Real Courage [Complete]

Lila slowly made her way to the palace. She could feel the watchful gaze of the Gerudo, ready to report any false move. No doubt Lady Ganondra was already aware of Lila's dramatic return. Much trouble waited for her at the castle.

Under her breath, Lila wondered, "Why am I feeling like this, Mori? Why does it all feel so strange?"

The reply took a while. In fact, it took longer than Lila expected. She looked around to see if he was asleep, but there was no sign of the keese. He wasn't even hiding in any of her bags.

He must be with Zale.

Lila grew worried over what Mori might tell Zale. He wasn't the best at keeping secrets. She knew, at least, he wouldn't say anything about Lady Ganondra. Anything else, even things Lila didn't know about herself, could come spilling out into the open. That could be disastrous for Lady Ganondra's plans.

Would that be so bad?

Lila shook her head, her eyes closed. Such thoughts were unsafe. Lady Ganondra could sense betrayal from many before they were even aware of the fault. Whatever Mori's fate, Lila's would be a thousand times worse.

At last, she reached the castle. A servant opened the door before Lila had time to prepare herself to enter. It was possible Lady Ganondra was waiting for her.

The door closing behind her felt more eerie than normal. The black stone walls flickered mockingly in what little light Lady Ganondra allowed. Her boots echoed loudly in her ears. She'd know. Lady Ganondra would know as soon as she saw Lila.

Just as Lila thought of her, Lady Ganondra appeared with Kotake and Koume at her sides. Six servants also lingered nearby. Glee shone on the witches' faces. Lady Ganondra's face was a darker red than normal.

Lila shrunk back, trying to make herself small. Of course, it was not enough. It was never enough. Lady Ganondra’s leather-covered hand collided with Lila’s face, whirling her around and to the ground. Before she could regain her breath, the chieftess hauled Lila up again by the back of her neck. She was so massive, her hand wrapped almost completely around Lila’s neck. Lady Ganondra’s dark face swirled in Lila’s vision.

"How dare you lead that trash prince to my kingdom!" seethed Lady Ganondra. "You may have ruined everything! Now I have to use more spies just to make sure he doesn't cause trouble. You can be so useless at times."

At that, she threw Lila aside and walked away. Through a haze, she saw Kotake and Koume approach her. She gathered her strength enough to sit against the wall.

Koume said, "You're lucky she needs you alive."

"Else the two of you would be long dead!" Kotake finished with giddy. They followed Lady Ganondra down the hall.

Lila closed her eyes and rested, breathing heavily. She should have died. That would have solved so many of her problems. But then Zale would be subject to Lady Ganondra's torment.

Something wet trickled down her unharmed cheek. She put her hand to her face, trying to fight the surge of heat rising from her chest. Before she knew it, unbefore-acknowledged emotions overwhelmed her, and the tears poured out. Lila gripped her hair and bit her lip, but the physical pain wasn't enough to block her thoughts.

What have I done? I wish I never met Zale. Things started going poorly only after I talked to him, and I've put him in danger, too. I wish this never happened...

When Lila woke the next day, she was surprised Lady Ganondra wasn't the one yelling her awake. Instead, it was unusually quiet. She hoped that wasn't a bad sign. She noticed something on her desk that wasn't there last night. As she sat up on her bed, she saw that it was a note.

Lady Ganondra requests you journey to Mother and Child Isle next, she read. There you are to acquire the Cloak of Shadows. Lady Ganondra expects you back in three days. Do not disappoint her again. -Nabooru

Three days? The trip to the coast took at least half a day. Lila quickly readied herself for the task.

The sun had set at least an hour before Lila reached the shore. Lila tested the water. She had only been to the ocean a few times before for training. Now she was glad for it because she had to swim to Mother and Child Isle.

After surveying for the best part of the beach, Lila waded into the ocean. She aimed for the beach on "Child Isle." She didn't know why the Isle had two names. "Child Isle" was the lower part of the island and the only way to access it. "Mother Isle" was like a tower, with every side a steep cliff. Lila guessed the strip of land between the two used to be underwater which would make them separate islands. However, that begged the question: Did the sea level fall or the island rise?

Not that it really mattered.

Upon reaching the beach of Child Isle, the strong wind produced by the shape of the island began teasing at Lila's clothes. She felt a chill from the air hitting her wet self. She donned her newly procured boots and pushed forward.

Because of the wind, Lila had never before been able to travel much farther than the rocky beach. Nabooru brought her here to train her leg strength a few times. Now with the Boots of Sturdiness, she was able to get inside the cave, leading to mystery. She took a breather at the mouth of the cave. The wind was minimal there, so she was able to take off the boots. She also lit her lantern because there was no other light. Her rattled breath echoed loudly on the rock walls.

"I wonder if this would be a safe place to sleep," she said aloud, wishing for the company of Mori. The weariness was starting to catch up with her, and she realized she missed the keese more than she thought possible.

"I'll just check out this cave a bit."

Lila walked deeper into the cave. She looked for torches along the wall but found none. It wasn't long before she came to a door. She wondered if she should open it or leave it alone.

"Maybe just a peek."

She pulled the door open and stood just short of entering. Inside was dark so she couldn't see much, but she could tell the dungeon went much deeper than sea level. She heard the roar of winds blowing in different directions but saw no evidence of a tornado. For that she was glad. Having satisfied her curiosity, Lila closed the door and returned to the mouth of the cave to sleep.∴

The sun woke her in the morning. It didn't reach directly into the cave since it was angled slightly to the south, but the light and warmth were enough to get her going. She ate a small breakfast of dried meat and then continued on her quest.

Lila was surprised to see the dungeon had lit up from the sun. She noticed several shafts of light around the room. It was so bright, the area glowed like soft gold.

With the new light, she was better able to see the lay of the land. Three tiers of balcony ran around the perimeter, with Lila being on the top one. There was also a solid floor at the bottom. Holes in the walls lined up with the four cardinal points, but Lila could detect no other pattern. The holes were the source of the winds and some of the sunlight. There were also a few doors between the holes. Two other doors were on the same level as Lila, but one of them, the more ornate one across the room, had gaps in the platform on either side. She had no idea how she would be able to get there.

That left the other door. A wind tunnel was between her and the door. Lila put the boots back on to avoid getting blown off the edge. It was a long drop. Though the wind pushed against her, the boots kept her safely on the ground. She took off the boots before opening the next door.

After several fights with hoards of keese ("I'm glad Mori isn't here to see this.") and larger kargaroc ("Those birds make the most annoying sound!"), Lila found herself on top of Child Isle. She had climbed a set of stairs around the outside of the island. Before reaching the top, she saw an extra large bird sleeping on the far side. It looked big enough to eat Epona for lunch. She couldn't see any evidence of treasure and wished Mori were there to tell her if this thing was worth fighting. Since there was nothing left for her to do in the dungeon, she decided to approach the nest.

"Hey, pretty bird," Lila said tentatively. "I think you have something I need, so will you wake up just a moment?"

She had awakened it. As the bird shifted and stretched, she saw that it was a smaller version of one of Lady Ganondra's pets: a helmaroc. Immediately she knew she had to fight it. The Helmaroc King was a very grumpy monster of a bird that only listened to Lord Ganondorf. That thing had injured her more than once.

Lila jumped back and readied her sword. When the helmaroc saw the light reflecting off the sword, it locked eyes on Lila. Suddenly she felt very small. Swallowing her fear, she lunged at the bird's neck.

The helmaroc cawed loudly and flapped its wings. Lila was buffeted to the ground as the helmaroc took flight. She stood up quickly, not wanting to be landed on. With the bird gone, she noticed something strange in the nest. She glanced up but didn't see the bird... until it rammed its beak into her back. Lila tumbled forward into the nest, the breath knocked out of her. She tucked into a fetal position until the helmaroc passed. Then she looked around for the object she had seen.

It was cylindrical with a set of hooks hanging out one end. The other end was hollow and big enough to fit her hand. She grabbed the object just as the helmaroc grabbed her. She almost dropped it in surprise, and then she shoved her hand inside. She felt a trigger at her finger, aimed at the helmaroc's head, and fired.

