CHAPTER 5- THE ICE CAVERN

The Ice Cavern

Seven years earlier, Zora's Fountain was awash with warm water. Since then, the temperature had dived to freezing depths, chilling the riverhead into arctic waters. Beyond the iceberg steppingstones that dotted the fountain, Link would find a cave housing Blue Fire and Iron Boots that would help him reach a fourth sage.

"I have a bad feeling." Link stated grimly to the others.

"Hey Jeff." Sarah called to her brother.

"Hmm?" was his reply.

"Is it the Water Temple next?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah." He nodded. "But first we have to do that annoying Ice Cavern thing. You know, the place with the stupid freezy-things?

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Ah yes, the one with the Zora's." Jacque thought for a moment. "Um, we gotta get the Iron Boots."

Robbie looked at her. "How do you know?" he asked.

"Well, I've heard Sarah and Jess talk about the game a lot and I have played it myself once or twice." Jacque replied.

"Then we go to Zora's Domain. Shall I lead the way?" Link asked and strode off in the direction of the river.

*

"Whoa, look at this place." Jessica and the others looked around in awe. Just as Sarah, Jeff, Jacque, Jessica, Glen and Zack suspected, Zora's Domain was covered in ice. Watching their step, it was rather slippery, they made their way to the throne room, where the king of the Zora's dwelled.

"Oh!" Link gasped at the sight of the king. He was covered in red ice from head to toe. "What happened to him?"

"Well the answer to that question should be obvious." Glen muttered angrily.

"Ganondorf." Shannon said quietly. Even she had nothing more to say.

"There's only one way to help him now." Zack said. "We have to go to the Ice Cavern and get Blue Fire."

"Then we shall do what we must do." Link said determinedly. "Lead the way."

Jeff started off in the direction of Jabu-Jabu's water, but of course the great fish had left quite a while ago. "We have to hop across those floating platforms." He said shortly and began to cross to the other side.

Shannon shivered. "Man," she started, "If you fall in, it's gonna be cold."

"And you thought it'd be hot?" Glen rolled his eyes and followed Link who was behind Jeff. Making their way slowly across, they finally made it to the entrance to the Ice Cavern.

"Now tread carefully, I'm sure Freezards will be everywhere." Jeff warned and continued into the cavern, unsheathing his sword. Link, Glen, Zack, and Sarah followed suit. As they walked, there was a rattling sound and a frozen stalactite fell just in front of Shannon.

She screamed and jumped back, bumping into Jacque who ran into Robbie. He steadied them both. Shannon was breathing hard. "Why does everything have to happen to me?" She asked no one in particular. Again they continued, being more careful after the falling icicle. Finally they came to a vast room. "Here they come." Sarah muttered.

As if on cue, four or five Freezards came at them full speed. "Watch out for their breath!" Jeff yelled as the almost invisible creatures of ice started to blow their icy breath. Jumping quickly out of the way, the five with the swords attacked. Glen and Link were quickly cornered by two Freezards. Thinking fast, Link flipped over their heads and cut them in two. "Ahh!" He yelled, startled. The ice creatures were still after them! "Hit them, Glen!" Glen doing as he was told, slashed his sword and dispatched of them both.

Sarah and Zack though weren't having much luck. They too were cornered, but none of them could do a flip. Trying their best to avoid the breath of the Freezards, they managed to get themselves even more into a fix. The rest of ice beasts came to join their comrades. The two humans were able to kill one of them, but it was no use. There was only one way to get out of it, they needed help. Jeff saw their dilemma and rushed to their aid. Hacking at the beasts from behind and Glen and Link joining in the effort, Sarah and Zack were saved.

"Thanks." Sarah and Zack panted at the same time. "That was too close." Sarah added.

"No prob." Link answered.

Following the cavern forward, they then came to a circular room that branched off in three different directions. A huge spinning ice blade was turning around in the room swiftly. Five silver rupees were glimmering from their places at various points in the room. "This is pretty much self- explanatory." Sarah said and ducked under the blades to get to the rupees. Everyone quickly followed. Link climbed the ledges and jumped here and there to reach the higher rupees while everyone else ducked under the blades to reach the lower ones.

