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Shade’s Nocturne
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    Racers and Brawlers appeared to be confronting each other south of the park, they were lined up and poised, but nothing was happening, appearing to be a discussion rather than a fight. One cyan Racer backed off after a moment, and two others rushed to his side. They exchanged looks a few times and turned to leave. The purple Brawler at the center of attention appeared to taunt the departing Racers.

    As the crowd dispersed, a large group of Brawlers split off twice into downtown, one group heading deeper, the other group lined the street across from the park. Sheik waited, expecting them to cross, or challenge Goron Link, whom had been observing the same line, form across the street, from their park.

    Goron Link clenched his fists... His stomach growled. He unclenched and gently tugged his stomach. 

    "oohh, I hope they don't want to come over and cause trouble..." He finished his eternal lap around the park and took pause beside the bridge to watch. The entire park and street stood between him and the 8 Brawlers lined across it.

    Stomach rumbling. They did not move, did not speak to each other: Statues with folded arms, in silly purple outfits. 

    The blue van's brakes squealed softly as it parked behind him. Goron Link's face involuntarily widened with a smile. He heard the door open and shut, waited for the next door, but instead heard nothing; footsteps following the unexpected emptiness.

    He turned to inspect the feed, and saw Impa approaching him with something large in her hands. His eyes widened a little as he saw the gray and lumpy object, closer and more detailed, pocked with tiny specks of crystal, possibly...  

    "Stone Turnip?" he uttered, barely audible, then cleared his throat, "Is that a Stone Turnip?!" He inadvertently shouted with excitement. "Did you bring me a Stone Turnip???" Impa nodded, trying not to smile but failing to hide it, and held the lump of stone out to Goron Link.

    He grabbed it jealously, and inspected it closely. His smile thundered as he laughed and gnashed at the stone. He gobbled it all, right down to the crumbs, and patted his belly with a huge - DRUMB - that echoed across the street! A brawler recoiled as if struck, impressed.

    His neighbors turned to his shock with scorn, as if scolding.

    Impa nodded to the Goron and returned to the van.

    "Strange..." Goron Link said aloud to himself, "They aren't setting up...?" He felt invigorated by the ultra-health-food (for Gorons) and intuitively suspected more Brawlers were expected to come by soon. He turned to stare across the street fiercely, scrutinizing with a fierce glare. The same brawler recoiled again. The same neighbors stared him down, again. 

    Goron Link glared hard, "What are you up to?" He said to the Brawlers; out loud only to himself.

    Impa started the van and drove away, prompting Goron Link to notice the approaching Brawlers from behind the bridge!

    A sudden click of heels beside him, "what was that?" As he turned to see The Ninja crouched beside him, poised low, wide, and prone. "You..?!" He first clattered, "We together?" Then quietly grumbled. Sheik nodded.

    A husky Brawler; with reddish hair and a small beard that covered his mouth but not his cheeks, save for the curly tufts that looked like small swirly whiskers: who wore a purple denim vest with the arms deliberately ripped off, flaunting his well-toned muscles, came to the forefront of the large group that poured out from under the bridge, his footsteps thudding with a suspicious clank. His Left eye enveloped by a Triforce tattoo, as if to intimidate and suggest his authority. "Y'all're gonna leave early today. The van's gone, and y'know what? Lookit! A lot more of us than you!" He looked around as if he was talking to himself, inspecting his own words. "This is our turf and you're gonna leave. Find someplace else to eat." Across the street where the line had formed, more brawlers entered the park as backups stood in for them, replacing the line. Goron Link looked down at the ninja, as if to follow his lead.

    The apparent leader scoffed, interrupting Goron Link's train of thought, "You know, you can go, we won’t attack you. Just leave." Goron Link looked to his apparent ally with uncertainty. 'Ninja Zelda'. Sheik, was motionless, statue like.

    So he grumbled, then laughed "Hha!" looking him in the eye "You want to hit me?" The brawler didn't seem to care about the implications and only spoke, "That's two, last chance. The M says y'get three. You're lucky: The M doesn't give anyone more than one chance." Goron Link really laughed now. His belly rumbled the ground beneath him, rocking the ninja beside him. "That's great, no worries then! We're good!" The brawler stepped aside with a few heavy clanks as his buddies parted together, forming a path between them, out of the park, under the bridge.

    "Oh, what? No, you see, we're not going anywhere. This is our park, you're obviously not in charge, and this, right now, makes four. Your move, buddy! What'cha gonna do?" The 'do' he emphasized thundered into the brawler, literally knocking his balance back. The three brawlers he fell into caught and righted him, then ran around him and attacked. The crowd of twenty one brawlers poured out from under the bridge and swarmed Goron Link, and Sheik - who darted into a triangle jump, up and over their heads, and stomped across the heads of several brawlers; out of the crowd, looking in. (S)he gracefully landed and taunted them. Two fingers beckoning ‘bring it’. Goron Link was surrounded, 21 to one, as additional 'backups' ran in from the line across the street to address his ninja partner.