The hooks burst out with a chain keeping it attached and clamped on the bird. The helmaroc screeched and let go of Lila. Now she was dangling over the ocean, held up only by the new device she had. The helmaroc returned to its nest, and Lila released the trigger. The hooks let go, and she rolled to the ground.

When Lila stood up, she saw the helmaroc scratching at its injury. An idea formed in her mind. As quick as she could, she put on the Boots of Sturdiness. The helmaroc took flight before she had them completely secured. Once ready, she watched the helmaroc turn to come back at her. When it was in range, Lila fired the hooks.

"Yes!"

The hooks latched onto the helmaroc's tail. It reared back, trying to escape, but the boots kept Lila firm. She struggled with the bird for a bit like a fish on a line, and then she was able to overpower it. The helmaroc crashed to the ground next to her, and she pulled out her sword.

Of course, the first set of attacks was not enough. Eventually, the helmaroc struggled away from Lila and returned to the air. Lila readied herself for a second attempt.

The helmaroc was not the most intelligent of creatures. Lila was able to pull it down again and resumed her attack. This time the helmaroc was unable to escape, and Lila killed the monster. With another victory under her belt, Lila rested against the edge of the nest. The helmaroc disappeared in a cloud of dust like her other enemies. It left behind a key.

Having rested enough, Lila took the key and went back into the dungeon. She knew where this key went and wanted to continue without delay. If she wasted too much time, Lady Ganondra would be very angry with her. Possibly angrier than she had ever been before. She was extra agitated the last time they encountered each other, and Lila wondered if she was ready to be done with her. If she messed up in any way ever again, she worried it would be the end of her. Kotake and Koume had told her just as much.

They also threatened Zale.

Lila hurried to the other door.

When Lila looked for a way to get to the locked door, she saw latches on either side. They looked like the perfect grip for her new toy, which she decided to call a "hookshot." She used her boots to get past the wind and then used the hookshot to get to the door. Her plan worked perfectly.

On the other side of the door, Lila groaned. She was awed at the beauty but frustrated by the size of the place. Sunlight made the room glow with an ethereal forest light. Trees lined the inside walls and opened their leaves above. There was no ceiling, so they grew freely. There was a small pond and several brooks at the base of the trees. Lily pads, moss, and flowers grew all over the water. This was a place where Lila could spend eternity.

On the other hand, she had a job to do, and another large dungeon would only slow her down. She found the nearest unlocked door and set to work.

Lila used her hookshot many times, shooting from platform to platform, tree to tree. She fought a few of the same monsters, but also some different ones. There were bulbous carnivorous plants taller than her, though they were quite easy for her to handle.

Hidden among clumps of mushrooms, she also came across a monster she affectionately named "puffstools." They were about as tall as her knee, some a bit taller, with red caps. They attacked by letting out puffs of dust that did little to affect her. She mostly just passed them by, since they posed no real threat. After a while, they seemed to grow attached to her.

Finally, with all four pieces of the key assembled, Lila arrived at the boss room. She hoped the battle would be quick; the sun was starting to set.

The wind whipped at her as the door opened. To her surprise, she was once again outside. The door faced directly west, so Lila had to shield her eyes from the dying sun. She stood at the bottom of some stairs. The top of the stairs was slightly below eye level, and she could tell it was a flat surface covered in orange dirt and small rocks. As she walked up the stairs, she saw stone pillars in a ring around her, the bases of which were in the water. Looking behind her, she saw the tops of the trees she saw earlier.

"If only I got here in the morning," Lila remarked to the empty air, "the sun would've been behind the trees. Oh well," she shrugged. She didn't want to wait another night just for convenience.

The area was eerily quiet. No monster immediately attacked her. She readied herself by putting the hookshot on her right hand and holding her sword in her left. She walked around the area, keeping her eyes out for any opposition. For a long time, it was just her and the sky.

When the sun was almost completely gone, the wind became more furious. It all seemed to converge in the center of the platform. A blueish form began materializing inside the focus. It was bulbous on top, and several wiggly limbs danced around the middle. The creature sat upon a swirling cloud.

"There you are," Lila said aloud. Without waiting to see what the creature would do she raced at it with her sword raised.

Of course, the creature easily moved out of her reach.

"Mori would be laughing so hard," Lila muttered. She watched the thing fly around. It reminded her of an octorok, with the only difference being the cloud it floated on. She wondered if it would make similar attacks. Although with the wind blowing so hard, she thought it would probably use that to its advantage.

The octorok seemed to puff up, and then a twisting burst of wind blasted from out of its mouth. Lila quickly moved out of the way, but it was followed by two others. The third one scraped her arm with what felt like dozens of pieces of sand.

She growled at the thing and took aim with the hookshot. The octorok was too fast for her, though. She cried out, "Blast it, hold still!"

The octorok replied with more tornadoes.

After somersaulting away, Lila wondered how she could get herself close enough to attack properly with it flitting away so easily. She needed to slow it down, but how? It was almost a completely opposite battle from the ones against ReDead Knights. Instead of being stunned, she needed to stun.

"That's it!" she thought. Lila pulled out the boomerang she had used in the previous dungeon. Taking careful aim, she timed her throw for when the octorok spat out the wind.

"This will slow you."

It worked. The octorok fell limp upon its cloud, so Lila charged forward. She brought her sword down on it, but its head wasn't as soft as she expected. Her sword penetrated only about two inches into its blubbery skin. She tried stabbing it, successfully pushing in her sword about five or six inches deep.

Then the monster recovered and pushed away. The octorok took a few seconds to compose itself and then rammed straight at Lila. The cloud plus the force of the wind made her stumble back in pain. Though it was dull, it had hit her square on, causing every part of her body to ache with surprising severity.

Lila growled, "You're wasting my time."

Another burst of tornadoes answered her. Lila dodged quickly and released the boomerang once more. She started running toward the octorok even before the boomerang reached the target. Her speed paid off; she got in a few more hits than the last time. By the time it escaped, she could tell it was nearly done for.

The octorok injured her twice more before she was able to kill it. Though she felt drained and hurt all over, she was considerably less damaged than in previous boss battles. She just hoped she would make it back in time.

With the threat gone and the black sky surrounding her, exhaustion overtook her. She searched the octorok's death spot with bleary eyes. There she found the item she had been sent for.

"The Cloak of Shadows," Lila said in relief. She touched the familiar decorated heart and then fell asleep right there. The cloak rested on her like a blanket.

Early the next morning, the sun accosted Lila as soon as it peeked over the horizon. The cloak shielded her from only a tiny bit of light. Reluctantly she pulled herself to a sitting position.

Because she had forgotten to put away her equipment before sleeping, she was very sweaty and still sore. With deliberate slowness, she gathered what fell off in the night and stood tall. Her stomach growled mercilessly. She dug through her pack for some food as she descended into the dungeon.

Making her way back through the dungeon took a lot of work. It was almost more tiring than fighting the flying octorok. She had to continue switching between either her Boots of Sturdiness or hurling herself across chasms with her hookshot. Once she had reached the entrance tunnel, she had taken several rests. She stopped on the beach after almost being hurled into the ocean by the wind.

After her frayed nerves had a chance to settle, she slowly made her way back to the mainland.

Dusk hung heavily when Lila entered Gerudo Town. Though she saw few people, she could feel energy crackle around her. It felt unlike anything she had experienced before in the village. She wondered what was going on.

Lila knew Lady Ganondra would want her to report her success, but the strange mood made her worried. She opted instead to have a servant deliver the message of her arrival, after stopping by the kitchen. With fresh food, she scurried to the barracks.

More than ever, Lila wished Mori were with her. She needed someone to help her figure out what the fuss was about. Since having entered the castle, she had seen even more activity. In her worn state, she dared not ask anyone about it.

Lila ate her meal slowly and then went to take a bath. When she returned to the barracks, the door was open.

Lady Ganondra was there.

"My Lady Ganondra," Lila greeted, catching her breath.

"Ah, there you are, child. You have the Cloak?" Lady Ganondra smiled her wicked smile. She seemed... excited.

