The Legend of Zelda: The Dream Walker
Chapter 15
"Nava's choice"
By MEGAMANX411
Link awoke the next morning to some chatter coming from downstairs.He rubbed his eyes to try to become fully awake, and he quickly leaped out of bed.
"Wonder who that is?" Link asked, putting his clothes on before rushing on down.
He saw Lutas talking to Jess, apparently giving him some kind of message. Lutas waved at Link before walking out the door, going back to his business. Jess turned to Link.
"Link, Nava wants to see you," he began, sounding rather serious.
Link raised an eyebrow and shrugged in response.
"Who is Nava?" he asked.
"A wise old man who lives out by the coast where I found you,"Jess replied. "Don't worry, he's a nice old man, a little odd, but he's got a kind heart, you know what I am saying?"
Link nodded, and accepted the proposal.
"OK, thank you Jess," he replied. "I'll get over there right away."
Link walked out the door, and headed towards Nava's house just outside of Inoa. As he left the village, he could feel many eyes staring at him with cold stares. He knew some people in the village would prefer it if Link didn't return. But he knew he had to, and he resolved to help them anyway, despite some negative feelings circulating around the village. Link made his way to the beach.
He was just about to knock on Nava's door, but it opened, and Meia stepped out. Apparently she was chosen to see Nava as well. Meia shrugged when she saw Link.
"I guess Nava chose you Link," she began gruffly, sounding a bit sarcastic.
Link was rather curious as to her meaning.
"What do you mean, Meia?" he asked.
Meia gave him a hard stare.
"The old man thinks you are the one who should save these people. But that won't stop me," she added.
Link gave her a kind smile and extended a hand.
"I can always use your help Meia," he replied.
Meia smirked back at Link, but she didn't return his pleasant greeting. She simplypassed by him, andas her back was to him, she muttered something incoherent.Most likely something along the lines of Link being arrogant. Meia walked off back towards Inoa, and Link stepped into Nava's cabin by the sea.
"Welcome, young adventurer," the old man began.
Link decided to give a friendly introduction. He didn't exactly know who this old man was, buthe knew that he was a well respected person (at least by Jess) and Link didn't want to make a bad impression.He knew that looks could be very deceiving, so he had best not make any enemies.
"Hello, my name is Link, and--"
Nava cut him off.
"I know your name already. But I have a question for you Link," he said, sounding more serious with each passing word.
Link became a bit nervous at what Nava was about to ask.
"Are you indeed the Releaser? You intend to defeat Melzas?" Nava added, his voice remaining calm.
Link nodded.
"Well, yes, I suppose," he replied, trying to keep his cool in the face of this responsibility.
Nava smirked at him.
"Well then, I suppose there's someone whom you should meet," he began.
Nava began pacing back and forth.
"He goes by the name of Nirude. A man of quite tall statue, if I do say so myself," Nava added, chuckling afterward.
Link gave him a strange look.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
Nava's expression was somewhat condescending, although his intentions seemed pure enough.
"Nirude is a giant," he began. "You should be able to find him a few miles northeast of Inoa, in a large castle. It's impossible to miss. He will surely be able to help you fight against Melzas."
Link nodded, showing that he indeed made note of the information.
"OK, I'll be on my way then," he replied.
Before he walked out the door, Link decided it would only be proper to thank the old man for his valuable information.
"Thank you Nava," he said with a wave, which was greeted with a humble smile from the old man.
Link headed out of Nava's cabin, and towards Nirude's castle, which like Nava said, was rather hard to miss. But the difficult part was getting in. He came to a hilly area with many stone buildings throughout, which kind of resembled a castle, but looked more like ruins if anything. It was very uneven due to the terrain, but massive nonetheless. Link proceeded to scale the hills, and on his way into the castle, he noticed small dwarven creatures around the buildings.
Link narrowed his eyes to see better, and tried to catch a good glimpse of the creatures.
"Could they be followers of Nirude?" he muttered.
They were all rather short in stature, only a mere two feet tall or so. They did wield weaponry, and it looked to be rather malicious weapons at that (jagged spears and scythes). They emanated cleverness and guile, and Link knew that they would be a rather big nuisance if he needed to deal with them.
Link shrugged, and continued scaling the cliffside in hopes to find an entrance to this supposed castle.
"Aha!" Link shouted as he discovered a door.
Finally, it looked as though he was in. Link proceeded into the first chamber. A couple of those small creatures approached.
"Infidel! This is sacred ground!" the first dwarf shouted, pointing a finger at Link.
The second dwarf joined in the sentiment.
"Kill the infidel!" he added, his raspy, high-pitched voice piercing Link's ears.
"Kill him!" the third dward shouted.
