Fyras14: Hello folks! New chapter is here...this one too, had a few minor changes, but at least it is done. Anyway, I have good news and bad news regarding later updates:

The good news is that well, most of the chapters from here and out will be, if not entirely rewritten, will only get minor changes and I will check a few grammatical errors, if I dont miss them.

The bad news is...well, the laptop's screen is dying on me...simply put, the screen goes white or black in certain cases...as I still havent saved up my stories in a USB, for the time being. However, I managed to get a temporary screen for my laptop, but this has to eventually get fixed, so if no updates come your way for a while it means my laptop is getting fixed. Not that I can't provide you anymore updates, though, but I prefer to work on my laptop than any other computer...but, I will try.

Expect a new chapter in at least two weeks (Since I want to fix other chapters while I'm at it.)

Enjoy!

Summary: After the attack on her castle, Zelda manages to escape, half dead. Found by Link in the wild, she is taken care of, but when fate plays its harsh hand once more, the princess must do everything in her power to aid the hero, recover her kingdom, and maybe fall in love. AU Twilight Princess.

Please read or review, or criticize, whichever comes first. Flames are not accepted, frowned upon, and possibly deleted.

Also remember, that this story is not a walkthrough, and that Zelda and its characters do not belong to me.

The way to overcome the angry man is with gentleness, the evil man with goodness, the miser with generosity and the liar with truth.

-Indian Proverb

-Chapter 15-

-Swords, Games, and Puppets-

Link gave a mournful sigh, as he carried the injured hawk on his back, and Midna hid in his shadow. Yesterday's events had had an awful effect on all of them, particularly Shannon. Midna had told him how the small hawk had saved her life by getting in front of her, covering her from the light of Lanaryu that could have killed her. In turn, it seems that the small imp absorbed some of that light into her body, how she did it, even the imp couldn't explain. "Don't know…" was all the small imp whispered after Link looked at her questionably. Midna soon hid on his shadow, saying that even though she could stand light, that didn't mean she couldn't bother him from within his own shadow. Now, they were on the road again, Link going as slowly as possible to not upset the sleeping hawk. Even though Shannon wasn't as hurt as before when Link had first found her on the spring, he knew not to take things lightly. His encounter with Zant had taught him much.

Now, all three of them were on their way to Faron Woods, but Link feared they wouldn't reach them until nightfall, and that is what worried him the most. With nightfall came monsters, and with monsters came a lot of bruises, cuts, and even death. The monsters of the night took advantage of many things. From little children to old men, from small squirrels to predator wolves, like him. Hence, they wouldn't find anything comical of seeing a predator carry what was most likely its dinner on its back as if they were best of friends. Midna had made a comment about it, though, and Link had found it quite amusing. He knew that she was just trying to lighten his mood, and broken body, with the small joke(or insult, knowing her, that's what she probably meant). However, her worries were more on Shannon than on him, as Midna could clearly see that the wolf could hold well, after all, she noticed he had a thicker hide.

He found it quite funny how in one day, Midna had turned from calling the hawk from 'bird brain' to Shannon. Probably it was the respect she felt for this animal, because Shannon had saved her life. Without her, the poor imp would have not survived her encounter with Zant, which she didn't want to talk about, whatsoever.

Link glanced at the sleeping hawk, cuddle close to his face, wondering how such a small creature could be so strong…and so, wise, if he dare say so. In fact, he had always wondered why Shannon had never been affected by the twilight, as it had affected those others that had been ones with that darkness. He very much assumed that it must be some sort of power the hawk had within her that she didn't have the slightest clue about. That made sense, in his mind. Maybe, she, as a beast, had also been chosen to carry out this quest with him. But why a beast, most of all, a hawk would be chosen to fight the Twilight King and save Hyrule, was up to anyone's guess. Midna had not even questioned why, either, as she had assumed the same. In fact, the wolf didn't know anything about the small hawk sleeping on his back, not where she came from, if she had another master, or something of that sort. The hawk was a complete mystery to him, but, Link wasn't going to dwell too much on it. Animals had a better will than a humans', if they had to go somewhere, they'll go, their only reason will be to go and see the world, then survive. He wasn't going to start gossiping with a hawk, that probably had no clue of human affairs, but apart from Midna, Shannon was like a good friend, a friend he'll feel miserable without.

And so, they went into the woods, as the night finally had overtaken the kingdom of Hyrule, who awaited rescue at the hands of a wolf, a hawk, and an imp.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

It took Link a full two hours to finally reach the spring, having run-ins with some of the creatures that dwelled in the forest. Midna had aided him in the fight, by taking care of the creatures, as he pretty much couldn't attack well with a hawk on his back. Shannon, now awake, had apologized to Link for not being helpful to him, but the wolf had simply said to not worry about it. He knew that she was in pain, and risking herself again like when she did with Zant would only worsen her injuries. The hawk seemed to understand the explanation, and remained silent as they reached the spring.