Lila nodded and said, "Yes, ma’am."

The chieftess clapped her hands together, making Lila jump. "Perfect! We are almost ready for the invasion."

"Invasion?" Lila squeaked.

Lady Ganondra ignored her. Pulling something out of her inner pocket, she said, "There is only one thing left for you to do. Put this on."

Lady Ganondra handed Lila a bundle of green fabric. Her breath caught in her throat. By the color alone, she recognized the outfit from her history lessons.

This is what Zale was talking about, she realized.

Lady Ganondra chuckled slightly to herself. She enjoyed watching the struggle in Lila’s mind.

"I will wait outside," she said, and then left Lila alone.

Lila's knees buckled as soon as the door closed. She stared at the clothes in her hands. So her Lady Ganondra knew all along. She knew what Zale had guessed. What Lila had refused to believe.

Lila was the Hero of Courage.

With shaking hands, she slowly laid out each piece on her bed. Her heart thudded as she dressed. Once done, though she didn't want to do it, Lila opened the door for Lady Ganondra to enter. Lila backed up until she touched her bed.

Lady Ganondra's smile grew, or maybe it was the vileness in her eyes. She ordered, "Show me your hand."

Puzzled, Lila offered her right hand.

"No, the other one."

Lila brought up her left hand. She noticed she could feel something burning on the back of her hand. Suddenly she knew what the chieftess was looking for. On the back of her hand glowed three golden triangles, the bottom right one more than the others. Lila was surprised; she thought because of the strength of the burning the mark would be brighter. However, the glow was only barely apparent.

"It's not possible," Lila whispered.

Lady Ganondra laughed and released Lila’s hand. She crumpled to the ground. She couldn't look at the chieftess. Tears stung her eyes, and her breath came slowly.

"You are my perfect little pet," Lady Ganondra mocked. "Now we are ready. You must leave now. Take your things. You are going to find Zale, and you are going to hold him until I get to you. We are taking the castle tonight!"

Now Lila understood. She felt faint as Lady Ganondra’s plan revealed itself to her. That's why she let her talk with Zale. That's why she had her visit Castle Town. That's why she sent her on quest after quest, each leading up to the Cloak of Shadows.

Finally, something else struck her.

"She's going to kill Zale," she said aloud. Worried, she looked up, but Lady Ganondra had left without her noticing. Lila knew what she had to do, but did she have the courage?

"...heroes who show courage."

"Have courage."

Courage.

Zale's serene face floated in her vision. He was laughing playfully without a care in the world.

Lila set her jaw. "I have to save him."

With new fire, she forced herself into action. She gathered a few supplies, took one last look at the place she grew up, and then left.

She couldn't let Ganondra win.

She wouldn't.

This time through the city, Lila saw the preparations for war. Gerudo women everywhere armed themselves with all manner of weapons for which they were trained. They donned armor, shields, and helmets. They readied their battle horses.

Lila was going to betray them all.

Once out of the city, she had to light her lantern. The night was as dark as could be. Gerudo Valley and Hyrule Field were much more creepy than in the daylight. Sometimes skeletons would pop up, but Lila just ran around them. Now wasn't the time to fight small threats.

The gate into Castle Town was closed, but a side door was cracked ajar. Exactly the neglect a lazy guard would facilitate.

Lila carefully entered the open door. No one could be seen, but down a hall, she could hear gruff voices and the clink of glass bottles. She walked forward but winced at the sound of her footsteps. She lifted the hood of her cloak and waited.

Laughter erupted from the party; no one appeared.

They must be too drunk to notice, Lila thought and hurried on to the sewers.

Once through the sewers, she doused her lantern. She didn't want to risk the light when she entered the dungeons. With her hand outstretched, she made her way to the secret stairs. The only light was from a torch far away, so only a hint showed. It was hard to find the stairs, and when she did, they were as pitch black as she remembered. She slowly made her way upward.

Finally, she was at the top. Lila pressed her ear against the wall and listened.

"...to bed. You'll be too tired for studies tomorrow."

That was Zale. Lila's heart thundered.

"Will you tuck me in?" Zelda. Such a sweet, innocent voice.

Zale sighed, "Fine!"

"And tell me a bedtime story?"

"No, it's too late—!"

"I'll tell you one."

This third voice startled Lila. It was Mori. Of course. He was with Zale.

She searched for a way to enter the room. No time for light. They were already walking away.

She found the handle and pulled with all her might. The door swung open loudly. Zale spun around to face her. Lila rushed to embrace him. Shock rooted him in place, and Zelda screamed.

"Zale! Oh, Zale. I'm so glad you're still alive!"

"Lila, what...?"

"No time. You need to get out of here."

"Brother, who is she?" Zelda asked.

It was Mori who answered first. "That's the girl I was with Lila. Don't worry, she won't hurt you."

Lila held Zale at arm's length. Her vision was blurred with tears. "You're not safe here. Shadow Chieftess Ganondra is coming to attack your castle."

"What?" Zale shouted. "What are you talking about? How do you know? And what are you wearing?"

"I'll explain later. You and Zelda need to run. Mori, get them out of here!" Lila pushed Zale toward the door and waved at Mori and Zelda.

Zale mumbled, "How do you know her—"

"Go!" Lila roared. She pulled out her sword. "I'll stall her. Run!"

To her relief, she heard them run down the stairs. But then Zale said, "I'm not leaving you!"

Lila whipped around. "You must!" He closed the door and watched her wearily.

"Why are you here?" he asked more calmly.

"I told you, you're in danger!"

"How do you know?"

"It's a long story." Lila shifted and flitted her eyes around the room. She finally took stock of what was around her: a large bed with curtains, a large wardrobe of dark wood, a matching desk, and a bookshelf filled with books.

"Start with your new clothes," Zale said. He hadn't moved from the door.

"What about them?"

"They are the clothes of the Legendary Hero, and you're wearing them."

Lila scratched the back of her head. "Yeah, well... that's true."

"Does that mean you believe me?"

"What about?"

"That you are this generation's Hero of Cour—"

"Stop it!" Lila shouted. "What do you know? I couldn't possibly be—"

Before Lila could react, Zale rushed to her, took her hand, and ripped her glove off.

The three triangles shone brightly this time, the same one brighter than the others. Lila snatched her hand away.

Zale looked at her with desperate eyes. "Why won't you believe me?"

Lila returned his gaze. The tears were about to come back. She didn't know how to answer him, and he didn't interrupt her silence.

The main door burst open. Lila pushed Zale behind her and raised her sword. Lady Ganondra herself stood under the arch.

"Ah, there you are," she said, taking in the situation. "I do hope you have done as I asked."

Lila could feel the wrath behind her words. For a second Lila faltered, but she steeled herself against the chieftess’s power.

"I will not let you touch him." The words came out less strong than she'd hoped, but at least her voice didn't waver.

All pretense fled Lady Ganondra's countenance. She glared at them, rage boiling from her eyes.

"You made a terrible choice. Kotake, Koume, take them."

Lila hadn't noticed the witches in his shadow. She tried to attack, but Kotake used her ice magic to stop her in her tracks. Then Koume hit her head with a flaming rod.

"Traitor," was the last word she heard.

It was warm when Lila stirred. Sleep was reluctant to release its hold on her. Slowly, random memories came to her: Her fight with Zale; Lady Ganondra beating her half to death; relaxing in the hot spring; and finally, Lady Ganondra's fiery eyes as she ordered her capture.

Her breathing quickened, and her eyes fluttered. She felt shackles binding her wrists behind her. Orange and red lit the area. All around her was stone and iron.

"No," she exhaled. "No, no, no, no."

"Lila," Zale's calm voice came from behind her. His soft hands held hers. "I'm here, Lila. We will get out of here."

Lila shook her head. "You don't understand!" She glanced around and saw two guards with their backs to them. She kept her voice low. "This is Lady Ganondra's dungeon. Any... anyone who comes down here... No one leaves alive. Ever."

Zale soothed, "Lila, don't panic. I trust you. I know you will get us out of here."

