It was just as she imagined, but… larger.
At the sight, she melted. She could drip like sweat at any given moment, however, what good would that do for anyone? Rock was cindered and scorched. Lava shot up from their geyers an debris rained, barely within an inch of their bodies. Regardless, they moved with purpose. They jumped from the platforms, and juggled with pressure plates, and time. Link and Niah moved with a pattern, but they spoke little as they moved in tandem. There was no time for gawking and gazing.
When they got to the center of the temple, the main room, Niah could see the giant magnet, the midpoint of it all, and the rotating floors to the left of them. Link pulled out a notebook and what looked like a stick with a shard or charcoal attached, a pencil.. They had hardly just started.
"Why are you doing that? You'll get a map later, I'm sure."
Link didn't respond as he looked around. The magnet, the platforms. He saw everything, and wrote it down. Had he been doing this the whole time?
"Well, duh," Link removed his hat and tucked it into his belt. "-but the last time ." His voice trailed off.
Niah offered no comment.
"It's funny," Link said, but he didn't look up from the notebook. "This is the second run through, and there's a theme to it."
Niah raised an eyebrow and brought her hand to her hip. "And what's so funny about that?"
Link shrugged, and folded the notebook close while he put the charcoal pencil behind his ear. "Nothing, nevermind. I'll tell you later."
Niah did not know him very well. But she knew he wouldn't.
Again though, they leaped over the platforms, retrieved the key, and made their way back across. As tedious and annoying as it was, there was no rest with him. Link could parry-thrust a spear from the shadows, yet even then, never did any weariness show through as they progressed.
The next room unlocked, and when the door opened, a heat swelted their faces. The were closer to the lava than the previous two rooms. Dodongos were prevalent as well, and-
"Blood."
Niah fanned herself with her hand, "What?"
"Blood," Link held his gaze at the wall. Through the ashes and red, she could see it. "I'm surprised. Gorons don't bleed." It was to himself. He reached up and touched it. It was cindered, but it crumbled, dry, all the same. "They were specifically evolved to avoid damage to the skin. To make one bleed takes a lot of power."
Niah grimace, "I never heard of it." And that was the truth, there was no story or plotline about the Gorons, they were creatures - a species - all the same.
"No…" Link trailed off, his eyes followed the trail on the wall. No matter how many times he traced it, how many times blood curled from the heat and fell, Link still pressed himself into it. The mystery.
"It could be the Fused Shadow."
At that moment, he again pulled out his notebook. Filtered through the filled pages, and as Niah peeked behind his back, the words were a jumbled mess. At first she assumed that the handwriting was bad, but just a moment after, realized that this was not English, this was Hylian. A language that she did not know. She could not read it, or decipher it. With each stroke of the pencil, it was with intent, like her father when he used to write in his own journals, or when he'd write messages in her lunch box before school. Curved and meticulously thought of from years of practice.
It was hot, and Niah fanned herself some more, nearly she mentioned something to Link about getting a move on, but deep in her mind, she knew better than to press him. Link said nothing until the pencil was back behind his ear, and the notebook was back in his pocket.
"I think you're right." He finally said. "The first temple wasn't so bad. But when I entered the Twilight in Kakariko, it was harder. Even now, it gets harder. So I think the Fused Shadows is the thing that's making things worse."
There was a glimmer in his eye as he turned to me. However, it was confident, and it was infectious.
"It was explained that they had to fight Darbus. And I think it takes a Goron to know a Goron. So, I think that the Fused Shadow must be making it to where they had no other choice but too, uh… hurt him." Niah added.
"-And," Link interrupted, "Gorons never hurt their own kind to the point of bleeding."
"So they must have been desperate..?"
Link nodded in approval, and for the first time, Niah felt a synergy. It was authentic, but something hard fought for.
There was a weight that left from my shadow, one that she had forgotten about.
"That's great in all, absolutely fantastic. But it's hot. Get a move on!"
They laughed at themselves, and moved forward.