    He swung a mighty fist, knocking one into three and knocking those four into five more, proving that his one Goron punch was the equivalent of nine brawlers - meanwhile getting climbed upon from behind by six more!! "Oh yeah?" He laughed thunderously. "Let's roll!"

    The vigilant Goron lurched forward, preparing to fend them off. He was feeling his health-treat wearing off, so instead of reaching around and grabbing them, he suddenly rolled up with instantaneous speed, whipping four of the brawlers off his neck and shoulders and using that speed to roll ahead suddenly, very fast, plowing over one grippy Brawler, and launching the other high ahead and into the air. He curved around, skidding and spinning out, throwing dirt and grass out behind him, then caught traction and rolled through, again, into the remaining six, who immediately scattered. He only nicked one in the leg and knocked him over, probably breaking it, as everyone scrambled to dodge. Goron Link immediately unraveled himself with precision and stood defiantly on the man's leg, in the middle of the park. "Leaving so soon? The food hasn't even arrived yet!" he said, lifting his leg up to allow the fearful brawler's instincts to scurry him away like a tiny broken mouse.

    Sheik had been rushed from both sides by sixteen brawlers by the time Goron Link had begun rolling after his nine-man punch. Zelda couldn't concentrate, while she prematurely revealed another weapon. She whipped her elastic chain around, tagging a Brawler behind her and cutting across his back before snapping it downward ahead of herself and stunning another punk facing her off - by slamming his shoulder on the elastic recoil.

    Three more brawlers darted into the middle of the fight while three more drew their slingshots from afar. Sheik spun downward in place, kicking two of the dashing brawlers - the third hesitating just in time to evade her strikes, accidentally.

    A rock pegged her in the thigh and she fell out of her strike in pain. Another rock tagged the ground right beside her where she fell, just in front of her knee. She scrambled ahead, dodging several more shots but taking another in the hip, while four more brawlers distributed additional slingshots to their buddies.

    She was not focused. She was not yet truly ready to be Sheik - Zelda silently, but briefly, scolded herself, while darting to Goron Link for cover.

    Goron Link rolled up to deflect the rock shots and laughed when he realized they were stone "I can eat these!" Opening his mouth wide and snatching a few - half tucked into himself, half untucked, awkwardly balancing himself on a large forearm. Several brawlers switched to exploding bombflower seeds and others tried to flank him and get his ally from behind. 

    Several explosive shots annoyed him enough that he fully curled up around the ninja to protect them both from the shots.  

    They were pinned down.

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    The blue van's brakes squealed softly as it parked behind him. Goron Link's face involuntarily widened with a smile. He heard the door open and shut, waited for the next door, but instead heard nothing, footsteps following the unexpected emptiness.

    He turned to inspect the feed, and saw Impa approaching him with something large in her hands. His eyes widened a little as he saw the gray and lumpy object, closer and more detailed, pocked with tiny specks of crystal, possibly... "Stone Turnip?" he uttered, barely audible, then cleared his throat "Is that a Stone Turnip?!" He inadvertently shouted with excitement. "Did you bring me a Stone Turnip???" Impa nodded, trying not to smile but failing to hide it, and held the lump of stone out to Goron Link. He grabbed it jealously, and inspected it closely. His smile thundered as he laughed and gnashed at the stone. He gobbled it all down and patted his belly with a huge - DRUMB - that echoed across the street! A brawler recoiled as if struck, impressed. His neighbors turned to his shock with scorn, as if scolding..

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    Impa nodded to the Goron and returned to the van. She watched the line across the street for a moment before turning to look toward the other side of the bridge. Seeing a much larger group slowly approaching from deeper within downtown, Impa turned over the ignition and drove away quickly. She was worried that even the friendly Goron would get hurt today and while she didn't want to risk hurting the children, she saw no better choice: In order to rescue Zelda from the gangs, Link had to face a real challenge now. She could only hope Link to be as adept as she and Zelda suspect.

    Impa drove over the speed limit the whole 16 blocks back, running at least 2 red lights as she came within the last 5 blocks. The illusion was weakening, her powers waning... The Wolfos brothers stepped out of the forestry shadows, soupy and hazy, mixing in with the modern neighborhood illusion, creating a psychedelic optical illusion of solid smoke walls and floating airy water. Impa halted the car and waited. The two shadowy Wolfos spirits glared at Impa. No movement, they all just stared at each other. Glowing pairs of eyes meeting her steel gaze. Finally, the two Wolfos retreated into the shadows and, the smoke and water faded, leaving a clear, crisp, satisfactorily realistic-looking modern-neighborhood illusion. 