Lila closed her eyes tight. "No, no, no. It's not possible. No one has ever..."

"Lila, you will do it. Have courage. You will—"

"No! I told you, it's not possible! I can't be the Hero of Courage. I'm too scared. I'm terrified. There's no possible way... I don't have any hint of courage."

"Lila, courage is not being unafraid. You can't even have courage without fear. Real courage comes from fighting, even though the fear says not to."

Lila whimpered. "You don't understand. It's impossible. We can never leave this place alive. We're dead. We're dead. We're dead..." she mumbled over and over.

"No, you'll see! I believe in you!" Zale's words couldn't stop her. All he could do was squeeze her hand.

Keys jangled. Lila cringed as she was uncuffed from the pole she and Zale sat against. A jailer yanked her to her feet. She kept her eyes on the floor, but she could see Zale's feet close by. They were led out of the dungeon and through part of the castle. By sound alone, Lila knew they stopped in Lady Ganondra's ceremony room. A part of her wondered why.

"What is this?" Zale asked boldly. Lila heard him get slapped.

"Silence!" snapped a jailer.

"No. Tell us what's going on!"

For his defiance, the woman punched him in the stomach. Lila felt for her friend but knew she could do nothing.

Lila and Zale were chained to iron rings in the center of a magic circle, and the women left. The door closed with heavy finality.

Zale groaned, "Lila, snap out of it. Now's our chance!"

"We have no ch—"

"Shut up!" he said. "If you keep thinking that way, then no, we have no chance. But look! That's the Master Sword! The Sword's magic can help you save us."

Lila finally looked up. A broken stone pedestal was near them, with a sword, point down, in the rock. The hilt and crossguard were lavender, and light green ribbon wrapped around the grip. The crossguard looked somewhat like wings.

"If you can reach it, you can pull it out and break these chains. Come on, you have to try!"

Slowly, she processed what he was saying.

"If you don't, Ganondra will win, and everyone will die."

She still didn't move.

"I will die," Zale emphasized.

Lila brought herself to her knees. With her wrists bound to the floor, the task seemed nigh impossible. But she had to try for Zale. She maneuvered around so that one hand held the iron ring while the other reached out. Her fingertips brushed the hilt.

"I can't, it's too far," she despaired.

"No, you have a little bit of slack," Zale pointed out. "Try again."

Lila stretched until it felt like her skin would tear. Zale was right. This time her hand wrapped around a part of the crossguard. She pushed it upward with every drop of strength in her.

Zale encouraged, "That's it! It's moving!"

The door opened. Lady Ganondra saw what was happening and shouted, "No!"

Lila freed the sword. It almost launched out of her grasp, but she snatched onto the blade. She ignored the pain and flipped it around. Then she brought it down on Zale's chain.

"Run!"

He did, straight into Lady Ganondra's stomach. His distraction gave Lila enough time to free herself. She slashed at Lady Ganondra's arms to let Zale get away.

"Stop! Do not defy me!"

Lady Ganondra cradled one injured arm and reached with the other. Her fingers just missed Lila's hood.

"This way!" she yelled to Zale. Without question, he rushed after her.

Many times they were blocked by Gerudo women. The first time there were only two, so Lila quickly disarmed them and gave a sword to Zale. He helped her fight sometimes, and other times she led them in a different direction. Finally, they escaped into the night.

When they neared the borders of the city, they heard battling. They rounded a corner to see Hylians fiercely fighting against Gerudo. Lila and Zale cut their way through to friendly lines. Lila turned around to join them, but Zale grabbed her arm.

"You need to recover. My people will be all right."

Tired of arguing, Lila surrendered to his reasoning. They continued to run over the vast desert. Supply wagons were at the back of the Hyrule army, so that's what they aimed for.

Cries came up from soldiers behind them. Lila and Zale turned to see Lady Ganondra barreling towards them on a large boar. The boar's tusks knocked everyone aside.

Lady Ganondra yelled, "You filthy rat! Prepare for death!"

The boar knocked Zale into the air and stopped Lila between its tusks. Suddenly she found it hard to breathe again. The Master Sword wobbled in her hand. Lady Ganondra raised a bow, the arrow aimed at Lila’s heart.

Enraged Hylians attacked Lady Ganondra and the boar, sufficiently ruining her shot. The boar writhed in pain. Its tusks knocked Lila side to side until her legs buckled and she fell backward. Unseen hands pulled her away from the monster. Her head swam, and she couldn't open her eyes properly.

"Lila!" Zale's voice sounded oddly distant.

"Prince Zale, stay back! Get to the escort!"

"Not until I know she's safe!"

"She won't be safe with you hovering over her. We'll get her to the escort, and then we leave. Got it?"

"Let me help—"

"No! Forgive me, my Prince, but are you stupid? Your ribs are likely broken and..."

The words started fading from Lila's grasp. It wasn't long until she no longer understood anything around her. All she felt were vibrations in the ground. Eventually, sleep forced its power over her.

Breathing was painful when Lila next awoke. She kept her eyes shut, not wanting to know where she was. She could feel heat, and the blankets covering her didn't help. Voices could be heard, but they were subdued. She could also hear moans and shouts of pain. It felt as though something bound her to the bed. Fear washed over her.

Is this a torture chamber? She squeezed her eyes tighter. How? Who? Zale? Is he responsible, or is he trapped, too? I knew it was impossible to escape Lady Ganondra! She started sobbing uncontrollably.

Someone noticed and rushed over to her. Lila waited for the punishment.

"Shh, shh, child. You're safe. Try to relax."

What?

"Take a deep breath. Everything will be alright."

Lila managed to choke out, "Where... Zale?"

There was a slight pause. "Not now, child. You need to find calm. Slow your breathing."

"Is... he... safe?" The words were barely more than whispers.

Another person joined them. "Here is the potion."

The first said, "I hope she can swallow it." Then to Lila, she instructed, "I'm going to help you sit up so you can take some of this potion. It will soothe your nerves."

Lila couldn't do a thing to make sitting up easier or harder. She just cringed while every movement sent pain through her entire being.

"There, that's better now," said the first voice. "Here's the potion."

A cold glass edge touched Lila's parched lips. She tried to drink, but most of it spilled to the sides. She gasped after each difficult swallow, but the glass wasn't removed until it was tipped empty.

"There, that should help. I'll—"

"Zale," Lila rasped. "Please... is... he... safe?"

The voice sounded surprised. "Of course he is safe."

"C-c ...see... him?"

"I-I'm sorry. I... can't let you."

"Please..."

"Rest up. It will take a while to heal."

Lila heard footsteps. That was the end of that conversation. Even though she didn't do much, at all, she felt completely exhausted. She felt as though she ran through the desert for a full day.

Anxiety raced around in her mind. Where is Zale? Why can't I see him? Why am I tied up like a prisoner, but they are healing me? Who are they? Where am I? Before long she was back in sleep's embrace.

∴

"No! You can't stop me! Let me through!" Zale shoved his way past the guards and finally laid eyes on Lila. She looked pale and her breathing was shallow. "Has she woken up yet?" he asked a nurse.

"Yes, once. But, you can't be here. It's not safe for—"

"Stop saying that!" Zale yelled, pushing a guard off him. "Lila is my friend! I trust her completely. She is the Hero of Courage!"

"Zale..."

At the sound of her voice, he rushed to her side. "I'm here, Lila. I'm here." Another guard grabbed his arm. "Let me at least tell her what's going on. I'll bet none of you have."

The surrounding attendants finally backed away, feeling abashed. Zale immediately turned back to Lila. He relaxed, holding her hand.

"Lila, how are you?" Zale started softly. "Can you squeeze my hand?"

Lila took a breath and concentrated. She was able to squeeze his hand, but her grip was weak.

"Good. Thank you for saving me. I know it was hard, but you did it. Your courage saved us both.

"My people, the people of Hyrule, now know who I am. They also know... some of your past. Mori explained a few things to me. I only told others what was important, but they figured out the rest on their own. Because of this, they don't trust you the way I do. That's why you're restrained. I'm so sorry you're stuck like this. I'm trying to convince them of your goodness.

