CHAPTER SIX: TRUTH
In the Palace of Storms, Vaati was fuming. Matters were becoming increasingly complicated.
The Princess had discovered her powers, and had used them. Now it would be impossible to drain them without killing the girl. He'd hoped to drain her magic and leave her alive, since his allies had plans for her.
Still, it could not be helped. He needed the girl's powers. Without them, his plan to conquer Hyrule would fail. He had to capture the Princess and drain her magic.
Also, that whelp Link was becoming very annoying, even dangerous. He'd felt the surge of magical power that had filled the boy. He'd once theorized that it was indeed possible for Hylians to use magic. However, no Hylian could have possibly harnessed that much power.
He should not have been able to do what he did.
This notion was very troubling. Link had to be removed; both he and his allies were in perfect agreement, though his allies likely had their own reasons. Still, Vaati was intrigued as well as unnerved by Link. He couldn't be a Hylian...
Suddenly, Vaati's two allies burst into the room, the shadows still concealing their faces. "Sorcerer," the elder said, "we are running out of time. Whatever your schemes involve, we must conclude them in less than three days!"
"Oh?" Vaati replied. "And why is that?"
"Because, you old fool," the younger hissed, "our spies in the Castle just informed us that the Emperor of Aldare will be visiting Hyrule within three days! If you try springing your army on the King when the Emperor gets here, the entire Aldarian Fleet will blast us all into oblivion!"
Vaati nodded; that would be a problem. "Do not worry, my friends." he assured them. "I will deal with Link, and our plan will be carried out long before mighty Aldare arrives. I promise you that."
Link had spent the rest of the day re-supplying for the trip to the Fire Sanctum, gotten a good night's sleep, and had set out on Epona, heading to the Death Mountain Range.
The day before, he had been there when Zelda had shown her transformed self to her father, before reverting back to her Hylian form. Her father had been so happy for her, and Link had been so glad to see that her powers were accepted. It had reminded him why he had undertaken this quest; it was for Zelda's sake, as well as the entire Royal Family, to make sure that Vaati could never threaten them again. His resolve strengthened, Link kept going.
"Link! Wait up!"
Slowing Epona, Link turned and was amazed to see Zelda, in her Fairy-form, come flying up to him. "Zelda? What are you doing here?" Link asked.
"I'm coming with you!" Zelda said touching down.
Link nearly fell out of his saddle. "W-What!" he cried.
"I'm coming with you." Zelda repeated.
"Zel..." Link began, trying to get her to see how dangerous this was, that he couldn't let anything happen to her.
But Zelda stopped him. "Link, I know what you're going to say." she said calmly. "I know that you want to protect me, and I love you for it, but now that I have these powers, I can't sit by, anymore, especially since it's my family that you're trying to help. Please...let me help you."
Link sighed, smiling. "There's no way I can convince you not to go, is there?"
Zelda smiled and shook her head. "No. Sorry." she cooed.
"Okay, then." Link agreed. "But I want you to stay close to me, and conserve your energy; I don't want you to get hurt because you became too weak to fly. And please be careful, Zel. This is dangerous."
"I will." Zelda replied. Then, she changed back to her normal form, back in her regular gown, to conserve her energy. Link then helped her up into the saddle, and then they kept going.
Before long, they reached the Mountain Range, where Epona could no longer go. Link and Zelda dismounted, and Zelda transformed, flying up to scout ahead. Link made his way up the mountains with relative ease, managing to keep pace with Zelda as he leapt from one rock outcrop to the next, climbing up the cliff-side.
After a while, they reached a peak, and stopped to look around, Zelda descending to rest on the rock, to catch her breath. "I'm okay." she assured him, smiling for him.
Link smiled back, but he still worried for his beloved Zelda. True, she had strong magical powers, but she had no training in their use, and her mystical stamina was a bit low. Link knew that was only because she'd just gotten her powers a day ago – she was still learning – but that could put her in danger.
He had to make sure she was safe.
