I apologize for it taking me so long to post this chapter; I've been really
busy. I give credit to my friend Josh for typing this up for me. You can
read some if his work on FictionPress.net under the penname Forgotten
Hatred and on FanFiction.net under the same name.
CHAPTER TWELVE Mists
As Jacob walked towards the arch, he noticed it began to get colder. His foot tapped against something and it rattled. Jacob looked down and saw a corpse; exposed bones had made the rattling.
"Holy..." Jacob exclaimed. "Thanks, guy, you scared the hell out of me." He leaned down and examined the body. It looked as if it had been there a while. It wore a suit of thin chain mail, meaning it was probably a knight. The corpse had icicles formed off its nose.
Jacob stood back up and walked to the arch. As he neared, he noticed a glimmer around the arch; it was as if a type of energy protected it. On either side of the archway was a stone face, one male, and the other, female. He took a deep breath and reached out a hand to test the field. His hand slid cleanly through. He pulled his hand back and examined it. It looked all right. He then lifted his foot to step through, a male voice called to him.
"Only one with the blade of purity can step through," Jacob turned to see that the male face was looking and speaking to him. He really did not think much of it; he travels through time, why not talking stone? Then, he heard the female voice.
"All others are destined for purgatory." Jacob turned his head and looked to the female face. Her stone eyes fixated to his own, she then turned and rested back into the stone, all life going from her. Jacob watched as the male face did the same.
Jacob looked at the Master Sword hilt, "Well, I suppose that means this sword." He took a deep breath, and stepped through the energy into the next room.
* * *
"Do you think he's okay?" Sarah asked. She sat on the edge of the island, her emerald eyes looking up at the stars.
"He's only been gone five minutes." Derek said. He lay next to the grotto on his back. "I'm sure he's doing fine."
Anastriana stood next to Derek, her eyes looking out to the horizon. "He will be."
* * *
Jacob entered the next chamber. He was on a long flight of stairs that lead down into a large amphitheater style room. The floor, as he could see, was made of a patterned marble. As he neared the bottom of the stairs, he noticed that was about an inch of water on the marble floor. He also took note of the doorway across from the foot of the stairs.
He took a step off the stairs and splashed up water. A heavy mist overtook the room. Jacob looked around, lost.
"Welcome, one who carries the righteous blade."
Jacob looked up and all around, "Who's there!?" Jacob demanded promptly.
Jacob watched in astonishment as the mist began to gather in front of him. He took a step back. The mist began to solidify into a gargantuan form: a dragon.
"I am Mala-Ki, guardian of the water." The dragon's telepathic voice reverberated in Jacob's mind. "Who art thou?"
"I am Jacob Swanson, I've come for the shard of the Master Sword." Jacob looked up at the dragon.
Its massive wingspan engulfed half the amphitheater as he stretched them. The dragon's scales sparkled like ice and its wings were made of mist.
The dragon craned his massive head forward, steam rising from within his maw. His eyes were of the palest blue.
"To get the shard, you must complete my challenge." Mala-Ki, the dragon, spoke.
"And what would that be?" Jacob asked, his grip tightening on the scimitar.
"You must defeat me, and release my spirit." The dragon's old eyes looked Jacob over. "Do you accept?" The dragon reared his head back, anticipating the answer.
Jacob took a deep breath, "and if I fail?"
"Then you will die." Mala-Ki's voice went colder than the air that surrounded Jacob.
"I accept your challenge, Mala-Ki." Jacob said, his voice full of doubt.
"Very well then," the dragon said, he stretched out his misty wings and inhaled deeply, then exhaled."
Jacob hesitated for a moment for a moment, then, in a rush, he lifted the scimitar to his side and ran at Mala-Ki. The dragon reared back its great claw, and then lunged out at Jacob, knocking Jacob to his back.
Jacob got to his feet and began to walk around Mala-Ki. "You're not going to make this easy on me. Are you?"
The dragon snorted. "Not at all."
* * *
"Should we go down there?" Sarah stood at the edge of the grotto. She peered down into the darkness.
"He's okay, trust me." Anastriana said. She still stood on the edge of the island.
Derek put his hand on Sarah's shoulder. "I'm sure he's fine. He's Jacob."
* * *
Jacob landed hard on his back. He had fallen several feet off the dragon's back and now lay facing up at the dragon.
He suddenly rolled to the side as several icicles punctured the ground where he just lay. They stuck in the ground and stayed.
Jacob got to his feet. The dragon landed in front of him. Mala-Ki lowered his head and roared at this tiny creature attacking him. Jacob twirled the scimitar tauntingly.
The creature stepped forward and inhaled deeply. Jacob knew what was coming, the Dragon's ice breath. Jacob ran at the dragon, just as the icy mist left Mala-Ki's mouth. Jacob launched himself into the air, up and over the dragon's head. Jacob landed between the bases of the cold wings and turned around.
He lifted the scimitar over his head as if it were an axe, and brought it down on top of Mala-Ki's head. The blade shattered. Where it was supposed to slice, it just exploded into pieces.
