All boss room doors shut behind you, so Link wasn't that surprised when he was closed into the new room. Drawing his sword, he cautiously moved forward. This room was narrower than the entrance chamber, perfectly circular, and had walls that extended infinitely upward. It didn't look like there was a roof.
In the center of the room was a platform that floated on top of the bubbling lava that filled the rest of the room.
"Wow…" Navi breathed, "We're in the center of the volcano…"
Link hesitated, then jumped over to the center platform. It rocked slightly with his weight, and Link froze, afraid it would sink or tip. He was standing on a thin layer of cooled lava, and right beneath was bubbling and boiling lava, waiting to erupt once again and cover Hyrule in flame and ash.
Link gulped and moved further in. He hoped the volcano wouldn't erupt while they were inside it. He reached the center of the room with no incident and looked around, searching for the boss he was supposed to fight.
"Wh-" Before Navi could speak, the ground began to shake, nearly knocking Link over.
"It's going to erupt!" he yelped. Frantically, Link looked around, searching for a way out. The rock he'd jumped on to get to this platform had sunk, trapping him completely.
"No, wait!" Navi shouted, "Look behind you!"
Link spun, and stumbled back.
Barely five feet away, the dragon burst from the ground, spraying lava into the air. Link swung his shield up and hid beneath it to avoid being burned.
Volvagia roared, and dove back into the ground, creating another hole. Seconds later, the dragon resurfaced, then dove down once again. Volvagia repeated the process until the floor was filled with holes.
Link moved backwards, trying to get as far away as possible from both the dragon and that traps it had created.
Volvagia came up again and shook, spraying lava everywhere. It leveled it's massive head at Link and roared. It's teeth were as long as Link's forearm, and looked sharp and deadly. Deep in it's throat, fire flickered, threatening to spew out and roast him alive. Link felt himself shaking, and took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. Still shaking, he lifted his sword and readied his shield.
Volvagia shut it's maw, cutting off it's deafening roar, and it seemed to grin at the Hero before diving down through one of the holes and into the lava.
Link looked around, swinging his head from side to side, unsure of where or when Volvagia would re-emerge.
"I'll find the dragon for you!" Navi volunteered. The little fairy zipped away from Link, and flew from hole to hole, searching for signs of movement, or disturbances under the precarious platform.
It was only a minute or two, but Link thought it was a terribly long and tense minute. Volvagia burst back into the sky, showering him with drops of lava, which he deflected with his shield. With another roar, thankfully much shorter this time, the dragon threw back it's head, then spat fire towards Link.
Link's mind froze.
"Move!" Navi screamed.
Link listened, and threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the pillar of flame. Volvagia bit off the fire and dove back into the lava, shaking it's head in an irritated manner.
Link nearly sighed in relief. Even after three other dungeons, it still terrified Link every time a huge monster tried to attack him.
"Here it comes again!" Navi squeaked, flying over to the hole it would come out of. Link followed her, and when the dragon poked it's head above the lava, he smacked it with his sword.
The blade bounced harmlessly off of it's hard scales, forcing Link stumbled backwards to avoid the spray of lava Volvgia created when it dove into another hole.
"You have to use the Megaton Hammer!" Navi informed him. "We go through this every time, Link!"
Link reached for the hammer and pulled it from his bag. He still marveled at that piece of equipment on a daily basis. As soon as the hammer was clear of the bag, it's weight skyrocketed. Link struggled to hold it up.
"This one!" Navi called, flying to another hole.
Link shuffled across the room, lugging the hammer slowly with him.
"Hurry up!" Navi said.
Link grunted, and tried to move faster. He barely reached the hole in time, and when Volvagia poked it's head out, He just dropped the hammer on it, not even trying to put his own strength behind it.
Volvagia screeched, and ducked back under the lava.
"Good job, Link! Keep it up!" Navi shouted.
Link let the hammer rest on the ground while he waited for Navi to find the next place Volvagia would emerge from. It wasn't long before one of the holes started to bubble, and Link was dragging his hammer towards it. He smashed Volvagia in the head again, and something on the dragon cracked. Loudly.
With a pained screech, Volvagia once again disappeared beneath the lava, and Link set the hammer down. Already his shoulders hurt, and he'd only been wielding the hammer for a few minutes.
This time, when the dragon appeared, it shot right past Link and Navi, and began to fly in circles around the room, just out of reach of Link's sword.
Link watched as it flew, trying to see a weak point.