Suddenly, the revelation left a sour thought in her mind. The Fused Shadows had started to grow stronger in their influence of their victims, one that she did not notice in the game. Link was influenced by the Twilight, not the Fused Shadows inherently. He turned into a beast due to his birthright and the Triforce. It was a fact. The thought frightened her, to think that the more Link remained and explored the Twilight, that he was to lose himself as a beast, taking all of his memories and accomplishments into a sullen void. No, that was too negative to think about, but… with what happened in the hideout..? It was a scary possibility.
Again, they made their way over geyers and lava. Link killed dodongo's along the way, and fortunately it wasn't too hard to shy away from the fire that would ignite from their throats. Predictably, there was the chain and the handle, the purpose was to pull the chain, open the solid door, and make their way over the lava geyer's by timing their jumps perfectly. She had passed through it countless times, so there should be a breeze.
Link hunched over to take the handle, and gave it a small tug to test how much strength it would take to haul the threshold. He huffed, and again pulled out his notebook.
Niah was not amused and folded her arms, "If you pull that thing out everytime something happens, we're going to be in here for a few days, and I'm boiling as much as it is…" The last part drifted off into nothing as the sound of lava and scribbles from the pencil could be heard. Midna hadn't complained about it yet, as she was either not irritated enough by it, or simply did not care. Niah frowned and dragged her boot through the gravel.
It was like that for several minutes until Link snapped the notebook shut, and inhaled. "Okay, the geysers change their intervals every thirty seconds, there are the two nearest of us," he pointed to the lava that immediately shot up after his words, "-and the one farthest from us, but directly at the point of where we need to go."
Niah wanted to roll her eyes because she knew the whole set-up.
"When twenty-six seconds pass, I'll let go of the chain, and we'll both jump together." Link sounded proud of himself as he flipped through his notebook again, as if he was looking through everything to be sure that he hadn't missed anything. Niah wanted to be open with her experience, but decided against it, she didn't need him asking anymore questions. Even if Niah wanted to speak up though, she couldn't as Link rushed past her to take the metal in his hands, and just then, she knew what was expected of her.
It took longer for Link to tug the chain all the way to its limit, the lava was plentiful of course, and her face was just as red from the heat of it. Hopefully soon they will be able to cool off with an elder. As the geyser shot up near the platform, Niah counted it, she heard the click of the door locking into place, and just then she yelled for Link. He took her, and with both of their rush of adrenaline, they hopped over the platforms, it was exhilarating, Niah never truly knew she was such a junkie for that type of stuff. Right as their feet landed, they rushed towards the door as it slid closer to be locked again, they were determined though, just at the last second, they made their final jump, the spikes caught Link's tunic, and ripped the fabric, and the chain mail that was sewn to it split with a loud jutter.
They heaved, and even though Niah was still collecting herself, Link laughed, and it was infectious.
"That was good! I had no idea that you could be that fast. Seriously, keep that up for the rest of the temple, and we're gonna be out of here in no time. I can see why people think you're Shiekah."
Niah wanted to scold him for the last comment, but couldn't bring herself to do much more than ask a question.
"What makes me seem like a Sheikah."
Link frowned, and shrugged almost like he was waving it off, "I think it's 'cause of the way you talk."
"The way I what?"
Link wasn't being honest, she knew that but Niah didn't feel comfortable calling him out for the bluff, but just as she was about to ask something else, he was already at his feet, and he held his hand towards Niah who took it without much of a second thought.
There was water below them, which required Link to use his boots to connect himself to the wall and climb upwards to proceed to the rest of the temple. She had forgotten about this as it had been a few years, and wasn't looking forward to getting wet, then immediately going upside down and experiencing a headrush. But, for this, she would live. She would survive in the heat, perhaps the water would cool her down. Link grumbled beside her, he scratched the side of his head in the process. With that done, Midna morphed his boots onto his feet as if she had read his mind from her own shadow.
Niah knew what was coming next, and before the leap was made, she held her breath, but not without sending a prayer to the Gods, her God? Would that work? Either way, it didn't matter. Because next thing she knew, her feet were metaphorically lifted off the ground, and in milliseconds, her body hit water. Lukewarm water.
It wasn't hot, at all. But, it wasn't cool either.