The spring had been the same since the last time Link saw it, when he returned the light to the spirit, of course. It had not taken long for the spirit of Faron to sense their presence, and the spirit revealed itself to them. The huge figure of a squirrel nodded at Link and Shannon, before Link spoke. "Great spirit…please, I…I need your help…"

Indeed you do, child…your true form has been sealed by the powerful magic of the Twilight King…but, I cannot heal you.

"But, why! You helped me last time, no?" Link's face fell when he saw the spirit shake his head at him.

I fear this time is different…what binds you now is a different kind of magic, one different from the one that belongs to the realm of darkness…

"He's probably talking about that strange magic of Zant's," Midna whispered from his shadow. Link and Shannon glanced at each other for a while, as if thinking about something. Faron, however, interrupted their thoughts.

You are correct, child of Twilight…it is a strange and unfamiliar magic for you…but engraved with evil…Faron looked straight into Link's eyes, which made the wolf uncomfortable, for some reason; maybe its wide white eyes had something to do with it. This evil covers you like a veil, and my power or that of my brethren is not enough to destroy it…Link looked down at the ground. If even the light spirits couldn't help him did that mean that he will forever remain a beast? …however, spoke the spirit again, catching Link's attention. The wolf turned to face the spirit so fast, Shannon panicked and almost fell. Noticing his mistake, Link whispered a small 'sorry'. The hawk only shook her head, and told him to not worry about it. Faron chuckled a bit at seeing this scene, before moving on. Deep within this woods, there is a place known as the Sacred Grove, hero…

"The Sacred Grove?"

Yes…deep within the Sacred Grove lies a weapon of great power…the Blade of Evil's Bane…

"But, how would a sword help me?" Link asked, wondering what was so great about this strange weapon Faron spoke about.

The blade is a sacred weapon, one that evil can never touch…the veil of evil that surrounds you can be dispelled by this blade…this evil will forever leave your body, and you will return to your true self…

"Ah…but, is it really that simple?" Faron chuckled at Link's question. It appeared that the spirit sounded rather amused by the fact that Link had not believed in his words…Faron supposed that was expected. Who would ever count on a sacred blade to return one to their true form, anyway?

…this blade will aid you, child…it has the power to repel the evil that rests around your body, and release you from its clutches…now, allow me to heal your injuries, young ones…Link looked puzzled at what the spirit was saying, before he felt a strange sensation upon his whole body. Before he knew it, the mild pain he had felt moments ago had disappeared, and he could feel something flapping nearby. When Link finally began to look around, he saw that Shannon hovering nearby, her injuries all gone, and her strength returned. There…and now, my job has been finished…have a safe journey, young ones…and…beware of the blood that spills within you…Link looked at the spirit quizzically, but didn't ask anything, as the light of the spirit diminished, and moments later, the spring was no longer shinning with its light.

From his shadow, Midna quickly appeared, and took her place on top of Link, much to the latter's surprise. "Well, I guess we have to go to this Sacred Grove, then, so we can turn you back…huh?"

"Well…I don't suppose we can't stay here and do nothing." Link told her, then looked at Shannon. "Are you already to go, Shannon?"

"Oh…yes…the strange one did something extraordinary to me…and I no longer feel pain." Link gave her a grin, which looked like a snarl. Of course, Shannon wouldn't know who the spirits were, she was, after all, not a religious type of animal. "But…if I may ask…what are these 'Sacred Grove' the strange one spoke about, hmm?" Link nodded at Shannon's ignorance, maybe she understood certain things if they didn't have a name to accompany them, as most humans needed.

"They're some woods, or a forest, or something like that around here…we have to get to them to get me back to normal," the wolf explained. He received a sudden, 'Oh' from Shannon, but, he was rather surprised by what the hawk said next.

"Perhaps I can assist you…you see, while I was looking for you after the evil ones attacked your home, I managed to find my way…deeper into the woods…"

"Deeper?" Shannon nodded.

"Would you like me to show you?"

Midna had been extremely glad that Zelda had found a way to get deeper into the woods, and was very much thankful to her for translating what she and Link were saying to her mind. The imp assumed that it was too much work for the hawk princess to do, but Zelda assured her that it was a simple matter. In fact, according to the princess, healing injuries took a lot of magic power out of her, and was the hardest spell she had to learn. With her form as it was, however, the only things that Zelda could do was communicate through telepathy and give out her light with the use of her strange mark that glowed in golden light. She remembered seeing one in Link's paw, or hand, when he was being dragged by a Shadow Beast back in the day, and she wondered if they were the same.

