It was uncomfortably hot and sticky.
This was the first sensation that went through Terra's mind as he opened his eyes. Apparently he had lost consciousness briefly, his head spinning a bit as he got his bearings and recalled what had just happened.
Around him was fleshy terrain and a row of sharp teeth acting as a wall. Only then did Terra remember that the fish deity had swallowed the three of them whole! Surprisingly, the area around him was actually lit. Some sort of a hazy red light blanketed the area, the source of which wasn't apparent at all.
"Oh, you're up. You okay?" Navi's voice called from behind.
Terra turned to see both Link and Navi had also recovered from the sudden devouring. The boy especially looked disgusted with his surroundings, especially since Navi could just float or rest on Link's shoulder to avoid it all. "Yeah, I think I was knocked out for a minute. You two alright?"
"We're fine, just a bit turned around." Navi said, looking about the creature's mouth.
"I tried knocking on the teeth, but Lord Jabu-Jabu won't open his mouth." Link added in, looking towards the only exit they had.
"I'm sure we'll be okay. Princess Ruto is in here somewhere, right? I'm sure once we find her, Lord Jabu-Jabu will let us out." Terra said, trying to keep things positive. "Come on, let's go further in."
Link and Navi glanced at each other, following Terra as they walked deeper into the deity's body. Right away, they all noticed that the inside seemed far larger than the outside. The mouth alone seemed to encompass nearly the entirety of Lord Jabu-Jabu as he appeared on the outside. That on top of the hazy red light made all three of them wonder just what was going on.
As they went into the throat and into a fleshy chamber within Lord Jabu-Jabu, a sensation washed over the trio. It was a suppressing feeling, a rotten and awful cloud that seemed to come entirely out of nowhere. Darkness, plain and simple. There was a heavy darkness within the deity…
"This feels too familiar." Navi pointed out with a shiver. "It was like this in Dodongo's Cavern too. Ganondorf was here in Zora's Domain, so maybe he cursed Lord Jabu-Jabu."
Link swallowed, drawing his sword and looking around like they could be attacked at any moment. "Does that mean there's a parasite in here too?"
"Too? There was one in the cavern?" Terra asked, summoning his Keyblade.
Link paused, as if he had been caught saying he wasn't supposed to. "Nothing. I mean Ganondorf…he…"
"He's done something like this before. No need to linger on it." Navi said, floating onward. "The sooner we find Princess Ruto, the better."
It became increasingly apparent that Lord Jabu-Jabu was going to be drastically bigger on the inside than the three had thought. They walked for several minutes in this chamber, the fleshy room seeming to be the entire length of the deity itself on the outside. Was this part of the curse that Ganondorf had supposedly placed? Or was this the impossibilities of a divine being?
"Link, Navi, what should I be expecting here?" Terra would ask after several minutes of silence. Nothing had attacked them yet, but it felt like there were creatures lurking around them. It seemed as though many pairs of eyes were tracking the trio, but no such enemies actually made themselves known.
"Well…it's different every time. We've gone through this twice already." Navi explained, trying to ignore the oppressive atmosphere all around them. "Buglike monsters the first time, and then resurrected reptiles that breathed fire the next. I don't really know what will appear, sorry."
Terra had hoped for something more concrete than that, but it wasn't like he could get mad at them for not knowing.
Before anything else could be said, a new sound made itself known. Footsteps on fleshy ground from up ahead. They were slow and cautious…
"What's that…?" Navi half-whispered, floating upward. "I…I think I see something approaching…"
Both Terra and Link prepared their weapons as a figure approached in the haze of Lord Jabu-Jabu's insides. To their surprise, it wasn't a monster or beast, but a Zora! A girl, specifically, clearly at Link's age.
She looked shocked, wide purple eyes staring at the trio before her. The Zora was a bit taller than Link was, lacking the head-fin that most of the others of her kind had, and what seemed like pearls or small gems embedded in the side of her head. It was this girl that spoke first, pointing at the trio. "Hey, how did you three get in here?!"
"Are you Princess Ruto?" Navi asked, sighing in relief. "We found your note, and your father sent us to find you. Are you hurt at all?"
The girl seemed further surprised at that but pouted and crossed her arms. "Note? What note? I don't know what you mean!" She huffed, looking between the three, as if studying them for something. "But yes, I'm Princess Ruto. My father really sent you here?"
"That's right, we're supposed to take you home." Terra replied, also feeling relieved. There was no telling what sort of fate the Princess could've endured while trapped in a place like this.
Ruto shook her head, keeping her arms crossed. "No way! I lost something very precious in Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly, and I'm not leaving until I get it!"
"I think your safety is a bit more important than some object…" Navi pointed out, pointing towards the exit. "Come on, the mouth isn't far from here, we should get going."
"Hey, didn't you hear me?!" The Zora snapped, glaring defiantly at her would-be saviors. "I'm not leaving until I get what I'm looking for!"
