CHAPTER NINETEEN
Earth Elemental
The small tunnel was muddy, damp, and smelled of musk. Jacob led the way, Sarah followed, and Derek brought up the rear.
"Ugh, this is so nasty." Sarah complained.
"I thought you were over your little girly-girl thing." Derek called to Sarah's rear.
"Eh," she shrugged.
"Oh, I can see light." Jacob said to the others. After crawling further, they emerged into a large circular room. In the room, four raised tiles were in a row in from of a gated door. Either side of the room was lined with large jars.
"Okay, a puzzle..." Jacob stepped up and onto a raised tile; it sank with his weight and clicked. "It's a pressure switch, probably a certain combination of these opens the door." He looked around. "Sarah, come stand on this one." He pointed to the switch next to him.
Sarah complied. She walked to the tile and stepped upon it. Nothing. Jacob's face contorted in frustration.
"Hey, these jars are filled with water." Derek called to Sarah and Jacob. Jacob looked around at the jars.
"Place one of those," pointing to the jars, "on each tile." Jacob said. Sarah, Jacob, and Derek each walked over to the jars. Derek lifted one easily and walked it over and set it on a pressure tile. The tile sank down and set even with the ground. Sarah struggled to lift the heavy jar. Jacob walked up and lifted it with her. They both walked the jar over to a tile. By the time Sarah and Jacob had brought the jar, Derek already had a second one on a second tile.
"All right, last one." Derek said as he set the fourth down. At that point, the steel grate slid up revealing the door. Derek walked towards it; Sarah and Jacob joined hands and followed.
They stepped through the door, into an empty round room, on the other end were three armoured knights standing before the exit, another barred door. The knight in the middle held a broadsword vertically before him, as the others held double-sided axes. All three lowered their weapons and began to walk forward.
"Damn it." Jacob muttered. He drew out the half-bladed Master Sword; it shone in the unnatural light of the room. Derek took the battleaxe from his belt; Sarah pulled an arrow from her quiver, notched it into her bow and took aim.
"I got the middle one." Jacob said. He walked forward calmly, his eyes fixed on the blade of his opponent.
Sarah began firing arrows at the knight. The arrows bounced harmlessly off the armour of the monster.
Derek and his opponent swung their axes at each other.
Jacob dove beneath the legs of the ironclad knight and, coming up behind him, drove the Master Sword's blade deep into his back. The knight had been struck. Jacob ran at Derek's opponent just as Derek stepped back. Using his momentum, Jacob ran up the knight's chest and kicked him, knocking him down. Derek came in with an overhead swing to the chest.
"Help!" Derek and Jacob turned to see Sarah cornered by the Iron Knuckle.
They both ran to help her. Jacob planted his foot in the beasts face as Derek swept its legs out from underneath it. As soon as the creature fell, Sarah stood upon its chest and, notching her last arrow, shot it in the neck.
"Bitch." Sarah muttered in her girly attitude.
The grate over the second door lifted and they journeyed forth into the darkness.
* * *
The next room was a long, wide corridor. A dirt path led forth from the door and continued and was lined on either side by a dark forest.
"Only the Gatekeeper may face me." A loud and booming voice said. Just at that moment, vines shot from the ground and wrapped around Sarah and Derek's limbs, and pinned them to the wall.
Jacob watched as the ground rose, and burst, giving way to the Earth Guardian.
The creature was less than Jacob had imagined, a wing-less dragon, snake- like in appearance. The scales were like the bark from a tree. The creature's tail was like a tree's vines. His head was like a snake, long and slender.
Derek struggled against his restraints, only to find them to be tighter. Sarah grunted in frustration. "Sarah, don't fight it, it only gets worse."
* * *
"Hello Gatekeeper, I am Zaxknol, Guardian of the Earth." The dragon said. "We may start now."
Jacob held the Master Sword in front of him. The giant snake-like dragon slithered forward, hell-bent on destroying the young hero. Jacob closed his eyes and put his hands in front of his face and braced himself for the impact, but none came, he opened his eyes and looked to find no monster.
"He vanished!" Sarah cried to Jacob. Jacob's eyes searched all around him, when he found nothing, the ground beneath him began to rumble, it rose into the air then burst open, throwing Jacob to the side. The giant dragon slithered out of the ground and toward Jacob again. Jacob leapt off his back and onto his feet. He reared back the blade, and as the Earth Guardian neared, Jacob released the force in his arms and slung the Master Sword.