She knew that when they made it out, the water would stick to her skin like dried sweat, and she would become irritated once again from the heat. It's one of the worst things to do when it's 'in the moment.' because now, it would surely bite her in the ass. Then, there was a loud, forceful stop of metal-on-metal, and the vibrations of the impact could be felt from her feet, to her head, as the blood started to rush towards it. Niah felt a headache coming on.
She held her breath and closed her eyes.
Fortunately, thanks to all the graces of the sky, just as soon as it started, the magnet shifted, and they were released from the grip, and their feet were once again, connected to the stone flooring.
Beyond the door in front of them was the first Goron Elder. Link was the first to walk forward, but stopped once he noticed Niah wasnt noticing.
He turned his body towards her, "Are you coming?"
There was a moment when the facade cracked.
"Scared to be alone?" It was a jab, as Niah shook the thought from her head, but also a comment towards sympathy, an ambiguous statement.
"No," he dusted himself off, "-worried you'll do something stupid."
It made her arms cross, and she laughed, but she made no further comment.
He opened the door, and they were right where they needed to be.
"Interesting." The Goron chuckled, but it sounded more like a sigh. "I thought I felt a strong presence. But it was not of evil it seemed,"
Link walked up to him, and Niah followed.
"Two young humans. An interesting sight, but not unwelcome. If Cor found your hearts true, then you show courage that not many have. I am Gor Amoto." His cane dug into the rubble as he hobbled his short stature towards them to be closer. "We have little time," He took Link's gloved hand, "Take this key, please. And finish it by finding my other brothers within the temple."
Link nodded, and Niah said nothing.
"Darbus awaits your arrival. The darkness within him grows weary of you. Tread lightly."
"We'll do what we can." Link assured him.
He hummed, "There is a map on the table. Use it."
"Told you." Niah nudged him.
"Is it accurate?"
"Within the year. If there is a difference, it shouldn't be much."
He took Niah's wrist. It was a light grasp as he walked past the elder towards the latter. They climbed. Link pushed past the pots and pressed with the heat that suffocated them towards the next room. His palms pressed against the stone, no doubt just as warm as the rest of the place. The door opened.
Magnets, and fire-slug's. Below was the water that she was still drying from. She flexed her jaw in irritation.
He took out his sword and left his shield attached to its holster, again, he took her by the waist as he equipped the boots as they started to stagger across the magnet. The slug pulsed with fire, but it was an easy enemy that Link was able to defeat, and it disappeared into a dark smoke of nothing.
When they were upright again and not lopsided on a wall, she let out a deep breath.
That was nothing though, and if she was right, the next room was worse.
Link unscrolled the map. He scanned over it and hummed in approval.
"So far, so good." He pulled out his notebook and another pencil, and began to copy the map.
"Why are you doing that?"
"...in case you get lost."
Niah frowned in offense, "I won't get lost!" She crossed her arms.
"No offense hero. But I'd be more worried about you getting lost than anyone. A child would know better."
"I- Hey! That map was a few hundred years off! Of course I was going to get lost, and confused! What did you expect?!"
"Common sense."
He pointed at Niah's shadow. "Next time we go through the Twilight, your neck will be in my mouth. Snapped."
"Try me, pretty boy."
His lip jutted out like a child pouting.
Link turned himself back towards the notebook. He used his left hand, so on occasion, he would graze the charcoal, and it would transfer onto his hand, and smear the outline on the sheet, he would trace over it several times before he was satisfied.
Because of the smearing and the outline being repeated, it was barely legible.
He folded it and slipped it into her tunic pocket.
Link wore a scowl as he opened the next door.
The room she dreaded most, even Link groaned.
"Don't drop the elf hat."
They ignored it, and Link pulled out his map again.
"When we start out," Niah said, "Just go towards the fire-slug thing and make that subtle right."
He nodded, "Yeah, then keep going forward? Yeah, forward until there should be a door."
"That means we have to drop down. How high is that? Ten? Twenty feet?"
Link hummed in agreement. "If I hold you the way I have been doing, when I turn upright, you should as well."
It was like he read her mind.
The boots reattached. They both took a deep breath as they stood before the pressure plate. He took her waist in his arm again.
The force was worse than before, it juddered through the body, and as they were planted on the top, she closed her eyes as tight as she could. Don't look down. Niah told herself. Link started the trend towards the door. Niah felt the heat of the geysers that shot up from below, but they were never near enough to reach them.