    Impa jumped out of the van and ran to the house. Her youthful agility betraying her elderly visage; white hair, liver spots, wrinkles, curved back, and all, jolting and hurtling across the street at a long angle. She skipped the front door and crashed through the back, shattering your napping quietude.

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    Down the basement stairs, and straight into the dojo in a flash; You were barely out of your room, startled, and now frantically looking for the sword you broke, so as to present her your proof that you could break it. Impa saw this panic and hesitated, briefly worrying about you. "Get a sturdy sword and shield, child." She said, folding her arms in attempt to express composure.

    You clamber through the closet and grab the sword and shield. 

    While you did, Impa retreated to the foot of the stairs. When you emerged confused because you did not immediately see her, she snapped her fingers and beckoned before quickly ascending and exiting through the back door, waiting again; arms folded. You follow her route, and once out of the house, notice the skies were forest canopy with shady slats of light pouring between Deku branches, while betraying the environment of residential homes and streets.

    You stare, gazing at the sky, but Impa urges you along, "We must get downtown immediately, the park is being attacked. Your friends need your help!" She said with haste, cringing silently as she said "friends", thinking she may possibly have given away Zelda's Ninja identity.

   

Your thoughts vanished, your eyes narrowed and focused, your spirit surged. You would protect your friends; you nodded, and quickly but calmly entered the van with solemn intent. Impa looked over at you, curious. 

    Your demeanor had instantly changed. She couldn't even see an iota of the former caution and panic you'd displayed in the basement. 

    What had changed? She wondered.

    Impa turned the final corner with the bridges in view, the park just south of there, barely out of view. Ticking sounds and hollow echoes could be heard from the distant weak power of bombflower seeds. Impa pulled beside the bridge intersection but didn't park; several exploding shots could be heard popping nearby and she did not want to give away the element of surprise. You hastily exit. "Your shield will break! Be careful, Link!" She called out after you as you run from the van, past the highway ramp, around toward the first bridge. 

    Another pop and a louder bang, small explosions were crackling and popping, a few seemed bigger and let cry with a loud BANG, each. 

    Just as you round the corner of the concrete ramp under the bridge, you hear an "Ah-Hah!" as a seed gets shot your way.

     *POP!* You rolled aside quickly, but barely. That one was right by your foot! "That's a warning shot, kid! Private party. You should go back-" You didn't bother listening to anything more he might have said, you could see the purple sweatshirt, with a slingshot aimed at you, so you dash ahead full speed.

    That wasn't expected and the Brawler fumbled for his next shot, dropping it. It exploded under foot as he loaded another seed and drew the sling back but lost his balance in the commotion. You cleared more than half the 4 yard gap by the time he'd fumbled for the reload, and by the time he fired a successful shot he was already knocked out as you bashed the hilt of your wooden sword into the punk's solar plexus while he missed firing - right over your shoulder. 

    Another loud bang cracks out, startling you into hesitation.

    As you stepped from under the overhead bridge, up the curving pedestrian path to strike the brawler, you exposed yourself to 3 more Brawler guards positioned along the path on the other bridge, to further keep out unwanted interference against their turf grabbing attempt.

    You barely jumped back in time to dodge the next shot fired. Had you not hesitated when startled, it would have hit without warning, and hurt. The next two Brawlers up the path came charging. 

    One of them fired an explosive seed near you, the other was unarmed and barreled forward, arm cocked.

    You raise your shield and block the first punch, skidding back with the heavy impact. You jump to your left, right into the line of fire, and saw a slingshot drawn on you. Panicking, you crouched, bracing your shield over yourself.

    A heavy BRAMKRAKLE ruptured the air as the seed smashed into your shield, exploding; bringing it within threshold of shattering. The shield cracked and splintered in several directions, making a web of tiny crags in the wood. It smoked and singed but remained, barely, intact.

    You bolt around the heavy fisted Brawler and charge the slingshot wielder with your sword, dashing as fast as possible. You slash at the Brawlers hand, breaking his grip and possibly a finger or two.

    "Aaaieouch!"

   He dropped the broken slingshot, and his arm with broken hand, and looked menacingly at you, tears in his eyes, other hand balled in a fist. You quickly strike again with the hilt, and knocked the brawler behind him out, as the tearful Brawler ran past, shamefully leaving the fight.

    Rather than follow the trail of Brawlers up the path, you dash across the off ramp and under the overpass on the other side. Shots were fired at you from behind as you cleared the gap between highway bridges, where Brawlers armed with slingshots were lining the raised bridge path!

    You used up the rest of your energy to give one last speedy dash ahead, and under the safety of the next bridge, out of sight, where the feed would usually take place. You were running out of breath.

You dash around the corner, out from under the concrete-and-rebar bridge, finally catching sight of Brawlers launching explosive shots from slings into a....

    Large boulder...? Your adrenaline rush deflated and you let your shoulders sag a little. You huffed impatiently, and tried to catch your breath.