"But why? What is it…?" Link asked, speaking up for the first time in a while.
It seemed there wasn't a polite bone in the Princess' body, as she huffed once more. "None of your business! But I'll do you a favor and let you carry me as we go further in and look for it!"
Terra sighed lightly, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "I don't think we're going to get a lot of choice." Maybe it was harsh to think, but what if Ruto fabricated some lie to tarnish the three of them if they brought her back by force? Like they hurt her or something? He could tell she didn't exactly have a pure heart like Zelda. "If there's some sort of parasite inside Lord Jabu-Jabu, I'd feel bad about letting it fester any further."
"That's right! Lord Jabu-Jabu is sick! It had to be that Ganondorf, I never liked the look of him." Ruto replied, seeming to at least lighten up lightly since she and Terra were thinking alike. "Weird creatures have started popping up in his body…"
Navi between Terr and Ruto. "Well, I think the Zora forces should handle this." She would then glance over to Link.
It seemed Link didn't agree, shaking his head with an expression of despair on his face. "If we wait at all, Lord Jabu-Jabu could die…"
There was a bit of an awkward silence between the two. Link's tone made it seem like this was something he had experienced before. The fairy let out a sigh, turning to Terra and Ruto. "Okay, that's fine. Let's all go, then. Ruto, you sure you can't tell us what you lost?"
The Princess seemed even less frustrated, but still shook her head. "No! You'll know it when you see it, trust me. Now then…" Ruto pointed to Link. "You get the privilege of carrying me!"
"Wh…What?" Link replied, entirely caught off guard, yet still put his sword away to free his hands.
"You heard me! You'll have to carry me along!" Ruto insisted, her tone making it seem like it was a nonissue. Apparently she was quite used to getting what she wanted. "Your friend here…" Ruto nodded to Terra. "…is clearly the better fighter, so he can take care of the monsters."
Terra had to hold back his chuckle, mainly at Link's baffled expression. It was hardly the time for such bratty antics, but he just couldn't help but be amused.
"Uh…Okay…I guess…" Link seemed to be at a loss, but he still did what Ruto said. Almost nonchalantly, he scooped the Zora up and carried her bridal style.
"H-Hey! Don't carry me like that!" The Zora scolded, flushed in the face, and glaring at Link.
"How am I supposed to hold you?" The boy replied, genuinely confused, and still holding onto Ruto.
Apparently, Ruto didn't have an answer for that. She just let out a noise of annoyance and crossed her arms. "Whatever. Let's just go!"
Terra wasn't able to stop himself this time, letting out a laugh that Navi joined in on. "Just stay behind me, okay Link? Don't want anything happening to her while we go deeper in." The Keyblade wielder said, starting forward.
Link looked increasingly confused, very clearly not understanding why the way he was carrying her was remotely a big deal. "Okay, I guess…" Was all he apparently could think to reply as he carried Ruto along. Navi kept tittering as she hovered overhead, keeping a lookout as well.
"Oh yeah, that reminds me. I never introduced us." The fairy said after a minute. "I'm Navi. Link is carrying you, and the young man here is Terra."
"It's good to meet you, Your Highness." Terra said politely, keeping his gaze ahead for the time being.
Ruto seemed almost surprised at the politeness. "Likewise, I guess…" Was all she said though, and after that, things went quiet for a bit.
"So, what creatures are there?" Terra soon asked, keeping a close eye ahead for any danger. Apparently the Unversed weren't a problem around these parts, but did that include inside Lord Jabu-Jabu as well?
"I don't know what they even are, they're disgusting! Slimy things that float and use electricity…" The Zora replied, letting out noise of revulsion just talking about it.
"Nothing that seems like it's making Lord Jabu-Jabu sick?" Navi urged.
Ruto let out a "Tsk!" noise. "I don't know! I don't know about this sort of thing! I can't fight, so I didn't go in that deep!"
That was at least a bit more useful than Navi's lack of knowledge. Terra felt if the creatures were small and slimy, he could cut through any of them with a single blow. Since he was using a Keyblade, electricity wouldn't be an issue. It wasn't like normal metal where it would conduct through the weapon and into his body.
Soon after this, strange holes seemed to appear in the floor, leading elsewhere in the deity's body. They were sizable enough where they could even fit Terra in, and none of them were keen on finding out where they lead. Out of the holes, however, the first of the creatures within Lord Jabu-Jabu came forth!
They were three of these sort of stingray-like creatures, with four eyes and unusual green and pink coloration. These Stingers flew through the air, it not being clear what exactly was allowing them to do so.
Terra readied himself as the Stingers flew to him. With quick reflexes, he cut right through the nearest one without issue. As he expected, they didn't have nearly enough of a defensive exterior to match his strength and Earthshaker. He'd let out a small Fire spell at the second, scorching it in midair and frying it instantly, the carcass falling to the floor.
