-Link-

"Well, looks like the monsters didn't go for the horses." Link commented. He returned to the girls with the horse's reins in his hands. He momentarily stopped when he reentered the ruins. The women were openly refusing to look at each other.

He sighed. He had hoped the two would have a much-needed talk while he was gone.

"I realize there is history and all, but can we please get along?" Link pleaded. "Impa, we came here to help her, right?"

"Or kill her if she couldn't be helped," Impa replied. "No threat to the princess can be allowed."

Soli sucked in breath angrily. She snapped, "Like I was ever a threat to her. Don't use her as an excuse for all of your actions. Typical Sheikah..."

"Typical Sheikah?" Impa asked, her ire rising. Link sighed again. "Have something you want to say, Solitare?"

"My name isn't Solitare! Not anymore. And yes. You justify your actions as being in the name of the princess as if the princess is perfectly fine with everything you do if she had the slightest idea of the kinds of things you do."

"She is," Impa replied. "Princess Zelda knows the Sheikah operates from the shadows. Every king knows. Every king has them. Our job is to do the dirty work to keep their hands clean. We are at war! We have to do horrible things to survive."

Link looked around for Soli's horse, found it, and brought the three horses together while the girls finally talked.

"So murdering my sister, my friends, and innocent people is justified because we are in a time of war? How is that any better than what Prince Kyou did against Zelda?! Are we to slaughter every village we come across because they don't agree with you!? You murdered Reida's guards and kidnapped Reida, who you knew was not on Kyou's side."

"Yes. I did. I would do it again," Impa answered.

Solitare looked at her hard, "Then you are a coward."

"Excuse me?"

"You are a coward because you refuse to acknowledge your actions as your own and take responsibility. You put the guilt off to other parties, other ideas, because you know if the blame was put on your shoulders you would be revealed for who you are. Guess what, Chancellor, that won't work when we stand before Naryu in the next realm. Everything you have done will be placed solely on your shoulders and you won't be able to say 'Well, it was just my job.'"

Impa laughed derisively, "So you think your hands are clean? You think you can judge me?"

"I haven't killed innocent people! I can remember now who I am, and look back at what I have done, and not feel guilty! I went to war to defend my home and I killed Zhao whose goal was to kill innocent people. Can you say the same?"

Impa didn't respond at first. She looked at Solitare and slowly smiled. It was a gentle smile, a pitying smile. "Young one, I used to think like you. It is true, you have fought on the defense so far, but one day you will fight on the offensive. One day you will decide who is guilty and who is innocent, while you fight the defenders. One day you will understand the true evil of war is that no one is innocent and no one is truly guilty."

Solitare opened her mouth to argue, but Impa cut her off. "Soli, allow me to offer a question to ponder. I will make my peace with you, but I want you to understand something. Which is worse, the realms of hell or war?"

"The realms of hell." Solitare answered.

"Who goes there? Who suffers?"

"The guilty."

"But who suffers in war?" Impa asked. Solitare did not have an answer to that immediately, so Impa continued, "Because the way I see it, in war, both the innocent and guilty suffer equally. The hells are where the guilty go, and rightly so. That is justice. But war is cruel and evil because people who don't belong in the realms of hell experience a hell of our own making. War makes everyone guilty as you must kill to protect your loved ones from those that would kill them first. There is no justice but the justice we make for ourselves. I have found my justice. I hope one day you find yours."

With that said, Impa approached the horses, climbed atop her own, and started at a slow pace. Solitare was left sitting on the edge of the well, speechless. Link looked between them. He didn't want to move yet, as he was uncertain of where his friend's mind was.

"For what it's worth," Link said. "And this is said with all the love a friend can have, but I think you are both right."

"What?!" Soli gasped.

"You are right, she should take responsibility for her actions. But she is also right, I think, that war makes us all guilty at some point. We should find our justice, our answers. Like her, I have found mine. I defended Qin alongside you because, like you, I want to protect us all. I want to keep as many people as possible from experiencing the horrors war brings with it."

