Dear Ilia,

I pray that you receive this letter. Seems like the world is getting more dangerous every day. We've been seeing monsters around the village more and more lately, but they don't dare enter. What's going on up there? Is everyone okay? It's been nearly a week since you left, and I can't help but worry about you. Please tell Rusl to hurry and finish whatever business he's doing so he can bring you and Colin home. I pray for your safe return.

With love,

Pa

Ilia stared at the newly arrived letter long after she finished reading it. The manilla-colored paper trembled slightly in her gentle hand as her blue eyes glanced once again at her father's message. The brazen postman, who had braved monster-infested roads to fulfill his duty, had just delivered it to her at the front desk of Malo Mart. Ilia had been the only one downstairs at the time to attend the storefront. The rest argued upstairs how the current war would affect store prices.

She had been taken completely by surprise when the public servant called her name. After she answered his call, the postman approached her and gave her a scarlet envelope. No sooner had she retrieved it with her hands then the postman had run back out the door, hollering something about more deliveries to be done. She had curiously opened the envelope, only to choke up with homesickness upon reading her father's letter.

Her ears twitched as she heard the creaking of the stairs. The footfalls grew louder until she found a certain blonde young man hovering over her shoulder.

"Watcha reading, Ilia?" Colin asked, unable to read the writing from his current position. His beloved sword and shield were hoisted on his back as always; more for sentimental reasons than practical.

"You're awfully perky this mornin'," she remarked softly as she folded up the letter and placed it on the counter.

Colin shrugged his shoulders as a smile crossed his lips. "Why shouldn't I be? Link should be returning soon, right? It's been about two days."

Ilia turned around with soft smile of her own. "I'd be excited too. It's a shame you arrived only a little after he left town." She ruffled his hair playfully, much to the youth's dismay. "I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees how much you've grown."

Colin beamed proudly. "You think he'll recognize me?"

Ilia gave him a playful punch. "Of course he will! You don't look that different." She walked around the desk and grabbed a sack she had left by the stairs. She left the letter where it was; she would have to deal with it later. "Colin, want to walk me to Dr. Borville's place? I'd appreciate the company."

Colin cast one last curious glance at the letter and ran over to the door. "Sure. But what about the store?"

Ilia rolled her eyes. "You'll only be gone a little while. It's not like we're walkin' far." Colin nodded and the two exited the store.

The central square was bustling with the usual morning activity. As Colin and Ilia walked beside the fountain and towards the Eastern Gate, they brushed against the usual traffic of pedestrians going about their daily lives. The street musicians played in the corner near Hyrule Castle, joining their music with the idle chatter that filled the bustling marketplace. Guards could be seen in spurts, escorting esteemed dignitaries to the castle for another round of diplomatic meetings. The morning sun shone before them; bathing the fountain in light as swallows and bluebirds cooled themselves in the refreshing water. At first glance, the nation seemed at peace.

However, like paint over a decaying building, the surface could only hide so much of the harsh reality. The two passed blacksmiths working hard at the forge, preparing weapons for the coming war. Tailors and other artisans limited their daily business to focus on the requests by Queen Zelda. Up ahead, Ilia could already imagine the moans of the injured in her head; those who had already become casualties to Zant's vengeance.

The pair stopped when they reached the door to Dr. Borville's house.

"Thanks for walkin' with me." Ilia said. She placed one hand on the iron door handle. "I should be good from here."

"Not a problem," Colin replied.

"Would you mind comin' back later tonight? I won't be finished until really late, and I'd rather not walk around at night alone."

The young swordsman shrugged his shoulders. "Sure. When do you want me to swing by?"

Ilia placed a pensive finger on her chin. "Hmm, good question. How about you swing by a few hours after sunset? I should be done by then."

Colin nodded in affirmation and gave a quick smile. "Okay, I'll see you then." He gave one last wave before turning around and walking back the way they had come.

Ilia's eyes rested on the young man as he disappeared into the crowd. Her mouth curled into a sad smile as she stared at the people passing to and fro along the main road. "He's grown up so much. He really does take after Rusl."

Sighing quietly to herself, she turned the handle and stepped through the creaky door.

