Chapter 8: Haunting Words
The moon was full, hanging high up in the sky above the large town. The stars lit the sky, providing light for the people wandering the streets as they went about their business.
Amidst the crowded streets, a small group of men stood and spoke between themselves along a building's wall. Their conversation light-hearted with the anticipation of upcoming celebration, none of them stood out from among the crowds around them.
As they spoke, one man caught sight of a woman stumbling out of the building behind them. Her bleach blonde hair hanging down to her shoulders, she was dressed in a marvelous pink dress that reached the ground. Her forest green eyes appeared lost in a drunken gaze, her smile fading and reappearing as she swayed through the crowd, reaching around to catch her balance against the building's wall.
Approaching their group, the man quickly pointed her out to his mates before dismissing himself with a smirk. A small burst of laughter erupted from them as he made his way towards her, a confident grin across his face.
Stumbling to a stop, the woman looked up at the man who now stood in her path, a bright smile crossing her face.
"Hey there" the man said smugly as he looked the woman over, her the dress tight around her slim figure "what's a fine girl like you doing out all by her lonesome?" A shy giggle escaped the girl's lips as she looked away, a faint blush crossing her face.
"Oh, I was just out for a little stroll" she explained, her sweet tone blending with the scent of alcohol that rolled off her breath "there's nothing wrong with that, is there?"
"Not at all" he assured her, taking a step towards her as he slipped his hands into his pockets "but you should be much more careful. A beautiful girl like you could get into a lot of trouble wandering around the streets alone at night."
"Really?" she asked, moving closer to him with an innocent look on her face "That sounds really scary…"
"Oh, no need to be afraid" the man assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder "I wouldn't let anything happen to such a sweet little lady."
"Oh, so gentlemanly!" the woman gasped, smiling up at him as she traced a finger up and along his arm "Would you really keep little old me safe?"
"But of course, dear" he told her, moving to her side as he led her along past his group "how's about we move some place where I can keep a better eye on you though?"
"That sounds like a good idea" she admitted, looking up at him as he slid his arms around her shoulders. He smiled back down at her as they slipped quietly into an empty ally way, the people of the crowds oblivious to their passing.
"We should be safe in here" he told her, stepping around to face her.
"You're so brave" she said sweetly, gently sliding her arms around his waist "I don't think anyone could frighten you away."
"Oh, not to worry" he chuckled, running his hands over her shoulders "I won't be leaving a poor girl like you all by herself." She smiled up at him, biting her lip nervously.
"Do you think you could give me a hand?" she asked, gently pressing her chest against his "This dress is getting oh so warm, but it's so hard undoing the strings myself…"
"Of course" the man said softly, running his hands down her back. Her warm breath brushed gently against his neck as he began to undo the strings of her dress, her hands coming together at the base of his back. "There" he said with a smirk as the last string came undone. He opened his mouth to speak again, but no words escaped his lips.
The girl stepped away from him, looking around curiously before turning and walking deeper into the darkness of the ally. Sliding the sleeves of the dress off her arms, she stepped out of the elegant clothes as the man fell forward behind her.
Dressed in a full-body suit of tight, black leather that covered everything on her body except her head, she began climbing the large wall at the end of the ally way. Perching herself atop the large wall that surrounded the town, she looked back towards the man's lifeless corpse, a pool of blood forming beneath him.
"So, what will happen this time?" she wondered out loud, brushing the hair from her face as she waited patiently. After a few minutes, a woman caught sight of the man's body and let out a horrified scream. The crowds quickly dispersed as the town guards came rushing forward. The girl watched quietly from her position atop the wall as one of the armored men knelt down next to the man, examining the wound in the base of the man's back.
"He was stabbed…" the guard said, looking back at the others.
"By who?" another demanded, looking around at the people around them. The crowds quickly burst into countless claims and cries, people calling out at one another in desperation and ridicule. The guards moved quickly to separate the people as they began to get violent towards one another, the sounds of braking glass and cracking bones ringing through the air.