The third Stinger got to Link, readying its stinging appendage at him. Since he was carrying Ruto, there was little the boy could do! He let out a startled cry, turning around and letting the attack hit his metal shield. The attack wasn't nearly strong enough to pierce the metal, and made the Stinger rebound.
While the creature was distracted, Terra would slice through it, its two halves falling to the floor. The Keyblade wielder was nervous about using large magic attacks, even though one higher tier spell could've taken them all out at once. Not only did he not want to endanger his companions, but he was afraid of injuring Lord Jabu-Jabu. Even disrespecting his elders was a horrid thought to Terra due to Master Eraqus' upbringing. Damaging a deity was outright unthinkable for him!
"That's them! The monsters I was talking about!" Ruto exclaimed, showing clear disgust at the Stinger corpses.
"I've never seen creatures like that before…" Navi murmured, examining the corpses as well. "I have no idea what these are. Certainly not Unversed."
"What the heck are Unversed?" Ruto demanded, looking away from the carnage.
"We can explain that later. We should find that precious item of yours, right?" Terra suggested, keeping an open eye and ear out for further danger. They were still surrounded by those holes in the floor, so more creatures could pop out at any moment…
And so, the four went on.
The trip through Lord Jabu-Jabu's innards was less direct and a lot longer than they had expected. Not only were there room-like chambers within the deity's guts, but hallways too. Twisting corridors of flesh and muscle that took them further into the seemingly infinite insides of the whale.
"He's never been this large." Ruto pointed out at one point, fear evident in her voice. "I used to play inside Lord Jabu-Jabu when I was younger, and it was never like this."
Terra felt bad for the Princess, realizing that she was only acting out of fear before with her nasty attitude. It helped that he could read hearts so easily, the darkness inside of hers having the distinct feeling of terror rather than anything malicious.
"We'll help him, don't worry…" Link piped up, not seeming too tired despite carrying the Zora the entire time. Apparently Ruto stopped caring about the bridal style and seemed quite comfortable in the boy's arms.
"I still want to know what we're looking for. That precious item of yours." Navi said, looking about the fleshy hallway. As they went on, rotting wood and fish carcasses would sometimes be found, but nothing that seemed like it was worth hunting for.
Ruto pouted, crossing her arms, and giving a light glare at the fairy. "It's like I said, you'll know it when you see it! Just trust me!" For whatever reason, the Zora Princess was insistent on not telling what this item was.
Accepting that Ruto was going to continue being stubborn, the group simply carried on. A strange amount of oddities were found within Lord Jabu-Jabu. Bubbles that seemed harmless, but were actually lightly acidic, a small burn forming on Terra's arm as he popped one. They were also met with snake-like creatures that seemed to be made of electricity, which were also dispatched by Terra.
After what seemed like at least an hour of walking, the four entered another chamber. It was small and had a number of branching hallways. What was most important, though, was the object on the ground in the middle of the room. It was a dazzling sapphire, adorned with a golden finish that actually split the gem into three.
When she laid eyes on it, Ruto's expression lit up instantly. "There it is! Right there!" She wiggled out of Link's grip, the boy letting her down as she scrambled to the sapphire. "I thought we'd never find it!" She called, picking up the precious item and letting out a sigh of relief.
"That's a Spiritual Stone!" Navi blurted out, eyes widening. "It was in here the whole time?!"
"Spiritual Stone? I don't know what you're talking about!" Ruto replied haughtily. "This was a gift from my mother! With this, I can finally leave and-"
Whatever Ruto was going to say next was cut off. Without any kind of warning, a hole appeared underneath her feet! She barely had time to scream before she, and her precious item, fell down. Before Terra or Link could do anything, the hole closed right back up.
It was Link who acted first, crying out in shock, and running to where the hole was. He collapsed to his knees, running his hands over the fleshy floor, as if looking for some way to open the hole up again. Sadly, he found no way to do this, staring at where Ruto fell. "What…What juts happened…?" He asked, flabbergasted.
"I don't know, but we have to find her quickly!" Navi said, looking about the various hallways leading elsewhere in Lord Jabu-Jabu. There were half a dozen ways they could go, and none of them was the clear best way to go.
"Don't worry, Link, we'll find her." Terra said, going over and helping Link to his feet. It was pretty clear that the boy was keeping a brave face, but in his heart he was panicking at the disappearance of Ruto. "She was in here for a while, remember? If she was fine all that time, she'll be fine until we manage to track her down."
"He's right, Link, don't worry. No one will get hurt this time." Navi added in, hovering to Link's face, and patting him on the cheek.
This time? What happened last time, then? Terra was about to ask when a noise rang out and put him on alert. It was hard for him to pinpoint what the noise actually was. It was a guttural, animalistic noise to be sure. Not only that, but it was coming from one of the nearby hallways and growing closer!
Link drew his sword, looking warily towards the hallway where the sound was coming from. "Navi, what is that…?" He asked, speaking barely above a whisper, as if afraid talking at normal volume would draw the thing closer.