The scene that awaited Colin when he returned was far from pleasant. Before he even opened the door, the sound of angry hollering filled him with adrenaline and quickened his pace. He paused before laying a hand on the doorknob; taking a precious moment to swallow hard and gather his courage. Malo was scary when he was in a rage.

Waiting would do no good here. He pushed open the door and walked in.

"Twenty rupees for a single bomb! This is robbery!" An angry woman's voice echoed across the room to the swordsman's ears.

"You'll just have to deal with it, ma'am. Business is a ruthless profession." Malo replied casually. "Since Kakariko's been sacked, I've lost my main provider of bombs. Unless I can get a shipment from Labrynna or Holodrum, they're going to be a very hard item to come by." He smirked malevolently. "Go back to your bed. Maybe you'll make a few more rupees."

Colin glanced curiously at the angry woman. She had red hair as brilliant as fire tucked into a ponytail, and curves that would put an hourglass to shame. Her skin was darker than most Hylians, and her clothing consisted of wool trousers and a skimpy top, exposing her midriff region. Branded on the bottom of her neck was a tattoo depicting a scorpion. Colin couldn't help himself from blushing in embarrassment.

"You think you're so high and mighty, don't you?" the woman spat back. "I'll show you a ruthless profession." She stared loathingly at him.

Malo met her eyes without fear. "Is that a threat?"

The woman took out a small scimitar she kept in a sheath on her leg. She slammed the blade into the table so that the weapon etched itself and stood up straight.

"It's a promise."

Colin jumped once he heard the weapon slam onto the table. His eyes went wide when he saw Malo staring at the weapon and the woman leaning in hostility over the counter. The red hue left his cheeks as he rushed over to the counter despite his better judgment.

"There will be no violence here. Either buy something or get out," he declared boldly as he stood to the woman's side. Colin could only hope he sounded braver than he felt. He stood as tall as he could with one hand grasped anxiously at the hilt behind him in case things turned ugly.

The woman glared at him with fierce yellow eyes. They softened a little as an amused smirk spread across her face. "What do we have here? A kid is telling mewhat to do?"

Malo stared in surprise at Colin. He was too proud to admit it, but the youth's arrival was a huge relief.

Colin's eyes narrowed as his grip tightened on the hilt. Despite his fear, his resolve was unshakable. "Don't make me escort you out."

The woman eyed Colin's weapon and quickly turned serious. She tore the scimitar out of the desk with ease and moved beside him, holding the blade to his throat. The young swordsman didn't flinch even as he felt the cold steel against his sensitive skin.

"I could kill you right now," she whispered malevolently in his ear.

Colin stood stolidly ahead. He didn't even know where his next words came from except by the goddesses themselves. "Only cowards resort to murder."

The woman pulled back, apparently struck by his defiance. She hesitated before replying. "We will see who the coward is." She backed off and placed the scimitar back in its holster on her leg. She turned around and stormed out of the shop.

When the door had slammed behind her and the entrance bell stopped jingling, Malo and Colin stared at one another in a stupor.

"Who was that?" Colin asked at last.

Malo shrugged his shoulders. "How should I know? Strange people come here all the time. She was probably some woman driven mad by the war. Why else would she ask for so many bombs?" He ran his finger over the wood as his face turned sour. "Farore. That crazy woman ruined my newly furnished counter! That's one-hundred rupees wasted already."

Colin looked back to the door. "Whoever she was, she was frightening. I've never seen a woman so angry in my whole life."

Malo smirked to himself. "Obviously you haven't been around Ilia."

The blonde swordsman whipped around. "That wasn't funny. Take that back."

The entrepreneur rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He looked around the store to assess any damage, and sighed in satisfaction when he found none. Suddenly, caught by inspiration, he turned back to Colin. "Hey, have you read the letter yet?"

"Letter?"

Malo sighed to himself. "I guess not." He pulled out the letter Ilia had received earlier from a drawer beneath the counter and handed it to Colin.

The young man unfolded it methodically and glanced at it curiously. Thankfully, his father had stressed the importance of literacy to him as a boy, a skill few in Ordon possessed. He instantly recognized Bo's handwriting, and felt a knot grow in his stomach as he read each word on the parchment. When he had finished it, he folded it once again and handed it back to Malo.

