When Link stumbled into the dormitory, everyone was cowering. Aram was hiding behind his bed, Oulson and Diddy underneath theirs. Eshie was hiding beside the door, a sword in her trembling hands, looking like she was going to cry. Link tried to say something, but the only noise he could make was a high pitched whine. Diddy was the first to respond.

"Link?" His voice quivered. "Oh goddesses, you're safe!"

Everyone surged forward, thankful that their friend was ok, but it took only a moment for them to realise something was wrong.

Link was deathly pale, his skin slick with sweat yet cool to the touch. They tried to talk to him, ask him if he was ok.

"I'm going to be sick." Link announced. He fell to the ground and threw up, emptying his stomach on the floor.

Aram and Oulson helped him to his feet, guiding him to his bed.

"It's ok Link."Aram reassured him. "You're fine."

He dry heaved. "No its not."

He sat down on his bed and was silent for a moment, and Diddy sat next to him, wrapping his arm around him. "What happened?"

Link tried to focus his thoughts. "The swordsman- the champion, he came at me. I-I-I don't know why. Just attacked me. Why? Why did he- what did I do?" Tears stung at his eyes. "He tried to kill me."

He could feel how afraid they felt. Eshie dropped her sword, the clatter echoing around the room, piercing the silence.

Aram cleared his throat. "Captain Vicsen went to look for you. Did you see him?"

Link remained silent, only reaching to specks of blood on his face.

"Link?" Aram pushed. "Did you see him?"

Slowly, Link nodded.

Diddy looked around. "Where is he?"

Still, Link remained silent.

Diddy grabbed links arms. "Link where is Vicsen?"

Link slowly turned his gaze to Diddy. Painstakingly, Link life his left hand and pointed to the flecks of blood on his face, his mouth twitching. "Here."

Link numbly noticed that everyone freaked out at that news. Someone was trying to calm themselves in the corner, others screaming and cursing and the last one was trying not to throw up. Link looked at the blood on hand, how the red liquid was smeared over his skin. He felt his hand become hot, with pins and needles crawling up his arm.

He was distracted by the sound of footsteps approaching the dormitory. Weakly, he grabbed his sword and stumbled towards the door. as it opened, Link swung his sword at the trespassers with a desperate shout.

Impa knocked the sword to the ground, responding before she even entered the room. She blinked, looking directly into her attackers eyes.

"Link?"

A moment passed before Link began to tear up. Impa guided him back to the bed and sat him down. A knight with a small goatee followed behind her, moving to the remaining children.

"Link, it's ok." Impa reassured him. "We drove him off. You're safe."

Link shook his head, pushing back tears. "He killed someone to get to me."

"Thats not your fault."

"How can you know that?" Link snapped back.

Impa stayed quiet. "A death is only on your hands when you make a decision that kills someone. Vicsen was protecting you. He made that decision."

Link said nothing. Impa placed hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Get yourself cleaned up. Get rid of the blood. You'll feel a weight lifted off."

"He escaped."

Impa sighed. "Yes. We didn't expect he could teleport. We don't know where he went, but I can't sense him nearby."

Link looked into her eyes. "He's going to try something again."

"Yes. We're taking action now. I'll have to go soon to help, to oversee the effort." She jerked her head to the knight behind her. "Captain Graves we take care of you."

"You will get him, right?"

Impa ruffled his hair. "Of course."

She stood up and, with a nod to the Captain, left for the council.

Once the captain successfully calmed down everyone, he moved to check on Link. He sat next to the young boy and smiled. He was young, and his face seemed formed into a permanent warm smile. He waited until Link smiled before he offered his hand.

"Hey there, I'm Graves."

"Link."

He pointed to the other children. "You've got some good friends. They're worried about you."

"I'm fine, really."

Graves tilted his head. "Really?"

"Really."

"Hey its fine if you're not. You've gone through some awful stuff."

"Please, I'm fine."

He held up his hands in defeat. "Uh, if you say so. If you feel you need to get something out, just scream into a pillow." Link raised an eyebrow. "Or just scream. Same effect."

Link rubbed his eyes. "Thank you captain."

Graves gave him a thumbs up. "Don't worry about it."

Impa melded from the shadows and rounded the corner to the council room, ignoring the ringing in her ears. It had been hours since the Swordsman had attacked, and with all precautions having been personally overseen, it was time to join the King's council.

Two sheikah were stationed guarding the door, master and student, a young man and one close to Impas age with a sheikah eye tattooed on his forehead. The young man wore a Mask of Truth, hiding his face but not his ginger hair. An rare trait in sheikah, but not unheard of. He seemed unfocused, perhaps dazed. They parted to let her though, and she nodded a thanks before entering.

