Short chapter.

Anyways, I was thinking over college and the update schedule. I start next week. And I also have school on Saturdays. I'm supposed to update on Saturdays (though lately it's been more or less around the end of the week). So I really have no idea what's going to happen or if I'll be able to keep to the schedule. I won't make any promises, but I will try to update when I can.

I'M NERVOUS PEOPLE.

It was at that time, when they were surrounded by strange puppets containing Abyss creatures, that Vega really wished the other Immortals could control their sadistic sibling. But that thought quickly left the star's mind as he felt Zelda's panic and frustration levels rising.

The puppets came at them, making wooden clanking sounds as they neared with surprising speed. They jumped aside to avoid the first wave of the puppet attack. To Link's disdain, Vega was the one who had veered Zelda back on track after her awkward landing. The disdain didn't last, however, as the puppets were coming at them with their wooden fingers bared like claws.

Link hacked and slashed with the Master Sword, cutting aside any puppet that crossed him and came at him. Vega, not chancing using magic in such close-quarters used his own stardust blade, charging it with some sort of spell when it hit the target. Zelda unleashed a fire spell at the puppets; she lost control midway through the spell, but was lucky enough that the fire just expanded to hit other puppets rather than toast her or her comrades. And all the while as they fought, the Skull Kid never ceased playing its flute in its harsh, annoying tone. Even when all the puppets had toppled or fried and sent their temporary residents back to their proper home in the darkness, the little scarecrow-like figure never stopped.

It didn't take them long to find out why.

Just when it seemed like it was finished, more puppets popped out of thin air and more dark shadows rushed from the tear in reality into the husks.

The three frustrated humanoids and all looked at each other, understanding the situation. As long as that Skull Kid kept the shrewd tone going, no matter how many adversaries they felled they would be replaced. So the plan had silently become "aim for the Skull Kid."

Zelda was the first to get the closest to Skull Kid. She sent a fire blast its was, but just before it reached him, a puppet dashed in front and took the hit for Skull Kid. In the moment of surprise that the witch had, a puppet struck her. That caused Link to flare up with a primal rage he'd never felt before and immediately ran to strike the offending puppet down. Zelda had taken care of it already when he had gotten near enough, but now he was closest to the Skull Kid. As much as he wished to continue to stay by the princess's side, getting at the Skull Kid was the prime directive. So he wound his way around a few more puppets and charged at the creature. Rather than that one puppet that came and took Zelda's attack, three came to veer Link off his course. And they succeeded.

During all this commotion being caused by Link and Zelda, Vega had been preparing one of his specialty fire lances. The puppets had given full attention to the others, so he had no trouble preparing it quickly enough. A flick of his wrist sent the golden line of flame towards the Skull Kid. For a moment, he thought he had succeeded. It was only for a moment. While no puppets came to the Skull Kid's defense this time, the Skull Kid did show off acrobatic and multi-tasking skills as it flipped backwards and away from the lance while still keeping the shrill tone that kept its comrades coming.

They had gone one for only the goddesses knew how long. All three were tiring and the many bruises, cuts, and slashes on them seemed to be increasing. Zelda had gotten a light cut on her belly, a few tears on her dress, and a red splotch was developing on her right cheek; Vega had gotten his nose broken again (which Link secretly took joy in when he saw it, however briefly) and the arm that wielded the stardust blade looked positively tattered; Link was probably the worst of the bunch, which was fitting as the master Sword seemed to take the puppets out faster than the magic of Vega's ethereal blade or Zelda's fire. Point of pride, though it was, it was still exhausting him. He had slashes on just about every limb, cuts on his face, and he knew when this was done with he would hurt the next day.

If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that they would all survive because Vega had told them of the Time Spinner strict lifetime philosophy of not defying Fate. But the way things were going, Link was wondering if that was really true.

A column of flame then erupted by the Skull kid. It finally stopped playing and let out a shriek before scattering clumsily back up to the tear to the Abyss. Link glanced at Zelda and Vega, who seemed just as oblivious as he was.

After the Skull Kid disappeared, the puppets didn't seem to be too interested in remaining to fight. The shadows left the husks, which plopped onto the floor with clanks and then disappeared.

The three regrouped.

"That wasn't me." Zelda said warily.

"Nor I…" Vega said, not hiding a touch of concern in his tone.

"I do not do magic." Link said. "So if it wasn't you guys… Who was it?"

A voice, male but timid, piped up. "Ah… it was me…"

Link and Vega turned on their heels. They were glaring at a tall, sandy-cloaked figure. The Blade of Evil's Bane was one side of where the cloaked figure's neck would be and Vega's stardust blade was on the other side.

