Posts by Laxyak Loves LoZ

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.

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!"

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.

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."

"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.

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.

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 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.

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...

The next time Lila woke was to the rocking of a gentle horse under her. Her arms rested in Zale's lap while her head bounced on his shoulder. She felt so warm with him so close, even though the sun was nearly gone from the desert.

"How do you feel?" Zale asked softly.

She replied with, "What happened?"

"Skeldritch had you pretty beat up," he explained. "Mori and I let you rest for a while, then we packed up to go to Castle Town. I think he's asleep right now."

Zale's answer brought the memories back. Before she knew it, she began to long for that moment alone. Experimentally, she pressed her lips to the exposed part of his neck. She thought she could feel him smile.

"How long do we have to go?" she asked after a spell.

"At this pace, it will take all night."

Lila inhaled the night air. "We should probably make camp, then. Have you slept at all?"

"A bit." He stopped the horse. "But you're right. It's getting late."

He helped her down and put a hand on hers. She looked at him, confused. He wore a soft smile, causing her to relax.

"You were amazing back there," he said, leading her away from the horse. "I know few soldiers who would keep fighting as you do."

"I thought you said I needed to be more careful?"

"You do, but there's also something special about you."

Lila frowned slightly, worried about where his line of thought led.

His thumb stroked her hand. "You healed really fast. Even after getting rolled over by a rock bigger than you are tall, I didn't find a single broken bone."

That surprised her. "It felt like something broke. What about my head?"

"There was dried blood, but you were fine."

"Oh! Maybe that's what those hearts do," Lila realized. "I always felt refreshed after touching one of those. They only appeared after major battles like this one."

Zale's eyebrows went up. "That's remarkable. I've never heard of anything that could speed healing that quickly. Well, other than fairies."

Lila smiled playfully. "You seemed to know a lot of obscure things. Why not this one?"

He shrugged. "Maybe because they're rare. Maybe they only appear to fighters who show courage."

There it was again: the word that felt like a hot bath at the foot of a volcano. It was a happy word, a word of promise, but it brought her guilt and confusion. How could a simple word evoke such uncertainty?

"I can recall some stories of heroes like you," Zale said, sensing her hesitation. Lila took a small step back. "These heroes showed great courage. They fought many monsters like you have." She started shaking her head and pulling away, but he plowed on. "They went through challenges and trials to become stronger, so they could do what they were called to do!"

She could see the excitement in his eyes, but every word brought up fear she didn't know she had. What he was saying couldn't be applied to her. Shouldn't be applied to her. She took her hands away from his. The activity startled Mori awake.

"Hrnm, whatsa...?"

Zale gave him no attention. His eyes stayed locked on Lila. "These heroes were called to save Hyrule. Lila, you—"

"No!" she burst out. "I-I'm not who you think I am. I'm not... I just can't." Without letting Zale say more, she ran away, toward Gerudo Town.

"Wait!" Zale shouted after her. He hurried over to his horse and began the pursuit. He only paused to let Mori hitch a ride. However, his horse struggled to move in the sand, and couldn’t go much faster than Lila on foot.

"Lila, stop! Let's talk about this!" Instead, he saw her running faster. He pushed his own horse. Maybe the only way to stop her was to catch her.

Gerudo Town became visible in the night air. Lila knew if she could pass its borders, Zale wouldn't be able to follow. The all-women Gerudo tribe were born and bred warriors who didn't like outsiders – especially Lady Ganondra's enemies. She could already see a few sentries watching from their posts, all but one of which were hidden from untrained eyes.

Zale had gotten quite close to her when she crossed the threshold. In her wake, two Gerudo appeared from out of the shadows, halting him. His horse reared as he pulled on the reins. His mouth fell slightly open. Lila saw concentration in his eyes, almost as if he were calculating the reasons she could be safe in Gerudo Village. Then his gaze shifted to her.

The mix of emotions in Zale's expression stung Lila more than she thought possible. His brow was furrowed, but only a little, and his mouth remained agape. His eyes were no longer calculating, but searching, searching for the Lila he expected, the hero he longed for.

Lila felt her lower lip quiver and a heat sting her eyes. What was she doing? Why did Zale's words terrify her this way? Why couldn't she just sit down and listen to him and be happy and be the hero he wants?

Because of Ganondra. The Shadow Chieftess had too tight a grip on her heart. A stranglehold.

Zale must have seen the realization cross her face because he set his jaw, his own decision made. Another second passed. He nodded, ever so slightly. Then he turned his horse away.

The entire exchange took only a few seconds, but each second, each thud of her heart, felt like it lasted a lifetime. Once Zale was out of sight, the sentries looked up at Lila's still form. She closed her eyes for a moment and then gave them a watery smile. The women nodded before returning to their posts. Lila wasn't sure what each nod meant, but Zale's somehow gave her something new.