"They don't know yet, do they?" Colin asked quietly, his eyes directed at the ground. "What should we tell him? How do we break it to my mother?"

Malo placed the letter carefully back in the drawer and folded his arms across the countertop. "How should I know? Relating to people has never been my strong point." He paused. "I say we just wait 'til this war is over and tell them then."

Colin shook his head. "No, we should tell them sooner. We just need some time to figure out how to say it." He looked up at the stairs. "I'll ask the rest what they think."

Malo shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "Suit yourself. Obviously my opinion means nothing to you."

Colin paused before heading up the stairs. "While I'm thinking about it, I'm goin' to report that scary woman to one of the soldiers. It's best if we don't take any chances with her."

Malo chuckled quietly to himself. "Good luck with that." A look of confusion flashed across Colin's face, but he shook it off and disappeared up the stairs.

The streets were eerily quiet as bright stars shone gently in the night sky overhead. Their otherworldly luminescence cast a peaceful glow over the conflicted city; a pleasant reminder that there was still good to be had in the world. The streets were empty for the most part, with the exception of the occasional stumbling drunk. Soldiers kept watch on the towers overlooking the city gates. They passed the time with old stories and card games to stave off the inevitable temptation of sleep. An occasional glance at the empty fields of Hyrule temporarily eased their aroused fear.

Colin could hear his footsteps echo off the stone pathway as he walked towards the house of Dr. Borville. The afternoon hadn't gone as well as he hoped. No agreement had been reached in how to handle the letter from Bo. Everyone wanted to deal with it later. To make matters worse, talking to the soldiers about the incident earlier that morning had been a complete waste of time. They grunted at him and claimed they had more important things to do.

Colin shook the thoughts from his head. He was worrying too much again. Malo was probably right; that woman was just hurting from the war. After all, Link would return soon. Why shouldn't he be happy?

The swordsman smiled to himself as he saw Ilia's head looking expectantly out the window. He nodded to himself.

Everything would be just fine indeed.

Ilia's head ducked out the window when she saw Colin approaching. A few seconds later, she was out the door and on the step waiting for him. Bags hung over her eyes from a long day of treating the injured. The bangs of her hair were messed up, and her clothes were quite dirty. Even so, she held herself proudly, refusing to succumb to her fatigue.

"You're late," she joked with a soft smile.

Colin waved his hand at her. "You're just impatient."

Ilia placed her hands on her hips and frowned. "What's that supposed to mean? Just because you're taller than me doesn't mean I can't still sock you good."

Colin shrugged his shoulders and took a step back. "Let's not find out."

The ranch girl placed her hands in mock fists. "Good choice. I wouldn't want to hurt you, after all."

She was met by an inquisitive look from Colin. The young swordsman had to restrain his laughter. "You look like you can barely stand, never mind fight. Were things that busy today?"

The ranch girl was silent.

"Ilia?"

"Oh, sorry." She snapped back to attention. "What'd you say?"

Colin walked over to her and patted her gently on the back. "I was just saying you look exhausted. It must've been a hard day."

Ilia's smile faded. "It was." She paused for a few seconds as her eyes looked to the sky. "We lost two more today."

"I'm sorry," Colin replied with downcast eyes.

Ilia shook her head. "It's a sad fact of life, I suppose." She met his eyes once again and quickly changed the subject. "Oh, before I forget, Dr. Borville gave me a message to give to Telma. We need to stop at her bar for a moment before we head back."

Colin shivered slightly. "Let's make it quick. It makes me nervous going to that place at night."

The two began walking down the road leading to the southern gate. Lights were on in only a few houses they passed; the rest of the neighboring buildings remained silent and unmoving. A small dog passed them on their way, extending its small head covered in gray fur to sniff the two curious pedestrians. The two smiled at the curious animal and continued on their way.

"So," Colin said hesitantly when they were halfway there. "If you don't mind me asking, what kind of message do you have to deliver?"

Ilia rolled her eyes as she continued walking. "The usual. He's askin' for another extension on his long overdue tab."

The swordsman shrugged his shoulders. "Odd. You'd think being a doctor, he'd have enough money to pay it."

Ilia let out an exasperated sigh. "You would. Who knows why he does what he does."

