Eternal Winter

Chapter 3: The Lurker

A/N: Same requests as last chapter. Thanks! Hope you enjoy! And review if you read it! I welcome flames, but please try to be constructive in your reviews.

Timeline Change: Please don't flame me for changing the timeline. PLEASE! I beg of you! Anyways, I'm moving this up to 50 years before OoT. That is all. Thank you. No flames. On the timeline, anyhow.

Also, this chapter the story's rating will be changed to "T", for extreme violence. On to the story!

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"Stay here." Engoth said. "I'm going to go into the kitchen alone." Finality was strong in his voice.

"Yeah right!" Xila said. "I'm coming with you!"

"No offense Xila, but you aren't exactly a stealthy person. I'm going to do this quick, and alone."

Engoth began to walk towards the kitchen. Everyone stayed seated, but then Mohkaal got up to follow him. Engoth whispered to Mohkaal.

"Yeah, you can come. You're experienced..." Mohkaal was taken aback. He had tried to sneak up on Engoth, but apparently it hadn't worked.

"Okay..." Mohkaal whispered. He followed closely in the hall towards the kitchen.

Engoth saw her, of course. How couldn't he have? He knew Xila was sneaking behind them in the shadows. He didn't care; as long as she didn't get in the way, it didn't matter. It's funny how she thinks she's being stealthy... Engoth thought. He and Mohkaal continued, on tip-toes. They reached the kitchen door. It was an open archway, maybe 10 feet high and 6 wide. Engoth peered around the doorway to see a Gerudo woman. He quickly pulled his head back. She hadn't seen him.

The Gerudo woman wore deep blue and black. The outfit of a follower of Xalon. This wasn't one of Ganondorf's minions, that was sure. The traditional dyed-red hair and purple tunic was gimmicky in Xalon's mind. He preferred Jet-black hair and blue and black outfits for his followers. No exceptions.

Engoth went in when her back was turned. His sword was in front of the Gerudo, and he was behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Engoth asked in a mocking tone. Blood trickled down the Gerudo's chest where she had jumped and scraped the sword.

Meanwhile, Xila had problems of her own.

Artie had snuck up with her. "I know what you're doing..." He had whispered. Link was alone at the table. Poor Link... Artie thought. He chuckled at the thought. But Artie and Xila were delayed.

Another Gerudo had managed to sneak up behind Artie. Xila was a few paces ahead of Artie now. She turned around, and saw the Gerudo about to stab Artie through the back.

"Look out!" Xila screamed. Artie swirled around. In mid-turn, he cleared his mind and let the Demon inside him take over. He was transformed into a Wolf. Artie growled.

The Gerudo thrust forward with her spear, but Artie was too quick for her. He leapt around her and jumped to grab her spear in his mouth.

Engoth heard the scream. "Would you care to go see what the problem is?" He asked Mohkaal.

"My pleasure." Mohkaal responded. He walked around the archway into the hall. Sure enough, there was the Gerudo lady, spear wrenched out of her hands. "So you got her under control?" Mohkaal asked. Xila looked up and was about to say something, but she was kicked back down by Gerudo. The Gerudo girl launched herself toward Xila. Artie, in his wolf form, was unable to use the spear. He jumped toward the Gerudo, who instantly kicked him backwards. The Gerudo was almost upon Xila, but Xila wasn't about to let her guard down.

Xila's eyes had turned jet-black. Her pupils rolled out of her eyes. She muttered some words that no-one else could hear, and a dark shadow enveloped the sword she had just drawn. She swiftly cut out the Gerudo's throat. She was panting heavily, and unmistakable rage about her.

"Has her sword always been like that?" Mohkaal asked, playing dumb. He knew that had a problem on their hands.

Blood splattered the kitchen floor, as the Gerudo's head rolled to the floor. Idiot! Engoth thought. She tried to attack me! And I was being merciful to begin with... Engoth walked out into the hall. A body lay on the floor, in a pool of blood.