Hope.

"Now attack again!" Mori chimed in from... somewhere. No need to tell her twice. She charged with her sword aimed at the gem. This time it shattered, leaving a hole in its place. Lila dropped a bomb in and hurried away. The section burst just like the previous one.

Zale distracted Skeldritch, allowing Lila to collect more bombs. Now that they knew its pattern, the last two black segments went down quickly. All that remained was the angriest-looking skull Lila had ever seen. Unsure of the next step, she met up with Zale. Both were huffing and puffing from the battle.

"What do we do now?" Lila asked. Her eyes never left the enemy for a second.

"I'm wondering if there's a weak spot under its helmet. Maybe you can remove the eyes like the other gems."

They paused to get out of a laser attack from the eyes.

"Do you think there are holes behind them?" Lila asked.

"I'm almost certain of it. You might have to destroy both eyes."

Lila smirked. "No problem."

She had to wait for it to stop trying to crush them. Skeldritch used its jaw to jump around the room, landing with a loud thud each time.

Finally, it seemed to have worn itself out. Lila charged and slashed at its right eye. It shattered in seconds. Skeldritch opened its jaw in a huge scream, knocking Lila back by the sound alone. She covered her ears, worried they might burst. Once it finished, it charged at her with unknown speed, gnashing its teeth. She barely managed to scramble out of its way.

She watched it zoom past her and then turn around in a wide curve. Dust and gravel spewed in its wake. Lila hurried to stand so she was ready when it reached her. She took a deep breath to steady herself. In the distance, she could hear both of her companions screaming her name.

Skeldritch's head charged right into Lila's level sword tip. Though she tried to hold her ground, it knocked her right over again. At least she was successful. Now the monster was left with two gaping holes instead of glowing red eyes. Ignoring the ever-rising pain, Lila forced a bomb down each hole. She somersaulted away from the writhing monster.

Bang!

She turned around to see the helmet fly across the room, just as Zale had predicted. In its wake, a much larger red gem rested in place of a brain. This was it. Lila was almost done.

Running around the skull, Lila positioned herself in front of the gem and started slashing. Each hit rang hollowly in her ears and reverberated through her sword up her arms. This gem took a lot longer, but she could see chips of it jump away after her hits. At some point, Zale joined her with his own sword.

A hole formed until it was big enough to fit a bomb. Lila emptied the rest of her bag into the hole and then pulled Zale away. They ran without looking back. Just before the bombs blew, Zale grabbed Lila from behind. They fell to the ground, Zale shielding her from the impact.

Shards of bone, glass, and iron rained down on them. Lila rolled the two of them out of the way when a large piece came down. She kept herself on top until Zale had to do the same thing. Finally, all was quiet.

Their eyes locked. Every breath was ragged and dry, but their bodies were warm against each other. Lila lightly held Zale's tense arms and caressed them absently. She glanced at his lips. He stroked her cheek. Then his nose touched hers…

"Are you okay?" Mori roared.

Zale shot right off of Lila. Startled, she hurried into a sitting position. Lila watched Mori; Mori glared at Zale; Zale eyed Lila carefully.

"I'm fine." As she said it, she felt her mind cloud over. With the action over, her body began shutting down.

For once, Zale got angry. "Lila, you are clearly not fine! You need to be more careful!"

As he spoke, she staggered to her feet. She didn't brush off his help this time.

"Where're the Boots?" she asked Mori.

"In the crater you left when you annihilated Skeldritch."

With blurred vision compounded by the dust hanging in the air, Lila cast her eyes about for the hole Mori mentioned. She was only able to find it because of something glittering at the bottom.

Despite his anger, Zale helped her over. She sighed when she saw a pair of boots made entirely of iron, along with a red heart that had been the source of the glittering. Her hands shook as she reached out to the heart. It vanished in a cloud of sparkles. A wave of exhaustion coursed through her.

"Okay," she said, "all done."

She collapsed in Zale's waiting embrace.

Every time Zale made himself useful, it took Lila by surprise. His crossbow was especially handy. Lila made a point to use her new boomerang whenever possible, but sometimes she charged in without paying attention. That's when Zale showed her up with his patience by staying back to snipe from behind. They ran into many more ReDeads and demonic miniblins

After a particularly foul-mouthed encounter with a hoard of miniblins, Zale asked, "Why do they get you so worked up?"

Mori answered, "Because they're more afraid of me than her." He and Zale laughed at Lila's furious expression.

"No! Just look at them! They viciously mock you as they run away with your money! Stop laughing!"

Zale wheezed, "I'm sorry, Lila. You're just so funny when you're angry."