The pair continued walking in silence until they reached the door to Telma's bar. It was located in a small alcove off the southern thoroughfare. There was an open alleyway just before it, with a small flight of stairs leading to the actual bar. The clearing doubled as a storage place for boxes and a drain for the runoff water that often flooded the stone streets of Castle Town during downpours. The two could hear the rambunctious laughter from through the wooden doorway. They hesitated before entering, opening the door with anxious hands.

The atmosphere of the bar changed completely when the sun set. The pair looked on with disgust as they saw drunken soldiers and troublesome youths leaning clumsily over wooden tables playing various games of chance. The stench of rum pulled at their nostrils with an unforgiving force. Laughter and coarse jokes came from seemingly every table. Every once in a while, one of the men would stumble over to Telma with a half-empty glass of ale in their hand asking for a refill. Depending on her mood, she would either send them back empty handed, or bless them with a new cup of finely fermented beverage.

"This place is repulsive," Ilia whispered with a sour face. "I'll do this as fast as I can." Colin nodded curtly as Ilia rushed over to Telma behind the counter. She was greeted with a warm smile and a bear hug, much to the ranch girl's dismay.

Meanwhile, Colin stood awkwardly by the doorway. He was tempted to wait outside, but he needed to be nearby in case something happened to Ilia. He was watching her and Telma converse when a voice caught his attention.

"Well, I'll be! I never would've expected to find you in a place like this, old boy!"

The swordsman whipped around and nearly knocked the speaker over.

"Shad! What are you doing here?" He looked inquisitively at the intellectual. "I never would've imagined you to be a drinker."

"Poppycock! Don't be daft, dear boy." Shad tipped his wine glass slightly. "A spot of wine does the soul good. Just don't go overboard." He motioned towards an empty table near the back corner of the room. "But let us sit. It has been too long since I saw you last."

Colin looked hesitantly at Ilia still locked in conversation. "I suppose just for a little bit."

"Splendid!" Shad called out. Colin followed the intellectual to the empty table and sat down. Colin's back was turned to two men and a woman who sat at the adjacent table; Shad placed his glass gently on the table and leaned towards Colin. "Tell me, old boy, have you ever heard of the sky people, the Oocca?"

Colin gulped. He had heard this story over a dozen times, and it seemed to get longer every time he heard it.

Before Colin could answer, Shad launched into his story. "According to legend, Hyrule was made by the Hylians, who, as we all know, are the closest race to the gods. But also according to legend, long ago there was a race even closer to the gods, and some say these creatures made the Hylians. They were called the Oocca. When they created the people of Hylia, they simultaneously created a new capital, a city that floated in the heavens. In fact, my father..."

It didn't take long for Colin's mind to tune out Shad's rambling words. He smiled politely as his ears searched through the conversations of the surrounding tables.

"How much longer we wait must, Chikao?" the man behind him said.

"Still your tongue, Keiler! I grow tired of your drunken banter." The woman directly behind him replied sharply.

"What is there to wait for? Let's just take what we need and sleeve." The third man said, slightly more sober but quickly succumbing to the effects of the ale.

"You both are a disgrace to our kind," Chikao muttered. "I don't see why Geroshida stuck me with you two. Anyways, I won't be content until that brat is dead."

"The one that called you a whore?" Keiler laughed stupidly to himself. "Me think Malo look like baby. He die soon, and store go up in flames!"

Colin tensed instantly. He looked quickly at Shad, who continued to talk away. He focused on hearing the conversation with all his might.

"Shut it, Keiler!" Chikao punched him in the face, and he stumbled off his stool and onto the floor. Shad's drink vibrated slightly as the large man crashed against the wooden boards, but he paid no notice. Colin continued to listen on the conversation. "Keep talking and you'll blow our whole operation." The woman said in a barely audible voice.

The swordsman couldn't resist the temptation to turn around. He looked over his shoulder and sighed in relief when both the man and the woman were looking away. He was about to turn back around when something caught his eye. He noticed a mark on the woman's neck and the man's right bicep. He immediately recognized it as the same mark branded on the woman from the store; that of a scorpion. It didn't take him long to realize he was dealing with the same woman. The clothes, the voice, the temperament; he was sitting right behind her and she didn't even realize it!