    Bowing your head in confusion, resting your arms on your knees to carry the weight of your torso, you hug a free times before a small surge of adrenaline hit when you realized Goron Link wasn't patrolling! You look up, searching for the friendly Goron patrol.

    "Hold your fire! That Goron isn't even phased..." Another tiny surge, that adrenaline wasn't gone yet; flickering in the spirit wind of your heart.

    "Come on out! We said we'll let you leave, you know, but you had to stick around. Why'd ya have to stick around? You shouldn't have done that."

    Adrenals flared again; however: You stood poised but seemingly motionless. You inhaled slowly, evenly, eyes narrowed, cross.

    "Tell ya what, Goron. We just want you. You can let your friend out. We all promise not to shoot the ninja." He said, looking around and winking. "Isn't that right guys?"

    A couple of the Brawlers laughed, a couple cheered, but the tattooed brawler with red hair ignored them and continued, "All you gotta do... is stand up... and let us take you... back to the river with us!" 

    This time it was Goron Link who got the surging rush, and he whispered to his partner, "Hold on tight, this is going to get cramped." He lifted his head back and peeked out briefly. The brawlers were all aimed on him, and there was a good chance they'd all shoot if he took that liar for his word!

    That was enough to enrage him and he tucked his head back in then extended a leg behind him, kicked off with that mighty leg and tucked it back in, rolling.

    He was rolling fast, carrying precious cargo.

    "WHAT!? Get them!" The Brawler called out. 

    You had seen enough and charged in.

    "Yaaaaaaah!!!" You run in, rushing with your sword straight in front of you, prepared to stab, but foolishly forgetting the brawlers behind you, and charging with an early-warning war cry, thus alerting your opponents, giving up the element of surprise.

    The target muttered, "What's this?" as that husky brawler turned to face you. He sloppily shifted his weight aside to barely dodge your rushing stab, but effortlessly never the less. You barely dodge a shot fired from behind, but it was enough to throw your balance as you topple over yourself and skid to a halt on your stomach. 

    Goron Link had rolled around and halted beside you while you brushed yourself off. As he unrolled, Sheik tumbled out, unconscious. "He'll be find, kid. Just too dizzy to handle a Goron roll! Ha, HAH!" Goron Link laughed with pride, following with, "Let's flatten these hoodlums!"

    You nod decidedly.

    The Brawler "in charge" had a goofy expression as he panicked and his mind raced for a moment, jaw slack. 

    "Wait, wait! Wait, wait wait-wait..! Obviously...” he paused briefly and tapped his toes to the ground with an odd clank, “we can’t take you on with our slingshots and bombflowerseeds... maybe we can’t even take you on by climbing all over you." Goron Link rolled his eyes and huffed, "But...!!!" The brawler continued, "I challenge you to an honorable fight. One-on-one." 

    Goron Link laughed, "Did I roll over your head by accident or something? You should leave now before you get hurt."

    The Brawler was adamant but indignant "If you can beat me, we'll take off. Leave. Not another word: Gone. You won’t have to fight all of us, just me. Think about it. One-on-one." 

    You shake your head 'no', but Goron Link considered it the best bet, barely noticing your 'suggestion'.

    "Deal. You fight me in a traditional Goron Wrestling match. We'll use the sand box for an arena. Last man standing or still in the sand box, 'ring', wins."

    The Brawler agreed to his terms and smiled, sly and wicked. He bent over and checked his shoes a moment before entering the "ring". "What's the matter? Scared you'll trip over your shoe laces?" Goron Link taunted, scratching one leg with the gnarly toenails of the other foot.

    The Brawler just maintained his wicked grin. He stared at Goron Link maliciously as he entered the ring, locking eyes as he took his position. They stood face to face, prepared to engage. Goron Link raised a foot and stomped the ground, knocking the Brawler off his balance, but not down. The Brawler copied his opponent and stomped with a heavy *CLANK*.

 

    Zelda stirred and grabbed her head nauseously while you were watching the match with focus and hidden excitement. Zelda's perspective was low, and, unlike everyone else, she had a direct perspective of the opponents' feet. Goron Link's stone-rough, wild, unkempt, and lumpy feet looked like mallets, but the boots his opponent wore were encased with thick iron plates!

    Goron Link stepped forward with a stomp and grappled with his opponent.

    The advantage was sorely in the cheating Brawler's favor but not only because the Brawler wore boots of iron: as Goron Link was not only malnourished, underfed, and underweight; he was inexperienced in traditional Goron Wrestling!

    Goron Link grappled futilely as the Brawler consistently broke his holds and stepped away from his advances. In a circle left, two fails. In a circle right, three fails.

    Left or right? 

    "What's the matter? Am I too Goron for you to handle?" The Brawler laughed, along with his buddies. Goron Link's eyes flared open and he made another grapple attempt, this time tucking into an immediate roll, flattening the brawler, outright burying him in to own body's-depth of the sand. 

