Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda franchise. Based on the walkthroughs of packattack04082.
Chapter 3
Eastern Palace
The Eastern Palace was a large tower that reigned over an ancient complex of buildings at the east Hyrule wasteland. The exact date and purpose of the complex had been lost over time, along with the location's true name. The archeological site also included a small temple presumably devoted to Nayru or a forgotten minor deity, as well as several statues, and a complex maze that reminded an overgrown palace garden – hence the name "Eastern Palace". The entire complex was build on a large hill which had been dug entirely to the point that only the basic outline of the actual hill remained. What sort of method was used to get rid of all those tons of soil was still a great mystery. The outline of the hill as well as the ruins of the fortress that was built on it still provided a most excellent defense, and the wasteland provided a great habitat for Octoroks – a type of monster that spontaneously shallows rocks and then spits them as a means of both attack and defense. The Eastern Palace was said to be almost impenetrable.
Almost. Quite frankly, Link did not find it hard to reach the entrance at all.
Now a question: how in the world was he supposed to get in?!
After Link had crossed the arcades at the entrance and avoided a few Octoroks, he found himself face to face with a baffling sight – a lone staircase in the middle of the yard that was standing between two columns that each had a dark blue crystal orb on top. Behind those were another two columns with the carving of a bow on them – which most definitely did not fit with the art style that he had seen in the ruins so far, that depicted stone heads of prey birds and stern statues of armored warriors – and ahead of him was a closed gate that was absolutely impossible to lift. And he was not even at the Eastern Palace yet.
Now he understood why this place was said to be like a fortress. All buildings were built on different heights, forcing any aspiring adventurers to constantly climb stairs in order to move in the area. However, time had demolished most of these stairs and it made the probability of falling into a pit with no way up very high. All you could do after that was sit under the sun or inside a building, and wait for your death.
If you make a wrong step, there is no way out. And apparently, the only way forward was also blocked.
There was something else other than stone columns in the place – and boy, did it stick out like a sore thumb. Two identical signs in the shape of a bunny head painted purple. Link had a pretty good idea who had put these here.
"Hey! Are you the adventuring type? Then have I got the ITEMS for you! Visit me south of the castle! –Ravio.".
"Have I got"?, thought Link incredulously. Does this guy have NO IDEA of the proper use of grammar? More importantly, when did Ravio put that thing here? Why did he put it in Eastern Palace of all places? And he had items for adventurers? Honestly, the whole thing sounded way too weird and convenient to be a coincidence. Regardless, the strange merchant in bunny hood was his best bet right now to get through the gate.
Link was starting to become really grateful for the location of his house.
"Welcome home, Mr. Hero!", greeted him Ravio twenty minutes later. That nickname really did stick. "You said it was all right to stay here, so I've made myself at-!".
"Ravio.".
"What happened?! You look ready to kill someone! Well, not really, but…".
Link frowned at him. "So… Having items for adventurers?".
"What's that?". Seriously? "Oh, yeah! Saw my signs at the Eastern Palace, did you? I was going to open a store near the palace, but when I saw all the monsters, I hightailed it out of there!". He rubbed his head awkwardly, his voice full of shame for his actions. "Way too many monsters around there for my liking, you get me?". Link did not really notice the boy's oddly downcast tone. "But,", he continued, the strange moment past "I seem to recall some stone pedestals near my signs. Did you see a symbol on them?", he said in a slightly sly tone, as if asking Link about a common secret.
"…Yes…".
"Oh, you did? Well, do you remember what the symbol was?".
"It was a bow with an arrow. But what does that have to do with anything?".
"Remind you of anything? Like maybe…", now he was ravaging through his huge sack with a rupee on it? That thing's a wallet?! "THIS?".
That's… "A bow?!".
"That's right, Mr. Hero! A real, honest to goodness bow with my personal signature on! My job is to rent weapons to adventurers!".
Link admired the weapon in his hands. It was finely crafted, made of light colored and flexible wood, with the string tight on it. On one of the bow's ends Ravio had added a tiny bunny hood that marked the bow as his merchandise, but placed in such a way that not only it would not bother the user, but it would also secure the bowstring and prevent it from snapping.
"Normally, I'd charge you a rental fee, but I'll lend it to you for free. This time, anyway. But I'll be taking that back if anything happens to you out there.". Huh? "Well, off you go!".
"But- what about the arrows?". He could not use a bow without arrows.
"Oh yeah, right. You wouldn't know…". Somehow the comment did not seem to address Link specifically. "That's the catch about my bow, Mr. Hero. It doesn't need ammunition. It creates its own arrows.".
It creates its own arrows? "This bow is magical?".
