CHAPTER FOUR

I felt like one of those kiddy cartoon characters as I slid down to the ground having smashed into the wall at top speed.

I moaned and grumbled as I tried to stand up again. Looking up at the tall mass in front of me, I could tell that I had made it to the Forsaken Fortress.

Rrrr...rrumbbblleee...

I felt rumbling in my pocket and it became stronger as I pulled a green stone out of my pocket.

"What's this?"

"Hey, Link," the rock said.

I gasped. "What's going on here!"

"Shh!" shouted the rock, "do you want to give yourself away! It's me, Tetra."

"Tetra?"

"No, TETRA!" she sarcastically answered, "I'm glad this works. I slipped it into your pocket before we fired you over there."

"Why?" I whispered.

"I can see every move you make, I can hear you and you can obviously hear me," Tetra said, "When you're in trouble, I'll help you. Your sister is in the jail cell in the top tower of this fortress. Watch out for the searchlights, too. And DON'T forget to give my stone back, okay!"

"All right, all right, I will!" I slipped the stone around my neck and walked up the first flight of stone stairs. A barren stretch of flat ground lay ahead of me, a large door on the other side. The only problem was that a searchlight danced around the entire ground.

Oh great! I thought how am I gonna get through without getting spotted? I eyed a barrel to my left.

* * *

The barrel provided excellent cover as I snuck across the ground. I noticed a searchlight coming my way. I stopped moving as soon as it passed over my barrel.

Phew, that was close!

I continued as I crossed the field, collecting some Rupee money along the way.

The door creaked loudly as I opened it and stepped into the next room.

I could see a guard not too far in the distance. I found another barrel and got inside.

Sneak, sneak, sneak. Slowly and silently I walked to the other side of the room, occasionally freezing so as to avoid his startling looks at the sounds he heard. I breathed heavily and continued when I was sure he had moved on

Yes! I mentally cheered. I was finally at the other side.

Suddenly, I felt movement under me and then a sharp pain, like a bite. I yelped and threw the barrel off of me, noticing a large rat scurrying away.

"Huh?" grunted the pig-like guard.

Uh-oh.

"Hey!" it shouted, "You! Come with me."

He was big, but I had enough faith to think I could take him out with my...my... HEY! My sword was missing.

Oh! I thought I must've lost it in that catapult impact!

I was in some deep trouble now.

* * *

The next thing I knew, I was in a small jail cell. Cold, dark and locked up-tight.

My neck began to rumble.

"Nice going!" cried Tetra, "you were supposed to keep quiet, scallywag!"

"I tried!"

"Whatever," snapped the spunky pirate, "Just look around in there for some sort of opening to crawl through. I'm out!"

"I let the necklace fall back into its place as I searched for some sort of way to escape. I noticed a conspicuously placed pot on top of a bookshelf.

I stood on the edge of a table in the cell and took a running jump from it. I grabbed the ledge of the bookshelf and pulled myself up.

I used my sword to smash the pot that stood in my way, collecting a few Rupees in the process. A small hole was revealed and I decided to crawl through.

The stinky, dank hole was cramping and uncomfortable, but my idea got me out of the jail and into another room.

A treasure chest! Yes! The large box contained a map and a compass.

"All right!" I cheered.

All of a sudden, Niko's training kicked in. A lone rope hung steadily between two sides of a gap.

I can do this, I told myself, confident, What would the Hero of Time do?

I closed my eyes and took a running leap for the rope, grabbing on tight. I built up momentum to swing to the other side of the gap and continue.

I was in a short hallway. One side of the hallway had a small balcony.

After walking into the balcony, I noticed a ladder. I briskly shot up the steps and saw the source of the spotlight-a Bokoblin guard.

I snuck around so that the spotlight was between him and me. It was time for action. I broke a pot, full of Boko sticks. Something had to make up for my sword.

The ears of the Bokoblin perked up as I lunged at him with the stick.

SMACK. SPASH! BOW!!

The guard barely had a chance to attack back before I defeated it. Wisps of the purple smoke were present before the enemy disappeared.

How hard it was to sneak past the rest of the guards! I was surprised about doing so, but I was proud once I had done so. Of course, the pride was short lived as I approached a wall with just a tiny strip of land sticking out of it, watery depths of doom far below.

RRRUUUMMMBBBLLLEEE...

"Hey, Link!"

"Tetra?" I said picking up the stone.

"Yeah. Don't worry about getting caught anymore and DON'T worry about falling. Just push you back against the wall and sidle across."

"Good idea, thanks."

"No problemo..."

I knew that I was deathly afraid of having to sidle across there like that, but if I ever wanted to see Aryll again, I knew I'd have to.

A slow sidle across the strip was sufficient at first. Things got a little shaky at the end.

I swallowed loudly. A perfectly formed drop of perspiration trickled down my cheek and down to my chin. It dropped off and fell. Fell. Fell. It disappeared into the pitch blackness of the water.

Respire, respire.

I barely made it to the other side and lay on the ground when I did.

I noticed a glint of light to my right. Ah! My sword!

As I walked over to pick it up, a vicious looking Bokoblin leaped out from nowhere and stood in my way, knocking me down as well.

The demon snarled and slobbered as I tried to regain uprightness.

I stood up and leaped for my sword. The creature smacked me back before I could get so much as near my weapon.

"Uh!" I grunted as I slid into the wall.

Again, the Bokoblin leaped for me. I quickly moved to the side as it rammed into the wall behind me.

I dove and picked up my sword.

SMACK, SLASH, WHHHHOOOOOSSSHHHH!

The monster disappeared in the purple cloud.

I heard a small jingle as the huge door unlatched. I pushed it open and was greeted by a sea of light.

There she was! Aryll was alive and inside a wooden jail cell with a rich looking and a poor and raggedy looking girl.

"Aryll!"

My little sister's eyes perked up.

"Link? LINK, it's you! You came to save me!"

"Don't worry Aryll, I'll get you..."

My words were interrupted by a terrifying scream. I wasn't sure if it was from the girls or from the incredibly large and amazingly horrifying kidnapper bird behind me.

I only spun around for a just second before I was snatched up by the bird and flown away.

I struggled to free myself.

"LINK!!!"

The bird flew me to a small balcony where a shadowy creature stood, his identity veiled by the darkness.

I gasped.

I could only hear the heavy breathing of the daunting creature.

"AHHH!!" I screamed after being tossed into the air, disappointed that I'd failed to get a glimpse of the monster's face.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

SPLASH!!!

I fell into a sea of water, greeted by a talking boat.