Ganon made his way to the front of the temple by the large doors. He peered out the stain glass windows. The last of the army entered the temple; the Fae took form using whatever wood they could find. The group gathered at the front of the temple. A few Fae flew into the ceiling and returned a minute later.

"Princess," Elder said. "My Fae report that armies of man have clashed at a very large stone wall to the east."

"Do they know who leads them?" She asked.

Elder shook his head. "My Fae only rose high enough to see from a distance."

"Thank you, Elder." She said. "Chancellor Ryo must be attacking with General Moubu. I can't imagine anyone else would at the moment. He's the only man with the ability to form an army this quickly and with the ambition for the throne. Ketsu won't last long."

Ganon muttered. "Let us take the throne before he does, then. If there is an army he is fighting, he will be slowed. Did your Fae say how large the armies were?"

"Large."

Zelda said, "Can you send one back to ensure our forces outside the walls avoid them?"

"No need. I left a capable woman in charge." Ganon interrupted. He took a step back and pointed. "Is that the palace? That large structure?"

"Yes," Zelda said. She looked out the window. "Wha-what?! Where's the Sheikah manor? Why is there so much smoke from the estate?! "

Ganon replied dispassionately, "Nothing for us to be concerned with. Everyone! Prepare yourselves! Remember the plan! The moment we leave these doors, don your mask, and revel in the fury of Majora!" He repeated it in his language.

Link looked at the mask in his hands and the sword on his hip. He was a slave fighting over who owned a kingdom. That was not his goal at first. At first, it was only about Midna. His friend was murdered and he wanted revenge. Link didn't know if he had it in himself to kill, but he would fight anyway. Was Zelda better than Kyou? Link didn't know the answer to that question. He didn't care either way. What made him side with Zelda, though, was that she wasn't the one who started this whole thing. She was defending herself and trying to stop a civil war. Did her methodology of spilling blood in the capital today bother him? Yes. But what Zelda said before was right. She couldn't just walk up and ask for it nicely.

Zelda took a deep breath. Her motivation was clear to her. She had ambition. She had a home. She had an identity. Her half-brother was trying to take all of that away from her, and he was throwing the country into chaos to do it. She wasn't going to sit and let it happen. Kyou wanted blood? He would get it.

Ganondorf Dragmire gripped his two swords in each hand. His reason to fight returned anew since he had seen things this day. He had never imagined plains so large, and that he could walk on them. He had never seen a city so large, or think he could touch it. It only made him more curious about what the world had to offer. He wanted his ancestor's wish to be granted, but more than that he wanted the world! He wanted to hold it in his hand, to experience it, to taste it, feel it, and see it! He wanted a fight that would make his blood pump rather than bore him. He wanted to be free of the mountains, free of the cage holding him back.

Ganon shoved the double door wide and they ran out.

Link put on the mask. Immediately he felt something come over him: a need, a desire. He needed to be quiet. It was against his nature, but he needed to blend in. He needed to be hidden. He had to be a fish among a river of people flowing in one direction, not an obstacle to break it. Zelda and the other Qin donned the mask and felt the same sensations Link felt. The two naturally merged into the mass of men and women running through the street. Almost immediately the first of three gates holding them back from the palace was in view. Here they would leave the civilian sector and the fight would begin against the loyalists.

The Majora donned the mask and released a blood curling scream as they experienced the same sensations. The soldiers on the walls and inner gate jumped at the sound and shook in terror at the sight of the army. They asked themselves how the barbarians entered the city, and they rung bells to alert the royal guard.

Link and Zelda looked up to see Midna's body hanging from the gate. This gate was the passage between the palace sector and the civilian sector. It was here where there were reports given to the people, declarations, and the like. It was near here where justice was served against criminals, and it was here where victories were paraded.

Midna's body was mangled. Her eyes torn out, his flesh cut in all kinds of places, and spears were thrust through her. She hung by the neck.

Fury, unlike anything Link knew, rushed through his veins. All thoughts of mercy vanished as blind rage took hold. Even Zelda and Ganondorf were startled briefly at the sight and the brutality of the display. Elder felt sickened by the act against another person, and Matsubi felt sick for seeing one with the likeness of Zelda treated this way and his very brief part in it.