*Technically* cheating, but nobody present actually knew that... 

    The blow not only knocked the Brawler over, but it knocked him out of his boots!  Goron Link started to laugh, raising his hands together in a clasp to cheer.  He began to whoop, but from the corner of his eye he noticed a giant figure approaching the park from the intersection, and he was following two trident wielding Moblins.

    Goron Link - more or less instinctively - tucked up and rolled under the bridge as fast as he could.

    Zelda sat up and looked around. 

    You approached the boots, but felt a tug on your wrist.  You turn to see the ninja staring in your eyes, pleading with theirs.  You backed up, drawing your sword, but saw the Moblins and a giant Cyclops behind your might-be adversary; and backed into the fallen Brawler, tripping and falling into another.  You landed on his legs and he got angry, but when he saw the monsters, he ignored you, screaming, "Moblins!"

    Immediately, everyone ran except you and the dazed Brawler in the ground.  Zelda/Sheik dashed away in the confusion, around to the van, and changed as fast as she could, once inside.

    You were stunned.  The gigantic monsters approaching left you nearly, but utterly, paralyzed.  Your wooden sword and shield: as though mere toys; were not worth the effort to so much as block a strike...  You feel pathetic and worthless in the face of these genuine monsters.

    They thundered closer, a pair of seven foot tall, bulldog faced, stacks of fatty muscle and gristly sweat carried huge, three pronged staffs, and ugly frowns, followed by a singularly gargantuan, one eyed, vacant looking, hulking, half naked, nine foot tall cyclops! 

    Zelda ran to the edge of the park and called out, "Link! RUN!!! That's a Hinox!"  You finally snap out of it! You scramble to your feet, leaving the wooden toys behind, and run over to Zelda as fast as you possibly can, but as soon as you got close, you slow down and look back.

 

    Chrthud!

    The Brawler was barely able to sit up and realize what was going on.  He looked around, confused.  The ground was vibrating with each heavy and thudding step of the one eyed Hinox.

    Chrthud!

    "Where'd everyone go?" The Brawler asked out loud in a daze, sitting up from his shallow sand indentation.

    Chrthud!

    He rubbed his head while turning toward the vibrations, to the nightmarish visage of 3 of Ganon's most loyal monsters bearing down on him.

    Chrthud!

    His eyes widened as he screamed out with sheer terror, "Ooh... NOOOOO!!!! PLEASE! NOOO! DON'T HURT ME!!!!" As the giant cyclops reached down and grabbed the pair of boots, and the Moblins pushed forward, past the Hinox, toward the south.

    The giant followed them shortly after, none of them bothering to even acknowledge anyone that didn't get in their way, let alone the traumatized Purple Brawler cowering in snot and tears on his knees.

    Zelda tugs urgently on your hand, and you finally leave with her and Impa.

(❤️❤️❤️❤️¾)

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    When Impa was within half a block of the neighborhood, she pulled to the side and parked the car in front of a commercial building.  Her energy was drained, the illusion was wearing off, and there was nothing left she could do but prepare the kids.

    "Zelda, Link." She initiated solemnly.  "I am indebted to a pair of brothers whom have lent me their home for the past 13 years to nurture, raise, guide, train, and prepare the young princess.  There are workings in this world that are directly affecting your lives which you've never known or been prepared to know."  Her voice, grim.

    "You can no longer afford not to know, but you are not yet ready to learn, right away, the full extent of your destinies.  So to prepare you, I must reveal the first lie..."  Zelda recoiled, "Lie?? wait... What do you mean, first?"

    Impa sighed heavily "I am much too old to be the last of the Sheikah...  My domain of the shadow has been the only sustenance for my own life...  But during times of darkness, in the world of light, I have had to compromise my own domain, over and over, until now...  Only a fraction of the Lost Woods remains connected to the Shadow Realm...  ... everything else, I have had to......"  She paused and bowed her head.

    "... ... share... with Ganon's minions."  She turned to face you, "For I, alone, am no match for their forces, but there remains much yet for me to leave to this world before I can be free to leave it."

    Zelda gasped and wanted to move in to console her attendant, instructor, teacher, and longtime friend, but Impa stepped out of the van before Zelda could move, beckoning the both of you to follow.

    "Young miss, I must ask that you refrain from indulging in sorrow or fear, for these brothers, whom I've owed our home and school, have a habit of getting excited when they think someone is emotional.  I assure you, my friends are good and loyal, and will mean you no harm."  Impa explained while you and Zelda left the van after her.