"Yes. I'll show you how to use it, 'cause it's kinda tricky, you know? Come on outside.". Link followed him, now admittedly burning with curiosity.
Ravio took a severe posture and his tone changed. From a happy-go-lucky merchant, he suddenly turned into a person that demanded attention. It was amazing how the atmosphere around him could change; suddenly the bunny hood did not look so ridiculous. "The thing about magic – or energy in general – is that it can't pop out of nowhere. You can't create energy. And magic is a form of energy. The reason why most magic items around here can be used even by non-magic user without any cost or consequences, is because the magic has either been stored in them beforehand, or they are drawing magic or another form of energy from the surrounding environment. Do you follow me so far?".
"Yes.".
"Good. Now you see, many other items draw magical power directly from the user, thus making impossible for anyone who's not a sorcerer of something similar to use them. Those items, whether they look like your old good weapon, like my bow here, or are something else entirely, like a… cape, for one, they draw energy no matter what you do. However, my items do not draw magical energy in the traditional sense.".
Now Link was really intrigued. What Ravio was about to say – what he was already saying – was very important. The strange merchant was explaining the nature of magic – a subject that countless sages and scholars had studied, researched, and never once found an answer to. If any answer was ever found, it was kept from public eyes in fear of someone abusing it. And yet here was Ravio: a boy his age that knew some of the best hidden secrets out there.
"My items do not use magical energy – they use the energy from your body.".
Link stared confused. "What do you mean?".
Ravio sighted. "Why do you think our bodies need food, water and air? Once we eat something, our bodies turn food, water and stuff into energy. We do that all the time! That's what my items use. And the best bit is that since your body turns food into energy all the time, you don't need any magic potions to fill it back up – you don't even have to wait! Well, not for long, at least. Pretty cool, huh?".
Honestly, Link was awed. He could not even imagine all the stuff Ravio had explained to him – he had barely ever wondered about it. And now that he had an answer, he was stunned. An explanation on what exactly the body does with food and what that has to do with magic! It was crazy.
In spite of how exciting all that sounded though, Link immediately noticed the catch, and he did not like it. "Ravio…", he said slowly. "I have not eaten since last night.".
Ravio was silent for a second, staring shocked. "You're serious.". A nod. "That's almost eighteen hours! Just because you're all heroic and stuff, it doesn't mean you have to starve! Come quickly, I saw you have some left-over stew in the pot.".
Minutes later Link had drank a fill from his stew – "Wow, Mr. Hero! You sure have an appetite!" – and stuffed a few loafs of bread in his bag. He also put his lantern in there – he had it tied on his belt all this time – and slung his rented bow over his shoulder.
"If I draw the string an arrow will appear, right?".
"Yep! But if you focus on the bow, an arrow will appear anyway, even if you don't draw the string.".
Link was truly grateful. "Thanks for all the help, Ravio! I really owe you!".
"Well, you'll have to pay for the rented items next time, Mr. Hero! Good luck!".
A flash of purple light and the clang of an arrow resounded in the air as the crystal orbs on top of the twin columns glowed in a light blue light. In response, the gate that was blocking the path now opened. Link bolted from the pedestal and ran through the ruins and the staircases, avoiding the attacks of two Armos in the process – enchanted soldier statues that trailed behind anyone that got too close to them to smash them with their weapons. Now to find Osfala… All the business with Ravio had taken more time than he would have liked. "I sure hope I'm not late…".
"You, stop where you are! What are you doing here at the Eastern Palace?".
Link turned his head up the stairs – he was right in front of the gates! – and saw the man who had yelled at him. It was a tall and thin man in his twenties with white hair tied in a ponytail on top of his head and the rest of his bangs hanging on each side of his face. His eyes were a pale blue, almost teal in colour, and his skin was more or less tanned. He wore long yellow robes with a purple apron that had the Triforce symbol on it and a necklace with a teal stone. He would have been handsome, if he did not stand over there looking like a pissed off overconfident jerk, fists shaking and rod pointed at his accusingly.
Link got closer to talk to him face to face. "Oh, my apologies.", said Osfala – it had to be him – when he got a good look at him. "I thought you were someone I'm looking for. Aren't you Link?".
"Yes.". Now Osfala acted a lot nicer. Maybe his initial impression of him was wrong after all.
"You're the blacksmith's apprentice, right? But what are you doing all the way to the Eastern Palace?".
"The Elder Sahasrahla sent me to fetch back to Kakariko.", explained Link. "The man you're looking for – his name's Yuga – was at the Sanctuary this morning, and he turned Seres and Captain Arthur, you know, the one from the Royal guard, into paintings! The Elder is worried for your safety!".
"Vile deeds at the Sanctuary?", exclaimed Osfala, once again pointing his rod at Link. "My master sent you to fetch me back to safety?".
