Chapter 38

Always Going Forward

Stairs continued to go to the lower levels where I could see it was flooded. Seawater sat peacefully three steps down, as if it didn't matter what was underneath. What could I do about this? The palace was so old it was barely standing when I found it, and now the mace thrower damaged the walls, weakening the palace further. The whole lower levels may be inaccessible now. I slumped down on the first dry step in front of me and stared at the water.

There had to be a way down. I didn't pick up this quest and travel beyond the kingdom I knew just to be stopped because of a flooded room in an old temple. But there was only one idea I had to continue. I eased myself in the water. Before, I have been too frightened to dive in deep water, but now it looks like I'll be doing this again. Just remember where these stairs are, I thought, I'll be returning for air here. It's not like I'll be swimming through an unknown tunnel like I have before. I nodded, already breathing easy. I wasn't as scared like I was before. Maybe it's not too late to be rid of this old fear.

I could see the stairs continued under until the surface before the floor spread out and opened up into a new room. It was deep enough I was thinking the room should be filled up to the very top. I was wasting time, I decided, and finally dove down the stairs.

The room was small and wasn't that tall either. The seawater did reach up to the ceiling and left no air in the room. Almost at once, I noticed something dark gold sparkle on the floor, but I left it where it was for now. Maybe there was some way I could drain the water? It wasn't looking like I could do so until I turned to my left and saw a weak wall. Chances were there was already plenty of water past that wall too, but I might as well try.

I swam for the wall and noticed a small hole amidst the cracked lines like spider webs. I gripped my sword and tried to widen it, for the room was already full of water, what damage could I do? Bits of stone chipped away easily and now the water was draining from the room. That was a good stroke of luck! I wanted to widen it further to quicken the drain, but I found myself yearning for air. I left the wall alone and swam back to the stairs where I surfaced and caught my breath before returning back to the chipped stone.

It only took a few stones for me to weaken it further before the water in the room was strong enough to break the stone on its own! But now the current was too strong, and I was swept into the chamber on the other side of the wall.

The water and I spilled into the room, and I was sent sliding on the floor when something smashed into me along the way. When I recovered, I realized it was a stalfos. And it seemed he was just as confused as I was.

The room was small, like there was just enough space for the two of us to fight. There was nothing important here, and it seemed like it was also a dead end. It wouldn't take long at all for the water to fill this room.

The stalfos stood up and cocked its head in confusion before drawing its sword. I quickly rolled to the side when the blade dropped down and struck the floor where I was lying a second ago. I came up on my feet and held my own sword and shield. The stalfos hesitated for a moment, but was still able to block my strike by regaining its focus and meeting my sword with its own. The small chamber echoed the loud clash of our weapons, and I brought the shield up to push the skeleton off balance, but the monster saw the attack coming and jumped back from me.

I went to strike it with sword beams. The first two hit, but then he reacted quick enough to block the rest with his sword. He was still blocking them when he approached slowly again. Once more, I slammed my shield in front, thinking to knock him back again. But he wasn't stupid, he dodged to the side. This time, I reacted by striking my sword for him, but he met with with his own sword.

For an undead thing with no muscles, he had a lot of strength, and he was pushing me back, now I was too close to the wall and had the disadvantage. I had to fight for more ground. I took up the shield and aimed to push into him again, but then he retracted his sword and brought it overhead suddenly. I didn't react fast enough and his sword slashed the front of my shoulder before I was using my weapon to brush him off.

But the attack took me off guard. I managed to move him off me, but now I was tumbling back. But instead of slamming my back to the stone, I fell right through it!

Somehow, the wall that was behind me a second ago was now in front of me, and it was a long way down to the floor. And as I was lying there in utter confusion, the stalfos calmly came through like he knew it was there. Then, he prepared a finishing blow, and I rolled, tripping it as I went. Now the monster fell helplessly down, and I severed his head before he could move again.

The room with the fake wall took me into a narrow hallway, but I wasn't done with the room I left behind yet now that the water went down a bit. I healed the stinging cut on my shoulder, and went back through the wall like it was thin air. Then I turned back to find that sparkling thing I saw earlier.

The current must have carried it closer to the broken wall, as it was sitting in a different place than when I first saw it. Now I could see it was a tiny golden flute. The dark gold looked shiny and new even. Why did it look so new in a worn and stained temple? I wondered how important it might be, but there was no way to tell right now. I slid it in a pouch.

Nothing else stood out to me, so I came back for the hallway beyond the fake wall. There was a door up a few steps in the left wall, but it looked like this hallway was also a lonely dead end, as there was nothing else and no purpose for it. It occurred to me to check this place for fake walls, but for now, I'll see where this door leads.

