Across the Ocean
By Dominus Princeps
Chapter Seven
Why do I always end up getting captured? Medli thought, frustrated as she was prodded through the winding tunnels of some cave she had awoken in. An Iron Knuckle was jabbing her in the back with the haft of his axe whenever she slowed down. Makar was tied to her head.
"Keep walking, prisoner!" the Iron Knuckle rumbled, his deep voice almost making his facemask vibrate. Medli turned, stuck her tongue out, and received a jarring armored backhand similar to the one she had gotten however long ago it was that she and Makar were obliviously traveling through the woods. This blow made colored sparks explode in front of her eyes, but it wasn't strong enough to knock her out, like the last one was.
"No attitude, prisoner!" the Iron Knuckle growled. Biting back tears, Medli picked herself up. Her head was pounding from the blow, and her cheek was bleeding from the rough spikes on the Iron Knuckle's gauntlet. Medli walked stiffly down the dark, damp corridors of the cave. As she thought about it, the place reminded her somewhat of the Shadow Temple...in that it was dark, creepy, and there was danger right behind her around every turn. Makar whimpered quietly as he shivered. Medli wanted to pat him and tell him they'd be fine, but she knew that that action would only get her an armored backhand. Makar began shaking even harder, and Medli realized that he wasn't shaking...he was almost vibrating. When she heard a strange giggle and saw the Iron Knuckle whirl at a triple-fireball attack, Medli quickly yanked Makar from her head, pulling the ropes off with him. She turned to face the Iron Knuckle and saw him fruitlessly trying to battle the Wizrobe that was rapidly teleporting around and hurling triple-fireball assaults at the Iron Knuckle. A golden-dressed Wizrobe appeared and summoned two Black Knights. The Iron Knuckle shrank from his barrage of assailants, then was brutally finished by a double jump attack from the Knights, which knocked his armor off, and a hail of six fireballs from the twin Wizrobes. His charred body vanished in purple smoke.
"Nice one, Makar," Medli grinned.
"Those ropes chafe! My bark is sore!" Makar sighed. Medli looked around.
"Where are we, I wonder? When I woke up, that Iron Knuckle was carrying me. Then, he set me down and made me walk. So...we could be anywhere," Medli sighed. Makar sighed again.
"Wait, don't you have that Gossip Stone thingy? You can at least talk to Link!" Makar said. Medli nodded.
"You're right. Let's see here...aha!" she pulled it out from where it was hanging around her neck. Medli pulled it over her head and looked at it.
"Link? Link, can you hear me?" she tilted her head as she gazed into it. Suddenly, an image appeared...a cold, stone chamber with several braziers lit. The hulking figure of the Black Knuckle was easily recognizable; with him was a woman dressed in an outlandishly tight pink top and puffed, long pink pants.
"We'll just wait here for them...they're sure to come, now," Medli heard the Black Knuckle say to the woman. "Excellent work with Link."
"What else do I and my girls do?" the woman grinned, a predatory look on her face. The view shifted as Link apparently stirred.
"Master, I think that they, being Medli and the Korok, are nearing us. Shall we prepare?" a voice that was oddly familiar asked. Medli couldn't see who was speaking.
"Yes...in fact, why not go out and greet them yourself?" the Black Knuckle chuckled.
"As you wish," the speaker said. Medli heard his footsteps as the unseen speaker exited.
"We'd better get ready, Makar. It sounds like they led us here on purpose. Summon a Master Wizrobe and a Mothula and I'll ready a Stalfos and a Blue Bubble, okay?" Medli planned.
"Right!" Makar said as he stood on top of her head. He vibrated with power, and then Medli heard the odd chime-like sound of the Wizrobe teleporting. She also heard the soft wingbeats of the Mothula. Medli summoned her Blue Bubble, which emitted its echoing cackle, and her Stalfos, whose bones clacked as it jogged after them. They wound down and down into the caves until they reached a level place, circular in shape, with braziers lining the walls.