"I'm not sorry," Mori chuckled.

Lila stormed off to fight the next monster.

Once the four keys were assembled, the trio entered the boss room. As usual, the circular room appeared empty. The ground was the same dirt and rocks as the rest of the dungeon, complete with remains of archaic structures. These structures, however, looked a lot more downtrodden than any of the others they had seen. Along part of the curved wall, the ornate design of a giant archway was etched nearly to the ceiling.

"Do either of you know what's in here," Lila asked.

"Nope," said Zale.

"Boots," Mori replied.

"Well that's just so helpful," Lila remarked, stepping further into the room. As she did, the entire place started to rumble. Bits of rock fell from the ceiling, and an opening slid out from the arch. The rumbling was so violent, no one could take a step until it was done. From the shadow of the arch, an enormous skeletal creature came forward.

Lila heard a sharp intake of breath. "That thing exists?" Zale wondered.

She pulled her sword from its sheath. Without looking back at him, she asked, "What is it?"

The skeleton had five segments, each of which looked quite menacing. The bottom seemed fine, except it was a boulder probably ten feet tall. Three black sections of the same size were stacked on top of the block. Claw-like bone stuck out at the corners, and in the center were red, button-like gems. Last was the head, appearing as tall as Lila and Zale combined. It was a helmeted skull with the same gems for eyes and more bony spikes.

"Skeldritch."

Staring at the grinning head, Lila ran ahead, ready for action.

Zale shouted, "Wait!"

She rolled her eyes and turned around. "What is it this—"

For the umpteenth time, she felt her muscles snap to rigidity. She could see some amusement on Zale's face as he readied his bow. It seemed like he was being deliberately slow, but maybe that was because she couldn't see her assailant. Even so, his arrow hit the mark long before she was freed.

Another smaller rumbling was heard. With worry clear on his face, Zale rushed to Lila. She wondered what could possibly be happening, but she could only just barely start to feel the numbness wearing off.

The boulder hit before Zale got to her. Lila lost her breath as she was trampled under the fast-rolling rock. She lay dazed, not breathing.

"Lila!"

After several seconds she finally took a breath. Zale slid to a stop next to her. She clutched at her head where the boulder hit, her vision sparkling.

"What... was that?"

She struggled to get up. In doing so, she saw another rock blast out from Skeldritch's base.

"Zale!"

Lila rolled out of the way. At the same time, Zale looked back and then stumbled in the other direction. The rock missed them by inches.

Breathing slowly, Lila's aching body finally supported her weight. She had to keep her hands on her knees because her back was too sore to stand up right away. She glanced over to Zale to make sure he was okay. He was already running to her.

Lila hissed, "Don't worry about me. Figure out how we kill this thing."

"You can't fight in your condition," Zale insisted. "Let's get out of here and come back—"

"No!" She hid her pain by straightening her back, even though it hurt more. "We're doing this now."

The two saw another boulder just in time to step out of its way. Zale caught Lila when she swayed, but she pushed him off of her.

"I can handle this," she told him with a glare. "If you can't, leave me alone."

He studied her. "Fine. I have a theory."

"Spill."

"There are bomb flowers all around the edge of the room. Maybe that means you need to throw one into the hole that's shooting these rocks."

As he finished, they had to move out of the way of one.

"Okay," Lila said, "I'll try that. You... shoot at its eyes or something."

"I don't—"

"Just do it!" She hurried to the nearest bomb, hoping he wouldn't follow. It was bad enough having him save her life over and over again. She hated him coddling her now and that she practically needed him. She wasn't used to relying on others, and it was degrading.

At a row of three bomb flowers, Lila turned back to see Zale had at least done as she asked. Skeldritch wasn't paying any attention to her. Zale's arrow hit the monster in the eye, and it became enraged. Bright red beams shot out from its gems, converging right in front of Zale. He didn't have time to get out of its way.

"No!" Lila's heart jumped to her throat as he screamed and fell back. She knew the only way to save him was to follow their plan. She grabbed each of the bombs, stuffing two in her bag. The third she held as she charged at her enemy.

"Leave him alone! It's me you want!"

Skeldritch turned to her. Its gems no longer glowed, but the hatch for its rock attack opened. Perfect. She ran around the oncoming boulder and aimed. The bomb flew in just before the hatch closed.

"Yes!"

The monster rattled as puffs of smoke came out of its base. The hatch fell open, so Lila wasted no time launching another bomb. This one blew the base apart; Skeldritch's body dropped down a segment.

Lila ran forward and attacked the first gem on a hunch. After a few seconds, it began to glow. She jumped out of the way, hoping she had done some damage.

When the laser attack ended, Zale suggested, "Aim for the head with your boomerang!"

