Author's stuff: I'm incredibly sorry I took so long. This is not dead.

Chapter 31

Zelda leaned on the stone rail of her balcony, staring into the purple-blue night sky. A cool breeze rustled across her pale pink nightgown, blowing through her long blond hair. It had been a little over a week since Link left Hyrule. She hoped he was finding whatever he had been looking for. It had been boring and lonely at the castle lately.

"Princess, you really should get to bed," Impa, Zelda's maid, called softly through the open double doors leading into Zelda's room. "It's late, and it's getting cool outside." As if on cue, a chill ran through Zelda's body, and she shivered. She suddenly wanted to go back inside.

"What do you think Link is doing right now?" Zelda asked, padding across the stone patio with bare feet. She entered her bedroom, scrunching the soft red carpet between her toes, and Impa closed the doors behind her.

"I'm sure he's fine, whatever he's doing," Impa replied. "That's a ridiculous question, anyway. I don't know any more than you do. Now get some sleep." With that, Impa left the room, walking off down the hallway and letting the door swing slowly closed. Zelda plopped onto the overly-soft bedding, sitting still for a few moments. A strange feeling swept through her again - almost like the times when she knew she had forgotten something and couldn't remember what it was.

She finally had to shake it off and crawl under the thick lavender blankets, blowing out the candle on the bedside table. Darkness enveloped the room, and she wandered into the world of dreams.

King Mushi stood knee-deep in the snow - or, he would be if he had knees. The cold, pale white plains between him and the castle were peacefully resting, unbroken. He imagined how it would look later today - deep red, its surface torn and littered with bodies, then black, overgrown with fungus. Soaking in the frigid air, he anticipated the metallic flavor of blood. It was almost time.

Soldiers had crept around the base of the castle, magically veiled from sight. The humans were not getting another warning. At Mushi's command, the Fungistuls would attack, and the puny humans would have nothing to protect themselves with. If they were not willing to part with the pearls of darkness, they had to be eliminated before the pearls could be used against the Fungistuls.

A faint whistle caught his attention. It seemed steady, like the wind, but it was too high-pitched to be that. Besides, the wind had stopped. A reddish tint flooded the plain, as if it had already been doused in blood. The whistle grew louder, beginning to give Mushi a headache. Almost too late, he turned around to see a ball of fire hurtling down from the sky. A split second before it hit the ground, Mushi projected a dome of shielding energy, watching the flames pour over it like water on glass.

When the heat subsided, he removed the shield so as not to waste energy. A circle of ashes and charred earth surrounded the portion of his army that had not gone up to the castle. Most of them had shielded themselves in time, but he could tell several were missing. The lake had melted, leaving some Fungistuls to drown and others - including him - to be stranded on the central island. As powerful as they were, they could not swim, so they would have to find a new way to get across the water.

The problem they had to deal with immediately was the source of the sudden attack. The humans couldn't have produced such a display, but no other enemies seemed to be present.

And suddenly, from within the edges of the southern forest, a shout erupted. It was the war cry of a thousand Moblin warriors.

Tael floated through the blackened jungle in his orb like a butterfly on a leash. The Kenak army trailed behind him, starting with Chief Mohan. Tael really didn't know where he was going, because he was always bad with directions in woods, and he wasn't sure where the Fungistul City even was without following the bridge in the trees where Link, Horacio and he had met up after the whole incident with the crazy Moblin. The most he could do was shoot for that path. If he was lucky, he'd stumble upon it sooner rather than later.

Beginning to hear an irritating squishing sound, Tael looked down at the ground below to find that it was soaked with moisture. Whenever the Kenaks set foot on the moss, a pool of water squirted up around their boots. Perhaps they were nearing the swamp. Tael knew it would be troublesome to lead an entire army through a deep swamp, especially when they were short on time. It would be a better idea to lead them around the edge until they found solid ground. After all, they were going to be looking around in the woods, not the swamp.

He angled left, and the soldiers followed.

A breeze rustled through the empty market, sending up wisps of snow. The cold, gray sky only added to the sense of abandonment. All the people had been moved inside the inner castle walls, and the only humans that remained in the market were soldiers. They all stood silently at the top of the wall or along the base.

A massive ball of fire had just rained destruction on the field and lake before them. All the soldiers, even those on the ground who couldn't see, had become tense and fearful. The magic had been directed at the Fungistuls, so they were thankful, but they couldn't help worrying a little.

Then they heard the cry. Led by a fiercely glowing woman, an army of Moblins rushed from the forest to the south, chanting something in another language. The Myrennian soldiers began to cheer. Against magic like this, the Fungistuls had a bigger enemy to overcome.

Windowpanes throughout the market started rattling. Slightly vibrating, the ground emitted a low rumbling sound. Overcome with excitement, the soldiers didn't take notice until a portion of the eastern wall was propelled into the air in a fierce explosion, its blocks glowing bright red. A group of about fifty Fungistuls poured in from the other side, wielding bright blue blades with jagged edges.

