Short chapter is short and I'm tempted to apologise for it but apparently fic writers shouldn't do that so instead I'm gonna gas it up and tell you to appreciate how tightly written it is, you plebeians! (jk you're all entitled to your opinions)
Also let's all agree that our disaster biromantic Zelda Harkinian would simp for every redhead in this story and the only reason why she "doesn't" is because they declare themselves her nemesis half the time.
The Magic Awakens
Chapter 17
Ten Minute Trial
Ghirahim drew a long breath. The toxic air tasted of ash and fire. It was as sweet to him as the crisp morning air was to the mortals he scorned. When his master finally realises his destiny, all of Hyrule would breath this wonderous air, and they would either die or love it as any loyal servant should.
He paced along the main bridge and stopped in the middle. The orange glow was a gorgeous sight that danced in his eyes. There was only one ingredient that could possibly make this setting any more beautiful.
With a snap of his fingers, the vial appeared. "You've been dormant far too long, haven't you?" The lava bubbled in response. "I could wake you." Ghirahim popped off the cork and swirled the pudgy liquid within. The lava bubbled eagerly in response. "But it comes with a price." Hesitant gurgling. "Will you slay those pesky twins for me?" Eager bubbles popped. "And will you bring me Ganondorf Dragmire alive?" The lake hissed and popped with gusto.
Ghirahim tipped the vial. The malice slipped free and dripped several storeys until it splashed into the lava. Magenta snaked through the orange like veins. The lake rolled like boiling water. Something shifted beneath the surface, and a guttural roar shook the mountain.
The first thing Ganondorf noted as consciousness swam back was pain. The back of his skull throbbed. He had a pounding headache. His throat burned like he had just inhaled fire and there was an irritating tickle that almost tempted him to cough. And he would have, if he hadn't become aware of the second thing. Zelda's hand holding his own.
He smirked weakly and gave it a light squeeze. Zelda squeaked and withdrew. "I-I was just checking your pulse!"
He chuckled dryly. "Pretty sure it's fine now." Though it elicited a grunt of pain, Ganondorf propped himself onto his elbows. Zelda was kneeling beside him, helmet off in the darkened room. White-knuckled fists shook in her lap. Head bowed. Lip quivering. "What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry," she choked. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I really didn't."
Yes, she did, the voice said.
Slowly, the events that transpired came back to him. His helmet was blown off, and he was thrown against a wall by clouds of fire. The fact that he was alive and felt like he had taken nothing more than a harsh beating was starting to make less sense. "What happened after the explosion?" he asked.
Her breath became rapid and shallow. "We… we…"
Ganondorf placed a hand over hers. "Look, Zel. You fucked up, but I'm not bitter about it."
"You should be," Zelda and the voice said at once.
"Don't tell me what to do."
She reluctantly giggled. "Okay, Mighty Ganondorf," she relented. "After the explosion that totally wasn't my fault in any way, we found you slumped against the wall in horrid shape. The only relief was that you hadn't been blown to pieces."
"That would've been embarrassing."
"Yes, well, you were unconscious without a helmet, but the Triforce was glowing on the back of your glove. We think it protected you from the worst of it. Anyway, the airtight seal had been broken and the gas was leaking in. We tried to seal your suit but it was too damaged. Our only option was to pray that the next room was insulated. Thank the goddesses it was, and it had just the welding tools Link needed to fix your armour."
In the corner of the room was where said armour lay. "Where's Link?" Ganondorf asked.
"Scavenging the bombed room. The dodongo was out of place, so Link wanted to see if the Fire Medallion is around." As if on cue, the airlock opened to reveal Link in his full armour, carrying an armful of metal wire and… "Oh, for Din's sake!" Zelda snapped. "Haven't we had enough of bombs?"
"They could be useful," Link said as they disappeared into his void. His eyes fell on Ganondorf's hand, still on Zelda's. "Did I interrupt anything?"
"Just a catch up," Ganondorf said, removing his hand to run it over his face. Scabbing cuts. Lotioned burns. Adhesive bandages. "Can anyone lend a camera?" He wasn't quite up to summoning his own. Link handed his slate over, selfie camera activated, while Zelda used hers as a torch on Ganondorf's face. He grimaced as soon as he saw. Bruises and blisters and dried blood. "I look like shit."
Zelda gasped. "Don't say that!"
"No, he's right." Link crouched down. "You'll grow into them, Ganon." He patted his friend's shoulder.