Lila looked up and backed away. She was glad he was okay. Once she had a better view, she threw her new toy. It successfully hit Skeldritch on the side of the head. Its eyes crossed as though she had knocked it senseless.

"A crossbow?" she said skeptically. "With your arms?"

"Looks can be deceiving." He put his hand out, so she passed over the crossbow. "Let's finish cleaning up, and I'll show you."

"Well that explains the shape of his bag," Mori commented.

Lila asked Mori, "Tell me you don't believe he can do it."

"He didn't believe you could beat Volvagia."

She felt her face get hot. "That... that's different."

"You keep telling yourself that."

Zale chuckled under his breath.

Once they were all set, Mori led the way to the knight's derelict home. They stopped where an old rock wall provided some coverage.

"How do you propose luring it out?" Lila asked as Zale readied his crossbow.

"Well, I could do it if you really—"

"Fine, I'll do it!" She pulled out her sword and rounded the rock.

"I meant Mori—"

"Just have my back."

Zale sighed. "Right behind you."

The sound of steel dragged across packed dirt alerted Lila to the knight's presence. She redirected all attention towards it, ready to jump out of the way of its scream.

"Lila, you're blocking my shot," Zale warned.

"I won't be soon," she muttered. The knight was close enough. Lila lunged before it could mount an attack.

"No!"

Her sword hit the knight's shield arm but didn't go through all the way. Its arm went limp, but Lila's sword was stuck. The knight brought up its sword to attack. She dodged to the side and shouted, "Now!"

An arrow went clean through the knight's eye. It jerked back, giving Lila the added strength to free her sword, and then released its terrible wail.

With Lila frozen once again, Zale let loose another arrow. This one pierced the knight's throat. The scream diminished into an ugly gurgle, and the knight fell. Zale ran to Lila before the paralysis wore off.

"Are you okay?" he asked frantically, searching every inch of her. "Come on, snap out of it!"

Slowly she started to regain feeling. She tensed and relaxed what muscles she could to speed up the process.

"I'm all right," she said. "Don't act so worried." She took a step back and rotated her shoulder to get the blood flowing.

"But I am worried about you—"

"Don't, Zale," Lila warned. "I can handle myself." She walked to the mostly-standing house. "But thanks for having my back."

"You're welcome."

Zale and Mori followed her. Inside – if only three standing walls could be considered an inside – there were pieces of chairs, a table turned on its side, and a bar on the far end. Nearly everything was caked with dirt around it.

"I don't see anything worthwhile in here," said Lila.

Mori answered, "Check behind the bar."

When she looked, she found a chest that appeared older than the building. When she tried to open it, it wouldn't budge.

"Looks like the hinges and lock have rusted shut," Zale observed.

"That's easily solved." Lila thrust the hilt of her sword onto the offending metal until each broke off. Then she wedged her blade in the crack and pried it open. "Done."

"That doesn't look like a pair of boots." Zale pulled out a musty bag of the same color as the interior of the chest. He held it open for Lila.

"What the heck is this?" she asked.

"It's a boomerang," Mori and Zale said at the same time.

Lila raised an eyebrow at them. "And... what's a boomerang?"

"When you throw it, it comes back," Zale answered first.

Mori added, "You can use it to stun enemies."

"Like a ReDead Knight?" Lila asked.

"Yes," they said together again.

"Could've used this yesterday."

The first thing Lila did when she woke up was yawn. Before opening her eyes, she heard someone else breathing. The breathing was quiet and calm. Whoever it was was asleep.

Lila opened her eyes to see none other than Prince Zale. It seemed she couldn't get away from him. Still laying on the rocky ground, Lila watched his peaceful sleep. He was sitting against the rock wall, a backpack rolled behind his back. He looked like he hadn't meant to sleep that way.

"Lila!"

Mori's voice startled her. She sighed and turned her head to see him.

"How do you feel?" he asked, landing next to her.

"My head hurts, and so does my arm, but mostly I'm okay."

Zale grunted and shifted. "Mori," he mumbled, "let her sleep."

"Do you mean let you sleep?"Lila joked.

"No, I'm keeping watch," he answered with closed eyes.

Lila whispered to Mori, "Thank you for finding him. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"Back off!" Zale roared, springing awake. When he saw only Lila and Mori, he blinked the sleep out of his eyes. "You're up."

"So are you," Lila said with a smile. "Thank you. I don't know what would've happened to me if I didn't get help."

Zale sighed in relief. "If Mori hadn't shown up when he did, I might not have found you. You were lucky. I'm glad you're okay."

Lila sat up with Zale's help. "How long has it been?"

"About a day," Mori answered.

"Drink this," Zale said, handing her a water skin. "But only a sip."

"Why only a sip?"

"In case you can't tolerate it yet. You vomited a few times last night."

