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T H E L E G E N D O F Z E L D A C H A P T E R T H I R T Y - S I X
The passage led finally to the surface where an oasis of untainted water awaited Link. He dove into the depths once more to explore the vicinity, but he could not find any way through the green haze. Link was only momentarily discouraged before he remembered to bring out the Harp of the Ages. Crawling upon onto a small patch of land sticking above the sea, Link put his fingers to the harp and movingly played the song that Nayru had taught him, and as the centuries rewound, Link saw the world about him change until, finally, a path through the sludge opened to the west. Now four hundred years in the past, Link hopped off the small island and swam once more to his goal. Several times on his journey, Link ran into dead ends, but every time, just as Nayru had explained to him, jumping between the past and the present revealed the way forward toward his objective. After twisting through the narrow passages of water and time, Link finally arrived upon an unexpected sight; buried within the sandbars off the coast of Labrynna, a school of Zora had established a small village where they served as stewards of the sea. Link swam tentatively towards them, saying a brief introduction, but the Zora showed no excitement in seeing him, only waving weakly at him and giving him merely a mumbled greeting. The mild enthusiasm made Link feel almost ostracized from their humble community, but the few Zoras who were willing to offer some small talk explained that, ever since the poisonous waters encircled their town, their race had been suffering with an incurable sickness. For days, they had been unable to fish for food in the rich seas, and so their race was gradually withering away into nothing. Even worse, their own king was slowly dying of a harsh form of the sickness, they said, and for he had risked his very life in the poison to bring back the few scraps of food he had managed to find. Link asked the Zora to bring him to the king, saying that he had some medicine with him that just might be able to help, and so they eagerly did so, hoping that the stranger in their midst could cure their leader. As Link entered the royal chambers, he quickly dropped his satchel upon the ocean floor and rummaged through it to find the magic potion he had purchased some time ago. He pulled it out of his bag after a few moments and then bowed before him, graciously offering it to the king, and all the Zoras present watched closely as the king took the vial from Link's hands and drank the liquid. Slowly, his strength returned to him, and the king rose from his throne and swam around the room in a flurry, his face quite ecstatic. The Zoras cheered with joy to see their king alive and well, yet their cries still rang softly, for they still felt the oppression of being trapped in their homes by the poison in the water. The king looked at Link, and he took him aside and into his confidence. Link explained to the king about his quest to find the Essences of Time, and the king considered Link's quest seriously. He had remembered that they had indeed come across such a relic at one point, but Jabu-Jabu, the Zora Lord and guardian, had swallowed it perhaps a fortnight later when he had first arrived for his yearly visit to Labrynna. The king explained that Jabu-Jabu was sacred to the Zora, and Link would not be able to set foot within the belly of the whale idly. However, seeing the need in Link's eyes to recover the relic, he agreed to exchange favors with Link, should he wish to do so. The Great Fairy that lived above the waves next to the Zora people would be able to clear their waters and allow them to regain their freedom once more; if Link could visit the fairy and make their desperate wish come true, Link would be allowed to enter the Zora Lord. Link agreed to this and left the village in search of the fairy. As the king had said, the fairy was quite near to the village; however, when he entered the cave where the fairy lived, he saw instead a creature distorted by the wiles of evil magic. The creature appeared to look like an Octorok, complete with the smooth, red skin and long snout expected of one; however, this creature was not such a beast, for it had wings upon its back as well. The creature cried out to Link in the hero's tongue, asking for his help. It explained that, yes, she was indeed the Great Fairy; however, Veran had known that she might interfere with her plans, and so Veran's magic had sought the fairy out, twisting her into this form so that she could not use her magic to cleanse the waves. The fairy pointed a tentacle at a key hanging upon the wall of the hut, explaining that this key would, for the first time in some time, open the library to the east, a place which kept a rare powder that would serve as an antidote to Veran's magic. Link nodded to the fairy and took the key. He then visited the library upon the neighboring isle, and only when he entered the back room did he find the satchel of powder upon the pillar in the room's center. However, there was no bridge to be found that transcended the gap from the door to the pedestal. Frustrated by