Solitare sighed and put her head in her hands. Link approached her, sat by her, and put his arm around her. He didn't say anything. It was a very emotional day. He didn't know what he could say, as he also didn't know what she was thinking.

"I'm afraid," She finally admitted. "I'm afraid one day I will do something, that one day we will go on the offensive and I will kill innocent people and look back at myself and I am afraid of who I will see. One day we will be ordered to do something horrible and..." She let it drift off.

Link said, "Then let me carry the burden."

"I don't want you to be responsible for me. My actions are my own."

"Not like that," Link smirked. He chuckled lightly despite the heavy atmosphere. "If you ever come into a position where you are ordered to do something you believe in wrong. If you are ever ordered to kill when you believe you should not. Say no. Disregard the order."

"But that would be treason."

"Then I will make it an order," Link answered. "You answer the bastard 'I am ordered not to do this', say I gave the order, and if they have a problem with you, they can take it up with me." Link stood and barked loudly. "You know what! All of you, my entire unit, if ANYONE is put into a position where they cannot justify their actions, then they are under my orders not to do it! Starting now, that is a lasting order!"

Solitare could only stare at him, baffled. For a moment she remembered the orders Zelda had given her. She gulped, "And what if the order is from the princess?"

Link burst out in laughter. Solitare felt her ears turn red from embarrassment. Link said, "I know Zelda can be cruel, but let me take it up with her! I think when you say my name she will understand. The worst that can happen is we have a tussle. I mean, I already punched her in the face repeatedly and she threw me into a tree. Then I punched again and she threw me into the water. What's the worst she gonna do? Execute me?"

Solitare gaped at him in horror. What kind of relationship did those two have?! "You idiot! Why would you do that! She can have you killed!"

Link smiled, remembering Midna. "Yeah, I keep being told that."

Link smiled for another reason. It looked like Soli was better. She was still down and would have a lot to think about for a while, but she said what she needed to get out with Impa. Hopefully, the two wouldn't go at each other's throats again.

Despite how Impa and Soli were acting, Link still felt that Impa was agreeing with Soli by her actions. She did come all this way to take personal responsibility for what she did to Soli years ago. She did come all this way to see if Soli was irredeemable or not, and he got the feeling that Impa's words were for Soli's good. She wasn't trying to be cruel or argumentative. She was trying to be helpful in her way.

"Soli," Link said gently. "I think its time to let this place go. And I think I know just how to do it."

"How?"

Rather than answer, Link took her hand and led her to a nearby cabin. Inside were the bottled up Fae. He took a bottle, handed it to Soli, and took one for himself. He looked her in the eye meaningfully and threw the bottle into the ground. It shattered. The Fae flew into the air, free. Soli gulped, looked at the caged Fae in her hands, and did as he did. One by one they took every bottle and shattered them. Before long they were surrounded in the illumination of Fae, and Link watched Soli continue on her own. He smiled. Against the beautiful lights of the Fae, and the growing wonder in her eyes, she was pretty. He didn't think anything of the scars she had, but the demonic scar she had received had hidden her real beauty and joy.

To describe in detail the nature of the experiments, the nature and extent of the Fae kidnapping and trade, and how the Betrayer King and the albino, Ghirrahimm, both encouraged it and profited from it, would be beyond the nature of this retelling. Link and Soli were oblivious to how dark it was, even though Soli, like Zant, was a production of the same experiments. All they knew was the evil of these rogue Sheikah was undone.

With the Fae freed, and the air filled with Fae who flew frantically in joy from being freed, they loaded up on their horses and followed after Impa.

They found Impa waiting for them on the road just outside of the forest. She nodded in approval as they neared. She said, "It looks like you are better. I am glad." Impa turned and looked towards the distant smoke billowing up into the air. "I have to report this to the palace and set an effort to take in the refugees nearby. Where are you two going to go?"