Jacob winced as he expected to hit the dragon in the face, but the sword had sliced harmlessly through the air.
"I know what's in your heart, Gatekeeper." Zaxknol's voice echoed in Jacob's mind, "I know what you fear..."
Jacob watched as the forest and trail vanished from around him, he found himself amidst a massive battle in a muddy field, in the courtyard of a massive castle. He saw enemies of every-kind, fighting the small army of the Hylians; he raised his sword and began to fight, then he turned to see Derek, in the middle, fighting. Derek gutted one Gerudo, then turned to cut down another. Jacob watched in horror as Derek caught a Gerudo blade in his back. He fell, Jacob ran to him, but was cut off by Sarah.
"We've got to pull back to the keep." Sarah turned and fired off an arrow. Jacob turned around to run, but stopped when he heard Sarah scream. He turned to see that she had an arrow in her leg. He began to run to her, but before he got to her, it was too late. An Iron Knuckle ran in, and brought its axe down on her chest. Jacob crawled over to her just as the Iron Knuckle withdrew its weapon. His sobbing drowned out the clashing of weapons and shields.
* * *
"What's wrong with him?" Sarah asked, still struggling to free herself. She had watched as Jacob dropped the Master Sword, dropped to his knees and began bawling.
"I don't know." Derek said. He then began yelling to him, "JACOB! JACOB!"
* * *
Jacob thought he heard his name yelled, but muffled. He looked all across the battlefield, but his gaze fell yet upon Sarah's broken body. His gaze lifted to the mighty Iron Knuckle gazing right back at him.
Jacob looked away to the Master Sword's half-blade, and noticed something odd.
The mirror-shine did not reflect the dreary sky, or the Iron Knuckle; instead it showed green forests and a mighty dragon.
He placed his hand on the hilt and looked up at the "Iron Knuckle".
"I won't be a slave to your illusions anymore!" He jerked the Master Sword across the face of the "Iron Knuckle", who then shattered, revealing the dragon, gashed across his face.
The whole battle scene shattered as if it were glass, the tall trees and green grass was revealed.
"Fire burns!" Jacob cried, pointing the Master Sword as Zaxknol, the ghostly image of the Fire Elemental appeared, followed by a wave of fire.
After the fire subsided, the Earth Guardian was collapsed on the ground; burns ate at his flesh. Jacob walked over to him and knelt down to him.
"You are truly...the one..." he spoke softly, "Now, you must finish it...to continue."
"I understand." Jacob said calmly. He stood and arced the Master Sword over his head.
"Good bye." Jacob brought then blade down and through Zaxknol's throat. The dragon's expired body caught the wind and blew across the field as if it were made of leaves.
The vines that held Derek and Sarah released their grip and vanished. Sarah ran up to Jacob, just as he sheathed the Master Sword. Derek followed; the three followed the dirt path into the forest. They came to the door and entered it.
In front of them was a giant red rose that looked as if it had yet to bloom.
"Stay here." Jacob said to the others. He walked forward. The large rose opened, revealing an ebon skinned woman wearing a small robe that covered only her breasts and draped down just below her waist. Her dark hair hung from underneath her hood.
Jacob walked to her and bowed his head. "Elemental of the Earth, I've come to receive the shard of the Master Sword and your power."
The ebony woman stepped down from the flower and walked to Jacob. Jacob lifted his gaze and looked into her bright leaf green eyes.
"My power is yours." She said in a soft voice. She kissed Jacob lightly on the forehead, then vanished, her voice echoed in Jacob's mind, "Earth quakes..."
"I think she wants you." Sarah said, she then started laughing. Jacob rolled his eyes and walked out. "Hey! Wait up!" She cried as Derek and she followed.
* * *
Sarah held out the Chronoscepter before her. She had begged Jacob to let her do it. He reluctantly gave in, now the blue beam engulfed them and their surroundings vanished and they were gone.
* * *
They now stood upon a great tower, the wind blew violently against their backs. A woman stood before them back was turned towards them, she had short blonde hair that was spiked, and a long flowed cloak about her.
