Chapter 20

Through Death Mountain

So far, it was still really quiet in here. Part of me was expecting something to jump out at us as soon as we stepped in. The smell of moist dirt and rock was overwhelming.

Boots crushed and scraped clumped soil, and the only light that emitted from the candle flickered against retreating dark corners. I turned my head and looked back. I could still see the cave entrance, offering the last chance to freedom before we wander and become lost in the winding passages of Death Mountain. But there was no turning back, not when it would take days or even weeks to remove that roadblock.

A few light chirps ahead made me hesitate, but the prince gestured towards the cave wall, where the sound was coming from. A group of lowder was preoccupied with themselves, fighting for a few drops of water. The prince picked up his pace and walked by them, but they were too busy to even notice.

I followed his lead and joined him around the corner where the cave opened up in a larger room. The rock walls and ceiling were reflecting water patterns all around from the pool off to the side. The prince took a few more steps into the room before stopping. He hesitated and glanced around, staring at the running tunnels we could see from this viewpoint. "Do you happen to know where to go from here?" He asked.

But I'm sure he already knew the answer. "Not a clue."

He turned away and sighed angrily before trotting ahead to a tunnel of random choice, not even bothering to ask me what I thought of it. I decided not to make him all the more angry by trying to take a different decision this time however, and just followed behind.

But yet again, he hesitated, and I almost walked into his back. He drew his sword singing from its sheath. A daira suddenly showed himself from behind a stalagmite swinging his axe straight for the prince.

I reacted a little slower as I didn't see the monster right away. I unsheathed my sword, but left the shield on my back. We still needed the light from the candle. His Majesty stepped over to the side. Dodging the axe and giving me more space at the same time.

The prince reached out and teased the daira into running closer. I was surprised when it seemed to pay me no mind as it took the bait and raised the axe again towards my companion. I took my sword and swung it low horizontally at the daira's hips. But it must have been paying closer attention than I first thought, because it moved out of the way just in time.

Then the prince quickly reacted and stabbed the beast right in the shoulder. The scales took most of the damage, and only a little stream of blood followed. But the daira hissed in anger and started swinging the axe at him like a madman. His Highness ducked, dodged, and stumbled side to side, but he couldn't parry an axe with such a thin sword.

I struck as quick as I could, and slashed a few scales off under his arm. Then, he turned on me and I backed up. The beast spun past the prince and charged. In a split second though, I remembered the pool was just a few yards behind me, and so I waited for the last minute, holding my sword and pretending I was planning to swing at him when he was close enough. But then I darted out of the way and let him fall into the pool.

The water splashed up into the air and created a wave that ran along the ground. The reflections all in the room shook like crazy before it settled. But it didn't settle for long, soon the daira came back up, drenched and grasping for the rock edge. He still held the axe tight in his hands and started to pull himself out of the pool. I aimed my sword and summoned missiles, and at the same time, the prince rushed over, brought his sword up and sweeping down at the daira's neck. The beast fell limp, resting the hand that gripped the axe like a vice.

The bouncing reflections all over the room soon calmed yet again, this time to be no longer disturbed. We both moved to clean our swords and continued past the stalagmite and into the tunnel. I was now cautious about any tight corners or obstacles that monsters could hide behind. That daira was just a reminder at how many of Ganon's followers were up here. We need to be more careful from here on out.

Long winding pathways, frustrating dead-ends, and repeated turns gave both of us, but especially the prince, bad moods. Quickly our decision making became arguments, which on a few occasions, drew us unwanted attention.

But eventually, one of these random tunnels that we were sure we took before, ended with a hopeful beam of light that led back outside. The rain had stopped and the clouds cleared away, leaving the sun to nourish the land again.

But we were not off the mountain yet. No, that was just the first cave of many. There was no safe way down now. Even if we wanted to turn around, it was very possible that we would become lost in the tunnels we just came through.

Flanking copses at the mountain edge shook in waves with the whistling wind, and the ground beneath our feet was mostly drenched dirt from all the rain and the grass that did grow here was thin and strong.

Right here, I could see another cave entrance just over to the left, or we can continue up the hill and there was another entrance up there. "So what now?" The prince asked, but like last time he asked, he already knew the answer. I shrugged and he scoffed. "You know, this whole trip up here is pretty pointless if we don't even know what we're doing. This place is a maze!"

