Chapter 12: Spies in Saria
The southern face of Death Mountain Link had already been across. But they needed to travel through it to the northern face. Impa brought them to a tunnel entrance high on Death Mountain, on the western side. "Given where you entered Ganon's palace, this way should stay clear of that place," she said. "And it's not going to be easier going down, so keep alert."
"I hope there's no trouble," the red-haired Zelda said.
There would be, Link knew. At first, it was just monsters. He gave Zelda his red candle to keep the area lit, mostly for her and Impa. This gave him free hands to use his bow and arrows to shoot down monsters before they got too close. As the passages turned and dipped often, sometimes they couldn't avoid a monster surprising them from a hidden spot close by. Impa often handled the close fights with her staff, Link helping out with the Master Sword if needed. Zelda sometimes used her magic to help, but it drained her of energy immensely. "I wasn't allowed to do much, so I must be out of practice," she said one time.
Around midday, or what seemed to be that time, the three of them encountered a group of Gorons mining in the tunnels. "You must be brave and strong to be walking through here when you're not Gorons," one said to them. "We can squash the monsters easily, but most small ones like you need guides."
"We've been doing well," Impa said. "But I have heard that the tunnels ahead can get confusing. Do you have a map of their current layout?"
"Map?" the Goron asked. "Oh, the paper things. We don't use those. But that area is well traveled by Gorons, and safe passageways are marked with our signs. Here, I have a stick." He then brought out an iron rod that was nine feet tall. A stick to him, perhaps. He then drew out some signs in the dirt on the floor. "Sign of Goron means that place is good for mining. Sign of feet mean that place is good for walking. And sign of dead eyes means that it is a bad tunnel to be in. There will be other signs, but these are basic and should be near most paths."
"That's good to know, thank you," Zelda said.
"Is there any way we can know the quickest path to the town of Saria?" Impa asked.
The Goron nodded and added another sign, this one a symbol of a house. "Oh yes. We trade a lot with Saria, although we have had to walk across the river lately as they keep their bridge up. This sign means it is a path to a not-Goron town."
Another one of the Gorons pointed them down another tunnel. "Go down that way and keep straight until you see the not-Goron town sign on the wall. They are mostly on paths that are more traveled than this one."
With that help, the three felt more secure with a route to take. Now that they were in Goron territory, the signs were common. Many areas showed frequent changes, where one symbol was chiseled out to be replaced by another. Most likely, it was because of the recent defeat of Ganon making these tunnels accessible. Sometimes, Link spotted signs that suggested that some tunnels were dangerous but still being mined.
The path to Saria, once they were on it, was not as straight as they would have liked. It changed directions frequently, often sending them out on the north side of Death Mountain to find the next tunnel entrance on the path. There were several pits where they had to climb down to cross and then climb back up to continue. A few times, there were even pits of liquid fire this often caused problems, as the princess wasn't able to make jumps that Link and Impa could handle. Most often they found a path around it, although once Link used the Goron bracelet to throw a large rock into the fire pit, letting her cross quickly before it dissolved into the fire. There were also more monsters to take care of, the most dangerous one being a red beast human that fought Link with an axe the size of his head. He and Impa managed to bring it down, thankfully.
When the sky began to darken with evening, they came out of Death Mountain for the last time. Before them was a rocky turf with some tough grasses on it. Not far past there, a wide river moved sluggishly in its banks. The town of Saria sat on the northern bank of the river, glowing with light and clustered tightly together. It was much bigger than his hometown, bigger than any other settlement Link had seen.
"Now we're officially back in northern Hyrule," Impa said with a smile. "We should be able to find a place to rest in town."
"I can make it," Zelda said, although her voice was weary and her movements less graceful from the weight of exhaustion. But they were so close and it was late to be setting up a camp anyhow. Impa took the princess' hand and they walked towards the gatehouse by the river.
There, they met with a group of three soldiers. "Are you refugees from southern Hyrule?" one of them asked. "It's been a long time since anyone that's not a monster or a Goron came this way."
"Southern Hyrule is free now," Impa said. She put her hand to her chest, pulling back her sleeve to reveal a tattoo. "I am Impa, a servant of the Royal Family, and this is Princess Zelda as well as the hero who defeated Ganon, Link."
"Princess Zelda?" one of them asked in awe.