"This is the final stretch of your quest."
The small tunnel was muddy, damp, and smelled of musk. Jacob led the way, Sarah followed, and Derek brought up the rear.
"Ugh, this is so nasty." Sarah complained.
"I thought you were over your little girly-girl thing." Derek called to Sarah's rear.
"Eh," she shrugged.
"Oh, I can see light." Jacob said to the others. After crawling further, they emerged into a large circular room. In the room, four raised tiles were in a row in from of a gated door. Either side of the room was lined with large jars.
"Okay, a puzzle..." Jacob stepped up and onto a raised tile; it sank with his weight and clicked. "It's a pressure switch, probably a certain combination of these opens the door." He looked around. "Sarah, come stand on this one." He pointed to the switch next to him.
Sarah complied. She walked to the tile and stepped upon it. Nothing. Jacob's face contorted in frustration.
"Hey, these jars are filled with water." Derek called to Sarah and Jacob. Jacob looked around at the jars.
"Place one of those," pointing to the jars, "on each tile." Jacob said. Sarah, Jacob, and Derek each walked over to the jars. Derek lifted one easily and walked it over and set it on a pressure tile. The tile sank down and set even with the ground. Sarah struggled to lift the heavy jar. Jacob walked up and lifted it with her. They both walked the jar over to a tile. By the time Sarah and Jacob had brought the jar, Derek already had a second one on a second tile.
"All right, last one." Derek said as he set the fourth down. At that point, the steel grate slid up revealing the door. Derek walked towards it; Sarah and Jacob joined hands and followed.
They stepped through the door, into an empty round room, on the other end were three armoured knights standing before the exit, another barred door. The knight in the middle held a broadsword vertically before him, as the others held double-sided axes. All three lowered their weapons and began to walk forward.
"Damn it." Jacob muttered. He drew out the half-bladed Master Sword; it shone in the unnatural light of the room. Derek took the battleaxe from his belt; Sarah pulled an arrow from her quiver, notched it into her bow and took aim.
"I got the middle one." Jacob said. He walked forward calmly, his eyes fixed on the blade of his opponent.
Sarah began firing arrows at the knight. The arrows bounced harmlessly off the armour of the monster.
Derek and his opponent swung their axes at each other.
Jacob dove beneath the legs of the ironclad knight and, coming up behind him, drove the Master Sword's blade deep into his back. The knight had been struck. Jacob ran at Derek's opponent just as Derek stepped back. Using his momentum, Jacob ran up the knight's chest and kicked him, knocking him down. Derek came in with an overhead swing to the chest.
"Help!" Derek and Jacob turned to see Sarah cornered by the Iron Knuckle.
They both ran to help her. Jacob planted his foot in the beasts face as Derek swept its legs out from underneath it. As soon as the creature fell, Sarah stood upon its chest and, notching her last arrow, shot it in the neck.
"Bitch." Sarah muttered in her girly attitude.
The grate over the second door lifted and they journeyed forth into the darkness.
* * *
The next room was a long, wide corridor. A dirt path led forth from the door and continued and was lined on either side by a dark forest.
"Only the Gatekeeper may face me." A loud and booming voice said. Just at that moment, vines shot from the ground and wrapped around Sarah and Derek's limbs, and pinned them to the wall.
Jacob watched as the ground rose, and burst, giving way to the Earth Guardian.
The creature was less than Jacob had imagined, a wing-less dragon, snake- like in appearance. The scales were like the bark from a tree. The creature's tail was like a tree's vines. His head was like a snake, long and slender.
Derek struggled against his restraints, only to find them to be tighter. Sarah grunted in frustration. "Sarah, don't fight it, it only gets worse."
* * *
"Hello Gatekeeper, I am Zaxknol, Guardian of the Earth." The dragon said. "We may start now."
Jacob held the Master Sword in front of him. The giant snake-like dragon slithered forward, hell-bent on destroying the young hero. Jacob closed his eyes and put his hands in front of his face and braced himself for the impact, but none came, he opened his eyes and looked to find no monster.
"He vanished!" Sarah cried to Jacob. Jacob's eyes searched all around him, when he found nothing, the ground beneath him began to rumble, it rose into the air then burst open, throwing Jacob to the side. The giant dragon slithered out of the ground and toward Jacob again. Jacob leapt off his back and onto his feet. He reared back the blade, and as the Earth Guardian neared, Jacob released the force in his arms and slung the Master Sword.
