The flames of the hallway candles danced and twirled on their perches as they projected their light into the otherwise dark hallway. Each hour was a fight for survival against the wind from the nearby windows that threatened to snuff them out. Often neglected and unappreciated except for the rare maintenance from a diligent servant, these burning sentinels nonetheless proudly illuminated their designated hallway like a lighthouse overlooking the sea. As they continued to stand watch over their domain, they heard the approaching voices of two strangers.

"I'm surprised the dance ended so soon. Everyone seems to have exhausted themselves," a young woman's voice carried from down the hall. Her regal tone lacked its normal quiet energy, and she seemed to struggle to speak the words from her mouth.

"Well, everyone was falling asleep out there," a young man's voice replied. His words seemed more upbeat and awake than that of the young woman. "I saw you nod off a few times."

The woman just sighed. "It's strange. Normally I have no trouble staying awake. After all, it's kind of hard to sleep when everyone's talking to you at once." She paused. "Even now, I'm barely still on my feet."

The young man murmured his agreement. "Well, it's a good thing you're going back to your room then."

The shadows grew larger as they approached, their conversing voices amplifying until they finally turned the corner. At last, Colin and Zelda came into view of their stationary observers. The pair walked casually along, the monarch misplacing a step but quickly catching herself.

"Careful there, Your Highness," Colin said, readying his hands to catch her. The monarch waved him off with a flick of her hand.

They hovered in the hallway as they reached the door to Zelda's chambers. The monarch leaned her back against the wall, welcoming the temporary rest for her feet. Her eyes were bloodshot from fatigue, and small bags had formed beneath her eyelids. She smiled weakly at the Ordonian. "I will be okay, Colin. But thanks for your concern."

He nodded. "If you say so." He glanced down the hall.. "By the way, have you seen Ilia? Did she take Tifa back to the room?"

Zelda's eyes slowly began to close, but she forced them open. "To my understanding, she did that a while ago. I think she mentioned something about finding Kari." She shrugged her shoulders and pushed off the wall. If she stayed there any longer, she might collapse onto the floor. "I'm not too sure though. I was only half-conscious at the time."

His brows furrowed in apprehension. "Strange. Why would she do that? Normally, she can't stand him. I wonder what's gotten into her."

The monarch's mouth opened like a cave as she let out a long yawn. "Who knows?" she asked. "I'm sure she's just there 'cause she needs to be."

The Ordonian looked around but didn't seem comforted by her response. "I suppose so. And have you seen Link? I must've missed him when he left the party."

Zelda felt a slight jolt in her heart, startling her awake for a moment longer. "He went somewhere with Midna."

The Ordonian tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Really? Why? They don't even know each other that well."

She folded her arms across her chest and faked a smile to hide what she really knew. "I'm sure he has his reasons. I suppose you'll just have to ask him."

He nodded and looked down the hallway. "Well, there's something I wanted to give him, but I guess it can wait for the morning."

Zelda turned the doorknob and pushed the door open slightly. "Like what?" To be honest, she cared more about going to sleep than knowing what his gift was, but she attempted to humor him.

Colin shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "Not much. Just a drawing I've been working on."

The monarch's cheeks tugged into a smile. "I'm sure he'll like it." The door squealed as she pushed it open further. She felt the entire weight of the day pressing on her shoulders, and she longed for the comfort of her bed. "Well, I'll see you in the morning, Colin. I can barely stand on my feet."

The swordsman began to walk down the hall. "Good night, Your Majesty."

The door closed with a soft click as Colin turned on his heel and walked towards his room with a spring in his step. His feet seemed to have the route memorized as they marched on the plush carpet to his destination on their own accord.

The youth's mind drifted to the warm memories of his dance with Ilia earlier that evening. The fact that they probably embarrassed themselves stomping along with the rest of the crowd meant little to him; he could only recall the joyful smile she had given him as they twirled around to their heart's delight. The euphoria running through his head still fueled him; he had to continually remind himself that it wasn't a dream. A twinge of jealousy burnt in his chest knowing that she was looking for Kari right now, but he wasn't worried. No one would be able to take away the memories of this wonderful evening.

