

"Captain Viscen, Captain Ashei, you have something to say?"

"Yes, sir… You said 'princess' throne' instead of queen, which Zelda was. What do you mean by that?"

Auru let a short smile grow on his face as he looked away from Viscen. "Why else would I say 'princess'? That's how history remembers her soul."

A few hours later

"Kafei, Anju, and by extension, Gan and Midna, I swear to the Lorulean throne that if you four are dead, I'll piss on all your ashes, one at a time." Ravio mused these thoughts to himself as he and his new partner quietly crossed the land of Hyrule between the Manji and Lake Hylia. Ravio planned to cross the bridge over a tributary from the lake before they called it a night. It was already evening, about the eighteenth hour, and the Lorulean warrior was spent.

But he knew he only had limited time to get to Clock Town and Ordon before the Resistance retaliated against the Imperials, not only to rescue Kafei and Anju team but to complete the mission to Ordon General Auru gave him. Everything rode on his success on getting to both locations in a timely matter.

He chuckled as he thought on it, rubbing the neck of his mount. "Ha, the one moment something depends solely on me, it is such a heavy one." Ravio's horse brayed its response, and Ravio grimaced. "Hey, I am not heavy!"

"Talking to your horse...again? I fear for the future already." The clacking of hooves against the ground came up to Ravio's left, and upon its back sat a smiling woman. "If the future wasn't already in question."

"Park your mind, Your Highness. You might go bonkers." Ravio's partner, Hilda, giggled at his comeback, leaving time for Ravio to make another judgement of her. Like most girls he seem to hang with, she was a fighter, but unlike most others, she was a fighter of the magical kind. Like Midna (who kept her magical powers a secret until recently), Hilda was very proficient in the realm of magic. Unlike Midna, who preferred the sword, Hilda made magic her life, which includes the white horse she now rides, created from magic. If the Imperial threat wasn't real at the moment, Ravio would have taken up her suggestion of using a broomstick to get to Ordon. Her advancement in magic was the reason Ravio made her his first pick as his partner to journey to Ordon and Clock Town. However, Ravio had no idea what held up Gan and Midna from checking in, but he didn't want to make any wrong assumptions. Whatever caused them to become radio silent after entering the Lost Woods had to be magical in nature, granted the area still possessed any of its former glory.

The second reason Hilda was chosen is because she was the jewel of Ravio's eyes. They were childhood friends and had grown closer ever since the kingdom of Lorule was devastated yet again by evil. Ravio, the coward at heart, bested his nature to save Hilda while the kingdom was ravaged, and trusting the legends, made it to Hyrule through some reality-shifting portal two years ago. In the time, he had come to accept one thing, and that he had somehow fallen for his Princess.

Maybe it was because of her jovial, kind-hearted nature, or maybe because she knew she was beautiful. Maybe it was the gold tiara with purple stone inserted in it that reminded him of his purpose. Maybe it was because she was musically talented, and strapped to the back of her purple combat dress is her harp, which reminded him of the times she would sing of the Hero Between Worlds and the then fantasy of Hyrule.

"Hey, Sheerow, stop staring before you miss the bridge." Ravio shook his head and faced forward, directing his horse away from the incoming river to the right towards the bridge. The girl resumed giggling, causing Ravio to turn red. "Still a coward. Water won't kill you."

"Am I so funny to you?"

"Am I so beautiful to you?"

Ravio grunted (and blushed) to himself. "Great, you sound like Midna. Besides you know that what's under the water can kill." Silence resumed as the duo began to trot their horses across the wooden bridge, alert to the waters on both sides. Zoras, large aquatic humanoids, inhabited the waters of South Hyrule (besides the smaller lakes and springs) and were extremely hostile and dangerous if caught off guard (the mission to the Snake could not be a better example). However, that also went for the Imperials as well, and Ravio and Hilda have seen what the Zoras can do to both man and beast. If they didn't pounce on you from the water, they had no problem shooting fiery red acid at you.

It was better to get pounced on than to get shot.

Ravio slowly equipped his shield, and heard Hilda whisper a spell behind him. The crossing of the bridge took a few minutes, and a few scares, but after he was safely across did Ravio turn behind him. Hilda's horse was only a few steps away from land. "Can your horse move any slower?"

"Hey, I am trying not to-" The sound of breaking water and a gurgled grunt snapped the humans' attention to a Zora that had jumped from the water. Ravio swung off his horse and drew his blade as he approached at the dazed humanoid that had crashed into Hilda's barrier. The girl clicked her tongue and made her way past Ravio to land. "-get hit by a Zora."