It didn't seem to matter how quietly Link spoke, however. The noise rang out again, but closer. Whatever was down that tunnel, it was heading right towards them!
"I don't know, I've never heard a noise like that before!" Navi replied, looking about the other hallways. "We should go, though, we can't get distracted from finding Ruto!
From what Terra could tell, whatever was approaching was pretty big given the noises it made. "You two go on ahead, I'll take out whatever's coming. I'll catch up, alright?" He was sure whatever it was, he could take it on alone.
"Come on, he'll be fine. If he's like Ven at all, he can handle himself." Navi said, gesturing for Link to follow her. "Let's go down this way!"
The boy frowned, clearly not liking the idea. But it seemed he had faith in whatever Navi said to him as he followed her down one of the tunnels.
Terra stared at the passage where the beast was coming from, Earthshaker at the ready. The sound of something large approaching became more and more clear with every moment. Soon, the creature rounded a corner and became visible.
To his mild shock, it was an Octorok! Granted, it was far larger than Terra had experience with. In fact, the Big Octo took up almost the entirety of the hallway it was barreling down. Its glowing green eyes seemed to sharpen and focus when it spotted the Keyblade wielder, letting out a sort of gurgling roar as it charged forward.
The young man mimicked this action, charging forward and swinging Earthshaker so the Big Octo would charge right into it. To Terra's surprise, the Keyblade didn't slice through the creature as he had hoped and expected. It was too blubbery and packed with fat, much more than he had thought. Not swinging the Keyblade hard enough, he only managed to make a shallow slice in the creature.
The Big Octo let out another one of its gurgling roars as it performed a counterattack. It did this by spinning rapidly in a circle, the first spin hitting the Keyblade and knocking Terra off balance. The second spin would slam the creature's weight into Terra, sending him flying back.
He managed to recover in the air and land on his feet, but that attack was a lot stronger than he had thought! The creature seemed so awkward on land and so blubbery, he hadn't taken it seriously at all. His use of magic was also limited as well, though self-restricted.
After all, Terra didn't want to hurt Lord Jabu-Jabu. The insides of its body was so much more immense than the outside, but surely that didn't mean it couldn't be damaged still. The curse infecting it surely twisted it up to some degree, adding this labyrinth of flesh. At least, that was one theory.
Thunder spells were too unpredictable, Fire would bubble and burn the flesh and juices surrounding him, Quake spells would probably not even work at all given the innards rather than ground. Or, even worse, the Quake spells would work, but in very undesirable ways. Blizzard wouldn't be too damaging to the Big Octo, its blubber and fat protecting it from cold. Aero wasn't an option because it wasn't a spell Terra was really good at. He could only use the most basic kind, it was much more Ventus' forte than his own.
As Terra crossed out what he wouldn't be able to use, his opponent charged in again. He'd leap into the air, aiming to stab right at the creature's eye. Getting in close wasn't what he wanted to do, but with most of his spells off the table, he hardly had any choice.
Unfortunately, the Big Octo had a countermeasure for this. Like its river-dwelling cousins, it too had the ability to shoot rocks. Unlike the other Octoroks, this one was more of a boulder, the size of Terra's entire torso easily. The Keyblade wielder reacted quickly, doing a forward arcing swing with Earthshaker and shattered the massive rock to bits. This game him no time to do anything else as the Big Octo finished its charge, slamming into Terra and sending him back once more.
This time, Terra wasn't able to land on his feet, falling onto his side. He managed to stand up properly after just a moment, though. It'd take a lot more than that to take him down! Terra was growing increasingly frustrated, though. This blubbery octopus was really getting in his way?! It was almost humiliating that he couldn't even land a good blow on the creature! Surely he was better than this, wasn't he?
Terra felt a frustration-fueled darkness stir within him, one he worked to suppress with gritted teeth. Maybe one, small Fire spell. The lowest tier of it was easy enough to pinpoint. It was only Fira or higher that really got out of control. To his own shame, he was getting frustrated to the point where he was willing to take a risk. He'd make heavy amends of his own accord later if things went awry.
With little else to do for an attack, the Big Octo backed off before preparing for another charge. Gritting his teeth in anger, Terra aimed Earthshaker right at one of its eyes. When it went for him again, Terra let out a single Fire spell, a fireball nearly as big as his head! Clearly, the Big Octo wasn't prepared for its opponent to do something like this and was so caught off guard it couldn't react before getting hit.
Just as the young man had wanted, the Fire attack hit the Big Octo directly on the left eye. And, thankfully, no damage to Lord Jabu-Jabu occurred, all sparks and flame hitting the invading creature instead. While the fire went out quickly, it made the purple monster roar out in agony, its eye forced shut from the agony, and it stopped in its tracks.
