Author's Note(s): Actually, I wrote this one BEFORE Chapter 13... and I wrote Chapter 17 before Chapter 14 (this one). Chapter 12? That was written a long time ago and I simply forgot to put it on . As such, now you get THREE chapters! As soon as I finish 15 and 16, you'll also get another trio as 17 was written a long while ago. In total, I have estimated about 40 chapters, so we're almost halfway through this one. Yes, it is long...
The Legend of Zelda: The Scepter of Darkness
Chapter 14: In the Dragon's Den
Link raced out onto the metal grating. The crater of Death Mountain had changed tremendously since the last time he had been here. It seemed that parts of the original paths down below had collapsed and now the only thing remaining was this grating that had been built before the volcano ruined the original walkways.
The same stone pillar from before stood at the center of the volcano. Of course, the other two pillars stuck up out of the boiling rock below were also in place. At the center of the grating, in front of the central pillar, the Triforce symbol that was once on the stone below now was painted onto this grating. Ahead of the Triforce symbol and before the central pillar, there was a large gap of nothingness that separated the two positions. Saria hung directly on the other side of this.
He rushed out as far as he could, reaching his hand forward. "Saria!" he cried out.
Saria looked up at him, gasping out. "L-Link!"
"I've come to rescue you!" he called out in reply.
She shook her head. "N-no! It's a trap! Watch out!"
Link stopped in place. He glanced around, but did not see anything. The magma below began to boil rapidly, though, and he turned to it in surprise. "What in the world…"
A pillar of fire lashed out between the pillar to the right of where Saria hung and where she now was. As the molten rock collapsed back down into the pit below, the form of the snake-like creature dashed out. It hovered in mid-air, turning to face Link. It roared out, but then it turned it's eyes to the meal that had been prepared for it. It lunged!
Link cried out. "No!" he screamed.
Acting quickly, Link pulled out his new-found weapon, the grapple shot, and aimed just above the dragon's neck. He launched it and it fell around, latching on. He quickly pressed the switched that pulled it in and Volvagia was dragged towards him. The dragon began wriggling out of it's grasp, but Link was still able to get in a few swipes with his sword before the beast shook it free and spouted fire around himself. Link was knocked backwards, rolling across the grate.
The attack did not seem to faze the beast much, but it did distract it from its original plan. Before it could feast, it would have to take care of this powerful creature first.
Volvagia lunged in Link's direction, now, and he barely had enough time to roll aside before the dragon swiped past. However, it was swift even still, and so it immediately stopped and turned around. Link, wasting no time, aimed his grapple shot and launched it at some metal poles that had been built higher up near the top of the crater.
These were likely the construction of a new floor for the grating, as it seemed that above they could almost be walked on, and some ladders and such connecting to the lower section. Whatever the case, they certainly helped here. Link swung forward, the chain link string proving to be quite durable and easy enough to handle his weight, so he had little difficulty in swinging forward, loosing the grip, and then launching it again in a different direction.
Volvagia dashed past, almost slamming into the wall near Link. He at last let go and rolled down on the grating below once again. The dragon turned and opened its mouth wide, fire spewing from its mouth. Link jumped aside and hung from the grate, barely escaping the fiery doom. He climbed back up and saw the dragon lunge towards him, again. He ducked to the side, but not before getting it a couple slices with his sword along the beast's neck. The creature cried out, but still did not seem too fazed.
The dragon opened it's mouth once again. The blazing heat of the flames that poured out singed the back of his hair slightly, but it did not actually reach him, for he had managed to launch his grapple to the other side of the chamber beforehand and pull himself out in the nick of time.
The beast was furious that it kept missing its prey, but it was still confident that it would prevail. The creature swung down, not even aiming for Link at all. It reached down towards the grating where Link was before and tore at it with its forearms and back legs. Link was stunned by what he saw. The beast was tearing apart the grating at that section, and a small bit fell into the burning heat below. If it kept this up, he would have no place to stand.
Volvagia turned back to Link, rearing its head up and giving out a loud roar it lunged forward once again. This time, Link simply backed up a ways, slowly, until he was flat up against the cavern's wall. He simply stood there, waiting, as the dragon lunged towards him. He wasn't sure if this would work or not, but it couldn't hurt to try, would it?
Suddenly, he dodged to the side. As expected, Volvagia apparently did not see the move and slammed into the wall. The beast collapsed to the ground and Link saw a strange red glow on its forehead. It seemed like a small gem imbedded there. Getting an idea, Link lunged forward, aiming his sword for that specific spot. He slashed a few times before the dragon awoke, crying out, flames spewing from its mouth.
It turned down to face Link, and before he could get away, the creature swiped its large claw down and grabbed Link tightly in its grasp. Link wriggles in the beast's grasp, but is unable to break free. He still had his hand clenched to the hilt of his sword, but his arm remained immobile in the creature's grasp.
