A long time coming, but with long chapters, redo's of older ones, and a slightly longer chapter here, it took awhile to get out. First of all, I'd like to address the mixed feedback from the last chapter.

There were a lot of people who said it was unexpected, but that it was fine. That's cool. Then there were a good number of people acted like I broke some terrible taboo. I mean c'mon people, what are we, ten? If you are, you shouldn't be reading this fic in the first place. Sex is a huge driving force in human decisions, character, and attitude. There's no reason to view it as something disturbing or otherwise. The physical realm of relationships adds many dimensions to a character, so think of it as another way of getting inside someone's head.

Besides, even though Amy's age is never given in the games, I think we can all agree that she is somewhere from thirteen to fifteen. Not only is that the exact range that teenagers start screwing around, but we can even go so far as to say that her slight malfestation could be affecting her urges and feelings.

Now look, I don't plan on turning this fic into some cheesy hentai/porno or anything, but romance is a very important part of it, and that includes sexual relations. So that's a heads up for those of you who might not be OK with that.

Unfortunately, with cold air and dark skies, Talim's clothes were hardly dry even hours after they had been shed. Talim on the other hand, was quite warm in Cyril's arms, who seemed to have fallen asleep while cradling her. Talim herself had been unable to doze off, out of sheer embarrassment if nothing else. The idea of sitting naked in a man's lap was still making her feel lightheaded. She was just glad that Cyril was sleeping...

"Talim?"

The poor girl nearly leaped out of her skin as Cyril's voice whispered directly into her ear. Clearly, she had been mistaken. "Y-y-yes!?"

"Your heartbeat was accelerating. Are you alright?"

"Y-yes! I'm fine. I just thought you were sleeping..."

Cyril grinned, a peculiar sight with closed eyes. "Then for future reference, Sentinels do not sleep, Talim."

"Really? That's terrible! Are you always exhausted?"

Cyril's smile widened even further. "I meant that we can't get tired. I don't need to sleep. Unlike you, I can't feel the effects of sleepless nights."

Talim wondered what it was like to spend every moment of every day awake. With that much time to think, that much time to have to yourself every night as those around you slept... even if you could not tire, wouldn't such a thing be exhausting in its own way?

"So you never sleep? At all? Is it even possible for you to sleep, to pass time if nothing else?"

Cyril shifted Talim's weight on his leg, attempting to restore some blood flow to the area. "Sentinels are capable of entering a trance-like state that is akin to sleep. It allows us to rest our minds, since even we cannot exert ourselves mentally without rest. It is close enough to sleep."

Talim didn't quite understand, but decided that it would be better to take Cyril's word for it. She was just glad that she didn't suffer from the same preventions that this Sentinel did. After a long day of work and toil, nothing felt better than taking a long rest in bed, at least in her opinion.

"Were you in this trance-like state just now? Before my heartbeat woke you up?"

Cyril's face was struck by a minute frown for a brief moment, but he made an effort to rectify his expression fairly quickly. "W-well... I wasn't, actually. I'm finding it a bit hard to meditate in this current situation..."

Fortunately for Cyril, Talim was a bit too naive to pick up on his meaning. She immediately accredited his lack of concentration on the cold, and not the closeness of her body to his. "I see. In that case, you are very good at pretending. I was positive that you were asleep at the time..."

"Well I must be very still to enter that trance, and I was attempting to do so... I had merely failed to succeed by the time I noticed your irregular heartbeat. Speaking of which, I do not recall discovering what caused that. I could not have been the one to startle you if you thought I was sleeping..."

Talim tried to suppress the thoughts that had indeed bothered her at the time, but her efforts were not wholly successful. After all, she was still sitting naked in Cyril's lap, and whether or not his eyes were closed didn't do much to diminish her embarrassment. "It was nothing... I had just thought I heard something on the wind, that's all..."

"I see. I find that slightly amusing, considering your own powers."

Talim tried to hide her nervousness behind a light laugh. "Ah, yes... that is kind of funny... um... Cyril, when do you think my clothes will be dry enough to wear again?"

Cyril's mouth curved upwards in a gentle smile. "Getting anxious are we? What's the hurry?"

Talim couldn't help but draw some misconstrued conclusions at Cyril's words. He had meant that she was anxious to get moving, but with his somewhat vague word choice, it was no surprise that Talim had not received the intended message.