He hadn't even reached the halfway point to his door when he heard the Queen yell at the top of her lungs.

"Holy Nayru! What are you doing here?"

His muscles tensed and he spun around on his heel. Launching off his foot, he dashed into the room and shoved the door open, causing it to slam against the wall. As he ran to the monarch's side, the swordsman's stomach dropped and his mouth dried. The euphoria that had lifted his feet from the floor now drained along with the color on his face.

An interloper leaned nonchalantly against the window by the empty fireplace. She glanced disinterestedly at her nails before looking up at her two guests. Her midnight armor blended with the night's darkness behind her. Two amber eyes amusingly observed Zelda's shock and Colin's quickly growing rage. She pushed off the wall and walked beside the fireplace, her boots clomping against the velvet carpet. She rested a hand idly on the mantle and looked sharply at her "guests."

"So you are Zelda," she said as a sly smirk crawled on her lips. "Your scent is very distinct. I could have found you anywhere in the castle, but it was easier to wait here." The mercenary looked to the rage-filled Ordonian. "And you. It seems we keep crossing paths."

Colin didn't even say a word. He turned around and scrambled out of the room, leaving Zelda alone with the devious shifter.

The monarch looked behind her and back to the mercenary. She swallowed the lump in her throat and took a deep breath. "And you must be Atrayu." Her brows furrowed. "Geoffrey and Link have told me quite a bit about you."

The shifter folded her arms and grunted. "Then you should know not to take me lightly. If you do as I tell you, then I promise not to hurt you."

Zelda glanced down at the gown she was wearing. It was hardly ideal for fighting, but she had no other option. She took a deep breath and looked back at her opponent. Adrenaline pumped through her system now, momentarily snapping her out from her exhaustive state. "That depends on what your demands are."

Atrayu rhythmically tapped her claws against the mantle. "I assure you it's nothing too difficult for someone as sophisticated as you to understand. I just require you to accompany me. I would prefer not to resort to force, but I will not hesitate if necessary."

Zelda grunted. "In other words, you're kidnapping me." She shook her head. "Frankly, I've had enough of that for one lifetime. I think I'll pass."

Atrayu shrugged her shoulders and extended her claws. "Are you sure you won't reconsider? I would hate to hurt someone as fragile as you."

The monarch nodded, bending her knees as if she were still training as a Sheikah. Her shinobi weapons were still in the nightstand by her bed; if she could just get to them in time, she stood a chance of defending herself. She quietly focused her magical energy. "I'm not as fragile as you think."

The shifter cracked her neck and loosened her shoulders. "We shall see."

Atrayu bolted away from the fireplace and leaped effortlessly over the couch to the doorway where Zelda stood. The monarch watched her carefully as she mumbled the incantations necessary to perform her spell.

"Strength like an eagle, wings like a dove. Grant me the protection of Nayru's love!"

A blue shield shaped like a crystal encased the monarch just as the shifter reached her. Atrayu slashed at it furiously with her claws, but the attack was repelled like a wooden sword against steel armor. As she struggled to break the shield, Zeldafocused a powerful ball of light within her hands. She pushed the incandescent ball of energy into Atrayu's chest, sending her sprawling across the room into a bookshelf against the opposite wall. Dozens of books and papers tumbled to the floor as the dazed shifter tried to gain her bearings.

Zelda wasted no time in rushing to the dresser and pulling the tanto hidden beneath some of her travel clothes. She grabbed a few of her throwing needles for good measure and quickly sliced off some of the gown so she could move more freely. It pained her to ruin such a perfectly good dress, but she would apologize to Ambi later. As she concentrated on the shifter, she found her eyes beginning to close again against her will. She shook her head violently to stay awake.

Atrayu rose from the pile of books laughing aloud. Zelda furrowed her brows and braced herself. In a strange sense, she thought the shifter was enjoying the battle.

The mercenary brushed some of the papers out of her hair and smirked. "Not fragile indeed. That shield is the same magic Link uses."

Zelda nodded. "Where do you think I learned it? A queen has to be able to defend herself." Much to the monarch's dismay, her eyes began to close again and her muscles began to loosen. She pinched herself to remain in the fight. But why was her body suddenly shutting down on her?