"There is something called the Trial of Light," Zale continued. "I'm not quite sure of the details, but I do know that it is very dangerous. My people don't think you can go through it, but I know you can. When you've recovered, I'll take you to the Great Tree."

Zale gave Lila a moment to process what he told her. Her head was spinning, but it might have been more from her injuries. With a raw voice, she said, "The Trial of Light... Is light the same as... goodness?"

A slight smile crossed Zale's face. "Yes, you could say that. I believe it has been that way for centuries."

Lila closed her eyes. "Lady Ganondra's castle is very dark... I would like to see something lighter..."

"That's a great goal," Zale said, tenderly touching her shoulder.

Lila looked up at him. His smile made her stomach flip, and she felt lighter than air.

"How long... before I can go?"

"You just have to wait until you recover," Zale answered. "I'd guess a few days more."

Lila felt herself relax. "Good. I don't like being stuck in bed."

Zale laughed, "I can imagine!"

As Lila healed, she found herself very lonely... and twitchy. The latter was because she wanted to get moving, but her body was taking a long time. The former was because almost no one spoke with her. Though she was used to being on her own, recent events taught her that there was comfort in companionship. Mori and Zale visited, but Mori preferred being with Zelda – who was still a secret – and Zale had a lot of politics to deal with. At least, every time Zale visited he focused all of his attention on her. Even if she asked him questions, he gave her brief answers and returned to the topic of her recovery.

Those helping with her recovery, however, were quiet with her. They spoke enough to give Lila instruction and nothing more. Even when the attendants were with other patients, she could feel eyes on her at all times. She deserved their distrust. She only just barely joined them by betraying the people who raised her. Anyone who betrayed once could betray again. The Trial of Light, Zale explained, would remove all doubt of her loyalty, because only the pure of heart could succeed.

At last, the time came when Lila could move almost normally. She gathered her equipment, ignoring those around her, and met up with Zale. Not for the first time she glanced at the gold circlet he now wore. It symbolized his power as a prince or something like that. Lila wondered where the king was. No one seemed to know, but they insisted he was alive... somewhere.

"Are you ready?" Lila asked Zale. He wasn't wearing armor or carrying a weapon.

"Yeah," he answered. "I'm just taking you there; you will go through the trial alone."

Lila nodded and glanced around. "Then let's get moving. I'm tired of everyone staring at me like I'm a bokoblin." She briskly set off without waiting for Zale to reply.

He caught up to her and said, "The way they look at you will change, but they'll still be looking at you. You are a hero, and soon they will know that. You just have to get used to watching eyes."

Lila sighed. "So you keep telling me. What happens if I fail this trial?"

"Well, actually, you'll die."

She gave him a confused look. "You didn't tell me that before."

"Are you changing your mind?" Zale teased.

She set her expression and said, "Of course not. You surprised me, that's all."

As they ventured deeper and deeper into the forest, the more the trees blocked out the sun. Lila wondered how Zale knew where to go. The trail they followed didn't look any different from the other game trails. He seemed to be moving simply by instinct.

"The Great Tree is just ahead," he said finally.

They entered a clearing. The ground sloped upward toward the center, and it had many bumps and ridges. At the top of the mound was a tree bigger than Lila had ever dreamed of. It was probably at least ten grown men across and towered over the rest of the forest. She realized the hill was actually formed by its roots. She stopped, wondering if she should approach. The air had energy completely the opposite of Lady Ganondra's castle. Here she felt a sense of... peace?

"Amazing," Lila said breathlessly. Zale watched as she slowly stepped forward, her eyes on the tree. He looked at the tree briefly and then turned to leave.

"Stay, child."

Zale and Lila looked around. The voice seemed to be coming from everywhere. It was deep and rich. The flap of wings sounded from above, and the two looked up to see a massive owl descending. It was completely brown on the back and outside of the wings. The inside of its wings was gray, and its belly was cream with brown and gray flecks. Its ears were gray and quite fluffy.

"I am the guardian of the forest, Kaepora Gaebora. You are welcome, Daughter of Courage and Son of Wisdom."

Zale stepped forward and bowed. "We are humbled to be in your presence. We are here to—"

"I know why you are here," the owl said gently. "Lila, Daughter of Courage, it is time for you to go through the Trial of Light. Are you prepared to begin your journey?"

Lila turned to Zale, awe plain on her face. He looked almost as surprised as she. He gave her an encouraging smile, and she nodded to the owl.

"I'm ready."

"Very well," said the owl. "You may begin." He flapped his wings and took off. At the same time, Lila saw a glow in the corner of her eye. She turned to see Zale lit up like a firefly. He examined his own arms and hands and then anywhere else he could see. Quickly all energy drained out of him, and he swayed with lethargy. Lila rushed to catch him.

"What's wrong?" she demanded.

Zale spoke with a soft, airy voice. "I'm a bit tired is all. I feel fine."

"You're obviously not fine! What did that owl do to you? I'm going to kill him if I see him again!"

Zale shook his head with a smile. "I'm alright, Lila. Though I suppose this means I'm part of your trial." He turned her chin with his hand toward the forest. "Let us be off, my hero."

Lila rolled her eyes but walked back into the trees.

Lila and Zale walked through the forest for several minutes before Lila said, "What exactly are we supposed to be doing?"

Zale answered, "I'm afraid I don't know. The only records we have are that the Trial of Light exists; we have no other details."

"Well, maybe we should stop walking, so we don't get lost," she suggested.

"Perhaps..." he said.

"Are you sure you're okay? You're talking weird."

He chuckled, "Of course I'm okay. Actually, I feel quite relaxed."

"I think that's the problem," she muttered.

"Let's continue. Maybe we'll come across the trial soon."

The two resumed walking. The forest was so dark, it seemed to be nighttime. The only light came from Zale. Lila wished he wasn't glowing; he might attract monsters. She kept her new sword ready.

As she predicted, monsters eventually found them. She heard them before she saw them. Three gray wolves burst from the trees around Lila and Zale.

"Stay behind me," Lila ordered, slashing at the attackers. She tried to maneuver to one side of the group, but the wolves jumped to either side, surrounding them again. She and the wolves observed each other carefully. Unfortunately, she couldn't find a safer place for Zale.

Lila dropped her guard for one second, and a wolf leaped at Zale. He held up one hand, palm flat, facing the wolf. The wolf stopped in its tracks and whimpered, but it didn't try to run or attack. Lila ignored her questions for the time being and focused on the other two.

The wolf on the right attacked first. Lila swung her sword down on it, but the second wolf landed on her back and crunched her shoulder. She screamed and switched her sword to her right hand so she could reach it. She clenched her jaw to fight the pain. Aiming where she thought the wolf's head was, she stabbed her sword behind her.

Her aim proved true. The wolf couldn't even whimper as it died. Lila glanced at Zale, saw that he was in the same position as the third wolf, and returned her attention to the first wolf. The wolf growled and barked at Lila, and she growled back.

She was clumsy with her right hand, but Nabooru had made sure she practiced in it a few times. She swiped her sword at the wolf, hitting its neck but without enough force to kill it. The wolf bit down on her right leg. With one more slash, she killed the beast.

That left the wolf with Zale. It seemed to be frozen as a gold light flowed to it from Zale's palm. Lila didn't take any chances and swung down on its neck. The sword cut clean through, and the wolf vanished in a cloud of sparkles.

Lila glanced around, looking for any more threats. When she deemed it safe, she collapsed next to Zale.

"You... okay?" she wheezed.

Zale's eyes were wide. "I'm fine, but... Lila! Let me help stitch you up. Do you have any medical supplies?" He pulled the collar of her shirt down to see chainmail, a little bit dented but intact. He sighed and pulled up her pant leg instead.

"I'll be okay," Lila said but pulled out a roll of bandage anyway. Zale cleaned and wrapped her leg while she chugged down some water.

"The teeth didn't penetrate very deep," Zale said, "but we'll have to clean and dress it properly when we get back. Come on, let's go to the camp."

"If you think I'm giving up, you're wrong."

