Soundtrack suggestion: Tumbleweed Town—Brandon Fiechter

Shadow and Sashira had just reached the place where the battle had been before. Zelly was hanging out in Shadow's . . . shadow, having turned herself into a shadow, to escape the heat.

Ikana territory in the daytime was completely different than at night. For one, there were no bodies from the night before, which was a relief.

But that wasn't the only odd thing.

There was a house. A small, square house with a waterwheel. Shadow was sure it hadn't been there last night, although it had been dark. On the roof were giant, ridiculous looking horns, three of them of different sizes, spinning round and round, out of which came a cheerful, waltzy tune. A small stream ran through the waterwheel, which apparently powered the music, and around the stream was grass and weeds. Someone had even cultivated a small garden a few paces away from the house. The stream ran over the cliff, at the base of which was the river he'd heard. "What is that place?"

"I don't know," Sashira answered. "A man and his daughter live there, but I'm not sure how, or why."

"Were they here last night?"

"Of course." Her eyebrows crossed. She had that strange, feverish look in her eyes again. "They . . . must have been."

They walked around the house, and sure enough, there was a little girl with brown hair and freckles in a pink dress and orange shoes and green stockings. She looked up as they came around the corner, and suddenly ran up the steps to her house and disappeared inside, slamming the door behind her.

"She does that," said Sashira. The Zelda-like Garo was headed for the river, as if not giving the strange house another thought.

"But, haven't you ever knocked?" Shadow asked.

Sashira turned around, her cheeks flushed red. "Knocked? What is that?"

"You've . . . never used a door before, have you?"

She shook her head and turned away.

"Sashira, wait!" He caught up to her. "Why don't we knock?"

"I don't know what that means!"

"Let them know we're here, maybe talk to them . . . maybe they'll know something that can help me."

"I'm not staying on Ikana land longer than I have to! My father is waiting, probably really angry that I'm missing. And besides," the flush returned to her cheeks. "The man who lives in there is . . . very strange."

"You've met him?"

"Well . . . no . . . he's only seen me from a distance." She made a derisive noise. "He's some kind of 'scientist.' He thinks Ikana is full of ghosts!" She laughed. "As if!"

Shadow looked at her oddly, thinking of how everyone at Ikana Castle had disappeared. "Well . . . you can leave if you want to. I'm very grateful to you for all your help, and I'm extremely sorry about . . . you getting captured and everything. If there's anything I can do—"

"Nope! I'll be fine." She suddenly scurried off and leaped behind a rock at the edge of the valley.

"O . . . kay," said Shadow. He looked down at his shadow, put his hands on his hips and leaned over. "Hey, Zelly, can you come out now? We're going to try to meet some people."

Zelly obliged. A shadowy little girl rose from the shadow, then the shadowy features fell away and Zelly stood there, grinning at her father. She reached up quickly and bopped his nose. "Gotcha!" Then made her chase him to the door of the house, where she stood bouncing up and down. "There was a little girl! Do you think she wants to play?"

Shadow grinned. "Maybe, but Zelly . . . try not to do any shadow stuff around them."

"Why?"

"Most people don't know about those powers and might be scared."

"Why?"

"Because we look scary as shadows."

"Why?"

"Because normal people don't disappear into shadows and travel really fast."

"But why, Daddy?"

Shadow's shoulders slumped. He heard footsteps behind the door. Apparently the little girl had alerted her father to the newcomers. "Just don't do it, okay?" he barely got out before the front door opened. A strange man peeked out, then screamed, then slammed the door.

"Sheesh! I didn't realize they were so close!"

"I told you, Daddy!"

"Uh, hello?" Shadow called. "My name's Shadow, and this is my daughter Zelly. We'd sure like to talk to you, if you could open the door?"

The door cracked open again. "Oh, they're not ghosts, Pamela," the man said, sounding quite pleased, "they're regular people like you and me." He opened the door fully. "Hello! Shadow, right?" He had an abnormally large nose and a long face. He had red hair with a receding hairline in a pompadour style, and wore a lab coat. Underneath that, he wore a blue and white striped t shirt and green pants. Peeking out from behind him was the same little girl from before, Pamela.

"Right!" Shadow put his hands on Zelly's shoulders. "We're just passing through, but thought we'd stop to say hello."

"My word!" The man leaned toward Shadow a bit, which made Shadow lean back. "You look JUST like the books describe Ikanans! Are you from around here?"