Niah gripped the tunic even harder. So hard, she felt the chainmail beneath the fabric nearly cut into her skin.
The sound of unsheathing metal could be heard. Link had taken his sword out, and with a jostle of the left side of his body, an enemy was slayed.
She made sure to tighten herself even more to avoid falling into the vast plain of lava below, but she felt too disoriented as the blood rushed to her head. The dramatic movement started to give her a headache. A deep pulsing one.
Then, there was another sharp movement. Another kill.
"We're almost there-" Link's voice sounded distant, even though he was so close.
It didn't feel close. It felt like a lifetime away.
But it wasn't.
If Link warned her, she didn't hear it. But, he did tighten his arm around her.
Next thing she knew, there was the feeling of weightlessness, and she closed her eyes even tighter.
When they landed, the pads of her feet stung, but for the most part, she was intact, but she still held onto Link.
She opened her eyes. Niah saw the ground, and pushed herself from the man with a great sigh of relief.
"You okay?"
Niah rubbed her hands around herself checking for unnoticed injuries. When she was sure, she nodded.
"We should rest here for a few minutes-" He unattached a water canteen, "Let the body settle and have a water break." He handed it to her, and she took it.
Niah untightened the cap and took a swig before reattaching it. "How's your–" She gestured towards his face.
"Oh. It hurts. But so far, I haven't felt any blood."
Niah's jaw flexed as she stood up.
Another door opened to the main room.
"We're going upside down again." From the distance, you could see the fire keeses and the pressure plate surrounded by bublins.
Niah wasn't surprised in the slightest.
Again, Link went first, his sword was unsheathed, the enemies were destroyed. The air was still thick with heat.
Niah by his side again, the magnet activated. They were flung upwards.
When they landed again, Link wiped himself down before he realized there were more enemies.
Link was beyond sick of it.
Niah snickered.
_/\_
There were plenty of magnets and danger to last them longer than a lifetime.
When they made their way into another room, it was filled with water, enemies lingered of course, and Niah would prove herself to not be as useless as one would think.
Link spotted a chest underneath the water, and in that time, Niah was able to grab Link's slingshot.
They were able to avoid the the deku nut was able to actually reach the switch-diamond that opened the gated door.
This wouldn't be the first time Niah was thankful for the lack of any game mechanic.
…until Link decided to kill the bublins that ran towards them, then run directly at the Beamos that immediately shot at him, burning a hole into the bottom part of his tunic, revealing the chainmail underneath.
"Uh oh. You burned your hand-me-down."
Link scowled and unsheathed his sword, "It's not a hand-me-down. My ancestors wore it-"
"I'm pretty sure it hadn't been washed for a few millennia–"
Link looked bewildered. The beamos deactivated and rested again when they realized the threat had retreated. "What- I, no. Don't side with her. I should have left you in the village." The last bit was said in a low voice as he padded himself down for other injuries.
Satisfied, he sheathed his sword again and decided to look around.
"The rope needs to be sliced on top."
With that done, they were able to easily avoid the beamos and enter the next room.
It was filled with enemies, water, and a decent breeze from the open sky, they let out a sigh of relief.
Another water break, another breath of fresh air.
Wooden planks split with the sword, shrapnel was barely a thought. Niah used the slingshot to shoot down the bublins. It wasn't even discussed beforehand, they just knew what needed to be done. Link looked to his left as they took cover behind a barrel. The door was locked.
"Needs a key-" He breathed heavily. "In the water?"
Niah didn't notice he asked a question at first. But right as Link started to dive, she pulled him back and stopped him.
"No, probably over there." If she remembered correctly. It was there, right?
"Can't, there's a beam-thing-"
Slowly, Niah glanced at him. "...really..? 'Beam-thing', that's the best you got?"
Link rolled his eyes, "You called the other ones 'fire-slugs', or whatever." He glanced around the barrel, "Which, by the way. I checked the map. They're called torch slugs." His eye daggered at her as he bit out his words. "You uncultured-"
"Who cares! Get on with it-"
An explosion could be heard in front of them and the wooden planks they stood on shook. They grabbed onto each other. Quickly, their eyes met.