"What happened here?" Engoth asked. He was quite impressed really, as he saw Xila was the one wielding the sword. But his mood changed quickly. Xila had been unable to recall the shadow from her sword in time. "We need to talk." He said, motioning toward Xila's sword.

Xila knew that Engoth knew the importance of what had just happened. Only a Dark Sorceress could do that. It made the blade sharper, lighter, and simply more powerful. But it was a Dark Spell, and it took its toll on the body. It fatigued the user, and made an evil grow inside of them.

Dark Magic was a trait of the Sheikahs, of course. It was their way of keeping peace around Hyrule. They were experts in its usage, and its techniques for peacekeeping and guarding. However, the Dark Magic that Xila had manifested was something different entirely.

The Sheikah had a modified version of this Dark Magic that they used for good. They had cleansed it, refined it, and used it for the good of Hyrule. This was not the type Xila had used.

Engoth knew that not every sword was able to absorb this magic. Nor that any Sheikah was taught such a Dark Spell. It was quite a potent spell, taught only at the higher levels of Dark Sorcery. He knew that this could pose a problem.

Engoth brought Xila to the side. "Where the heck did you learn to do that?" He asked her.

Xila ignored him. She knew she was in deep. "Nice sword you got there." She said, motioning towards Mohkaal.

"Thanks..." Mohkaal started. "It's an ancient Zora weapon. It's played a lot of part in our history, if you care..." His voice trailed off at a sharp look from Engoth. He looked at Engoth apologetically. He couldn't help boasting about his importance in the Zora race. He knew Engoth had a purpose.

Engoth vowed that the next morning, when it was early and no-one but them was around, that he would confront Xila. But for now, he just looked at her. With a look that could have melted the frostiest Mountain Peak.

Xila returned his look with one that could freeze the hottest lava of the Death Mountain Crater. Engoth broke the silence.

"We'll leave at 8:00 AM tomorrow morning." Engoth leaned in closer to the rest of the gang. "And just to be careful... I think we should take turns keeping a watch. Just in case."

"Smart idea." Artie agreed. Mohkaal and Xila nodded.

"I'll take the first shift no-matter what." Engoth said. "Link won't have to take a shift. Every shift is 2 hours, and since its 9:30 now, by the time it starts, we'll all have a 2 hours shift."

The rest of the gang nodded. Engoth walked through the dining hall to the front desk in the lobby. Link got up and followed them.

"3 rooms." He said, pretending to be annoyed. "Make it snappy!" The attendant hurried and got Engoth 3 keys. Engoth began to walk away.

"Uh..." The attendant stuttered. "No charge, of course..."

Engoth laughed. "Considering I'm saving your butt." He said. "From a horrible freezing death, I'd assume you wouldn't charge me." Engoth had an unmistakable confidence in his voice that destroyed the confidence of the attendant.

Engoth threw a room key at Artie. He caught it effortlessly. Xila was a little less glamorous when she had her room key tossed at her. She flinched and dropped it. The rest of the group chuckled. Xila blushed.

"Mohkaal will bunk with me." Engoth said. "Artie will go with Link, and Xila gets her own room." Engoth finished. He walked out of the lobby, down a hall, and opened up his room. He took the pack that had his stuff in it and plopped it on his bed. Mohkaal came in soon afterward.

"I'm off to bed..." He said, yawning. Engoth laughed as Mohkaal plopped himself down on the bed and rolled down under the covers.

Xila had found her way into her room, and she was sitting up in bed. She couldn't sleep, and she knew it. She thought about life for an hour, and then settled down to sleep. Her next hour of sleep was broken up with nightmares. At around 12:00, she came out of her room to sit outside. The cold didn't bother her.

Engoth's shift had gone uneventfully. He was heading back to his room, when he passed Xila in the hall. "Your turn..." He said, yawning.

Xila rolled her eyes. She had forgotten about the shifts thing. She decided she would take her shift from outside. That way, she could make sure no-one would get inside the inn. It would work just as well, she reasoned.