"But you shouldn't walk on that leg, much less fight!"

Lila tested her leg while she insisted, "I started this trial, and I will finish it. Like you said, if I fail I die."

Zale bit his lip. He sighed, and Lila helped him to his feet. "I guess so."

"Plus, you have your weird light thing. That was awesome, by the way! How did you do that?"

"I don't know," he replied. "It was like my hand moved on its own, something telling me how to do it."

Lila limped through the forest, and Zale leaned on her for support. She worried that he seemed weaker and the light stronger, but didn't let it stop her. Yet.

Something fell from above and forced them to the ground. Using her hand to lift the something, she discovered a sticky white web. Five spiders the size of her torso dangled above them on thin silk. Lila quickly freed her and Zale from the web.

"Deelers, huh?" Zale remarked as though watching birds in Hyrule field.

"Um, don't know if you noticed, but they're trying to kill us."

As though in response, the deelers started swinging faster and faster. Lila took her sword to the closest one. To her surprise, her sword hit a hard shell on its back and bounced away. The deeler next to it rammed its shell into Lila's head, sending her staggering. The other three jumped to the ground toward Zale. As calm as can be he pointed at the closest one. A ball of light the size of his fingernail shot out and hit the deeler in the soft belly. The deeler died in a puff.

Lila changed strategy in her mind. She timed her next attack to hit the weak area. Her patience paid off, and the deeler disappeared. She dodged the one remaining suspended and killed it also.

"Ahh!" Zale cried out, falling to the ground. He had killed his second one, but the last deeler was on his back, biting over and over. Lila ran to him. Carefully she aimed below the deeler's shell but above Zale's back. Then she thrust her sword through.

With the threat gone, Lila examined Zale. He lay on his stomach, breathing heavily with his eyes shut tight. His shirt was torn in a circle covering his whole back, so Lila ripped it off.

"Looks like the deeler had teeth all around its shell," Lila observed quietly. Zale had no reply. Yellowish pus mixed with his blood in the small punctures. I hope he's not poisoned... She quickly went to work cleaning each wound. The pus washed away easily and the bites scabbed over. By the time she was done, Zale's breathing had returned to normal.

"Thank you," he said shakily, finally opening his eyes. "Let's keep going."

He groaned as Lila helped him up. When they faced one another, she blushed at his bare chest.

"I'm sorry," she said, turning away. "I ruined your shirt."

Zale looked at the rags on the ground that used to be his shirt. "Well, not much we can do about it now..."

Without another word, Lila led on. A while later they entered a clearing. Lila cast her eyes about, sensing danger.

"What's wrong?" Zale asked.

"Shh!"

From the trees on the other side of the clearing, seven bokoblins walked toward the pair, sneering and chortling as they waved their clubs about.

"You picked the wrong fight," Zale told the bokoblins.

Lila added, "Yeah, a fight with me!"

She charged forward, slaying each bokoblin she came across. However, there were so many that several slipped past her defense. They raised their clubs to attack Zale. Zale made a fist with his hand. A golden light orb surrounded him, and the clubs all bounced off harmlessly.

"Zale!" Lila cried and turned around for another attack. The bokoblins continued assaulting the orb in vain, but because they were distracted, it was easier for Lila to kill them. Two or three of the smaller ones got in hits to Lila before they were all gone.

Zale released his fist, causing the orb to vanish. Lila caught him as his knees buckled. He looked pale.

"Zale," Lila said quietly, "are you okay?"

He just nodded, so she didn't believe him. But there wasn't time to worry about him. Nine gray wolves emerged from the trees, all growling with malice.

"Um, Zale... Can you do that shield thing again?" Lila sat him on the ground and readied her sword. The wolves slowly stalked closer and closer. What could she possibly do to protect them from nine wolves when she had trouble with three?

A calm determination settled over her. She wouldn't let Zale die because of her. Moving by instinct, she closed her eyes and raised the Master Sword to the sky. The triangles on her hand burned stronger than ever. The sword's blade glowed blue, the light rising from the hilt. At the precise right moment, Lila swept her sword down and spun on her toes. She was a whirlwind batting the wolves away like toys. Each wolf tried attacking her again but met with her blade. All nine wolves died at her hand.

Lila dropped to the ground, exhausted. Some magic had helped her, but now it was gone. She looked for Zale... and found him lying on the ground. She pushed herself to his side and held his hand. He was still breathing and didn't appear injured, but his eyes were closed and his breathing was weak. The light was bright as the sun.

"No... Zale..." Tears stung her eyes before they fell down her cheeks. "Stay with me. You can't die..."

Leaves rustled through the clearing as large wings stirred the air below the owl, Kaepora Gaebora. Lila's sorrow burst into rage.

"You! It's your fault! You're the one who did this to him!" She took up her sword and staggered toward the owl.

"Lila..." Zale's voice stopped her in her tracks. She turned around to see him getting to a sitting position. She glanced at the owl but decided to go back to Zale's side. "I'll be fine, Lila."

"You have succeeded," declared Kaepora Gaebora. "Daughter of Courage, fear not for Prince Zale. He – and yourself – will recover with a bit of rest. Before that, I have a reward for both of you. Zale, I believe you know what to do."

"Um, I guess I do," Zale replied. He brought his hands together with a look of concentration on his face. Slowly, he pulled his hands away. As he did so, the gold light shone brightly between his palms. It formed into a crossbow. The light remaining in Zale disappeared into the crossbow.

He smiled up at Lila and said, "Try it." She looked at him in confusion.

"How? There are no arrows."

Zale stood and held the bow with a firm stance. He brought his hand up where the arrow would rest, then pulled back. An arrow appeared, made of the same light. He let the arrow fly into the dark forest. The air shimmered behind the arrow until it was out of sight.

"As long as your heart remains pure, Son of Wisdom, you will hold power over this weapon," said the owl. "Now for the Daughter of Courage. It isn't as grand, but you will find this weapon hides its own surprises. Treat it well." He tucked one wing under the other and then pulled out a plain wooden bow and leather quiver. Lila opened the quiver to find twenty of the finest arrows.

Zale and Lila bowed.

"Thank you for such wonderful gifts," said Zale. They stood tall once more.

"Lila, Hero of Courage, you have passed the Trial of Light. Now you may rest as I transport you to safety."

Lila and Zale felt their eyelids get very heavy. After sharing a smile, they collapsed into a deep sleep.

The sound of many voices woke her, a distant rumble reminiscent of Castle Town. It was actually quite relaxing. It was something Lila wasn't familiar with, but she thought she could get used to it. Her bed was very comfortable, so she didn't want to leave her curled-up position.

She thought about the day before. Her trial. She had passed, and now was officially the Hero of Courage. What did that even mean? And Zale was the Son of Wisdom? Lila had never heard that term before, or even the reverse gender version of the Heroes past. Perhaps there were just as many secrets of heroism as being a spy.

Reluctantly, she pushed the covers off her and sat on the bed. Her clothes had been changed, so her tunic and accessories lay on a nearby table, freshly clean. She was glad to have clean clothes but hoped her caretakers kept her modest.

A few of the other beds around her still held a few Hylians from the previous battle. She even recognized a younger man who had yet to wake up. He looked thin, and his skin was a bit ashy-colored. Lila's gut twisted; she had been on the wrong side all her life, and these people had to pay for her lack of courage. She couldn't let anyone else be harmed because of her. For the first time, she felt what Zale consistently told her could be true. She would use courage to keep others safe.

As Lila pondered, her nurse came by with a drink of water and some bread. The woman no longer looked at her with fear, but with something brighter, something Lila had never seen before... except maybe on Zale. She asked, "How's Zale?"

The woman smiled softly and chirped, "He's resting soundly. He's ever so peaceful when he sleeps. Looks just like the Goddess, only more handsome," she finished with a giggle.

Ignoring the bit of confusion brought on by such an odd statement, Lila asked, "Is there a place I can change privately?"

The woman nodded and pointed to an opening on Lila's left. "You can leave your sleeping gown on the bench."

"Thank you," Lila said, gathering up her things.