"Right." Ravio stepped closer and closer to the green-skinned Zora, who he could now identify as a female, based on the white seashells covering her chest. Many other Hilda items covered the upper portion of her body, including her neck and upper arms. Her legs were uncovered to revealed long green legs and human-shaped webbed feet. Ravio, however, was most perplexed by the Zora's beauty, even with two large flipper ear things. He could also see she was very afraid, although he couldn't tell if it was him or the water, as she looked back and forth.

Hilda, still saddled on her horse, looked to her right, where the river goes downstream from the sea. Even with the darkening night sky, she could make out five forms swimming towards them, and they were not Zoras. "Ravio! Octoroks!"

Ravio groaned as he turned to face a squad of the eight-legged octopi moving swiftly towards the bridge. Octoroks were highly dangerous, even more so than their prey, which so happened to be the unlucky Zora. Like the green humanoids, these octopi are amphibious, and pretty much have similar attacks to the Zora.

What makes Octoroks more dangerous is that Zoras rarely, if ever, touched land.

Looking back to the Zora girl, Ravio made the quick and heroic decision by sheathing his blade and picking up the fish girl. She didn't protest as Ravio saddle her and himself upon his horse. "Hilda, can you hammer them?"

"Thought you'd never ask. Glacies!" Ice shot from Hilda's hand, landing just in front of the octopi still submerged by water. It only slowed down the progress the monsters made towards their dinner. Hilda cursed under her breath and held both her hands out. "Lux!" Light flashed from Hilda's fingertips, battering the faces of the pink and white octopi, but still, they came ever closer to land. "Ravio, a little help is very much appreciated."

"All you had to do was ask, Your Highness." The warrior withdrew his bow, and notched an arrow on it, aiming at the closest Octorok. "A little fire is very much appreciated." Hilda summoned a small flame above her hand, and Ravio fired straight for the flame. The fiery projectile flew to the first Octorok that Ravio aimed for, and blasted it into flames, cries, and smoke. The four that remained ignored their fallen comrade, but if the fact the monsters had made it to land made the blood pump into both Loruleans, and they kicked their horses into a gallop. Moving eastward, Ravio could feel the wet fin-arms of the Zora wrap around him, but not for his waist. Gripping the reins, she directed the heroic coward.

"I'll steer. You take them out."

"I'll do more than that. YA!" Ravio flew off his steed, rolling to the ground below. As he returned to his feet, he whipped out his sword, which he proudly named the Noble Sword. Tightly fastening his right hand on the red hilt, he pointed its bronze blade towards the incoming Octoroks. "By the time I'm done with you, dinner shall be served." The sword began to glow, and with a flick of Ravio's wrist, the glow flashed from the sword towards one of the Octoroks, becoming a sword-shaped beam in the process. It blasted into the target, and immediately vanquished it. The other three kept advancing, but as close as they were, Ravio decided to run towards them as well.

"Ravio!"

"Take some cues, Hilda." Rushing to the first octo, Ravio cut it cleanly between the white markings around its eyes, and then fluidly attacked the next closest on his left, creating a deep wound on the side of the big, bulbous head. With those two down, Ravio turned his attention to the third and final Octorok, and it aggressively jumped for him. Ravio saw only rows and rows of sharp teeth lining the circular jaws of the beast, and held his sword up. The monster engulfed half of Ravio's upper body, and sent the boy to the ground, his sword sticking out the octo's head like a knife in a country ham. When the octopus monster vanished, all that was seen was a shell-shocked, slimy Ravio holding his sword in the air.

Leaping off her steed, Hilda walked over to the boy and helped him to his feet. "You got guts for a lifetime coward. Stupid guts, they are, but guts at the end of the day."

"Yeah," said Ravio as he wiped off the slime from the Octorok's mouth off his face and arms, "but you helped. However, today will remember this day as the day Ravio Sheerow of Lorule-"

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" Hilda and Ravio looked to their new companion, the Zora they rescued, and watch her shake and shiver in a chilling fear. She was, however, able to point an unsteady finger behind them, and both Loruleans turned in that direction, only to have all color and blood drained from their face.

"R-R-R-Ravio..."

"This is the day Ravio Sheerow of Lorule died." Ravio and Hilda stepped back as the newcomer broke from the water's surface. A much larger Octorok slowly rose to sight, causing Ravio, Hilda, and the Zora to quietly scream in terror. Its long, cone-shaped head towered in the sky and covered with five yellow eyes like boils on a leper's skin in an X-pattern. Two large tentacles flapped in the wind, and it bellowed the loudest roar the princess and her friend had ever heard.

Hilda turned to Ravio, hoping that the fear stitched upon his face did not affect his brain. "Ravio, tell me you have a sliver of a plan."

…

…

…

If Hilda thought she saw what she saw, she made out a forming piss stain on Ravio's cloak. "Damn. You, Zora, anything?"