This door was actually the last door on the platforms in the room with the pond. Well, now that I knew that turning back here was not necessary for now, I turned back to hall. I held my hand in front of me and checked the very end of it, and watched as it went through the stone. I knew it, this was also a fake wall.

As soon as I could see past the illusion, I almost ran right into a floating wolf head! Like the ra, the wolf head was like a statue of a monster's head and it shot magic missiles, but unlike the ra, the wolf head was free from the wall. I held my sword up and slashed the creature away with the blade. It chipped easily, but I'll have to be careful, there should be more of them here.

Then suddenly, water quickly began to fill the room from multiple vents in the floor as soon as I was through the wall. Even worse, this room was a wide and round chamber, but had nowhere else to go. The ceiling was far up and the sun was in the place in the sky to shine down beams through the cracked stone. What should I have done? Should I have turned back and found a different way through here, or quickly tried to find a way forward? With the fake wall behind me, now the other rooms back there would become flooded as well!

I avoided the wolf heads that came in nonstop like an army and I felt along the walls for any that may have been passages in disguise, but all the walls were solid. That's it then… I always thought that every room would have importance, but there was literally nothing here to help me move forward.

By the time I returned to where I entered, the water was already up to my chest. But then the worst possible thing happened, this wall was now solid as well! I tried not to panic, and desperately felt along the walls again looking for the way out. Where was it?! There has to be a wall here somewhere.

But despite my search for the way out, it was like the entrance just vanished! The water was now taller than I was, and I turned away from the wall and floated on the surface of the water while scouring the room for anything that may even just stop the water from rising.

"You should be trying to find a way out here as well!" I exclaimed at the wolf heads that were still shooting at me. "Or you'll be trapped underwater forever!"

The holes in the ceiling weren't big enough for a person to fit through. But perhaps, I pondered, the ceiling was the answer to my escape? I pointed the sword up and beams shot from the tip and hit the cracked stone over and over.

But nothing happened…

The water was still rising with every minute and I was clueless on what to do as the ceiling came closer and closer. The inspiration only came to me when the sun shone through the tiny cracks once more. Those holes were too small for a person to fit through, I thought, but were they too small for a fairy?

I shot at some of the bothersome wolf heads, and, when I had enough time, I repeated the words for the fairy spell until I shrank and the wings appeared on my back. The wolf heads now looked larger and much more threatening than they were already before. But I avoided them and quickly flew above the water and came to the cracked ceiling. The hole was a tight fit, but I was able to pull myself through to the outside. I looked back down; the water was pretty close to the ceiling now. But now that I'm out of the temple, where do I go?

I jumped off from the tower and hovered around the building. Should I have gone back to the elevator? No, because it was already down in that room. Luckily, the palace was old and worn that I found one of the roofs was almost ruined completely and I could just fly down into whatever room that was.

This room was familiar, but it took me a moment to remember it to be the room with the pond, but now I was above the glassy floor. And for one reason or another, the rest of the floor below was flooded! I didn't know what happened, but now the water was all the way up to the highest platform with the single door, and everything else, the elevator, pond, and doors were all the way down to the bottom of the water. I didn't have a problem with this as I wanted to reach this door since I came here, so I simply waited for the fairy spell to wear off and when I was back to my old self again, I went through the door.

I was greeted with something that was a mix between a bull and a human as soon as I stepped past the door. This must be the guardian! He dragged a ball and chain around with his muscular and hairy arms, and his tufted tail swished when he noticed me in his chamber.

"YOU FIND PALACE!" it exclaimed in a loud and grunted voice and pointed his finger towards me. "YOU FIGHT GOOMA!" He released a laugh and swung the ball and chain above his horned head. He didn't look like he had any problem with the heavy weapon.

I hesitated; Gooma, or whatever this thing was, looked like he had raw power! But it didn't seem like he was too smart either. I unsheathed my sword and watched the ball and chain closely, and I didn't take a step forward before Gooma yelled and threw the heavy iron ball in my direction. I quickly jumped to the side, and as Gooma pulled the chain back, I took the spare moment to cast "shield".

Gooma lifted the ball and chain above his head again and swung it around and around. I pointed my sword towards him and summoned beams to shoot at him, he didn't even seem to notice them as they hit. How could I fight the guardian if I couldn't move near him, or strike with ranged attacks? The guardian was now tossing the iron ball once more, and I moved again to avoid it, and now that weapon was away from my opponent, I saw my only chance for attack.

