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The forest was a maze. Zale felt lost without Lila. Link was an excellent tracker, though. He seemed to follow a direct path even when Zale saw no sign of passage. The way Link moved reminded Zale of a wolf. Zale shivered, thinking of the last time he had encountered wolves during Lila’s trial. His memory was hazy, but he knew she was brilliant. All he could recall was a warm sensation and a flash of light.

Link stalked ahead of the group, just within sight. Finally, he signaled the group to wait. He scouted ahead for a moment and then returned to talk to Zale.

“This is it,” Link said. “There’s a cave in a clearing up ahead. It looks constructed. There are two guard towers on either side of the entrance, and two more at the far end of the hill. I saw no other guards.”

Zale asked, “How many are in the towers?”

“Just one bulblin each.”

“Good. We should be able to take them out quietly,” Zale said. “I’ll shoot one with my crossbow at the same time you shoot the other. Meredith and Arden can take out the other two at the far end.” He whispered his plan to the named volunteers, and they slipped off into the forest. They were to whistle when they were in position. Zale and Link moved to where they’d have a clear shot on their targets. Zelda, Salvatore, and the last volunteer Kolba stayed behind.

At the sound of the whistle, four arrows flew to their mark and each landed true. The bulblins fell from their posts without noise, leaving the path open. Zale waited and watched for any movement. When none came, he went back to the clearing. Link was already there.

“Nice plan,” Link said, no longer whispering.

Zale said, “Thanks. Are you willing to take point when we go in?”

Link smiled broadly. “Of course!”

“Then when Arden and Meredith get back, we’ll make our move. Until then, watch the entrance.”

Link nodded and left. A few minutes later, the two volunteers came back, and they all went to join Link. Zale arranged them strategically, and then they went to the cave entrance. They were all struck by the horrible smell as they approached. They didn’t reach the cave, however, when Link held out a hand to stop them.

A bokoblin was running out of the cave. Link ran forward and attacked it at the entrance. It vanished in a puff of smoke, but Link kept his guard up. More blins started spilling out of the cave. They all seemed to be afraid of something inside.

“Pull back!” Zale shouted and did just that. Link remained, though, killing as many blins as he could with each stroke. Zale watched as the blins that escaped scattered away from the cave in every direction. They totally ignored Zale’s group. It seemed like they didn’t even have weapons.

Zale told the others, “Let them pass.”

After a minute or so, the flood abated. No more blins were running from the cave. Link stood with his sword still raised, though he was winded from his one-sided fighting. Zale wondered what Link was waiting for. Were more blins coming?

Without warning, Link ran into the cave and out of sight.

“What is he doing?” Zale wondered aloud.

“Let’s go check,” Zelda said, worried.

The group moved forward, though the smell was almost unbearable. Meredith had to run aside and throw up because of the stench. Zale ignored her plight. He was stunned by what he was seeing.

Link was fighting Lila!

“Stop it!” Zelda shouted, rushing ahead. She reached out to touch Link, and he stopped fighting. Lila stopped fighting as well but didn’t put her sword down. She looked worn out and ready to collapse. Zale ran to her and swallowed her in a tight hug. Then she finally let her sword drop.

“You’re alive!” Zale said. He felt tears pouring down his face, both from relief and the smell.

Lila’s voice was as rough as she looked. “Yeah, I’m fine, no thanks to him.”

Link retorted, “Just give me the Master Sword and I’ll get out of your way.”

Zelda held him back and said, “Not now.”

“Yes, now!” Link growled. “It’s my sword–”

“This is not the place for this discussion,” Zelda said shakily. She was looking green. Link looked down at her in concern, and Zale actually saw him relax.

“You’re right,” Link said. “Let’s get out of here.”

“I second that,” Lila chimed in.

The group left the cave and didn’t say anything until they were back in the forest. Lila closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of fresh air.

“That was the worst dungeon I’ve ever been in,” she said.

“Are you hurt?” Zale asked frantically.

Lila laughed. “That’s not what I meant. I meant the smell. It was revolting!”

Everyone laughed along with her at that. Except for Link. He stood with his arms crossed with a glower on his face.

Zale noticed Link’s expression and said, “Let’s get back to Castle Town and see if we can get things sorted out.”

“Why not now?” Link challenged. “We can fight it out here and now.”

Zelda put a hand on his chest. “That wouldn’t be fair to Lila. Can’t you see she’s been through an ordeal?”

“I can fight,” Lila defended, “and I’ll win.”

Zale scolded her, “You need rest! You haven’t even recovered from your fight with Ganondra! I’ll bet you had to fight your way out of that place,” he added, pointing with his head toward the cave.

Lila sighed, “You’re right.”

“Then it’s settled,” Zale said. “We go back to town.”