"I bloody well hope so," Ganondorf said, examining his face from all angles. "What's the point of all this if I don't come out of it with some sexy battle scars?"
Zelda burst into a fit of laughter, one that dragged on a bit too long. "I'm sorry," she said. "Your enthusiasm is quite admirable, and the complete opposite of how I'd react."
Ganondorf cocked his head. "She has a five-step skin care routine," Link clarified.
"Five?!"
"Naturally. If the roles were reversed, I would be having a panic attack right now," Zelda said. "You're much braver than me."
Ganon's chest swelled. "Well, I'm glad my heroic sacrifice saved your flawless skin," he said. "Though if you got a few scars, I'd find you wildly attractive." Zelda playfully swatted him as she laughed, and as it died down, their stares lingered.
Link cleared his throat. "What now?" The mountain shook in response. The most violent tremor that day. Zelda's slate flew from her hand as she was tossed over Ganondorf's chest. He threw his arms around her, his body an anchor. Link pressed his back against the nearest wall.
It died down, along with what Link could have sworn was a roar. Zelda clung to Ganondorf as she mumbled. "Oh no no no no no we're going to die we are all going to die oh no no no no no."
"We don't have much time left," Link said, choosing not to acknowledge the odd predicament his fellow party members were in. "We have to get going."
"Easy there, Link." Ganondorf ran a hand up and down Zelda's back. "She needs time to calm down."
Link chuckled. "Why? So you can snuggle her for longer?"
Zelda sprung up, eyes bulging. "None of this ever happened!"
"Right. There definitely wasn't an earthquake right now," Link said.
"You have been cordially invited to target practise."
"You think that's supposed to scare me? I can think of nothing safer than you of all people shooting an apple off my head."
Zelda opened her mouth but found herself without a suitable come back. She sighed. "Okay, maybe I do need some time to calm down. In my personal space." Of all the things that could have followed in that moment, it just had to be long talons tearing into the metal right above her head. She screamed and ducked as a wave of heat from the outside rushed in.
"Armour. Now!" Link ordered, donning his own helmet and turning on the seal. Zelda hyperventilated as she fumbled around for hers. Ganondorf shoved it over her head and sealed the armour for her. His was already on.
A reptilian eye peeked through the tear and locked onto Zelda and Ganondorf. It moved away. Zelda released a breath. Then the tearing continued.
They scrambled to the exit and slipped through just as the creature tore off the roof completely. From the airlock, there were muffled sniffing noises followed by a growl. Seconds later, a talon tore through the roof above them. They slipped through to the next room. An elevator. One that led to the exposed bridge. Link punched the button to reach the top level. Halfway up, the elevator shook. Again. And again. Something was ramming into it. The pulley whirred as it strained to pull them just a little bit higher.
The booms stopped. Ganondorf shoved the twins behind him and charged up a lightning attack. The doors squeaked open, and the face of a giant lizard greeted them with a roar. Ganondorf threw his attack. Its head snapped back with a shriek. They ran onto the bridge, towards the opposite elevator that would lead to their escape. In Link's periphery, two helicopters circled the summit.
Something heavy landed onto the bridge behind them. Link and Ganon dared not look back. Zelda did. She shrieked a warning and thrust out her hands, conjuring a light shield just long enough to repel the river of fire thrown their way.
The other two whirled around as the dragon rose to its full height and spread its wingspan. Orange glowed through the gaps between obsidian scales. The belly and inner wings were a burnt orange that glowed as it inhaled, and the shadows of its fleshy red mouth danced as if there was a fire within. Zelda thrust out her hands again, willing the shield to manifest once more. But. It. Just. Wouldn't.
Link charged past Zelda, sword and shield materialising. Ganondorf seized her wrist and tugged her towards the other side of the bridge. She tore away. "We can't leave him!"
"He's buying us time," Ganon shot back. Of course. The boys knew each other so well that they could telegraph exactly what the other would do. And Zelda couldn't have the same trust in them, and they couldn't have the same trust in her and-
The dragon wailed. A severed talon spun into the lava. Link flicked the blood off his blade and stood firm. His shield glowed as if it had been heated by the forge. If he wore green rather than the bulky armour, neither Zelda nor Ganondorf would've been able to picture an image truer to the chosen heroes of legend.