Taking this chance, Terra charged forward himself and leapt in the air. Putting a great deal more energy into his attack, he swing down onto the Big Octo's head. The protective shell did little to stop Terra's attack, cracking and then shattering as Earthshaker continued downward. The Keyblade sliced the creature's head, killing it almost instantly as Terra dropped to the ground.
Staring at his defeated opponent, he recoiled at the grizzly sight before him. Killing Unversed was one thing, they left no cadavers, but a giant blobby corpse was simply hard to look at. He turned to the tunnel that Link and Navi went down, wondering how they were faring. Without another moment wasted, he dashed down the fleshy corridor.
Apparently the two had gone faster than he anticipated, as Terra didn't catch up to them nearly as quick as he thought. In fact, he heard anyone before he saw them. It was a long, drawn-out scream, and the voice was undoubtedly Ruto's!
Terra sprinted ahead, Earthshaker at the ready as he quickly got to the origin of the scream. He found himself in a massive fleshy chamber, as repulsive as the rest of the deity's innards. Ruto, Link, and Navi were all in there…but so was something far more intimidating than the Big Octo.
The Keyblade wielder wasn't sure what to even call it. The creature was massive, reaching the ceiling with ease. It was an unusual, globular, pulsating mass with tendrils that reach up into the top of the chamber, seeming to fuse with the flesh. Strange, bowl-like tentacles also breached from the top, and more normal looking ones from the main body. It took Terra a few moments to realize the pulsating nature of its main body were actually separate, jellyfish-like entities that were latched onto the larger beast.
It certainly looked like a massive parasite, that's all Terra could describe it as. The sudden wave of darkness he felt as he entered the chamber really cemented that this was the cause of Lord Jabu-Jabu's ailments.
As for Terra's companions, they were all unharmed from what he could tell, at the very least. Ruto was at the far end of the room, the parasite between everyone else and the Zora. Link and Navi seemed to have just arrived, not seeming to have engaged in battle, but the boy still had his sword out.
Navi was the first to notice Terra's arrival, turning to him. "Oh! Thank Farore, you're alright! Please, help us!"
Terra was already on it before Navi could even finish her request. Whatever that creature was, it looked far too dangerous for Link to take on. The Keyblade wielder was thankful that his weapon was Thunder resistant as he saw sparks of electricity course over the jellyfish creatures. Of course, he still had to be careful, a direct hit wouldn't hurt any less just because Earthshaker wouldn't conduct it!
The dish-like appendages on top of the creature swiveled to Terra's presence, all aimed toward him. What were they, sensory organs of some kind? His eyes widened when one jerked back, shooting out a concentrated Thunder attack at him! Expecting Thunder to be used against him, Terra was prepared and blocked the attack with Earthshaker.
He'd close the gap and slice at one of the jellyfish creatures with his Keyblade. He had no idea what they were there for…to protect the main body? Were they a part of the parasite somehow?
Terra would somewhat get his answer as the jellyfish let out a horrific screeching sound and practically dissolved into mush on the floor. The main creature shuddered and suddenly the jellyfishes detached! By some strange manner of magic, they kept afloat in the air, strands of electricity keeping them tethered to the main body! They flew about, Terra having to duck under some of the electricity that would've otherwise hit him.
To the side, Link and Navi were also dodging about, the jellyfish flying far from the main body. "Link, don't hit those! Your sword will conduct the electricity!" Navi shouted out, staying close to her companion as he heeded her warnings.
Ruto would scream out as well, ducking against the wall. Thankfully, she was far enough away that the creatures never got too close to her. With light horror, Terra saw one of the jellyfish creatures careening straight for Link. He had no way of knowing if killing the main body would stop the jellyfish. So instead of seizing his chance, he ran back to his newfound friends, throwing his Keyblade in a Strike Raid which sliced the jellyfish in half before it could hit the boy or fairy.
"Oh! Thank you!" Navi said, looking about at all the creatures flying through the air. The main creature didn't move from its spot, but the sensory tentacles kept themselves honed in on Terra. It seemed to be content letting the smaller entities latched onto it doing the work.
"I'm sorry I can't help more…" Link said, clutching onto his sword desperately as if it might help the situation.
"Don't worry, it's fine!" Terra assured, slicing at another approaching jellyfish. "My weapon is immune to electricity, yours isn't!" And it wasn't like Link exactly had anything else to fight with. All he really had was a slingshot, and no way that would damage the parasite. It was too bulky and blubbery for that…
The Keyblade wielder grunted out as the parasite apparently changed its mind and went on the offensive again. It shot out another Thunder spell towards Terra. This time, he put up a light barrier, afraid for Link and Navi's safety. He wasn't as good as these sort of spells as Aqua, but a spell as low-grade as the one fired was enough to get nullified.
Since the creature apparently saw Terra as the only threat, he got away from Link, hoping maybe the thing would only fire direct attacks at him. He'd keep an eye out, making sure no jellyfish would hit Link or Navi, nor the strands of electricity.