"Medli! I've been looking all over for you! Link's been captured by the Black Knuckle; we've gotta get to him. Follow me!" Komali ran from an entrance to her right.
"You didn't try to get him out?" Medli asked.
"I did, but now they're chasing me because I got caught. Between you and Makar, we'll have plenty of power to fight these guys!" Komali gasped as he stopped running.
"Gotcha. Let's go!" Medli nodded.
"Wait, Medli...wasn't that..." Makar began. Komali waved at them.
"We've gotta go!" he urged. Medli jogged after him, Stalfos, Blue Bubble, Mothula, and Master Wizrobe in tow.
"I think that was him talking..." Makar whispered. Medli blinked.
"No way...wait..." she gasped. Komali turned to her. His face was eerie in the blue light cast by the Blue Bubble.
"Medli...what else could I do to save Link? I had to pretend I was one of them in order to get information! I had to pretend to be under his influence! But it was just a trick!" Komali said. "Now, let's go!"
"Komali...there's something funny about you..." Medli began, stepping away from the boy. His eyes...Medli was sure she saw them flash yellow. She turned and ran, and just in time. His sword bounced off the harp on her back as he swung it at her while she was fleeing. She bounded into the circular room and spun to face him. He dashed out and received a stomach-full of spiky Stalfos mace. Winded, Komali barely leaped over the secondary sweeping swing and beat his wings to escape the Stalfos. He wove in and out of the Master Wizrobe's triple-fireball and dodged a swoop from the Mothula. He struck the Blue Bubble with his sword but only managed to deter the flying skull. Komali landed and leaped at Makar's Wizrobe, but only slashed air when he swung for it. It teleported away and let loose another tri-fire assault. Komali was hit dead-on by one fireball as he tried to dodge and was knocked flat from the force. He rolled away from a Stalfos strike and spin-kicked its head off. Komali plunged his short sword into the Stalfos' head, defeating the warrior. As the Blue Bubble dove at the Rito boy, Komali whirled away from it and beat his wings furiously at the skull, extinguishing its eerie blue flame. He stomped on it, killing the Blue Bubble.
"That's not good...I'm fresh out of summoning power..." Medli muttered as she strained to call a Black ChuChu. It wouldn't come. In the meantime, Komali had hacked off one of the Mothula's wings and then proceeded to stab it in the belly, killing it. He hit the ground and came face to face with three Black Knights, a Bokoblin, and two mountain Eagles.
"Din's Fire!" Komali roared. Suddenly, a dome of flame surrounded the Rito boy and then spread forth in all directions, destroying his enemies quickly. As the Master Wizrobe appeared, Komali hurled his sword at it, piercing it in the chest and pinning it against the wall. He turned to Medli and Makar and advanced on the pair, a predatory gleam in his eyes. Medli turned to flee, but Komali sprinted forward and caught her by the ponytail. She yelped in pain as he yanked backward, pulling her to the ground. Medli hit hard and wheezed as the air in her lungs was pushed out. Makar squealed as he toppled from Medli's head. Komali stood over Medli, holding her down with his foot on her stomach. He held the squirming Makar in his right hand.
"How does it feel to be under my power? For two years, I was caught by your spell; now I have the power. And I command you to love me!" he cackled. Medli was having trouble breathing from the pressure from his foot.
"What are you talking about, Komali? You really...need to get over this!" Medli gasped, her eyes widening as the boy pushed harder on her stomach.
"Silence! I will not tolerate a servant who talks back!" Komali glared. He turned to Makar.
"Now...as for the annoyance who singed my tunic..." Komali grinned evilly. In his hand formed a ball of fire. Makar screamed and began wriggling desperately in Komali's grip. Suddenly, the flat of a huge, serrated blade slammed into the Rito boy, knocking him into a wall. With the last of its fading strength, the Master Wizrobe had summoned a Black Knight. The Master Wizrobe drooped and then vanished in purple smoke. Komali picked himself up and growled in anger.