Sweat poured down his brow as he remembered their first encounter. The cold feeling of steel on his throat was fresh in his mind. Colin turned his nervous gaze to Ilia. A wave of relief washed over him when he saw her nod and glance towards the door. Her errand had been finished.

"That's all really interesting, Shad, but I must be going." Colin interrupted quickly. The sooner he left this bar, the better.

"Are you sure? I suppose you must. If you ever want to learn more of the Oocca, let me know." Shad said. He took another sip from his glass of wine and opened the book he always carried with him. "I suppose I'll return to my reading then."

Colin nodded and pushed his chair back gently. He was very careful not to grab the attention of Chikao. As he stepped away from his chair, his foot caught the body of Keiler, and he stumbled onto the floor with him.

Startled by the sudden noise, Chikao looked to her side to see the disillusioned Colin sprawled out on the floor with her clumsy partner. "Stop making such a scene, you imbecile," she hissed at Keiler. Her eyes narrowed as she studied the blonde swordsman beside her partner. After a few seconds of scrutiny, she realized why he felt so familiar.

"You! You're the one from this morning!" she hissed. She rose from her chair and punched her other partner in the arm to grab his attention. "Get up, damn it." He rose slowly from his chair and used the top of it to steady himself.

Colin wasted no time in rising from the floor. He dashed through the bar, knocking over glasses and stumbling over people as he made his way towards Ilia. Before she could even speak, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door. They rushed up the steps and hid behind a stack of wooden crates piled in a corner.

"What's goin' on, Colin? What happened?" Ilia said in a frenzy. She attempted to look around the boxes, but Colin quickly pulled her back.

"I'll tell you later. Right now, we need to stay silent." Sensing the urgency in the young man's voice, Ilia said no more.

A few minutes later, the two could hear a group of voices on the other side of the boxes.

"Damn you, Keiler! If you'd gotten up quicker, he wouldn't have gotten away." The voice belonged to Chikao.

"What the big deal is?" Keiler replied, slurring his words together so that it was hard to distinguish his actual intended message.

"It doesn't matter now," the third man interrupted. He paused, waiting to see if anyone was within earshot. The adrenaline had apparently snapped him out of his stupor. "Geroshida assigned us to gather supplies. We're going to need bombs, and lots of them. With the cursed watches at every gate, it'll be impossible to smuggle them in without getting caught. Our only option is to take them locally from Malo Mart."

Colin thought he heard the unsheathing of a weapon.

"And take them we shall," Chikao replied. "And that pompous brat will get what's coming to him. I'll show him a ruthless profession."

The third man snickered. "That temper of yours will get you in trouble one day, Chikao."

"Shut it, Agahnim. Just be thankful you're not the object of my wrath."

"Now, now, Chikao. Let's focus on the task at hand. We should be off." Agahim replied. There was silence and a quiet mumbling, but then Colin could hear their footfalls slowly fading as they walked away.

"They're heading right for the store!" Ilia gasped. "What kind of monsters are they?"

Colin quickly rose to his feet and looked towards the main street. "I don't know. That woman, Chikao, was there earlier, and she threatened us both. We have to stop them before someone gets hurt."

Ilia nodded and stood up. Together, they rushed out of the alleyway, onto the southern thoroughfare, and down the road that lead to Malo Mart. Colin kicked the door open, and the two barged through. They were greeted by the two men: Agahnim and Keiler. Agahnim was the shorter of the two, and not very well built. He had short red hair that fell just above his yellow eyes, dark skin, and a black cloak that covered most of his body. Keiler was a larger man with blue eyes and massive arms. He wore a plain sleeveless tunic and trousers belted at the waist. His indulgence in alcohol made him unstable and clumsy, but benevolent nonetheless.

"Hey. You're not shupposed to be here. Come back latter when we done stealing stuff." Keiler said clumsily.

"Shut your mouth and keep working, Keiler. I'll take care of them." Agahnim directed at the brute. He turned to Ilia and Colin, who had unsheathed his sword and shield by now. "You shouldn't be wasting time here, boy. Not if you treasure the lives of your friends."

"Malo!" Colin gasped.