She stepped outside and walked around to a bench outside the door. She wrapped her cloak around herself and gazed out along the village, facing south. Kakariko Village was elevated from the rest of Hyrule, so she had a decently good view. Good enough to see the Ice Tower looming in the backdrop of the would-be pretty picture.

A feeling of serenity engulfed her. How she loved the snow. She would actually be sad to see it go. She felt that she could sit out there forever. Her eyes deepened into a dark blue, and she almost closed them. She was peaceful.

Then she saw the Lurker.

The Lurker caught her eye while flitting back and forth near the entrance to the village. Her heart stopped short. How did they find me? She thought, her heart pounding in her chest, like a wild animal trying to get free. Her eyes became a yellow-green. She knew she had to confront him sooner or later.

Engoth couldn't sleep. He had decided to go relieve Xila of her shift. He yawned as he walked down the Inn's halls to the lobby. He sighed as he saw that Xila wasn't there. Idiot! Engoth thought. She was supposed to stay in the lobby! Engoth saw her outside, walking away from the Inn. Towards the entrance to the village. Engoth gasped. She's ditching us! He thought.

Engoth ran out of the Inn and started to run towards Xila. But then Engoth saw the lurker. He gulped. He knew Xila couldn't face it alone, but he also knew that if he ran to help, it would leave. He needed to know what it was.

Engoth had great ears, like all elves do. He easily picked up their conversation from the 50 feet that separated them. He hit behind a withering tree and simply listened. But he had his bow at the ready.

The Lurker studied Xila for a moment. Then he let out a cruel, cackling laugh. Engoth shivered.

"You run from your past." The Lurker started. "And yet you still use the Dark Magic techniques you learned at the hands of your master..."

Master? Engoth thought. He knew he had been right. Xila had been a Dark Sorceress.

"What do you want?" Xila's voice rang out, cruel and arrogant as the Lurker's.

"What do you think?" The Lurker asked with a chuckle. "You left his army, he wants you back."

Engoth knew the implications of this. Xila had been in Xalon's army.

"You, after all, were his apprentice."

Engoth's thoughts swirled. Xalon's apprentice!? Engoth thought. We've invited a rogue Gerudo-follower onto the team of prophecy.

"He taught you everything you wanted to know." The Lurker continued. "And you left."

Engoth dared a peak around the tree. The Lurker had drawn its sword. It lashed it out at Xila, but not to kill. It just weakly glanced off the back of Xila's hand. It should barely have hurt her, or so Engoth thought. He apparently was wrong.

Xila dropped to her knees in agony. This puzzled Engoth; but he knew that there was more secrets Xila had been hiding from them then just her dark past.

Engoth watched, stunned, as the Lurker picked Xila up by the collar and tossed her down like a rag doll. He picked her up again.

"Xila, Xila, Xila." Engoth heard him say. "Did you really think he'd let you out of his army, abandon the title of his apprentice, and change sides without a care?" The Lurker chuckled a deep, dark, cruel laugh. "He sent me to give you a choice. You can rejoin the army, and become as strong an apprentice as ever."

"And if I refuse?" Xila asked, cutting in on The Lurker.

"No one refuses an offer from him." The Lurker said. He took his sword and gave Xila a cut on the neck. It wouldn't kill her. He then tossed Xila on the ground again. "You have two days to come up with an answer. At this time in 2 days I'll come to get you."

With that, the Lurker took a bag of powder out of his cloak, took a pinch, and threw it on the ground. Smoke rose up in every direction, forcing Xila to cover her eyes and put down her head.

Engoth's arrow reached the spot the spot where the Lurker had been about a second after it had moved. Engoth cursed the fact that he hadn't been quick enough. He ran over to Xila.

"Are you okay Xila!?" He asked, when he reached her. She was on her hands and knees grimacing. Engoth pulled a rag out of his tunic and laid it across Xila's neck wound. He had by this point forgotten all about the confrontation he had planned to have with her.

Xila muttered a response. She was weak. Engoth knew it. Her wound was deep; it would be hard to heal her.