"You don't have to sound so disbelieving about that…", mumbled Link. And why was everyone repeating his words today?!
"Wah-haha!". Link stared in disbelief as the young man started laughing as if he was just told a very good joke. "This Yuga you speak of… Surely he's cause for grave concern.", said Osfala looking awfully unconcerned. "But why should Sahasrahla be worried about me? I'm a descendant of the original Seven Sages. I'm just as powerful as them!".
"Say what?!".
"I even got myself a Sand Rod, so I'm more or less invincible. Bold talk, you might say, but it's simply the truth.".
"Invincible?! So was the Captain!".
"I'll get to the bottom of all this Yuga nonsense.". Nonsense?! "Now, farewell to you, Link.". And with that, Osfala disappeared into the Eastern Palace.
Link just stood there worried, dumbfounded, and above all, enraged. "Who does this guy think he is?! Does he have no respect for the Elder? He's his mentor, for Goddess' shake! How does he dare to call all that "nonsense"? I can't believe him! How am I supposed to convince him to come back?".
Well, finding him would be a good start, said that little annoying voice in his head. Heeding the voice's advice, Link took a deep breath to calm him nerves and drew his sword. He woke up the weather vine bird for good measure. "Best of luck in there!", it seemed to chirp.
With a resolute step, Link entered the infamous Eastern Palace.
The interior of the Eastern Palace was made out of nothing but stone. The walls were made of green bricks and there were strange stone masks hanging from there. The floor was made of grey stone and the floor's edges were marked by teal bricks. Yes, the floor's edges. As soon as he entered, Link encountered a gap on the floor with no way across, the gate standing proudly on the other side. Said gap was guarded needlessly by two warrior statues, not Armos – these would attack him as soon as he entered. Left and right of said gap were two other paths that led to two other gates that were tightly shut.
Thankfully, the mystery of the impassable gap on the floor was fairly easy to solve. Next to the gate behind the gap stood another crystal orb/switch which Link shot with an arrow. The switch turned light blue and two different sections of the wall came down and formed a floor for Link to walk on.
The path ahead was straight but also surrounded by bottomless pits. After he took out the Popos – blue, orange, coral, tentacle things – he noticed that left and right there were two more pathways that led to a dead end. However, the one on his left also had a treasure chest and a crystal orb switch, while the other one had a warrior statue with a few rupees laying behind it. This just screams "I'm a trap!", thought Link. He chose to activate the switch on his left and watched satisfied as the gate opened. Link returned to the entrance and went to the chest where he found a red rupee. That's worth twenty!, thought Link. He then remembered his master's typical warning that always came along with the salary. "Don't spent it all in one place!".
Link went back to the middle path choosing to skip the right dead end – that statue could be an Armos that would send him to the bottom of the pit, for all he knew – and moved on to the next room.
He found himself on top of a staircase, the next two platforms ahead of him sporting a few more statues and two closed gates on each wall. A few rupees were laying on the left platform, and the two platforms were connected with green metal fence that looked pretty sturdy. However there was no way to get from the spot he was currently at to the two platforms. Link looked down bellow to find a way to get there. There was a strange sound coming from there – almost as if something heavy was rolling…
His eyes almost fell of their sockets. Metal balls. Down bellow there was a narrow corridor he had no choice but to traverse, with metal balls his size rolling through it. He gulped. He would get smashed by them!
Link took a deep breath and paid closer attention to his current predicament. Most of the balls were rolling right next to the wall, leaving a big enough gap for him to pass through. There was also the occasional large ball coming in that filled the space entirely. After a while Link noticed a pattern. Three left balls, three right, one big, rinse and repeat, with the addition of small zigzag balls for every three rounds. And on top of that, there were sockets in the wall he could hide in. Link smirked. Crossing would be easier than he first thought.
Within seconds, Link had passed through the corridor and found himself in front of another staircase, which had a locked door on top. He also noticed that the lower level had two more gates, with the left one being open. Actually, the left gate bellow was the only one open so Link went through.
The gate shut behind him with a bam, and three Popos fell from the ceiling. Link was quick to dispatch them, however as soon as he did so, another four appeared. Link also took them out. As soon as he did so, the saw the gate behind him opened, along with the one at the other end of the room. Also, Link heard the sound of something wooden falling on the platform placed above a second tunnel that led to the next room.
Link went through the tunnel and found a wooden chest which had another red rupee in it. Surrounding him was a staircase that led to the treasure chest on top of the tunnel. Link returned to the room with the Popos, went through the newly opened gate to the platform and eagerly opened the treasure chest to find his reward.