She didn't dwell too much on it, however, as Zelda led Link through the many trees, straight back near that temple where they had found their first Fused Shadows. (1)

"This is the place?" Link asked the hawk princess, as he looked at the huge trees, and the bottomless pit down below. He backed away a little, and looked back at the bird hovering above both him and Midna, who, was looking down at the huge hole before them.

"Yes…more green trees decorate the sight beyond here…I managed to get a little farther up ahead, before I realized I was going to get lost…so I returned to the Ordon Spring…"

"Ah, I get it…so, I guess we just got lucky…"

"Well, let's get going then…the bird already told you where to go, huh?" Midna asked Link, feigning ignorance as if she hadn't understood what they had said. The wolf looked down below, and gulped, before he used the nearby branches of the great trees that were sticking out in the open. He gulped. Midna noticed this, and patted his head, affectionately. "Aw…what's the matter? Afraid of heights?"

"…I wanna see you in my place," Link growled at her, making Midna laughed. Even without the use of Zelda's magical abilities, she could pretty much understand what Link was saying thanks to him showing her his white and sharp teeth.

"You worry too much!"

"And you don't?" Link and Zelda asked together, making the imp roll her eyes.

"Look, if you fall, I can transport you back here…it's not like," she looked down at the pit below. "You'll fall to your death. You have me around to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Such reassuring words…" Link grumbled sarcastically, as he carefully made his way towards the branches that either meant, certain relief or doom.

"You like to torture him, do you?" came Zelda's voice to her mind, as soon as Link jumped to the second branch. Midna gave her a small chuckle, before she answered back, using her thoughts as the princess taught her.

"Well, can't deny that its fun!" Midna grinned when she heard Zelda give a mental chuckle of her own. "Still," the imp said, after Zelda went silent. "I suppose I'm hard on him…"

"You suppose? Is that a way of showing friendliness?" Zelda asked her, watching in amused silence as Link tripped on his own feet as he landed on top of the branch.

"Maybe."

Zelda only sighed, and flew down, to what was now, the other side of the woods. Link gave a long jump, before he fell to the ground, four legs extended to his sides, belly on the ground.

"Thank you, Farore…" he whispered, panting, more in relief than in desperation. Midna and Zelda both laughed at the wolf's action.

"Hahaha! I gotta admit, Link, this has been your greatest feat ever! Hahaha!"

"Hahaha…very funny, Midna…" Link told her, as he finally got up from the ground, and finished his praying. Midna only chuckled as they went on their way.

When Link and the others had reached what it seemed, the heart of the forest, they had were left with their mouths hanging open, well, beak as the case was with Shannon, when they saw the wonderful forest before them. It was completely devoid of light, and what little light shown through the thick leaves of the trees, was so little, Link could hardly see. Trees covered every single area he lay his eyes on, with few insects flying from one side of a tree, only to land into another. In the middle of this 'heart of the forest' lay an even larger tree than the ones he and the hawk were looking at. Link and Shannon examined the small area around, but found that they could not leave the small area, unless they came back from where they came from, as the trees acted like walls around them all. "Well…this is just wonderful…" Link grumbled as he examined the place one more time.

"It is too thick here…almost impossible to fly," the hawk told him, as she landed nearby, and looked around with her blue, unnatural, eyes examining the trees and vines around the area. "harder to find a path not covered by green, as well…it would appear that this is where the road ends."

"Yeah…but, that's not a good thing…we haven't found any blade y—Shannon?" The wolf watched as Shannon raised a wing to silence him. Before Link could open his mouth, Midna hissed at him to shut up. Apparently whatever the hawk had heard, Midna had heard it, too.

"…listen…" Midna whispered to his ear. Raising his wolf ears up, Link could catch the faintest sound of a melody. Some strange, yet, cheerful melody that emanated from somewhere around the place. What's that? the hero thought, as he began to walk around the plays, Shannon hovered not too far away from him, apparently inspecting the place as well. That sound…hmm…its coming from up, Link and Shannon both exchanged glances, and then looked up at the huge tree that stood before them.

"There?" they said in unison. As if their words, or barks and cries, had been a password, something jumped towards them from the shadows high above them. Link and Shannon quickly moved away, ready to fight whoever dared to appear.

"What in the world?"