The council was turmoil. Arguments and insults were thrown across the room, with the King trying to bring order to his advisors. The old sheikah tried to calm things himself, though no one payed him any attention. Silence only fell once Impa drove her fist into the table, splintering the wood. She calmly removed her fist from the wood and examined her hand for injuries, and when she found none, she turned her gaze to the advisors.

The king sighed. "Thank you, Impa, but I doubt that was necessary."

Impa tilted her head. "Words were failing, so actions were needed."

The king went to say something, then decided against it and simply pinched the bridge his nose. "Perhaps."

A pudgy advisor cleared his throat. "What happened to the swordsman?"

Impa crossed her arms. "He escaped."

A big eared man scowled. "You should have brought more sheikah."

"That's exactly what we did before he disappeared." She said crisply.

The King sat forward. "Explain."

Impa stood up straighter. "This is everything we know about the assailant." She made sure she had the attention of everyone before she continued. "He is a highly skilled swordsman, as we should all know, and seems to be well versed in our tactics, or at least able to counter them. He enhances his swordsmanship with sorcery."

Roran waved his hand as if to disperse bad thoughts. "But how did he escape?"

"He teleported."

Saife swore. "Are you telling us we're dealing with an Interloper?"

"No." Impa chided. "The teleportation was completely different. Instantaneous. Nothing like the sheikah technique. His magic was too unconventional ever for an Interloper."

The King locked eyes with Impa. "Then what are we dealing with?"

Impa was silent for what seemed like ages before she slowly said. "I don't know."

The room went quiet. The sheikah had the firmest grasp on the history of hurtle, and Impas words sent a chill down their spines.

The silence was broken when the young sheikah spoke. "Do they still pose a threat?"

"Yes." Impa confirmed. "They were powerful, and I doubt we saw the full extent of his abilities."

"And right now?"

"He should pose little threat."

The King frowned. "Should?"

Impa thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully before she spoke. "I can feel… something. A presence of sorts."

Saife scoffed. "You feel threatened?"

"I feel a presence. I cannot be sure if it is dark or not, but it's… building."

The king narrowed his eyes. "How so?"

"Sheikah are sensitive to magics. We are able to sense an invisible warrior without knowing where they are or how close they are. This feeling, this ringing in my ears, I can feel it growing." She looked to the old sheikah. "I know I'm not the only one that feels it."

The king turned to his attendant, who slowly nodded. "I feel it too. Not as a ringing in my ears, but my hair is on ends."

Impa turned to the young sheikah and wait for a response. She shifted uncomfortably. "I've had a small headache, but I thought it was nothing."

Impa dressed the king. "I've already had men stationed at the town and castle walls. I've ordered every able knight and solider to be prepared."

"What about our allies? The Zora and the Gorons?"

Leon shook his head. "Forget about them. We have defiantly got to focus on only us."

"That would jeopardise our relationships." The old sheikah snarled.

"Hey, I'll ask you this then, Huh? Who would we send anyway, huh? We already have all our guys protecting us!"

Once more arguments broke out, with the king confiding in his attendant while the advisors tried to come up with how they would contact the other society or if they should even try. Impa took a step back and closed her eyes, shutting out the noise, focusing.

Nelo opened her eyes and frowned. She was staring at a roof, which meant she was lying down. But she didn't used beds, or even have one in the castle. she rolled over to try and get up and was greeted by agonising pain, causing her to collapse back onto the bed. She looked around the room. It was filled withdrew herbs, mosses and fungi in jars, mortar and pestles on shelves, and various other complex equipment. The infirmary, she released.

Hearing the commotion, a doctor came over to help her up. "Easy, now." The doctor said softly. "Your left arm is broken, and you might have a concussion."

Nelo cradled her head with her good hand and looked at her left arm. It was in a splint, with bandages holding it together in a sling around her neck. Underneath, she could feel a wet, ground up substance pressed against the main wound. As the doctor brought over a red potion, she tried to close her hand, succeeding only in driving white hot pain up her arm. The doctor handed her the potion and she drank it in one swig, gagging at the unbearably sweet taste. Once she had finished, the doctor handed her a couple of leaves and instructed her to chew them to numb the pain. Wanting to cleanse her pallet, Nelo lady obliged.

She took deep breaths, trying to recall what had happened last. She remembered the that it was the day of the Masters Tournament, and that there was a woman with a claymore that had reached the finals. She hoped the woman would win but she was against-

Nelo shot up, almost losing her balance. She remembered the swordsman. She didn't quite remember the fight, but she was sure that he was the reason she was here.

Ignoring the doctors orders, she grabbed her sword, slipped on her cowl and stumbled towards the council chamber. With someone that dangerous around, it would certainly be a cause for alarm.

She felt uncomfortable, holding her sword in her right hand. For one thing, it was in plain view of anyone she passed, negating the surprise of her surprise weapon. For another thing, she had no way of actually drawing the damn thing without something to pull on the scabbard. Ultimately she decided that it wasn't the time for such trivial discomforts and decided to endure the glares and stares on the way to the council room.