Its contents baffled him. It was a magic compass. But what use could he have for it? It did not point north, that was for sure. Link decided to follow the direction it was pointing towards, and found himself face to face with the locked door. He stepped closer and that was when he felt something underneath his foot move. With surprise he watched the rock sink into the same level with the rest of the floor, and the gate in front of him open.
Link went through. He was back in the room with the metal balls, this time on the left of the two platforms that he could not reach earlier. On the other side was another door. Link made a dash for it, and carefully searched the floor for another switch. He pressed it, and a statue started moving. I hate Armos., he thought as he hit one with his sword and shattered it, shattering it after a few tries. Wow, they're so fragile!
The next room also featured a narrow hallway with a bottomless pit on both sides, along with a moving platform, and two crystal orb switches on each side of the wall, on two different heights. Link stepped of the platform – he thought that the name for these was an "elevator" – and drew his bow, aiming for the two switches. In response, some sort of a timer started ticking, and two walls on the end of the hallway went down, revealing a treasure chest. Link jumped from the elevator and ran to the treasure chest as fact as he could, for he had a pretty good idea what the timers were for. Inside he found a key. However he did not rejoice as he jumped out of the way to avoid being enclosed by the moving walls.
Safe from all danger, Link paused to think. There were several bricks from the wall missing. And behind those gaps, he could make out some much, much older bricks. However, everything that Link had seen in the palace so far – he very much doubted that the place was a palace at this point – was as old as the newer bricks, not the old ones that he had spotted just now. The implications were staggering.
Someone had gone out of their way to completely change the layout of the Eastern Palace. And they had done so rather recently, definitely a couple of centuries after the era of the Legendary Hero. But why? Why would anyone rebuild an abandoned tower from scratch and fill it with traps and riddles? Whoever redesigned this place had literally posed a challenge to the world: "Survive adventurer, if you can, and I shall provide your path forward.". Link shuddered. He felt as if he was being toyed with here.
Stocking away his thoughts for later examination, Link returned to the "metal balls" room, climbed the staircase and shoved the key in the locked door. Strangely enough, the door had a red arrow that was pointing up. This must lead to the second floor, thought Link. Hard to believe that he was on the first floor this whole time. "I guess I'll have to reach the top.".
Link climbed the stairs and found himself in a small square room with gates on the left and right walls, and a warrior statue in each corner. On the centre on the floor was a bright red button. The door behind him shut with a bang. "This trap is sooo obvious…".
With a sigh, Link readied his sword, and stepped on the button. As expected, the warrior statues came to life and started advancing towards him with a shocking speed. I hate Armos, he thought as he smashed through them with some frantic strikes. All the doors opened.
After a bit of consideration Link opted for the east room, and almost got impaled by an arrow. He stared at the wall in disbelief as a device instilled on it fired arrows without cease. In fact, the whole room was nothing but narrow paths and hidden crossbow devices at each end. Link groaned. He really should find a shield one of these day, or else he was a hylian needle cushion. Link ran for his life, up the stairs, down the stairs, to the next gate, only to find that it was closed.
The Goddesses must really hate him.
He went through the room again, ducking to avoid the arrows, in search for a floor switch. As soon as he pressed it, he ran to the next room. And… he decided that he should not go there.
The Goddesses really DO hate him today.
He returned to the room with the Armos and stepped into the west room.
It was yet another room with metal balls and floor switches. There were three holes on the north and south of the room, and between them various pot that would surely make passing through even harder. The switch was at the other side of the room. Link ran there and pressed it, revealing a staircase that literally came out of the wall. A timer went off and Link ran up the stairs, reaching the top just before the timer went off and the staircase returned to its original position. On that platform there were also metal balls rolling, but Link just waited and crossed it in the time gap between two balls. He then climbed down the stairs and found himself in a space where there were even more metal balls rolling around. In fact, the four walls had three holes each, with balls rolling out of there and moving in random patterns. In the middle of the space was a raised pedestal that hindered movement even further.
Only one choice here.
Link scanned the floor for the switch and when he found it, he pressed his back on the wall to avoid getting hit by the balls, as he noticed that none of them collided with the wall or with each other. Talk about a feat of engineering. He pressed the switch, opened the door, and moved to the next room.
Which had a bottomless pit. He was on the second floor! How was a bottomless pit even possible?! Then again, he reasoned, this room is probably above the other.
Having no other option, Link ran through the narrow corridor – the guy who designed his place is really unoriginal with his traps – and climbed the stairs. From his higher point of view, he could now inspect the room better. Ahead of him was a huge door with an equally big keyhole, and two crystal orb switches left and right. Link drew his bow and hit the left one, activating the left/west elevator. He ran there while dodging the Armos, only to find that it was locked. Going back – after pushing the Armos in the pit – he aimed for the west crystal orb switch which activated the west elevator. Using that, Link was also able to hit the third crystal orb switch which opened the west gate.