"You'll pay for this, you little-" he didn't finish his sentence. A spiked mace whirled into his stomach. Medli's quickly summoned Stalfos saluted smartly. Medli pulled out her spare grappling hook and used it to quickly tie the unconscious Rito boy.
"Medli...I don't think Komali's okay," Makar whimpered as he clambered up her ponytail.
"I agree, Makar. He's being controlled; that much is obvious. His voice is almost metallic, and he's nowhere near the Komali I knew and taught," Medli replied, sighing. She took out a length of rope and wound it around Komali's unconscious form. The Black Knight slung the bound Komali over his shoulder and walked along behind the pair, with the Stalfos Knight. The four of them plus Komali wandered into a dimly lit room. Medli, hearing sudden motion, dropped to the ground. Her Stalfos along with the Knight was instantly vaporized by a huge, black ball of energy. Komali dropped to the ground with a dull thud. Medli's eyes adjusted to the light, allowing her to barely see the easily recognizable bulk of the Black Knuckle.
"You've certainly done well thus far, little Sages. But now you'll die, and for my benefit, nonetheless. How ironic. You build your powers to save the world from evil only to have them taken to empower a sorcerer such as myself," the heavily armored villain chuckled. Medli circled around to see if there was some way to trick the Black Knuckle. Her foot brushed something...the hilt of a sword. The Prism Sword! Medli quickly grabbed it and unsheathed the weapon.
"The last time you tried that, I defeated you just as easily as I would've were you unarmed," the Knuckle taunted. Medli growled with evident distaste and held the sword tightly. She rushed at the Black Knuckle but was knocked flat by something impacting her face at high speed. The braziers suddenly were lighted, and Medli found herself on the ground looking straight up at a woman dressed in a tight pink top and fluffy pink pants. Medli scrambled to her feet to avoid a double-scimitar slash and turned to face the woman.
"You, with your heart and ferocity, should have been a Gerudo, little Rito. Too bad they taught you those 'morals' when you were younger," the woman scoffed. Medli frowned and held Link's sword with two hands. The woman advanced confidently on Medli, and then, right before she was in range of Medli's sword, agilely flipped over Medli's head, landed behind her, and spin-kicked her in the back of the head, knocking the hapless Rito flat. Medli, dazed by the second blow to her head in the last several minutes, blinked to clear the stars from her eyes. When her vision cleared, she saw the woman standing right over her, swords raised almost ceremonially. Medli rolled onto her stomach, and the swords were stopped as they hit Medli's gilt harp. Medli somersaulted away and got to her feet. She faced her attacker and let out a breath to focus.
Okay...this woman is faster, stronger, and better at combat than I am. So how can I beat her? Medli pondered. She tried to summon a Blue Bubble to suppress the woman's fighting, but felt a strange force weighing on her. Medli guessed it was the Black Knuckle and sighed. The woman in pink laughed mockingly, front-flipped toward Medli, and slashed her sabers in intricate arcs. Medli held the Prism Sword in front of her and tried to stop the blades. She somehow managed to block the attack, to her surprise. Medli turned the temporary reeling of her foe to her advantage and pressed the attack, swinging the Prism Sword at her opponent. The woman easily blocked the attack and kicked at Medli. The Rito girl ducked the now-expected kick and stabbed the Prism Sword forward. Her foe trapped the Prism Sword in her twin blades and attempted to wrench it from Medli's grip.
"Medli! Over here!" Makar shouted. Medli looked over to the Korok as she tried to keep her grip on the hilt of the Prism Sword. Makar had found and freed Link! Medli turned back to her foe and narrowed her eyes. She unfurled one wing and beat the woman across the body with the wide, blunt limb, distracting the warrior. The momentary distraction was all Medli needed to tug the Prism Sword free and toss it over to Link.
