A/N: We finally get to the Eastern Palace, folks! Yeah, kinda got a little lord of the rings-y over here, but eh, that's how I like it. I like Link's struggle, it would kill the mystique to have him hopping around from place to place without explaining.

Anyway, sorry for the dealays, I've had a ton to do lately... A SKELE-ton!

... Sorry for the bad reference. You'll get it. Anyway, let's get going.

Chapter xi

At the Eastern Gates

He had made it. As he climbed the stairs and strolled through the abandoned canyons, he slowly took in the sight before him. The Eastern Palace, the forbidden land in this pilgrimage, stood before him. Adorned with large statues of dire expressions, and ancient, rusted metal and stone on the walls, it was a sight to behold. The edification to the Goddess Farore stood three stories tall in the middle of nowhere, with its entrance akin to a gaping maw into the dark, as if it was about to swallow Link whole.

He remembered the prayer he had made to the Goddess, when his uncle had passed away. He tried to keep it in his thoughts, lest he need it for his own soul. He stepped forward, the sun behind him, the darkness in front of him. This was it, the turning point, the moment in which he knew he would face dangers bigger than before, where the fates would test his mettle and skill.

Sahasrahla's spirit lingered inside his head, pushing him towards the entrance. Link entered the Eastern Palace.

One thing was certain, the place was dark. A dilapidated entrance welcomed him, a long stone bridge about to fall apart led to the large gates covered in cracks, waiting for the innocent to enter and be damned and remain damned. As he walked in the silent tomb that was the former place of adoration, he thought he could hear sounds. Some of them were subtle, others seemed like loud roaring coming from the depths of the palace. His pace became a little quicker, eager to find the sources for these sounds. The first one became apparent, as the walls were covered in rats and other vermin, eating spiders that crawled along the surface of the floor.

The other sound proved to be far less natural.

As he opened the ancient stone door, the rumbling became louder, and his feet sensed the tumbling of something big moving across the ground. Pulling out his lamp to create some light, he saw what was in front of him: the main room of the ancient palace was filled with stairs, balconies, golden statues, and sinister silhouettes that moved in silence. Below him, a narrow hallway was the only way to move forward, but strange, metallic rocks constantly rolled along the main way, crushing anyone who would dare enter the narrow pathway. A closer inspection would reveal that the large boulders, which generated the rumbling sound, were constantly flowing through the path thanks to an ancient contraption made of slides that kept them in a constant repeating cycle of movement. Far from adoring this feat of engineering, hundreds of years old, Link was far more preoccupied with finding a way through the trap. He walked down the stairs, and looked at the boulders for a moment. They came in groups of three, and their path ended when they fell into a hole at the end of the path. After exactly two seconds, the pattern would repeat itself. If he could shimmy quickly along the hallway, he could probably hide in the nooks and crannies of the walls and avoid being crushed to death.

Swallowing for a bit, Link put his lantern back in his place, and proceeded to basically hug the wall as tightly as he could. The metallic objects went past him, with a mighty presence more tremendous than any living thing he had encountered before. Here, he stood for a moment, gasping for breath, and trying not to let go, lest the ricochet send him backwards in an endless spiral of impacts and crushed bones. Once the last boulder had passed, he let go of the wall and ran as quickly as possible to the end of the dangerous road. Finally, he found a pathway leading to the left. He jumped towards the exit, narrowly avoiding another boulder. Upwards, another set of stairs awaited him. He took out his sword and lantern, as he walked alongside the stone bridges above the boulders, looking for any way forward. Most doors were closed, and the shadows of strange creatures lurking in the dark were making him paranoid. He thought something had to be watching him. It couldn't be his imagination. A small, halfway open door awaited him, and he entered a large hall, covered in darkness and webbing.

What he saw made him leap a bit.

Rows of skeletons covered the floors, all of them placed in a crawling position, trying to reach the door to the right of him. Cautiously, he approached it, wanting to know the danger ahead. To his dismay, the door was locked, but it had no keyhole. It was evident a securing mechanism was the one behind all this. He inspected the room, and saw that, on the opposite side, there was yet another narrow hallway, this one smaller even, that led into more darkness. Resigned to his fate, he shimmied along the walls, with the only threat to his health being the numerous webs and scattered bones on the floors. At the far end, he found a big, rusty lever. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. He pulled the lever, and he could hear the door opening behind him. He returned to the room.