Taking only five minutes to gather all five of them, they followed the passageway that ran north. Finally navigating the winding pathways, they reached a room that held the sacred Blue Fire. Seeing what needed to be done, Link climbed up and bottled the flame while everyone else fended off the attacking Freezards doing their best not to get cornered. When Link rejoined them, they doubled back to the room with the ice blades and went right, melting the red ice that blocked their path. Following yet another winding passageway, they found themselves in a room where four visible silver rupees were waiting. "Not again." Everyone murmured, though some in different words.

"Figure out the pattern and push the block so we can reach the rupees. Oh, and give me some Blue Fire while your at it, I can get another one by climbing that." Jeff pointed. Taking his sister with him, Jeff and Sarah went to retrieve a rupee while the rest pushed the block this way and that, scurrying around and jumping for the last four.

Eventually, they finished their tasks and continued through the locked way into a room full of color. "Okay, this is where we get the Iron Boots but first we have to defeat a White Wolfos." Sarah said. They triggered the beast and were easily able to felly it. "Not too hard." Sarah looked around. "Wait, where's the chest?"

Something in the corner of the room moved, catching everyone's attention. Out of the shadows, a dark-headed teen wearing all black and about Sarah's age strode casually into view. "Heh, heh, heh."

Sarah, Jessica, Shannon, Jacque and Robbie all narrowed their eyes. "Wait, I know you!" Jacque finally said.

"It's Jason!" Sarah finished for her.

Jessica snorted. "Ha! In an ice place only reachable by crossing water. Bet he had fun."

"You were wondering why the treasure didn't appear." Jason said. "It won't, not until I myself am defeated."

"Wha- what happened to you?" Jacque asked incredulously.

"My master found me and my friends wandering around this place and decided to put me to good use. I protect a great treasure that can only be received by defeating me." Jason stated coldly. "Now, for trespassing in my domain, you shall be punished!" With that, he charged at Jacque.

Link saw this and ran over to block the attack. Jason jumped back and smirked. This time he charged at Shannon and Sarah dived at her and knocked her out of the way. Jeff and Glen stood their ground in front of him. "We'll take care of him." Glen said. He swung his sword and Jason met it with a block.

"Don't be so cocky." Jason laughed and threw Glen to the ground. Jeff quickly followed in his turn. "You don't stand a chance."

Sarah thought fast. "Jeff! Glen!" she yelled. "Give Jacque and Jessica your swords!" As they had landed hard and both were winded, they obliged.

"Now what?" Jacque asked holding the sword in her hand.

"Just follow my lead." Sarah muttered and charged at Jason with Jessica and Jacque quickly following. Jason was only blocking them, never attempting to attack though Sarah left herself open quite a few times on purpose to see what he would do. "Just as I thought." Jessica and Jacque looked at her. "He won't hit a girl." She swung her sword up and cleanly knocked Jason's sword from his hand.

As she did this, something seemed to change. Jason's eyes lightened up to normal and he shook his head. He looked up and saw five people he recognized. "Huh?" He squinted his eyes, then widened them. "Ganondorf has Alex and Steven!" he blurted.

"What?! They're here too?" Jessica asked, somewhat alarmed.

"Yeah, I'm glad you broke the curse on me though. Ugh, what are you guys doing anyway?" he asked.

Behind them, a large chest appeared as if from nowhere. Link walked over to it and pulled out the Iron Boots. "I think we'll need these." he said and put them away.

"You wanna come with?" Sarah asked Jason. "We're going to the Water Temple."

Jason laughed. "Sure, but you know how I am with water." They all laughed with the exception of Link, who just looked confused.

A/N- The water thing is just an inside joke as to how every waterfall on the ride Roman Rapids at Bush Gardens in Williamsburg, VA hit Jason all six times we rode the ride. I'll update soon!