"Nice fighting, by the way," Link grinned as he whirled his blade. He was missing his shield, which Medli guessed that the Black Knuckle had taken, but was still equally dangerous with just a sword in his hand. The woman in pink shrugged and stepped toward Link. She swung her twin scimitars at Link in another series of deadly yet beautiful curves. Link blocked one slash, rolled under another, and dropped to the ground in a sweep slash to avoid and counter a last attack. His foe barely avoided losing her ankles, but slipped on a patch of ice that had formed when the Prism Sword was swung at her. She landed flat on her back and rolled to avoid Link plunging his sword at her. Taking a deep breath, she circled Link. Link held his sword in a ready stance, the thrill of the battle evident in his posture and expression. Medli watched the fight worriedly. The two of them seemed evenly matched...and even if Link won, he'd have to fight the Black Knuckle afterwards...
"Ready?" the woman cried, jumping for Link. Link tilted his head, sidestepped her jump, and whirled to her, resting his sword on her throat.
"A little wild, there," he grinned. She gasped.
"You can't have..." she stammered. Link looked up.
"Hey, where'd..." he started. When he looked away, the woman's foot arced into his crotch. Link's eyes bulged, and he dropped his sword and fell over, holding himself and rolling around, agony written all over his face.
"This isn't the last of the Gerudo clan!" the woman said. There was a hissing of a smoke bomb, and when the smoke cleared, there was only Medli, the writhing Link, Makar, and Komali bound and unconscious.
"You'll be okay, Link. At least I know that you're a boy for sure," Medli grinned as she helped him up. Link winced and nodded.
"Thanks for the support," he muttered darkly. She sighed.
"So...where are we?" the Rito girl asked. Link looked around and frowned.
"I don't quite know. I guess we should go through that tunnel and see where it leads. What's the worst that could happen, right?" he shrugged.
"Hey, where'd the Black Knuckle go?" Makar wondered as he clambered up Medli's ponytail. Link sighed.
"I wondered that, too, for a split second...which was just long enough for that woman to give me a shot straight to the-" he grunted.
"Besides, that's not too bad, I guess. If he's not here, then we can proceed without worry," Medli cut in.
"What about Komali?" Makar asked. Link and Medli turned back to the unconscious Rito prince.
"Oh...right. Should we wake him?" Medli asked Link, sighing. Before Link could respond, Komali stirred, groaned, and blinked his eyes open.
"Uh...why am I tied up? And what's going on here?" the boy inquired, looking supremely puzzled by the situation. Medli and Link met eyes.
"You don't remember fighting us?" Medli asked. Komali looked back and forth between Link and Medli.
"This isn't some sort of mean joke, is it? 'Cause I hate those, especially when I have no idea what's going on or what's been going on. What day is it? Last I remember was seeing you two at the market at Windfall," the Rito prince said, discomfort evident in his voice. Medli and Link shared an incredulous gaze and turned back to Komali.
"That's the last you remember?" Link asked to make sure. Komali nodded. He tilted his head.
"Hey, what's that?" he asked. Medli noted he was looking slightly above her, meaning he was looking at...
"Oh, that's Makar. He's a Korok and a big friend of Link's," Medli replied. Komali nodded.
"Hey, uh...could you let me free?" the prince gave them a pleading look.
"He reminds me of my old student...let him loose, Link," Medli whispered. Link shrugged, unsheathed the Prism Sword, and cut Komali free. Komali stood. He put a hand on his sword's scabbard.
"...Where's my sword?" he pondered.
"Oh, it's back where...uh, you fought Makar and me," Medli replied. The four of them backtracked to where Komali's sword was still embedded in the wall. Komali grabbed the hilt and tugged hard on it.
"Darn...it's stuck tight. Who did this?" he frowned.
"Uh...you did, Komali," Makar squeaked uneasily. Komali whirled to Makar and Medli.
"Why do you guys keep saying that I did this stuff? I didn't fight you and I sure as hell didn't do that! I can't even pull it loose; how could I have stuck it in there?" the Rito prince asked, frustrated.
