Chapter Three: A Trio of Heroes

Link, Eragon, and Saphira left the room where they fought the possessed baboon, and Saphira instantly noticed a problem.

Where are those monkeys? she asked. Link was able to hear her, having opened his mind to her thoughts. The rope Eragon and I climbed across is broken now!

"Not only that," said Eragon, "the wind has picked up even more."

Link looked around, searching for an angle. Off to the right was a detour path that eventually led around to the other side.

"Over there. Follow me," said Link as he took off for that path.

Eragon and Saphira followed Link, and Eragon extended his mind's eye again, searching for other life forms. He found the grass, some bugs, and a monkey.

"Hey, Link, one of the monkeys is around here!" said Eragon.

"Really? The monkeys that helped me before all went off elsewhere." Link looked up and saw what Eragon meant: a monkey in a cage.

That thing over there trapped the monkey in a cage! Saphira was visibly angry about the monkey's imprisonment. Allow me to deal with this. Saphira leapt onto the beast below the cage, tearing at its throat with her teeth. With a jerk, she pulled out the beast's esophagus. She almost swallowed it, but decided to spit it out. It seems I can still bite effectively.

Link's face drained of color at the gruesome display. "Are you sure she's a good partner?" he asked, trembling slightly.

"Yes," said Eragon. "Though she does occasionally tease me otherwise."

Never let my elf form deceive you, Link, said Saphira. I'm as ferocious as I am as a dragon.

Link only nodded, then turned his attention to the dangling cage. The monkey struggled with the bars, trying to free itself.

Eragon saw to the monkey's freedom. Calling upon his magic, he whispered, "Losna." (Release.)

The cage shuddered, and then the bars fell away. The monkey jumped out and onto Eragon's shoulder.

Saphira grinned. The little monkey knows who to trust, it seems.

"I suppose so," remarked Link. "Well, let's continue past the… erm, deceased Bokoblin." Link stepped over the Bokoblin's corpse, and Eragon and Saphira followed him.

A problem immediately presented itself to the three. There were two bridges, one of which was oriented correctly, but the other was perpendicular to it.

"How are we supposed to cross that bridge?" protested Eragon.

Eragon, look above the second bridge. There is a propeller. I'd bet a good gust of wind would turn the bridge.

Link marveled at Saphira's aptitude for puzzles. He had solved that particular puzzle a second after Saphira mentioned the propeller, meaning she had beaten him to it. He'd always been the primary problem-solver in Ordon Village. Even the mayor, Bo, frequently asked him for help to solve domestic disputes, such as when his friends, Talo and Colin had both claimed ownership over a yellow Rupee they found in a ditch. Link took the yellow Rupee (worth ten Rupees) and gave them each a blue Rupee (worth five Rupees). Both boys were pleased.

"You're good at these puzzles, Miss Saphira. Is that because you're a—"

Dragon? Yes. Dragons are notoriously good at solving riddles and puzzles, especially the more-level-headed female dragons. Saphira grinned, exposing her fangs to Link. Here's a good one for you. What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three at dusk?

Eragon already knew the answer to this one because he'd told Saphira that very riddle. Link, however, had to think about the answer. Half a minute later, he had the answer.

"Man. As a toddler, we crawl on four limbs. During the majority of our life, we walk on two. And as an elder, a cane is used, as a third limb. Here's one for you, Saphira. What runs, but does not walk, and has a mouth, yet never talks?"

Saphira thought about that one. It took her twenty seconds. A river. It runs, and it has a mouth, where all the water flows. Try this one. Only one color, but not one size, stuck at the bottom, yet easily flies, present in sun but not in rain, doing no harm and feeling no pain.

Eragon had not heard that one, but for some reason, the answer struck him immediately. "A shadow!"

Correct. It seems Eragon is the wittiest of us all.

Eragon knew that for Saphira to admit that was no small gesture. Dragons, even friendly dragons, were proud of their riddle solving ability, and would not concede to an unworthy adversary.

Link seemed to understand this basic principle too, but probably more because of how adept she was at solving puzzles he was so used to having to solve on his own.

By this time, the trio had already found eight total monkeys, including the four that helped Link get to the Gale Boomerang. All that remained was to find where the monkeys wanted Link to go.

Eragon was reading the map of the Temple that Link had found.

"It says that the only room we haven't been to is… this one." He pointed to a room adjacent to where the monkeys had chosen to gather. "I suggest we go look there."

Agreed, said Saphira.

"Agreed," said Link. The three of them ventured to the monkey-gathering-place.

The monkeys all climbed up to a branch overhanging a massive gap. On the other side of the gap was a large door with an ornate lock on it. The first monkey hung with its feet from the branch. The second climbed down the first monkey, who grabbed the feet of the second monkey. The third climbed down these two, and the second grabbed the feet of the third, and so on until all eight were dangling in a large chain.

"I think they want us to swing over." Link obliged and jumped to the monkey chain. He successfully swung over, and then the monkeys all left, as if Eragon and Saphira didn't even exist.

"How are we supposed to get over?" said Eragon.

Think, Eragon. What has wings and the ability to carry you?

"… a dragon." Eragon grinned. He reached for his magic reserve and said, "Moi eom aí skulblaka!" (Change to a dragon!)

Saphira triumphantly returned to her original sapphire-blue dragon form with a proud roar.

Link was startled and fell over, with a yelp. He turned around and panicked. He had never seen Saphira's dragon form before.

Eragon hopped on Saphira's back, and she took off over the gap with two flaps of her enormous wings. She landed next to Link heavily.

And look, she happily observed. The door is large enough for me to fit through! Saphira smiled, which is an interesting sight on a dragon's mouth.

Link put the black Big Key into the ornate key hole. The keyhole, and the chains attached to it fell away. Link then rolled open the door.

"Ladies first," he said half-jokingly.

Saphira snorted, breathing a jet of fire that singed Link's hat. I'm no helpless lady, but I appreciate the courtesy, little one. She chuckled in amusement, happy to be using her old favorite pet phrase for her human friends. Eragon was almost jealous that she called Link by his pet name.

Saphira entered the room, followed by Eragon, and then Link.

The door slammed shut behind them, on its own power.

The final room of the Temple sported a pool of water on the far half of the room, which was filled with toxins. Several logs with holes floated in the water. From the holes stood Bomblings, living bombs which, when disturbed, armed themselves. On either side wall were holes with a rope joining them.

The water started to make waves, and Eragon mentally found a large being surfacing rapidly!