Once again, Link leapt in horror at the horrible sight that awaited him in the very same room.

As he walked into the room, a series of dark fumes entered through the open doorway, and started to surround the nearby skeletons. Slowly, the skeletons began to reanimate their motions, standing up with some effort, and soon grabbing the scattered swords and ribs around them, pointing them at Link as weapons to fight him with. Link took a step backwards, but he knew fighting them was the only way out of the room.

He took his defensive stance, with his sword and shield out, the knees already bent. The skeletons were quick in their motions, surprisingly, but a bit sloppy in their attacks. They seemed to have a better grasping of their surroundings. Something about their movement seemed unnatural to Link, as if they weren't the ones moving. They moved more like puppets rather than actual people. Like the statues that guarded the forbidden land before the Palace, these had a natural habit of leaping in the air. Swords slashed at him from all angles, and he tried to keep up with them in vain. He decided that maybe this wasn't his best plan. He tried to attack them instead, using his sword to shatter their feeble bones.

It didn't work. They simply reanimated themselves once again, ready for battle. He was getting swarmed with them, when he heard Sahasrahla's voice in his head once again.

"Don't waste your time with them. One of them has a key, do you see him?"

Link looked around frantically, until he saw it: A skeleton in the far right had a key, dangling from a chain he wore around his neck. "Yes, I see it."

"All right. Ignore the other ones. Focus your strengths, and aim for the spinal cord. It should bring down the opponent easily. Once you do, take the key and keep running out of the room. Their strength lies in their numbers, but I don't think they will follow you very far."

Link proceeded to maneuver right next to the skeleton in question. It slashed at him twice, the first time, he blocked it with his shield, the second time, he received a gash on the right knee. Screaming out in pain, he used his shield to bash the monster backwards, before striking the center with his sword, dissolving the creature. Quickly, he took the key, before it reassembled itself, and ran out of the room, feeling the pain in his leg.

As he ran through the corridors, he saw more skeletons reanimating themselves. He didn't waste any time with these either, he swerved a curve to his left, and proceeded to go down some stairs. Now, he was in some large room, with various passageways leading in different directions. Trying to keep his calm, he ventured further. The palace was clearly abandoned, except for cursed beings. Statues observed him from the shadows, moving their heads ever so slightly. Whenever he encountered one of those, he didn't waste any time, and used his abilities to defeat them with ease. At the end of one of these hallways, he reached what appeared to be an old cellar of sorts. It was bigger than any cellar that he had ever seen, but he knew it to be full of rich foods and crates. There was a big chest lying around in the center of the room, begging to be opened. He pondered over what it could contain. Alas, his efforts were in vain, for he did not have the key to open it.

It wasn't long until he remembered the key he had taken from the skeletons.

Ecstasy taking hold of him, he inserted it into the lock, opening the chest with a mixture of anxiety and joy. He did not understand where did this sensation came from, but he liked it. Once he lifted the top of the chest, he looked inside, and he gasped in amazement- it was a bow. A finely tuned one at that, looking almost new. Once he grabbed it, he noticed that many vases in the palace's cellar contained bundles of arrows. Curiously he grabbed them, wondering if he had the ability to use a proper bow yet.

Suddenly, something stirred in the dark. It was yet another statue- "figures", thought Link, but this one was different: wearing a cape, a big armor, and possessing only one eye that looked strangely organic. His new master's voice resonated once again in his thoughts.

"That is not a normal statue, Link. It's a living creature that fools men into ignoring it. Take out that bow you just grabbed."

"But I don't know how to use a bow!" He cried.

"Obey me. It's time to put your skills to the test."

Before the creature approached him, he frantically pointed an arrow to the monster. The statue froze for a moment, but noted Link's unwillingness to fire the arrow. It laughed at him, and proceeded to run towards him.

"Link, fire the arrow."

"I… I can't…"

"Fire it!"

With a yell, he fired the shot straight into the creature's eye, destroying it in an instant. Link stepped forward, looking at the remains of his dead enemy, wondering how he had done that.

"Well well well, it seems as if the lineage of the chosen ones does flow through you. You're a natural, but you could use some practice."

"What do you mean by that? The chosen ones?"

"It doesn't matter now. For the moment, head upwards, to the final floor. Once you reach the top, your final part of the test awaits. Be careful, young one."

With a new weapon in hand, Link returned outside of the cellar, and began his foray deeper into the palace, looking for the staircase that would lead him to his next trial.

