Author's Note: Due to the last chapter being relatively short, I decided to update sooner. I know that this chapter is pretty short, too, so I hope to have the next one up by tomorrow, hopefully.
Also, after much thought, I have decided to give you all a sneak preview of "The Legend of Zelda: Wrath of Majora" once the epilogue is uploaded. I know I said I would do so if I got 15 reviews...but I just can't say no to all of you! You've all been great!
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one, too! If you like it, please review! Thanks!
CHAPTER SEVEN: MUSTERING
The next day, sometime after sunrise, Link was riding towards Hyrule's coastline, to begin the search for the last Sanctum.
Only one was left, now. After that, Link could shatter Vaati's power, and slay the evil creature once and for all.
After a few hours, around noon, Link and Epona finally reached the clean, white-sand beaches of Hyrule's coast. Link dismounted from Epona, and said to the fine mare, "Okay, girl, you can head back to Lon Lon Ranch, so you can rest up. I'll be okay, so go back home and get some rest. You deserve it, girl." Epona whinnied in agreement, and turned, galloping off. Epona was a smart horse; she knew the way. Link then began to walk along the beach, beginning his search.
After a while, Link saw it: a large palace, built from aquamarine, standing where the waves crashed into the beach. It was the Water Sanctum. Walking up its steps, Link headed inside.
Inside the blue stone corridors of the Sanctum, Link was amazed: the first corridor was lined with small fountains of glowing water. Remembering why he was here, Link kept going, entering the first door.
The next room was a shallow pool of water, with a circular platform around it, and four colored torches at the room's four corners: one red, one green, one yellow, and one blue. Only the bases of the torches were colored; the torches were unlit. In the platform's center was a single torch, lit, and flashing between those four colors. When Link stepped on, the platform began to rotate. Acting on a hunch, Link took out his Fairy Bow and fitted an arrow to it. When the flame was red, he aimed at the red torch and fired through the red flame, igniting the red torch with red flame as the arrow caught alight. He did the same with the other torches for their respective colors.
Once all torches were properly lit, the central torch vanished, leaving a treasure chest in its place. Link opened it, releasing a golden magical aura, which swirled around him, removing his Longshot from his weapons-pack, letting it float in the air, before swirling around it and entering it.
As his weapon returned to his hand, Link examined it, as did Navi; nothing had really changed, except for a small green button being added on the back of the handle. When Link pressed it once, the point of the chain opened into a four-pronged claw, and closed when Link pressed the button again. "Link!" Navi exclaimed. "Your Longshot has been upgraded! It's now a Switch-Shot!"
"A Switch-Shot?" Link asked. "What's that?"
"When you press that button, and then fire at something, you'll switch places with whatever you fired at!" Navi explained. Just then, the platform rose up into the air, and Link could see the next door, on a platform well out of jump-range. Next to the door was a strange, diamond-shaped block, in range of his Switch-Shot. "Try it out!" Navi chirped. Taking aim, Link pressed the button, opening the claw, and fired at the block; the spring-loaded chain lanced out, and the claw snagged the block, and then Link, the Switch-Shot, and the block all suddenly glowed for a moment. When the glow faded, Link was now standing where the block had been, the block now on his former spot. Retracting the Switch-Shot and putting it away, Link opened the door, and continued on.
The next room's new exit was atop a very tall pillar, with one smaller pillar before it. Link came out at the lowest level, a shallow pool of water before him, a floor-switch next to him, and a diamond-block in front of him; the switch was the kind that required constant pressure to work. When Link stepped on it, water began to fill the chamber, but once he began to float, the switch shut off, and the water drained off.
But the diamond-block didn't float; it was too heavy.
Activating his Switch-Shot, Link stepped on the switch again, and fired on the block, switching the block onto the switch, and filling the room with water up to the level of the middle pillar. Swimming over and climbing onto it, Link saw another switch and another block; he promptly stood on the switch and fired his Switch-Shot, flip-flopping the block onto the switch, filling up the room with enough water to reach the next door. Link climbed out, opened the door, and headed in.