"Oh. Oh, I'm hungry."

"Start with the water." Lila did as he suggested, then handed back the skin. Zale said, "Keep it. You need to take lots of sips until you're ready for food."

As Lila recovered, she struggled with wanting to move on but being too weak to. On top of the wound and sickness, sleeping on the ground made her body ache all over. Moving too much made something new hurt afresh.

"Do you want to come with us?" Lila asked a few hours later.

"You didn't want me when you fought Volvagia," Zale countered.

"I was mad back then. If you join us, I wouldn't mind the company."

"Is that a good idea?" Mori wondered.

"Sure it is," Lila replied. "Zale just saved my life, give him a little more credit." When Mori didn't say anything else, she wondered if he was thinking about Lady Ganondra.

Zale said, "Yeah, I'll come with you. What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for something. Actually, I don't know where to look exactly. Mori, any suggestions?"

"I sensed something near the Knight, but this place is so large I can't tell if it's what we need."

"What is it you're looking for?" Zale asked.

"You'd think it was silly."

"Try me."

"A pair of boots."

Zale had no answer for that. He looked befuddled.

With a laugh, she said, "I told you. Come on. Let's get going."

"Lila, you can't be serious," Zale said, reaching out to stop her. "There's no way you can fight a ReDead Knight in your condition."

She ignored him and started gathering their things. "Who says I have to fight it? We'll just go around—"

"You misunderstood," Mori interrupted. "TheReDead Knight is guarding whatever I sensed, so yeah, you do have to fight it."

Still, Lila packed her bags. "It'll be okay. I've gone through worse, you know it."

"No, Lila, you're staying away from that thing," Zale said. "I'll take care of it."

Finally, she stopped to look at him. "Like you can take on a fully armed, decrepit soldier."

"Yes, I can. Look inside my pack."

"What?" Lila laughed.

Zale crossed his arms. "Go ahead."

Lila shook her head but went to his pack anyway. It didn't take her much to find something wrapped in leather. She pulled it out and unwrapped it.

As the stairs continued down, the air became much colder, though not as cold as the ice castle. It was a relief after the blazing sun over the desert. Eventually, they came to another door. By then, Lila had to light her lantern.

"What do you think is on the other side?" Mori asked, remembering the trap in the ice castle.

"Let's find out," Lila replied while opening the door.

"What if it's another trap?"

She didn't even hesitate. "This isn't a trap. C'mon, scardey!" She didn't look back; she was too interested in the massive cavern in front of her. It appeared to be lit by sunlight, but she honestly couldn't tell if there was a ceiling. It seemed like magical sunlight.

The cavern spiraled downward like a mining facility. At the bottom, a lone building stood among old wood and other ruins. The place looked ancient.

Mori had finally entered. "What is this place?"

"Big," Lila replied. "Let's see what's down there." She took off running.

"Wait!"

She didn't. "Are you scared?"

"No... This doesn't seem right."

"We'll be fine. Don't be so paranoid."

When she reached the building, something shuffled out. It was human in form, wearing destroyed armor, carrying a round, spiked shield, and wielding a broadsword. Whatever monster it was, it didn't move very fast so it would be easy to kill. Lila readied her sword.

"Let's duel," she challenged.

"Lila, wait! That's a—"

When the knight saw her, it screamed. Lila was instantly paralyzed. Her muscles all tensed and her ears rang. The knight continued to shamble toward her slowly, so slowly. If only she could move! The wait was agonizing. It was almost to her when she felt her body relax, though every part of her tingled. She lunged.

Her sword somehow hit the shield. She pulled back to strike again, but the scream came first. This time the knight would get to her before its paralyzing effects wore off. Her heart raced, and sweat gathered on her forehead.

The knight's sword hurt when it hit her undefended arm. The knight struck right below the sleeve of her chainmail. It was strong enough to push her back several feet, and she fell to the ground. The sword was rusty and blunt. If she didn't get it cleaned, the wound would get infected.

Though it was hard, she could move again. The knight was closing in, so she had to get up. She used her elbow to get herself on her feet and then bolted away from the knight. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Mori was also frozen.

Lila managed to get quite a way before the screamer let out another wail. Her next run, she hoped, would get her out of its range. Her bones felt jarred and rattled; her muscles rigid and sore; her nerves taut and frayed. She wanted to get away from the knight and never see another.

And then she was free. Lila hightailed it to the next tier of the cavern without hearing another screech. Looking back, the knight had turned around and headed to the shack. Mori also managed to get away and joined her. She was glad the helpless keese hadn't become a target.

Lila dropped to the ground, letting her sword and shield fall. She put her sword hand to the wound, trying to hold back all of the blood. Her arm felt useless. It was times like these she wished she had a companion with opposable thumbs.