The few guards stationed at the gate either fled or were cut down. Ganondorf ran his shoulder into the gate. The triangle on his hand lit up like fire, and in his impact was an explosion. The gate flew off its hinges. Before them was a long street with no direct left or right. At the other end was another gate. Behind it was one last gate, and the palace was just before it. Their goal in sight, the group rushed down the passage in a manner described only as chaos. A small battalion of soldiers gathered at the walls to pour arrows down on them, but they were too slow to amass proper numbers.

Zelda felt something was very off. She expected to run into Kyou's royal guard by now. The guard was designed to prevent situations like this. What she was seeing left her confused and uncertain. Were the guards lax under Kyou's rule? Were they disbanded? Was he using them for another purpose?

A few Majora fell as arrows rained down, but in their mindset, they did not notice or care. It was a blind rush to the gate. You either made it or you didn't. With Link and Zelda's smaller legs two Fae took them on their backs and ran. The Fae raised their arms and shaped them into shields, protecting Qin and Majora alike.

The distant gate had been open, but it was shut as the army ran. Just before it was closed, Ganon saw in the distance that the palace defense was beginning to gather on the other side. The defense had been slow, but it seemed it would still force them into an unfavorable fight. It did not look like it would be a thousand elites Zelda had said, but the royal guards would still outnumber them many times over.

"They gather on the other side," Ganon said.

"You will be well?" Zelda asked.

"Concern yourself not with me, princess. Be concerned with yourself. If you do not sit on that throne and end the battle, this will be for nothing. If worse comes to worst, we can escape with the aid of our forces outside the wall, but it will be a retreat with nothing but a black stain on Kyou's reputation of security and stability; and I would like something more practical reaped than angering him and incurring the wrath of Qin."

They reached the gate, and once more Ganon threw his shoulder into it while empowering himself with the power he drew on. The gate shook on its hinges, but this time it did not give. Ganon crumbled to the floor. He growled, drew himself up, and held his shoulder painfully.

"Allow us." Elder said. He and a few other Fae changed shape into giant wooden spiders, ran up the side of the wall, and disappeared. There was the sound of clashing metal on wood, screams of men, and a lot of movement. Before long, though, the gate shuddered as a lever was pulled. The gate opened.

Elder and the Fae to follow him onto the wall leaped down and Zelda could swear the Fae was smirking back at them.

"Show off," Ganon grunted. He flexed his shoulder and the mass continued to run into the next area. Once more it was a linear passage with high walls on both sides. The palace was closer, practically within reach now. They could see the steps leading up to the palace doors with the throne waiting. Men scurried all over like ants, and a defense line formed in front of the final gate.

As Zelda predicted under the walls on either side were dungeons for prisoners, and there were windows to allow light for them. There was also a series of doors allowing entry into the side of the palace, most likely for servants and workers, but these doors were blocked by the royal guard army standing ready in defense of the palace.

The plan was to have a squad enter through the dungeon windows. Originally the plan was for Elder to take care of it, to keep it from being too easily noticed. However, there was a problem. He galloped, once more like a centaur, by Ganon and said, "We need to change the plan a small bit. The windows are barred with hard metal."

"And?"

"Why do you think we did not simply 'reshape' the gates? We cannot manipulate metal. Metal refuses to change. It refuses us. Metal only allows itself to be shaped when heated, but the heat is lethal to us."

"Fine," Ganon grunted. "I think I will have a difficult time as well, not without drawing a great deal of attention... New plan: Have the entry team make for the servant door. Tell them, quickly!"

Elder nodded and retreated a bit to relay the change to Zelda.

He didn't have long as the army clashed with the royal guard.

The royal guards were elite, trained, and experienced in war. They were coordinated and had strong teamwork. Unfortunately, they had also only experienced war between 'civilized' people. They had never met the barbaric Majora or the mythical Fae, and this cost them as their phalanx was broken.

The Majora ran into them without care or concern for their wellbeing. One thing existed in their minds: To cut, strike, slash, stomp, and bite in an all-out frenzy. Many Majora fell immediately, but the line of the Royal Guard immediately buckled as they simply underestimated how much strength the Majora threw at them. The Majora wielded simple weapons and had little to no practical armor, but they had something far stronger. They had themselves. They held nothing back, and this was further ensured by their masks. People naturally hold back when they strike at something, it is simply the way the body is designed. The mask helps remove that limitation and push them to achievements of strength, agility, and ferocity beyond the natural limit of any other human. It damages them in the long term, but they would argue that death is worse.

