Chapter 7
"Quick! I don't care what it takes; just get through that damned door!" Impa yelled to the guards. At the moment the half dozen guards were using pick-ax's trying to get through the great stone door. The very same door, separating Link from life giving air.
She pushed her way through the soldiers. "Move!" she yelled, grabbing something from the pouch at her side. "You're going to slowly; this will be faster." She placed two gray apple size objects in the hole the picks left.
"Impa! You're Using Two? Why? One would even be too much." the guard behind her said as he quickly backed away.
"I told you that I didn't care how we got through." she drew her dagger and took a flint from her pouch. "Get down," she yelled, striking the flint. Seeing this the soldiers ran to cover as quickly as they could. A spark caught the fuse and started traveling the short path to the bomb. "Get down NOW!" She yelled running to cover.
With an immense explosion the remnants of the once great door came raining down on everyone there. "Well that's one way to do it" one of the soldiers chuckled.
"Come on" Impa got up, dusting herself off. Looking around as the smoke cleared she saw link lying in a pile of rubble that was, obliviously, what was left of the door.
"Link!" Impa ran to his side and franticly started looking for a pulse. "Be ok, Link, you have to be ok" she found a feint pulse, but it was quickly fading.
"You three," she pointed at the first three soldiers she saw. "go check the room for what did this."
"Yes ma'am" they saluted in unison and ran into the great hall. "and you two go get the horses ready." two more ran off. She looked at the last one. "and you help me get Link out of here."
"Link… Link… Wake up Link." Impa whispered.
"Ma'am, look he's moving."
Link let out a groan of pain as he rolled to his side. Slowly he opened his eyes. Standing in front of him was Impa and a royal guard.
"Link, are you ok? Speak to me" Link groaned again, rolling his eyes, trying to ignore the pain in his chest.
"Where's Zelda? Come on link, talk to me." Link started mumbling. She leaned in closer to hear him.
"fake… weren't there… how…"
"What, What was fake?" She put her hands on his shoulders. "Link talk to me!" her voice became almost frantic, Impa was nearly shaking him when the guard behind her interrupted her. "Ma'am, we really should let him get some rest. He's obliviously still delirious". "Very well." She let go of Link. "Get well Link, for Zelda's sake"Link rolled onto his back and within a few agonizing minutes was fast asleep.
In the Hallway Impa began pacing.
"Impa, are you ok?"
"I'm fine… but if what happened in that cave can leave the Hero of Time in such a state then we have far more to worry about then just a missing Princess." she had a serious look "I must go consult the other Sages. Keep watch here."
It was a long time after Impa left for the Sages that link finally awoke. Little by little, he opened his eyes to the piercing light. When his eyes focused he felt that there was someone watching him. Slowly he turned his head to see a small face nose to nose with his own. He shrieked, as did the fairy. She flew back quickly in a small blue ball of sparkling light barely stopping before hitting the wall.
"Your Awake!" she exclaimed, happily flying back toward Link.
"Navi, don't Ever do that again." Link slowly sat up and let the little ball of light rest on his knee. As she landed the light faded until it was gone and all that was left was a very tiny girl with gleaming blue wings.
"Oh, sorry Link." Navi chattered quickly "I just wasn't sure if you were awake, you where talking in your sleep. Then all the sudden you rolled over and scarred me." She sat down in his knee and folded her hands in her lap.
"Well what do you expect?" Link asked irritably. "If you rolled over to find someone mere inches from your face? I'm sure you'd scream too."
"I'm pretty sure I would." She stood up again and began pacing his knee. "But I didn't think I'd wake you, seeing how you've been sleeping for a week." she said, mischievously silencing a slight giggle
"What! I've been asleep how long!" Link Jerked causing Navi to use her wings to regain her balance.
"Whoa, I'm just kidding. You've only been asleep for a couple hours." She started Laughing. "That's not funny Navi."
"Oh Yes it is" She quickly quieted down to just a snicker. "Even so, I didn't mean to startle you awake, but I do have something really important to tell you." She fluttered above his knee becoming a glowing ball again "Impa wanted me to have you meet her in the Temple of Light, right away."
"Well then I shouldn't keep her waiting." The ball of light quickly moved and hovered near the door, as Link got ready.
Amidst a grand, glowing chamber, six people stand anxiously talking in front of an incomplete Triforce. The two pieces that are there shine with a very faint golden light and the void where the last, uppermost piece should be, is consumed in shadows. "What could this mean?" The Sage Ruto asked looking to find the answers in the eyes of her companions. Others broke in with there own questions. "How could he be gaining his power locked away?" "He can't someone or something else must have…" The chorus of voices broke off as they heard the faint steps approaching their sanctuary.
"This is not good Link." The little blue fairy darted around link's head like a bug.
"Of course it's not good Navi, nothing ever is when I'm called to this place." Link walked through the great arch into the center of the room. "Link, good to see that your ok." the great sage Raru spoke first.
"Oh I'm doing just about as well as can be expected. So what is the prob…" Link went silent as he laid eyes upon the Triforce. "This is why you're here" Raru motioned toward it. "as you can see."
Link rushed up to it. "What is this?" Panic struck his voice. "Is our power not strong enough to hold Gannon in the sacred realm? He couldn't have gotten out could he?" He looked at the sages in total disbelief of what he was seeing.
"No Link, Gannon is still locked away. But we believe that this is connected to the disappearance of Zelda." Impa walked towards him. "We called you here because we need to know what happened in that cave. I have told the other sages all I know about Zelda's abduction and I think you might hold the rest of the pieces to this terrible puzzle."
"Indeed you may Link." Raru spoke up. "Very well, I'll tell you what I can remember." Link then described to them the cave and the battle that took place therein with his dark twin.
"And that's when the thing I assumed was Zelda dissipated in a cloud of poisonous pink smoke." Link's head went down in disappointment. "I have to find her. I have to save her"
This time it was Saria that spoke up. "You will Link, and we will help. You see the poison that you inhaled is a specific type, made from sulfur only found in the pits far beneath Death Mountain. And that voice you heard only confirms it. You must find the darkest cave as he said."
"Yet if it is true then we must find a way to get you there before this, Shadow Link, can find a way to release Gannon." Ruto pointed at the Triforce.
"My Brother, you know Death Mountain and all her hidden caves better than anyone in Hyrule. Please tell me where to find the darkest cave there." Link went over to Darunia.
"Yes I do, and I believe I know exactly which one we need to find."