Link smirked and shared a glance with Solitare. "Do you even need to ask?"

"Into the thick of it, then. Best of luck to you. Solitare, no, Kyou Ki," Impa corrected. "I may no longer be a Shadowmaster, but when our clan catches wind of this, you will no longer be a Sheikah. Where do you intend to go?"

"I'm an officer of Link's unit. They may be crazy, but they are my home."

Impa nodded, "Very well. I will pass on the word to the clan that you are not a threat. I imagine," Impa briefly glanced at Link. "That I'll see you again."

-Matsubi-

When Matsubi marched west with the Dragmire and Fae, he expected problems. He expected conflict between some of his men and the Dragmire with their cursed reputation. What he did not expect was to march onto a scene with fleeing refugees, a fortress city on flame, and twenty-foot monsters all across the plains.

"What the..." Matsubi whispered. He blinked for a moment, surprised, but only a moment. His training kicked in. He didn't know what to do about monsters, but he had to do something! "Gather up! Turtle formation! The Dragmire go in the middle and we form around them! Kagura, take riders out and bring the refugees here!"

His command of three-thousand was a long stretch behind himself as they marched over the land, but with the waving of flags, those behind rushed forward and formed into a proper unit. As per his orders, the Dragmire moved close together, the Qin unit formed around them with shield and spear and sword raised, and the Fae mingled in. The only ones allowed to leave the 'living fortress' of shield and men were teams on horseback and Fae.

Matsubi took to horseback. He left a decent command to lead the turtle formation and rushed to meet with Kagumi. The former commander of the royal guard had rushed to the aid of the refugees and shepherded them to the Qin unit, but the sudden activity had also caught the attention of the monsters.

The monsters included a giant spider, a giant wolf, a giant scorpion, a pair of giant moblins, something that looked like a cross between a giant bear and deer, and a couple of very large Twilight hounds the Majora had caged into masks.

The wolf came bounding onto the scene chasing after Kagumi's team when Matsubi rode up and they raised their spears at it. Matsubi threw his spear into the beast's side, but it was shallow. The beast had tough skin. The wolf howled at them and swatted at their spears but did not come so close as to get pierced further. Kagumi continued with bringing the refugees to the turtle formation. With Matsubi in the way, the wolf growled ferociously, turned and gave chase to other stragglers it could find. Matsubi wanted to help, but the pair of moblins approached, hungry for their flesh. He kicked his horse and his team followed, and they were able to outrun the moblins, but there was little else they could do. The moblins crushed everything in their hands, whether it be man or steed.

As they rode, Matsubi turned an eye to the formation and saw the scorpion had approached the turtle formation. It kept a small distance from where it could reach out with its claws and thrust its tail in, but no further. The armor and shields did the trick. Matsubi saw its attempts were fleeting. The most it could do was knock them down. If the Qin fought in small groups, they would be easily destroyed, but the formation was so tightly packed that a few being knocked on their butts was nothing. The moment the scorpion comes too close it would contend with hundreds of spears.

The giant spider crawled alongside the edge of the fortress and leaped off to land in front of Matsubi. Nets of silk sprayed from its mouth and Matsubi turned the horse harshly to get out of the way. The net came up short.

His group rode up onto the hill nearby, still being chased by moblins, and saw a small battlefield had already fallen nearby. A group of wolves, horses, and mountain men were dead in the distance and twilight monsters feasted on the bodies.

"The Majora has already been here," Matsubi observed.

Something wasn't right. A tingling sensation lingered in Matsubi's mind. He wasn't the smartest when it came to the nature of beasts, but one would typically expect beasts, especially predators, to be wary of one another, to be territorial, or simply to consider one another a threat. The beasts were not fighting each other at all. Rather they were moving corresponding to one another, like a herd, like they had a thought process or plan.