"Well, it's a long story...but not fifteen minutes ago, you, Makar, and I had a huge battle royale, you versus us. It was weird...your eyes kept flashing this sick yellow color," Medli explained. Komali's brow furrowed.
"Strange...it seems as though I remember that, but it's like it was a dream I had...not like something I experienced," the Rito boy sighed. Link, in the meantime, had managed to yank Komali's blade from the fissure in the wall it had created.
"Here you go," Link handed the prince his sword. Komali sheathed it, and the four of them returned to the chamber where Link had battled the woman in pink.
"Oh, where's my shield?" Link grumbled, looking around. They split up to search for Link's Mirror Shield, but no one found anything.
"Sorry, Link..." Medli shrugged, "I don't think it's anywhere here."
"It's alright. I've done without a shield before," Link sighed. They turned to the dark tunnel ahead of them. Medli summoned a Red Bubble for light and led the way, taking Link's hand in hers. Komali followed them, eyeing Link's fingers with a mixture of envy and sadness.
I remember most of it...it wasn't like a dream...it was all me, but there was a foreign piece to it. That's what made me mean...partly. I am bitter, but...I know I can't...can't ever...damn it.
ooo
"What in the world...?" Komali gaped at the huge stone monolith at the end of the passage. It was lit by the flickering light of the Red Bubble. Link squinted to read the inscription on the stone. Medli had the Red Bubble hover close to the stone so that Link could read the carving. Link pulled out the Wind Waker and conducted a smooth, lilting melody. He stood frozen for a moment or two and then opened his eyes.
"We've gotta go find the Sage of Water, now. Supposedly, the Sage plays a guitar. We'll be hard-pressed to find someone in all of the world with that identical guitar, but..." Link remarked.
"What's he talking about?" Komali asked, curious.
"Well...the original Sages of the temples are long since dead, these days. So, we have to find the modern incarnation of said Sages, who can be distinguished by their carrying of the instrument that the original Sages played," Medli explained. Komali nodded.
"Alright, let's get out of here and go searching for that Sage!" Link grinned. They jogged from the chamber with the Red Bubble in the lead. They moved through the place they had fought the woman in pink, through the arena where Medli and Makar had fought Komali, then up a long, spiraling path. After almost five minutes of jogging, they broke through out of a cave entrance. It was evening.
"Man...I wonder where the King of Red Lions is. We should find the shore and follow it till we get to the boat," Link sighed. Medli unsummoned her Red Bubble and took Link's hand as they descended the hill that the cave was situated on top of. Makar sighed and yawned.
"I'm tired..." he remarked. Komali chuckled.
"Don't fall off Medli's head, Korok," he grinned. Makar turned around and snorted.
"I won't. I have superior balance," Makar said, tilting his body up so that it looked like he would be holding his head high if he had one.
"Alright. I'll take your word for it," Komali smiled. Link's pocket suddenly shook.
"Hey!" a voice came from it. Link took his hand from Medli's and fished his Gossip Stone out of his pocket. Tetra gazed out of the stone.
"What happened back there? I tried to contact you, but there was some kind of interference!" the pirate said worriedly.
"Don't worry; we're fine. Just a run-in with the Black Knuckle, but nobody's hurt. Now we're off to look for the Sage of Water," Link replied.
"The Black Knuckle? You're sure you're safe?" Tetra frowned.
"Yeah, we're alright. We're all in one piece," Link nodded. Tetra sighed.
"Alright. Well, see you around, I guess. If you see us, come by so we can have a little catch-up session, okay?" she said.
"Uh...where are you?" Link asked.
"Oh, you know...just sailing, looking for anything that might help you," Tetra shrugged.
"Okay, well...see ya," Link pocketed his Gossip Stone. They had since reached the beach and were now walking along it. The evening sun cast a gemlike light across the water.
"Think it'll take long to reach the King of Red Lions?" Komali asked. Link shook his head.
"The island isn't very big, relatively. Neither, of course, was Gale Isle, or the other two islands with the temples underneath them," the blond boy replied. Komali nodded. Makar's soft snores made Medli giggle.