These creatures would fly about faster as the fight went on, preventing Terra from getting too close to the main creature. It really seemed like he had to destroy all of them to do anything with the actual parasite. And that's what he did, drawing their attention and staying away from Link and Navi to try and keep them safe.
It took time, but the jellyfish numbers dwindled, but with one final swing of Earthshaker, the last of them fell into pieces on the floor.
This enraged the parasite, the creature wriggling its tentacles almost akin to a person shaking their arms in an angry fit. Using appendages at its bottom, it'd slowly approach Terra, firing off bolts of Thunder at him from the upper tentacles. They were firing in rapid succession now, forcing the Keyblade user to block and dodge, but offering no time for him to actually attack.
As it turned out, Link would take the initiative with that. While Terra was distracted, the boy charged the creature, sword at the ready. Navi tried to call him back, but he didn't listen, quickly closing the gap. Link slashed and stabbed at the fleshy abomination before him, the creature's lower tentacles lashing out at him as he did so.
Link would get hit a few times, nasty bruises appearing on his face and arms, but he'd either get right back up or shake away the attacks with surprising determination. The parasite's main body was bulky, however, so even with the multiple stabs and slashes, it still lived.
Writing in clear anger, one of the parasite's top tentacles aimed at Link and fired a Thunder attack at him. Unlike Terra, he wasn't as good at dodging or blocking, and the spell hit him directly in the chest. He let out a strangled gasp as the forced knocked him off his feet, landing right onto his back, not moving.
"Link! Hey, are you okay?! Get up! Link, come on!" Navi cried, flying to her companion, and flying about in his face, trying to wake him up, but he didn't stir. Ruto let out a horrified scream as well, still glued to the opposite wall.
Terra, on the other hand, was furious! He hadn't known Link for long, but he considered him a friend! Seeing someone he cared about getting hurt was crossing the line! He felt darkness well in his heart, unable to stop it from flowing out. Gritting his teeth, Terra glared at the parasitic abomination and stretched out a hand.
Without uttering a word, he unleashed a Dark Firaga at the creature. Black flames seared the monster's flesh, making it writhe and screech out in pain as the dark fire consumed its body. Readying Earthshaker, Terra would then run to the beast, striking its main body with all his strength, the main bulbous part of the parasite practically exploding into a mess!
With that, the remaining bits of the creature fell limp to the floor, the parasite killed, and the curse lifted. Terra stood there panting, taking a moment to realize what he had just done! He had let his anger get the best of him…he let darkness control his actions and allowed a vicious attack to come out! He looked to the beast's remains, the last of the flames dying out…
Ruto stayed at the wall, staring at what just happened while Navi practically ignored what just happened, still yelling to Link.
Terra had no time to think about his actions, the young man going over to Link. Before he could say anything, the boy's eyes flew open as he let out a gasp. He let out a few coughs as he slowly sat up.
"Oh! Farore above! Link, are you okay?!" Navi blurted out, putting her hands over her chest as she let out a noise of relief.
"I…Yeah…" Link said, seeming a bit dazed and winded, but ultimately alright.
"How did you get up from that? It seemed pretty strong!" Terra pointed out, though he was relieved as well. If it had taken more than another few seconds for Link to come around, he would've used a Cure spell…
Link shakily stood up, picking up his dropped sword and sheathing it. "Navi and I went to a Great Fairy on Death Mountain…she made my tunic protected by magic…" The boy explained, patting the garment. "That still hurt though…"
"I'm just glad you're alright. And the parasite's gone too!" Terra said, feeling the air around him grow less oppressive and heavy, the darkness fading away. He'd look to Ruto, who finally started to approach. It turned out she still had her stone; she had been guarding it the entire time! "Are you okay? You didn't get hurt did you?"
Ruto flinched, as though not expecting a question like that. She avoided looking at the parasite's corpse and let out a "Hmph!" as she glanced to the side. "Yeah, I'm fine! You two were kind of cool out there, I guess…"
Terra didn't know why she was acting so strange about it, but just waved it off. "Good. Now let's-"
Before Terra could finish, a blinding flash enveloped the area, causing the quarter to cover their eyes and wince. As quickly as it started, it stopped, and the four of them were outside again, in front of Lord Jabu-Jabu!
Navi was the first to recover, rubbing her eyes as she spoke. "I think Lord Jabu-Jabu got us out of there…Those insides were surely bigger due to the curse, so us being in there when things got back to normal would've been bad…"
That made sense to Terra, or as much as anything did since landing in Hyrule. "Well, thank goodness for that…"
"You were pretty cool in there…maybe more than I said earlier…" Ruto piped up, looking to Link. "I want to thank you with a present! Here, take this!" She held out the sapphire towards the boy.
"Are…you sure it's okay?" Link asked hesitantly, taking the sapphire delicately.
"I'm sure! My mom gave it to me…and she said to give it to the man I was going to marry!" The Princess declared, her face lit up in a heavy blush.