"And Ganon's defeated?" the third asked. "Is that true?"
Link nodded, while Zelda said, "Yes, it is. I am heading back home now, but we have had a long day in the mountains. Would you please let us use the bridge to rest in Saria?"
"Of course, give it a minute to come across," one said as another went to a panel of levers to start the mechanism. "But please be careful. We've had a lot of spies from Ganon enter towns disguised as humans. But they wouldn't be able to imitate the sign of the Shiekah clan."
"Or the Triforce," the other pointed out. "So you must be trustworthy."
A loud clattering sound came from outside as the bridge was moved into place. Once they were across, the bridge was pulled back up for the night. Impa said that she knew of a good inn, so she led the way through Saria's streets.
It was a whole different world to Link's eyes. The streets were paved with stone, with holes in the side, presumably for catching rain. And everywhere he looked, there were tall buildings made of stone and brick, decorated with boxes of plants and carved designs. On metal posts, there were lanterns that seemed to burn oil or magic, keeping the streets lit without being too smokey. There were signs with fancy lettering that marked permanent shops, doing well enough that they could specialize in goods rather than taking whatever they could like those in southern Hyrule. People were out despite the falling night, talking, laughing, and even singing, as they were not worried about the terrors outside of town. So this was what the world without tyranny was like.
If one were traveling in southern Hyrule and needed to stay in another town, they usually were taken in as a guest by a willing local. Sometimes permanent stores would have a small room or two for such visitors. Here, there was three large buildings (that he'd seen) that would take care of a traveler in need of rest. The one they entered had a dining hall past the entrance room, and what seemed to be a large kitchen behind it. Impa and Zelda negotiated getting a room to sleep in and meals for each of them.
The meal the inn had that night was roast Cuccuu, roasted potatoes, slices of bread, and cooked green beans, all covered in gravy made from the Cuccuu. It was good gravy, although perhaps they didn't need to us so much of it to cover everything else. Once they were done eating, Zelda and Impa went upstairs to sleep. Link wasn't that tired, so he went outside to observe the streets and the people of Saria for a little while. The innkeeper told him they would lock up at midnight, which was plenty of time for him.
So different here. Link stopped by a nearby shop, which turned out to be a bakery. And that's all it did, bake breads and pastries. Milk had been a luxury to him, but here, there was a sign stating that they would have cheesecakes for sale this week. Cheesecake, they were safe and prosperous enough here that they could make an excess of cakes out of cheese instead of using cheese sparingly and trying to keep it unnoticed from tax collecting monsters. He wasn't sure if he could get used to a life like that.
Then a shout broke through the streets. "Stop! Stop that thief!" There was a man in dark blue clothes that was running his way, holding onto a fancy bag that seemed more suited for a lady.
Acting quickly, Link grabbed hold of the man as he passed by, stopping him in his tracks. "What do you want?" he snarled, glowering at him. Then his eyes caught sight of the golden Triforce, and turned red like flames. "You're the one who slew the master," he said, his voice twisting as his body did the same, turning red and leathery. Horns grew out of his head, claws grew from his hands and feet, and his clothes turned into ragged wings. "I will kill you for Ganon!"
A monster, one of Ganon's spies. Link threw the demon across the street as people around him shouted and froze in fright. As he drew out his sword, the demon tried to rush at him and claw his neck to shreds. The Master Sword flashed through the air, cutting it down before it could even get close. Once its body hit the ground, it rapidly dissolved into dust, leaving the lady's bag behind. Since he was in a own, Link returned his sword to its sheath. Maybe these people did have a life of luxury, but they didn't react fast enough to last long in southern Hyrule.
One of the women stepped out of the crowd. "Oh my goodness, thank you," she said. "I've never seen anyone destroy them that fast, not even the town guards."
Link shrugged, then picked up the bag and handed it to her. The people around them decided to move away, getting back to enjoying the night. There must not have been many such spies, at least in their minds.
"You even got him before he disappeared with my purse," she said, clutching it close. "I've got too many important things inside to lose it. I'd like to do something for you... wait, you seem to be a traveler. Do you know magic? I've been studying spells and I could pass one to you if you have a spellbook."
Given that he only had one spell, a new one would be handy. He brought out the spellbook he had and opened it up, showing it to her.