Then, in the distance, Link saw it: a fairly large, dome-shaped building, made entirely of red marble.
The Fire Sanctum.
"It's over there!" Link exclaimed.
Instantly, Zelda perked up, her energy renewed; she could be quite spunky, at times, Link noted with a proud smile. "Let's go!" Zelda declared, taking to the air and flying towards the Sanctum. Smiling, Link hurried after her.
Soon, they reached the Sanctum, and headed inside, Zelda descending to the ground, since there was no room to fly. The first chamber was a long corridor, ending with a ladder, going down, deep into the earth. Walking over to the ladder, Link began to climb down the ladder, as Zelda simply used her wings to descend slowly to the bottom.
The next chamber was very vast, consisting of a long bridge over a lake of lava, and the heat was nearly unbearable. Carefully, Link and Zelda made their way across, Link staying in the lead, on guard, as Zelda followed, on foot, to avoid depleting her magical energy, saving it for when she needed it. They soon reached the door on the other side of the bridge, and headed into the next room.
In the next chamber, there was another lava pool, with a lava waterfall, and a platform hovering in the middle of the room. Link could see the next door behind the waterfall, but trying to reach it would mean certain death. Then, Link saw a switch up in the rock walls of the chamber. Taking out his Boomerang, Link threw it, triggering the switch, and caught the Boomerang on its return arc. The platform began to move, in a circular pattern around the room, passing through the searing waterfall, before heading their way.
"Link, I've got an idea!" Zelda exclaimed. Then, she concentrated, forming a ball of frigid magic energy in her hands. She then cast it at the edge of the lava-falls, where the searing molten rock began its descent. The frozen orb impacted on the target, solidifying the lava, stopping the flow.
"Zelda, you're brilliant!" Link exclaimed, causing Zelda to sweetly blush. Then, they both hopped onto the floating platform, letting it take them safely to the previously-inaccessible door, where they got off and entered it, heading to the next room.
The next chamber took them onto a cliff overlooking a lava pit. A fair distance down, on a cliff on the other side of the pit, was the next door. Suddenly, from the pit, several lava-geysers shot up, their peaks forming solid platforms, and as they descended, for a brief instant, they formed a clear path to the next door.
Link got an idea; holding onto Zelda's hand, he concentrated, waiting for the next set of geysers. When the moment was right, he yelled, "Stop!" At once, time in the chamber stopped, the geysers forming their path.
Only Link and Zelda could move about. "Link...is that...your Time Magic?" Zelda asked.
Link nodded, and replied, "We'd best hurry, Zelda, before time resumes its flow!" Then, he lifted her into his arms, carrying her as he leapt from platform-to-platform, landing safely before the next door, just as time resumed, and the geysers fell back into the lava. Link set Zelda back onto her feet, and then they headed into the next chamber.
The final chamber had no other door; it was an island in the lava, with sixteen holes in it...and it was eerily familiar to Link. Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and out of one of the holes flew a long, serpentine dragon, with glowing, red-hot scales, a flaming red mane of dreadlocks, and a hard, bony head.
It was Volvagia, the Subterranean Lava Dragon, the foe that Link had faced and vanquished in the Fire Temple.
Navi darted out of Link's cap. "Link, you remember how to defeat Volvagia, right?" she squeaked. "When he pops his head out, smash him with your Hammer! He's also vulnerable to the cold, so ice-magic should slow him down!"
Then, Volvagia dove back into a hole in the island. Link drew his Megaton Hammer, waiting for Volvagia to come back out. When the dragon reared its ugly head, Link pounded it with his Hammer, forcing it to retreat, roaring in pain. Volvagia then flew out of its hole, ready to breathe fire, but Zelda had taken to the air and was pelting the dragon with frosty blasts, making Volvagia start to get sluggish. Howling, Volvagia retreated to another hole. When he stuck his head out again, Link gave him a few more sharp smashes with his Hammer. When Volvagia tried to retreat, Link summoned his own magic, firing a frosty beam, freezing the hole closed, trapping the dragon and allowing Link to deliver the fatal blow; he pulled back and smashed Volvagia's bony skull, and the dragon fell, disintegrating. It was dead.