"He's sound asleep," she grinned, taking him from her head to cradle him in her arms to keep him from falling.
"And he said he'd stay on," Komali chuckled. Link shook his head.
"Don't cross Makar, though. He's a powerful Sage, what with those Wizrobes and Mothulas," Link commented.
"Sage? He's a Sage?" Komali gasped. Link and Medli shared a look.
"Right...you don't know about these things. I forgot. Uh...how can we say this...Medli is, too," Link remarked.
"I was wondering about that Red Bubble..." Komali grinned knowingly. He sighed.
"So...where should we start looking for this third Sage?" the Rito prince asked.
"Fourth. Don't forget Goto," Link reminded.
"Who?" Komali blinked.
"Oh, right...you don't know him. He's the Sage of Shadow," Medli said.
"When did you find him?" he pondered.
"When we went to the Shadow Temple...and you don't know we went there, either," Link sighed. Komali sighed.
"Man!" he growled, frustrated. It's hard to keep this façade...I remember most of that, and the parts I don't, for some reason they're already in my memory...as if someone was using my brain for something...
"Well...here we are!" Link grinned as his red sailboat came into view.
"Anyway, I repeat, where should we start looking for the fourth Sage?" Komali asked.
"Hmm...let's return to Outset and check up on my family. Besides, someone might know something about a legend, seeing as the island is so close to this one. Oh, and, Komali? Hang on," Link replied. He pulled out the Wind Waker. Komali's brow furrowed.
"What?" he asked. Medli grabbed his wrist as she clung to the mast. Her move wasn't a moment too soon. The red boat spun into the air and shot northeast.
"What the heck?" Komali shouted over the raucous winds.
"Ballad of Cyclones! Useful song!" Link grinned, hanging onto the tiller. Makar whimpered as he clung to Medli's shin desperately. They touched down quickly a few hundred yards from Outset Island's shores. The ship rode the waves till it reached the small pier, which Link hopped onto with rope in his hands. He deftly tied the boat to the pier and then reached his hand out to help Medli ashore. Makar flew onto the pier using his leaf propeller; Komali clambered onto the deck by himself. The four of them walked down the pier and were greeted by numerous Outset natives.
"We saw the tornado and were a little worried, but it was just you, huh, Link?" someone smiled. Link nodded.
"Yeah, nothing to worry about," he replied. Orca bowed to Link.
"Has the Prism Sword served you well?" the old weapon master asked. Link snorted.
"It's a weird blade, but...yeah, it has," he answered.
"Yes...it has odd properties, I agree, but it is nonetheless a powerful and fearsome weapon," Orca said reverently. Link nodded.
"Say...where's that reflective shield?" the old man frowned.
"I lost it...it was taken from me, I think," Link sighed. Orca shook his head.
"Shame...it was truly a great piece of work. Still, I'm sure you'll find it again. Such a shield would be hard to keep from prying eyes, I think," he tilted his head. Link shrugged.
"Well...I'm going to go home, okay?" Link said. He took Medli's hand as they walked up the ramp to his house.
"Wow, this is really a beautiful island..." Komali said, awestruck by the scenery.
"It's certainly different from Dragon Roost," Medli replied, smiling. Komali nodded. Link knocked on his door and then opened it when no one came to the door. He looked around the house.
"Weird...nobody's home," Link frowned. Medli let go of his hand and picked up a sheet of paper on the ground.
"One week only! Famous musician touring! Windfall, Auction House, from 5-7 p.m. each night! Tickets 20 rupees!" she read aloud.
"Musician, huh? Think it might be the one we're looking for?" Komali grinned.
"Yay, musician! Maybe you're right, Komali, but either way it'll be fun!" Makar whooped.
"I bet that's where Grandma and Aryll went. Aryll's always loved music," Link remarked. They walked outside the house and noted the wiggling mailbox.
"MAIL'S HERE!" it shouted. Link walked over to the red mailbox.
