Chapter 17: The Most Frightening Place in Hyrule     Chapter 19: The Land of Sand

Chapter 18: Held by Bandits

He was standing on the centre of a giant drum. Two huge, corpse-like hands were drumming around the edge, and in the shadows… yes, he could see it… a diseased, flower-like head with a single red eye. It reminded him of the giant spider under the Deku Tree. It vanished.
“Navi! Show me where it is!” He could hardly keep his feet with all the bouncing. He was launched into the air every fourth beat, and landed uncertainly each time. With the Lens of Truth, he could see the creature. Link grabbed his bow, slipped, hopped up again, shot, and landed unsteadily. The head was too heavily armoured, so he shot a hand, and it began shaking like it had been burned. The other whizzed at him, intent on doing him bodily harm, so quick as thought, he shot it, too. Both hands clenched, the eye in the body opened, and rushed him. He shot that, and it collapsed, very like the spider.
Putting away his bow and drawing his sword, he charged, stabbing as fast as he could. The cuts brought it out of its stupor and it reared up and away from him, closing the eye again.
Although the drumming threw him off violently, he managed to do the same thing several more times, before his magic power was drained from using the Lens.
He was still hitting it when he realized he had struck its death blow. It shook violently, and then dissolved into a black, gooey puddle that evaporated.
Waiting while the blood stopped rushing in his ears, he walked slowly towards the warp that appeared. Continue reading →

Chapter 16: The Magic Eye     Chapter 18: Held by Bandits

Chapter 17: The Most Frightening Place in Hyrule

Inside, his senses were assailed by a cold wind, distant howls, moans, and cackles, dim but steady lighting, and a horrible smell. The floor was smooth and even, but stopped after the first bend. Beyond was a terrible chasm. Navi flew forward, and pointed out a place where the hookshot might catch to reach the tunnel beyond.
“Might is a pretty awful word in this spot,” Link said to himself, but fired. It carried him safely across the pit, and he pulled himself out with great relief. Then he scolded himself.
“Only around the first bend and you’re uneasy. Snap out of it. Get yourself together. You need to save Hyrule. Saria and Zelda and Sheik are relying on you. And Ruto and Darunia and Malon and Talon. And perhaps Rana…” But there words failed him, because the idea he could not finish was the thought that Rana might be imprisoned here in this dreadful place.
In the chamber ahead, a tall statue of an eagle, surrounded by a dozen skulls on poles, sat accusingly. Another chasm separated the eagle from the door further on, shaped like a snake head with open mouth.
“Find the skull of truth, and those with sacred feet may pass,” Navi said.
“The what?”
“That’s what they said,” Navi insisted. Link shivered and gave his fairy the Lens of Truth. Then he looked at the statue. It seemed important. One majestic wing was outstretched, and the brooding beak pointed in the same direction. Link pushed it gently, and it gave a little.
“There’s a false wall here,” said Navi. “And this skull is the only real one.”
“The Lens is a far better way of determining that than touching it, isn’t it,” commented Link, revolving the statue to face the skull Navi pointed out. As the two objects moved into conjunction, the door in the snake’s mouth opened invitingly.
“You can’t jump that gap,” Navi said hastily, speeding in front of Link’s face to forestall any foolhardy attempts.
“I know I can’t. I just want a look.” The look was unpromising. After one disappointed glance, he turned back to go through the false wall. Continue reading →

Chapter 15: The Deathful Water and Avoiding Marriage     Chapter 17: The Most Frightening Place in Hyrule

Chapter 16: The Magic Eye

A few minutes later, he heard two anxious voices calling him – the light voice of his fairy, and an alto voice… was it a girl? Maybe Malon?
“Link, will you wake up already!” Navi yelled in his ear. Someone gently shook him.
Link groaned and tried to sit up, shaking his dizzy head. “You know, Navi, I appreciate the shaking more than the yelling.”
Navi half-smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry. I was worried.”
“Okay, that’s okay then. Sheik?”
“Yes, it’s me. Did you forget what happened?”
“No, I didn’t forget… it’s just for a minute your voice made me think of Malon. Nothing against you or her… just my messed up head.” He rubbed it. “Ow. So, what was that thing? Why aren’t any of the buildings on fire? Where did the shadow go? Can I fight it?”
Sheik stared stupefied at the Hylian as Navi burst into laughter. “You’re not supposed to know about that!” he exclaimed indignantly.
“About what? My memory didn’t blank out, and you asked if I forgot what happened. Answer my questions, will you?”
Sheik patted his shoulder comfortingly, face serious. “That thing is an ancient shadow that Ganondorf has been trying to free for some time now. This morning, obviously, he succeeded. The burning buildings are all an illusion caused by the shadow; it’s haunting the town now. It’s gone to the Shadow Temple. Will you fight that one next?”
“Yes. I don’t want Kakariko bothered more than necessary by Ganondorf.” Continue reading →