The Fae were monolithic creatures of wood so far as the Qin were concerned. Large and powerful and strong. Sword and axes and hammers and spears did not affect them. The Fae's wooden weapons did not do much damage to the Qin, as the wood simply shattered on their armor, but nor could the Qin do anything back. The Fae were a bit stronger in the end because they could pierce into exposed areas around the neck or crush while the Qin could do nothing but use spears to force a Fae back at a distance or block the wooden sharp hands with their shields or briefly splinter them with axe and hammer only for the Fae to repair itself.

Ganon was a beast unto himself. Wielding fire, shadow, strength, and two very large swords, he cut, burned, and beat down anything in his path. However this did not mean he didn't have a worthy fight. Immediately Ganon learned these were not simple soldiers. They were strong in their own right, experienced, and very well geared. His swords clashed on shield and he had to avoid being pierced himself by spear and sword. A few times his enemy hit him with the shield itself to his surprise, and he rarely fought just one. They had strong teamwork forcing him on the back foot constantly. One soldier in particular blocked both of his swords at once with his shield, swiped them away, and rushed into Ganon. He collided with Ganon with his shield, and Ganon was pinned against the wall. He nearly was run through as his arms were pinned, but several Majora jumped the man and stabbed him repeatedly before he fell. Ganon felt blood drip from his lips, wiped them, and grinned. This was a battle with many worthy foes. His blood was definitely pumping.

In the battle, Zelda, Link, and the other Qin crept down the wall to the servant door. Two men wielded hammers and struck the door lock until it fell. In the chaos a small number of Majora entered as well before shutting the door.

Zelda lead her entourage through the servant quarters. The servants fled and cowered at the sight of the invaders, and they paid them no mind. Zelda did not consider them a threat nor to be implicit in the civil war. They were slaves and servants. They had no power of any sort. The Majora would not spare any that threatened them, but thankfully none did. The servants were not armed, so they were ignored.

One door and they were in the halls of the palace. Something that made Zelda stop briefly was the condition of the palace itself. There were burn marks and holes in the ceiling or walls in some places.

"What happened?" She wondered. What had she missed? None of the less the group continued. There were few guards who either fled or threw themselves uselessly at the Majora to slow them.

"There! That's the throne room!" Zelda pointed to a set of doors.

Link clenched Midna's sword tightly. The Majora let loose a demonic scream and rushed even faster at the door, as if that was possible with their already inhuman speed. Zelda and Link and the Qin quickly found themselves at the back of the group, as the Majora no longer needed to hold back and be guided by Zelda. They had their target.

"If you see men in fine robes, capture them! Do not kill them! And if you see a child... he's mine!" Zelda called out.

"Child?" Link wondered.

The Majora smashed into the door, but it held tight. It was barred with wood and metal, but the Majora would not be deterred. They beat on it with sword and axe. Since the door did not give, they attacked the wall. The wall did not have the same defenses as the door, and their weapons were able to carve into it. Piece by piece they cut into it. Wood splintered and fell around their feat.

An arrow flew near Zelda's head and she turned to see Royal guard had caught up to them from behind.

"MATSUBI!" She yelled. "Behind!"

"Boys, on me!" Matsubi threw off his mask and rushed at the loyalists. Link threw himself into the fray as well. Several Majora stopped attacking the wall to turn and fight. Zelda clicked her tongue in annoyance, they were so close. A hole had been formed in the wall, but it was small.

Link found himself overwhelmed immediately. He had trained in his way for years and was stronger and more skilled than anyone in his town, but he had trained with peasants. The one fight he had truly had was against a mercenary and while he did not know it, he had divine aid. He did not call on his inner power in this fight, not at first, and quickly realized how small he was in comparison to others. These were soldiers. These were strong men who tested themselves against the strong. Link was but a slave peasant.

His sword clanged uselessly against their armor and with no armor himself; he had to evade the blows of the man who chose him as his target.

"Someone aid Link!" Matsubi yelled in the fray as he fought.

"I can handle it!" Link replied.

Despite Link's protest, a few who were free to choose their target ganged up on Link's enemy. The large man kicked Link down and Link rolled away to avoid being pierced. Link rolled to his feet to find the enemy soldier was being ganged up on by several Qin, and was effectively cut down.

