-Mitagi, Qin-

There existed a man of legend. One might not think of him so but he was also a craftsman of stone in his spare time. Without a shirt in the blistering sun, his muscles and scars were revealed as he chiseled and one might think his body was more sturdy and hard than the stone he wrought. They would not be wrong. His birthright was ancient strength, his birth was in blood and death, his childhood was in training day and night, and his life was on the battlefield. The mere mention of his name hushed proud men. Strong as an ogre and with an army as quick as birds, he earned himself the name 'The Bird of Qin'. There was not one house or family in all the countries of Hyrule who had not lost a man to him at one time or another.

Ouki Mitagi took a step back to admire his creation. Behind him stood his first in command, an incredibly polite man of some country called England. He called himself a 'night'.

The statue Ouki had spent a week on depicted an angelic child riding a pony.

"Truly a work of art, sir." The Englishmen said. Ouki agreed. It was smooth, full of life and vibrant features. It depicted innocence, holiness, playfulness.

"Hmm... it is still missing something," Ouki replied. He still felt unsatisfied.

The Englishman produced a scroll and handed it to Ouki.

"This might allow you a brief reprieve. You have received a request from Chancellor Ketsu. He wishes for you to be the commanding general of Genju Pass for a time."

Through the middle of Qin was a mountain range. Kanyou rested only a few scant miles from it and Genju Pass. The pass itself was not the widest, but it was the most direct path to Kanyou, and was the main trade route between the western and eastern halves of Qin.

"As opposed to Chancellor Ryo's request for me to be in charge of Genju Pass. You know what this means?" Ouki tossed the scroll into the nearest bin of hot coals. It was unopened.

"They both want you to be on their side at the gate. One to allow entry and the other to prevent. Sounds like Ryo and Ketsu are lining up for civil war then. They both have inquired what you want that they might buy your favor, not able to understand or comprehend your true nature."

"Correct. You see it perfectly." Ouki laughed. "They don't listen. I keep telling them they cannot offer what I want. Oh! I know what this needs!"

The Englishman produced a large hammer. "Here you are, sir."

Ouki smiled. "Ah, yes. Perfect. You always know my thoughts so well."

"I am underserving of such praise, sir."

Ouki grasped the hammer and lifted it skyward with one hand. He watched the sun glint on its surface. He brought it down on the statue and in one strike he shattered it into pieces. For one exhilarating moment he saw death, blood, and fire within the glorious destruction he met out to the stone.

He breathed it in deeply while existed. Then just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared to be replaced by the chirping of birds and a bright sunny day full of the promise of joy.

"They think they can BUY me? Money! Land! Prestige! What are these things to me? Just give me a foe, set me free and let me feast on a land of spraying blood and dancing flesh! If only such a time existed again."

Ouki sighed in despair. His legend was born in the days of king Shorlin. He had fought alongside the brilliant king of war, the fierce Majora, the elusive Sheikah, the miraculous Fae, and other great generals. Ouki made a name for himself as the most talented in all of Qin. He knew the truth: He wasn't the fiercest, the smartest, the fastest. Those titles were for others. He was just the thirstiest.

"Perhaps I might offer a suggestion, my liege? Accept both requests."

Ouki opened his eyes and considered that. He locked eyes with his first in command and an unspoken conversation passed between them. Ouki smirked and bellowed in laughter.

"Oh, you cruel cruel man! That is devious! That is scheming! That is-that is beautiful! I love it!"

"Thank you, sir."

-Kanyou, Royal Palace-

"My lord!" Chancellor Ketsu ran into the throne room. He stopped a few feet in and fell on his face.

Prince Kyou opened his eyes, annoyed his nap was disturbed. Conveniently the throne was large enough for him to lay on and he had been taking advantage of that.

"What is it?" Kyou growled in annoyance.

"My king," Ketsu bowed hurriedly. "Word has come from Reida's father! She never returned home!"

Despite Kyou's aloofness, his desire to relax and enjoy the throne to its fullest, matters in regards to Reida could rival it. "What?!" Kyou gasped. He sat up. "But she left for home! She took the direct road. She should be home by now!"

"I know, my king," Ketsu gulped. He rubbed his hands together worriedly. It was horrible news, and he worried over how Kyou would take it. "I sent my fastest rider to take the road."

"How fast can he ride?"

"Without rest, it will take a day to make it to her home and another to return."