    "Although, Link, your training in the sword is insufficient, and I must oversee your improvements post haste.  When we walk to the house, you will notice the illusions are gone, and the neighborhood was, in fact, false.  The important thing that you children are to be understood:" Impa became yet even more solemn and serious, "This section of the Lost Woods was once connected with underground catacombs which lead throughout the royal townships of Hyrule castle market and Kakariko village, and was also a lost nation of Wolfos tribes' burial grounds, long ago.  The wayward spirits of the Wolfos live on as shadows of their former selves, seeking solace in their descendants, whom are disappearing at an alarming rate.  Their numbers have shrunk from once proud tribal nations to just a few hundred individuals left in the world.  Two brothers had roamed into this section of the Lost Woods many years ago and took up residence here with me.   We've helped each other out for the longest time, hiding this place away and training together... creating this illusion... until..."  Impa stopped abruptly, and eyed you intently.  "Until the Second Lie...  But all in due time, children..." she trailed off nonchalantly, and rounded the corner, into a large haphazard "city block" of forest, right in the middle of Hyruletropolis.

    "No! You can’t just stop there!!" Zelda persisted as they approached a log cabin which had an eerie similarity to Saria's and Krystal's home... "You've brought out that much; you have to tell us the rest." She said, adamantly.

    Impa ignored her and stopped some thirteen yards from the house.  "I am sorry, Princess, but as I said: all in due time." she said, talking at her, rather than to her, still focused straight ahead of herself.

    Zelda closed her eyes "So that's that, is it?  'Princess' Zelda, huh..?" and a tear started to fall, oblivious to the world as the world, but Zelda, was to it.  As she wiped it away, silently, she whispered to herself, "I don't like it, it's not..." but trailed off.

    You followed behind the group and moved forward to Zelda's side, between her and Impa, wanting to see what Impa was focusing on. Zelda cautiously touched her fingers to yours, and you took her hand.

    The foggy 'neighborhood' was now made up of trees lining several trails and a small stream, the cabin was amidst it all, in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by the cover of tall Deku trees and their canopy shade.  A "window" of light beamed down on the front door and face wall: one of the structure's windows was visible on the face wall around the corner of the door, two more windows each on either side of the corners by the door.

    Impa simply waited, staring just past the cabin.  You start to walk forward, but as you took the first step, Impa cautioned, "Stay back, we wait for them to come to us.  Stand still." She gently held her arm out to indicate a barrier against your progress, but held it firmly in place, should you test to pass further.

    So everyone waited.

    It wasn't long, once everyone settled down, before everyone’s scents caught the attention of a pair of Wolfos Hunters.  Their eyes gleamed in the fog as they came around the corner of the cabin, hunched low on their hind legs.  One, sniffing the air back and forth, eying Impa once in a while, then sniffing toward the children, set down and continued about on all fours; the other simply following behind on hind legs without showing interest.

    Impa remained motionless, "Let them inspect us.  We'll be no threat if we allow them to.  Just, don't move."  A shadowy Black Wolfos darted out from the fog and sniffed Impa, staring her in the eye.   Behind it, a stark white fur coat contrasted this 'sniffer'.  The White Wolfos encircled the group nonchalantly while the black one took a more personal approach by nose.

    On all fours, the black shadow of fur twisted in and out, between the children and sniffed close; curious and invasive, he succeeded in breaking your linked hands.

    He continued around your torsos, then feet and Impa's legs.  He sniffed Zelda's neck, she cringed, he then sniffed your neck and the hairs on his back pricked up.  He froze for a moment, tail straight up.

    Quietly, a very soft and low growl, he bore his teeth and darted to the front door.

    When the black Wolfos darted to the front door and sat down beside it, the white Wolfos moved in, growling, hunched low on hind feet, reaching to a small pouch on his belt.  Your stomach clenched and your face contorted in a grim scowl as your spirit surged and you became fortified in your position, as though stone.

    The White Wolfos snarled and huffed, staring you down.  Impa backed up a pace, grabbed Zelda's hand and stepped away gently, toward the house, bringing Zelda with her.  The white Wolfos barked and growled "*Just wait!*" then pulled his hand out from the pocket, clenching something small enough to be concealed by his fist.  The white Wolfos' voice is menacing as he snarls at you "*You're scared!*"

    Eyes narrowing, he barks without context. Then he growls again, "*But you have courage to stay here before me.*"  Panting and smiling a moment before barking and snarling, "*Eat the girls!*"

    You belt out a holler and rush into the White Wolfos, even unarmed, raising a fist.  The Wolfos dropped a Deku Nut and evaded your empty strike.

    The black Wolfos remained motionless by the door, and now you feel confused.

    The White Wolfos could be heard panting and huffing...  maybe... laughing?

    You turn around and see the hunched over Wolfos with his tongue hanging out, huffing and cackling in a dry wheeze, then raise his head back and laugh into the air, gasping for more.

    "*HA-HAW! This kid needs a sword!*"  He laughed, then looked directly in your eyes; bearing a ferocious fanged grin, "*There's no doubt about it, Impa! You need to train this one.*"  Evidently a friendly exchange, but the fiendish voice of this wolf never sounded friendly.