The Royal guard who had attacked them were few and were outnumbered many times over but had done damage. One Majora laid bleeding against the wall, four others were dead, and half their fellow Qin was dead. The Majora ignored it all to leap back into attacking the wall holding them back. Matsubi inspected the dead, confirmed them gone, and marched his way to Link. Now that the brief battle was over, Link stared in horror at the dead around him. Red blood stained the floor all around them, and the despairing cry of death was so far beyond the tales of glorious battle he heard from other men.

Matsubi grabbed Link by the collar and pulled him onto his feet angrily. "Listen, brat! War isn't about glory or how many you can cut down or how many you can 'handle'! It's about surviving! We work together! War at its most basic is about squads working together so that they can all live! You want to die, be my guest! But some of us have something to live for!"

Link nodded numbly. Seeing how the young man was shaking in shock with wide eyes from what he had just experienced, Matsubi forced himself to divert his anger away. He was also shaking in adrenaline and was fresh from battle.

"If you understand... then live," Matsubi said. "Will you be well?"

"I-" Link whispered. "I think I am going to be sick."

"I know. I feel the same." Matsubi put Link back down before returning his attention to the doorway. The Majora were now carving the hole large enough to squeeze through.

"You don't look like it." Link said.

Matsubi huffed. "Terrified, kid. Being an adult doesn't mean being less scared. I just know what to do with it."

The Majora made it into the room, but Link's attention was not on them. He saw one wounded Majora try to stand while clutching his wounded stomach with his only remaining arm, only to fall clumsily. If he kept going, he would die. Link reached to him and had the man lean on him. The wounded Majora tried to protest but lacked the strength.

Link said, "It's a little more. Let's go."

Link looped the man's only arm around his neck and though it slowed him down, he hauled the man forward toward the opening. He managed to pull them both through the narrow gap by turning and going through sideways.

The throne room was massive. Pillars lined the outer wall; there was a long red lush rug from the throne, down its steps, and toward the door. There was a second floor with canopies. The room was abuzz with battle, but it was short-lived. The few guards remaining either backed off or were dead. The nobles, who had been assembled, tried to flee only to find the door barred. The Majora rushed them and forced them to the ground with their faces to the stone and weapons to their throat.

On the throne was a child.

Link gasped. He had heard the prince was young, but the kid was even younger than him! He was nine years old, at most. Link was at least entering his teenage years (and hopefully would get his growth spurt!).

Link could not comprehend it. How could he be so full of rage and need for revenge against a child of all things? How could a child do so much? Just what kind of child was this that desecrated Midna's body so horribly? Link could not move, stunned as he was.

Prince Kyou looked like he was about to crap himself in terror. He had not expected the invaders to get this far, much less through a side passage. He had been promised he was safe when the bells rang, but here were barbarians all over. One of the barbarians stared at him openly, stepped forward toward the steps, and removed his mask... or namely her mask.

"Hello, brother," Zelda said.

"Y-YOU!" Prince Kyou yelled. He looked to the nobles, "Stand up! Fight! Kill the bitch!" But they could not, forced down and unarmed as they were.

"Nobles are not meant for fighting," Zelda said. She unsheathed her sword. "And your guards are dead. Now surrender the throne before I pull you off it."

Kyou grit his tiny teeth furiously. "First you take Reida... then you burn my palace... and now you somehow rise from the dead and want to take from me my birthright! No! Unforgivable! You dare to take everything that is mine!" Kyou argued.

"Yes," Zelda replied. "I do. This is war after all. On top of that, it's a war you started. It's time you accepted that."

To Zelda's surprise, Kyou leaped from the throne and clubbed her in the face. It was enough to make her flinch at least but little more as she gave chase to him. Kyou threw the palace doors open and fled down the long flight of stairs down towards the gates. Zelda was on his heels.

Link took a step forward to follow, but stopped as he felt the weight on his shoulder was heavier than before. "Wha?" He looked at the man. The man's head was down and his feet were dragging across the ground. Long puddles of blood trailed Link's path in carrying him this far. He was dead.

Something snapped in Link.

Link dropped the man and ran out of the palace. Below, Kyou had climbed the ladder on this side of the gate to make it onto the wall, and Zelda was not far behind. Kyou ran down the wall towards where stairs were leading down into the passage, and he ran into the fray of royal guards. Zelda was moments behind, and Link rushed to catch up.