Several weeks passed. Cory became the talk of many, hailed as the first human Strongsword. He was visited and congratulated by many, even by Goron chieftains from tribes he had never heard of from different lands. Cory would be lying if he said that he did not enjoy his new found fame. But, as was the curse of the warrior, the passage of time without any action to get his blood running and adrenaline pumping weighed on his patience. He wanted desperately to test the Sword of Darunia in real combat, to wield his new sword with deadly precision, to protect the innocent and bring pain to those who would wish them harm.
He would not have to wait long to fulfill his heart's desire. A message came to the Goron chieftains, a desperate message from the Zoran cave-city of Autlatia. It seemed that a hideous cave-troll had taken up residence in a dank lair outside the city. It would strike at night and feed on the hapless Zora's while they were floating above the water in a state of half-sleep. All of the Zoran warriors were away at war with the demi-human hordes of the South and all that remained in the cave-city were women, children and old folks. The Zoran Queen, Evara, requested the services of the new Swordmaster, whom she had also heard of.
Cory was happy to oblige. And so, with the golden sun high in the sky among the clouds and the Sword of Darunia strapped to his back, Cory departed. He traveled without a horse, as the Goron's did. He set a steady jogging pace, pausing only to adjust his pack or sword hilt when it was needed. His route took him across Hyrule field, jogging alongside the rushing whitewater of the Zora river, hopping rocks and wading through waist deep grass shining green in the sun.
The sun slowly made it's way westward and after a long day of travel the color of the sky transformed, melting into soft yellows and vibrant reds and oranges. Cory made camp that night under a weeping willow that grew alongside a slow spot in the river, gathering wood for a small fire. His meal was a rainbowfish caught with his bare hands when he stripped off his furs and waded into the river with a rumbling belly. He slept only little that night, excitement for the upcoming battle keeping him awake and attentive.
The next morning he departed early, glad that he would reach his destination this day. The landscape slowly changed from rolling plain to dew-sprinkled forest. The leaves of the trees had taken on their fall colors, and the forest canopy was a banquet of red-orange flaring brightly in the sunlight. Cory weaved through the tree-stands effortlessly, fallen leaves crunching loudly under his boots. He gazed little at the beauty that surrounded him, intent only at the journey that lay ahead of him.
He reached the entrance to Autlatia just short of midday, surprised that no Zoran sentries had heeded his intrusion within the borders of the Zora Empire. The entrance to the enormous network of caves was tall and wide, blocked by a golden gate that looked fragile with it's vine-leaf decorations and thin bars. Cory knew better though, for he had learned that this material was mithril, the strongest of the metals. There were archers stationed at the top of the gate, behind battlements carved directly into the face of the rock wall. Their bows were longer than the sentries were and Cory knew that their heads were tipped with the poison that came from the barbs of the Retla plant, which grew in abundance in the surrounding forests, beautiful but deadly.
"Identify yourself, traveler." One of the sentry's called out, his arrow drawn.
"I am Cory Strongsword, Champion of the Gorons. I come to rid your caves of the troll that haunts them under request of your queen." Cory answered quickly, not keen on finding a Zoran arrow in his chest.
"Show us the Sword of Darunia and admittance to the cave-city of Autlatia will be yours." The sentry called. Cory did as he was told, and when the sentry's saw the tell-tale glow of the Sword of Legend the gate began to rise, smooth and swift and without a creak.
When he entered the gate he found that he was faced with a set of stairs that descended into the darkness, so long that it's end was lost to his sight. The rock walls were lined with torches on both sides, sitting in brackets carved right out of the wall with excellent craftsmanship. One of the sentries, the one that addressed him from the battlement, met him at and adjoining staircase.
"Welcome, Champion of the Gorons. I am Racht, Captain of the Guard." He said. He was a tall Zora, much more muscular than most Zora's he had met. He wore golden mithril armor and chainmail. His bow was replaced by a long spear, it's tip no doubt coated in the same poison as the arrow's.
"Well met, Racht." He held out his hand and clasped hands with him, impressed by his strong grip.
"Follow me, I will lead you to the city." He said, taking the lead and descending the staircase. Cory followed.
They walked for a few moments in silence until Cory piped up and asked a question. "For what reason do you not have outriders to impede the entrance of invaders stumbling into Zoran territory? The only time I met resistance was when I approached the gates."
Racht gave him a narrowed-eyed look but answered nonetheless. "The war against the demi-humans has proven very costly. At first we had a full-force of Zoran outriders riding the borders of our land but as the campaign lengthened and the death-toll climbed Queen Evara had no choice but to send most of our sentry-force to the main host as reinforcement." He sighed and continued.
"As I now speak there are seven active members of the sentry-force, most of them patrolling the city," He halted and clutched his spear-haft tightly, "If only my Queen would allow me to deal with this dirty troll who feeds upon our people...I can think of no other thing that would make my heart gladder," He started walking again, Cory in tow. "Alas, she sees my fellow guardsmen and I too valuable a commodity in these troubled times, and that is why we have no other choice but to have faith in your skills, warrior," He turned his head and looked into Cory's eyes, "Do not disappoint us."