Chapter 14: The Desperate Battle     Chapter 16: The Magic Eye

Chapter 15: The Deathful Water and Avoiding Marriage

The first thing he noticed when he woke up was that his back hurt. He had been sleeping on his scabbard.
The second thing he noticed was that all his cuts and other injuries were very painful.
The third thing he noticed was that he felt adequately rested to continue adventuring for some time now, even energetically. He was about to get up and find his scattered gear when he noticed a fourth thing: Navi was asleep on his chest.
She looked sweet, as he peered down at her; a little ball of light with folded butterfly wings. Gently he stirred, and she woke and flew up.
“Good morning,” he said to her.
“Hello!” she chirped back. “Is it time to go?”
“Yes. I feel much better.”
He sheathed his sword and slung his shield on his back and turned to the door closest to him. It was the wrong one, but he soon corrected that, and discovered a little room with only a treasure chest and a trap door. In the chest was a familiar looking weapon – another Hookshot.
“It’s different,” Navi said immediately.
“It is?”
“This one’s longer. Look at the chain!”
“Oh.”
He kept the other one with him anyway, perhaps to give to Ruto. He opened the trap door and saw darkness below, and heard and smelt loudly rushing water.
Carefully, he let himself down over the edge, but his feet touched nothing. There was nothing in the room that he could attach the hookshot to, so trusting in his ears, he let himself go.
His boots smacked hard into rock and he fell on his face, scraping his cheek. “Ow!”
“Sorry,” Navi said, trying to light up the tunnel. Water rushed past him and away down natural winding tubes.
“It’s not your fault.”
He was on a ledge beside the wide river, plunging from a height in an impressive waterfall. The air was freezing. He saw whirlpools in rapids a little further down, and made a note to avoid those. There was no way off the ledge; no where to go except downstream. He jumped in the water. Continue reading →

Chapter 13: The Realm of Silence     Chapter 15: The Deathful Water and Avoiding Marriage

Chapter 14: The Desperate Battle

The interior of the Water Temple was rich and gorgeous. Carved intricately from blue marble and inlaid with bronze and gold, the walls reflected the water’s reflection of torchlight. A massive pillar took up a great deal of the space of the main chamber, which was almost completely filled with water; yet the room had the impression of vast space, though the top of the hill was only a few meters above their heads.
Link stared around in wonder, a smile passing over his face. Navi flew forward into the open space and turned back.
“It’s very pretty. Rana would love it. Ruto, too…”
“I think so,” Link answered, and dove in headfirst. Swimming down to the bottom of the chamber, where he immediately planned to start, was out of the question, so with a bubbly sigh he asked Navi for his heavy boots.
As he sank, he caught glimpses of corridors and walkways, submerged but probably very convenient for a Zora. Down on the bottom, he clunked around slowly, seeing the many doors and yet more corridors branching off from the main room.
He picked the closest entrance, but the door was locked. So was the next one, and Link stopped to rest his legs for a few moments before going to the next one.
That hallway was not blocked by anything at first, but eventually he came to an empty room behind a door at the end of it. He was going to turn around when Navi tapped his ear.
“Look up!” she chirped. Link did so, and saw he could still keep going. It must have been obvious for a Zora, but a Zora he was not, though he was still going to do his best.
As he pulled himself out of a well-like vertical passage, he heard a squeal and his eyes widened. He straightened up just in time for a tall, slim, lovely Princess Ruto to fling herself bodily into him and knock them both back into the water. Continue reading →

Chapter 12: The Depths of the Dragon     Chapter 14: The Desperate Battle

Chapter 13: The Realm of Silence

Link swung the hammer with both hands and brought it crashing down on the fire-dragon’s head. Volvagia roared, pulled back underground, and exploded out, sending rocks flying everywhere. Navi yelled and Link ducked.
The dragon flew around, spewing fire at Link. He jumped sideways and rolled, dropping the hammer. Volvagia dove. More rocks flew. Link grabbed the hammer. The dragon appeared again at the far side of the platform. Link ran. Volvagia breathed fire. Link rolled sideways.
He jumped forward, trying to catch the dragon off guard. It wasn’t. It swung its head, and its long fiery mane hit him and knocked him back. Link sprang up and smacked the hammer down on its head.
“Are you trying to kill it or give it a headache?” Navi asked facetiously.
“Navi!” Link snapped, trying to concentrate and not in the mood for jokes at that moment.
“Sorry.” Link rolled sideways to avoid another blast of fire. When Volvagia popped its head out of one of its holes, the Hylian was ready. When it swung its mane, he backflipped and bounced forward again, slamming the hammer dead on target. He was also getting tired. The heat was starting to leak through even his tunic.
Happily, the next time he repeated the pattern, Volvagia erupted from his hole right away. Link crouched warily, but Volvagia burst into flames overhead. Nothing but a few ashes fell to the platform. Continue reading →

