Welcome to Gaia! ::

The door creaked open. Light poured in from outside, and for a split second, they were blinded. When they adjusted, they saw an issue ahead.

Not just one skeleton, and not anything like the last ones. Entirely different.

They were armed and armored, carrying axes and large round shields. They weren't as tall, either, and they stood only as tall as Link himself, but somehow the red eyes reflected more intelligence. Their movements were more fluid, almost practiced, and they had one last ability.

"Revenants. Forward!" one shouted, and instantly the band of twenty marched forward. There was an unearthly laugh to match Hyn's previous, and the possessed man leapt down from a high tree branch, sword drawn. "Well, I don't suppose you can find a way to beat twenty skeletons, can you?" Moria was pale-faced, backing back into the passageway.

"Back, back, bottleneck them!" she cried, drawing her own sword but nearly tripping over her own feet.

The revenants were advancing. They stood outside, on a massive tree branch, still a death's fall above the distant ground. But there were too many to think of moving them by ramming them - their combined strength would be far too great.

Zelda was pointedly not looking at Hyn, but all the blood had drained out of her face. At Link's words, she nodded slightly, then closed her eyes and brought her cupped hands out in front of her; within seconds her palms began to fill with golden light.

Link stared frightened at the skeleton in the doorway and it's companions behind it. He knew at that moment there was only one option, he just wished he had more time to practice before having to use the technique in the field of battle. Link, swung his sword behind himself and closed his eyes. Carefully he concentrated, feeling as the energy flowed from his body into the the sword. Within a moment the sword began to glow bright orange, 'Time to release,' he thought, and so began the great spin.

Unfortunately, at that time, the spin of the boy's attack seemed to cease. Now stuck in one place, Link felt the room moving around him. To distracted by his own lack of balance, the hero did not notice his assailant until it was to late.

The light slammed into Hyn's shield; the cut meant for Link's flesh spun back and then over Hyn's head, as he moved one foot back to account for the force. His resistance went beyond his physical strength, though; the real man would've either dodged or been flung backwards, and apparently this Hyn was very aware of that fact, as he growled menacingly and pushed the disoriented Link aside with a motion very much like the one he had used to try to hit him.

Now Hyn came through the door, sword cocked for a thrust at Zelda. Then, with the same astonishing speed, he thrust...

and found his sword turned aside and embedded in the wood wall. Hyn glanced over, frowning darkly, to find Moria, her sword and now shield equipped and prepared. A gleam in her eye informed Hyn that this would be, if not equalized by skill, equalized by sheer determination. Ripping his sword out of the wall, he turned toward Moria, who was obviously quite unconcious of any defensive move either Link or Zelda had made. She had made up her mind, and she was going to fight him.

Zelda flinched back from the strike, silently berating herself for not setting up a defensive spell, but pain never came. She immediately took several steps back, then stopped to take stock of the situation. Moira was- Zelda's eyes widened as something that felt remarkably like a ball of lead settled into her abdomen. Oh, dear.

She hesitated for an agonized second, then closed her eyes again. She had to take care of the skeletons' remains, or the girl would soon be in even deeper trouble. Light again began to fill her cupped hands.

Link had barely removed his weapon when the man shifted targets. 'Oh no, Zelda!' he thought as the man dived. Link knew he would only get one shot to help her. Tightly he gripped the staff, half wishing that someone with better aim was in his place. Suddenly a beam of light shot forth in the direction of the man's eyes.