this turn of events, Link pulled a rock from his bag and flung it across the room in anger; to Link's surprise, the rock, did not fall into the pit but rather bumped up against the far wall of the room and then onto an invisible platform in the room where it was left to rest. Figuring that there was an invisible bridge that led to the powder, Link felt the ground below him to find the treacherous walkway that would lead him to it. After some painstaking work, Link reached the platform and took the white powder into his hands, hooking it to his belt before leaving the room by the same way. He quickly returned to the fairy and tossed the powder upon her, and in moments her figure became that once again of the Great Fairy. Instantly, she turned her efforts unto the seas, and she used her magic to rid the waters of the deadly substance placed there by Veran. Link and the fairy gave each other a heartfelt thanks before Link left the fairy in order to return to the Zora people. As he returned, the Zora people were already coming out to greet him, their humors quite overjoyed. Already they had established a scouting party for the purpose of hunting for fish, they told him with excitement, and they now believed that Link's coming to him was indeed a miracle. The king took Link aside once more, thanking him earnestly for all the help and dedication he had given to the Zoras. Furthermore, in honor of their agreement and Link's deeds for him, he personally swam with Link to Lord Jabu-Jabu's side, whereby he gave the order for the whale to open its mouth and allow Link entry. The whale did as the king bade him to do, and so Link emerged into Jabu-Jabu's Belly. Entering the stomach of the great fish gave Link a very unsettling feeling as he swam through its insides. Everywhere he traveled, hallways would hauntingly swell and contract, air or water being shuttled in or out through the many random vessels. Despite this, however, it seemed as if it was actually quite safe inside—safe from Jabu-Jabu at least, for no matter where Link went, he never felt as if he were digested by the whale. However, this was both fortunate for Link yet unfortunate as well, for a host of other unfriendly visitors that had entered the sacred innards of the whale, and Link's as aquatic enemies surged toward him, forcing Link to fight almost constantly as he explored the whale. As Link reached the last of the whale's stomachs, having voyaged as far as he would ever be able to do so safely inside Jabu-Jabu, a sudden bolt of electricity crackled through the air over Link's shoulder, barely missing him. Link spun to see that the bolt, however, had not missed its intended mark, for it had struck the inside of the chamber through which Link had just entered, and Jabu-Jabu in an unconscious spasm quickly sealed off the return corridor. Link wheeled around once more to see the being in front of him more clearly. It was almost transparent, nearly invisible save for the slight tint of blue and red coursing through its body. The jellyfish-like being was a Plasmarine, and it was able to electrify the waters about it on command. It quickly cast another bolt at Link, but Link swam out of the way, easily missing it now that he was ready for the attack. Link tried to approach the jellyfish to strike it with his sword, but as he approached, the Plasmarine sent a current coursing through its body, keeping Link away. Link retreated once more, and again a bolt of lightning was sent at Link; the hero, however, quickly pulled forth his Switch Hook and cast it into the beast, whirling it into Link's place and into its own devastating blow. The jellyfish flinched and wriggled, and gradually it began to shoot electricity out of itself at random, each time shocking itself further into submission before finally collapsing on the floor of the whale's stomach. It eventually expelled a small glass vessel, shaped in the form of a crashing tide, the glass holding water as deep blue as the deepest parts of the ocean. Link picked this up, knowing that it was the seventh Essence of Time, the Rolling Sea, symbolizing the timeless call of adventure. Link put it in his satchel and quickly departed Jabu-Jabu. Link emerged from the whale and found the Zoras of the village surrounding him almost immediately, happy that he had received the Essence from their Lord. Link, knowing that there was only one remaining Essence, quickly bade the Zoras farewell, hoping to quickly retrieve it and save Labrynna. Before he could depart, the king quickly gave him one of the scales of the Zora in return for the gifts he had given their village; the king told Link that this scale held an ancient magic, a magic that would make him a brother to the Zora and as such the power to quell the storms of the sea and give him domain over the waters. Link was very gracious for this gift, and he thanked the king ardently before taking his leave towards the east. As he left the village, he once again received the frail whisper of the Maku Tree upon the winds; together with Nayru's help, they had felt the presence of the last Essence in the southern parts of the sea somewhere within the past. They urged Link to retrieve the last of the Essences, and Link