Atrayu noticed the monarch struggle and her smirk grew even wider. "Having trouble staying awake, Your Majesty?" She folded her arms. "I must admit I'm surprised you lasted this long."

The room began to blur around her. Zelda was forced to lean against the wall as her muscles started to weaken. "What's happening to me? Did you do this?"

The shifter shrugged her shoulders. "Don't blame me. Perhaps you just had too much to drink at the party." She smiled sinisterly. "Who knows what could have been in that wine?"

The monarch gasped to herself. "Then everyone who….the guests…and Tifa!" She glared at the shifter. "What did you do? Did Zant put you up to this?"

Atrayu spit on the ground in disgust. "Don't lump me in the same bunch with that pitiful excuse of a warrior."

Zelda held on tighter as her eyes began to droop once again. She let out a large yawn as her weapons dropped to the ground. "But then…who put you up to this?"

The shifter smirked as her prey fell to her knees, barely holding onto a piece of the waking world. Atrayu folded her arms. "I am a warrior; I am no one's lap dog." She paused. "But I am willing to respect and submit to those with superior strength. Few reach that status, only Alpha and my current employer."

Zelda closed her eyes and finally collapsed to the ground, finally succumbing to whatever substance had been placed in her drink. Her last words were only a faint whisper. "But who do you work for…"

Atrayu grunted triumphantly and walked over to her sleeping prey. She kicked the monarch softly with her boot to ensure she was truly asleep. When she was satisfied, she folded her arms and nodded. "Well the job is done. Now, where do I put her until she's needed?"

The shifter was about to pick up the sleeping queen when she heard the ruffling of clothes behind her. Instinctively, she rolled forward. Colin's sword thrust at the empty air where she had been only a second ago. She jumped back to her feet and turned to face the swordsman. Her lips curled into a confident smirk as she taunted him. "I commend you. I didn't hear your approach until only a second ago." She paused. "But still, that one second cost you."

The blond swordsman narrowed his eyes and rested his sword by his side. Two blue spheres glared at the shifter in pure hatred from behind a wooden shield. His breathing was calm and collected, but she could smell the adrenaline and rage churning beneath his skin.

"You like to hear yourself talk, don't you?" He said at last.

She rolled her shoulders. "Well, this fight won't last long anyways, so I thought I'd extend it a bit. Enjoy it for all its worth."

Colin grunted. "Didn't know beasts had a sense of humor."

Atrayu cracked her knuckles, looking at Colin with a surprisingly solemn face. "You'd be surprised. Us 'beasts' feel just as much as you 'humans' do." She paused. "Strange how you refer to me as a beast but not Link."

The swordsman's muscles tensed. "He's got nothing to do with this."

The shifter's confident demeanor broke into a cackle. "Such a stupid boy! You still don't realize the truth? Or has he kept it hidden from you all these years?"

Colin's breathing quickened. "Stop talking about him like that! He would never hide anything from me!"

Atrayu rolled her eyes.. "You poor, stupid monkey." She paused. "No, that would insult some of my comrades. I should say you poor, stupid human. Perhaps I should spell it out for you as clear as possible so your feeble brain can comprehend it." Her lips exaggerated the pronunciation of her next words. "Link…Is…A…Shifter. Perhaps he is a human in front of you, but deep down inside him lives the ravenous nature of a wolf." She knocked on her armor in beat to her words. "Just…like…me."

The swordsman shook his head defiantly. "I've had enough of this! I won't let you lay a hand on Zelda!"

She beckoned him with her finger, just waiting for him to unleash his anger and fury on her. "Good. I much prefer claws anyway. Come get me."

Much to her delight, the swordsman took the bait. His battle cry echoed through the bedroom as his sword slashed through the air and came down on the carpet. Atrayu jumped out of the way and perched herself on the arm of a nearby chair. Colin turned sharply and stabbed at her feet, causing her to leap off the wooden arm and over his head. A gleam glinted in the swordsman's eye. Just as the shifter landed on her feet, he circled the sword around his body with a spin attack. Even the agile shifter wasn't quick enough to completely avoid the blow. Redirecting the momentum of the blade with her claws, the slash scraped another scar across her chest armor.