Terra couldn't hold himself back and let out a light laugh, despite his previous stress. What really made it was the baffled look on Link's face. It really seemed like he had no idea what Ruto was talking about!
Navi tittered as well, looking between Link and Ruto. "Well! We got what we came for!" She declared after composing herself.
"Uh…Thank you, Ruto…" Link sputtered out, clearly at a loss as to what was going on as he put the Spiritual Stone in his bag.
Ruto gave a satisfied little smile before looking to Terra. "Sorry, but I'm not into older guys, so Link will be my husband!"
The Keyblade wielder nearly let his jaw drop open. Was…that in the running in some way? He hadn't even realized! And, naturally, it was an unwanted potential advancement. "Uh…Right. I understand." He said, not sure how to really respond.
That got Navi laughing again, and she had to cover her mouth with one hand to quiet herself.
The Princess didn't seem to mind this, though Link just seemed unsure of what to do with himself. "You should all stay the night! It's the least I could do!" Ruto declared, glancing at the sun. It was still in the sky, but it was getting late…
Terra snapped out of the humorous situation, shaking his head as he put Earthshaker away. "I appreciate the gesture, but I really should be going. If you two think you'll be okay…" He said to Link and Navi. After all, he had helped the two as he had set out for, but he still needed to find Master Xehanort!
"We'll be fine. We just have to return to the Castle Town. Ganondorf doesn't know about our plan, so we'll be okay!" Navi insisted, though a bit disappointed.
"Plan? What plan?" Ruto asked, looking between the three and seeming a bit lost.
"I'll explain later." The fairy replied, keeping her eyes set on Terra.
Ruto shrugged, a lot less bratty than earlier. A lot of the darkness in her heart seemed to shed away since she got freed from Lord Jabu-Jabu. The deity seeming a lot healthier than before. "Fine…" The Princess sighed. "I'll talk to my father about you being guests!"
Without waiting for a reply, the Zora rushed off ahead.
Link looked to Terra, seeming pretty disappointed. "You have to leave so soon?"
Terra felt a bit guilty at the look Link was giving him, the boy put off that his friend was leaving soon. "I'm sorry, but I have too. I still need to find Master Xehanort, and hopefully Ven too. But hey, one day, I'll come back and visit, okay?"
That perked Link up a little, even getting a small smile from him as he nodded. "Okay. A deal." He paused, his smile faltering. "Sorry I couldn't help out more. You did so much of the work meant for me."
"Don't look at it like that. I was a friend helping out. There's nothing wrong with that, right?" Terra really didn't like how this whole fate thing made Link thought he was meant to fight monsters…
"Terra's right." Navi chimed in, patting on Link's cheek. "Nothing wrong with getting a helping hand."
Link gave another nod, his smile widening. "Thanks…" He murmured, looking back to the way into Zora's Domain. "We should go now, right?"
"You two go on ahead." Terra said, looking about the area. "I need some time to think."
The boy and fairy glanced at each other. "Well, okay. If you're sure." Navi said with a light shrug. "I hope everything works out for you."
"Likewise. And Link…May your heart be your guiding key." Terra said, looking to the boy.
"What does that mean?" He asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"It basically means to listen to what your heart says and let that lead you forward. Do what you believe in, not just what people tell you." Terra explained, though it was a bit more complex than that. No need to bog the boy down with it, though, the surface-level explanation was enough.
Link thought the words over, hesitantly nodding after a few moments. "I think I get it…I hope you visit soon, thanks again for everything."
With an exchange of goodbyes, Terra watched as Link and Navi went back to Zora's Domain proper. As the Keyblade wielder said, he wanted some time alone to think. Lord Jabu-Jabu kept its fishy eyes on him, but Terra hardly minded.
Against that parasite…Terra had lost control. No one had gotten hurt, sure, but that hadn't made his actions any better. He remembered that Master Xehanort said not to fear darkness, but it was hard not to with how awful it could feel at times. Especially if he lost control and lunged out in anger. What if, next time, actually hurt someone he cared about or someone innocent?
He wasn't sure how he'd live with himself.
Until he found Master Xehanort…got some further guidance from him…Terra would just have to try harder to stay in control. And he had to find Ven too…who knew what he was getting into? Was he safe? What kind of world was in he in at the moment? Of course, stressing out over it wouldn't make his attempts to keep the darkness suppressed any easier.
Taking a few deep breaths to calm down, Terra decided it was time to go. Navi had said that she and Link would be okay, and he chose to believe her. Hyrule would surely be okay, and one day hopefully Master Eraqus would let him visit. He didn't like breaking promises if he could help it, after all.
Terra summoned his Keyblade and donned his armor. Tossing Earthshaker into the air, he watched as it transformed into a glider. Hopping on, and with one last glance too Lord Jabu-Jabu, the young man flew up to the sky and left Hyrule behind him. He wasn't sure where he would be going next, but he trusted his heart to guide him on the right path…
Aqua burst out into The Lanes Between.