Link ran through. This room also had a bottomless pit with a pedestal that had four crystal orb switches on it, and a floating platform making circles around it. Automatic crossbows were hidden in the walls. After activating the switches with his arrows and avoiding becoming a living pin cushion, a treasure chest fell from the ceiling and the crossbows deactivated. Link found a small key inside, which he used in the locked door of the previous room – the small one.
The door locked itself behind him, and something bellow Link clattered. Bones that floated and reassembled themselves into human skeletons.
Stalfos were some of the most horrific monsters out there. There were the skeletons of people who died in cursed places or fell in battle. They were also some of the most skilled fighters and if armed, they could easily overpower even the Hyrule Royal guard. And now Link had to face three of them at once.
Thank the Goddesses that the Stalfos made no real attempt to attack him. The fight lasted for five while minutes, with the human skeletons dodging his every strike and even adjusting their strategy to face him. As soon as they were out, Link made sure to smash their bones in tiny pieces to prevent them from reassembling. The Stalfos were known for their ability to come back from the dead.
From their defeat also came the reward. A platform lowered itself and presented HUGE treasure chest. With a very conscious grunt of effort, Link opened it. Inside laid a large golden key. The eyes of a monster on the design seemed to stare at him, and to increase the effect, the key also had horns. Link immediately knew which door that key was meant to open. He placed it in his bag.
In the same room was a staircase that led to a tiny chamber with a crystal orb switch in it. Link activated it with a strike from his sword, and in response he heard something moving elsewhere. He went back to the room with the bottomless pit and the numerous switches, only to find that a fourth crystal orb switch had been revealed. Link activated it with an arrow.
The hallway flipped upside down and turned into a staircase. One that led to the huge door.
The feeling of conclusion washed over Link. THAT was the Final Room. If he made it through there he would find Osfala. If he made it through there, he could leave. If he made it through there, he would manage to prove something to the world, and above all to himself. He could prove that he was worthy of any reward he walked to the gate that awaited him behind those closed gates slipped the key in the door any secret FACE IT turned it THE LAST TEST FOR NOW IS AHEAD opened the door NO TURNING BACK
Link walked in with purpose.
To face Yuga.
A gasp escaped Link's lips at the sight in front of him.
It was not the room that caused it. That was merely a tiny rectangular chamber with a round bottomless pit light in the middle, which left just enough space on the floor for someone to move around without falling inside. There was a thin slit on the north wall from which came the crimson glow of the twilight sun, just barely managing to illuminate the chamber – the only source of natural light.
It was the unnatural light however, that caught Link's attention. At the north side of the chamber stood Yuga, his magic staff raised triumphantly and the colourful blade burning brightly. His face was twisted in an indignant sneer as he mercilessly tortured Osfala, the young sage whining and screaming in the clutches of the rainbow fire, hanging above the pit.
"Ha! After all your posing, after all your preening… just look at you now! Now, my fine fellow, prepare to be made into my latest work of art! You'll have a privileged place in my collection of Sages!". With each and every one of his sentences, the art sorcerer whipped his torch, resulting to yet another groan of pain from the youth.
With the end of his speech, Yuga's movements also ceased, and his sneer shifted to a furrowed brow as he focused intensely on Osfala. He blasted him with his rod and a yellow painting frame, otherwise identical to the one that had imprisoned Seres, was formed, with Osfala posing in the middle.
He did not even have the time to scream. Link was petrified.
"Aha!", yelled out Yuga in victory. "An excellent painting! What a knack I have for capturing the smallest details JUST so.". The portrait floated to Yuga's hand, and he leaned to examine it one last time, before preparing to depart.
His eyes fell on Link.
"Oh! Who-?". Link said nothing, but Yuga recognized him nonetheless. "You're that wriggling worm I saw at the Sanctuary!". The reminder of the taunt that had him slamming headfirst into the wall was enough to shake Link of his shocked stupor, but not enough to anger him. He already had enough things to be angry about. He calmly raised his sword.
"What, you've come to challenge me again?", asked Yuga baffled. "I don't have time to coddles with would be heroes. But if you insist…" a change in the tone of his voice was the only warning he had –
"I will oblige.".
The fight was on.
Link reacted first, jumping over the gap with his sword raised, ready to cleave Yuga in two. Yuga merged with the wall behind him. Just like last time.
The sorcerer moved along the wall and Link matched his movement to stay close to him. Tired of waiting, Yuga blasted himself out of the wall, simultaneously creating two other incorporeal portraits beside him. Two white lightning blasts illuminated the room. However, what shone brighter was not the magic but rather Link's inexperience.