The girl sighed, shaking her head as she turned away from the riot below. "A dead body's found, so everyone goes crazy and blames one another" she grumbled to herself, glancing out at the canyons that lied a short distance outside of the town's walls "I've seen that happen four-thousand six-hundred and ninety-eight times now. It just doesn't have the same effect it did the first time…"
"Silence!" came a booming voice from among the crowd. Looking back curiously, the woman watched as the large man held his blade up to the sky. "People of Clock Town!" he bellowed, his golden armor shimmering in the star light "A great injustice has occurred tonight! An innocent man has been robbed of his life and although this is tragic indeed, you must not blame one another!"
"A paladin?" she muttered under her breath, tilting her head slightly "I haven't seen one of those in awhile."
"But then who murdered him?" demanded one of the citizens.
"It couldn't have been one of the monsters!" another pointed out "The guard said he was stabbed!"
"People!" the man roared, bringing his sword down to his side "I know who the murderer of your fellow is and it is not one of your own!" The crowd was filled with excited gasps, people bickering among themselves in curiosity, the woman leaning forward as she focused her gaze on the large man.
"Please" insisted one of the guards as they stepped forward "who is it that killed this poor man?"
"A demon" the man replied grimly, turning to face him "summoned from just beyond this town's walls."
"A demon?" the woman repeated irritably, shaking her head "Defenately a paladin… That's their excuse for everything!"
"A demon?" someone cried, the crowds beginning to erupt in shrieks of terror.
"Do not fear!" the man called out, the crowd falling silence once more "I have faced this demon before! It escaped the wrath of my divine might, but it shall not be so fortunate a second time." There was a moment of silence before the crowd erupted into cheers and praise towards the man.
"Excuse me" said a small man who came to the golden man's side "I am the mayor of this fine town. If there is anything we can do to aid you in your fight against this monstrosity, we will be more than happy to help."
"And I shall guide my men to aid you in your conquest" said an armored man as he approached, his suit clearly more elaborate than that of the other guards.
"These people are too easy" she sighed, shaking her head "for all they know he could've stabbed him and is lying through his teeth!"
"That won't be necessary" the man told them, nodding to each respectfully "I shall vanquish this creature with the power of the Golden Goddesses. There is no need for you to endanger yourselves also."
"So noble!" called out one of the citizens.
"Let's here it for the Her of Clock Town!" another cried as the crowds cheers grew louder.
"Well this is dull" the woman huffed, turning her back to the town as she threw her legs over the ledge of the wall. Pushing herself forward, she fell towards the ground below. Landing unharmed, she started walking across the fiends surrounding the town, a faint sigh of irritation escaping her lips. "I just can't get the same thrill from this stuff anymore" she sighed, looking down at her hand as she held it up before her "I guess you'll have to do again tonight."
The sound of the rushing water over the rocky ledges filled the air, the rush of the waterfall's waves crashing down at the lake below. Traveling along the stony cliffs on the side of the river's edge, Kino, Quincey and Krynne made their way towards the opening of the cliff face where the water flowed from.
"Almost there" Krynne assured them, floating through the air just above their heads "just a few more feet!"
"See" Kino laughed through heavy breaths as he glanced back at Quincey "this isn't so bad!"
"I suppose" the vampire grumbled, scaling over the stones at his feet "I still don't see why I couldn't just fly up."
"Oh ya, 'cause a swarm of bats isn't going to frighten the locals after having been attacked by some evil robed figure" Kino said with a grin, shaking his head in amusement.
"Bats are animals" he pointed out "and at least I don't turn into a swarm of those giant bat things you guys flying around at night in this world."
"You mean keese?" Kino questioned "Those would be even more horrifying for these people because they know those will attack people."
"Well excuse me for not knowing everything about a world I arrived in two days ago" Quincey huffed sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.
The two of them pulled themselves up over the last ledge of rock, climbing to their feet. Looking ahead, they peered into the large cavern and straightened out their clothes.