Just as she was about to launch a counterattack, her face met Colin's wooden shield. The unexpected shield bash stunned her, but she still had enough presence of mind to guard her face against Colin's slash with her claws. She received a shallow cut to the shoulder before jumping back.

Colin attempted to press his advantage, but the annoyed shifter was done toying with him. She shifted into a falcon just as he reached her. She flapped her large wings and darted around the room, knocking over furniture, pulling down curtains, and destroying Zelda's room in the process. Colin backed against a wall to keep the entire room in sight as the shifter flew unpredictably like a blind bird.

Suddenly, she came straight for him with her sharp talons outstretched. He hid behind his shield and swung wildly at the air. With a flap of her wings, she hovered just above the reach of his weapon and transformed back to her human form. Her momentum combined with her falling weight was too much for the Ordonian, and the two toppled to the ground. The shifter quickly gained the upper hand and ripped the sword out of his hand by digging her claws into his arm. He cried out in agony as the bloodstained claws emerged from his skin; she grabbed the abandoned sword and threw it by the wayside. She then pinned down his shield arm. The youth struggled viciously to free himself, but the rubbing of her claws against his neck veins put an end to that.

"You've gotten better," she admitted bitterly. "Perhaps I can't afford to toy with you anymore."

Colin's face hardened. He bit his tongue to stomach the throbbing pain in his arm. "So are you going to kill me? Is this it?"

Atrayu licked her lips and smirked. "Lucky for you, I'm forbidden from doing that."

His eyes widened. "Why?"

Her smirk disappeared. "Call it an old custom of Nevkah. Awfully inconvenient at times but one I still adhere to." She looked to the sleeping monarch a few feet away. "But I have work to do, so it's lights out for you."

She reached into a pouch that Scorpio had given her and pulled out a cloth and bottle. Pinning the Ordonian with her weight, she poured the strange liquid onto the cloth and forced it onto Colin's face. He struggled to resist it, but she kept it pressed firmly to his nose and mouth. As the strange concoction circulated into his airways, the youth gradually succumbed and stopped struggling. His limbs collapsed to the ground like a dead weight.

Atrayu rose to her feet and checked her shoulder. The scratch had barely drawn blood; she had nothing to worry about. Leaving the Ordonian there, she heaved the sleeping Zelda over her other shoulder and walked towards the door. The monarch was heavier than she anticipated; she wondered if the woman had eaten too much at the party. As she walked out of the wrecked room, her lips curled into a triumphant grin.

"This job's done; now onto the next phase. Ready or not, Link, here I come."

The night was quiet with a sort of stillness that sent chills down the Sheikah's spine as he stood outside the castle walls. The crickets did not sing their usual chorus; no owls hooted in the distance. Indeed, the only sound that seemed to ring beneath the pale full moon was the howling of the wind as he trained with his divine instrument. He halted his movements for a moment, his brows creased in suspicion as he listened intently for the sounds of music and laughter coming from the castle's Great Hall. To his unease, he heard nothing.

As Kari looked carefully at his surroundings from atop a small, rotting stump, he noticed how many leaves his training had plucked to the ground. A collage of reds, yellows, and oranges covered the dirty ground.. As the wind he had been controlling died down, still more leaves joined them, twirling through the air like colorful bits of paper and joining their comrades on the ground. He couldn't shake the ominous feeling that someone was watching him from the shadows. Yet, as his glare attempted to penetrate the cloud of night, he could see nothing but the audience of trees surrounding him.

He sat down on the stump and sighed, the light moss growing over the top edge forming a gentle cushion for him to rest on. He was glad to be away from all of the eccentrically dressed partygoers and their strange customs. He let out a loud snort; he was still trying to clear the scent of musty cologne from his nostrils. He was much more content to be outdoors honing his skills for the inevitable battles ahead. Even so, he felt a small lonely pain in his chest as he looked at the woods around him.

He toyed with the idea of returning to the party to be with his friends. A piece of him ached to be in their company; they were all he had now. But then he remembered the stuffiness of the room and the uncomfortable atmosphere he would be confined to once again if he returned. The Sheikah quickly dismissed the idea, and consoled himself with the idea he was training diligently just as Sharlo had taught him. Besides, he would see all of them tomorrow.