Mala-Ki reached up and plucked Jacob from his back and tossed him aside. Jacob hit the water-covered floor with a thud.
Jacob struggled to his feet. He still held the scimitar handle. He yelled in fury and threw the scimitar hilt at the dragon.
Mala-Ki brought his claw down on top of the handle, smashing it to the ground. The mighty creature roared its loudest. It's steamy breath filling the room.
* * *
Sarah jumped up, "did you hear that, it sounded like a monster. She looked into the grotto. "And it came from down there."
Derek leaned and looked in. The darkness seemed alien to him.
* * *
Jacob struggled to get to his feet. The only weapon left was the master sword, but it was broken. He pulled it from the scabbard and held it in his hand. He looked up at Mala-Ki, who was coming towards him slowly.
"C'mon, human. Give me your best." The dragon stopped right in front of Jacob and brought his nose to Jacob's. Both fighters were out of breath.
Summoning up the remnants of both strength and spirit, Jacob jerked the broken sword across Mala-Ki's snout, instead of shattering more, the mystical metal sliced through the dragon's thick scales.
Mala-Ki jerked back, fury had enveloped him, he swatted the nuisance away. Jacob tumbled across the floor once, twice, three times, and then settled against the wall. He lay there, not moving.
* * *
"You've got to let me go down there, he needs us!" Derek held Sarah back, Anastriana looked to her.
"He's fine. Trust me." Anastriana said.
Sarah cut her eyes sharply to her. "How the hell do you know?"
"I'm Hylian, we have some psychic ability."
Sarah huffed, and mumbled, "yeah, right."
* * *
Mala-Ki eased closer to Jacob's lifeless body. He based his razor fangs. He lowered his head to Jacob's, steam rising form his nostrils. Blood poured from the dragon's snout where the sacred blade had slid through his skin.
Jacob's nose had been bloodied, his body bruise, yet, the grip on the Master Sword was strong.
The dragon lowered his eyes to Jacob. He eyed the unconscious being.
"I guess you weren't the one." The dragon spoke.
It was then that Jacob opened his eyes. He leapt up and slashed out with the master sword. The broken blade wedged itself in the dragon's throat.
Mala-Ki jerked back, roaring in rage. The dragon coughed up blood, exhaled deeply, then collapsed.
Jacob struggled to his feet, and limped over to the dragon's body.
"Farewell Mala-Ki," he looked to the door to the next room. He limped over to it and opened it.
"Oh no." He looked down the flight of stairs. The stairs led down into a round room. In the middle there was a pool, and on the other side of the room was a podium, and floating about the podium was the shard, sparkling with a blue light.
Jacob began limping down the stairs toward the pool.
CHAPTER TWELVE Mists
As Jacob walked towards the arch, he noticed it began to get colder. His foot tapped against something and it rattled. Jacob looked down and saw a corpse; exposed bones had made the rattling.
"Holy..." Jacob exclaimed. "Thanks, guy, you scared the hell out of me." He leaned down and examined the body. It looked as if it had been there a while. It wore a suit of thin chain mail, meaning it was probably a knight. The corpse had icicles formed off its nose.
Jacob stood back up and walked to the arch. As he neared, he noticed a glimmer around the arch; it was as if a type of energy protected it. On either side of the archway was a stone face, one male, and the other, female. He took a deep breath and reached out a hand to test the field. His hand slid cleanly through. He pulled his hand back and examined it. It looked all right. He then lifted his foot to step through, a male voice called to him.
"Only one with the blade of purity can step through," Jacob turned to see that the male face was looking and speaking to him. He really did not think much of it; he travels through time, why not talking stone? Then, he heard the female voice.
"All others are destined for purgatory." Jacob turned his head and looked to the female face. Her stone eyes fixated to his own, she then turned and rested back into the stone, all life going from her. Jacob watched as the male face did the same.
Jacob looked at the Master Sword hilt, "Well, I suppose that means this sword." He took a deep breath, and stepped through the energy into the next room.
* * *
"Do you think he's okay?" Sarah asked. She sat on the edge of the island, her emerald eyes looking up at the stars.
"He's only been gone five minutes." Derek said. He lay next to the grotto on his back. "I'm sure he's doing fine."
Anastriana stood next to Derek, her eyes looking out to the horizon. "He will be."
* * *
Jacob entered the next chamber. He was on a long flight of stairs that lead down into a large amphitheater style room. The floor, as he could see, was made of a patterned marble. As he neared the bottom of the stairs, he noticed that was about an inch of water on the marble floor. He also took note of the doorway across from the foot of the stairs.
He took a step off the stairs and splashed up water. A heavy mist overtook the room. Jacob looked around, lost.
"Welcome, one who carries the righteous blade."
Jacob looked up and all around, "Who's there!?" Jacob demanded promptly.
Jacob watched in astonishment as the mist began to gather in front of him. He took a step back. The mist began to solidify into a gargantuan form: a dragon.
"I am Mala-Ki, guardian of the water." The dragon's telepathic voice reverberated in Jacob's mind. "Who art thou?"