"OhGodpleasedon'thurtme." The stranger said squeakily while quickly holding up his hands.

"You guys! Stop it! He just saved us!" Zelda said angrily. She marched up to the slivertop and blond and forcibly lowered their arms, and their swords, by forcing her own arms down on theirs.

Vega didn't object, however, as he remembered the hooded stranger from a graveyard. "Oh… sorry 'bout that."

Link frowned, looking at the cloak more closely and realizing he'd heard the voice from before. "Wait a second… You're one of the creeps who were making tea in that graveyard."

"Eheh, guilty as charged…" The voice of the stranger was more than anxious. "I mean, you may find it weird but I'm used to it…"

"How can you be used to having tea in a graveyard?!" Link asked incredulously.

"He's a necromancer – well, the apprentice of the pair, I believe?" Vega asked.

The stranger nodded but Link and Zelda seemed to be on edge again.

"Necromancer?!" Zelda squealed.

"Oh no, no!" The apprentice said quickly, "Most necromancers are good, you know! It's just the bad ones that give us the negative reputation…"

"And how do we know you aren't a bad one?" Asked the page suspiciously.

Zelda then gave him a flat look. "Would an evil necromancer offer us tea in the middle of a graveyard?"

"Point taken…" Link mumbled. "But why save us?"

"No doubt your master's orders." Vega said to the apprentice.

A twitch from the hood showed that he was nodding. "Yes. He wanted to make sure you came back to Castle Town without distraction. You see, me and my Lord were about to leave Castle Town but then we received a message from someone. It was really strange because it used the same coding as the person but the person had recently died. We decided that it must've been someone that knew him so we went to see and there were these two people – a really pretty lady and a weird little man that looked like a kid. They told us the circumstances behind the recently deceased's death and asked for our assistance. I mean, we can't do much because we're not allowed to take sides because of the Order – they're very strict and-"

"Please," Vega interrupted, speaking for the others present. "Get to the point."

"Oh… yes, sorry. So my master decided to send me to get you and make sure you come to Castle Town quickly while he remains over there to offer what little help he can to the two."

Link frowned. "You said one of them was a weird little man that looked like a kid… Did he have this creepy smile on him all the time, even when it wasn't appropriate?"

"Yes. Do you know him?"

"Unfortunately…" growled the page.

"But how do we know we can trust those people?" Asked Zelda.

"My uncle's one of them." Link told her. "He's creepy and weird but he is family… And I really hoped he wouldn't get involved with this…" he directed his attention back to the apprentice necromancer. "But did you catch the name of the woman?"

"It was Anya, I think."

Link shuddered. Anya? What was his uncle doing with that temptress?

"But we really don't have much time." The apprentice continued. "We need to get going."

"But why should we follow you?" Link asked. He couldn't help but be suspicious – it was in his nature. "I mean, just because you know my uncle doesn't mean you're trustworthy. My uncle's a bit of a freak, after all."

Zelda's lip puffed out, mostly from thought. "That is a good point… I mean, we don't even know your name…"

"My name really isn't important! You just have to believe me when I say it's important that you get to Castle Town immediately!"

"Have there been stories of monster attacks?" Vega asked suddenly. Link and Zelda looked at him worriedly.

The sandy cloaked figure paused. They didn't need to his face behind that cloak to know that the silence was a grim one. "That's why we need to hurry… That and because Ganondorf is tracking you, Mr. Star."

The star's eyes widened. "What?!"

"Wait," Link said, "Tracking? How could can they do that?!"

Zelda realized it quickly enough, though. "Vega, your hair!"

The page looked from the witch to the star, who seemed to understand exactly what she meant. Both looked extremely tense and worried. The apprentice necromancer was probably looking the same way as well under that hood.

"Bloody hell…" the silvertop cursed. He put a hand through his silver hair. "I can't stop a hair from falling… The witches must've found one… Damn, if everything hasn't gone pear shaped…"

"And now you see why it's important that we get to Castle Town as soon as possible." Said the necromancer. "He needs to be defeated before he can do anything with you or the kingdom. It may be right under his nose, but Castle Town would be the safest place for you. In fact, there's a much better chance of him finding you out here than over there."

"That makes no sense whatsoever, but I owe your master one." The star growled.

"Wait… I still don't understand. What about Vega's hair?" Link asked.

Behold the return of my favorite spaz. He's only going to be in around one or two more chapters, though. I still wuv him, though - in the motherly sort of way.

Um... nothing to say.