Once she arrived, she tried to get though, but was denied by the guards. She glared at the older sheikah, challenging his authority. He glared right back, refusing to let her enter.

"Let me though." She growled.

"Why should I do that?" He retorted, his voice rising.

Nelo let her irritation show on her face and in her voice. "I'm the kings attendant."

The man stepped up to her and leaned down to meet her eyes. "And why does that matter?"

"I must be at his side at all times."

"Why? He has the old leader in there. Who don't think he can protect the king?"

The young man cleared his throat, echoing in his mask. "Master…" But he was silenced with a look.

Nelo refused to step away. "It doesn't matter what I think. It's my duty."

"And how did you get that duty?"

Nelo was quiet.

The young man tried to appeal to the man again, but was cut short. "Master, please-"

"Quite! I'm talking."

Nelo stayed silent. Angered, the man spat on her face, making Nelo recoiled in shock, making the man grin savagely. Before Nelo could act rashly, the young man grabbed her wrist and pulled her away. "Enough!" He shouted, startling everyone.

A moment passed before the man began to seethe. "You dare defy you master?"

The young man shook his head. "I don't dare, Wen."

"Don't use my name!" He snapped. "You are not-"

"I am not your student." He interjected. "So you can't command me."

The man was too shocked to speak, to the young man quickly pushed Nelo into the Council room and with a small "Sorry" shut the door quickly behind her and interrupting Impa. Everyone looked at her as she entered, and she was thankful that her cowl hid most of her blushing face as she moved to the Kings side, who smiled as she approached. "It is good to see you well Nelo." Nelo nodded her thanks.

Impa continued. "It is possible that we could send sheikah to our allies. Quick, efficient."

The sheikah woman shook her head. "The sheikah aren't well trusted."

"It's the best option we have." Roran rebuffed. "We need to alert them as soon as possible."

The King shook his head. "It wont matter if they see our words as falsehoods."

Dumi stood up. "Surely we can spare a couple of soldiers."

Darton, the head of the kings Royal Guard, a quite bear of a man, grunted. "At most, only half of our Knights have horses. We'd be lucky to find a solider with a mule."

The king was quite for a moment before having a quick convocation with his advisor. Nelo overhead the whole thing, and completely failed to hide her shock at what was being said. Nevertheless, the said nothing.

The king returned his gave to Impa and the other sheikah. "The presence… how fast is it growing?"

Impa, suspicious, spoke slowly and clearly. "Slowly… I don't think has grown worse since the start of this discussion, though it could change at any moment."

The sheikah woman nodded. "If Impa can't feel a change, I shouldn't be able to."

The King sighed deeply and hid his hands in his face. "How many…" He asked softly, refusing to move. "How many of the children have horses?"

"No!" Impa barked before she could stop herself. "Forgive me, your highness, but this is exactly what we said we would not do!"

He peeked through his fingers. "You said that the presence is growing so slowly that you could not feel a change." He said flatly.

"What if I'm wrong? You'd be sending those children to their deaths!"

The king said nothing. Impa covered her face and regained her composure. After a moment, she crossed her arms and masked her emotions.

The King let his hands slip from his face. "We have sheikah stationed around the kingdom, yes?"

Impa nodded. "Yes your highness."

"If they find any change what so ever, they are to collect the children and return here immediately, understand? Even if they are about to enter our allies domain, they will be returned, and they shall be taken to Kakariko in order to ensure they return long before nightfall." He turned to his scribe. "We need four official letters. Don't make them long, don't stress on formalities, just get them to me. One for the Gorons, those in Kakariko, Lon Lon Ranch and for the Zora." Once the scribe scurried off, he stood up. "Someone, get those children ready. They leave as soon as they get those letters. Everyone else, to you stations if you have any. If not, get somewhere safe."

With that, the council dispersed leaving only the King and his attendants to their thoughts.

Hey there! Sorry I took so long with this one. I've had nothing on my plate so no real excuse, but I hope it was worth the wait.

Did some research on this one. Shock, concussions, medical stuff. Also looking up horses. I'm thinking Diddy has a horse comparable to a Rocky Mountain Horse, Eishe has one comparable to a Mongolian horse, Epona is sort of half Arabian (or Gerudo in this case) and just a racing horse. The other two? Ehh, just standard horses (not sure if thats what they're actually called but eeeehhhhh who cares right now).

Also, lots of little details in this chapter. Hehe, you'll have to wait to see where this goes.

Or not. You don't have to. It'd be nice though.

Feel free to tell me what you think of the story. Too slow, suddenly too fast, too silly, too dumb, too good, anything is helpful.

Thanks for reading, I'll try to be faster next time.