"I tried to warn you," Mori said, winded. "That's a ReDead Knight. I guess now you know what's bad about it..."

"Yeah, thanks for the wisdom," Lila snapped. "I don't suppose you can stitch up wounds!"

Mori backed away. "I tried..." he repeated.

"Sorry," Lila managed.

She pulled out a bottle of water and poured it over her injury. It made a big bloody mess that didn't look much better, but it was something. She felt lightheaded as she picked up her sword and used it to cut some cloth from her tunic. With a shaking hand and her teeth, she tied it as tight as she could around her arm above the cut. The blood flow slowed a bit, but her vision blurred. "Mori, I think I'm in trouble."

There was no reply. Lila looked up. Her sight was rimmed with darkness as she glanced around.

"Mori?"

Her keese friend was nowhere to be found. Lila blinked a few times and fell back. Her breathing was hard and ragged.

"Get back here..."

Everything around her faded until she couldn't think anymore.

Lila stayed silent for a long time. She ran hard and fast, both to get home quickly and to avoid talking to Mori. She didn't quite understand what Zale had meant when he told her to have courage. Courage for what? Why did she need it? Why was he telling her she needed it? Why did the word give her so much warmth?

Once they reached Gerudo town, Lila went to the kitchen to get something to eat, then went straight to bed. Mori, however, wouldn't leave to let her get dressed.

"You told him a lot."

Lila faced away from him. She sighed, "Yeah. I couldn't help myself. But at least he told me a lot as well. Mori, do you know... was I kidnapped?"

Mori perched on the back of a chair at Lila's desk. "I don't know. Lady Ganondra tells me fewer secrets than she does you."

Lila had one other question, but she felt unable to ask. Mori might not even know the answer. She started with, "I think I was kidnapped. I can't imagine who would willingly give their child to Lady Ganondra."

"You're probably right about that as well."

"Where..." she sighed and looked down. "Where are my real parents?"

"I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that, either. I'm sorry, Lila." She thought he was done, but then he said, "I've never seen you so happy than when you were with Zale."

Neither of them spoke. Lila had no idea how to respond to that, and Mori seemed to be done talking finally. He watched her, her head down and eyes dark. He wondered what was going through her head.

When he got tired of waiting, he flew out with the last words, "Get some sleep."

∴

Around noon, Lila woke up well-rested. She went to the dining hall for some lunch and then left for the next dungeon. The trip only took a little more than half an hour. She recognized the place because there was a giant boulder like an egg sitting on the ground. She could dimly make out the mountains on the other side of the valley.

"I hope the boots aren't under that."

"Actually, that's exactly it," Mori answered. She groaned, but he said, "That's what the Gauntlets of Strength are for."

Lila gave him a disbelieving look. "No way I can lift that."

"Dear, the gauntlets are magic."

She shook her head. "If you say so." She pulled on the gauntlets and walked up to the rock. She examined it doubtfully, then put her hands under it – which was easy. Just by using her fingers, she could make it wiggle enough to fit her hands. Then she lifted.

The boulder seemed to weigh nothing. She brought it right up above her head and saw a stairway. Then she dropped the rock off to the side.

"That was weird!" Lila said, not at all worried about her mount. "C'mon, let's go."

"You're not afraid someone will trap us inside?"

Lila took off the gauntlets and waved them in Mori's face. "Who could possibly do that?"

"Fair point."

The two went down the stairs. At the bottom was a sun-bleached door. "I wonder," Lila said, "how long that boulder has been here."

"Who knows."

"However long, this has been here longer."

"How do you know?"

She gestured to the door. "This has been aged by sunlight. I have a feeling there's no sunlight under a boulder."

"Well, aren't you the smart one?"

Lila ignored him and pushed the door open.

"Let's find us some footwear."

"I'm surprised you even bought the Deku seeds. You can find those or any other ammo on the ground."

"I know, but it was convenient."

"To most people, so are the bombs."

"Who would need them in Castle Town?"

"Excavators."

"What?"

"They make way for new buildings."

Lila looked at him like he was crazy.

"It's true. Someone has to do it."

"You're so weird, Mori."

"Yet you still hang around me."

"Shut it. I'm going to the desert. Coming with?"

"Do you realize the sun is setting?"

"So?"

"We ought to sleep for the night before going on an adventure."

Lila thought for a moment. "We'll sleep in the castle."

Mori wobbled up and down. "Are you crazy?"

She rolled her eyes. "Our castle, silly."

"Oh..."

They left Castle Town by the entrance they used. Of all things to happen, Zale was waiting for them.

Lila moaned. "I thought he was in the castle," she whispered to Mori.

"You spent a lot of time in Malo Mart," Mori said.

