Chapter 36

An Encounter with the Ghost Guardian

So my attention was drawn to the boulders blocking the tunnels. It took me a while, but finally, I had chipped away a bit of rock until I created enough space to fit my hands through. This was dangerous, but my sword was now too small to move any of the others. I had to do this with my strength alone. I gripped on the loosened boulder with the metal gloves and pulled! My shoulders were at their limit almost immediately, but I felt it shift, even if it was just a little. The weight of the boulder was growing heavier as it was leaving the support of the other rocks. I stepped back to remove my feet from being crushed and gave the rock one final pull and it came tumbling to the ground in front of me. The ones on top fell and rolled down with it, and now the way was open to the tunnels yet again. I carefully walked over the stones that lined the once clear passage, and held my candle to the tunnels.

The paths were quite open and quiet like the destruction to the ceiling didn't bother it. There seemed to be plenty of turns and chambers, and I went through one after the other. Beyond a few lowders and myu, I couldn't see that there was anything important in the tunnels. Maybe I should've gone back to the locked door. Maybe the boots were already over there?

But as I took a turn into a small chamber, I saw another treasure chest sitting here! Could it be the boots? I walked up to it, but as I grew near, I witnessed a rather curious sight. Either side of the box sprouted what looked like to be… Wings? And the chest lifted up in the air and flew towards me! What? I sprang for the flying chest, but it flew over my head and went back the way I came.

I ran after it, but I didn't run too far when I tripped on one of the lowders! I tried to remain upright, but still landed face down in the dirt, and now the lowder was interested. I quickly took out my sword and stood up, but the monster ran on its hundred little legs at an incredible speed to me. My sword came down and injured it enough to stop it from attacking, and then I moved back to where the chest flew off.

It was, however, too quick, it was alread out of sight once I tripped, but that didn't stop me from running in the general area it left. I glanced down every chamber I passed. Did I miss my chance? I worried myself.

But I let out a sigh of relief when I saw the chest beating its "wings" a few inches off the ground in a dead end. I stopped for just a second so I could cast the jump spell. The chest waited patiently.

Now that the spell I casted was working, I placed the candle back in my bag and sheathed my sword before I approached the box slowly and waited for its next move… It began flying at full speed when I came pretty close to it, but I was ready this time, and jumped as it flew over my head. I reached it and held on tight, but the magic used on the treasure chest was strong, it kept flying, and I was going along with it!

The chest kept flying until it reached the collapsed chamber where the wizards were. Then I realized the chest continued at full speed for the stacked boulders ahead! I let go and fell hard to the ground, but my quick decision saved me a collision with the wall! The chest ran right into it and at such a speed that fell all the boulders to the floor! The large stones rolled about and stirred dust clouds to shoot up in the air.

I stood up and rushed to the scene and saw the chest sitting perfectly unharmed in the midst of rocks. Its "wings" were outstretched, and I quickly moved to open the box before it could fly away. As the latch clicked open, the "wings" vanished and the treasure chest remained perfectly still.

I never knew chasing a treasure chest was such hard work, I sighed, brushing the sweat from my eyes. And now the dust stung my throat as well.

I didn't know what I was expecting the boots to look like, but I didn't imagine them to be so ordinary. I took the them from the chest and removed my own boots so I could try the new ones on. Nothing changed, they fit fine and I still couldn't feel anything coming from them, but I had no doubts that they held powerful magic. Just like that old hammer I still carried, never judge how old or ordinary an item seems. I left my old, non magical boots in the box.

Now that I had the key and the boots, it was time to return to that door I saw earlier. I walked over the treasure chest and to the crack in the wall where I was looking in at the wizards the first time I came here. I took my sword and lay down the candle for a moment while I smashed the wall so I could walk to the other side. I followed the dark and narrow passage until it opened to the beautifully kept temple with its dark walls and stained glass.

I came to the door and fitted the key into the lock. The door swung open with a click and revealed behind it carpeted stairs going up. I placed the candle back in my bags and walked up the curving stairs. Eventually, then never ending stairs finally stopped in front of another door.

I turned the knob and went in. This was a large stone chamber, and I knew at once I was standing where the guardian dwelled. There was the statue with the hollow at the end of the room. I stepped forward with caution, but I didn't see any one was here.

I suddenly jumped back, not expecting the biggest whirlwind to sweep by and steal my white cloak. But then, laughter followed.

"You think you can fool me by dressing up as one of the wizards when I know you are made from flesh and blood? What a poor disguise!"

"Are you Carock? The guardian of the Maze Palace?" I asked.