Panicked from the sudden attack and blinded by the radiant light, Link had tried to dodge the incoming blast only to end up being hit by it instead. Alright, he thought in his pain, Melee attacks won't work. In spite of the injury though, Link had also learned something from the experience. Yuga could not attack while he was merged with the wall.
Instead of staying close to Yuga in order to slice him with his sword, Link opted to change his tactics and stood at the opposite end of the pit with his bow at the ready, facing Yuga directly. Now, there was no way for Yuga to come out of the wall and attack without risking getting himself impaled by the arrows. Link had effectively trapped Yuga into a corner, and the latter knew that.
Yuga tried changing positions as an attempt to throw off Link's aim, but the young swords-boy did not have any real trouble keeping the sorcerer in his direct line of vision. Wanting to break the stalling game, Yuga came out and Link charged his bow. A yelp of pain followed the white and purple lights of the attacks. It was Yuga's. He did not die, as most people would, but bows and arrows were called the weapons of the assassins for a reason; if they make contact, there is no escaping unscathed. The sorcerer went back to the wall and the duel resumed.
Keeping up with the sorcerer was getting increasingly harder for Link as the mage was becoming more and more aggravated, to the point where Link could make out fumes coming from his ears. He let one more arrow fly, and his aim was true.
Yuga was bleeding. Yes!
The sorcerer fell on his knee, struggling to regain his breath. The blond boy stayed on his guard. The wound was on the sorcerer's abdomen. Link did not know much about anatomy, but he could tell that the wound was not lethal – not to Yuga, that is. There was no telling what the man would do while in this state.
"Enough of this!", yelled Yuga. "You're going to spoil everything!".
Link just narrowed his eyes, trying to hide his own tiredness. Now he knew exactly what Ravio meant when he said that the bow was drawing energy directly from the user. However, his attention was on Yuga. The wizard would try something, he just knew it.
"You've forced my hand.". Yuga stood up, enraged. He pointed his staff towards Link, and a golden orb of magic formed in mid air. "I must brush you aside!".
The blast hit him before his brain could even comprehend that he was being targeted. A golden flash was all he saw – all he could see – and the next thing he knew, he felt something like a wall hit him solid on his face – no, his whole body – and engulf him entirely. That was when his sight was returned, thought it was blurry. His limbs were stretched out, and at the edge of his vision he could make out a glowing painting frame surrounding him.
Realisation hit him like a ton of bricks.
That was it. It was over. Just as victory was in his grasp, Yuga had retaliated by turning him into a painting.
The pain was unbearable. And then, there was… nothing. No more anguish, no more pain, no more feeling. He could see straight ahead but that was all in it. Is this what being a painting is supposed to feel like?
"What a sad, drab painting you make. You can rot there for all I care.". Link turned his attention to the red-haired mage. He was still standing at the opposite side of the chamber, making it easy for Link to see him, and the expression of disgust on his face was something hard to miss. His voice sounded strange to Link, as if the boy was submerged underwater or had his ears covered with his palms.
"Onward.", continued the mage to himself as he moved to the window. "I have more perfect pictured to add to my collection.". He once again turned into a portrait, and moved out of Link's line of sight, but his parting words still rang clear in his ears. "Oh, how I long to hang that exquisite Princess Zelda on my wall…".
Princess Zelda! Link could not believe it. That evil sorcerer was after that beautiful and kind Princess Zelda? How could someone be so… malicious?! Now Princess Zelda was in danger!
And it was entirely his fault. He had failed to stop Yuga – again. He had failed to stop Osfala. He had failed to save Seres. He had failed to get to the Captain in time. And now he would fail to save Princess Zelda as well. He was stuck in a wall, for Din's sake! He could not even move!
If only he could get out of here…
On his right, something started to glow. What in the-? Link turned his eyes to the source – wait, he turned his eyes? He could actually move? The glow intensified and Link blinked out of reflex, trying to shield his eyes from the light. He blinked! He could really move!
I have to get out! Link tried to make a step forward and in response the feeling of the wall squeezing him from all sides returned as he struggled to break free… and fell on his nose.
"Ouch!", he yelped. He shook his head to clear it from his dizziness while clutching his nose to make sure it was not broken. He then gazed down at his new accessory in astonishment. The old musty leather now looked as if it was brand new, and the designs made by the stitching were easy to make out. In the empty space in the middle of the bracelet, a purple gem stone had taken its rightful place, glowing with the same purple light that Link had accustomed with the bow and restoring the bracelet to its former beauty.
But how? It was supposed to be nothing but an old, smelly, leather band! Did Ravio even know what he had given him? His head was swimming.