The palace was a simple place for adoration, but the darkness didn't help. Many rats also scurried on the ground. It took him quite some time before he found his way out of the underground parts, until he reached what appeared to be the final floor. Looking outside through a window, he could see that dusk was beginning to fall. Something about the atmosphere screamed endgame, but he knew he was far from done.

He crossed a pair of doors, and saw what the next room had to offer: an empty chasm, separating him from the door on the opposite side. He stepped forward, thinking of what to do. After this much walking, he felt a bit stumped. It wasn't until he stepped accidentally on a floor tile, that he saw what he had to do. The mechanism activated by the tile seemed to move a contraption that made a stone bridge appear. Smiling, he continued his trek, reaching a large, red door, with an eye symbol. Curious, he opened the door.

This was it, the last room in the palace. It wasn't a throne room per se, it was more like a sanctum. A small set of stairs led him to a square shaped area, with large, stone statues thrice his size surrounding the area. These statues appeared to be modeled after the knights of Hyrule. They held their swords and shields with purpose, though they weren't moving. Link stepped forward, the sanctum shrouded by silence. Light came from the glass ceiling above him, giving the whole area a blue tint. At the end of the room, another set of stairs awaited him, where something was placed on a small pedestal.

He kept walking, awaiting his final prize, when the elder's voice spoke to him.

"Watch out."

Without warning, he heard something big running towards him. Once he managed to avoid the large shape, he saw it: one of the statues had just tried to skewer him with his sword. The others were beginning to move too.

Figures.

They raised their swords high in the air. They were colossal, their feet making loud sounds in the arena, their shadow extending far and wide across the sanctum. Each had glowing eyes, and their gazes were focused on him. He tried scanning their movements, but these moved exactly like a real human would, with the diligence of a real soldier ready for combat. He didn't have any idea what to do next.

Slowly, he backed away, but they surrounded him easily. He rolled across the ground, avoiding being impaled on their mighty swords. Feebly, he tried attacking one of them head on, but it blocked his attack with the shield. They seemed to be made from a durable, shiny stone, animated by ancient magic. He was at a loss at what to do.

"What are these things, master?" Link asked.

"Ancient statues built to test a hero's courage to stand against unbearable odds. They're called the Armos Knights, and they have served in this palace for centuries. You must not turn back Link. Find a way through and defeat them."

Easier said than done. They outnumbered him, and they were fast and huge. There was no way his sword would be able to defeat them head on. Which only left him with one other choice. He looked at his bow, and pulled it out. He took out an arrow and pointed it at the nearest knight. It was running towards him. He only had one shot, so he fired it against its head.

The strike was solid, it seemed to shatter half its head. It reeled back, but it still tried attacking link. The room wasn't big enough for all of them, so he had to move much quicker than ever before. He charged another arrow and managed to decapitate the soldier. Its body lost its magiks and fell to the ground defeated. The other soldiers, in accordance, made a line of four, protecting the last one from attacks, while he prepared to toss his sword at Link.

He didn't know how, but he knew what would happen next, he could feel it in his gut: the soldier would throw the sword at him, and, after barely missing it, the soldiers would charge against him, killing him. He had no time to think. He raised his bow, and ran straight towards one of the knights defending the one in the back. He chose the one on the left, and shot three arrows in quick succession, each of those shattering a different piece of the armor. By the time the soldier in the back had launched his sword, the other had begun the charge towards him, but the soldier in the left fell, defeated. Now, only four remained.

One of them, the one who threw his sword was unarmed, so Link launched a single arrow at his head. The statue fell backwards, and Link, despite his injured knee from the earlier battle, still managed to launch himself on top of the creature, stabbing it in the chest. The stone soldier broke in two. Link was now getting déjà vu from the earlier battle with the smaller statues before entering the palace. Perhaps they had been a premonition of events to come.

The last three remaining soldiers engaged him in a closed circle. The struck the ground he was on repeatedly, but Link persevered. Finally, after finding an opening, Link launched his final arrows at the legs of one, and into the chest of another. The latter one shattered instantly, while the other was left for Link to decapitate. Unfortunately, just as Link was finishing the strike, the last remaining knight knocked him backwards with his sword. Link hit the opposite wall with a resounding thud.