The Zora girl pointed towards the beast, at various spots. "This is what we call a Big Octo. Look at the eyes. They are its weakness. But I think that if we run, we can get-"

"I don't think so!" As Ravio noted, the Big Octo began to make its first steps onto the mainland. Turning around in a hurry, Ravio went straight for his horse, hoping behind the Zora, and snapped the reins. "Let's go, Dmitri!" Ravio's horse galloped away, followed by Hilda and her steed Moosh. The Big Octo roared once more, and began to give chase to its fleeing prey. It began to fire large water balls at them, and the riders were barely able to dodge the attacks before or after they struck the ground. Being the only one who didn't have to concentrate on steering and shooting, Ravio fired back, although he constantly failed to have one arrow strike a single yellow eyeball, whether he missed completely or the beast closed its eyelids. Knowing he was nearly out of arrows, he turned to a still panicking Hilda. "Hilda! I'm almost out, and we need a better plan."

"I don't know, try another ranged weapon. The boomerang?"

"I am not sure we are within range of the-" BOOM! One of the tentacles slammed against the ground, barely fitting in the space between Dmitri and Moosh, and highly startling the already shakened Loruleans and Zora. "I think we're in range of the boomerang!" Pulling out his boomerang, Ravio aimed it for five of the eyes (the boomerang, like many of the items within Ravio, Hilda, and other members of the Resistance's arsenal, is imbued with magic, and allows its user to target up to five spots) and looked to Hilda. She pointed a finger at Big Octo, and sent a ray of light at the middle eye. The beast roared as the beam struck squarely in between the middle and lower eyes, but distracting it enough for Ravio to throw the boomerang, striking all five of the eyes. The monster yelped in pain as the boomerang landed in Ravio's hand. The Big Octo began to take a few steps back, trying to regain its eyesight, but that never came to pass. It fell onto its back and crashing on a set of four snail-shaped statues before turning into a cloud of smoke and rubble.

Ravio, Hilda, and the Zora stopped and composed themselves after such an attack by the octopi in the last few minutes. Leaping to the ground, Hilda pointed to a blown out hole in the rocky side a little way north of their position. "There. We can make camp there." Ravio and the Zora nodded and followed Hilda to their destination.

A fire was made, food was prepared, and silence prevailed as Hilda, Ravio, and the Zora girl recovered from the Octorok attack just a hour or so ago. Hilda sat quietly by the fire staring into the glowing embers in thought. The Zora strayed away from the flames, quite uncomfortable that she was in close proximity to the flame. Ravio was outside, updating General Auru on their progress. If everything goes as planned, and no more interruptions are made, Hilda and Ravio will arrive in Ordonian territory sometime tomorrow. If that was the case, the two could find out what fate had in store for them with Impa Shade, and they could make way to Clock Town. Hilda knew the two, but not as well as Ravio did, but by the way he spoke of them, she doubted they had been captured. So what could be an alternate reason for their silence? If the occupying Imperials hadn't found them, could it be something magical in nature stopping communication in Clock Town? Why would that be necessary… Unless the Imperials were holding some of the civilians hostage, and in fear of magical messaging, spelled the area to prevent it. But isn't the blockade enough?

It was then and there that Hilda realized that maybe the Imperials had set up a trap, and the Resistance is walking into it. But maybe it was alright, in a sense. Hilda and Ravio hadn't made it there yet, and can now warn base that it was indeed a trap. Before she could stand up to share her revelation with her partner, she heard his footsteps and voice as he came down the stony steps to the base of the cave. "Yes sir, I'll tell them now."

"Good. Get some rest, and may the gods bless us all."

Hilda quickly snatched the Gossip Stone from Ravio. "Wait! General Auru, I figured it out!"

"Figured what out, Hilda?"

"It must be a trap. Clock Town has to be a trap. They knew we'll respond almost exactly as we did, but since Kafei and Anju went in first, everything is changed. The lack of communication must be magical in nature. As for the blockade, it could-"

"-be a set up. A very convincing set up, at best. I'll consider your words as truth, Hilda, and until you two say otherwise, I'll keep us here in Kakariko. Do well tomorrow. Auru out." The stone lost its faint glow, and Hilda returned it to Ravio, who had a long smirk on his face. Hilda raised an eyebrow, questioning as to why he was even faintly in a good mood. "What?"

"Good deduction, Hilda. I'll admit, I would have never thought of that until it was too late. You just saved hundreds of lives, and more importantly, our own lives. Now that that's out of our minds, we can focus on more present matters."
Hilda playfully slugged Ravio on the shoulder. "Wow, a peasant complementing a princess? What is the world coming to?"