"W-w-well... it's just a bit nerve-wracking to be in this predicament for so long... b-besides, I did not think you were the type for something like this Cyril..."

Cyril cocked an eyebrow at her. "The type for what? I assure you I am the type to help others..."

"T-that's not quite what I... n-never mind.. It's nothing, really."

Cyril accepted her answer without complaint. "In any case, your clothes should be dry enough in about another hour or so, even if they will still be a little damp. We'll search for dry ground then, and hopefully, there will be enough wood around to make a fire for you."

"That sounds quite nice. You have no idea what I would do for a warm fire right now..."

"Oh? Are my arms not good enough for you?"

Talim struggled to keep her voice under control as she tried to answer Cyril's jest. "T-that's not what I meant! I simply meant that a fire would be nice, I'm not saying that what you're doing isn't..."

"So you like this then?"

"N-n-no, I just... I mean... I... please stop messing with me Cyril!"

The Sentinel couldn't hold back a cheery grin. "Sorry, sorry... I just really can't help myself..."

If he were going to be like this for the next hour, Talim had no idea how she was going to survive.

Link watched with bated breath as Xandra proceeded to remove the metal helmet that constantly hid her face. In the short time he had known her, the young warrior could only speculate about Xandra's appearance. Was she stunningly beautiful? Was she simply plain? Or was she altogether unattractive? Link seriously doubted that last one, though there was no reason she couldn't be. Something about Xandra's personality and presence made it feel like it was impossible for her to be anything other than gorgeous.

Even Navi was completely silent as she watched the event unfold before her. That was probably because she was nosy more than anything else, but at least she was quiet.

If Xandra noticed the budding anticipation of her audience, she did not show it. She said nothing to show that she cared one way or another that she was being observed so closely, even as she lifted her green-trimmed metal helmet from her head, allowing her waist-length raven black hair to descend down her back. It was long and straight, and had a look of extreme softness that exuded the urge to simply touch it. In all honesty, her hair alone was beautiful: even someone as romantically clueless as Link could see that.

Xandra did not turn around right away, but instead took a moment to enjoy something she had not felt for years. Rarely did a Sentinel remove their helmet or armor, as there was usually no need to do so. Xandra had personally never liked the notion, as she hated being isolated from the world around her. Still, she did have things to do and places to be, so she would have to find time to indulge herself later. She turned to face Link, ready to tell him how they were going to travel across the ocean.

Link saw her mouth move, but didn't hear a word Xandra said. He was far too distracted to really pay attention. The first thing to catch his focus was Xandra's eyes. He had honestly expected them to be brown or hazel or some such, but they were actually a fantastic shade of bright green, a shade that put even the pure forest behind Link to shame. They were wonderful, filled with an analytic aura, but also a spark of passion for the things she held dear. Beyond that, Xandra was well-blessed in her visage as well. Her face was angular and sleek, and her lips were full and rosy pink. Her black bangs covered her forehead and draped down to just above her eyebrows.

Yes, she was definitely beautiful. Even more so than Link had imagined...

"Hylian, are you listening to me?"

Link shook his head as he realized that he had not heard a single word Xandra had uttered. "Uh, n-no, my apologies. You were saying?"

Xandra cocked an eyebrow at him, though it was accompanied by a smirk. "I understand why you might be stunned, but do try to keep your head on your shoulders."

Caught red-handed, there was nothing Link could really say to defend himself. He had been gawking, there was no denying that. "Yes... I will certainly try."

Xandra turned back to the ocean as she repeated what she had said earlier. It was strange though: without her helmet, Xandra almost seemed like a different person. She didn't seem as severe, critical, or cold as she had just a little while ago. Though nothing had really changed about her, being able to associate an actual face with Xandra, instead of that intimidating helmet of hers, made the woman feel more approachable.

"Now, we simply do not have time to waste traversing the ocean through conventional means. Fortunately, I am capable of transporting us both to the other continent with far more speed."

"How?"

Xandra ran her fingers through her hair: when was the last time she had even done something as simple as that? When was the last time she had even seen herself without her helmet on? Did she herself even know what she looked like right now? "All Sentinels are capable of employing different forms of rapid transportation. Fortunately for us, I am the only one capable of taking others along with me."