"I guess." Lila sauntered forward. She called to Zale, "Are you stalking me?" She felt herself glaring. "What do you want?" Lila demanded, crossing her arms.

Zale held up his hands in a gesture of innocence. "I thought we might talk.”

"Yeah?" Lila said, coming a little closer. "About what? About the awful way you treated me in Kakariko Village?"

A frown replaced Zale's smile. "Did I do something wrong?"

Lila was right in his face. "You only made me look like a fool!"

Zale looked confused. "From my side, you seemed to be the one attacking me. If anything, you should be apologizing."

"Me? Apologize?"

"Well, I did pay for the food..."

"Ugh!" she shouted, storming off a way. "Why are you so difficult?"

"I could say the same of you." Zale shook his head. "But, I don't want to. I just want you to get past that, and we can start over. Think you can handle that?"

Keeping her back to him but not moving away, Lila chewed her lip in frustration. Was there really use in arguing? She found she didn't have much else to say. "Well, I guess so." She turned around, and his smile was huge. For a moment she saw his true feelings. That smile made all of her anger melt away. Only to be replaced with the ache of betrayal.

"Is something wrong?"

Lila took control of her emotions... or at least tried to. "No, nothing. I'm sorry for the trouble I caused."

"What trouble?" Zale said with a cheeky smile. "We're starting over, remember?"

It took a moment, but Lila finally smiled. "Oh, right. Well, if we're starting over, is there anything you need to tell me?"

Zale thought it over. "Hm... How about, I like to read?"

Lila laughed. It was an easy laugh she wasn't used to. "Nice. I like to fence."

"My favorite food is an egg salad sandwich."

"My favorite color is green."

"I travel a lot."

"So do I." Lila couldn't help herself anymore. She burst out laughing like a child. "This is..."

"Fun!" Zale finished, also laughing.

"Yeah." Her mirth faded as she realized she wasn't able to name the feeling. The last time she had fun was... "What's your family like?"

"My family?"

"If you don't mind me asking. Mine is horrible."

Zale sobered. "Is that why you travel?"

"Something like that."

When Lila didn't offer anymore, Zale said, "My family is a little weird, too. My dad was upset that I was a boy, and my mom—"

"He was upset about that?" Lila asked, amazed at the coincidence.

"Yeah. Women are traditionally more honored in my family. My dad went through the same hardship."

"I see. What about your mother?"

"She died before I was old enough to know her."

That made Lila wonder about the girl Zelda, but didn't think now was the time to bring her up. She said slowly instead, "We have a lot in common."

"How so?"

"I was expected to be a boy.”

Zale paused, seeming to take it in. "I see."

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I gotta go, anyway. I still have to travel for a while." The sun was behind the mountains already.

"Where are you going?" Zale asked.

"Ho – Gerudo Valley." Lila worried he heard her slip up. He looked a little suspicious. Maybe.

"Well, I'm sorry to have kept you so late. I guess... I'll see you around?"

A small, sad smile forced its way onto Lila's face. "Yeah, maybe."

Zale nodded. "It's decided. I'll see you again."

Lila was confused but... happy. "Okay."

"And, Lila."

"Yes?"

"Have courage."

Lila knew how to see Zale.

She knew how to see and talk to Zale, but she couldn't. It wasn't safe, for him or herself. On the one hand, she had to speak with Zale because Lady Ganondra demanded it. On the other hand, she wanted to talk to Zale because she liked him. On the first hand, talking to Zale meant exposing his secrets. On the second hand, talking to Zale meant exposing hers.

For a brief moment, Lila wondered if that would be so bad.

"You're crying."

Lila blinked, then closed her eyes tight. She stopped in the middle of the staircase and sat. Not knowing what else to do, she pulled her knees to her chest.

Mori hovered in the air, feeling useless. Lila wasn't physically hurt. She wasn't hurt at all, as far as Mori could tell. She was confused in a way he didn't know how to help her.

"Mori, what do I do? What's wrong with me?"

He didn't answer because he didn't know what to say. Instead, he told her, "We need to go."

Lila bit her cheek. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. She couldn't let... this... paralyze her. She was strong and chosen to take on these tasks.

"Let's go."

They continued on in silence. Neither of them said a word all the way until they were outside the sewer. Lila was too lost in thought, and Mori couldn't find a way to break the tension. Once the sounds of busy town life were all around, she couldn't brood any longer.

"So," Lila said with false cheer, "other than Gauntlets of Strength, is there anything I will need in the desert?"

"Water..." Mori answered cautiously.

"Ah, yes. The source of all life. Perhaps..." she chose the first store she saw, "Malo Mart will offer a refreshment."

"Malo Mart?"

"Absolutely. Come, dear keese. Let us buy ourselves some water."