"Letters for Link? You have one letter!" the jubilant mailbox said, coughing out a letter.
"Dear Big Brother,
Guess what? Grandma got me a new guitar for my birthday a few days ago! And guess what? I'm going on a tour! They said I was so good that they're sponsoring me! Cool, huh? Come to Windfall; I'll get you free admission! Don't be late, Big Bro!
Love, Aryll," Link read. He stopped.
"Guitar...that's right! Aryll plays the guitar! Duh!" he hit himself in the forehead.
"So your sister is the musician playing?" Komali asked.
"And she's the next Sage?" Makar tilted his head/body.
"We'll find out, won't we?" Link grinned.
ooo
The King of Red Lions touched down in Windfall's natural harbor and spun to a stop. Link cruised the boat in and then moored her to the pier. They all exited the boat and walked down the pier.
"It's late afternoon...the concert should be soon," Medli remarked, eyeing the sun. Link consulted his compass/watch and nodded.
"Yeah, around four-fifteen. The concert'll start in forty-five minutes. Let's go find my sister and talk to her," he responded.
"The flyer said that the concert was at the Auction House, right? We should head there," Komali said.
"Yeah. Let's go," Link nodded. They walked through the archway leading to the inner parts of the city. They quickly reached the alabaster building with the crimson door and stepped inside. The sound of an acoustic guitar being tuned reached their ears.
"Sorry, the concert hall is not open yet," a security guard said, crossing his arms.
"That's my sister up there," Link explained.
"Big Brother?" Aryll turned from where she was tuning her guitar. She set the instrument down, leaped from the stage, and threw herself into Link's arms.
"I knew you'd come!" Aryll cheered. Link chuckled and kissed his sister on the forehead.
"You got a new guitar, huh? Let's see it!" he said. He motioned for the other three to follow as Aryll skipped for the stage. Link's sister picked up her guitar, hitched the strap over her shoulder, and rested the guitar on her lap. It was a rich yellow-brown, and the neck of it was black with metal frets. There was a swirling black pattern on the guitar's front.
"That's it. Exactly..." Link murmured. Aryll tilted her head.
"What's up, Big Brother?" she frowned.
"Uh...hey, Aryll, mind if I conduct you for a little?" Link asked, pulling the Wind Waker from his pocket. Aryll shrugged.
"Sure. Ready?" she asked as he stood erect. Link conducted the melody he had learned at the Water Temple's entrance. Aryll listened and then replied with a smooth and soft melody that complemented Link's well.
"Strange...it's like I've known that tune my whole life..." Aryll's voice seemed oddly hollow. She blinked.
"Big Brother, we've gotta get to the Water Temple. I know what we've gotta do!" she urged.
"Gotcha. You guys ready to rock?" Link turned to his companions. They nodded.
"To the Water Temple!"
ooo
Aryll shivered as they descended into the winding tunnels of Tetra's "secret spot".
"Don't worry, Aryll, this place is safe," Medli smiled. Aryll nodded.
"If you say so, Medli..." she responded. Link put a hand on his sister's shoulder as he walked onwards.
"Light, Medli?" he asked. Medli summoned a Red Bubble, which cackled and zipped in front of Link, lighting his way. Aryll's eyes widened at the monster, and she looked from Medli to the fiery skull and back again. Link grinned at Medli and turned back to face the Red Bubble. Medli reached for his hand; his fingers laced with hers. Makar looked around from where he sat on Medli's head; Komali took the rear, hand on the pommel of his sword.
"Ah, here we are. Let's do our thing," Link said to his sister. He let go of Medli's hand and pulled out the Wind Waker. Aryll swung her guitar around from where it had rested on her back. After they played the new melody, the huge stone barrier blocking the entrance burst into many rays of light and then vanished.
"Well...here goes nothing!" Link said, leaping into the hole in the ground. Aryll followed, then Medli and Makar, and lastly, Komali.
"I know I'm gonna regret this..." the Rito prince muttered as he hopped into the hole.