whispered back that he would save Labrynna from destruction. After heading back into the past, Link once again rode the surface of the water—now seeming as if it had never be spoiled, and for a moment, the glee he had felt earlier came back to him. However, as Link flirted with the waves, storm clouds gathered overhead, and suddenly he could see the witches Koume and Kotake looming above him. With a splash, he dove into the water and then quickly twisted upwards, leaping out of the air and swinging his sword at the twin witches, but their broomsticks flew swiftly and adeptly, easily dodging his attack. "You fool, Link!" they cackled as he surfaced once more. Link decided not to attack for the moment, instead heading quickly towards the eighth and final essence. "I presume you already know you cannot stop us, Link! Behold, our tower is finally complete! Ambi's age will soon give rise to the Flame of Sorrow, and then all that remains is to cast the world into despair! Give up, for you run a fool's errand!" Link said nothing to the witches as he speedily swam eastward. The witches, tiring of the chase, left him to his whims as they flew off towards the tower. Link saw them depart, and he finally slowed down, coming to a gradual stop as his eyes followed their bodies until at last they were out of sight. It was only then when Link turned his attentions to the sea and noticed that he had entered the stormy seas where he had once gotten blown off course upon his raft. In all directions, huge whirlpools blocked all escape from the bay, leaving Link trapped within. However, knowing that he managed to get inside the bay with the Zora's scale, he approached one of the vortices surrounding the turbulent sea, and immediately it calmed down, dissipating into nothingness as if it were not there. He knew now what the Zora king had meant: he had dominion over the seas. Before Link could begin once again upon his journey through the Sea of Storms to unearth the last of the Essences, a voice cried out to him over the winds. Link turned to see the Stalfos pirates that he had met in Holodrum racing towards him with all due speed in their mighty boat. They offered him to climb aboard, and Link gladly took the offer, changing out of his Mermaid Suit before attempting to climb the rope ladder. He met the captain once more, and Link asked what business brought him to this land. The captain mentioned that, after years of searching, he had finally found the island where his long-lost love Queen Ambi was waiting for him, and his heart was so saddened from missing her that he wished to see her once again to feel whole again. Link remained quiet about the likelihood about meeting Ambi, knowing her current situation, but he did say that he hoped that they would reunited. The captain smiled for a brief moment, but soon his focus turned towards the sea about them from which they could not escape. It had been a virtual miracle that they had even found their way safely into the bay, he explained to Link; he even dared attribute their success to luck. However, to leave it with their ship in one piece was impossible. Link told the captain that he could create a safe passage through the storms, and the captain's expression seemed to glow with amazement. Link donned his Mermaid Suit once more and dove into the water. He cling onto the ladder and let the boat pull him alongside them, the scale controlling the waters as they passed through the stormy waters. The captain was quite thankful to Link for allowing them passage out of the bay, and so in return he presented the hero a spherical stone made of amber before departing for the shore. It was called a Tokay Eyeball, and Link looked at it quite closely, staring at its brilliance before finally thanking the captain for his gift. Link turned the stone in his hand as he examined it closely, and suddenly a flash of insight came to him. Link remembered swiftly that he had seen these before off the shore of Tokay Island. In the present, he had found the Totem of Moonlight, inside of which had been the Moonlit Grotto, and in that time both of the eyes had been set into their proper place. He quickly swam to the east towards the island of the Tokays, and, off the coast of their isle, Link found the totem, but, unlike the present, in the past only one of the eyes of the totem were set in place. So Link, hoping against hope, pushed the amber sphere into the empty socket, and Link could feel the sphere being taken from his hand and accepted by the totem. The earth began to quake lightly, and as it did this, the maw of the totem slowly opened, revealing a long corridor leading underneath the land and waves. Link journeyed down into the open mouth of the chamber, and soon he found himself in the Ancient Tomb, the place where the most respected leaders of both the Tokays and the Labrynnians had been put to rest. The upper level of the catacombs seemed to be quite austere, which did not surprise Link. This was, after all, a place of peace and harmony to remember those whom had died in glorious honor. But as Link descended further into the chambers, Veran's minions had taken up residence once again, desecrating the final resting home of the spirits. The