The strange creature that stood before them had a strange set of orange clothes, accompanied by a weird top hat. His face had on a devilish grin that showed sharp yellow teeth, and its eyes seemed empty of any emotion, and its face, and possibly its whole body, seemed to be made out of dead wood. On one hand, the creature carried a lamp that was light in a strange white, and pure light, while in the other he held something that looked like a very large and strange flute, or at least, that's what it looked like. "Heheheee! Hello, creatures of the forest!" it laughed, dancing in its spot, moving from left to right, using the voice of a wicked child. "If you follow me," it said, making Link and the others turn curious eyes on the creature. "I'll show you something nice! Heehee!" Both beasts and imp looked at each other, as if debating if they should follow the strange creature. Before they could debate long enough, however, the creature took its strange flute up to its mouth, and blew on it, releasing millions of dead leaves from within it. After the creature was done blowing his strange instrument, from out of the shadows of the trees, strange wooden creatures, similar to the one standing before them, but larger, and without clothes on, appeared. They had the creature's same face, but moved in a strange matter, as if they were dancing. They also appeared to be held by something from above them, like some sort of string. "First we play a game, though!" the creature told them, smirking, as the strange creatures approached Link and his companions, who were all ready to fight. "Find me, and I'll show where that nice sword rests!"

Link barely managed to contain his shock, before he attacked one of the creatures. Shannon slammed her beak against one of them, creating a small hole. The creature collapse to the ground, and then, was dragged back to the shadows by its strange strings. Link had no trouble in getting rid of the other two creatures that stood before them. They, too, were dragged back to where they came from.

"He's getting away!" Midna cried, catching the attention of the two animals. They saw that strange creature running away from them, laughing as he ran. Link and Shannon looked at the creature in confusion, as it pretty much was going to a dead end. Only when the saw the wall of wood disappear as the creature took a step towards it, did they realize what he meant by…playing a game. Link ran towards the hole, with Shannon flying behind him, fearing that the hole will disappear from their sight again. Passing through it, they were surprised to see even more trees and vines, and they also saw the strange creature not too far away. It jumped up and down, laughing, as a group of those strange creatures fell from the shadows above them. This ones, however, were different than the ones that had attacked them earlier.

"Fun! Fun! Fun! Heeeheee!" the creature cried, blowing on his flute as the other puppet creatures went to attack Shannon and Link. He created that melodious and happy sound again as a background, as Link bit down the puppets, while Shannon pecked them to destroy them. Midna used her strange orange hair, and grabbed one of them, to throw it against another of those puppet monsters. After finishing up with the puppets, the creature stopped playing his flute, before he began to run away again. "Heeehheee! Catch me if you can!" Midna gritted her teeth, as Link and Shannon went after the little creature before they lost sight of him.

"What is this thing trying to do!" she asked to no one in particular. "Get us lost, or kill us?"

"Both!" Link cried, spotting the creature deeper into the forest. The creature only smirked at them, and then, called out his puppet friends. The pattern seem to go on for hours and hours, until he and Shannon arrived to what it appeared some ruins, of course, they had no time to look around because they were too busy not trying to get killed by the strange puppets that other creature sent their way.

However, soon, they realized that the strange creature was leading them to the inside of a strange group of ruins. The puppets no longer appeared, and the creature stopped at the front of what seemed to be a great door…or what remained of it, anyway. Behind the strange doorway, stairs that led to a higher ground remained. The creature danced in front of what remained of the doorway, before it cried out, "You found me! Heeeheee! Bye bye! Heeheee!" Jumping high up in the air, the creature twirled before their eyes, and disappeared in a bundle of leaves. Once he was gone, Link and the others exchanged confused looks.

"Okay, now…that was weird…" Midna said, speaking what was on everyone's mind at that moment.

"You're telling me," Link whispered, and then, decided to see what was beyond the stairs. Followed closely by Shannon, who hovered close by, Link made his way up towards that mysterious platform that lay before them.

Taking cautious steps for fear of being attacked once again by that strange creature, Link made his way slowly towards the steps, followed closely by the hawk. When they reached the end of the stairs, the group was greeted by another open space, well, if one weren't to count the trees that covered the area to be parts of the roof that once belonged to this great temple, or palace. "Link! Look!" Shannon cried, flapping her wings frantically as she was pointing with her beak. Link followed her gaze(and beak), and found out the object that she was pointing at.

A sword with a beautiful blue hilt and golden diamond upon it, lay shinning beautifully nearby. The blade was stuck perfectly into a pedestal, that appeared to be glowing along with the steel of the sword. Link, realizing that that sword was the thing that would get him out of this mess, went towards it. It didn't take long for Link to feel the changes…and everything seemed to glow around him…trapping him, with a brilliant light. He hardly heard the yells of confusion coming from Midna and Shannon, as the change was upon him.

1-Note: Since this part is from Midna's POV, she will be able to understand what Link and Zelda are saying, but I will use the font which indicates telepathic speech, if you know what I mean…remember, as it says earlier, Zelda is basically translating what she and Link are saying to Midna…I hope this isn't too confusing…when the POV changes to Link, however, the font will be in bold. Zelda and Midna will both remain in telephatic speech, in certain places.