He bolted past the two men and up the stairs, followed shortly by Ilia. As they ran, they heard Beth shriek, further emboldening their resolve. They turned around to find Chikao cornering their friends with her scimitar. Malo and Beth cowered in the corner, while Talo held the thief at bay with a broken glass bottle.

Colin leapt at the thief before he even knew what he was doing. Barely seeing his jump slash in time, Chikao sidestepped to avoid the attack.

"Get out of here! I'll hold her off!" Colin screamed at them. Malo and Beth didn't need to be told again. They sidled against the wall towards Ilia and ran to the other side of the apartment. Talo refused to back down, holding the bottle a safe distance from his face to prepare for a strike if necessary.

Chikao furrowed her brows in fury as she glared at her opponents. "Somehow, I knew you would be back. You always seem to interfere at the worst possible moments. Well, this will be the last time. You will fear the name of Scorpio before I'm through. This ends here."

Colin was silent as he braced his weapon. He tried to remember what his father had taught him about fighting a quick opponent. Let them make the first move. Watch their motions carefully, and look for a weak spot.

The young swordsman brought his shield in front of his face and watched Chikao with the eyes of a hawk. Spotting the weaker of the two boys, she rushed after Talo first. The young man reflexively threw the bottle at her face, but she dodged it with ease. Colin intercepted the attack by pushing the young man out of the way with his shield and using his sword to block Chikao's vertical slice. Talo landed on the ground with a thud and groaned. With his injured leg, he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon.

Chikao countered by spinning around and slicing at Colin's chest. He maneuvered out of the way, but the blade still caught the edge of his tunic, ripping a hole that made his flesh visible. Paying no attention to his fear, Colin stepped forward and attempted to thrust her back with his shield. She rolled to the side and prepared to launch a counterstrike. What she hadn't expected was Colin's execution of a spin attack.

The slash knocked the bandit hard against the wall. She had a large gash on her stomach, but nothing life threatening. She rose to her feet clutching her torso in pain. Furious, she was about to lunge at him when the smell of smoke stopped her in her tracks. A malevolent smile rose to her lips. "Looks like we got what we came for. Have fun burning in the underworld along with this wretched place." Much to Colin's horror, she backed up until she stood on the window sill. With the grace of a gymnast, she leaped out of the window and out of sight. Yells from down below snapped him back to attention.

"Colin! Get down here! We have to put out this fire before it engulfs the entire house!" Without another word, he hoisted Talo's arm around him and walked down the stairs as fast as he could with his friend. He could hear the crackling of flames and had to hold his breath as smoke hovered near the ceiling. The air was hot and dry.

Luckily, they began fighting the fire before it got out of control. . Using blankets and buckets of spring water, along with a little help from some of the aroused neighbors, the flames were contained to just the storeroom. By the time the blaze had been put out and a few soldiers who had seen the smoke arrived, most of the merchandise had been burned and the thieves had long since escaped. The residents were escorted as a few diligent soldiers took charge of the situation. While Malo wept for his beloved business, Talo and Beth comforted him. Meanwhile, Colin and Ilia stared at the store in complete shock. The soldiers continued to battle the remaining flames.

"The horror! What sort of people would come and do such a thing?" She was shaking as she spoke, more from the overwhelming shock than the cool night air.

Colin placed a reassuring arm around her. "I don't know. They call themselves Scorpio, whatever that means. I'm just glad no one was hurt. Things could've turned out much worse."

A soft smile appeared on Ilia's lips. "Praise the goddesses."

Colin nodded. "I'm sure once Link comes back, everything will be okay. We'll have quite the story to tell him." He looked up to the night sky. "I wonder what he's doing right now."

A/N- I really did have the intention of releasing this chapter sooner, I really did. Owell, what's done is done, so atleast its out now. Stupid homework :( I have a surprise for you that will hopefully make up for it. Thanks to The-World-Needs-Peace, we have our very first illustration for this story. It's a character profile of Kari, and I like it a lot, so you should comment on it and let the illustrator know your opinion.

Here's the link:http:/animenuthead./art/Tamer-of-Winds-137939003(just be sure to add deviantart after animenuthead)

Also, I'm trying this new thing with my profile page. Based on assignments and stuff, I'm going to try posting a tentative release date for the next chapter update. If you're ever wondering when I'll be releasing it, just check my profile page. That's about it.