Link leaned back on the wall, exhausted from the day's events, quite literally falling right into it. "Woah!". With a jerky move Link sprang up on his feet. What had just happened? He was leaning against the wall! He should not fall back.
It can't be., he thought in disbelief, a crazy idea forming in his head. Then again, he reasoned, today is all about crazy. Link pressed his body against the wall and with a deep breath, he tried to repeat the same technique that activated his rented bow – this time though, he focused on the bracelet. Instantly, the gold and green painting frame was formed around him, and he became one with the wall.
As expected, just like the bow, this bracelet too drew its power from the user's energy reserves. Link tried to hold on the wall for as long as he could, so he could grow accustomed to that new sensation. Merging with the wall stripped Link from all his physical senses other than sight and hearing – it was an extremely disorienting experience that left the boy very confused. Right now the only thing he could feel was his will. Somehow, the sensation was familiar.
The wall practically spit out Link once his energy reserves hit their limit, much to Link's relief. It would be a huge problem if he were to get stuck in a wall. He waited for his reserves to refill before merging with the wall again, this time attempting to move. Based on his earlier assumption, he willed to move his eyes left and right. Experiment completed with total success, Link burst out of the wall.
A grin was on his lips. Time to go after that travesty of a sorcerer.
Without hesitating any longer, Link slammed himself into the wall next to the opening and slipped through it, trying to forget that any wrong move would turn him into a painting on the stone permanently. The fact that the horizon was currently in the process of being painted purple did not help much. What time was it anyway? It seemed that he only had one hour at most before sundown, and he was not in the mood to deal with frantic octorocks in the middle of the night.
Link soon discovered a balcony outside the castle with no apparent purpose other than a decoration – otherwise, there would have put a window there at least – which Link used to survey his surroundings. The Eastern Palace was a lot taller that he had first thought. Even though the tower technically had only three floors, it was built on the tallest spot of the ruin complex, and each one of its floors had a high enough ceiling to amount for two. In addition, the base of the tower was at least five meters high. That made the total of seven floors. Talk about high.
Finding nothing but a few rupees laying around, Link returned to the camber and then took to survey the west balconies as well. Thankfully, the lighting here was better, seeing that it was not obscured by any walls, and Link scanned the area for any hint of Yuga. He was nowhere to be found.
I lost him.
"DAMNIT!". His right fist seared in pain upon impact with the stone wall. Link reflexively withdrew his arm and brought it close to his face to inspect the damage. His right hand and forearm had received the full force of Yuga's magical attack.
Link had no idea why he had not felt any pain up until now, but that pain was vicious and unlike anything he had received from the forge. He felt as if jolts of fire and electricity were running inside his body; it was so painful that everything else felt numb. Link lifted his sleeve. Zigzagged lines of colourful, mostly golden light were coursing alongside his veins. He could easily feel the presence of foreign magic, slowly burning his flesh. Movement made his hand fell stiff, as if the magic resisted to being bent. That was most probably the case.
However, there was not any scratch on his arm from banging it on the wall just now. Small mercies.
Bringing his sleeve back down, for a glowing arm would not do him any favours now, Link lit up his lantern and tied it on his belt, this time looking for a way down. The Eastern Palaces balconies were right bellow each other, making it impossible to jump from one balconies to another. With no other choice but to use his newfound ability to merge with walls, Link moved back and forth between the east and west balconies, slowly but surely coming scaling down the building. Soon he found a treasure chest which he opened, hoping for a clue. He found a silver rupee instead. That's worth a hundred rupees!, he thought surprised at his find. Well, no one's going to miss it.
Link once again changed balconies and went to the west side, where he found an elevator. He used it to go down to the second floor balcony. A nasty surprise greeted him when the floor underneath him started moving into the building, leaving him with no footing. Link turned into a painting and waited for the floor to return, before continuing his run.
Finding a second elevator, Link jumped to the first floor where he was met with a dead end. While he tried to figure a way out of this new predicament, the wall that blocked him moved and created a single wall with another one, which was in turn connected to another balcony. Grasping the chance, Link turned into a painting and crossed it. Seeing another treasure chest ahead, Link once again turned into a painting and opened it. A purple rupee was inside.
Returning to the previous balcony, Link found a slit on the wall. Curious, he walked through it, and almost laughed when he realized his location. He was at the very entrance of the Eastern Palace, right where he had started. He spotted a second slit on the wall, which led to another balcony. His finding was yet another treasure chest with yet another silver rupee.
His attention was caught by a strange tapping sound coming from the entrance. What now? Did Yuga return to admire his handiwork? Drawing his sword, Link slipped through the opening and returned to the entrance.
"Elder?! What are you doing here?".