"Not much of a talker, huh?" She looked at the book. "Only one spell? But, your sword must be enough to take care of you. Oh, I know, you should have a healing spell." She brought a similar spell book out of her purse and flipped through a number of pages. They were all imprinted with spells. "And... here, this one is good for a beginner, and reliable enough that even masters will keep using it." She ran her fingers down the page, quietly speaking magic words. Then she did the same action to his spellbook, leaving the spell behind. "That should do. Thanks again, and I hope your travels are successful." She then put her spellbook away.
At that point, one of the city guards came up. "What's going on here? Is this man causing you trouble?"
She shook her head. "No, he helped me." After explaining that he had taken care of the thief and spy, the matter seemed to be settled. The lady and the guardsman then headed off their separate ways.
A healing spell. Link read over the instructions. 'Life- A spell to restore the life energy of one who is wounded. Don't try to use it if you're not injured, as it'll just be a waste. But when you are in need, this spell will be your helping healing hand.' He did have a wound still from the fight with the axe beast, so he brought out his magic rod and thought of the spell word for Life. The air shimmered around him, speeding up the healing of the wound like the touch of a fairy's magic. It was only a pink mark when the spell was done.
That would definitely be something he wanted to memorize. As he couldn't speak, there didn't seem much else to do, so he went back to the inn. In the room they were sharing, Zelda was already fast asleep while Impa was checking over the room's defenses. There was a screen in the room, so he quietly moved that to block off one of the beds and give the women their privacy. Then he prepared to sleep himself.
In the morning, Impa went out to see about getting a ride back to the castle. Link stayed in the inn room with Zelda. He had found a book on one of the shelves and passed some time reading it. Wile it was more difficult that what he was used to, there did seem to be useful information about northern Hyrule in it.
Impa came back as Zelda had gotten up; she was sitting on her bed brushing her hair, the screen now pushed back against the wall so Link could keep an eye out for trouble. "One of the knights here has agreed to take us back to North Castle on his stagecoach," she told them. "We should go downstairs for some breakfast so we can meet up with him and leave soon."
"My hair's still messy, isn't it?" Zelda asked. "Well, as long as it's good enough for travel. It's not like I had the things for a proper look all this time."
"Your parents will be glad just to see you safe and alive," Impa said.
After having a breakfast of eggs, ham, toast, and a fruit salad, they checked out of the inn and headed to the main road leaving Saria. The sky had clouded over during the night, the air chilled. At the town gate, there was an enclosed wagon painted in red and gold. A crest of some sort, possibly belonging to a noble family, had been placed on both doors leading into the stagecoach. Two strong brown horses had already been hooked up and someone was checking on the wheels to make sure they were okay.
A man greeted them. He wore leather armor that had been dyed red, with the crest from the wagon painted on the chest in white. His leggings were black, but from the thickness they seemed to be armored. At his side, there was a sword with a white handle; he certainly looked big and muscular enough to be a force to be reckoned with in battle. His name was Bagu and he seemed to know Impa well.
"Monsters on the road haven't changed all that much," he said. "There are bandits too, but they know my sign and are unlikely to target us. My worry is it's looking to snow and we don't know how treacherous that will be."
"If we go quickly before it starts, I think we'll be fine," Impa said. "Would it bother you much if the three of us were to ride inside while you stay out and watch for monsters? Link here is a capable young man, but if they see the Triforce, they'll become reckless and aggressive trying to kill him. And I'm sorry, but as the princess' handmaiden, it's my duty to not leave her in the company of a young man for long, at her age."
"Oh, Impa," Zelda said, but then laughed.
Bagu chuckled. "I know how it is. It's no trouble to me, especially if it makes us less prone to attack. If you have no more business here in Saria, let's head out."
There wasn't anything that needed to be done, although Link would have liked to see the city at work for a little while. Maybe sometime in the future, when his life wasn't in as much risk. Zelda and Impa went into the coach first, taking the back bench. Then Link got in and sat opposite them. There was some padding, but the seats were stiff and the room fairly small. Once they left town, the horses took to a brisk pace, jostling the passengers steadily. Maybe it was faster, but it wasn't a comfortable ride. Besides, Link wasn't sure how long he could stand sitting in one spot for a long time.
On the other side, Zelda was relaxing. "I'm glad we got a ride," she said. "After the past few weeks, I don't know how much longer I want to walk. And it would have taken us days to get across the grasslands and the marsh, especially if the snow and ice start sticking."