I quickly ran towards him and held my sword out, but Gooma was so strong that he pulled on the chain of the weapon and the iron ball reached him before I did. He swung the ball and chain over his head and tried to hit me with it, but I didn't hesitate. I dropped down low and struck his unarmored legs before I backed just soon enough, for the weapon came so close to hitting me then.

He had perfect control of that weapon, and that would make this fight so much harder on me. Even worse, Gooma barely flinched from the bleeding slice in his bulky legs! I stood straight and watched the movement of the ball and chain carefully while slowly edging to the side. Gooma moved slowly closer to me and released the swinging iron ball. I jumped to the side, and like last time, I ran up to Gooma with my sword ready for another strike.

This time I was able to slash at his belly, and while he still showed little notice, he let out a roar this time and pulled his weapon in again. I backed off and turned around only to see the giant sphere flying at me. I dropped down flat on the floor and let it soar above me, but that was now not my only worry, for as soon as I fell to the floor, Gooma walked near and lifted his human like foot over me. I responded quickly by lifting my sword arm up and slashing the bottom of the foot. He moved back and I rolled opposite his direction and stood back to my feet.

I was surprised when Gooma planted the injured foot on the ground and swung the ball and chain once more. It seems I've underestimated him. Perhaps Rebonack was right, my journey was growing tougher, and it was only because of my stubborn ways.

Gooma showed his increasing anger by charging for me. I knew I couldn't keep backing up. I can't let myself become cornered again, but at the same time, I knew it was risky to try and move around him. All of my instincts told me to back up, but it looked like I had enough room to quickly run around to the other side of him.

Or better yet, jump over him.

I stepped back and focused on casting the jump spell, and when I lifted my eyes, he was much closer to me, and he prepared to throw the weapon! I ran forward and leapt over the soaring weapon and Gooma entirely and landed some distance away from him. I turned around and waited for him to move again. The dangerous weapon kept its rhythm above his head as he turned with little difficulty.

Gooma continued to approach me, and I waited for him to throw the ball and chain again. Then I saw his hand loosen on the chain a bit and I waited for the toss.

I was prepared when he released it, and I moved to the side to avoid the flying iron ball. Gooma saw me coming and pulled back on the chain, but it missed.

I jabbed, poked, and sliced his thigh until the metal ball was flying back. I was quick, but this time, he was quicker, and the iron weapon slammed into my sword arm as I was escaping. To my dismay, the sword swung free of my grip and slid next to a wall near the guardian.

The attack from the ball and chain would have broken my arm if it wasn't for the shield spell, but that didn't mean that my arm wasn't in throbbing pain. But now, I only cared about reaching my sword without being hit again. This was going to be a difficult task, I realized. Gooma stood over my weapon, swinging the chain around his head.

I brought my shield up and waited for the perfect moment. Perhaps I could knock Gooma off guard with my shield, or would that even work against such a large opponent? I waited for the guardian to throw the iron ball again, and then I quickly ran up to him and reached for my sword, but Gooma blocked my way! I bashed my shield into him, but he didn't even flinch! He responded to my frightened expression with a grunted laughter before shoving me back hard and pulling on the chain. I fell backwards and had to quickly scramble up to my feet before Gooma released the weapon once more.

I needed to think of another strategy if I wanted to reach my sword in time. I waited for Gooma to pull in the weapon and then I jumped over him to the other side of the room, and, while he was still facing the wrong way, I made a break for the dropped sword. The guardian began to turn around, and I dove for the hilt! I was able to grasp it and stand up before the guardian attacked, and it was in that moment when I quickly ran up to him and stabbed at his hip.

Gooma's tough skin didn't allow for my sword to go very deep, but it was deep enough for Gooma to drop the ball and chain uselessly on the ground and clench at the wound. I stepped far back when he started to sway. Blood escaped past his burly fingers, and shortly after that, he collapsed to the floor.

I have done it, one more guardian was down. That only leaves one more until I have to find the Great Palace. A jolt ran through me as images of Ganon being the final guardian returned. I shook them away, no, I mustn't let him distract me like this. There's no reason to worry about it, especially now.

The palace left me exhausted, but there was no time or place to rest until I was off the ocean. And so, I left a gem with the statue, and headed for the lit up path on the waves. It was a good thing I did, because when it began to shake, it didn't even hold up for a few minutes before it broke down. Now it was nothing more than a hunk of stone under the waves.

That night, I had my map before me. The next palace was in the southeast, located in another desert, and was titled the "Hidden Palace". Just one more challenge before the final fight. Whether if I fail or not, there was too much for me to give up. Don't worry, Zelda, I'm bringing the Triforce home to you, or I'll die trying.