As Kari looked at the pale full moon and allowed the woods to smother him with its eerie silence, a small wave of anxiety swept over him. Ever since they had left Hyrule, there had been fewer confrontations with the enemy than he expected. With the exception of Scorpio's attempted kidnapping and Atrayu's ambush on Link, the group hadn't fought much more than the occasional wolfos or kargarok since their departure from Hyrule. Mudora and Zant had not shown themselves in quite some time, and it puzzled him why they would wait in the shadows for so long without some sort of activity. In his experience, the calm always preceded the worst of storms, causing him to look towards the future with a dreadful unease.

"So this is where ya went to," he heard a young woman's voice call out from the direction of the Castle.

He did not jump or show any surprise; he only turned his head to find Ilia walking towards him alone. She had swapped her ballroom clothes in favor of her ranch attire. Her hair flowed loosely down the back of her neck, and she wrapped herself in a small cloak to keep warm. The Rod of Seasons swung back and forth in her hands.

"What are you doing out here?" Kari said coldly, tucking the Wind Waker close to his chest. It was no secret to him that Ilia didn't exactly like him. "I thought you would be at the party."

Ilia walked up beside him, pretending she didn't hear his bitter tone. She forced a smile and pretended to take interest in one of the trees a few yards from the two of them. "Tifa fell asleep so I decided to leave early."

The Sheikah eyed her suspiciously from the corner of his eye. "That still fails to explain why you're out here."

Ilia gently tapped the Rod of Seasons against her thigh. Its small, rhythmic patter told the Sheikah this was no friendly visit.

The ranch girl gave a quick glance in his direction but decided to aim her eyes elsewhere. "Well, I was just wonderin' if you could help me with…" she paused for a moment, "…with a question I had."

"A question?" Kari raised his eyebrows. "If Zelda sent you, you can tell her the answer is still no."

A blank expression slapped itself onto the ranch girl's face. "What in Ordona's name are you talking about?"

The Sheikah sat upright and looked at her intensely. "What did you just say?"

Ilia took a step back and looked at him crossly. "I was just expressing my confusion. I have no idea what Zelda wanted. I'm here for my own reasons."

Kari shook his head. "But you mentioned someone named 'Ordona.' His eyes narrowed to slits. "Is that a friend of yours?"

The ranch girl shrugged her shoulders. "Of course not. It'sthe name of the guardian spirit that watches over my home village, or so I've been told. Never seen it for myself, though." She folded her arms. "You seem busy. I knew it was a bad idea for me to come out here."

Kari rose from the stump. "No, I feel fine. Now, what was your question?"

She backed away once again. "No, really. I think I'll be better off finding out the answer myself." She turned around and began to walk back towards the castle.

His grip on the Wind Waker tightened. "You came to ask me about the Rod of Seasons, did you not?"

She stopped where she stood, as if suddenly finding an invisible wall hindering her progress. She looked down at the divine instrument in her hand, contemplating whether to answer his question or not.

Her gaze stretched in a long corridor toward the castle. With a drop of bitterness to liven up her tone, she responded without turning to face him. "Well…I was gonna' ask you about it…but you obviously have better things to do. I'll just get Link to help me."

Kari's eyes narrowed and his mouth curled into a smirk. Not to be outdone by a Hylian, he leapt from the stump to a nearby tree branch and then to the ground in front of the ranch girl. His knees bent carefully as he absorbed the impact of the jump. "I can help you far better than he can. Now, what did you need?"

Ilia took a step back and scowled at him. She folded the Rod in her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "Why so eager to help now? You certainly didn't seem interested before."

The Sheikah hesitated for a moment. Should he tell her? He didn't see any harm in it. "Because Link knows nothing about magic compared to me. I will be much more helpful."

The ranch rested her hands on her hips. "Is this some sort of competition between you two or somethin'?"

The Sheikah nodded his head. "Precisely. And I am the better man."

Her mouth hung open as if someone had slapped her across the face. "Goddesses, you certainly are honest." She shook her head and the scowl returned. "What am I sayin'? You two are such idiots. I don't even think I want to be part of this." She began to pull away.