He didn't have long to ponder it, as a loud high-pitched roar erupted from the city. The flames exploded across the city and spread further. Matsubi felt a chill go down his spine. The city was large, formerly the capital of Chancellor Ketsu's holdings, and there were, at most, a thousand refugees they had managed to direct towards their 'living fortress'. Just how big was the death toll? He couldn't help wondering and he dreaded ever gettingg the answer.

He didn't have a moment to ponder. The moblins were atop him again. His men rode around the two, confusing them, and thrust spears into the monster's legs, but it did little more than give the beasts paper cuts. The Qin just as quickly had to rush out of arms reach of the monsters as the moblins reached out to grab them and crush them.

While they were occupied with the moblins, the giant spider came upon them. Matsubi called, "Enough! On me! There are too many!" His men rode in behind him and they fled from the monsters. With the monsters between them and the turtle formation, Matsubi led his unit the long way around the city. This way he could also briefly access the damage. His eyes scanned the broken walls, collapsed infrastructure, and pillars of fire and smoke billowing out of it. At moments he could see more monsters in the city.

"Sir..." One of his men said. "I don't think there will be a city left tomorrow. It's all falling into ruins."

"How?" Matsubi wondered. "Since when do beasts know how to make a fire? Something is not right. Something is directing them!"

"Directing them?!" His men gasped. "What can control such beasts?!"

"I don't know, but I dread the answer."

"MATSUBI!" Someone yelled from nearby.

Matsubi looked toward the yelling, and despite the situation, or perhaps because of it, he smiled in relief on seeing his young friend. "Link! It is good to see you." Link and a girl with him rode up on their horses rapidly. Matsubi glanced around briefly. "Where is your unit?"

"Back at the border. It is just us!" Link yelled against the wind as they galloped. "What's going on?! Why is the city on fire, and what is with the monsters!?"

"I don't know much more, I'm afraid," Matsubi grumbled. "There are a bunch on the other side of the city. I wish at this time that you brought more with you than yourself. Still, it is good to see a friend here. Fall in behind me, the formation is up ahead!"

Link and the girl fell in behind Matsubi with the rest of his men and they rode around the city back around to head to his original camp. Matsubi sighed in relief. The moblins had stupidly chased him around the city and were lost far behind.

The spider, not so much. It leaped down in front of them again, its legs giving it great leaps. The earth shook with its landing before them. Matsubi's horse lost its footing and fell. Matsubi fell to the ground, one of his legs pinned beneath the horse. His men scattered around him, both to avoid running over him and to encircle it. The men thrust their spears at the spider, but its body was too high on legs too long for their spears to reach. It approached Matsubi.

The girl disappeared. Her horse ran around without a rider.

Mists of dark smoke encircled the beast's legs. It tried to step forward and found it couldn't. All at once the mist snapped together, pulled the legs together, and tripped the spider onto its face directly in front of Matsubi. It rolled frantically, but the black mist kept it pinned down. Matsubi heard someone step in front of him and looked up to see Link. Link faced the spider, raised his spear, and slashed the spider's head. To Matsubi's surprise and wonder, the spear almost seemed to glow slightly. The spider screamed in pain, black blood sprayed around them, and a second thrust from Link's spear into its head finished it off.

The girl stepped up out of nowhere and smiled down at a stunned Matsubi. His eyes expanded wider. "Solitare?!"

"Kyou Ki. Not to be mistaken for Prince Kyou!" Link corrected. "Or the former General Kyou. Or another Kyou from my unit or-"

She sighed, "Solitare is fine."

This couldn't be the same girl! Why were shadows falling off her shoulders like a cloak? "B-but the scars!" Matsubi exclaimed.

"Yeah," Link chuckled. "That's a bit of a story, and it happened just a little while ago when we saw you at the palace."

Matsubi looked at the dead twenty-foot spider only a few feet from his face and burst out in relieved laughter, "Well, I would love to hear it! You never cease to amaze, my friends! I only just saw you a short while ago, but it already seems like there is catching up to do. Let us return to the camp with the refugees. We have a battle to fight!"