"Your fellow Sentinels cannot do the same?"

"No. Chrysaor and Helios have the fastest teleportation, but they cannot take others with them. Theron's is slowest, and no mortal could survive his method anyway . I am the only one who can bring others with me into my Gale Stream."

Link quickly decided that this 'Gale Stream' did not sound all that appealing. "How exactly does this method of yours work, Xandra?"

The black haired beauty actually smiled, something that ended up being more worrisome than anything else. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough Link. Whatever happens though, try to stay calm."

As she finished, Link noticed that a very strong wind had begun to blow from behind him. It blew past him and his companions, causing Xandra's hair to billow out behind her... and parts of her body to fade away, like dust blown away in the open desert. Speechless, but fearful for her never the less, Link reached his hand out to the woman, only to find that the same phenomenon was happening to him. His very fingers were being blown away by the powerful breeze.

"Xandra! Is this supposed to happen?!"

Xandra said nothing, choosing instead to laugh as she witnessed Link's look of confusion and alarm. It was a beautiful, clear sound, but Link couldn't fully appreciate it with the current situation. He couldn't appreciate anything at all as the wind blew him, Navi, and Xandra away entirely, carrying the trio away like dust on the wind.

Amy glared up at the wooden ceiling of her inn room, both furious and ashamed, for different reasons. Needless to say, she was finished with her earlier activities, and was now suffering the emotional backlash that came with something of that nature.

She was obviously ashamed for indulging herself in such a perverted fantasy, but on the other hand, she was mad at Cyril for tempting her in the first place. He may not have been doing it on purpose, but that insufferable man was teasing and flirting with her all the time these days. He was always telling her that he thought she was cute or sweet or something, and how was she supposed to stop herself from getting strange ideas of her own when Cyril acted like that all of the time?

The worst part was that he was probably just messing around with her. It was unlikely that Cyril actually viewed someone as young as her with any kind of romantic fondness. The things he said to her were probably just jests, and even though Amy knew that, she couldn't help her own recent attraction to him. That was why she was mad at Cyril, even if that was somewhat unfair to him. He shouldn't have been so eager to toy with her emotions all of the time, the damned bastard.

Amy hugged the bed's pillow to her chest. Why did love have to be so painful? Why couldn't it be easy? This must have been what Cyril meant when he told her that her cheesy romances were not like the real world. She hated to admit that he was right, but this situation was definitely not as easy as anything that happened in her books.

In the end, there was nothing be done about it at all. The only thing Amy could really do was decide how she was going to proceed from here. Cyril was coming back for her: she chose to believe that now for her own sake. And when he did, what would she do? She could try to suppress her feelings for him, but as long as the two of them traveled together, it was unlikely that they would ever subside. In fact, they would likely only grow even more unhealthily potent.

Would she be able to handle that? Amy was convinced that her feelings were and would be unrequited indefinitely: would she be able to cope with that knowledge, even as she spent every day with Cyril by her side? She didn't honestly think she could, but Amy would rather have his friendship than nothing at all. She wouldn't leave his side, especially not now, when she could still offer him aid in his mission.

Besides, who was to say that things couldn't change? According to Cyril, the end of the world could still be years away. Decades even. It could take Cyril that long to find the Catalyst as well: if Amy stayed with him throughout all of that time, it was only logical that he would grow more attached to her. Besides, she would grow older as the years passed as well, and at some point Cyril would no longer think of her as a child...

But that was a huge commitment to make, especially so when one considered the fact that Amy had only been Cyril's companion for a short time, and that the Sentinel might return to Valhalla when his mission was complete. If he did, then all of that time spent with him would have no results at all. He would simply become a memory, and that would be unbelievably painful. But would it be better to have some time with him before he left, or none at all? Honestly, Amy wasn't sure.

Besides, what about her father? She couldn't just disappear on some journey with a man she had only known for a little while, could she? Raphael would be driven mad with worry. Could she really disappear for months, years even, and do that to her father? In all honesty, maybe she could.

Raphael disappeared on her all of the time. He was constantly leaving her behind to go on some quest or another, and he rarely ever told Amy where he was going. What right would he have to complain if she did the same? Besides, she would actually be doing something worthwhile on her quest. She'd be helping a powerful warrior save the world! That could be described as nothing less than the adventure of a lifetime, and what kind of fool would she be if she declined to partake in it?