"It's too late to start worrying about that now." I stated to try and calm him, but it seemed to make him more anxious. "Many years ago, I was up here without any sense of direction, and I still made it down. I wasn't taking these tunnels back then, and I wasn't headed for Mido, but I still survived the trip. We just have to do the best we can here." For Zelda, I added silently, not wanting to bring her up in a conversation again. Not when His Highness was still angry about finding out my feelings for her.

"Let's go up here." I said instead, taking the lead up the hill and towards the second cave.

I heard the bubbling before we even entered the cave, but the warm red lighting already confirmed my suspicion. Boiling lava sat in a deep pit that stretched end to end length wise of the cave. Above it, connected right into the wall, were two rock platforms like shelves. It looked like they ran along all the way to the other side of the cave. But I wasn't too sure about this. The rock shelves didn't look study enough to carry a person. Not safely anyway.

The other side of the lava pit looked like it was a dead end, but the wall was worn and crumbling, and as I was focusing on that, I saw a lever next to it on the ground. Who left it there? What is it for?

"This is no good." Stated the prince as he turned around back where we came, but I grabbed his arm.

"All the tunnels will be risky, we can't just turn around and keep trying new ones when we're presented with an opportunity here."

He shook his head. "We have other options! We'll just burn alive in here!"

"What if this is the tunnel we need to move through the mountain?"

"What if it isn't?"

By this point I was done arguing, but I wasn't about to give in to his attitude either. I let him go and turned back to the lava pit. It was then when I finally noticed the two myu lingering around the edge. Those small as a rock on the ground creatures with sharp spikes growing all other their dark blue bodies. They never have a need to attack because of their effective defenses. As long as I'm careful, they shouldn't be a problem there. I casted the jump spell and approached the first shelf. Even with the jump spell, it still looked far enough away that this will be very dangerous indeed.

"What are you doing!? Don't be stupid, Link!"

I ignored the prince's cries and leaped for the first platform. I felt my heart leap up into my throat. I was cutting it really close! I stretched out my arms and tried to reach the platform, hoping it would be able to hold my weight.

I just barely grabbed onto the edge, my sudden grasp loosened bits of rock and pebbles and they decended down into the boiling lava below me. At first, I still thought the platform was breaking, and I was going to fall in the lava with it. But it must have been stronger than it looked, because I was still dangling off to the side of it. The only question I had now was will it continue to hold when I pulled myself up on top it? I had to try.

I pulled up, struggling to bring my upper body up on the surface of the rock. Then I tried to swing my legs up next, but the more I tried, the more it started to crumble again. I knew it was going to fall as soon as I was fully on it. I need to figure out how to reach the second shelf before this one falls apart!

Once again, I had to ignore the constant yells from my anxious companion. But there was nothing he can do to stop or help now.

There was no way around it, I had to trust the crumbling ledge and place myself atop it. Even if it was just long enough to make a dash for the second, closer one. That was my plan. As soon as I was up, I tried immediately to leap for the next one. But already it was too late.

The only thing I knew was a sudden cracking sound turned into a severe crumbling, and I found I didn't have the platform with which to kick off of. Quickly, I was falling down with it.

I was shocked, it happened so suddenly! I tried to scramble for something to grab onto, but there was nothing. Then, as I was falling forward, I saw the second platform that I was trying to reach come closer and closer until I belly flopped on top of it.

The wind was knocked out of me, but the rock ledge held even after the brute force of me being slammed into it. I know I must have lied there for a few minutes at least, trying to catch my breath and recover. Until finally, I pushed myself steadily up. Again, the platform was holding firm, and felt more solid and reliable than the last one. I looked behind me. A jutted formation in the wall was all that was left after the rock crumbled and fell. His Majesty was standing there, silent, and looking like he was about to have a mental breakdown. He was stiff from stress and had his hands up on top of his curly hair. He yelled something to me in all seriousness, but I couldn't hear him over the lava now anyway.

I turned back to my last jump for solid ground. A group of myu lingered here as well. The spikes along their bodies retracted in and out as they crept slowly around each other. The light giving off the lava gave them a more reddish-purple glow.