From her perspective, it had been mere minutes since leaving The Land of Departure. Time just had a strange way of working sometimes. It was never too drastic when doing something so simple, but occasionally there was a delay. Aqua had no idea that Ventus and Terra had gone to several worlds to far and had their own adventures!
As she looked around, the young woman marveled at the sight around her. Distant stars were far clearer than when on even the tallest of mountains down below. She was able to see worlds far clearer as well, all around her. This along with the colors of space and the strange, colorful mists in the distance really distracted her from what she was set out to do.
She would quickly shake away the distractions, trying to work out where to go first. On top of that, she had to work out who to find first. Master Eraqus had tasked her with keeping an eye on Terra along with her promising to bring Ventus back safely. Which would she prioritize? Though, she supposed there was no way in knowing which one would go to any specific world.
So, she'd have to let her heart guide her way.
Aqua flew onward deeper into space, passing by several worlds. None of them felt right, like the ones she was supposed to go to. One was a very nature-heavy world with a massive tree, the roots and trunk of which seemed to take up a tenth of the world and reached high into space. Another world seemed little more than a barren rock that had never seen any sort of complex life. Yet another was quite a small world that could be thoroughly explored within a few months and was dotted with small villages and farmland.
It was utterly amazing what other worlds beheld. The infinite possibilities were something Aqua had found herself thinking about over the years. Like Ventus and Terra, she too yearned to see even just a small sliver of what was out there. A small part of her was actually a bit excited to explore if even just a few small parts of a couple of worlds. Not that she would let herself get distracted from her mission, of course.
As she traveled, they Keyblade Master felt as though she were being watched. Several presences seemed to take note of her. Master Eraqus had told her of divine beings, gods, that were strewn across the universe. Most were mainly confined to their own worlds of creation or origin and could do little or nothing in foreign worlds. Many didn't even take an interest in the affairs of worlds outside their own. But there were some that liked to meddle or keep watch for interesting mortals.
The Golden Eye. The Empty Lord. The Crawling Chaos.
Merely titles of only a few deities that took notice of Aqua. For most, it was what was in their perspective a mere glance in her direction. For some, they took far greater notice. Was it perhaps because she was a Keyblade Master? Or because this corner of the Universe just had three Keyblade wielders venture out to worlds unknown?
Despite the vastness of the Universe, there were only a handful of Keyblade wielders, enough to count on two hands. Master Eraqus had told his students that long ago, there had been thousands of Keyblade users. After a cataclysmic war, however, the numbers dwindled greatly. They dwindled further and further over the years, and eventually there weren't even ten left.
None known, at least. There used to be a number of worlds that would train Keyblade wielders to help protect against the forces of darkness in the Universe, but those worlds have since become inactive or even destroyed in some cases. Even in the vastness of the Universe, those that wielded the Keyblades were unique. The tools were able to grant easier access between worlds, ignore the laws of many other worlds, and in some rare cases even have an effect on the hearts of worlds.
So that may explain the interest of the divine.
Ignoring the uneasy feeling of invisible eyes on her, Aqua flew onward. She had to wonder how Terra and Ventus were doing. Was Terra able to stave off the darkness? He was strong in so many ways, but she worried that such negative emotions and powers would grow and spread through his heart.
Then there was Ventus, who Aqua worried about maybe even a bit more. While strong in his own right, he wasn't as experienced as Terra or herself. What if he found himself facing against some sort of horrific monsters? Anything was possible in these alien worlds! Any sort of danger could be lying ahead! What also worried her were the words he said before he left, how he would prove that he wasn't useless. Aqua had never thought that about Ventus! Never! Did he think everyone looked down on him? She wanted desperately to make sure he understood that wasn't the case…
Thirdly, there were the Unversed…whatever it is that they were, exactly. It was unfortunate how little information Master Eraqus had about them. Where did they come from, and what was it that they wanted, exactly?
These thoughts sped through Aqua's mind, the young woman feeling anxiety course through her as she went further through The Lanes Between. Eventually, she came across a world that seemed to just click with her. It was hard to explain, but her heart seemed to simply tug towards it. The part of the world she approached in itself seemed peaceful and normal enough. Grassy fields, mountains, a massive lake and even a desert. Quite the varied area!
Aqua honed in on the field near a large town that seemed well populated. Hopefully Ventus, Terra, or even both of them, would be there. Taking a deep breath, she breached into the world properly and descended…
A/N: I made this chapter a bit on the shorter side because, honestly, Lord Jabu-Jabu's insides aren't the most interesting of places to explore. And yes, Aqua will be visiting Hyrule so we'll have another chapter there in a row. I do plan on this visit being a single chapter, though. This time for real, I can't imagine the visit taking longer. I really don't want every world taking more than one chapter per protagonist. This would mean six chapters just for one world, and that's just a bit excessive, I think.
Either way, Aqua finally gets a turn on world exploration. Any and all feedback is much appreciated.