With that in mind, Amy's course of action was set. She didn't know how her relationship with Cyril was going to work out. But what she did know was that there was no way in hell she was going to pass up the opportunity to save the world. Besides, even if Cyril never viewed her as more than a child, or even if he left her after his mission was complete, it was better to spend what time she could with him. When he came back, she would try even harder to help him reach his goals, and that was that.

Never had Talim been more glad to be on dry land. Not only did dry land mean a warm fire, but it also meant that her mortifying ordeal with Cyril was finally over. Not that she hadn't enjoyed it to some extent, though she would never admit that even to herself, but Talim had been in a perpetual state of embarrassment the entire time. Still, after so many recent hours spent in his arms, Talim still felt a little naked outside of his embrace... hopefully that would wear off as she got used to wearing clothes around the man again. In hindsight, she had spent more time around Cyril naked than clothed.

Talim buried her face into her drawn-up knees, glad that Cyril wasn't there to observe her blushing countenance. He had built the fire and then left Talim there as he went to investigate more of the surrounding area. This meant he was not around to judge the inner workings of Talim's mind.

Because honestly, no one could be completely pure. Talim tried her hardest to keep her mind clean, but she was not completely naive. She knew how sex worked, and like any growing girl she was attracted to certain people. So considering the fact that she found Cyril to be an attractive man, and considering the fact that she had been sitting naked in his lap for several hours, it was not surprising that Talim's mind was straying from the path of utmost righteousness.

It wasn't her fault, right? She liked being held by someone strong and kind, what girl didn't? It was only the fact that she was nude that had made the situation less than honorable... otherwise it would have just been a friendly and considerate action between acquaintances.

In an effort to distract herself from these rampant thoughts, Talim decided to focus on more important things. Were Hwang and Mina alright? If she had survived, there was no reason they couldn't as well... but Talim had the protection of the wind, while her friends did not. Cyril had told her that he had found no other survivors, and she herself had not seen any while she was being carried by him. It was very likely that her dear friends were dead.

Talim couldn't even find it in her to cry at the moment. Perhaps she was just too tired to do so, or perhaps she just couldn't let go of that optimistic flicker of hope that resided in her heart. She had survived, and they could have too. Talim would just have to pray that this was so.

There was a rustle of underbrush near the crouched girl, causing Talim to turn towards the sound. Expecting Cyril, she was instead surprised to find a brown squirrel foraging through the fallen leaves. Talim had half a mind to call out to the thing, but did not feel in the mood to do so. She was tired and troubled, not to mention more than a little dispirited, which was a rarity for the Filipino priestess. She tried to keep a positive outlook on things, but she was not capable of doing so all of the time.

"Talim? What are you doing?"

Startled out of her thoughts by Cyril's distinct voice, Talim whirled around to face the fire again, finding the Sentinel standing on the opposite side of it. "O-oh, I was just distracted by an animal... did you find anything useful?"

Cyril crossed his arms and scowled. "No. I have affirmed that this catastrophe was not a natural occurrence, but I had suspected as much already. I have learned nothing that I did not already know, and I am no closer to finding the Catalyst than I was before."

Talim was disappointed to hear that, but was far more concerned about other things the warrior may have found. "What about people? Did you find any survivors? I cannot be the only one that made it..."

Cyril sat down in front of the fire as well. "Statistically speaking, that should be true. Out of the masses of victims claimed by this disaster, there should be more than just one survivor. However, I did not find any myself. I came across no one as I searched."

Not being what Talim wanted to hear, the girl's spirits sank even further. Every minute it seemed more and more likely that her friends were dead...

"However, I did locate a settlement a few miles away that escaped the destruction. If there are any other survivors, there is a high chance that they will go there. And if they do, they could use your help, Talim."

"Do you really think anyone has even made it there, Cyril?"

The Sentinel shrugged. "It does no harm to find out, does it? Besides, I cannot stay with you for much longer, and I would rather know you are safe among others before I return to my duties in Europe."

Talim wasn't sure why, but the news that Cyril was leaving so soon was massively disheartening. "Must you take your leave so quickly? It has only been a day."

