The Legend of Zelda: The Dream Walker
Chapter 8
"An angel of death"
By MEGAMANX411

When Link awoke, he headed downstairs to the sound of Jess working. He quickly rushed downstairs to see what the old man was up to. Jess stood up straight, and then arched his back as he breathed deeply. He then looked back at his creation, marveling at his latest work.

"Aye, this does Nadia proud," he said happily as he looked at it.

Link tried to catch a glimpse of just what the old man had made.

"What do you have there Jess?" he asked, trying to arch his neck enough to look past the old man's shoulder.

Jess turned and faced Link, and presented his creation.

"It's an iron flail," Jess announced proudly. "I don't really know why I made it...I just felt like I had to after Nadia died. Something in her memory. I'd like you to have it, Link."

With that, Jess handed the new weapon over to Link. Link hesitantly accepted the gift, and then marveled at its wonderful design. It truly was a fine weapon.

"Thank you very much Jess," Link replied with a smile. "Well, I'm off," Link said, and with that, he left the home of the old man.

Link headed outside, and his way was barred by Giles.

"Excuse me," Link began, trying to stay polite. "I have to pass by."

Giles hardened his gaze.

"You're a plague on this village, Link," he replied coldly.

Link's eyes widened at this comment.

"What?" he asked, not entirely sure why Giles had said such a thing.

Giles narrowed his eyebrows. He looked quite angry.

"People started suffering from these nightmares when you came around," he began. "Coincidence? No. You're the cause of the nightmares Link, and I'm gonna let everyone know it. You're an angel of death."

Giles stormed off, and Link looked down with a wave of guilt washing over his face. Sure, he had the ability to save the people, and he rescued Wendell, but what about Olen? Or what about Nadia? Before Link could engross himself too deeply in thought, Septimus approached him, and heplaced a hand on Link's shoulder.

"Don't let Giles get to you...he's a bit of a religious fanatic," he consoled.

Link shrugged. He didn't reallyhave any intention of insulting Giles. In fact, he partially agreed with him.

"I don't think ill of him," he replied.

Septimus smiled back.

"That's good," he replied.

But then, his face turned serious.

"Hey Link, I've heard some rumors about the coastal cave a little to the south," he added.

Link raised a brow, for he was not sure what Septimus was talking about.

"About what?" he asked, sounding increasingly interested.

Septimus cleared his throat, and began to tell Link the rumors he had heard in a rather matter-of-factly manner.

"Well," he began. "There have been rumors that the Murgg have been congregating at the coastal cave south of Inoa. We can't be too sure what they are doing there, but their activity seems a bit too highly organized. Of course, that's the case if the rumors are true."

Link placed a hand on his chin, and thought for a moment.

"Could there be any connection to Melzas?" he asked himself.

Septimus had no idea whatsoever what Link was talking about.

"What?" he said, his voice containing evident traces of interest.

Link shook his head and quickly turned back to Septimus.

"Oh, nothing," Link replied. "I'm going to check out this cave. I'll be back a little later."

Link headed out of Inoa, and headed south towards the cave. It was dark and dank, and very difficult to see. Link took a few slow steps, and hesitantly entered the caves, making sure to be cautious for whatever creatures dwelled within it. Link slowly walked further into the cave, unable to see what was around him. He tried to listen closely to anything that could emerge from the shadows. But, as luck would have it, Link walked straight into a ledge, and it almost knocked the wind out of him.

"Oof!" Link cried as he doubled back. "It would've been nice to know about that sooner," Link muttered, struggling back up to his feet.

He held his hands out forward to feel if anything was in front of him, and he grabbed a hold of the ledge that he had previously walked into. He climbed a few ledges, and then entered into a larger room. There was a big pool of water. Although Link couldn't see it very well, he could hear the water. Link shrugged. He didn't want to guess where any ledges where, so he thought he may as well swim, but he didn't know what dwelled within the waters.

"Looks like I'll have to swim across.." he muttered, preparing to dive in.

Link jumped in the water, and started to swim across. Luckily for him, the water was largely uninhabited, save for a few harmless fish. He effortlessly made his way across to the other side. He entered the next room, and he saw some odd looking rocks.

"Hm?" Link muttered as he peered at the odd object.

The rock moved.