enemies, however, were not Link's primary concern, for the mausoleum was so filled with mazelike corridors and passageways seemed to run in every direction that Link quite frequently got turned in the wrong direction. Even though Link found himself going quite often in circles, his determination would redouble at every such juncture, and he eventually reoriented himself, proceeding further and further into the depths of the earth. After a few hours of exploring the tomb, Link carefully sidestepped the last of the foul traps left for him by the keepers of the totem and reached the lowest level of the dungeon. Beyond him on the opposite side of the room rested one last gravestone, the most elaborately decorated of them all, but he could see that it was guarded by a creature made completely of stone. The lifeless being of rock, a device known to the Tokays as the Ramrock, activated itself the moment Link stepped into the room, and its eyes glowed brightly with crimson fury. Link brandished his sword and charged at the rock; in response, the rock flew just as quickly at the hero and rammed into him before the hero could react, sending him flying across the room. Link hit the wall and slowly sagged down to the tiled floor, but he was quickly on his feet once again. Fearing that he would not be able to get close, Link lit one of his bombs and hurled it at the stone guardian. The bomb bounced off of the stone being and had just enough time to hit the ground before exploding, resulting in chipping the rough exterior of the Ramrock as well as phasing it for a few moments, but it was far from destroyed as it quickly rebounded with renewed vigor. In annoyance, the Ramrock's hands opened up to reveal a pair of metal spheres tied to chains. It quickly fired both of them at Link, and Link barely avoided the deadly weapons. Having realized that it missed, gradually the guardian began to wind the medicine balls back into his arms using the chains, but Link suddenly had an inspiration; he put his arms around one of the spheres and pulled back hard upon the chain, stretching it tightly against the reeling force of the pulley. Link strained hard to hold the sphere back, and just as Link thought he could take no more, he let go, and the sheer force of the Ramrock's grip upon it sent the sphere flying into its own body, utterly disintegrating it into a pile of rubble. Link was victorious once more, and he finally stepped up to the grave where he found the last of the Essences, the Falling Star, the eternal beacon which has guided the heroes of the ages. Link tucked the eighth Essence of Time into his pack and left the tomb for the Maku Tree, preparing himself for the final fight that lay before him. Link returned with haste to the Maku Tree, and the tree nearly squealed with delight as Link placed the eight Essences in a circle before her. Suddenly, as the artifacts in front of her glowed with a bright light, the Maku Tree could felt her memories returning to her. A thin ray of light then burst from the tree, landing directly within the center of the Essences. Link watched as a bright flash nearly blinded him, but as the light died he could see a round seed resting in the circle where the Essences—now disappeared—had once stood. The tree explained, just as its twin had done, that this orb would allow Link to transgress the evil powers that stood between Link and Veran. Link began to reach for the seed, but as he did he saw his close friends gathering before him: Din, Nayru, Ralph, Impa, and Zelda. They came to him and embraced the hero each in turn, wishing him well in the battle yet to come with Ambi, and Link placated their worries with a promise to each of them that he would return after defeating Veran. Link stowed the seed within his pack, and the six of them then stood together in a circle as Link played the Tune of Time, and together, once in the past, they journeyed into the past and walked towards the Black Tower. They all stopped for a moment as they reached the tower's entrance, and Link bade them all a final farewell before leaving their company. Link entered the Black Tower, and to his surprise he found the workers who had been constructing it still inside. They all remained huddled on the ground floor shivering with fright as they were forbidden under penalty of death by Ambi's edict to leave the tower. Link tried to calm them down, but it was no use, for their fear was too great for even him to calm. Rather than argue, he left the workers behind and climbed up the tower, one flight of stairs at a time, slowly rising to the lookout at its top. As he journeyed higher, more and more monsters appeared, all of them trying to push Link back to keep him from finding Veran, but Link's blade was powerful and true, never betraying its wielder once. As he continued, Link began to uncover wicked traps as well, and Link would find himself facing dancing fire and illusionary staircases, both attempting to seduce him away from the true path and over the edge of the parapet into a fall to his death, but Link grew quickly cautious of these traps, making sure each step was safe as he continued his climb. At last, Link approached the turret where Ambi's chamber resided, and the