Jacob winced as he expected to hit the dragon in the face, but the sword had sliced harmlessly through the air.
"I know what's in your heart, Gatekeeper." Zaxknol's voice echoed in Jacob's mind, "I know what you fear..."
Jacob watched as the forest and trail vanished from around him, he found himself amidst a massive battle in a muddy field, in the courtyard of a massive castle. He saw enemies of every-kind, fighting the small army of the Hylians; he raised his sword and began to fight, then he turned to see Derek, in the middle, fighting. Derek gutted one Gerudo, then turned to cut down another. Jacob watched in horror as Derek caught a Gerudo blade in his back. He fell, Jacob ran to him, but was cut off by Sarah.
"We've got to pull back to the keep." Sarah turned and fired off an arrow. Jacob turned around to run, but stopped when he heard Sarah scream. He turned to see that she had an arrow in her leg. He began to run to her, but before he got to her, it was too late. An Iron Knuckle ran in, and brought its axe down on her chest. Jacob crawled over to her just as the Iron Knuckle withdrew its weapon. His sobbing drowned out the clashing of weapons and shields.
* * *
"What's wrong with him?" Sarah asked, still struggling to free herself. She had watched as Jacob dropped the Master Sword, dropped to his knees and began bawling.
"I don't know." Derek said. He then began yelling to him, "JACOB! JACOB!"
* * *
Jacob thought he heard his name yelled, but muffled. He looked all across the battlefield, but his gaze fell yet upon Sarah's broken body. His gaze lifted to the mighty Iron Knuckle gazing right back at him.
Jacob looked away to the Master Sword's half-blade, and noticed something odd.
The mirror-shine did not reflect the dreary sky, or the Iron Knuckle; instead it showed green forests and a mighty dragon.
He placed his hand on the hilt and looked up at the "Iron Knuckle".
"I won't be a slave to your illusions anymore!" He jerked the Master Sword across the face of the "Iron Knuckle", who then shattered, revealing the dragon, gashed across his face.
The whole battle scene shattered as if it were glass, the tall trees and green grass was revealed.
"Fire burns!" Jacob cried, pointing the Master Sword as Zaxknol, the ghostly image of the Fire Elemental appeared, followed by a wave of fire.
After the fire subsided, the Earth Guardian was collapsed on the ground; burns ate at his flesh. Jacob walked over to him and knelt down to him.
"You are truly...the one..." he spoke softly, "Now, you must finish it...to continue."
"I understand." Jacob said calmly. He stood and arced the Master Sword over his head.
"Good bye." Jacob brought then blade down and through Zaxknol's throat. The dragon's expired body caught the wind and blew across the field as if it were made of leaves.
The vines that held Derek and Sarah released their grip and vanished. Sarah ran up to Jacob, just as he sheathed the Master Sword. Derek followed; the three followed the dirt path into the forest. They came to the door and entered it.
In front of them was a giant red rose that looked as if it had yet to bloom.
"Stay here." Jacob said to the others. He walked forward. The large rose opened, revealing an ebon skinned woman wearing a small robe that covered only her breasts and draped down just below her waist. Her dark hair hung from underneath her hood.
Jacob walked to her and bowed his head. "Elemental of the Earth, I've come to receive the shard of the Master Sword and your power."
The ebony woman stepped down from the flower and walked to Jacob. Jacob lifted his gaze and looked into her bright leaf green eyes.
"My power is yours." She said in a soft voice. She kissed Jacob lightly on the forehead, then vanished, her voice echoed in Jacob's mind, "Earth quakes..."
"I think she wants you." Sarah said, she then started laughing. Jacob rolled his eyes and walked out. "Hey! Wait up!" She cried as Derek and she followed.
* * *
Sarah held out the Chronoscepter before her. She had begged Jacob to let her do it. He reluctantly gave in, now the blue beam engulfed them and their surroundings vanished and they were gone.
* * *
They now stood upon a great tower, the wind blew violently against their backs. A woman stood before them back was turned towards them, she had short blonde hair that was spiked, and a long flowed cloak about her.
"This is the final stretch of your quest."