As Link put his weapons away, a familiar altar – this one made of red marble – rose out of the ground, with a ball of red light on it: the Fire Essence. Walking over, Link picked it up and put it away. Now, only the Water Essence was left for him to find, and then he could challenge and defeat Vaati. Then, a bright light engulfed Link and Zelda, transporting them out of the Sanctum.
The light deposited them at the base of the Mountain Range, where Epona was. Turning to Zelda, Link smiled and said, "I really appreciated your help in the Sanctum, Zel."
Zelda smiled shyly at the compliment. "Goodness..." she said, "...I had no idea your adventures were so taxing!"
"You'd be surprised." Link chuckled. "But how did you convince your father to let you come with me?"
Zelda looked guilty at that. "Um...he thinks I'm just out practicing with my magic, which isn't exactly a lie!"
Link chuckled again. "You sneaky little vixen!" he sweetly teased.
Zelda laughed with him. "But I think I'll a bit of real practice before I go with you any more; I should make sure I can use my powers as best I can." she said. Smiling flirtatiously, she added, "For now, I'll leave the adventuring to the man who does it best." Then, still keeping her flirty smile, she flew off. "See you at the Castle!" she called, as she flew away.
Link was about to follow her, when he heard a cry for help, his Triforce warning him of evil nearby. Mounting Epona, he rode off, heading in the direction of the cry.
Link came to a trade caravan leaving Hyrule, being attacked by several men, apparently Hylians, clad in black. Some of the traders were trying to fight them off, but not with much luck. Dismounting, Link drew his Sword, darting over to dispense with these bandits.
The instant they saw him, the bandits ran for their horses and rode off, as fast as they could go. As Link sheathed his blade, the head trader came over to Link. "Thank you, Link! You saved us!" he said.
"No need to thank me." Link replied. Then, he spotted something on the ground: it was a small scrap of black cloth, with a crest of a serpent moving in a coiling path around the Triforce.
It was Ruthlage's family crest.
Picking up the cloth, Link asked, "Did this come from the bandits?"
"Why, yes." the trader replied. "We managed to nick one of them; that must have gotten torn off."
"I see." Link said. "His Majesty must hear of this." Then, bidding farewell to the traders, Link mounted Epona, putting the cloth away, and rode off for Hyrule Castle.
Before long, he'd arrived. Dismounting, Link hurried to the throne room, where he found the King. "Ah, Link, you're here!" the King said. "No doubt, you've heard about these new bandits attacking our trade routes. They're likely run-of-the-mill rogues trying to take advantage of Vaati's schemes."
"Sire, I fear it may be more than that." Link replied. He handed the cloth to the King. "I found this at a caravan where bandits had attacked."
The King took the cloth, examined it...and his face went red. "Ruthlage is involved with this!" he exploded. "Why, I'll bet he's the traitor who allowed Zelda to be kidnapped! When I get through with him..!"
"Please, Sire!" Link pleaded, calming the King. "We mustn't be hasty in this. I desire to see justice done as much as you, but if Ruthlage is working with Vaati, then we must be ready for the sorcerer's attacks; revealing what we know could force Vaati to accelerate his plans when we aren't prepared. Please, Sire; only one more Essence remains. Once I get that tomorrow, I can counter Vaati's magic. If we wait until then to force Ruthlage's hand, we should be able to handle whatever he throws at us!"
The King smiled approvingly at Link's advice. "Lad, you are indeed wise beyond your years; you would make a fine Commander, or King, I'm sure." he said. "All right, I will heed your advice. But, just to be safe, I'm instructing my Knights to be on the alert for anything out of the ordinary. As you say, we must be ready."
Link nodded, agreeing completely. Vaati would surely try harder to stop him, now that only one Essence remained.
Once Link claimed the Water Essence, he could finally rid Hyrule of the evil that had plagued it for so long.