"Then we won't know if she is alive for a while!" Kyou shuddered. His eyes grew wide in fear. "What if it was bandits? Rebels? Beasts! Reida can't take the wilds! She is too delicate!"

In truth, Chancellor Ketsu doubted she was as delicate as the prince thought. Kyou's fiancé was several years older than the prince and was as mature as an adult twice her age. She was meek in the public view, but on the inside, she was as strong, stern, yet as doting as... as a mother.

Ever since Prince Kyou lost his mother he hadn't been the same.

Prince Kyou only grew more drastic and panicked as he went, driving himself more and more frantic. "Ketsu! Check with every village between Kanyou and Oudo! There must have been signs of a noblewoman passing through!"

Ketsu said he would, but this was not enough for the prince. The prince descended from his throne. Ketsu gasped. Kyou and he had killed and plotted for it, waited and anticipated it with every breath, and the thought of a mere woman made it leave his mind. Even if this was a momentary thought, it was dangerous!

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"My prince!" Ketsu extended his hands to have him stop. "Please settle down! Prince Kyou, please find your center and listen to your servant! Now, do you trust your servant?"

Kyou stopped on the final step from the throne. Whereas normally his expression was haughty and arrogant and guarded, this was perhaps the first time Ketsu had seen his composure broken so severely. The prince did not look like royalty at all. He looked like a scared child, naive and trusting in a court where all emotion and thoughts should be guarded.

Kyou answered, "Among my servants, you are among the few worth trusting."

"Do you find your servant capable of finding and rescuing Reida in your stead?"

Kyou forced himself to be hardened again, and he glared at the Chancellor. Try as he might though, he still shook. "What are you saying? That I should sit and do nothing?!"

"Far from, my prince!" Ketsu argued. "You are our nation's pride and joy, our figurehead! If you will not sit on the throne, then who will? Certainly not I, that is not my place! Only you can! Did you not deserve it as the firstborn son of the king? Did you not earn it by destroying the witch Ryo put on it? Did you not foil Ryo's plot to put a fake on your throne? That is your place, just as my place is to be your hands and eyes. Allow me to do your will, allow me to search her out and ensure her safety!"

Kyou looked back at the throne, and Ketsu feared for the hesitation in the boy's eyes. The boy wanted to personally find his woman, but he also desired the throne fiercely. Ketsu could only hold his breath and wait as the prince warred within himself. On one side was the lonely, damaged child that grew to love Reida and respect her strength; and on the other side was the strong, hardened prince Ketsu had helped raise.

Prince Kyou turned to glare fiercely at Ketsu. He said darkly, "If Reida is hurt in any form or fashion..."

"Then I will ensure recompense is made a thousandfold! Whoever is responsible will pay for generations!" Ketsu bowed rapidly.

"Go!" Kyou took the steps up to the throne. His composure strengthened once more, and the malevolence he gave off was darker than ever. "Do not fail me!"

His voice promised retribution if the Chancellor failed.

"I will not fail you, my king." Ketsu bowed his way out.

-Majora's Mountain, Zelda-

"I can't believe we survived that!" Link collapsed on the straw bed provided to them. "I'm still shaking! Did you see how close that sword came?! That was a huge freakin' sword!"

Zelda sat in the corner of the room and leaning her head back against the wall, she closed her eyes to rest. "Your fault. You shouldn't have come."

"You could at least pretend to be glad to see me."

"I see no point in pretending to like each other," She replied.

"Hey, now..." He leaned upon his elbows to look at her with furrowed eyebrows.

"Don't. I don't need you to care. I don't want it. Your service is enough. You're useful to me as a sword. I'm useful to you for revenge. We made a deal. You help me stop my brother, and I grant you freedom. That's all there is."

Link growled, "Well, excuse me, princess, but aren't you the one who wanted us to follow you this far? Yes, we have a deal but I came this far because I wanted to. You don't get to tell me not to come. You don't care for me to care? Well, I don't care if you don't!" Link huffed. "Geez. Can't you just say 'thanks' at some point? Sometimes that's all people want!"

Once more Zelda could only stare at him. His logic was beyond her. It took her a long time to figure out what he was trying to say, and then to wonder if he meant it the way he said it, or if he was just spouting words that went together.

"None of the less," Zelda moved on. "We aren't out of danger. I don't know if my reasoning worked to convince them, or if they will call my words foolishness and kill me in a fit of revenge to appease the dead."

"Yeah, that's creepy. The dead are dead. Why should a bunch of dead people care? Don't they have their own problems in the dead place?"