    "*Kiddo, you're to begin training immediately.  Once you can best me, you're ready to visit the temple, but not a moment before.  It will take more than a sword and shield to fight my kin.  This is another training weapon you might want to learn.  Get moving.*" The white Wolfos declared, handing you a wooden Boomerang. 

    Impa escorted you and Zelda inside.  The black Wolfos sat, remaining perched beside the door, and the white Wolfos seemed to disappear altogether - nowhere in sight.

    You find that the interior of the cabin was identical to the city house illusion with the exception of tribal decor, building materials, color scheme, and atmosphere; and so, you easily returned to the basement to train. 

    You and Impa worked hard for three days, honing your skills and perfecting your strikes.  On the night of the third day, when you had finally learned how to wield the boomerang, after you had completed the day's workload, and Impa had departed, the Black Wolfos entered the basement.

    The lights flickered and faded out, then flashed on, dimmed to a gentle glow, and maintained this low, gloomy atmosphere.  The dark fur of the Wolfos made it impossible to see his body.  His red eyes gave him a greater menacing aura than already lent his bristly fur and glistening fangs.

    "Let's see how far you've come, pup!"  He said, and without pause or hesitation leapt into you - claws first.

    The Lights flicker again but remain dim.  A tight row of pikes shoots up at the base of the stairs, forming an impassible barricade from the basement.

    Trapped in the fight! 

    Your insides churn as you evaded the initial attack by jumping to your left, toward the mirrored walls.  The dark beast's fur was nice and smooth along the face, arms, and legs, but bristled fiercely along his back and tail, which was briefly exposed to you before the Wolfos almost immediately backed away by flipping, twice, away from the mirrors.

    Unseen to you from behind, his reflection did not reflect away from yours, but ran along with the Wolfos, and charged you from behind while you stupidly watched the dark fur of your opponent dissolve, as if smoke, into a shadowy image that pooled away from sight; just as you were struck from behind by the Shadow Black Wolfos. 

    You gasp and wince in pain, "Ahhuhng!"

    The Wolfos barked, "Some of us, such as myself, have powers uncommon to the rest of us.  I have patiently honed these rare powers, rarely shared by my kin."  He wasn’t attacking for the moment, but remained poised and ready to strike.  "... Since our people hunt in packs, I will use my magic to train you against a pack raid; but know that if you were to fight me for real, you would not stand even this long!  This is your only warning! I hope you are prepared!" Then he again lunged, you again dodged, this time to the right, and ran around to try to strike back, but just missed, as the Wolfos also jumped to the side to dodge.

    Stalemate. 

    You faced each other down. 

    The Black Wolfos began to run around to try to get behind you.  You followed your opponent, trying to stay facing off, and also began to run around; almost chasing, or almost being chased.  The Wolfos wasn't fooled, and turned around to catch you off guard, striking swiftly. 

    You were barely able to raise your shield in time and thrown off balance, staggering back several paces.  Before you knew what had happened, the Black Wolfos was in the shadows again, and nowhere to be seen. 

    You turn around just in time to catch the Wolfos in mid transition between mirror and reality.

    You raise your shield in time to deflect the blow and hold your ground, giving you a chance to strike back, yet when the sword made contact, it didn't phase him. The sword bounced off his shoulder and the Wolfos shrugged it off, like nothing.

    "That won't do..."  He taunted. 

    You glowered at the Shadow Black Wolfos, brow furrowed, lips drawn down in frown with your chin jutting out and up defiantly. 

    You lunged, but gave yourself away too soon, and the Wolfos back flipped several times, putting good distance between you, before attempting to run behind again.  You leaped to the side several times, dodging quickly to force the Wolfos to face you directly. 

    It worked, he moved in for a strike.  You prepared to receive and block the attack, then strike back.  But as the Black Wolfos moved in range, he started running aside again!

    You looked ahead of him, the wall would stop him from moving around so why...? 

    You'd looked away too long!

    The Wolfos was not standing beside the wall in his path, nor running away from you, running into the wall, or coming at you!  You attempt to turn and scan the room but were struck from behind once more, this time without blocking it.  Taking the blow, you were hurt, and staggered forward.  You became angry and confused; angry because you could not make sense of what had just happened, which was making you only more confused. 

    You raise your shield and run around the Wolfos, who ran around you.  You were both attempting to get behind the other, but the Wolfos was again first to break cadence and strike first.  You, again, deflected it and struck back, again with no effect.

    "The pack trains to hunt by attacking from behind, making us predators; we're not prey while facing each other..." And he faded away into pools of shadowy fog. 

    You couldn't see him in the room, but the distinct reflection of his movements caught your attention.  The reflected image of the otherwise absent Black Wolfos walked into the corner of the room where the mirrored walls met, and stepped into the reflection of the other wall mirror....   two reflections, but no Wolfos to reflect...  The two reflections then stepped into yet the other empty wall mirror and there were then four reflections! 

