Link and I left the graveyard of Kakariko Village and went back into town. Our plan was to make sure we had everything we would need (including some things we had to buy from the store in town) in the Lakebed Temple. I went over the checklist in my head one last time before heading into the small shop with Link.
Bow, check. Arrows, check. Zora armor, check. Bombs? According to Link we were going to need them, so now we were headed to a shop in Kakariko to get some.
The building was made completely out of metal, probably because of all the explosives it held inside, to keep any bombs from taking out half the town. We approached the man standing behind the counter of the shop, and I took the opportunity to look around while Link bought bombs. There was signs posted on every wall advising against the use of lanterns or any other kind of fire source.
What dummy would light a fire in a bomb shop?
Once Link had the water bombs, we headed back out of the shop and over to Epona. As usual, Link climbed on first then helped me up as well, then promptly nudged Epona in the direction of the Lake. The ride there was short, or maybe I'm anxious. Who knows what could be down there? Whatever it was, it was up to Link and I to stop it and restore the state of the Lakebed.
When we arrived at the lake, Link lead me back to the spirit spring cave and told me to change into the Zora armor, then went just outside of the cave to change into his own. I looked at the deep purple material in my arms for a moment before putting it down and beginning to strip out of my red tunic. I slipped the purple armor over my head in its place and found that it fit perfectly, hugging my body in just the right way. I also changed into the tight fitting black pants and purple shoes that had webbed feet for efficient swimming.
The armor had a layer of chainmail covering my chest and light ornaments across the waist and sleeves. It came with a light helmet that had a built in mouth cover that would allow me to breathe underwater, and a small dagger that was tucked away in the folds of material. I put the dagger in my boot and fixed my hair under the helmet just as Link was walking in wearing his own set of armor.
His looked like mine, only blue and less decorated. He looked good in it, although, green was definitely more his color. Green made his eyes stand out, and that was my favorite feature of his. I picked up my clothes and folded them neatly for Link to put in his bag, only to realize he had yet to stop staring at me. Did I look too weird in the armor or something? Purple isn't exactly my color..
"Link?" I ask, a bit hesitantly, "Is something wrong? I look weird, don't I?" He shook his head and finally stopped staring at me, coming out of whatever trance he was formally held in.
"No! Of course not! You look great, I just... Nevermind. Ready to go?" He questions with a smile and I nod, handing him my clothes to put in his bag. For a bag that didn't look all that big, it could hold a lot of stuff.
Link and I made our way out of the spirit spring cave and to the water's edge, giving each other a look of determination before diving in the cool water.
We swam to the center of the lake, Link holding me to his chest and using his iron boots to allow us to sink to the bottom faster. It grew colder as we went deeper, but the Zora armor helped a lot to keep us warm. Link used two water bombs to break an air escape way then to break the rocks blocking the way in. Once it was clear, we swam through the small space together and into the Temple.
We swam through a long tunnel, avoiding jellyfish as we did, until we reached a place where we surfaced from the water. It opened into a large room with twin staircases that rose to the same gated door. I climbed out of the water, followed by Link, and pulled down my breathing mask while I looked around. It was amazing. Everything just looked so unreal. I almost couldn't believe that I was actually inside the Zora Temple, well sort of.
Link began searching the room we were in for extra supplies, though I didn't really understand why. You would think that they wouldn't just have random things sitting around, but he found arrows and water bombs despite this.
Link and I head up the stairs and he jumped off the small ledge to pull a lever that opened the gate before joining me again as I walked into the temple.
We made quick work of going through the next room, Link knocking down the hanging stalactites as suggested by Midna (who still doesn't like me much), then climbing up their dropped bottoms and avoiding strange monsters on the way up to the next room. Link opened the door and we both took a look around. We were up high with rushing waters down below us, two other bridges like the one we were on stood on each side of the room ahead of us.
Through there, we worked through many more rooms, killing monsters, opening water ways, and so on. It was a lengthy process, and Link suggested that I stay behind him for most of it, but eventually, we were fighting side by side. Especially when we found ourselves in a huge room with water up to our ankles.
It looked completely empty, save a gated way that was locked, much like the one we came in through. There was no way in or out now, and it was giving me a bad feeling. Something that Midna completely agreed with for once.
Small, fish like monsters came from seemingly nowhere, but we quickly killed them, plunging us into yet another odd silence. When a second pair of monsters appeared, this time obviously falling from the ceiling, I looked up, gasping at the sight.
Link followed my gaze up to see a giant frog creature with the little fish clinging onto its back. It was about that time that the creature decided to join us in the shallow pool where we stood. It jumped down and let out a deep gurgling noise, and Link and I raised our weapons. First it shook off a wave of small fish that tried attacking us in the shallow water. A few of them managed to nip at my ankles, but they were otherwise easily dealt with in just a few swings of a sword and some arrows through the head.
Once all the tadpoles were killed, their twilight infused bodies turning to nothing, the frog jumped straight up, momentarily disappearing from view. Had it given up so soon? And if so, why? I looked over at Link who was standing a few feet away from me to get his opinion, only to be knocked down by him a few seconds later.
"Watch out!" He yells and tackles me out of the way of the falling frog. I flinched at the sudden push, bracing myself as we rolled over into the water, landing in a rather awkward position. I looked over at the place where I was standing just seconds before and found the frog dazed from the high fall, laying with his tongue out. We rolled away just in time.
"Are you okay?" Link asks, and I direct my attention back to the blonde haired boy who was hovering over me. Water dripped from his helmet and onto my face, causing me to flinch a bit, but other than that, I was fine. He seemed to notice me flinch and smiled before wiping away the droplets of water with his thumb and moving away from me.
"I'm fine. Thanks." I say, and sit up. We both stand and walk over to the frog, it still being a bit dazed from the fall. Link then slashed at the frog's tongue quickly before it got back up and the entire process was repeated again. Tadpoles, jump, avoid the fall, slash the tongue.
We repeated this about three times before the frog finally gave one last cry and fell dead, but not before barfing up a blue chest in front of us. I grimaced at the bile coated chest as what remained from the frog's stomach dripped off of it.
Once it was "clean" however, Link wasted no time opening the chest to reveal the treasures inside. He pulled out a gauntlet type thing with a claw on the end. It looked strange, yet useful, seeing as it was built to grab onto things and allow you to pull yourself up. A useful tool. Especially when many things in the Lakebed Temple aren't accessible at the moment.
Including our exit.
Yay! New (very late) chapter! So, who ships it? Anyone yet?
I'll get started on a new chapter asap! Promise.
See you guys in the next one!