Chapter 11: The Shadow of Evil     Chapter 13: The Realm of Silence

Chapter 12: The Depths of the Dragon

More and more balls of black magic flew through the air, and Link’s energy began to be sapped by his constant dodging. One was heading straight for his midsection, and he swung the Master Sword in a last ditch attempt to block it.
The ball bounced off the sword and hit Shadow Ganondorf. The clone moaned and sank to the floor. Link seized his chance and bounded up, slashing down with his sword. Ganondorf was hit many times before he rose off the floor again, throwing off his injuries with a laugh.
“Yes, laugh,” Link snarled at him, “but I will kill you in the end.”
Another ball was flung at him, and he swung back. So did Ganondorf.
“Tennis,” Navi labled the new battle style.
“Baseball,” Link retorted. He and his fairy didn’t stop arguing until finally the ball hit Ganondorf again.
The Master Sword blazed as it smashed through shadow bone and ghostly muscle.
Shadow Ganondorf melted into a puddle covering the whole platform, and Link shifted his feet uneasily. It began to swirl in the centre like water in a bathtub after the plug is pulled, and then drained into nothingness.
“Stupid clone,” Ganondorf was muttering. “I’ll get you next time, stupid hero…” His voice faded out as Link stepped into the blue portal that appeared. Continue reading →

Chapter 10: Horse     Chapter 12: The Depths of the Dragon

Chapter 11: The Shadow of Evil

After stopping at Kakariko, where he remet Lauri, who fed him, and where he learnt a new magical song called the Song of Storms which abruptly drenched him, and where clues Sheik left behind led him to a shiny new weapon called the hookshot which was a sort of spring-loaded grappling hook, Link returned to the ranch with Talon following him dazedly. He had found the ranch owner napping dejectedly in an inn.
Ingo was awake again, but it seemed Malon had been correct – the strange necklace had been controlling him, for now he was irritatingly cheerful and subservient. The girl was overjoyed to see her father, and they invited Link to sleep there that night.
The next day, Malon officially gave Epona to Link. “She obviously likes you just as much as she likes me, for some reason… and you’ll need her for your saving-of-the-world. So no arguing, got it?”
“All right,” Link said, laughing. “Don’t panic. Epona will be safe with me. But can you teach me how to really ride the next time I come along? I need to go to the forest now and see if Saria and Rana are there.”
“Do that! Now!” Malon grinned as she said it, eager as he was to see her friend again. Continue reading →

Chapter 9: When is a Hero?     Chapter 11: The Shadow of Evil

Chapter 10: Horse

Link stepped out of the Temple of Time and looked around bleakly. The bright, neat colours of Hyrule Castle Town had disappeared into a sea of rot and decay. Houses had crumbled under slimy timbers and brick and stone walls had collapsed. Shadows twisted in reclusive corners, cast by the buildings and the massive black clouds overhead. They were thickest to the north, where Link could see a tall black tower jutting into the sky.
As he made his way over to the well in the town square, he heard something low and disturbing… like someone with a stomach-ache. Several someones, in fact.
He looked around, but he couldn’t see anyone… no, wait, he could. But they weren’t people as such…
One of them shrieked at him and he found that his body was frozen in place.
“Redead!” cried Navi. Link gasped as best he could and wrenched himself into a run. Rolling swiftly past another one, he drew his sword and slashed at it. The creature didn’t react, but the group of redead was growing and moving in his direction. Bile rose in his throat.
“If we don’t get out of here soon, we’ll be dead!” Navi called. “Let’s get out of here!”
“But the people,” Link began.
“They don’t seem to be here. Come on!”
Link obeyed his fairy and ran for the gate. Continue reading →

Chapter 8: The Door of Time     Chapter 10: Horse

Chapter 9: When is a Hero?

Link opened his eyes. He felt heavy. His gaze swirled around woozily, coming to rest on a large man on a golden platform.
Only then did Link take in his surroundings and realize that he himself was on a grey platform, surrounded by a small island of water, an isolated floating point in a vast darkness. Light and beautiful patterned waterfalls came from shadows above and fell to blackness below.
Directly in front of him stood the rather stout man; a man with rich red and gold robes and white hair and beard.
“Greetings, Hero of Time.”
Link, still partly asleep, blinked before he realized the man was speaking to him.
“I am Rauru, the Sage of Light.”
“Where are we?” asked Navi.
‘Thank goodness’, thought Link, ‘she’s still with me.’
“We are in the Temple of Light, in the Sacred Realm.”
Rauru’s even voice took on a gentle tone. “Link, look at yourself.” Continue reading →