She forgot about the TNT.
"...I'll get the key."
"I'll hold them off."
The bublins celebrated in tandem. The sound of cackling was just as deafening as the ambient sound of the inside of the temple.
Link ran, arrows shot. Niah lost sight of him as he tripped himself and dirt kicked up. Or maybe he was taking cover again.
She shot another deku nut at the far end bublin. Niah missed.
"Hurry up! I'm running out!" She was sweaty. Adrenaline rushed through her veins. It wasn't like being in the fortress. Stunned with fear and confusion. This felt real, familiar. Even though they were surrounded. It felt right, and easy. Unlike the game there was twice as much, and endless onslaught of fire, and arrows, and fire arrows.
"Found it!-Hey!"
The sound of a Beamo activating could be heard, but when Link was in view, he narrowly avoided it.
More bublins took the place of dead ones. Shit.
"Do you think we can run!?"
Niah looked to her left where the locked door was. A few barrels and wooden boxes could give them enough cover.
"Yeah!" She yelled back.
Within an inch of their life, they made it to the boxes. Niah had run forward, and Link had slid on the thick wood to avoid an oncoming arrow that whizzed past him.
"Good?" She asked.
"Good." He affirmed.
Without a second thought, they ran towards the stone door, and Link opened the stone and shoved each other in.
The door slammed shut behind them.
They landed on the metal grate. It was cool to the touch, no lava in sight, or fire except the torches that illuminated the room.
They stared at each other.
And laughed.
Soon it toned down, and they stood up, they used each other for support, Niah wiped a tear from her eye. She composed herself.
Link looked at the wall, and suddenly he frowned.
Niah does too. "...what's wrong."
He didn't say anything as he walked towards the rock on the wall. Niah followed him with her eyes.
Blood.
"Is it… new?"
Link removed a glover to touch it with his middle and ring finger. It was congealed, wet and sticking in the middle, but the edges of the dragged splatter was dry.
He didn't respond, and instead pulled out his map and notebook.
Link circled something on the map, and wrote something alongside it. His notebook was the same in essence, however it took longer as he filled the entire page. Perhaps with theories and questions.
"We need to get going."
They jumped the next rotating platform, they went upside down again, and were again faced with a stone door that Link opened.
It was an elder.
The sound of the rest of the temple was silent.
"I am pleased to see the both of you made it this far. Ebizo is my name."
He had a cane too, "We are pressed for time, but please, take this shard and save the patriarch from it plight-"
"Where is the blood from?"
Link's voice was different, deep as if it lost its sense of innocence. Like in the fortress.
"Hm," Ebizo's eyes squinted. "That is the question, isn't it?"
There it was, Niah almost gasped.
Link seemed to take that response as well as one would drink sour milk. His eyebrows furrows and his lips frowned, "If it's a Goron, then-"
"I know, young man. But the answer lies with Darbus himself."
Link wanted to scream, "Now, hero. Go. There is a bow left from your ancestors hidden within, take it."
Silence lingered.
They exited through the loft again.
"I don't understand. What's different with a goron? They bleed, everyone bleeds."
Link looked at Niah and took her arm wordlessly.
"If I were to take a sewing needle, and poke the both of us with it. We'd bleed."
Niah lifted an eyebrow, "Um, yeah. That's how biology works."
"Gorons are different. They look like rocks and shells like a tortoise. And their skin may look like our own. But it's not. It is calloused layed. To make them bleed. You cannot just poke the skin to break it. You'd have to rip the layer of callous from their body-"
"Like a scab?"
"Yeah." He dropped her arm.
"Why does that worry you."
"Because, I'm scared that when we get to him, it'll be too late. That blood could be an indication as to how far he is into the possession."
Link didn't look into her eyes.
"I'm scared that I'll have to kill him."
Niah gave no further comment.
He pulled out his map, and looked at the rounded portion of the next room and grimaced. Niah looked over his shoulder. Ah, so there it was.
"Be prepared." Niah said.
They walked across the wall, and just before he opened the door to the next room, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and murmured a prayer.
It opened.
The coolness was replaced with heat again.