Before they reached the grounded soldiers, a few of the Fungistuls were shot down by archers atop the remaining walls. Then the sound of sword against sword ripped through the market, and the battle had begun. The only reason the Fungistuls weren't killing them right away was probably that they had limited magic. After destroying the wall, they would need to gather energy before unleashing another attack. All the Myrennians could do was fight them off as long as possible.

"Go!" Rosaria shouted to Horacio through the bustling crowd of Moblins. "You'll be more useful up at the castle than here!"

It was true. Rosaria was the only one with more than short-range weapons. She was the one to keep the island Fungistuls busy. In the meantime, the soldiers of Myrennia needed help.

After Rosaria ordered most of the Moblins to follow Horacio to the castle, they sprinted off north. Horacio ended up in the rear, struggling to keep up with the athletic Moblins. As they rounded the eastern edge of the lake, they could see the gap that had been blown in the wall by the Fungistuls, and they aimed for it.

The shouts and clanging of metal grew in volume until they were at the hole in the wall. In the scene before them, the Fungistuls were greatly outnumbered, but it wasn't stopping them from doing a lot of damage. If they were allowed to get a breath and use more spells, it wouldn't be pretty. Horacio and the Moblins leapt through the wall, firmly grasping their weapons with eager hands.

"This bridge should take us right by their city," Tael explained, looking up at the wooden catwalk far above. "If only we can find a way up."

"Nonsense," Mohan stuttered. "We can just follow it from the ground."

"I don't think so," Tael answered. "There are some pretty nasty beasts on the ground up ahead. The bridge is the only safe way through."

Mohan sighed. "I'd hoped we wouldn't have to use much energy on the way, but I suppose if it's the only way..." He turned and faced the army, motioning to the sky. "Up to the bridge!"

Before Tael could wonder what he was doing, all the soldiers started floating into the air. He flinched as they all alighted on the bridge, expecting it to collapse any second.

"Don't worry; we're lighter than you think," Mohan explained, somehow reading Tael's mind.

"Um...good," Tael mumbled, trying to appear as though he wasn't stupefied and wishing Mohan couldn't see past it. He followed them up through the leaves, continuing to lead them on.

"Any idea how far it is to their city?" Mohan asked.

"Not a clue," Tael replied. "It's pretty close to the opposite side of the woods, but I don't know how far across the woods are."

The army followed the path through the treetops for half an hour. Several soldiers tossed the marble-sized spores back and forth to pass the time; others simply marveled at the increasingly large fungi and insects on either side of the walkway. Tael knew they were getting close when he spotted the ladder leading down to the ground on the right.

"We're almost there," Tael mentioned. "This should lead us by the city. It'll be at the end of a road going off to the right."

Sure enough, the fungus trees receded on the right to reveal a branch-off path leading straight to Fungistul City. The army was standing at its gates in no time.

"That's a rather big mushroom," Mohan commented, looking over the edge of the road at the thick blue stalk disappearing into the blackness below.

"Looks like everyone's gone," Tael observed, leading them through the glowing, silent streets of the city. "I don't really know where I'm going, so you're going to have to make the decisions now. You're a general; where would you keep your weapons?"

"I can't say I've ever fought in a war, but I'd probably store them underground somewhere," Mohan replied. "Did your friend ever mention seeing anything here?"

Tael cringed at the mention of Link. For a minute, the only sounds were the swishing of wind between the pale blue houses and the soft rustle of fabric as the army walked; their feet made no noise against the absorbant mushroom street.

"Sorry," Mohan offered.

I'll bet you are, Tael thought. And if you're reading my mind again, go to hell.

Those are some pretty strong words, Mohan thought into Tael's mind.

That was a pretty strong punishment for just standing there doing nothing, Tael replied.

He stole from me, Mohan explained. The punishment has always been death. I'm not one to break tradition.

Sometimes people try to figure out the truth before killing the first person they see for no good reason, Tael argued.

I saw him steal it, Mohan answered. What more evidence do I need?

I saw him not steal it, Tael shot back. He was outside the whole time.

As an outsider, you're not a reliable witness, Mohan stated.

Is that why you trusted me to lead you here? Because I'm unreliable? Tael asked.

Mohan stopped sending thoughts. The army continued to walk down the street, waiting to find an important-looking building that might house weapons.

I'd kill you if I could, Tael thought, hoping Mohan was still listening. The fairy then silently fumed.

"This building looks promising," Mohan said aloud, as if nothing had happened. Tael continued flying straight. Before he knew what was happening, he flew into the side of his orb, and it was pulled back towards the army. "We'll look in here. I want a group of you to follow me, but most of you need to stay and keep watch. You ten in the first five rows - come on."

The group entered the double doors of wood, dragging Tael behind in his floating prison. They found themselves in a huge room constructed completely of blue mushrooms. Tightly packed mushroom caps lined the floor and ceiling; the walls were made of log-like stalks. On the other end of the room was a cluster of fungus forming a throne. Several doors lined the edge of the room, but one was emitting more light than the others. Mohan quietly led the group towards that door.