same familiar force he had felt at Onox's keep began to push at him, trying to keep him away, but Link raised up the Maku Seed he had received from the tree, and with it he was able to push through to the room where Ambi waited for him. A devious grin curled upon her face. "So," she cackled, "the hero has come at last. You are too late, though, for the Flame of Sorrow has already been lit, and soon the last of the candles will ignite, and that will bring back our dark Lord! But I see that this matters not to you, for I can see it in your eyes that you are quite intent upon destroying me. I should tell you, Link, that killing Ambi would be a grave mistake. Killing her would wreak havoc across time, and that would kill one of your friends. Ralph, I think his name is; he is Ambi's descendant. Are you still so bold and foolish to take me on, hero?" Link frowned initially upon hearing the news, already feeling somewhat guilty about the choice before him. However, Link's confidence returned quickly as a sly smile rose upon his face. "I purged you from Nayru; I certainly can do the same here." Veran frowned momentarily before shrugging away Link's confidence. "Very well. I assure you, I won't be as easy this time around." Almost immediately, the lights in the room vanished as the windows shut, leaving Link in darkness. Ambi's form faded from view only to reappear directly behind Link a second later. Link, caught off guard, was hit full force by Veran's magic, knocked him to the ground for a few moments. He recovered as quickly as he could, and so the hero quickly leapt to his feet and pulled out his slingshot, arming it with one of the seeds from his satchel. He waited for Ambi to appear once more, and at the first sign of her he quickly fired, hitting Ambi between her eyes and causing her to fall into a deep sleep. Veran emerged as a corporeal spirit from Ambi's body, and Link quickly closed the distance between him, his blade striking her with all his might. The evil sorceress, badly damaged from the attack, faltered in her footing, but she quickly dove once more into Ambi's body, continuing the onslaught. Back and forth the duelers waged their battle, but eventually Veran would succumb to the hero's efforts, and Ambi was finally free of the sorceress' curse. The queen woke up with a start, but a look of confusion appeared on her brow, not understanding what had happened. Link looked into her eyes and say that the look of Veran was not upon them, and then without bothering with explanation, he took an arm of the queen and began ushering her out of the turret as fast as he could, leaving Veran behind without checking to see if she was still alive. He instructed Ambi to get to the bottom of the tower as quickly as she could. However, before Link could leave the turret, a Wallmaster dropped upon the hero and began dragging him back to Veran, still very much alive. Link screamed for Ambi to leave him behind, and, after a brief moment's hesitation, Ambi did as Link asked, leaving Veran and Link alone at last. Veran remained silent for a moment as Link struggled to free himself of the Wallmaster, but after a few moments Veran broke her silence only to curse silently and look coldly at Link. "You annoy me, hero. First you take away the Oracle of Ages from my grasp, and then you take away the Queen of Labrynna. Now you stand here, and that accursed Triforce upon your wrist prevents me from taking you. It is no matter, however, for your time will end tonight. You so far have always seen me as I am now, but my power exceeds your wildest imagination. Let me show you my true form, and then I, the Sorceress of Shadows, will make you breathe your last." Veran banished the Wallmaster to the dark realm from which it had been summoned, and then the sorceress cast a haunting spell upon herself, and slowly she was transfigured into a perverted mockery of the Great Fairies themselves. Link gasped in disbelief for a moment, but his instincts jerked him into motion, taking out his sword and running towards the fairy with undue speed. Veran flew into the air and began unleashing powerful spells from above Link, trying to disintegrate him into the void, but the hero would not get caught within her traps. Knowing that he could not hit the sorceress while she hovered in the room, Link devised a quick strategy and actually passed underneath the fairy before spinning around in an almost dance-like maneuver and swinging his sword as hard as he could, letting go of the hilt as he did so. The sword spun through the air and came into contact with the confused Veran, clipping her wings and causing her to drop to the ground in pain. Veran cursed once more, but her power was not yet spent. She continued to shift into other forms, altering her body under the immense pressure of spells cast upon her, shaping her into the form of a turtle and a spider among others, all in the hope of putting the hero on the defensive. However, Link best them all, never ceasing to give any ground to Veran. Veran's power began to wane, and so Link, seizing the opportunity, rushed in and plunged his blade into her heart, killing the Sorceress of Shadows. The battle finally won and Labrynna finally saved, Link