The three dwarves made an offensive against Link, charging with their scythes flying. Link took a step back, and readied his shield to parry their attacks. He drew his sword, and sliced at one of the small, violent creatures as it tried to impale him on its scythe. The dward wasn't slain, but definitely wounded. Link quickly deemed that creature to no longer be any threat, and focused his attention on the other two.
The other two leaped into the air for a lethal assault, but Link managed to avoid it by raising his shield up and catching them both. They both grunted as they tried to force their way forward, however, they couldn't get much more force while they were in the air, so they were easily repelled. Link pushed the shield forward, sending the two creatures flying against the wall, and then readied his sword.
"Why did you attack me?" Link shouted, trying to avoid any meaningless fighting.
The dwarven creatures merely ignored Link's question, and were thrown into a panic.
"Run!" the first dwarf shouted, dropping his weapon as he fled.
"I agree!" the other dward replied, following suit.
"Hey!" Link protested, trying to reach out to them.
Before Link could manage to grab them again, the two other dwarves were off, running into rather small crevices that Link could not hope to fit there. He sighed deeply as they ran off, leaving him there alone.
"Might as well continue on, I guess," Link muttered, giving a glance to the stairway at then end of the time.
Link proceeded further into the depths of the castle. After he went a few more chambers down, he saw a huge stone head blocking his path. Link looked to either side of it to see if there was some way to get around, but it was too massive. It blocked all possible routes around it, meaning if there was any way through, it meant going straight through the gargantuan obstacle. Link shrugged.
"Well, looks like I'll have to destroy it," he muttered, reaching into his pack.
Link slowly drew his iron flail, and was preparing to unleash it, but he was interrupted by the noise of light footsteps.
"Who's there?" Link shouted, scanning the room.
One of the dwarves appeared with a big smile on his face.
"You again?" Link shouted, sounding a bit more annoyed than worried.
"Take this, infidel!" the dwarf replied, making his way to the top of the giant stone statue.
The dwarf activated the giant stone head, and it started pouring flame out of its mouth! Link quickly brought up his shield to defend against the fiery attack, but the heat started to get to him. He winced his eyes as he struggled against the intense heat.
He started swinging his flail despite the pain inflicted by the flames, and got ready for a crushing blow. He swung, and the flail shattered the left side of the statue's face. It managed to keep attacking despite being almost shattered, so Link readied another swing, completely obliterating the statue. Revealing the dwarf.
Link gave the creature a hard stare.
"Alright you..." he muttered.
The dwarf cried out with worry, and ran away again!
"Hey, get back here!" Link shouted, trying to grab the little cretin before he got too far away.
However, the creature proved too agile, and evaded Link once again.
"Not again..." Link muttered, shaking his head.
Link pressed on, and delved further into the chambers of Nirude's castle. He came to a very tall room. It looked as though he would need to climb several ladders if he wished to reach the next room. He looked up, and saw about 6 dwarves. One of them wore a crown.
"I am Miming!" the apparent dwarven king shouted. "And these are my dwarven minions.
We cannot allow an infidel such as yourself to invade this sacred land!" he added, extending a finger to Link.
Link shook his head in response.
"You don't understand! I was invited here by Nava!" he replied.
Miming threw his head back and laughed.
"Ha! Why should I listen to an infidel? Die!" he shouted, signaling for his minions to attack.
The dwarves activated statues that were littered all over the room, at the top of each ladder. Link new that it would be difficult to proceed.
"Let's see if this works..." he muttered, reaching into his pack.
He pulled out his flail, and not only let it loose on the first statue, but actually threw it at the statue! The flail smashed the rocky obstacle, shattering it to pieces. Link leaped onto the ladder, and quickly scaled it before the statue managed to proceed firing. Link picked up his flail, and got ready.
He picked a bomb out of his pack, and threw it back at the first statue, destroying it completely. It looked as though he would need to jump across a small ledge to get to the next ladder. Another statue barred his way, however. Link picked up yet another bomb, and threw it at the statue, blowing it up with one large blast.
Link leaped over, and climbed up the ladder. But now things got tricky. A group of statues fell from the ceiling, and were arranged in a circle around Link, preventing him from reaching the last ladder. Link took note of the obvious disadvantage he was in. He was completely surrounded, blocked off from the exits, and all of these statues's fiery breath would no doubt engulf him in a matter of moments upon activation.
In spite of this, Link just smirked.
"Alright, how about a little magic?" Link muttered, reaching into his pack.
Link pulled the Earth Scroll out of his pack, and began reading the enchanted parchment. Swiftly and suddenly, giant boulders began to shoot out of the parchment in a circle, obliterating each statue in one furious offensive of stone, leaving the dwarves that remained there in complete awe of his power.