"It would have been easier travel than through Death Mountain, if longer so we avoid the swamp," Impa said. "Although Link, you'll have to go into there at some time in the future."
A swamp? Would it be like the shallows at the sea, with mud to trudge through? Link touched the Triforce, thinking it might have something to do with that.
"Since we've got time to spend, I may as well tell you about the last piece of the Triforce," Impa said. "Have you heard the story about why the princess of Hyrule is always named Zelda?"
Link shrugged, giving a hand sign that meant maybe. Gran had told him a story like that, but he let Impa tell that story again. It was much the same, about the young King who had Ganon as a servant of the Court, how Ganon had tried to get information about the Triforce from the King, and then from the Princess Zelda. The King and Ganon had fought, but the latter put the princess to sleep and fled to southern Hyrule to find the Triforce.
After that, there were some new things. "When the Triforce splintered at Ganon's touch, one piece flew all the way to North Castle," Impa said. "Ganon and his forces attacked the castle once they learned it was there, but then the King's daughter Zelda went in to visit the sleeping princess one day. The older Zelda had managed to speak to her niece in a vision, asking her to bring the piece of Courage to her. They tried to use it to awaken her, but that failed. To get Ganon's forces to stop attacking, the older Zelda then sent the piece to an ancient place, the Mountain Palace in the Valley of Death."
Zelda then spoke up. "And the reason she did that was because of how Ganon had put the curse on her. The curse was transformed into a monster, known as the Thunderbird, and it was sent to nest in Mountain Palace. Then, Ganon sealed off the palace by raising six Temples of Death throughout northern Hyrule. As long as the Temples of Death stand, then no one but the Thunderbird can enter or leave. But then Thunderbird can't touch the Triforce because of its nature as a curse, so Ganon can't get it either."
Impa nodded. "To get the last piece of the Triforce, you need to enter Mountain Palace to find it, and kill the Thunderbird. And to get there, you need to bring down the six temples. One of them lies in the swamp north of here. We have been told that to take down Ganon's temples, a holy crystal needs to be placed in the shrine that maintains them. We know how to make the crystals, but no one has been strong enough to destroy all the temples."
"There's a few who managed to take down one or two," Zelda said. "But if they are not all taken down within one year, they are able to remake themselves. You've already traveled through many dungeons held by Ganon and his followers, so you should be able to accomplish this."
But Impa had one more warning. "I would advise that you wait until spring. Travel in northern Hyrule during winter is dangerous, even to experienced travelers. Plus, we will need some time to craft six holy crystals so the temples can be destroyed. You can use that time to train with the castle knights, if you wish."
So that was what he had to face now, a challenge that had been around for a hundred years that no one had been able to complete. Time to prepare would be good. But what about the castle residents? Would they be safe with him around? He didn't know how many forces of Ganon's still lurked the countryside and if they would be able to mass an attack just to get him.
He nodded, though. There was no sense in leaving his quest unfinished, and in not repaying the other Zelda for her help. He would just have to avoid getting the notice of Ganon's servants during this winter.
"It's too bad that you had to come here at the start of winter," Zelda said, looking out the window. The grassland out there was a light brown; a hard frost must have already come through here. "The snow is pretty the first few days, but it quickly becomes cold and dreary. I think the countryside looks best in late spring and summer, when all the grasses are green and the flowers are blooming."
He shrugged and gave a smile. That's just how winter was. Back home, the main concern was changes in the behavior of fish and keeping enough preserved foods to keep through the cold dark days ahead.
A mix of both games in here. The entrance they take into Death Mountain would be the entrance to the final dungeon in the second quest of the original. In the northeast most screen of the map, there's a small narrow path where a wall can be bombed for the entrance. Unlike with Spectacle Rock, there is no hint that the dungeon is there. I've been in the habit of bombing random walls in Zelda games ever since, lol.
The part of Death Mountain itself is in Adventure of Link, where you get the Hammer item. Since all it does is destroy boulders and trees on the world map, I didn't find it that useful for this story. Death Mountain is a sharp increase in difficulty for the game, especially those axe-rhino enemies. But if you want to progress past the second temple, you have to go through it. But in the very last part, where you get the Hammer, there's a neat tribute to the first game, in that the small area nearly matches the map of that game.