"Either total darkness or the white light. Whatever it is, this is the key to it all." Ravio took out the blue instrument Auru had given him earlier. "This is to be given to one of the Ordonians, an Impa Shade I believe. I pray that if Auru's words about her surviving what he went through years ago should be true, she must be alive. But until then," Ravio pocketed the ocarina and approached at their Zora friend, I have some questions for you, Miss Zora. What is your name, for starters?"

The Zora girl watched as Ravio knelt in front of her, and presented her with a comforting gaze. Deciding that the Loruleans had done more than enough to earn her trust, the Zora relaxed and spoke, "My name is Oren, and I am the Zora Princess… The last one, apparently."

Hilda took her seat beside Oren and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss. I know how it feels to lose a family member and a kingdom. I lost my father before I joined the Resistance a few years ago."

"Yeah. I haven't lost any members of my family to evil, but I did lose my country. I rather I risk my life for them than they risk their own for me. But what do you mean by 'the last one?' You have sisters?"

Oren nodded. "Two sisters. Ruto was the eldest, and she was our new queen, married to our new king Ralis. Then there's Laruto, the middle sister, then me."
"Why were the Octoroks after you? I mean, considering how we were fighting them, I wouldn't say this was a routine hunt."

"They are our attackers. Something must have happened to the Octoroks, maybe it was the Imperials or whatever because my people were living peacefully in our domain, then the next moment, those octopuses are on our fins. I and a few other Zora escaped our domain in northeast Hyrule for Lake Hylia, and I guess you can figure out the rest. I don't know what provoked them, but all I do know is that it is purely coincidental."

"How so?"

"Well…It started when the Imperials moved from Din knows where to this area. Later that day, I had a vision of sorts… It was very weird, but…"

"But?"

"My line is descended from the original Seven Sages that first sealed Ganon, and would for two more cataclysms helped do that exact same thing. The last Sage in my line was the Zora Queen Oren, who I share my name with. My vision might have its source from those facts."

"So what did it contain?"

"It… It showed ten people, one of them me. Six of the others had to be the other sages, and while two of them is unknown the other two had to be the fated pair."

Hilda raised her eyebrows at this. "The Hero and the Princess? Ok, the Hero is believable, but the Princess? I don't think so. The Harkinian lineage is severed."

"No," Ravio took out the blue pendant again, and analyzed it, "no, I think this is who Auru wants us to find. I think we are searching for the Princess."

"But… How?"

"She brought herself back as a reborn goddess once, and if the story is right, she and the Hero are cursed to reincarnate together anyway." Turning to Oren, Ravio held up the instrument and flashed her the side with the Triforce. "Was this a part of it?"

"Yes. I remember seeing this, along with three pendants. The Princess wore a blue one, while the Hero wore a green pendant and the other had a red one."

"Hold, hold, hold." Hilda raised her arms up, and stood, "if you are a sage, and let's say some of the others are of our generation, does that mean...he's back? Is the Dark Lord our secret king?"

Ravio and Oren sucked in their breaths, and the former turned to his partner. "Hilda, I'm glad you have super deduction powers, but now you are scaring me. But wasn't he zapped by some evil decimating arrow?"

Oren nodded. "Yes, and for the record, the Seven were not involved 30 years ago. Matter of fact, it wasn't until a servant of Ganon, by the name of Aghanim, that Ganon's spirit was heavily sealed by my father and other descendants of the Seven, to prevent his return. I doubt the seal is broken now, for that would require either very strong magic or a sudden event to happen that could weaken the seal."
"Like?"

Hilda pondered on that for a bit. "Hypothetically, if one was to strip the seal of some of its power at one time, you could possibly bypass ridding the seal altogether. However, you have to ideally be in close proximity to the location of the seal if you want to maximize your chances of overcoming it. But that's just a theory. It has never been done successfully because no one knows how much power you would have to lose at once to do such a trick on a seal."

Ravio still was confused. "But say one was to go ahead with this theory. How would he strip a seal of a ton of power to weaken it, but not rid it completely?"

"My guess would be to kill those who made the seal. However, the power of the Seven is hereditary, and it passes to the next generation quickly. That means that if one was to do such a deed, he'll have to rid of the original sealers first and then quickly bypass the seal before the offspring receives the power."

"Where is this seal located?"

"Death Mountain, where the Prince of Darkness fell."

Ravio gripped his head and fell on his back. "All this hocus pocus is very head pounding, so let's make a deal. Let's forget about this until later, and once we return to Kakariko, with Gan, Midna, Anju, and Kafei, maybe Her Late Highness and Mr. Green in tow, we can figure all this out. Until then, let's sleep. We got a big day of Imperial busting tomorrow."

"Alright." The girls slumped over on the stone ground, and all three fell into the arms of sleep quickly, not knowing that, when they arrive in Ordon, their fates will have truly begun.

For where many become lost, a war will be found.