Across the bridge a goron stared at them through the armor and bellowed out a made Link step forward, Niah tried to follow, but he held out his hand, he showed his palm, "No." He said. "I got this."
He did, she knew that he did. But, convincing herself of the fact was the biggest struggle.
"You are here for my treasure, human."
Link didn't respond as his sword revolved in his left hand, his shield equip
The goron leaped into the air and landed onto the platform. It shook, the chain rattled, until finally they snapped, and suddenly, Link and the Goron were surrounded by lava.
The goron raised his fists, but Link used that moment to strike first. His sword went through the callous skin, no blood was shed, and after the second strike, the goron ball into himself. Link grabbed the goron and tossed him into the lava.
So, he did know what he was doing.
The goron climbed back onto the platform, and before Link was able to react and equip the boots, the weight of the other made Link slide towards him. The goron's fist connected with Link's face.
He was able to stagger backwards, Niah could see the blood dripping from his face. His eye.
Link was able to compose himself, but the goron laughed and his fist nearly connected to Link again. But, he ducked beneath the goron, equip his boots. And when the goron turned himself to strike again, Link used his sword against the skin. Harder. There was red, but Niah wasn't sure if that was from Link's open wound, or the goron.
Once again, Link threw him into the lava, but instead of removing the boots, he kept them off.
Niah watched as Link pivoted his sword again in anxiety and restlessness.
The battle felt like it lasted forever. But, it was barely a few minutes.
Angry, the goron let out a cry. She felt it reverberate into her skin.
It didn't stop Link as used his foot to push the Goron backwards. His own weight made everything sway from the sloshing of the magma. The goron staggered, and Link landed his final blow. He didn't even have to grab the creature as he fell in with a splash.
Link never fell out of the posture.
The goron gripped the edge of the platform. He used his free hand to grasp his helmet and mask attached.
"Who knew humans could be strong-" The goron heaved himself over the edge and back onto the platform.
Link put his weapons away cautiously.
"Sorry, Little guy. There's a bunch of monsters roaming around. I can't take any chances." The magma rose, connecting the platform to where Niah was. "You must be the hero right?"
Slowly, Link nodded, blood still dripped from his face. "...yeah."
"Beyond that door is the hero's bow. Take it with you."
Link ushered Niah towards him. She stepped forward.
"Oh, and the elder should be able to help you with your injuries. Sorry little man."
With nothing to say, they walked off into the next room.
When the door closed, Link collapsed onto the ground.
"I- are you okay?"
He shook his head and mumbled, "...no. please kill me."
"It's not that bad-" It was, the blood started to dry, and a purple bruise was going to start forming, "Plenty of other things could have happened." She placed a hand on her hip.
"Easy for you to say-" He dug around a pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. The eye stopped bleeding, but cleaning up the blood was nearly impossible without proper medical supplies and water. "You don't hurt."
"Can you use the bow?"
"Think so." He stood again. The mess wasn't any better. But if the goron was right, the solution would be with the next elder. "Do you know how to use a bow?"
"Yeah, it's been a while. But I think so."
Niah detached the canteen from his belt, "Here, drink this. I don't want you dehydrated."
He did, but then poured a third of the contents onto his face. Link pulled out another handkerchief to dab onto his face.
"Better?" She asked.
"No."
Link opened the chest and pulled the bow and quiver from its tomb. It was wrapped in a once fine red velvet meant to protect it, and deteriorated with time. The cloth had done a fine job. The paint was faded and chipped, but the wood was left touched from slitting and cracks. He gave it to Niah.
It was light, and she could easily lift it with a pinky finger.
Niah attached the quiver to her hip.
The next room was fitted with beamos as every angle. Without a thought, he ran forward towards the farthest one, and activated the rest.
Niah drew her bow and shot an arrow, the first two missed, but the thirst one struck home into the beamo. Promptly, she took out the rest.
The room was silent other than their breathing.
"It would be too easy if that room-" He pointed to the farthest beamo, "Was the last elder. But I can't find anything logical on the map." it was scrolled out in the middle of the room.
She almost hit herself on the head. All she had to do was remember.
Oh.
Niah pulled away from the map and looked to her left behind a deactivated beamo.
"Found it."