The dwarves quickly escaped before Link could catch up with them, but Link paid it of little attention. He proceeded up the ladder, and at long last, came face to face with Nirude. Or at least he assumed so. This being before him didn't really appear like a giant. It was merely a sprectral form of a giant's head, which greeted Link with a cold stare.
"So you've come Releaser," he began, his voice hard as stone.
Link nodded in response, giving Nirude an equally serious expression.
"Yes, I am the Releaser," he replied.
Nirude narrowed his eyes at Link.
"You intend to fight against Melzas?" he asked.
Link didn't hesitate.
"I do," he replied.
Nirude gave Link an angered look.
"Then let me challenge you, to see if you are up to the task! Prepare yourself Releaser!" he shouted.
Link was then transported to a massive cave, with a single pathway floating in the air with the help of some strange magic. Nirude appeared before him, apparently in his true form, as a massive stone giant.
Link took a step back in awe at Nirude's sheer size and power.
"Whoah..." Link muttered, his jaw lowering at the impressive statue of Nirude.
Nirude certainly didn't wait for Link to get ready, and started his assualt. The giant began to run at Link, crushing the walkway on which Link was standing in the process.
Link quickly ran, realizing that he could not rely on his sword and shield to fight against this creature. There was no way those would work against Nirude. He needed a plan. As he ran, he reached into his pack, and pulled out several bombs, which he threw behind him as he eluded the giant.
It had little effect. The minimal blasts didn't even put much of a scratch on Nirude's tough body, he was simply too gargantuan. He then noticed that there were many sharp stalactites on the ceiling.
"I wonder if..." Link muttered.
Perhaps they could be used as a weapon. Nirude's sheer presence was making them shake, so it couldn't be too hard to dislodge them at this point. Link pulled out his Earth Scroll, and directed the boulders at the ceiling. Nirude laughed at the pitiful attack.
"Are you trying to strike me? How can you miss?" he shouted sarcastically, mocking Link.
Link replied to Nirude's sarcasm with a smirk, and pointed to the ceiling.
"Look up!" he shouted.
Nirude did just that, and saw that hundreds of huge stalactites were plummeting at him, piercing his stone skin. He cried out in pain as he body was stabbed with many of the rather enormous rock formations. Nirude stopped, and transported them both back. Nirude appeared as a sprectral being again.
"I have no doubts now," he began, his voice a bit warmer than before. "You are the Releaser. If you wish to reach Melzas, you must collect the seven crests, and bring them to the seaside palace. If you place them on the altars surrounding it, the palace will raise, and you can enter. And--"
Suddenly, a winged creature crashed through the window and burst into the room. It appeared like a horrid demonic creature, with a twisted face, a mouth filled with fangs, and razor shape claws.
Nirude gave the creature a hostile stare.
"Zorgia! How dare you stain this place with your foul presence!" he shouted.
Zorgia, or whatever this horrid creature was called, replied to Nirude with a mocking smirk.
"Tsk tsk, Nirude. I'm merely come to talk, is that so much? Melzas wishes that Link stay out of his affairs. He may be spared then," he added, sounding rather arrogant.
Nirude chuckled.
"Ha ha ha! Melzas is a frightened fool!" he replied.
Zorgia was rather agitated at Nirude's statement.
"I'm afraid you're the fool Nirude..." he replied, grinning.
Zorgia rushed at Nirude, and slashed at him with his claws. Somehow, he used a strange magic to destroy Nirude's sprectral body, and as the giant screamed in agony, Zorgia merely floated nearby and crossed his arms, clearly satisfied with his work.
"You monster!" Link shouted, drawing his sword.
Zorgia replied to Link by cracking his knuckles and baring his fangs. However, Zorgia's and Link's seemginly inevitable battle was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Zorgia turned his head to see what was coming.
"Looks like the munchkin brigade is on its way," he muttered.
Zorgia then turned to Link.
"As for you, Releaser, I'll kill you some other time. Farewell!" he shouted.
Zorgia quickly flew off as quickly as he came. Then, at the most inopportune of all moments, Miming and the other dwarves entered the room, to see a dying Nirude. Miming was boiling with rage.
"Infidel! You killed Nirude! Kill him!" he shouted.
Nirude, who was just barely clinging to life, stopped Miming's commands.
"Wait, Miming," he wheezed. "This was not Link's doing. It was Zorgia. Miming, you and the other dwarves must aid Link in his quest to defeat Melzas...." he muttered, his voice straining from the massive pain inflicted by Zorgia's attack.
Just after Nirude uttered those words, he passed away in an instant. And making matters even worse, the castle began to collapse. Miming thought for a moment, still enraged at the loss of his master.