Kari nodded. "But you still need an answer to your question, do you not?"

She paused. "So what if I did? You think I want this to be a trophy you two brag about behind my back?"

The Sheikah shrugged his shoulders. "I see no problem with a trophy."

Unfortunately, that was the wrong thing to say. The twitching of her eyebrow and the curling of her lip told the Sheikah that his words were about as graceful as a drunk Moblin playing a piano.

WHACK!

The Rod of Seasons came crashing on Kari's head. Luckily for both of them, the divine relic showed no signs of damage, but the same could not be said for the Sheikah's skull. He winced, holding his head as he felt a small lump slowly rise from his scalp.

"What was that for?" he hollered, still nursing his head wound.

The ranch girl twisted her lips in a smug expression. "I've wanted to do that for so long. Who would've known it'd feel so good?" She spun the Rod of Seasons in her arms, examining it for any dents or cracks. "That's what I think of your stupid competitions." Her hands rested on her hips. "Now, are you goin' ta help me or not?"

Kari winced at her through the pain ringing in his head. "That was dirty. You took me by surprise."

She glared at him. "There's more where that came from if you'd like."

The Sheikah looked at her and thought it best not to push his luck. "Very well. What was your question?"

Ilia looked down at the relic in her hands. "Well, before you started running your mouth, I was going to ask you how to work this thing. If I'm gonna be a sage and all, I should at least know how to use it, right?"

Kari folded his arms. "That makes sense. But why would I know how it works?"

Ilia rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you said you did!"

The Sheikah looked away awkwardly. "So I did." He looked carefully at the instrument. "Well, I can only tell you what I've studied and discovered from my own experience with the Wind Waker."

The ranch girl nodded. "I'll take whatever I can get."

Kari slipped the silver baton into his hand and grasped it affectionately. "The instrument should be an extension of the body. Not just physically, but also the magic dwelling within." He began to move it as if conducting an invisible choir. A small breeze twirled playfully around the pair. "When I control the wind, I almost lose myself in the instrument, as if another force is guiding me. Using it has become almost second nature to me." He looked to her. "It needs to be the same for you. As the name suggests, that Rod has the power to control the seasons. You must immerse yourself in the power of the instrument."

Ilia cocked her head to the side. "Could you repeat that again in a way I'll understand?"

Kari sighed. "I guess I couldn't expect someone with your inexperience to comprehend." He quickly backed away before Ilia could hit him again. "Let's just start with the basics. Do you know how to channel magic?"

Ilia put her hands on her hips. "I'm just a simple farm girl. Do you think I've ever had to deal with this sort of stuff before?"

Kari rubbed his forehead. "This is going to be more difficult than I anticipated."

For the next hour, Kari attempted to explain the fundamentals of magic and how to properly focus it in the body. He carefully instructed her as she tried to focus her internal energy onto the rod. Again and again the new Sage of Fire attempted to focus her dormant powers, but she might as well have asked the castle to float into the sky for all the success she had. By the end of the hour, the exasperation was evident on both teacher and pupils' faces.

"You are hopeless," Kari muttered at last. "I have seen plants with more potential."

Ilia's face was scarlet. "Well, you couldn't teach a fish to swim!"

Kari shrugged his shoulders. "I would not have to if the fish had natural talent already. You are a completely different case."

The ranch girl attempted to club him with the rod again, but this time he was ready. Hedodged the strike and watched in mild distress as her knuckles turned white.

"I'm done with this! I thought you'd be able to help me, but I was clearly wrong!" Ilia shouted. She whipped around to face the castle. "Have fun with your training!"

However, she stopped before she even started. Standing a few paces in front of her, blocking her path, stood a figure that wasn't there earlier. She had seen a glimpse of him once before, in the desert, but the name couldn't register with the soft face in front of her. His long scarlet robes reached down to the ground, but there wasn't a single speck of dirt on them. His eyes glared right through her to the wind tamer standing a short distance away.

"Leaving so soon, my dear? You will never learn anything by giving up so quickly. Studying takes diligence, and diligence takes time." His soothing voice chastised her as he looked in her direction for a brief moment. The frightened woman stumbled backwards, looking at the deity with a face paler than a ghost; she finally recognized him as Mudora!