Saria cried out as she saw Volvagia carry Link across the chamber and toss him down into the fire below. Link passed from her eyesight and tears poured down from her face. She heard the beast's roar and knew that she was next, but it didn't matter to her anymore. It was over.
The loud roar pierced her ears as she saw the beast above her, standing on the central pillar, looking down at the creature that was set apart for its next meal. It reached its head down and then…
A metal claw caught the creature around its neck. Saria gasped out in surprise, turning to her right. Link held the strange object in his hand, pulling the creature towards him. She gasped out. "Link!"
Link swung the grapple around, slamming the creature against the wall. He loosed the chain again and dashed forward, swinging his sword repeatedly up against the gem in the beast's forehead. The creature cried out again, screaming in agony. This time, though, it collapsed to the platform, not getting up.
Finding this situation agreeable to his liking, Link rushed off, dashing around the grating and back to the center, racing up to the symbol on the grating. Saria anxiously pulled at the chains tying her to the pillar and Link found himself surprised at the condition she was in along with the attire she was wearing… or perhaps lack thereof.
Regardless, he knew he had to find a way across. Not knowing any other way to go, he raised the grapple in his hand and shot it towards the pinnacle of the stone pillar, the hook tightening enough so that it would hold his weight. He swung over, slashing the chains across her feet, careful not to hit her, then he slashed at the ones holding her hands.
Saria slipped free, but Link quickly caught her before she fell, quickly re-sheathing his sword. She wrapped his arms tightly around him, burying her head in his chest out of fear. "Thank you…" she muttered.
"Don't thank me yet," Link replied, "we're still not out of this mess, yet. As you can see, we're too far away from the platform."
Saria gasped out. "But, then how…"
Link chuckled a bit, staring into her eyes. "Do you trust me?" he asked.
She fumbled for words a bit, but finally nodded her head. "Yes, of course!"
Suddenly, without warning, Link released the grapple and quickly spun it around mid-air as they fell towards the pit. He quickly fired it again and it latched firmly onto the grating near the wall. He pulled them in, but strangely, he felt a heat surround him, and then his load suddenly felt lighter. He pulled himself out and gasped out.
Saria screamed from within the grasp of the fire dragon, Volvagia, squirming in its left claw to try and break free, but to no avail. She turned to the young man, clad in green, standing before them. "Liiiink!!" she cried out.
Link was stunned. He reached his hand out, again. "Saria!"
The dragon roared; its prey now in its grasp. The foolish boy would pay for what he had done, and then the girl would become a fine feast, worthy of the trouble it had caused. The dragon blew flames about, almost as if it was showing its strength, laughing at the creature before it.
Link eyed the gem in its forehead. The object was cracked down the center, sparks glowing from the center, casting an eerie light. 'That must be it! I have to destroy it!' he told himself.
Volvagia stood at the end of the grating ahead, its claw clenched tightly around Saria, her long green hair flowing downwards… Far longer than he had ever seen it before… Distracted by this spectacle, he was unable to dodge a swipe of the dragon's other claw.
Link found himself go flying, rolling along the grating on the other side of the cavern. The dragon roared. Saria screamed. Link said nothing. He simply jumped back to his feet, just in time to see the dragon's flames shoot out towards him.
With no time to dodge it, and no place to go, Link did all he could do… He pulled out the Hylian Shield and tried his best to block the flames threatening his life. His body was pushed back as the weight of the fires pressured his shield, but the flames were held at bay none the less. Finally, the dragon realized that its barrage had failed. It backed down, now, and Link was able to replace his shield.
The creature flew up into the air once again, lunging for Link. This time Link knew that he could not try a simple dodge. If the dragon could not stop, Saria might be suffocated between the body of the fiery creature and the wall. No, instead, he had a different idea.
Link pulled out his grapple again and shot it at the central pillar, the hook tightening around the pinnacle. He pulled himself in, and immediately, the dragon turned its sights that way. Link climbed up, balancing himself along the top, and then whipped out his bow, firing an arrow straight at the beast before it had time to react.
The arrow pierced the gem in the creature's forehead, and at last, it shattered, seeming to melt away into a black mist. The dragon roared out, flying about. Saria fell from it's grasp and into the abyss, crying out. Acting quickly, Link shot the grapple towards the platform above her and swung down.
Saria felt gravity pull her towards the fire below. She cried out, bellowing, fearing… Suddenly, though, she felt strong arms wrap around her. She smiled and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, holding on for dear life, and at the same time, feeling the need for him…
Link caressed her, gently, brushing a hand through her hair, staring into her eyes. "Don't sorry, Saria, its okay… Everything will be alright… I got you, now… Everything's okay…"
Saria cried, burying her head into his chest. "Thank you…" she muttered, softly.