Link took a step back from sheer surprise.

"That's no rock..." he thought aloud. Link took out his iron flail, and after collecting some momentum, he struck the rock. He heard it shriek! A head poked out of the rock, and it now resembled what looked like some kind of fanged turtle.

However, this particular creature appeared more formidable. It opened its mouth, and out of it poured fire! Link backed up, and prepared another attack with his flail. He swung it around and around, making sure to keep his distance from the creature. He sidestepped, and then let loose another swing. The creature managed to avoid the attack this time, and breathed some more fire at Link.

Link quickly brought up his shield to deflect the fiery attack, and then started swinging his flail again. As the creature breathed some more fire, Link brought up his shield to deflect it. With his shiled in one hand and his flail in the other, he pressed on forward through the stream of fire, and let loose an attack from his flail, which shattered the stone-like body of the creature.

Link breathed sigh of relief, and then put away his weapon. He entered the next room, and saw a rather strange predicament. There were two large boulders, each swinging from its own individual stone pillar, and apparently, no way across. The door was too high up. Link looked over the odd situation, and then a smile appeared on his face as he was struck with inspiration.

"I have an idea..." he muttered to himself, ready to execute his plan.

Link struck the pillar where the boulder was chained, and the force sent it flying against the wall. He struck the next pillar, and that boulder struck the wall close to the first. Link created two platforms to jump across!

Link made his way across, and descended into a water filled room, but low enough so he could still walk freely. It was about ankle level. He heard some rumbling in the water. Link quickly hunched over in a combat position, and unsheathed his sword. His eyes narrowed.

"I'm not alone..." he thought aloud.

After Link uttered those words, a giant humanoid figure emerged out of the water!

"What is this?!" Link stammered, taking a step back.

The water creature took a strike at Link with its fist, hitting him hard, and knocking him over. Link quickly got back to his feet, and readied his sword. But as he prepared himself, he noticed that the water creature was gone.

Link scanned the area, trying to figure out where it could have gone.

"He must be hiding in the water..." he observed, looking around his feet.

Link calmed his mind, and closed his eyes as he silenty and slowy readied his sword. Link did a 180, and leap into the air with his sword flying. Luckily for him, his hunch had paid off, and his attack struck a small eye in the center of the creature, which apparently was its weak spot.

The creature let out a shirek, and dissolved back into the water. Link readied his sword...but this time, two creatures came out! Link struck at one creature with his sword, but it simply passed through it harmlessly, and this creature didn't have the eye like the original had. The other water creature, on the other hand, did, and it retaliated before Link could have the chance to change his attack pattern.

Link stumbled backwards at the wave of water that bashed against him. He sheathed his sword, and then tried to think of a more formidable weapon.

"Agh....maybe the iron flail?" he questioned, readying the aforementioned item.

Link got ready for the creature to reappear, and he began swining the flail around to prepare his strike. The creature arose from the depths of the water, and Link let loose his attack. The force of the flail knocked the eye out of the water creature, and Link quickly took out his bow and readied an arrow which pierced it as it laid in the shallow water.

The watery body that the creature once had soon dissolved, and the eye almost rottted instantly as it was slain. The monster was defeated! Link wiped his forehead with his arm, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Whew...that's over.." he observed, putting away his weapons. All of the sudden, a blinding light came forth.

Link saw a person cloaked in light appear, similar to that of Lars.

"Who are..you??" Link asked.

The shining figure looked back at Link emotionless.

"I am Vul," the person replied. "I'm a wizard, like Lars."

Link's eyes widened with surprise.

"You know Lars?" he asked.

The wizard nodded.

"Yes, I do," he replied. "I wanted to test your strength by pitting you against the water guardian, which you successfully dispatched. You are indeed the Releaser."

Link was excited at the outcome of this expedition.

"Then...you have one of the crests?" he asked, his voice rushed.

Vul shook his head slowly, signifying that there was not much to attain here.

"Unforunately, Melzas' minions have already taken my crest," he replied. "I have litte to offer you except this water scroll. It's powerful water magic."

Link eagerly took the magical item from the wizard.

"Thank you...that will help.." he replied, curiously looking at the acquired item.

With that, Link bid the wizard farewell, and exited the cave. He made his way back to the village of Inoa.