"Shall we?" Krynne asked, looking down at them. Kino nodded as he stepped forward, leading them into the cave. They walked for only a few minutes before stepping into the glorious chamber within the cave. Water rushed down from the ceiling, flowing down and out the cave floor to form the waterfall behind them. Brilliant gem stones embedded in the cavern walls glistened brightly, their shine reflecting off water's surface.
At the far end of the chamber lied a ruined throne, thick stains of dry blood splattered across it and the surrounding floor. Deep cut marks could be seen throughout the chambers floor and walls, bits of shattered weapons lying about the room. Gaps in the blood stains revealed were bodies might have once been, but they had either been carried off by the river or moved by its inhabitants.
Throughout this damaged hall, several blue-skinned people stood about and spoke among one another. All of them had fins on their elbows and knees, and their skin appeared to have a leathery, almost scaly texture to it. Most of these people had long, fish-like extensions extending from the back of their heads, complete with the tail fins at the tip.
Standing in the center of several of these people was a gorgeous young woman, dressed in an elegant dress composed of red and violet cloths. While her flawless skin was as pale a blue as the others, there was no extension from the back of her head. Instead, she had long, shoulder-length red that appeared to be comprised from a coral reef.
Stepping into the chamber, the three of them came to a stop at the entrance of the chamber. The people inside came to a stop, looking over to them suspiciously. The woman with coral hair stepped forward, looking them over curiously.
"Who are you?" she questioned, standing confidently before them. Quincey moved to step forward, Kino holding his arm out in front of him. Quincey looking back at him with a raised brow, Kino gestured to him with his hand to wait. Looking back towards her, Kino stepped forward, bowing his head respectfully.
"Queen Rutela" he said happily, smiling up at her "it's a pleasure to see you again." The woman paused a moment longer, looking Kino over once again before her eyes widened, a look of realization crossing her face.
"Kino?" she questioned, stepping towards him "Kino Kyoto? Is that you?"
"In the flesh" he assured her, holding his hands out to his sides. She paused a moment longer before a faint smile came across her face.
"It's been far too long my friend" she said softly.
"I apologize for my absence" he said with a sigh, bringing his hands to his sides "I have been kept busy the past few years and time has not been on my side."
"It's been twelve years" she reminded him "I've since married and had a child…"
"Yes" Kino said sympathetically with a nod "I have heard of both King Zora and Prince Ralis' tragic fates."
"I presume it is the man who caused such vile tragedies that has brought you here to our domain?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I'm afraid so" he sighed, folding his arms behind his head "I must ask you if you have any knowledge of the Sage of Water's whereabouts. I've been informed he lies here beneath the domain, but I need more detailed information to locate him."
"Yes, the Sage has been sealed beneath out great lake" she replied, looking to the water on the cavern floor "far beneath the water outside the Spirit of Light's cavern."
"I assume there's more to it" he questioned "otherwise your own men would have already dove down to free them."
"You assume right, as usual" she said with a slight smiling, looking back at him "the entrance to their prison is frozen over with a thick layer of ice. My men have been unable to pierce it and no amount of heat has managed to melt through the ice."
"That is a problem" Kino admitted with a nod, taking a heavy breath.
"I have a question" Quincey interrupted, stepping forward. Kino and Rutela looked over at him, Krynne hovering over his shoulder.
"And who might you be?" Rutela asked.
"I am Quincey" he replied with a polite nod "but this prison that lies beneath the lake, is the water in it running or has it stilled?"
"The river splits in two" she explained "one half keeps going while the other ends in that lake. There is no current beneath the lakes surface."
"Good" he said with a nod, looking back towards the cave's entrance "so I won't have to sit around twiddling my thumbs a second time." Rutela looked from Quincey to Kino in confusion, tilting her head. Kino shook his head, gesturing for her to dismiss the thought as he stepped past Quincey towards the entrance of the cave.
"Thank you for your information, your highness" he said gratefully "with it we'll not only free the Sage but find and return Prince Ralis to you."