I had to jump long, so I wouldn't take a risk that I might land on top of one. I backed up and placed my hand on the wall, preparing a running start. Dashing, I propelled myself forward, and leaped so far, I almost crashed against the wall. Instead, I rolled a few feet and stopped right in front of it. But I had safely made it over the nestle of myu.

I stood up and brushed myself off before pulling the lever. It fell with a click, and then a louder clunk followed behind me. I turned back around yet again and saw a slab of stone sliding from a cranny under the prince's feet. It stretched over the lava like a bridge until the other end connected into the ground where I was standing.

I saw the prince hesitate, but then he broke into a quick pace and crossed the bridge, knocking one of the near myu off into the pit with his sword. "It's too bad this wasn't here when we came in." He stated with a rising anger. "Then you wouldn't have to risk your life doing those dangerous stunts just to reach an old wall."

"Just trust me, I know what I'm doing." I argued.

But he pointed a proud finger. "No, see? That's the problem, I don't think you do! You're just saying you do because you think you're a hero and that means you know everything."

Without responding, I turned to the wall, unsheathed my sword, and pushed it into a weak point where the wall was cracking the most. Dust flew, and pebbles fell apart as I rammed my sword into it again and again until it gave way.

I sheathed my blade once the job was completed, and stepped to the side, beckoning His Highness to go in first. He growled, but walked in without a word. I followed him in, but this too, led to a dead end. It was a small, round chamber, with statues melding with the wall, staring down with wide human features at a single pedestal in the center.

It seemed like the only purpose for this hidden room was for the small hammer leaning on top of the pedestal. It looked ordinary and dirty. I slowly picked it up and turned it over in my hands. The handle was too thin to grasp with a lot of strength, and the rectangle head too small to deal with any kind of damage. But I knew it was important. I've seen powerful magic in small tools like this, this concept wasn't new to me.

"That's it?" The prince finally asked, glancing at the tool. "Why did we come all the way over here for this?"

"It has to be magical." I answered. "We should take it. It'll help us, I'm sure."

"I think we wasted our time. I've seen magical objects, and they never looked so ordinary."

"Well, I've seen some just like this. Besides, do you have any other thoughts as to why it's here? Let's just take it, it can't hurt anything. I'll carry it around."

"Fine." He shrugged and walked back out through the opened wall.

I sighed, dealing with him was so exhausting.

Hours passed. As predicted, we had lost our way. We took tunnel after tunnel, but we were just wandering around in circles. Every last cave we tried had some sort of familiarity about it. The prince's mood had soured even further, and he spoke like he was still blaming this on me.

The caves were filled with bago-bagos and more dairas. There were even times we encountered a few basilisks. They were large green lizards, and they were highly territorial. They spit a ball of glowing, searing liquid to anyone who came too close to their homes. And their scales were like steel, deflecting our weapons right off. The best strategy we had was just to stay as far away as we can.

The sun had already set a while ago, leaving the world below a dark silhouette against the army of stars lighting the sky. The thought of setting up camp for the night in a place like this made me uncomfortable, and the prince was too angry to think about rest. But as we continued searching through the caves, the night caught up with us, and we knew that was all we could do today.

"We'd better sleep in shifts tonight. If the plains in Hyrule were dangerous for us to sleep in, then this place will be worse." I reasoned. "What do you think? I'll take the first one."

He responded with a shrug. "Sure."

Again, I can hear the bitterness in his voice, and he barely even looked at me. But I tried to continue ignoring his temper. This was an issue he needed to solve himself.

We came to a close knit of rocks a few yards away from a copse of trees. This will be our safest option. Almost at once, His Highness settled down on the ground in between them, and I perched on top of one, deciding to take it as my watch post. The noble chose to say nothing else about his problems. And I allowed him to rest.

Author's Note: Hi, thank you for taking your time to read this. And can you leave me a quick review if you have been? I haven't updated in a while because, for an unknown reason, OpenOffice just decided to corrupt this story, and I lost 5 chapters. 5 whole chapters! I'm really upset about this. This is the 3rd time I wrote this chapter. I'm still dedicated to finish this story, but sometimes I wonder if it's worth all the pain. Your review would help me out a lot, even if it was just a few words.