Barely managing to get up, the soldier beckoned him to fight. Link was trembling, and he couldn't breathe from the pain. Vomit escaped from his mouth, and he fell to one knee. The soldier seemed disappointed, and approached him slowly, raising his sword. Link knew this was his chance, but he couldn't move, only his right arm seemed to be fine. Then, he remembered: stored inside his pouch, was something that could save him.

He pulled out his boomerang.

Aiming as best as he could, he tossed it at the soldier's head, knocking a bit off of his helmet. The statue dropped its sword in pain, clutching his damaged noggin. Using the last of his physical strength, Link ran at the statue, and thrust his sword against it, shattering it. Then, he collapsed.

"Link… Can you stand?"

It wasn't Sahasrahla.

It was Zelda.

"Barely… I took quite a hit, princess."

"I know… I think my magic can detect you easily in that room you're in. At least, now that there's nothing blocking my way."

"Why's that?"

"Look in front of you. Do you see the pedestal? That's the divine object of the Goddesses."

"What is it? Will it be of help?"

"I'm sure Sahasrahla knows the answers. I don't, but I can feel its power. Maybe this is the key to all of this."

"Heh, maybe this means my days as a messenger are over, yes?" He said, approaching the pedestal.

"Maybe… Just maybe. You have been a great help Link, I assure you."

"Don't worry… All… In a day's work…" He said, struggling to keep his posture.

In front of him, lied an ornamental orb. It was green in color, which burned brighter than any lantern he had ever seen. It was cold to the touch, and of an ethereal sensation. Closer inspection would reveal that it had the symbol of Farore engraved on it. It wasn't an orb. It was a pendant.

"By the goddesses… Link, you must return to Sahasrahla. That is the pendant worn by Farore. What is it doing here? The magiks… They're so strong, so vibrant, full of life and…"

"Courage… It makes me feel valiant just being near it."

"Yes, I suppose you're correct."

"Don't worry princess. I'll return this to the elder. I'll be back soon."

It was evident he wouldn't be back soon. When he returned, what he saw made him instantly draw out his sword.

"Elder, you should give up already!" It was a soldier, one of three, who had come to the canyons in search for Link. "You're coming with us, like it or not."

The soldier looked at Link. "Well, the boy's here too! Viscen will be pleased to hear this."

Sahasrahla smiled. "Oh, I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid that you won't be going anywhere."

Suddenly, Sahasrahla pulled out a small rock and tossed it in front of him. There was an explosion, which collapsed the ground in front of them, blocking the passage between the soldiers and him. Link fell to the ground from the impact.

"What… What was that?" He said, coughing dirt.

"One of the Goron's special crops. Bombs, basically. They're high caliber explosives. I needed to keep us safe for the moment."

He helped Link get up. "Did you get the pendant?"

"Y- yes… But hey! Will they be able to get past the rocks? Will this finally help us defeat Agahnim? Will-

"Calm down. Come inside the house first."

Inside, the old man inspected the amulet Link carried. He gave a sigh of relief.

"Well, my boy. It pains me to tell you this but… You might be the legendary hero the Goddesses are looking for."

"What? Me? A legendary hero? What are you babbling on about?"

"I'm ashamed to tell you this… But I tricked you. I wanted to see if you were up to the task, knowing that if you succeeded, you would live the awful life of a hero. If you failed, you would die… I'm so sorry."

"But what do you mean about the task?"

"Locked inside the book of Mudora, which was passed down to me by my ancestors, there exists a prophecy: The one who collects the three pendants of the Goddesses shall be able to wield the blade of evil's bane. This weapon, made from holy light, is the only thing that could combat the priest's dark magic."

Link listened intently, knowing then that his quest wasn't over. He knew he had to be trained, but had held on to the hope that this would have helped Zelda more.

"After the priest came, strange events occurred: the girls brought to the castle, the seal weakening. Now, the king is dead, and sir Rusl, along with the knights of Hyrule are gone. But… Fate smiled upon us that horrible night. The last survivor of the royal knights… Is you, my hero, Link."

The boy simply gazed at the pendant, knowing all the power it contained. It was the only way to defeat Agahnim.

"You wish to bring justice to this kingdom do you not? You're the only one who can do it. I'm afraid you're the only connection to the past we have right now. You will guide our way forward. But first, before you go searching for the pendants, I'll train you. You have your ways with the sword and bow, but you need more diligence, more practice."

Link smiled, and nodded. "It will be my honor", he said.