"Ah, no, not at all," Shadow answered. I don't think . . . "We're from a place called Hyrule. Have you heard of it?" he added hopefully.

"Hmm, no, I'm afraid not. Far away, is it?"

"Apparently so."

The man tilted his head thoughtfully. "I'm Anton by the way." He held out a hand, which Shadow shook. "I'm researching all the paranormal activity around here. Mummies, gibdos, even ghosts! This place is crawling with them."

"I noticed."

Anton brightened. "Really?! You're the first one to believe me. Do come inside, let's have tea!"

"Daddy," whispered Pamela. "That lady is out there again . . ."

Anton glanced at his daughter, then looked to where she pointed. So did Shadow and Zelly. Sashira was peeking from behind a rock. The same one she'd leaped behind. I guess she didn't leave, Shadow thought. Just as they all looked, however, her head disappeared as she ducked.

"OH!" Anton cried. "Excuse me, Shadow, I must look into something." He hurried around Shadow and Zelly and down the steps. He ran a few feet, then skidded to a halt and then slowly stepped closer to the rock. He put his hands around his mouth. "Hello? Excuse me, I've seen you around here before, but you never want to come and talk to me! I promise I mean you no harm!"

Shadow left Zelly with Pamela and walked over to Anton. The two girls looked each other over curiously.

"Do please come out!" Anton called.

Shadow tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, Sashira! You can come out."

Anton looked at him sharply. "You know her?!"

"Only a little bit. We met yesterday."

"I KNEW IT! She's NOT a ghost! But then, what is she?" He took a few steps closer. "Sashira! My name's Anton! I'd just like to get to know you. I'm sure you know all about this valley, and I'm dying to find out more! I promise I just want to talk."

A dark-haired head slowly appeared above the rock again, and Sashira called out, "Are you aligned with Ikana?"

"Oh!" Anton said quietly in surprise. "What a lovely voice." Louder, he called, "Haha! I should think not! Ikana has been abandoned for hundreds of years!"

Now Shadow was very confused. So, last night, this place had been overrun with loin-clothed, masked warriors and hooded ninjas, and in the daytime it was like those people had not existed. For hundreds of years.

Sashira slowly stood and walked around the rock. Her blue eyes were wary, but curious. She had her mask pulled up over her mouth and nose, and she had drawn her saber.

Anton had to rein himself back before he could run forward in his excitement. "You . . . you're a Garo, aren't you? How long have you been here?"

She seemed entirely uncomfortable, but answered, "My whole life."

"I know it's rude to act for a specific age of a lady, but, roundabouts how many years is that, two hundred? Three hundred?" He seemed to think she was an undead creature.

Sashira shook her head in confusion. "Twenty-six years."

Anton's mouth hung open, then he collected himself. "Do you mind if . . . if I come closer?"

She shrugged.

Anton carefully walked forward until he stood just two feet away, examining her eyes. "You're not . . ." he whispered. "You're not dead, are you?" It was almost a statement.

Sashira snorted, looking away from him. "Of course not."

Anton held out a hand curiously. Sashira hesitated, then placed her hand on his. He regarded it for a long moment, at the smooth, living flesh. "I . . ." he raised his eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sashira."

"Hmm."

"Would you please come inside?"

She pulled her hand from his. "What if the Ikanans arrive?"

"Oh don't worry! My music box keeps all the ghosts out!"

Sashira didn't seem to be processing the conversation well. She seemed lost, and her eyes again had that strange, feverish quality.

Shadow had now become convinced that everything that had happened to them last night had been . . . some sort of spiritual experience? He remembered Link telling him that Ikana was haunted. That the people there had been cursed to fight for eternity. What if that's what was going on? In the day, there were the gibdos and redeads, but at night . . . at night the spirits came alive to fight each other once more.

And Sashira had absolutely no idea. "They come out at night. We have to hurry."

Shadow had a horrific thought. If all the people in Ikana Valley were dead, and Sashira wasn't . . . how long had she been alone, with only ghosts for company? Suddenly the fevered look in her eyes made sense.

"My whole life."

Her whole life. Somehow Sashira had managed to survive on her own in Ikana for her entire life. She had never had interactions with living people outside of him and Zelly and, now, Anton the scientist.

"It's okay, Sashira." Shadow pointed at the sky. "There're still hours before nightfall. You can come visit and still be back in Garo territory before the Ikanans come."

Anton gave him a quizzical expression, but forgot about it because Sashira nodded her head and said, "Al- . . . Alright."