    You stagger back several paces away from the mirrors, astonished and somewhat frightened, as the four Wolfos entered the room together, leaving four Black Wolfos in the room yet no reflections in the mirrors but your own.

    Your stomach churned in place and nauseated you.  You swallowed hard to hold back the fear, and to keep your stomach down, then faced down this pack with what confidence you had.  Remembering what the Wolfos said before disappearing into 4 copies, your courage increased significantly, and you waited for an opportunity to strike one of them on the back.

    They tried to surround you, but you kept moving, jumping left, jumping backwards, running around right, rolling ahead, and dodging swipes. 

    One Wolfos swiped late and missed by a mile as you rolled right past.  Now you had a chance.  The slowly twisting torso of the Wolfos gradually bristled from the smooth front side around to the bristled violent looking back side - You lunged. 

   You successfully struck the backside of one of the illusions, and it disappeared without complaint or concern, into the shadows.  Another three to go, one already moving in for a lunge!!  You narrowly roll aside and hop around to face him off, sliding in an arc with the momentum.  You were both locked head on to one another: Strafe right, strafe left. Strafe right, and roll back...   Too much distance, another one moved in... Then the other. Two on one. 

    You doubled back, but the two pursued.  You evaded left, they followed.  You tried to face them both, but one got around behind you.  You faced the other off, who started trying to loop around as well. 

    They tricked you! Two of them were behind you! 

    You swung your sword hard and early, spinning into it...

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    **moving in for a lunge, Link narrowly rolled aside and hopped around to face him off.  They locked head on to one another: Strafe right, strafe left.  Strafe right, and roll back...   Too much distance, another one moved in... Then the other, two on one.  Link doubled back, but the two pursued.**

    The disengaged Wolfos mirrored Link's movements for a moment and stayed behind Link, but near.  He moved left and right, held close, moving forward, and took the opposite side his partner moved in on.  They were both behind Link now, backing up gently, giving them room to maneuver against the one, while silently coiling for a double lunge.  The face off started to guide Link around too early, and they lunged!!!

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    You swung your sword while facing away from them, but spun into it hard, and carried the momentum of the sword around with you, striking the pair in mid-lunge.  Though you were unable to hurt them, you successfully deflected their attack with this strike.  You jumped left twice then backwards until you were able to see all three Wolfos at once. 

    Maybe one of them was real, you thought to yourself, hoping one might stand out from the rest, and that you would not have to fight the illusions. 

    They snarled in unison, as if taunting the thought.

    You run in.  The nearest Wolfos swiped at you, you rolled under it then immediately started running.  The other two were still beside each other after the failed lunge, and you skidded to a stop just outside their range of attack.  You feinted a slash, but jumped in that direction instead, and rolled through, to the right, behind the two.  As the one on your left began to swing, your roll to the right, prompting them to follow, exposing one's back to the other's claw! 

    You'd used one to defeat the other, and turned to raise your shield just in case.  The attack was not close enough to make contact with the shield, so you sliced futilely at the hand and backed away, keeping the Wolfos at bay. 

    The Wolfos pair exchanged glances then faded away.

    You lower your guard a moment, slouching slightly and giving in to the weight of the light wooden sword, allowing it to dangle in your grasp.  The hazy shadow fog lingered while the distorted forms of two Wolfos faded into it. 

    Nothing seemed to happen.  You regain suspicion and take guard once more, inspecting the haze from where you stood before slowly approaching it.

    Once you are within feet of the haze, it takes form of one Wolfos and slowly solidifies, revealing an intricate dark armor covered in tribal etchings burnt into leather padding, worn and aged, yet still firm but pliable. The armor seemed to materialize around the shadows, rather than a body or being.  The form revealed twin red eyes, and from behind his back protruded a fairly large and hilted boomerang.

    While his whole face, boomerang, and armor had solidified, his fur appeared to be mere shadowy wisps fading away into the wind like liquid smoke where his body should have been.

    His demeanor was relaxed and nonthreatening.  His tongue hung out lazily, as he panted softly.  He even appeared to be grinning.

    "We Wolfos kind have come from many generations of pack hunters and tribesmen who once faced greater beasts with skull crushing might!  Our skulls and bones have to be able to withstand the might of even a Goron punch!  Our survival relies on using our bodies' adaptations.  All monsters in this world have these sorts of advantageous adaptations, but also something they are weak against.  I will train you to use the boomerang, but you must find my weak point some other way.  There will come a time when I will have to test you again!"

    The lights slowly brightened and the Shadow Wolfos faded away with the light.

    "When you wish to speak with me again, come down here with the lights out."

Just before the place of the Wolfos, as the lights came on, a wooden chest magically appeared to fade in with them.  The chest was curiously open, but empty.

    The pike barricade then retracted loudly.

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Spiritual Requiem
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