A few minutes later, Lila stepped outside the hospital tent to feel a gentle breeze in the lazy afternoon sunlight. Although the many people displaced by Ganondra were now sharing tents in a forest, Lila could sense a new energy about them. She saw smiles, watched children play, and occasionally heard singing. The singing reminded her of some of the few times she felt happy growing up. The Gerudo women loved to sing, whether alone in their homes or performing errands. However, Lila had never joined them.

As she wandered around the camp, she saw a keese perched on a little girl's shoulder. Lila did a double take, wondering why a keese would be outside a cave. Then she realized it must be Mori and little Zelda. The girl looked almost exactly like Zale except her eyes were green, and her hair was done up in a few braids. Most of her yellow-blonde hair hung loosely though, down to her waist. She looked to be around ten or eleven years old. Lila noted the lack of regalia on the princess. One other woman stood by, probably the princess's handmaiden.

"Mori, it's good to see you again," Lila greeted as she approached. Zelda and the maiden stopped their conversation and looked at her with confusion.

Seeing Lila fit and walking about, Mori flew quickly to her side. "You're okay! How'd the trial go?"

Lila showed off her bow. "Not as bad as people made it out to be. Are you going to introduce me to your new friends?"

"Oh yeah! Ella," he said the name pointedly, "do you remember Lila?"

Zelda nodded shyly. "It's nice to meet you, Hero."

Lila blushed and waved off her politeness. "I'm no one special. Did you get out safely, um, Ella?"

She nodded again with a broad smile. "Thanks to you and Mori. Nellie met us at the bottom of the stairs. I'm glad she was also safe, and I would have been lost without her."

"I'd have been so upset if you got hurt," said the maiden, "or worse." Nellie appeared older than Lila, but only by a few years. She had soft brown hair braided into a bun and caring brown eyes. She seemed to focus on Zelda but also watched their surroundings. Lila thought she must be great at keeping her ward out of harm even though she didn't look particularly trained in combat.

Lila lowered her voice for her next question. "Is your identity still a secret to everyone?"

A worried look appeared on Nellie's face, but Zelda seemed unphased. "Yes. It was one of my father's last orders, or so I hear." Her tone lowered in sadness. "No one knows where he is."

"Don't you worry my lady," said Nellie. She placed a small hand on the girl's back. "I'm sure we'll find him well soon enough." The sentiment didn't revive Zelda's spirit, and Lila wondered how many times she had already heard it.

Mori fidgeted uncomfortably, reminding Lila of his lack of experience on the subject. She tried turning the conversation to something lighter by asking what Zelda and Nellie liked to do in their spare time. She learned Zelda had an extensive sewing collection at home, and Nellie most enjoyed caring for stray animals around Castle Town. They were both sad to be away from home. Lila sympathized, but leaving her own home was one of the best choices she ever got to make. She briefly wondered how much freedom Zelda had but decided it probably wouldn't help the mood.

As the sun hung lower in the sky, Lila said goodbye to the other three. Mori seemed to like being with Zelda, which she didn't mind. It was nice to have a bit more time to herself. She wandered deeper into the forest, letting the silence embrace her. She breathed in the earthy smells, strangely comfortable smells, much damper than those of the desert. She thought to herself, This is where I could live.

Soon she heard a small, soothing tune arise. It sounded familiar – though she couldn't place where she'd heard it before. The song felt like it was both a welcoming home and a setting free for adventure. Then it was joined by voices as the melody shifted and danced. Before she knew it, she found herself crossing into a village.

The village was considerably smaller than both Castle Town and Gerudo Village, but not just in area. The homes were grown right from trees, but the roofs were only a little bit taller than Ganondra herself. Everything from the homes to the quiet brook was toned in green, making it all feel alive. Even the dust mites in the air seemed to twinkle along with the music.

In the center of the village were half a dozen children dressed in all green similar to Lila's own tunic. Multicolored lights flickered in the air, dancing and whirling around them. After a moment she realized the lights were fairies. Nabooru had told her they were nearly extinct, and if she ever found one to bottle it and bring it to her. Seeing their joyful movements and happy companions, it occurred to her they were far too precious and filled with goodness to go anywhere near him. She wondered, even, if he had an active hand in their loss in numbers.

As she grew closer, the fairies stopped moving and twittered with bell-like voices. The children stopped their playing to look. Their eyes went wide at the sight of Lila, but they didn't move from where they were standing. They stared at Lila with wonder but also fear, and Lila looked back with a half smile.

She raised her hand and gave a small wave. "H-hi. My name is Lila. I'm sorry I disturbed you; I just heard your music and instinctively followed."

The fairies conversed excitedly with the children listening in. Lila occasionally picked out a few words, particularly "hero" and "courage."

Finally, one boy and one girl stepped forward like they were the ones in charge. The boy spoke first.

"You don't belong here," he said flatly.

The girl quickly hushed him and shoved him lightly. "Mido, don't you see who it is?" She added to Lila, "Don't listen to him. He's still jealous."

"Am not!"

"Are too! Anyway, you must be here for a reason. The Hero of Time hasn't been seen for centuries."

Another child piped up, "I thought the Hero of Time is a boy."

"He is, or – was," the girl answered. "She is a different Hero."

"Oh, right." Though the child said it like he understood exactly what she was talking about, his face showed otherwise. "So... she... was a he... in a past life?"

"Basically," the boy said with a sly look. Lila blushed.

Unperturbed, the girl stated, "We are the children of Kokiri Forest, and these are our fairies." She waved to the lights floating around them. "Do you know why you're here?"

Lila answered, "Only that I heard your music. Why? Are there monsters that need killing? That's about all I'm good at."

The girl smiled, but her eyes turned down to the instrument in her hands. For the first time, Lila paid attention to it. The wooden object was small, about the exact size for her hands, with seven holes. The body was round like a goose and had a pipe on one side, presumably for blowing into. She vaguely remembered a picture of one of her predecessors featuring a blue version. To her surprise, the girl held it out to her.

"This is a fairy ocarina. You may know of something called the Ocarina of Time. I gave the Hero of Time a fairy ocarina just like this before he got it. I never saw him after he helped me awaken as the Forest Sage. I want you to have this one."

"Me? I can't take that—"

"To play it, put the long piece to your lips and blow," she explained over Lila's protest. "Put your fingers over the holes in different combinations to make each note."

Lila held the instrument with reverence. "But what will you play?"

She nodded and smiled gently. "I have others. Unfortunately, the Ocarina of Time is currently missing. Maybe this will help you recover it."

"Okay," Lila replied, "I'll find it for you."

"Thank you," the girl said. "It's time to go. If you find the Ocarina, come back to this forest. We'll be waiting for you." The girl and the other children each took a step back and waved.

Lila waved back. "I'll do my best. I'm glad I got to meet you." She turned around and retraced her path back to the Hylian camp. The music faded faster than it had appeared. She looked back, but no sign of the village or its inhabitants remained. Though she felt like she was in a dream, the fairy ocarina reminded her of her new task. Unsure of where to start looking she decided to ask Zale about it later.

Lila hoped she'd be able to return the artifact.

Lila played around with the ocarina on her way back to camp. She had three notes of the forest's song down by the time she returned. All of the light had faded into night.

As the people prepared for bed, heads continued to turn as she passed, and the music only had them turning faster. She still felt self-conscious, but her playing, however inaccurate, seemed to bring happiness. Soon she felt like a fairy herself. She allowed herself to be proud of the hope she created.

Before long, she made it to Zale's tent. He came outside when he heard the music. The look on his face made Lila smile. She finished whatever she was playing to talk to him.

Zale wondered, "Where did you get that?"

"From the Kokiri," Lila replied lightly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Kokiri? Huh..."

"Yeah, they said the Ocarina of Time is missing and that this might help me find it."

His mouth hung open and his eyes went wide. "How... but where... Now?"

Lila cocked her head. "What's got your tongue?"

Zale lightly shook his head. "I didn't know the Kokiri were real. Although to be honest, if anyone were to find them, it would be you."

"What do you mean?"