"That's true, but every day I am not searching for the Catalyst is a day wasted, and this world does not have time to be spared. Besides, I have someone waiting for me back there, and I doubt she would be very pleased if I took longer than necessary to return to her."

The idea of another girl being attached to this man struck Talim as funny. "So, do you specialize in rescuing damsels in distress?"

Cyril grabbed a nearby branch and stoked the fire a bit. "I suppose I do. I think you're the third girl that I've rescued from mortal or emotional danger."

"Emotional danger? You save people from that too?"

"More or less."

Finding herself to be feeling slightly cold still, Talim scooted a inch closer to the orange flames that illuminated the surrounding area. "It is most reassuring that you're such a versatile savior... are your other Sentinel comrades just like you?"

Cyril actually scoffed. "Oh no, definitely not. Helios is an old-fashioned warrior obsessed with battle. If I had to guess what time period he came from, I would say the Dark Ages or some such. And Theron hardly ever talks, and I feel like he's always judging everyone. And Xandra... oh, let me tell you about Xandra...

Anyone who was watching the beach along the shores of France would have been shocked to see two people and a fairy being seemingly constructed out of nothing more than swirling dust. However, there was no one around , so Xandra and Link were unobserved by anyone as their bodies were put back together. Still, only Xandra was standing as her body became one object again. Link was sprawled on the ground.

Link was not sure what he had experienced. He had felt like he was in some sort of trance as his body was carried over the Atlantic in tiny pieces, but now that he was one solid being again, he could not describe what he had seen, heard, or felt. All he knew was that he felt very lightheaded.

"W-what happened? I'm feeling dizzy..."

Xandra glanced back at the prone Hylian, amused far more than she should have been. "What's the matter, Link? Surely the Gale Stream was not so debilitating. It only carried you for a few hours."

"Across the entire ocean, in case you've forgotten! How did that even work?"

With a flip of her raven black hair, Xandra set off towards the country's interior, fully expecting Link to follow her. "Using Valhalla's magical net of energy, I disassembled our bodies and used the wind to carry them here. Do not ask me what happens to your consciousness when we do this, as I am sure what we experience is very different for both of us."

"You could have at least warned me that it was going to happen... I don't think I can even walk straight at this moment."

Xandra once again glanced back at Link as he stumbled after her, unable to hold back an amused smile. Having that helmet off seemed to make her much happier than she had been before. For someone who loved being connected to nature, it was not surprising. Being separated from the feeling of wind on her skin, of seeing the world without a visor distorting her vision... such things probably irked Xandra to no end.

"Well you had better regain your balance soon Link. We have quite a ways to travel."

"How far exactly?"

"Far enough."

"If it is so far, why not just use your power to get there? Why did we not just go all the way there from within your Gale Stream?"

Xandra folded her arms. "Do you not think I would do so if I could? I cannot carry a mortal for too long of a distance, or he will be destroyed. And no, we can not just jump in and out of the Gale Stream to avoid this outcome. Your body is feeling weak because of the amount of time you spent in the Stream, and until you recover completely, we cannot go back in without risking your death. Valhalla's power was not meant for mortals."

Not quite understanding the details but understanding the gist of things in itself, Link nodded. "Well it is good to know that my well-being is of so much importance to you."

Xandra kept up her lighthearted mood, but her words rang with unfortunate honesty. "Don't let it go to your head Hylian. I'll leave you if I have to."

Somewhat disheartened, Link struggled to keep up with Xandra in his weakened state. He certainly hoped that such a situation would never come to pass.

The morning after Talim had been rescued, Cyril escorted her to the town he had discovered the night before. It was at this point that the two of them would go their separate ways, though Talim was reluctant to do so.

"It really is a shame that you must leave already... are you sure you cannot stay longer? Perhaps the Catalyst you are looking for is here?"

Cyril was fully armored, ready to use Lightning Stream to return to Amy and continue his search for the Catalyst. "I am sorry Talim, but I know that the Catalyst is not near here. There is no significant source of power nearby. I must return to my mission. The fate of the world rests partially on my shoulders."

Talim was still reluctant to have Cyril leave, but she understood the importance of his mission, and she wasn't going to be the one to distract him. Besides, if any survivors from the tsunami earlier had made it to this town, they were no doubt ill or wounded. Talim had a responsibility to aid them if she could. She couldn't be selfish about either situation.