The final room had no exit, only a deep, circular pool of water, with a circular rim for walking. Suddenly, from out of the water, a huge, semi-translucent jellyfish, glowing blue, with beady black eyes, rose up. "Link, that's the Plasmarinus, the Bio-Electric Jellyfish!" Navi cried. "You can't strike it with your Sword, or you'll get electrocuted! It has two electrical polarities, and the only way to harm it is to disrupt its electric field by turning its electrical attacks back on it, and then using your Sword!"
As the Plasmarinus floated into the air, towards Link, it fired a blue ball of electrical energy at him. Drawing his Sword and Shield, Link knew what to do; he waited until the blast was in range, and then slashed at it, to send it back at the Plasmarinus.
CRACKLE-ZAP!
Link was knocked back as the blast's charge conducted up his blade and into him. As he got back on his feet, Navi cried, "No, Link, that won't work! Besides, only a blast of the opposite polarity will work! You have to make it switch polarities first!"
"Switch polarities..." Link muttered, and then it dawned on him. "Switch...of course! Why didn't I think of it before!"
Now the Plasmarinus was floating above the rim, and Link slowly backed up. The jellyfish fired another blue blast, and Link drew and armed his Switch-Shot, firing on the Plasmarinus, switching places with it. As he did, the Plasmarinus changed color from blue to glowing red; Link had not only switched places with it, but he'd switched its polarities. Link retracted the chain just as the blast hit his foe, completely depolarizing its electric field, leaving it pale white, and dull, hovering helplessly. Putting the chain weapon away, Link drew his Sword and Shield, and charged at the jellyfish, unleashing a blinding-fast series of sword-slices. Link then leapt away as the Plasmarinus began to glow red again, its field re-polarized. When it fired a red blast, Link flip-flopped their positions again, turning it blue...and then dull white, as its own attack disabled it, allowing Link to unleash another slashing salvo.
Recovering, the Plasmarinus began to glow bright white, before unleashing a barrage of lightning bolts from its body, which Link managed to evade, before the jellyfish turned blue once more. As it fired at him, Link switched with it once again, and delivered a final, leaping slash, finishing it; the Plasmarinus shuddered, and simply evaporated.
Once the monster was gone, out of the pool rose an altar of aquamarine, a blue stone path forming over the pool, leading to it, and on the altar was a sphere of gleaming blue light: the Water Essence. Link walked up and collected it; once he had it, a bright light engulfed him, transporting him out of the Sanctum.
Link reappeared back on the beach, the last Essence in his hand. He'd done it. He'd collected all four Essences. Now, he could destroy Vaati's powers, and make sure that the vile sorcerer never harmed anyone again. Also, now he could force Lord Ruthlage's hand, and expose what role the arrogant noble had played in Vaati's plot.
But to do that, he'd have to be more clever than Ruthlage; this foe could not be beaten with a simple blade. He'd have to be more cunning than his foe, a man who thought him a simple peasant, a fool...
Link knew how to outwit him. 'Rauru!' Link called to the Sage of Light with his mind.
'Yes, Link?'
'Contact the King.' Link instructed. 'Tell him what I now tell you: I have a plan...'
In the Palace of Storms, Vaati was meditating in his private lair, gathering his strength...when his two allies barged in. "Who dares!" Vaati hissed, whirling around.
"Enough of your delays!" the younger one snarled. "We can wait no longer, sorcerer! We have to move on the Castle now! Every moment we delay is another moment that Link has to thwart us, making it more difficult to remove him, and another moment he has to exert his influence over Princess Zelda!"
Vaati chuckled. "So, young one, you have some aim for the throne?" he mocked. "Or is it the Princess herself you desire?"
"She's mine." the young noble growled. "And I will not allow some...peasant to steal what is rightfully mine!"
"Hush, son!" the elder commanded. To Vaati, he added, "Essentially, my son is correct, Vaati. We cannot delay any longer."
"We won't." Vaati replied, standing up. "My preparations are complete." His next words burned through the air.
"We move on Hyrule Castle tonight."