Zelda huffed. She smiled, despite herself. Perhaps it wasn't that Link didn't have a form of logic or wisdom, it was just incredibly simple. Most of the time he was as ignorant and foolish as any slave, but some moments surprised her.

"Well said."

"Your welcome!" Link replied. "Now let's get some sleep! Big day tomorrow! If it makes you feel any better, I left you the clean straw."

"I will pass."

-Majora's Mountain, Ganondorf Dragmire-

Ganondorf stood on the peak of the mountain staring out at the moon, the mountains he knew to be his territory, and the distant plains on the edge of the horizon. When he felt the need to be alone he would climb to a height higher than any other, yet it wasn't enough. If he could, he would climb higher.

Something about the Qin high heir stirred a feeling in his heart. He hadn't shown it, but to see the resolve in her eyes and the strength of her ambition was enough to ignite the fire in his heart.

Ganon was always an ambitious man. Strength was his birthright, so much so that he found no rival. Whatever he wanted was his. Yet, even so, the world seemed so small. Now that he was at the top where was there left to climb? Where was there left to fly? In his recent years, he fell aloof, bored. The fire in his heart dimmed to nothing more than coals. He was like a fish in a small pond, a dragon trapped in a confining cave. He felt his growth stagnated.

A memory stirred in his mind.

Shortly after he had become the leader of the Majora, he had stood on a similar mountain overlooking the moon and distant plains of Qin.

"Why don't we capture Qin?" Ganondorf asked back then.

His twin mothers cackled happily as they climbed up behind him.

"Just the kind of question-" The first said.

"We would expect from you," The second continued.

"But for now, please be patient." The first said.

"To capture Qin, we need more power." The second said.

"If we will not seek war, then seek peace," Ganondorf suggested.

This made his twin mother's gasp in both horror and surprise.

"Peace with Qin?!" The first yelled.

"You must not speak such blasphemous words, Lord Dragmire!" The second hissed.

"Everyone is waiting for you to clear away our ancestor's pain!"

"Mothers," Ganondorf sighed back then. "As I get older, the strength of our walls become stronger. The power of our numbers become greater. And as they do, I feel caged. I sense the narrowness of this country. War. peace. Whatever form it takes is fine. I just want the world to expand."

All Ganondorf remembered wanting was to see the world beyond the mountains. Was it to be the strongest? No. He already possessed that. He wanted to be able to fly, to break free of this cage of earth. He simply wanted to be the freest.

"Why do you hesitate, my king?" Ganon heard voices behind him. He turned to see his twin mothers had made it nearly to the top. They flew on staffs around him.

"Now is the time to clear away years of grudges and pain!"

"Now is no need for questions! Now is the need for action!"

"If you find it beneath you, then allow us!"

"We will peel off her skin and dry it in the sun!"

"We will chop her to pieces and feed her to pigs!"

"Or we may let you take her first, and taste her youth!"

"Or should she be given to the people-"

"To do with as they will?"

Ganon narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Their guidance of malice and deep-seated hate once was his guide, but in recent years it had only grated on his ears. He respected his ancestors but why should he be restrained by such things? What right did the old have to place their burdens on the young? What right did his parents have to put their ambition on his shoulders just because they failed? All that did was weigh him down and burden him when all he wanted was to escape it.

"Silence!" Ganondorf roared.

His voice startled his mother's into nearly falling from their staffs.

"How dare you speak to us like-"

"I will speak to you old crones however I please. Have you forgotten so quickly who I am? I am your king!"

"We raised you!"

"And I can defeat both of you with ease." He replied simply. "I overcame both of you. How sad is it when the student overcomes all masters, yet the masters still demand of the student? It is nothing more than the master's wish to restrain the student to his will forever."

"What are you saying!?"

"Nothing more than for you to stop prattling and be quiet," Ganondorf repeated himself. "You want justice for the ancestors? I can agree with it but what would revenge do for the dead? Their dream of escaping this cage of a mountain will still be left undone. I suspect the only ones satisfied would be you two. If you truly want the dead to be appeased, then wouldn't it be better to turn their dreams into reality?"

They wanted to argue further, but he silenced them with a wave of his hand.

"Leave me!" He hissed. They did. Finally, Ganon was left to ponder his silence under the watchful gaze of Nayru's moon. "Not like I am done yet," Ganon thought out loud. "I still have one more trial for the naïve princess."