* * *
They descended along that spiraling staircase for sometime, the air becoming cooler as they traveled deeper. Soon Cory noticed that the walls changed. Glimmering across the wet-surface of the rock were tiny veins of the mithril that maintained the aquatic race, still in its original silver-colored form.
It was the rock that provided the Zoran's their sustenance. They mined it and traded with other peoples. It provided a steady income that always kept the city coffers full, but now, with the onset of war, the trading routes were disrupted and the flow of finance into the Zoran kingdom had dwindled to a weak pulse. If the war did not end soon, the Zorans would find themselves on the brink of extinction.
Soon the staircase ended and the cave opened up. Cory found himself gazing upon the city of Autlatia, his mouth gaping in insurmountable wonder. The city was golden and beautiful, the major buildings made mostly of mithril with golden gilt. The entire city surrounded an enormous pool in the center, and in the center of that was a huge palace, shaped like a beehive and surrounded by interconnecting spiral towers, spanned by arching bridges. Their tops were lost in the darkness above. Terraces ran down toward the central pool, many with houses built right into their walls. Everywhere there were waterfalls, falling from the heights of the cave and collecting in pools on each level of the terrace only to fall into another terrace, and another, until they finally ended in the central pool and misted around the palace.
Seeing Cory's wonder at the city, Racht spoke. "Usually these pools would be filled with Zoran children. Splashing at each other, playing water games, having diving contests, seeing who can hold their breath underwater the longest. But no more, for the threat of the troll has driven all the children back to their homes where they wait in fear."
Cory nodded. He hoped he could end that fear, forever. "I'll take you to the queen, she has some information to part to you before you set out. Heed her well, she is more wise than you could possibly know." Racht said. He pointed toward a nearby staircase that wound its way toward the central palace and told him to follow it to the palace. When Racht returned to his post at the gates Cory did what he was told. The staircase was lined with tall lampposts that had glowing white balls, giving light to the caves and radiating warmth. Cory followed it.
* * *
He reached the palace seeing nearly no Zora's. At one point he saw a gaunt-eyed male Zora sitting against the wall in an alley, his knees tucked under his chin, but once he heard Cory's footsteps he stood and quickly disappeared into the back alleys of the great cave-city. When he crossed the arching golden bridge that led to the main entrance of the palace he was greeted by two other sentries that blocked the tall double doors with the jagged golden blades of their spears. When they saw the Sword of Darunia on his back they allowed him admittance and gave him the directions to the throne room where the Queen currently resided.
He had little trouble finding the said throne room. At one point he came across another sentry that was patrolling the golden hallways of the elegantly decorated palace who stopped him and questioned him. He let him continue on when he, too, saw the mystic blade. On route to the throne room he found his mouth falling open at examining the immense wealth that surrounded him. Golden vases, fine silk tapestries, beautiful carpets and mosaic's, murals depicting beautiful Zoran women bathing and washing clothes, or muscular Zoran men engaged in epic battles. One hallway was lined with arched nooks that held amazingly lifelike statues of ancient Zoran heroes, standing upright and tall with golden mithril spears in their hands and intent eyes that seemed to stare down at him as he walked.
As the legends of old watched him pass he found himself pondering what his life would bring. Will I be remembered as they are? Will statues be built in my honor? Will bards sing songs of my victories and heroic deeds?
Cory was determined to make it so. The Gorons taught that there was no afterlife. The only way to achieve immortality was through story and song, tellings of your victories and heroism. At first the prospect had depressed Cory. He had been taught by his human parents that after life you lived in the heavens forever with the Goddesses. He had always believed it, had taken the fact that he would always hear his own thoughts and walk on his own legs for granted. The thought of no longer existing terrified him.
The Gorons had taught him that to fear death was to live a lesser life and thus waste the spark of existence that had been given him by the Goddesses. "Drink and be merry for tomorrow we die." Jubei had told him, during his first lesson in the Way of the Warrior when he was only a boy. "Do not fear death, young one. Stare it in the face and laugh at it with all your might. Show it that it cannot frighten you and prevent you from living a fulfilling life rich with beer and battle and women.
"Heed my words, young one. A lighting-bolt is here and gone in the blink of an eye, but while it lives it lights the sky with white fire and makes the earth tremble at its approach. And the best lighting bolts, those that are greatest, ignite the trees and set wildfires that spread across the land and may never stop spreading until the end of time. Live the life of a great hero and let your legend spread like wildfire, wildfire caused by something that lasted but a moment..."
Authors Note: I apologize for the abrupt ending of this chapter but it was starting to get a little too long, and I know as well as you that sitting at your computer and reading for hours is not very fun. I will pick up the next chapter with the introduction of a new character and the battle with the Troll.