Link followed her gaze, and it clicked.
He stuffed the map into his pocket, readied himself as he pulled the beamo from its place.
Again, they shuffled through the door.
"I knew you'd be here."
This goron was painted, and darker than the others.
"The others told me of your arrival-"
"How?" Link asked.
"Hm," He chuckled, "We are tethered together. The connection is not strong. But, rest assured, it is enough."
"...mage tethering was outlawed years ago."
The goron stood tall, it towered over the both of them. "I am aware." He held out his hand, it was the last key shard. Link took it. "But we gorons respect the magic of a true song mage. You know this."
This made Link frowned and lowered his eyes. "...yeah."
"Hm, your wound." The goron shifted towards a small table. "Take this," he handed Link a patch. "Wait for it to heal more before you use it."
Link pocketed the eye patch, then guided Niah from the room.
More enemies were found along the way. They jumped over platforms, Niah used the arrow to shoot beasts down from their posts. Another part where they were stuck to the ceiling again. Annoyingly familiar, the next room opened. It was the final stretch of the temple. To the boss room, defeat Darbus,and head off elsewhere. The heat was making her irritable, and Link was silent again. She shouldn't let it bother her though, as he seemed to be deep in concentration.
They went through the same room with water, there was a different enemy however, easily, Niah shot it with the arrow, then the diamond-lock that opened the door. The bublins were there again, and the beamos were easily destroyed this time. They pressed forward, and entered the bublin infested shooting range. Somehow though, they were able to move past them and towards the beamo. Niah shot it, and Link used the strength he had to pull it from its pedestal.
A door opened, and they took the path.
More bublins.
She shot the TNT barrel behind the bublins, killing them.
Around the corner was a pressure plate, Link activated the magnet about them, and without a second thought, took Niah by the waist. She almost dropped the bow as they were forced into the air.
She left her eyes open this time.
It took a few swings back and forth, but eventually, she was able to shoot the rope from the bridge, a crack and some creaking could be heard as it fell into place.
They dropped down and looked at each other.
"The map says this is the last part we have to go through," Link said. He took a deep breath.
Niah readied her bow.
"You're pretty good with that."
"I guess. Bow season was my favorite when I hunted with my uncle."
The final room wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Bublins roamed, of course. There was a few archers on their watchtowers, but other than that. It wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be.
Then she remembered. When they get to the door, they'll be bombarded.
The first shot lingered, and the archer fell and turned to dust.
The monsters were dumb, they didn't notice the missing ally. Or the next one that was shot at the watchtower. With that, it was easy to eliminate the other three.
"Easier than I thought."
Niah agreed.
The great clicked beneath their feet as they moved more towards the boss room.
Nothing.
No bublins came to greet them.
The key was dug from Link's pocket and pieced together. It fit snug into the lock.
It collapsed onto the ground, and the door opened.
"After you." Niah waved him to walk first.
He shook his head.
_/\_
This was by far the hottest room in the temple.
Immediately sweat dripped from her brow. Niah readied her arrow as Link sauntered in.
"Maybe I don't have to do anything at all-"
That was the worst thing to say in the moment as a blaring light of flame and magma ignited the room. A hollar, then the vibration of the chains releasing from their place. Darbus's eye's we covered with malice, and the diamond in his head glowed a deep violet, indicating that was the spot. Her eyes traveled towards the arms, and there were gaping wounds.
Niah expected a lot, but not this much.
The beast swung at them, they scattered opposite of each other.
Darbus roared again. Link covered his ears.
Niah nearly froze on the spot. But knew better, she drew her bow and aimed for the crystal and released it.
The first try hit home.
The beast roared and trampled around.
Niah desperately hoped Link got the message. He looked down and noticed the handles on the chains from the other side of the room. They made eye contact for a second, it made sense to him, Niah saw the shift in his face, layered with dirt and sweat that she hadn't noticed before, but illuminated by the magnetized floor. With the boots on, he was able to grab the chain, and pull.
The beast fell and crushed a pillar in the process.
It shook the ground, but Niah watched as the boots were taken off, and Link started to run to the front of the beast, she ran after him.