slowly descended the castle steps and reached the exit. There waiting for him was Queen Ambi and her entourage, flanked by Din, Ralph, and Nayru. The queen stepped forward and knelt before the hero, asking him for his forgiveness for her awful deeds that had caused the Flame of Sorrow to be lit, but Link merely reached for her hand and raised her up, saying that it had not been her fault that this had happened but rather Veran's. The queen smiled and accepted this, no longer feeling the weight of the guilt needlessly upon her shoulders. She quickly stepped aside and allowed Din and Nayru to come towards Link, and they quickly rushed him, throwing their arms about him in both a deep thanks and also congratulations. Ralph shook Link's hand and proffered him a grin, thanking Link once again for saving Nayru's life. The queen turned then towards one of her soldiers and took a medal from a small box he held, and she slowly stepped towards Link, intending to put it over Link's head. Before she could do so, however, Impa quickly came rushing to the Black Tower, her face wild with some dark expression, but Link could not tell precisely what, for Impa's face had been trained in the way of the Sheikah to mask most of her emotion. Link asked the Sheikah warrior what had happened, and Impa, after taking a very brief rest, breathlessly answered, "Link, you must come quickly. While we were waiting for you in the tower, the Gerudo witches, heathens that they are, came and kidnapped Zelda." Impa explained that Koume and Kotake had frozen her with a spell while they swooped down and took the princess in their arms, flying up with a final cackle before disappearing. She said that the witches mentioned going to the Room of Rites, where they would offer her as a sacrifice to the third candle, thus bringing back the age of the King of Evil once more. As this shocking news was delivered to them, all who heard it slowly despaired for concern over Zelda and the future of all their lands, for Zelda had always been looked upon, even in countries as far as Holodrum and Labrynna, as the embodiment of light; without her to look up to, all hope seemed to be lost. Link, however, would not let this despair conquer him, and he immediately stood tall, knowing that Zelda was not yet dead. He thanked Impa for bringing him this news with a simple nod, and then he stepped forward, looking at all those around him. Despite the tragedy that was befalling their world, determination filled his soul, and he felt a strong passion and desire to do all he could to rescue Zelda and to prevent Ganondorf from coming back into Hyrule. Link, nonetheless, was yet deeply concerned, for he knew not of the Room of Rites nor how to get there. The slight worry in his tone could not overwhelm his determination, and Link's display of courage, wisdom, and power inspired the two Oracles, and they as well stood up tall, their eyes solemnly looking into Link's. They told him that they indeed knew of the place and that they could send him there; Link, trusting his two friends, urged them to do so without delay, and the Oracles agreed to do so. They stood on opposite sides of Link, clasping hands with each other about him. In time and rhythm, they began to chant, and a wind began to blow among them, unexpectedly and quickly strengthening itself to a gale before finally, after a quick blink of his eyes, Link no longer stood between the Oracles, but rather within an hallway that appeared ancient, almost as if it had survived the weathering of the winds and rains for countless centuries. Before Link could move, he heard the unison whisper of Din and Nayru in his ears, and he strained to listen to their words. "Link," they told him, "you now stand within the Room of Rites where the witches Koume and Kotake are holding Zelda. This room is not within our world, yet it is neither in the realm of the Golden Land. It serves as a crossover point between the two worlds, spanning the two together as a bridge spans a river. The witches seek to light the last of the three candles to allow the barrier between the worlds to open, to allow Ganon to come into our world. Link, you must save Zelda; if you fail, the fate of all our worlds will be coupled with peril. May the divine protection of the Triforce be with the Hero of the Essences and of Time and Nature!" At that moment, Link could feel warmth spreading across his left wrist, and he could faintly make out a golden light emanating from where the warmth was spreading. The power of the Triforce he had voluntarily rescinded before coming to Hyrule, a power he rescinded in his quest to know the Triforce, had come back to him in full force. The three triangles upon his wrist glowed gold, and he could feel its power through his frame. He had faced the challenges that it had presented him without drawing upon its power, yet the power of the Triforce had been there within him from the beginning. Link understood: the power, the wisdom, and the courage, he understood them all, but more pressing issues quickly pulled Link away from his thoughts. He began running into the darkness, running with the hope that Zelda might still be alive.
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