Chapter 5-

As the skies over Katsuto were filled with the last rays of the evening sun, the soft quiet of evening set in over the town. Merchants began closing up their stalls for the night, and the evening watch patrolled the streets. A few stray children were still at play, as their parents called to them to come inside. It seemed that this would be as uneventful as any other night, in a small town where nothing ever seemed to happen. Many of the guards were hoping for a transfer to Hyrule Castle, where all of the action was. Oh there had been news of what had happened at Ruto town, and a rumor had spread in the marketplace that Ganon's legion's were threatening to attack the town, but certainly that was just simple wives' gossip, wasn't it? Why on earth would Shadow Link even think about attacking some place as insignificant and backward as Katsuto?

Little Mika had said goodbye her friends, was making her way home. Pausing, she lifted her soft blue eyes to the heavens, and made a wish on a shooting star that the weather would be nice tomorrow so she could go outside and play again. It was then that the little girl noticed what looked like a large, black... bird, or something... flying towards the town. Sqinting her eyes to get a better look, she saw -as the thing got closer- that there were several other flying creatures behind the first one, though they were much smaller. She could also make out several small dark shapes riding on the back of the largest creature...

...on the back of a Gleeock...

The village's alarms soon rose, piercing the calm stillness of the evening. From the east, a horde of Moblins and Stalfos rushed towards the town walls. As the civilians scurried into the shelters, the men and women of Kasuto's town guard grabbed thier bows and swords, and raced to their posts. The defenses held at first, as the guard launched volley after volley of arrows from their bows, killing hundreds of the invading monsters. But soon, the Gleeock arrived, and sent fire reigning down on the Town from it's three dragon heads. A squad of Darknuts and their Iron Knuckle commander leapt off the dragon's back, smashing down into the streets of the town, and attacking the guards.

"The first attack was a distraction! We were trick-" One of the guards cried out, as a darknut cut him down. The defenders fought valiantly, but were no match for the skilled armored monsters. As the last of the towns guards fell, the citizens came running out of the burning shelters. Keese swarmed over the frightened townsfolk, scattering them in a panic.

Soon, the Moblins and Stalfos came pouring over the walls. "Go, and Kill!" the Iron Knuckle growled in the Moblin's guttural language. "Make the streets run red with rivers of Hylian blood!" The monsters carried this out on the town's inhabitants with fiendish glee, and their gruesome handiwork soon lay everywhere.

Far away from the burning town, the several dozen survivors hurried across the landscape, praying the monsters hadn't spotted them escape in the chaos. They wept bitterly for the thousands who had perished, and swore in their hearts that a new Katsuto Town would rise elsewhere. Among them, little Mika looked back at the burning town, and said a silent farewell to the only home she had ever known.

--

As Link and Din approached the Eastern Palace, they noticed the serene stillness that seemed to hang around the place. A haunting silence swirled in the air around them, filling the young pair with wonder.

"Keep a sharp eye, Din." Link said cautiously. "Monsters tend to prowl around this area."

Din looked around at the ruins of what looked like a Town or city. "Link, are these ruins ... from old Hyrule... the time before the flood?"

"No." The Hero shook his head. "These are the remains of the village of the Blue Maiden, a town that stood in front of the Eastern Palace a few centures ago." He looked over his shoulder. "It used to be the home to one of the six shrine maidens. The village was abandoned a few months after an incident where a bunch of children vanished through dark world portals, and a local guild of Mages were blamed." Link gave a smirk. "One of my ancestors help solve that little problem."

"You have a lot of heroic ancestors." Din said with a smile. "And you know a lot of Hyrule's history."

Link just shrugged. "My uncle used to tale me stories of Hyrule's heroic pasts." His voice trailed off. "Of my ancestors, the great Heroes..."

"You're uncle sounds like he was a great man." Din replied sympathetically "You must miss him a lot."

"Each and every day." Link looked away. "I was so happy after he recovered after I defeated Ganon. But when I came back from my adventure on Kolnohoit island... and I found out he had died while I was gone..."

Din laid a hand on his shoulder. Their eyes met, and both of them smiled at the same time. But before Din could react, Link suddenly grabbed her, and pulled her behind a crumbling wall.

"Link!" She shriekied. "What the h-"

"Quiet!" He barked, drawing his sword. "Look over there."

She followed his gaze, and saw two... Lizard Men, with large fins on their heads, and carrying axes... step out of the shadows.

"What in the name of Nayru are those?" She whispered.

"Lizalfos" Link Spat. "From the Dairia tribe, judging from those head fins."

"What do they want here?" Din asked.

Link thought for a moment. "They must be after Sharalsha. Dark Link must've heard he's here!" Link ran forward impulsively. "We've got to save him!"

"Link, wait!" Din yelled after him. "We should have a plan!"

Ignoring her, the hero ran forward, slashing his sword. The Daira easily blocked it with his ax, and swung his weapon at Link, who dodged.

"Men..." Din growled, drawing her scimitar. "What do they have against thinking before jumping in?"

A Daria threw a small axe at Din, which she deflected with her blade. It spat a fireball at her, and she leapt over it. Jumping at the Lizalfos with a dancer's grace, her whirling scimitars took it's head off in one clean cut. Link cut down the one he was facing, and rushed over to where she stood.

"I was impulsive again." He said sheepishly. "Sorry."

She rolled her eyes. "Fight now, talk later."

Three more Lizalfos came rushing up, drawn by all the commotion. The hero threw his boomerang, which immediately knocked one down. Link rushed up and stabbed it in the chest, just as a second Dairia dove at him. But Din intercepted it first, stabbing the monster in the chest. Seeing it was outmatched, the third one tried to run away, but was struck down by an arrow in the back.

"Woah, nice shooting" Link said in surprise. "I'm really glad I gave you that bow!"

"I'm half Gerudo." she replied with a smirk. "I was trained by the best."

Before Link could reply, at least fifty more Lizalfos began appearing out of the ruins, growling and brandishing their axes.

"Uh oh." Link said in a worried tone. "I think we found the rest of the tribe."

"No, really?" Din replied sarcastically. "What was your first clue?"

Both of them readied their weapons. But before the Dairia could charge, and energy bolt suddenly came out of nowhere, and began striking them one by one. Each one that was heat by the bean was instantly encased in ice. Some of them tried to flee, but soon they were all frozen solid.

"What the godesses was that?" Link asked in shock.

"Looks like an ice rod's magic." but who-"

"Hello, young ones!" An elderly man's voice called out. As he approached, they could see he had a long, white beard, and carried an ice rod. "What brings you two here?"

"Hello, Sharalsha!" Link replied, smiling. "Boy, are we glad to see you!"

Din nodded. "And wait until you hear what we have to say!"

"Come on, let's get inside. We can talk there." Gesturing for them to follow, the wise old Sage began walking back in the direction he came from.

"Come on, let's go." Link added, and the three of them were soon on thier way.