Link had only taken out his sword, he examined the wounds of the infected goron, there was blood, a lot of it. And Niah looked back and forth. From Link, to the beat, to Link again-
"What are you doing?" She grasped his forearm to turn the man towards her, "Fight him!"
Link's breathing was labored as he looked at the beast crumpled on the ground.
"I-I can't-"
The fire started to burn around them again.
"What does that mea-Whoah!"
This time, it pulsed back together with life, and the beast let out another roar. They split again, and Niah drew her bow to aim back at the creature. Instead of approaching her, it went towards Link instead. The chains whipped past him, Link dodged, and slid between the creatures parted legs to come towards her. The sword in his hand faltered, and a sense of dread washed over her. Niah tried to look towards the beast. It was confused, and Link wasn't helping.
"Link! What is your problem!" The beast turned itself around and spotted them. She aimed her arrow for the weak point, and shot before it made a move to assault them. But, Niah missed, and a chain from the link swung at her, metal connected to her forearm, and it threw her to the ground. The bow slipped from her fingers.
Link jumped out of the way, the creature followed him.
She staggered upwards and felt the area that was injured. There was no blood, and she could move it without being hindered by a fracture or something broken. When the adrenaline wore off, it would be crippling pain, but there were more things to worry about. Niah took the arrow in hand.
Niah's eyes daggered towards the creature, without a care, and ran towards the battle.
She drew the string, and shot an arrow into a gaping bloody wound. That definitely got his attention as his head turned towards her, she used that millisecond to shoot again. It struck home, and Link donned the boots again, and tripped the creature.
"I can't kill him!" He finally yelled, voice broke midway through.
Niah furrowed her eyebrows and sped towards Link. He had dropped his shield, and grasped the hilt of his sword with both hands.
She gripped his shoulder to turn him towards her.
"...I can't." He whispered.
"Link." She said slowly, "He's going to get back up, and we are going to have to do everything all over again."
"But, I can't kill him!" A tear fell from his eye, and just then. Niah realized the weight of his situation.
She took a deep breath, she searched for the words in her mind–
"Look, I don't know anything about you, or this place. But," Niah felt like her dad with her next set of words, "You are a hero. And you of all people should know that things must happen when it is time for them to happen–"
The beast collected himself once more, and the both of them jumped to the side. When they were relatively safe from the monster's gaze for a moment, Link stared at her, he looked angry and hurt by Niah's words. But said nothing about it.
He jumped back towards his shield and took it in hand.
Niah realized that she didn't truly care what he thought.
Again, Niah shot the weak point with the bow, Link pulled the chain, and before Niah could react, Link was at the front of the creature.
A final bow.
A demonic screech ripped from the beast. Niah dropped the bow to cover her ears. She stepped behind the pillars to avoid being trampled as it stomped through the area. She looked towards Link, he showed no emotion.
It collapsed, the malice and shadow dripped from every crevice until finally it formed a fused shadow.
It hovered towards Link, who took it.
"Finally, it took you long enough." Midna raised herself from Niah's shadow and took the artifact.
"You know," She started, "I am so proud that you went against your moral judgment, that I am going to gift you some information."
"Spare me." He said.
Midna ignored him, "Zant. That is the name of the man that shrouded your world in Twilight. He claims that he is my king, but I will not bow to him." She folded her arms, "His petty imperial instincts do not align with my own moral judgment." She laughed, "Oh well."
A portal formed into the floor.
Niah looked back at Link.
He did not look at her, but Link did reach for her as they approached.
He took her wrist, and they stepped forward.
THANK YOU! To everyone who has been reading this! who had reviewed, etc etc. After this temple, I will NOT write a temple in one chapter EVER again. I only did it for this one because i fuuucckking hate it. And i wanted to get it done and over with. Next chapter is almost done. My planning says "Chapter 9: they go into twilight lol." however, they do not. we learn more about Link and his moral struggles with killing ((sort of?)), and we learn another... thing... about him at the end of next chapter... (i hope it doesnt upset anyone.) I love how I portray the meat of their growing friendship in this chapter. I also try to fix some tone problems along the way. but,,, i dont think i did too good with that. this chapter was a vibe for me in a way i didnt expect.Tell me what you think! And have a good day!