"H-how did you find us here?" Kari stumbled for words. His stomach twirled in his torso, his heart slammed against his chest, his limbs burnt with fear, and his head spun with a strange sensation. His entire body seemed to react to this stranger's presence. A frightening chill crawled through all the veins in his body like a snake slithering inside his skin. The Wind Waker seared his hand with an invisible flame, yet he could not bring himself to release the divine instrument.

"Hello, Kari," Mudora greeted with a smile that appeared genuine. "I was just watching your teaching session, but couldn't resist offering some advice." The Sheikah gritted his teeth but didn't respond, so the deity continued talking. "I consider myself somewhat of a scholar in the ways of magic." He nodded in Ilia's direction. "It is a shame to see a sage incapable of performing her duties. Perhaps I can be of assistance."

Ilia finally found her nerve. "I-I don't need or want your help!"

Mudora's smile disappeared in suppressed annoyance. "Foolish child, do you realize who I am? I am the Leader of the Sages; in other words, your superior. Who better to teach you than one who has studied magic for millenia?" His face softened again. "I will ignore your insolence for the time being; it is my understanding you only recently awakened as a sage. I would like our relationship to start off positively; I would caution you not make the same mistake your predecessors did." He looked towards the castle. "Now, where are the other two sages that recently awakened? I wish to meet them as well. I fear we were never properly introduced."

With Mudora's back turned towards him, Kari seized upon the opportunity before him. He circled the silver baton in the air and focused his energy. Yet, his attempt to summon a gust resulted in little more than the heated air from his panting. He quickly attempted to summon another gust of wind but met with the same disastrous result. Horrified, he looked at his instrument; nothing had changed about its feel or appearance. The Sheikah was stupefied; nothing like this had ever happened to him before.

"Save your energy, Kari," Mudora rebuked him without turning around. "Your magic will not work on me. The Wind Waker will not turn against its rightful master." He slowly spun around to face him again. A knowing smile crept on the deity's lips as he looked at the wind tamer's astonished expression. "Yes, I know your name. We crossed paths long ago, although I am sure you do not remember it."

Kari scowled. "I would have remembered meeting someone like you." His hands felt like they had been forced into a campfire for several hours. Try as he might to release the Wind Waker from his grasp, his fingers remained wrapped around the divine instrument. "Where have you been? Why are you here? What are you planning?"

The deity chuckled to himself, but it was no friendly gesture. There was an eerie tone of malevolence to it. "All in good time, my friend." His face darkened. "First, I must know if you are with me or against me. I extend an offer to both of you, as well as the other two sages, to join me in my quest to change this world for the better."

Kari tensed suddenly. "How can you expect us to join you when we know so little about you?"

Mudora nodded approvingly. "A fair question. I have never frowned upon the acquisition of more knowledge. Perhaps it could not hurt to divulge a bit more about myself."

Ilia spat aloud. "Who cares? You're just a monster in fancy clothing!"

The deity turned to her, a hint of irritation once again in his jaw. "You would do well to show some respect if you know what is good for you."

The ranch girl's eyes narrowed. She gripped the Rod of Seasons tightly. "I'm not afraid of you."

Mudora's eyes hardened. He turned his body to face her fully. She crawled backwards against the trunk of a tree as she saw the irritation and anger in his features. His voice carried a heavy weight of authority with it. "Even since the beginning, you mortal creatures refuse to tolerate sound reasoning and listen only to fear and instinct." He pulled back the long flowing sleeves of his robe, revealing hands with glowing white skin. "I am trying to speak with you, but you refuse to hear me. I was hoping to avoid this, but it is time I taught you respect the hard way. Perhaps then you will listen to what I have to say." His eyes narrowed as if he were passing judgment on her. "I assure you this will be far more painful for you than it will be for me."

A/N- Well, its been a little longer than I wanted between updates, but at least I finally got this posted. This was actually supposed to be the first half of another chapter, but it was getting way too long, so the second half will be posted a little later when I'm done working on it. I hope you all enjoy it. As always, reviews are always encouraged and appreciated!