"That I am, and I also believe you didn't come all this way on a whim. You are the chosen one, I bet, and you came here to place one of the gems in its proper place, so you can continue your long search for the next palaces and maybe even the Triforce itself! Then you know I am here to test your abilities, and be wary, for I won't go easy on you." And with that said, Carock showed himself before me. He must have been over ten feet tall, and wore long black, trailing robes. I couldn't even see his face beyond the dark hood, he was like death itself.

He was there for only a minute before disappearing yet again, and when he showed up a few seconds later, another strong gust came from where he stood, but this one was tougher than the one from earlier and I narrowly avoided it by jumping out of the way. He was just like the wizards with their spells!

When he was gone, I quickly casted the reflect spell. But he was really quick, for when I was in the middle of chanting the spell, he already was back and the wind he sent was too close to me when the magic was complete. Before I knew what was happening, I was lifted and flying straight for a stone wall.

My breath was quickly ripped from me, but then I also fell on my back when the wind died. He was strong, that wind could pull a full grown tree from its roots! I stood up, trying to hide my pain. I was barely into this fight and already I was thrown against the floor!

He appeared again and I held up my shield, still wincing when he casted the wind my way.

"Reflect" worked perfectly and sent the mighty gust back to my opponent, but Carock disappeared in thin air before the spell could strike. Carock was faster and stronger than the wizards of the palace. I would not only have to send the wind back to him, but would have to push into the magic as well so he couldn't dodge it.

When I saw him again, I ran for him, and for the spell. It was sent closer to Carock, but it just barely missed him before he teleported somewhere else. This time, he came up behind me and this time, the wind bounced from my shield and struck against Carock hard. He was blown back, flailing his arms before he blinked away again.

After he fell for my strategy again and was struck with his own magic, he responded this time with what sounded like a frustrated growl and teleported yet again. I turned around, watching. And then took a single stride when I hesitated. There were now three Carocks?

Each one of them casted the whirlwind, turning it into a mighty tornado. I had no choice by to trust my own magic. I held up my shield and resisted the urge to back away from it. It spun and swirled as it slowly came near me. And when it was close enough I was started to leave the ground, I leaped for it. Somehow, "reflect" still worked, the tornado bounced back with twice its speed, and I fell on my stomach.

Despite my efforts, the tornado danced through two of the Carocks, but they fazed out unharmed. Great, not only were there three of him, but only one was real!

And the next time they appeared, they did so in different corners. I chose one at random and charged, but I was not close enough to reach him. That one soon teleported, but the others were still behind me, and so I was once again slammed into a wall. This time though, my head took the worst of it, as it was the first to collide with the wall, and then was smacked in the back when I landed on the floor.

It was pounding along with the seconds, and the whole room was swirling around me, even though I was sure I was lying still. I wanted to lie there and just endure my pain for a while. But I had no time, if I don't act now, I'll be hit with another spell, no doubt.

I wanted to cast the life spell, but I needed to move quickly. So instead, I rushed to my feet and tried to resist the invisible pull of the floor. Already, spells of gust were being casted my way. And the Carocks were too far away for me to reach them, but by some miracle, I dodged and blocked all three attacks. No damage was dealt this turn, but at least I wasn't harmed this time.

The next time they showed up, I went for the first one in sight. I charged and deflected his spell, but when it caught him, his image faded. Looks like I selected a fake.

I didn't flinch, the real one will be caught eventually. And so, I charged as usual, but surprise took over when he didn't send wind my way, but fire! Instinct alone brought up my shield in time for the fire to reach me. This spell bounced back further than the wind, and it blew through another illusion of Carock. But where are the other two?

I turned, shield still tight against my chest, and met with another flame. Then, something happened that made the rest of this nothing more than a blur. The fire shot back for that Carock, and before I could tell if it was another illusion or not, I was suddenly set on fire by the last one.

I dropped, putting out the scorching flame as quickly as possible, though it already was eating my clothes and skin. The burns were pure anguish! And the fire never stopped, it put up quite the fight before I was able to snuff it out.

Once it finally sizzled down, I glanced up around me. The Carocks haven't shown, expect for the one far off away from me. That was the same one I hit before I was engulfed. He was still there, huddled over. As I watched, he slowly stood and came a few steps closer. "You, as the Chosen One, have what it takes to find the Triforce." He lifted his long, robed arms out before him. "You have faught valiantly against me, and now the trapped souls of the palace can finally be set free into the afterlife." He bowed down and began fading out of sight when he finished. "You were smart, for a mortal!" He laughed, and it continued to bounce on the walls even after he was long gone.