"I understand. But please, be careful. I know you are very powerful, but there are powerful enemies in this world too. And even though your mission is important, please don't forget to give yourself time to rest and enjoy yourself as well!"

"I will Talim. But take your own advice, and don't work yourself too hard. You need more rest than I do, trust me."

Talim turned towards the village, wondering how many people may have needed her help in there. It was kind of hard to promise that she would take it easy, when she thought of others suffering while she did so. But she couldn't help anyone if she was burned out...

"I promise I will. I like my rest too, you know."

Cyril nodded. "Then I must be on my way. Stay well, and don't do anything too reckless."

Talim smiled at the mythical warrior. "Shouldn't I be saying that to you?"

Cyril chuckled as he walked far enough away to avoid hurting Talim with his Lightning Stream. "For some reason, every girl I meet seems to think so."

"For a reason, perhaps?"

As storm clouds began to circle above Cyril, the man nodded to himself. "Perhaps."

With that, a bolt of lightning seemingly vaporized the Sentinel, leaving Talim to investigate the town before her, and give her aid to anyone who needed it.

Tira thought she may have been going crazy. Given, she was crazy already, but it felt like she was descending to another level entirely. She was like a bird: a bird that longed for the freedom to move, and a bird whose song was death. She didn't even like the idea of caging birds, so Tira definitely didn't like the idea of being caged herself.

Still, it was fortunate that she was capable of talking to herself. Otherwise Tira would have really been having trouble. Her cell in Wolfkrone's dungeon was not large by any means. It was only about ten by fifteen feet, which gave Tira very little room to entertain herself. The only thing keeping her from screaming in frustration was thinking of new ways to kill the two guards outside of her cell.

We could tear off a leg and beat them to death with it.

Or we can slice them down the middle with Drossel, after cutting off their hands and feet.

Wow, that's brutal, even for you.

I just really want to kill them. Or someone, or anything. I'm losing my mind in here!

Oh? When did you find it in the first place?

You think you're cute, don't you? Shut the hell up!

From the outside, it did not look like Tira was having this animated conversation at all. To the guards outside of her cell, the girl was simply sitting on her cot, knees drawn up to her chest as she glared at empty space with her violet eyes. These guards didn't pay enough attention to notice it, but if they focused a little more, they could have seen the switching personas going through Tira's mind.

A person's eye color changes shade based on their emotions. One could see the gradual change from light violet to dark purple whenever Tira went from happy to angry, or vice verse. Her eyes were in themselves quite beautiful, but it was hard to notice that when she was busy trying to kill you, or acting like a lunatic. People tended to notice different things under those circumstances.

For some reason, the fact that Nightmare had not sent anyone to retrieve her had not occurred to Tira yet. She had been a captive for quite awhile, and surely it wouldn't be too hard for Spawn to come and get her...

But Tira was too preoccupied to think about that. She was addicted to killing, especially to killing those that irritated her. She hadn't killed anyone in a long time, and the assassin was more or less suffering from withdrawal. When she got out of here, Tira was going to slaughter a lot of people. If she had her way, this entire castle would be massacred. And unfortunately for Wolfkrone, Tira got the feeling that she was going to escape very soon.

As Cyril re-entered the town he had left Amy in with a bolt of lightning, he was greeted by a most unexpected sight. First of all, a large number of buildings were on fire. Second, many alleys and streets were barricaded by a motley assortment of furniture and debris. And finally, Amy was standing atop the fallen timber of a destroyed house, waving her rapier around as she gave orders to a group of townsfolk armed with anything even remotely lethal, from hard-edged shovels to small hand sickles.

"I want four of you to go to the bakery and reinforce the barricade there! The rest of you begin barricading the square! Move with a purpose people!"

Much to Cyril's surprise, not a single one of these men questioned the orders given to them by a young girl. They all headed off to do exactly what they were told as Cyril approached Amy, who noticed him before he could say anything at all.

"Ah, Cyril. You have no idea how much you've missed."

Well, there it is. A little shorter than I had hoped for, but I finally have an idea of what to do next regarding actual plot, so things can finally move forward. I hope you guys liked this chapter, and feel free to give me your thoughts on it. Until next time.