"Link, we'll transport you out of here!" he shouted.
Miming used his magic to teleport Link and the other dwarves out of the castle. He then approached Link, and gave him an embarrassed look.
"Forgive me Link. I was wrong about you," he muttered.
Link knew that the dwarves caused him quite a bit of grief, but they certainly weren't evil. This was basically a rather large misunderstanding. Even though they had intended to do him harm, which was something neither side could deny, Link decided it would be best to stop the violence.
"It's fine now. I'm sorry about your master," he added, bowing his head.
Miming lowered his head in sadness and shame.
"It is partially our fault, we weren't fast or strong enough to save him. And what's more important is that he wanted us to trust you," he added. "Here, take this."
Miming handed over a strange rod. Link took the gift from Miming, and eyed it strangely.
"What is this?" he asked. "An enchanted rod of flame, or a sort of fire rod, if you will. By swinging it, it spews enchanted flames. I hope this will be of use to you on your quest Link," he added. "Thank you," he replied. "This will surely help me on my quest. Farewell."
Miming extended a hand of friendship, which Link accepted.
"Farewell my new friend, and good luck," he responded as they shook hands.
With that over and done with, Link headed back to Inoa. When he arrived back at Jess' house, he noticed that Lutas was there once again.
"Oh, hello Lutas. Is there something wrong?" Link asked.
Lutas had a rather worried expression on his face.
"It's good to see you Link," he replied excitedly. "I have something to ask you. Do...do you think Ronan had anything to do with Sybill's death?"
Link's smiled turned to an expression of anger. He paused for a moment.
"Yes. I do," he replied, his voice rather firm.
Lutas nodded slowly, and looked side to side, almost as if he feared that he was being watched.
"I thought so. Actually, I'm beginning to agree with you," he replied. "Just the other day, I saw Ronan bite the head of a crow! It's not natural, I tell you. But something else odd happened," he added.
"What happened?" Link asked, becoming more and more intrigued.
"A boulder was about to crush me, but Ronan pushed me out of the way. But from the look on his face, it didn't look as though he was wanting to help me. It was very strange," he said, sounding very worried.
Link nodded.
"At any rate, I think we should have a talk with Ronan," he replied.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Link opened it, and was greeted by Septimus and Meia.
"Oh, hello Septimus. Hello Meia," he said, trying to act pleasantly again.
Septimus gave Link a very serious look.
"Link, we have to do something about the statue of Melzas in Ronan's basement."
Link joined Septimus in his sentiment.
"Yes, we have to do something," he replied.
"We need to destroy it," Meia added.
Lutas joined in what seemed to bea contagious form of determination.Or foolishness, depending on your point of view.
"That sounds like a good idea. But why would Ronan have a statue to a demon?" he asked.
Septimus placed a hand on his chin, and thought deeply for a moment.
"Well, we'll have to ask him. Meia, Link, come with me to the sanctuary."
Link, Septimus, and Meia congregated at the sanctuary, and then entered. They saw Ronan there, once again, praying to the idol of Melzas. Link was enraged that Ronan prayed to his terrible creature.
"Ronan, we know about what you're doing. You should cease now!" he shouted.
Ronan turned around, and gave the three of them an arrogant smirk.
"Oh, and what is my crime?" he asked, playing dumb.
Meia gave him a hard glance.
"Don't play innocent. You have been worshipping Melzas. And he has been killing the people of this village!" she shouted.
Septimus joined in this sentiment.
"Ronan, stop this madness now. Destroy the statue!" he pleaded.
Ronan's expression was completely unsettling.
"You speak of things you know nothing about. Perhaps the gods should punish you?" he mocked.
"Ronan, you are in no position to talk that way," Link replied.
Ronan just smiled, with a look of malicious content coming over his face. He knew that Link was referring to Sybill's death. And Ronan was all the happier because of it.
As much as he wanted to, Link knew he couldn't attack Ronan and get away with it, and there's no way Ronan would allow Link to destroy the statue.
"Destroy the statue, Ronan," Link repeated.
He gestured for Septimus and Meia to follow him out, and as they left, Ronan laughed.
That night, after Link went to sleep, Jess came up into his room.
"Link..." he muttered.
Jess looked down, and wiped away a tear. He looked back up at Link with both worry and pride, and went back downstairs. The next morning, Link awoke, but there was no noise. No clanging of Jess working in the shop, no conversation, no "good morning" from the kind old man.
"Where is Jess? I wonder where he could have gone..." he muttered.
Link went downstairs to see that Jess was nowhere to be found. Meia was waiting for him just outside of the house.
"Hi Meia...wait...is..is something wrong?" Link asked, taking note of Meia's worried appearance.
"Link...I have something...I have some dreadful news."