When they reached the opening, they found a staircase that spiraled downwards. The hallway at the bottom was damp, but surprisingly bright. The mushroom-covered walls were so pale they looked nearly white. This would be a good place to start looking for the weapons. Cautiously, Mohan walked down the tunnel, glancing into side passages but not setting foot into them. If he didn't know where they went, he might as well stay on the path he was already on.

Gradually, the mushrooms grew sparser, and the hallway grew more blinding as glowing crystal was uncovered. Eventually the group had to rest for a few minutes in order to see properly. When their eyes adjusted, they could see they were in an incredibly smooth, clean-cut hallway made completely of crystal. Empty spaces lined the walls, ceiling and floor, and Mohan wondered if they were storage units.

His thoughts were soon confirmed when he caught a glimpse of dark objects in the midst of the light. Peering through the crystal wall, he could see medallions, swords, and old books stacked neatly in organized spaces.

"Get these out using as little energy as you can," Mohan quietly instructed the group. "We want to have enough power left to be able to use them."

While the Kenaks were busy concentrating on the crystal compartments, Tael aimlessly hovered along down the hallway. He could tell a lot of weapons were missing from their places, but equally many had been left behind. Was this where Link had been kept? It seemed to match his description. Tael wondered how often the crystal was used as a prison.

Suddenly he spotted a body housed in a chamber above the hallway. Startled, he flew back down the hallway, bumping into Mohan, who was trying to extract medallions from the wall. The man turned and looked at Tael strangely.

"What are you doing?" Mohan asked.

"The-there's someone over there," Tael stuttered.

"Where?" Mohan tensed.

"He...he's in one of those...compartments," Tael gasped.

"Don't scare me like that," Mohan sighed. "I thought you meant someone was coming. I'm kind of busy here."

"You need to get him out!" Tael demanded.

"I'm not doing anything that risky until I figure out how to safely get these medallions through the crystal," Mohan argued.

"Have you tried melting the crystal?" Tael suggested, trying to remember the few details Link had given him earlier.

"Melting?" Mohan thought for a moment. "I could try turning it into liquid, but it might use more energy."

"Can't you get energy back?" Tael asked.

"Got it," one of the men exclaimed, holding a stack of medallions. "I melted the crystal."

Mohan stared at Tael with squinted eyes. The fairy shrugged. After a few seconds and a groan, Mohan stood and followed Tael down the tunnel to where the fairy had seen the body.

"Make sure you catch him so he doesn't hit the floor," Tael warned. Mohan stretched his hands towards the ceiling, and the surface of the crystal started swirling. Soon the man inside the chamber started sinking through the liquid, and he was startled awake. Arms flailing, he fell into Mohan's arms. Mohan quickly set him on his feet and backed away, but the man fell over anyway, as if he hadn't used his legs for a long time.

"Wh-who are you?" the man muttered, one hand on his head. He was middle-aged, and he looked pretty healthy.

"I'm Tael, and this is Chief Mohan," Tael explained. "Who are you?"

"What year is it?" asked the man, ignoring Tael's question.

"Seven fifty-two," Tael replied.

"Sixteen forty-five," Mohan said at the same time. The two looked at each other.

"In Myrennian years?" the man asked. Both Tael and Mohan remained silent. "Never mind. You're obviously foreigners. I need to get to Hayen Village."

"What for?" Tael asked. "And you still haven't told us who you are."

"My family lives there," the man answered. "I'm Martel."

"Who's your family?" Tael questioned. "I might be able to help you; I know a few people."

"Well, if I've been kept here as long as I think I have, this is a long shot, but have you heard of either of my sons? Their names are Palter and Garod."

"You're Garod's dad?" Tael asked, his face draining of blood.

"I don't know how long it's been, but the Fungistuls have sort of kept me preserved at this age for a long time," Martel explained. "I think they might have forgotten about me. Does Garod look older than me now or something?"

Fungistul Vaults, year 506

"Sire, th' kid escaped with th' pearl," said Bronce, the small Fungistul standing in front of King Mushi.

"WHAT?" King Mushi exclaimed, standing to his feet.

"I dunno how it happened, sire," whimpered Bronce.

"You mean to tell me the humans have the pearl now?"

"Y-yes, sire."

The king groaned. "I want the guard doubled. In the meantime, the scientists need to get to work on making another one. When that's finished, we're going to war against the humans."

"That could take some time, sire."

"Do you want to keep your job, Bronce?"

"I'm on it," Bronce quickly replied, turning away. "Erm, I mean I'm on it, sire."

"Wait. Do you know the human soldier we have for questioning?" King Mushi asked.

"Of course, sire," Bronce answered.

"We're going to need him in the future, but not for a while," Mushi thought out loud. "I want you to keep him in storage. Prolong his life - whatever you need to do. We can talk to him again after we've created a new pearl. Just don't forget about him."

"I won't ferget, sire," Bronce affirmed before leaving the throne room.