"Very well" she said, politely bowing her head to him "I wish you luck and pray you reach your goal, for all our sakes." Kino nodded back to her once more as Quincey and Krynne started after him out of the cave entrance.
"We shall return" he called back, waving back at them with a smile "and when we do, I'll make time to catch up on what I've missed!" Rutela smiled brightly, a soft sigh escaping her lips as they disappeared through the cavern ahead.
"I'll hold you to that" she said softly "don't keep me waiting."
Once they reached the base of the cliff's face, the three of them made their way along the river's edge. Following the flowing water, Kino guided them down to the large lake below. On the far side of the lake stood a large stone pillar with a large cavern visible at its center.
"The prison's at the bottom of that?" Krynne questioned, looking down at the water below.
"That it is" Kino assured her as they made their way to the lake's edge.
"Alright, so Krynne and I are okay without air" Quincey pointed out, looking down at Kino "what about you?"
"This tunic I'm wearing is known as the Zora's Tunic" he replied, leading them around the edge of the lake "Rutela hand made it for me several years ago. It allows me to breathe air and water equally well."
"How does that work?" Krynne questioned.
"Beats me" he admitted with a shrug "it's never failed me before, so I've always just went along with it. I should ask her some time."
"So how are we gonna melt this ice?" Quincey questioned, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked towards the center of the water body.
"That is a very good question" Kino admitted "maybe we should dive in and give it a quick look first…"
The clouds seemed to sail past them rapidly. The moon was bright above the clouds, the stars becoming bright blurs as they rushed by.
"My ego thinks it can tell me what to do" Nenshoeu laughed as the wind rushed through his hair "well I'll show my ego who's the boss around here!" Pulling up on the beast's horns, Volvagia rose up above the clouds with a deafening roar, its fiery main crackling through the air.
"How is kidnapping the dragon, not doing exactly what he told you to do?" questioned a familiar voice.
"Easy" Nenshoeu replied smugly "he told me to fly it, I'm going to teach it how to swim!"
The sky itself seemed to shake as the ground trembled beneath their feet.
"What the hell's going on?" Quincey demanded.
"I have no idea!" Kino admitted, shaking his head frantically "Hyrule isn't known for earthquakes!"
"Maybe that has something to do with it!" Krynne exclaimed, pointing to the sky. Looking to the sky, Kino and Quincey watched in shock as the might dragon emerged from beyond the clouds.
"Volvagia?" Kino cried, grabbing hold of his sword "What's it doing out of the mountain?"
"That's what was in Death Mountain?" Quincey questioned, looking back at him "I thought you found the Sage?"
"I did" Kino replied, pointing towards the dragon's mane "but he dealt with the monster!" Quincey looked back, his pupils dilating as he caught sight of Nenshoeu atop the creature's back.
"You have got to be kidding me" Krynne sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Ya!" Nenshoeu cried out, guiding Volvagia down towards the lake "Now just remember: water is just like really thin, cold magma!" The dragon let out a final shriek of terror before crashing down beneath the lake's surface. The three of them watched curiously, a sense of uncertainty engulfing them.
"Can that thing even breathe under water?" Quincey questioned.
"It can breathe in magma" Kino shrugged, shaking his head in confusion "it's never been tested." After a long moment of silence, a loud shattering sound echoed through the air. The three of them looked at each other with a puzzled look for a moment before their eyes widened and they looked back at the lake.
"Well…" Krynne muttered, looking around at them "At least that solves our ice problem…"
"Ya!" Nenshoeu cheered as Volvagia burst from beneath the water's surface "I knew you could do it!"
"Well" Quincey said with a grim smirk, stepping forward "I think it's time I got a little pay back for his little stunt at the Forest Temple."
"Shouldn't we be focusing on getting to the Sage?" Kino offered.
"Well if we take him out now, we won't have to keep rushing to reach the Sages" Krynne pointed out.
"I suppose…" Kino agreed with a slight nod, looking back towards Nenshoeu as he guided Volvagia back beneath the waves.
"Don't worry" Quincey assured him, his grin widening as his bared his fangs "this won't take long!"