"Ah, my lad!", greeted him Sahasrahla, obviously relieved. "You've finally found your way back out of the Eastern Palace! But what of Osflala?".
Link hung his head down in shame. The devastated gaze on the elder's face as he realized the truth was like a punch to the gut for him. "No…! Yuga has taken Osfala too?". A single nod. "Worse still, he now has two of our Sages!".
"There's more.".
"What?".
"He said that… He's going after Princess Zelda.".
"We mustn't let that happen!".
"But how are we going to stop him?", protested Link, his composure finally breaking. "I couldn't find him anywhere! He could be at the castle now, kidnapping her, for all I know!".
As if on cue, something akin to an earthquake came from the castle, nearly knocking the two of them of their feet.
"My word!", said Sahasrahla. "What was THAT?!". He turned to the direction where the enormous tremor had originated. "Are we too late? Something dire is happening at Hyrule Castle! There's no time to waste!".
"I'll come with you.", said Link, getting rid of his self pity.
"Are you sure, my lad? Who knows what has happened there!".
"Which is why I must GO!". Both of them froze at Link's reaction. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to yell at you…". Sahasrahla was about to wave him off. "But I'm going.".
The elder sent a stony look at the boy's eyes. Link met it evenly. He had made up him mind.
"You can come.", he relented.
Link nodded sharply, no further need to say anything.
They were too late. Far too late, in fact. Link was terrified, but more so was the Elder. "Wh-what is going on here?!".
The entire castle was engulfed with colourful flames that were a darker version of all the shades of the rainbow – Link privately thought that they resembled strokes of the brush on the canvas. How fitting. And to add insult to the wound as well as a bit of humor to the situation, Yuga had "painted" prison bars of black flames right on the front gate.
Cheeky.
Sahasrahla cautiously approached the black flames, and summoned a blast of white magic with his staff. The white orb bounced harmlessly on the flames – in fact they seemed to retaliate and strike back the elder, drawing a shout of pain out of him. "That barrier!", he exclaimed. "I've never seen such magic! I daren't approach it. But we must break through somehow. Princess Zelda and Lady Impa are trapped inside the castle!".
The elder turned to Link, a grave look on his face you know what is coming a test bring it back as a proof-
"Listen well, Link. We must turn again to the legend of old for our solution.".
!
"These abominable events are an echo of what happened all those years ago. Then, when the castle was in the grip of evil, the hero of that day found the Master Sword. The hero first had to claim the three Pendants of Virtue to prove himself worthy of the blade.". Sahasrahla seemed to realize something in his own words. "But there we are already thwarted. For one of those pendants is INSIDE the castle with Princess Zelda!". The elder's shoulders were slumped in defeat. "Oh, what a quandary. We need her pendant, but there is no way to get it.".
Could he mean…? Link drew the cord under his shirt, revealing the green jewel.
"Wh-what's that?". The elder was astonished, and for a good reason. "It can't be! You're wearing-! That's the Pendant of Courage! What in Hyrule are you doing with it, Link?".
The boy smiled faintly, in spite of the grim situation. "Princess Zelda gave it to me when she asked me to find you. She had told me it was a special charm…".
"She gave it to you?". A look of thoughtfulness and admiration was on the older man's face. "How right she was. She must have sensed the evil in Hyrule – and the rise of a new hero to meet it.".
"A new hero?".
"So is it you? It must be. Why else would the princess have given you the Pendant of Courage? She knew you would need to get the Master Sword! Well then, my young hero, you've got quite a quest ahead of you.", said Sahasrahla, his mood considerably brightened. "You have to find the other two pendants. One pendant has been enshrined in the House of Gales. And the other pendant, in the Tower of Hera. I'll show you their locations on a map, once we return to my home. It also seems prudent to search my library for clues to who the other Seven Sages of our day may be. So for now, it's all up to you, Link!".
Somehow, I'm not surprised. But I do not think myself worthy of that honor. I don't know if I can uphold it either.
After all, we're looking for a stain on the wall.
Author notes: Aaand that's the chapter for this week. Eastern Palace! I was really looking forward to this. Originally, I itended to break this chapter in two parts, but then the second part - the boss fight - would be too short.
I put some real effort in describing the Eastern Palace without making it tiring, or superficial. I tried to present this dungeon by giving some emphasis on it's history. Simultaneously, I tried giving some depth to the LBW Hyrule, and give Ravio his time to shine. In all honesty, I use Ravio as some sort of a spoiler for Link, a bit of a warning for what is to come. At the same time, I couldn't help put poke a finger to the game. I mean, really? "Have I got the Items for you!"?
Anyway, I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations! So please, READ AND REVIEW! I NEED REVIEWS!