"I am Jacob Swanson, I've come for the shard of the Master Sword." Jacob looked up at the dragon.
Its massive wingspan engulfed half the amphitheater as he stretched them. The dragon's scales sparkled like ice and its wings were made of mist.
The dragon craned his massive head forward, steam rising from within his maw. His eyes were of the palest blue.
"To get the shard, you must complete my challenge." Mala-Ki, the dragon, spoke.
"And what would that be?" Jacob asked, his grip tightening on the scimitar.
"You must defeat me, and release my spirit." The dragon's old eyes looked Jacob over. "Do you accept?" The dragon reared his head back, anticipating the answer.
Jacob took a deep breath, "and if I fail?"
"Then you will die." Mala-Ki's voice went colder than the air that surrounded Jacob.
"I accept your challenge, Mala-Ki." Jacob said, his voice full of doubt.
"Very well then," the dragon said, he stretched out his misty wings and inhaled deeply, then exhaled."
Jacob hesitated for a moment for a moment, then, in a rush, he lifted the scimitar to his side and ran at Mala-Ki. The dragon reared back its great claw, and then lunged out at Jacob, knocking Jacob to his back.
Jacob got to his feet and began to walk around Mala-Ki. "You're not going to make this easy on me. Are you?"
The dragon snorted. "Not at all."
* * *
"Should we go down there?" Sarah stood at the edge of the grotto. She peered down into the darkness.
"He's okay, trust me." Anastriana said. She still stood on the edge of the island.
Derek put his hand on Sarah's shoulder. "I'm sure he's fine. He's Jacob."
* * *
Jacob landed hard on his back. He had fallen several feet off the dragon's back and now lay facing up at the dragon.
He suddenly rolled to the side as several icicles punctured the ground where he just lay. They stuck in the ground and stayed.
Jacob got to his feet. The dragon landed in front of him. Mala-Ki lowered his head and roared at this tiny creature attacking him. Jacob twirled the scimitar tauntingly.
The creature stepped forward and inhaled deeply. Jacob knew what was coming, the Dragon's ice breath. Jacob ran at the dragon, just as the icy mist left Mala-Ki's mouth. Jacob launched himself into the air, up and over the dragon's head. Jacob landed between the bases of the cold wings and turned around.
He lifted the scimitar over his head as if it were an axe, and brought it down on top of Mala-Ki's head. The blade shattered. Where it was supposed to slice, it just exploded into pieces.
Mala-Ki reached up and plucked Jacob from his back and tossed him aside. Jacob hit the water-covered floor with a thud.
Jacob struggled to his feet. He still held the scimitar handle. He yelled in fury and threw the scimitar hilt at the dragon.
Mala-Ki brought his claw down on top of the handle, smashing it to the ground. The mighty creature roared its loudest. It's steamy breath filling the room.
* * *
Sarah jumped up, "did you hear that, it sounded like a monster. She looked into the grotto. "And it came from down there."
Derek leaned and looked in. The darkness seemed alien to him.
* * *
Jacob struggled to get to his feet. The only weapon left was the master sword, but it was broken. He pulled it from the scabbard and held it in his hand. He looked up at Mala-Ki, who was coming towards him slowly.
"C'mon, human. Give me your best." The dragon stopped right in front of Jacob and brought his nose to Jacob's. Both fighters were out of breath.
Summoning up the remnants of both strength and spirit, Jacob jerked the broken sword across Mala-Ki's snout, instead of shattering more, the mystical metal sliced through the dragon's thick scales.
Mala-Ki jerked back, fury had enveloped him, he swatted the nuisance away. Jacob tumbled across the floor once, twice, three times, and then settled against the wall. He lay there, not moving.
* * *
"You've got to let me go down there, he needs us!" Derek held Sarah back, Anastriana looked to her.
"He's fine. Trust me." Anastriana said.
Sarah cut her eyes sharply to her. "How the hell do you know?"
"I'm Hylian, we have some psychic ability."
Sarah huffed, and mumbled, "yeah, right."
* * *
Mala-Ki eased closer to Jacob's lifeless body. He based his razor fangs. He lowered his head to Jacob's, steam rising form his nostrils. Blood poured from the dragon's snout where the sacred blade had slid through his skin.
Jacob's nose had been bloodied, his body bruise, yet, the grip on the Master Sword was strong.
The dragon lowered his eyes to Jacob. He eyed the unconscious being.
"I guess you weren't the one." The dragon spoke.
It was then that Jacob opened his eyes. He leapt up and slashed out with the master sword. The broken blade wedged itself in the dragon's throat.
Mala-Ki jerked back, roaring in rage. The dragon coughed up blood, exhaled deeply, then collapsed.
Jacob struggled to his feet, and limped over to the dragon's body.
"Farewell Mala-Ki," he looked to the door to the next room. He limped over to it and opened it.
"Oh no." He looked down the flight of stairs. The stairs led down into a round room. In the middle there was a pool, and on the other side of the room was a podium, and floating about the podium was the shard, sparkling with a blue light.
Jacob began limping down the stairs toward the pool.