Bewildered, Mori followed Lila as she walked – brisk but stiff – into a large store labeled "Malo Mart."

Like the city itself, Malo Mart wasn't as filled in as its Kakariko counterpart, but there were still quite a few patrons. Lila browsed through the shelves. There were arrows, but she didn't see any bows. She found bombs, but they were a lot more expensive. Then she looked behind the counter. That's where she found the good stuff... or where the good stuff should be.

"You only have slingshots?" Lila complained to the tall man behind the counter. He had a pointed chin, perpetually raised eyebrows, and a mouth that looked like he was sucking lemons.

"Did you not see the rest of our wares?"

"I mean, you don't have any bows?"

"Ah, yes, we are awaiting a shipment."

She crossed her arms, peeved that she would have to wait. "How soon?"

"Next week."

Lila slapped the counter. "Come on! I can't stay in Castle Town that long!"

The man's face became a little sourer. "I cannot get it any faster. Is there anything else you would like to buy?"

Lila sighed and looked through her purse. She had lots of money to burn. "Fine, I'll get a slingshot and... twenty Deku seeds. Plus a bottle of oil."

The man's eyes lit up as he added the total. "That will be two hundred rupees. If you buy just ten bombs, I'll give you a second bottle at half price."

"No way, your bombs are overpriced."

"Free! I'll give you the bottle free." He looked desperate.

Lila thought it over. Ten bombs cost half the price of a bottle, so it was a really good deal. "You have a deal."

"Thank you! That brings your total to two-hundred eighty rupees."

"Hey! You said the bottle was free!"

"Did I forget to tell you it's free with twenty bombs?"

Lila jiggled her purse. "Whatever. I don't need any of this stuff." She turned to leave.

"Don't go! Two-hundred forty. Your total is two hundred forty!"

"What does that price include?" she asked carefully.

"Everything." His shoulders slumped in defeat. "The slingshot, twenty Deku seeds, a bottle of oil, an empty bottle, and ten bombs."

"Perfect. Here are your two-hundred forty rupees," she said, satisfied. "Lower the price of your bombs, and you won't have this problem anymore. They're only ten for ten in Kakariko."

"I knew it," the shopkeeper mumbled.

"What was that?" Lila asked angrily.

"Sorry for your trouble?" His eyebrows went even higher.

"Uh-huh, sure. Just give me my stuff."

Reluctantly, he handed over Lila's purchases. She checked and double-checked to make sure everything was there.

"Remember, the bows will come in six days!"

"I doubt I'll be here," Lila said under her breath as she left. Outside Malo Mart, she complained to Mori, "Wow, what a swindler!"

Where she had stopped, there was a small opening that was hardly visible. Mori flew into the space, and his wingspan fit perfectly. Then he disappeared.

"Where'd you go?"

"Come in and find out."

Lila stepped into the opening. She couldn't see a thing and placed her hand on the wall. With her fingers trailing, she followed the sound of Mori's wings. Her foot hit something.

"It goes up," Mori supplied.

Lila took the stairs. They went up about two stories and then there was an arrow hall, still pitch black. At the end of it, she bumped into the wall. She would have panicked if she didn't hear Mori on her left.

"Hurry up!" he muttered.

"We've been over this," Lila replied, going up even more stairs, "I don't have lechonotation like you."

"Echolocation."

"Whatever! I'm blind here."

"Poor humans."

"Poor armless keese."

"Hey!"

Lila chuckled. This stair wound in a spiral and seemed to go on over twice as long as the first one. When they finally reached the top, Lila's foot fell hard on the floor. "Ooh, that was a jolt."

"Shh, I can hear voices."

"Really?"

Lila walked forward slowly, trying to calm her breathing. She kept one hand on the wall and the other outstretched. Slowly she began hearing what Mori was talking about. She gasped.

"Zale..."

"Shh!"

The talking stopped. Lila's breath caught in her throat. She couldn't believe Zale was within hearing distance. Her heart pounded, making her ears ring. She wanted so badly to see him again, but she didn't know why.

A girl's voice said, "I didn't hear anything. Zale, keep telling me the story! How did the Hero save the Zora?"

"Well, Zelda, he had to get eaten by a giant fish."

The girl gasped and squealed. She giggled, and Lila could imagine her rocking back and forth in laughter. "You're teasing me!"

"Nope, it actually happened. The Hero was swallowed by Jabun."

"Lila, let's go."

Lila knew this story. She didn't care to hear it. She just couldn't stop listening to Zale. She closed her eyes and felt tears. Maybe if she made a loud noise, she would at least have an excuse to talk to Zale, to see him.

She shook her head slowly. Such thoughts were foreign to her. She didn't know why she was thinking this way.

"Okay."

She turned around and left.