The Legend of Zelda: Real Courage [Version 2]

Chapter Eighteen: ReDead Knight

"Lila, you can't be serious," Zale said, reaching out to stop her. "There's no way you can fight a ReDead Knight in your condition."

She ignored him and started gathering their things. "Who says I have to fight it? We'll just go around—"

"You misunderstood," Mori interrupted. "TheReDead Knight is guarding whatever I sensed, so yeah, you do have to fight it."

Still, Lila packed her bags. "It'll be okay. I've gone through worse, you know it."

"No, Lila, you're staying away from that thing," Zale said. "I'll take care of it."

Finally, she stopped to look at him. "Like you can take on a fully armed, decrepit soldier."

"Yes, I can. Look inside my pack."

"What?" Lila laughed.

Zale crossed his arms. "Go ahead."

Lila shook her head but went to his pack anyway. It didn't take her much to find something wrapped in leather. She pulled it out and unwrapped it.

"A crossbow?" she said skeptically. "With your arms?"

"Looks can be deceiving." He put his hand out, so she passed over the crossbow. "Let's finish cleaning up, and I'll show you."

"Well that explains the shape of his bag," Mori commented.

Lila asked Mori, "Tell me you don't believe he can do it."

"He didn't believe you could beat Volvagia."

She felt her face get hot. "That... that's different."

"You keep telling yourself that."

Zale chuckled under his breath.

Once they were all set, Mori led the way to the knight's derelict home. They stopped where an old rock wall provided some coverage.

"How do you propose luring it out?" Lila asked as Zale readied his crossbow.

"Well, I could do it if you really—"

"Fine, I'll do it!" She pulled out her sword and rounded the rock.

"I meant Mori—"

"Just have my back."

Zale sighed. "Right behind you."

The sound of steel dragged across packed dirt alerted Lila to the knight's presence. She redirected all attention towards it, ready to jump out of the way of its scream.

"Lila, you're blocking my shot," Zale warned.

"I won't be soon," she muttered. The knight was close enough. Lila lunged before it could mount an attack.

"No!"

Her sword hit the knight's shield arm but didn't go through all the way. Its arm went limp, but Lila's sword was stuck. The knight brought up its sword to attack. She dodged to the side and shouted, "Now!"

An arrow went clean through the knight's eye. It jerked back, giving Lila the added strength to free her sword, and then released its terrible wail.

With Lila frozen once again, Zale let loose another arrow. This one pierced the knight's throat. The scream diminished into an ugly gurgle, and the knight fell. Zale ran to Lila before the paralysis wore off.

"Are you okay?" he asked frantically, searching every inch of her. "Come on, snap out of it!"

Slowly she started to regain feeling. She tensed and relaxed what muscles she could to speed up the process.

"I'm all right," she said. "Don't act so worried." She took a step back and rotated her shoulder to get the blood flowing.

"But I am worried about you—"

"Don't, Zale," Lila warned. "I can handle myself." She walked to the mostly-standing house. "But thanks for having my back."

"You're welcome."

Zale and Mori followed her. Inside – if only three standing walls could be considered an inside – there were pieces of chairs, a table turned on its side, and a bar on the far end. Nearly everything was caked with dirt around it.

"I don't see anything worthwhile in here," said Lila.

Mori answered, "Check behind the bar."

When she looked, she found a chest that appeared older than the building. When she tried to open it, it wouldn't budge.

"Looks like the hinges and lock have rusted shut," Zale observed.

"That's easily solved." Lila thrust the hilt of her sword onto the offending metal until each broke off. Then she wedged her blade in the crack and pried it open. "Done."

"That doesn't look like a pair of boots." Zale pulled out a musty bag of the same color as the interior of the chest. He held it open for Lila.

"What the heck is this?" she asked.

"It's a boomerang," Mori and Zale said at the same time.

Lila raised an eyebrow at them. "And... what's a boomerang?"

"When you throw it, it comes back," Zale answered first.

Mori added, "You can use it to stun enemies."

"Like a ReDead Knight?" Lila asked.

"Yes," they said together again.

"Could've used this yesterday."