As if to solidify it, the dragon flapped its wings and retreated. Link stored his weapons and ran. Ganondorf spammed the button to the elevator. Nothing answered aside from a few pathetic groans. Something moved in the edge of Zelda's vision. Something gliding towards Link. Before she could cry out, Link skid to a halt and sprinted in the opposite direction. The dragon smashed through the bridge, shaking the foundation. Zelda and Ganondorf pressed their backs against the elevator doors as the floor dipped beneath their feet.
Metal rained into the lake with sickening hisses. Through the writhing air, Link clung with one hand to the destroyed railing, dangling above the lava. The dragon landed heavily on that side, and the bridge tilted further. The creature inhaled. Zelda and Ganondorf charged. A bow materialised and electricity crackled. An arrow hit the slit of the golden eye, while a thunder ball forced the dragon to jerk back and belch the flames prematurely.
It shook its head, locked onto the assailants, and flapped its wings. "How are we going to kill that thing?" Zelda snapped. The lake belched more toxic gas. "In ten minutes?!"
He charged up another attack. "You'll think of something." Oh right. She was supposed to be the wise one with all the answers. Of course she'd know how to kill a goddess-damn dragon! With a frustrated huff, she summoned an ice arrow and aimed for the dragon as it looped towards them.
Ganondorf launched his attack, but the dragon decimated it with a fireball. The smoke blew back on them, obscuring its approach until a tale thwacked Zelda off her feet. She tumbled off the edge with a scream. When the scorching lava grazed her back, she caught herself in gold light. She drifted towards Ganondorf's outstretched hand, but the dragon sailed towards her, toothy mouth wide open. Something exploded against the side of its head. Ganondorf pulled Zelda up as Link loaded another make-shift bomb arrow onto his crossbow.
It all clicked into place. "Ganon, I have a plan."
More explosions bruised the dragon's hide, buying Zelda and Ganondorf just enough time for the exchange. They ran towards the destroyed edge of the bridge and wrapped a hand around the other's wrist. Ganon spun Zelda's body round and round until he let go. She soared across the gap, biting her lip and concentrating as she began to fall. Gold light carried her the final few metres and dumped her on the metal. Link stored his bow to help her up. By now, she was noticeably more breathless and so was Link. They had minutes left and not a second to spare.
Another thunder ball drew the dragon's attention back to Ganondorf. He tossed attack after attack. Zelda produced the gale boomerang and handed it to Link. "Here's what we need to do."
Ganondorf found it rather odd that the dragon didn't breathe fire at him or try to knock him into the lava. Instead it roared menacingly, flicked its tail just shy of him, or flapped its wings hard, pushing him back up the bridge with a gust. The moment its head even twitched towards the twins, another crackling ball hurtled towards it. As tempted as Ganon was to double over panting, to clutch his pounding headache, he fought to stay tall.
"Ready!" Zelda shouted. The dragon whipped around, and as the tail swiped over Ganondorf's head, he leapt up and pinned it onto the bridge with a scimitar. The dragon screeched and tried to flap itself free, but Ganondorf channelled the power of the Triforce into keeping it pinned down with his hands pressing hard on the hilt.
On the other side of the bridge, Zelda fired. The arrow lodged itself in the dragon's neck, a mere needle, but from the shaft dangled a string of bombs tied together by wire. Link reeled back and threw the boomerang as hard as he could. The gale picked up the string and looped it around the dragon's neck. Zelda's bow pinged again. A fire arrow punctured one of the bombs and set off a chain reaction. Bits and blood rained.
The dragon let out a shredded, enraged roar. It still had a head. It wasn't supposed to still have a head! The hide was far thicker than Zelda had anticipated.
But now it was fleshy and exposed.
Link summoned the sword and did something that made Zelda's heart leap to her throat. He jumped off the edge. At the peak of his arc, it clicked. Zelda encased him in golden light. The dragon reeled back, mouth glowing with its final breath. A battle cry. Steel cleaved head from body.
Link narrowly avoided the splashback as Zelda's magic yanked him away. He tumbled across the bridge.
The lake gurgled as it swallowed the dragon, but something red glowed from below. Zelda collapsed to her knees and summoned every scrap of strength she had left, stretching her fingers as far as she could. The red twinkle rose towards her. Beyond her swimming vision was a red coin. The Fire Medallion. It dispersed into her void.
Relief. That was what she should be feeling, right? But Zelda and her companions were tired and out of breath. They had neither the air nor the strength to escape this cursed mountain. Her helmet chinked against the bridge, and the buzz of two descending choppers faded into silence.
Three medallions down in just a month! They're really speed-running this quest. Which one do you think they'll go after next?