"No one has ever actually seen a Kokiri, or at least not written about it. They're only ever mentioned in the legend of the Hero of Time, so not much is known about them. You said the Ocarina is missing? How would they know? I thought it disappeared with the Hero."

"Um... I don't really know," Lila answered. "I didn't even know any of what you just said. Maybe they didn't want the Hero to leave with it?" She shrugged.

"I'll have to do more research. Unfortunately, we can't exactly visit the castle library right now, so it'll have to wait."

"Yeah, I guess so. Speaking of, do we have a plan?"

Zale nodded. "Mostly. We're having a war council tomorrow. I told the generals you would give us intel, but the basic plan is solid. I'll tell you all about it then."

"Aw, no fair," Lila joked. "Why do I have to be left out?"

"You're fighting Ganondra, does that count?"

She pretended to think. "Hmm, I suppose. What will you be up to?"

"I'm staying in the command tent until the field is cleared a bit, and then I'll join the archers. Something about not wanting the prince to die," he added with a smile.

"Meh, you probably won't be much help anyway," Lila teased. Zale only smiled back.

"It's getting late," he told her. "You should head to bed."

"Are you not going to sleep?"

"I am. I just want to make sure you're well rested."

She crossed her arms and said, "You don't need to tell me what to do. You need to be well rested, too."

"Of course, or else my mind won't be as sharp. Shall I walk you to your tent?"

"Psh, I can handle myself." She turned around to leave and then realized, "Um, am I supposed to stay in the medical tent?"

Zale giggled. "You could sleep with me if you'd prefer. There aren't many other beds."

Lila's face burned. "Why would I do something like that?" He only continued to laugh, and she heard some of the others around them chortle as well. That made her blush even deeper. She stormed off while muttering insults under her breath.

Lila woke the next day to the sound of nurses and doctors – and Zale shoving her.

"Wake up, sleepy head!" he said. "You're late for the meeting."

She bolted up in bed. Could he not stop teasing her? "You didn't tell me it would be this early!"

"It's almost lunch. There will be food while we're talking."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. Give me a minute, will ya?" She went into the private room to calm herself down.

A few minutes later the two stood over a map of Castle Town and Hyrule Castle. There were five other people there, all official-looking, and most adults. Lila tried to make herself look more mature. Three were Hylian, but one was a Goron and the other was a Zora. Two of the Hylians were female.

Zale started, "Right. Now that we're all here, let's go over the basic plan again. We will have mounted archers here and here. Our main units—"

"Excuse me, Prince Zale," said a dark-haired man. Lila was surprised to see the anger on his face.

Zale gave him a calm look as he replied, "What is it, General Davros?"

"Why should we listen to a child like you?" the man demanded. He smacked his hand on the table. "With the king gone, the command should fall to me."

Zale raised his arms in defense. "I didn't mean to step—"

"How do we even know you're his legitimate son?" This time a woman with red hair similar to that of the Gerudo.

"Pardon me, General Eri, but you of all people should know—"

The woman looked appalled. "How dare you speak to me that way!"

As everyone in the room started to get riled up, Lila had just about enough of their useless fighting. She stomped her foot and commanded, "Stop squabbling! If you don't trust Zale, trust me." She took off her glove and showed the glowing Triforce for emphasis. "Ganondra is not going to back down just because you don't attack her. Her lust for power drives her to subjugate or kill all who oppose her. And if you're not killed right away, she toys with you, tortures you with sticky sweet words, and causes you pain for the fun of it. I should know."

She took a deep breath, looking into each of their eyes. The generals looked at her in astonishment, some even with their mouths open. On the other hand, Zale's expression was soft and warm. She gave him a smile back.

"So what do you want:" Lila concluded, "a life of terror or the courage to stop it? Listen to Prince Zale; he's saved me on a number of occasions because, guess what, he has the Triforce of Wisdom! It pays to be willing to listen to the wise."

The tent was silent for some time. Lila noticed a slight redness in Zale's cheeks. Hah! It was her turn to embarrass him! She smirked and folded her arms, waiting for the adults to come to their senses.

The last Hylian, a blonde woman in furs, spoke up first. "If I know anything about history, it's that the Hero of the Twilight knew how to save Hyrule from the darkness. I'm sure his descendant will do the same."

The Goron added, "I've heard of Zale before, goro. Some of my people grew fond of him before anyone knew his true identity, goro. I say we give these two a chance."

They all looked at Davros. It seemed Eri had already changed her mind. The general's arms were crossed, but he grumbled, "Fine. But our deaths are on him."

"More like our lives," Lila said. She turned to the prince. "So, what's the plan?"

The rest of the meeting went smoothly after that. Even when it was Lila's turn to share what she knew about Ganondra, the Gerudo, and Kotake and Koume, the others didn't give protest. It was harder asking them to capture instead of kill as many Gerudo women as possible, but she made it through by reminding them of the other enemies they would face.

The planning went on until after nightfall, so food was brought to them twice. Lila was surprised at how exhausted she was but still felt pumped for the battle tomorrow. She didn't even mind that she would have to wake up early.

The sun sat barely over the horizon. Lila donned the armor she acquired while working for Ganondra, all covered by the Cloak of Shadows. A calm settled over her. Though she was excited to finally be rid of the Shadow Chieftess, the gravity of her task was sobering. If she failed, all of Hyrule would experience another age of darkness and despair. She would not fail.

The entire camp was silent with the same feelings. All around her, Hylians, Gorons, and Zoras prepared for their own battles. The sight brought a lump to her throat, remembering the Gerudo women doing the same thing not long ago. She didn't know any of them personally but wished no one had to get hurt. Only she should be punished; it was all her fault.

Zale would tell her otherwise. Lila didn't even need to see him to know how he would reply. He'd tell her there was no way to change the past. They had to continue onward to make any changes. Looking back only slowed you down. With that in mind, she visited his tent one last time.

"So you're ready. Good," Zale said without looking at her when she walked in. She noticed a tremor in his hands as he gathered his supplies. "You should head out soon."

Lila walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. She felt just how skinny he was, how fragile. She wouldn't let him down. He relaxed immediately at her touch and stopped his frantic movements.

"Everything will be okay," she told him. "This will all be over soon."

Zale stroked her hand, his head still hung low. "My, you have changed quite a lot."

"It's all because of you, my prince. You taught me who I'm meant to be. Because of you, I will defeat Ganondra, no matter the cost."

He turned around, holding her hands in his. His eyes glistened in a way Lila had never seen before. Was he crying?

"I don't want to lose you," Zale said quietly. "I think... I think I didn't know how scared I was until now. Please, don't let the cost be your life." His words left her too stunned to reply until he moved to get back to work. She stopped him and they looked into each other's eyes.

"It doesn't matter unless you and Hyrule are safe."

His brow furrowed. "Don't say things like that. I need you to come back to me. I need you safe, too!" This time he broke her grasp.

Lila thought a moment, unsure of herself. It seemed he felt the same way about her as she felt about him. If that were the case…

"Okay, I promise I'll return to you," she said. Zale turned around immediately and gave her a great big hug.

"That's all I ask," he whispered.

Knowing time was short, Lila pulled out of the hug first. She stood in the entryway and looked back. She smiled.

"Goodbye, my prince."

With that, she pulled up her hood and disappeared.

∴

By the time Lila reached Castle Town, the battle had already begun. It was just as they'd planned, so she could sneak in without interference. She walked across Hyrule Field, preserving her strength. In the cavernous sewer, the sounds of battle were distant thunder that chipped at her nerves. Only then did she start to get anxious.

There were a few prisoners in the dungeon. Lila wanted to stop but didn't because of her mission. The trapped Hylians looked as battered and bruised as one of Ganondra’s playthings. She wondered how many had died already. Though she passed the cells for the outer door, none of them heard or saw a thing thanks to her cloak.

The rest of the castle was silent. The emptiness sent chills through her whole body, making her jump involuntarily. The sound echoed, too loudly. She waited for her heart to calm down.

No lights illuminated the great hall. Smoke billowed from outside to block even the light from the windows. Lila looked around wildly, knowing she couldn't hide forever.