Navi was, as usual, the one to actually notice it. "On it's forehead!" she shouted, flying excitedly near the point she was indicating. "There's a crack!"
On Volvagia's forehead was a pink diamond. It was webbed with thin cracks, and there was a small piece missing from when he'd struck it with the hammer.
Link had an idea. He dropped the hammer and pulled out his bow and quiver. He slung the arrows over his shoulder, then strung the bow in two not-perfectly-smooth movements. The dragon circled overhead, and spewed fire. Link dodged, and then knocked an arrow, drew, aimed, and released. He was a good shot, and the arrow struck Volvagia right in the center of the crystal. Or perhaps that was luck.
Volvagia screamed, and began thrashing, knocking chunks of stone from the ceiling and walls.
Link began running around frantically to avoid the falling rocks. He was seriously considering never coming back here after this was over. Too many rocks trying to kill him. He heard Navi say something in a surprised tone, but didn't have attention to spare. He turned back to the dragon, who was now on the ground, stunned. Without another thought, Link ran over, grabbing his hammer along the way, and smashed the crystal.
Volvagia was further stunned, but the crystal didn't shatter.
"Try your sword!" Navi shouted, zipping back to his side and flying around his head.
Link dropped the hammer, drew his sword, and stabbed the tip into the crystal. To his surprise, the sword cut easily through the crystal, and little pink shards flew in all directions.
Volvagia screeched and flailed.
Link scrambled backwards, trying to avoid the falling rocks, as well as the dangerous claws, teeth, and tail. His ears were ringing, and it felt like his very bones were vibrating.
"Navi!" he shouted, covering his ears. The ground was shaking, the walls were shaking, and it was too hot.
"Link!" Tiny hands grabbed onto his ear, and tugged him to the side. "Come on, don't panic, it's okay," Navi said, trying to calm down her terrified Hylian.
Suddenly, Volvagia went very still, and it's body began to turn to ash, beginning at it's tail, and progressing up it's long, snake-like body towards it's massive head.
Link stopped running, and lowered his shield, watching in amazement as the fearsome dragon crumbled into dust.
The giant skull dropped to the ground, and exploded.
"You did it!" Navi cheered.
-0-0-0-
Sheik was ready to jump down and help when the dragon started flailing. It should be dead, released from Ganondorf's magic. But instead it was still keeping it's form, and thrashing around, breaking walls and spewing fire, and splashing the Hero with little droplets of lava, adding to his already large collection of injuries.
The Hero was panicking, it looked like. He was running around with his shield held up to protect himself, calling for his fairy.
The little blue light bobbed faithfully by his side, trying to calm him down. The Hero stumbled and fell as a large boulder crashed into the ground next to him, and Sheik nearly jumped down right then. She would have, too, if the dragon's tail hadn't destroyed the ledge she was crouching on. Sheik flung herself onto another ledge just in time to avoid being crushed, or falling into the lava.
Below, the Hero had regained his footing, and was running about again. He looked like a cucco with his head cut off.
Soon, the dragon stopped moving. Or rather, it froze. Went from thrashing to completely still in a matter of seconds.
The last few rocks crashed to the ground, and all of the rumbling and noise ceased. Sheik watched as the Hero steadied himself and watched the dragon as it crumbled to ash, it's huge skull crashing to the ground last.
"You did it!" Sheik heard Navi squeak.
Sheik felt incredibly less stressed all of a sudden. Thank the three. The Hero was fine. That left one final problem. What was Ganondorf going to think of the Hero still being alive? The mission Sheik had received was, if she understood the witches' odd speech correctly, was that she was to observe, and observe only. Unless the dragon successfully killed Link, in which case she was supposed to kill the dragon, to stop it from burning the rest of the world - after all, what good is a dead, burning world? And for the first time, she wondered how she would have gone about doing that.
Sheik turned her attention back to the Hero and his fairy as they collected the heart piece and walked over to the glowing blue portal. The Hero stepped into the light, and in a pillar of blue, he vanished.
Satisfied that he was safe, Sheik warped away.
Back outside, it was almost dark. It had been maybe a day since they'd entered the temple. The air was much cooler outside, and Sheik took a deep breath, more than happy to be out of the heat. With a sigh, Sheik acknowledged the faint thought that she should check on Princess Zelda while she has a free moment. Sheik walked over to the Sheikah stone near the entrance to the fairy fountain and kneeled in front of it. Focusing on thoughts of Zelda, Sheik asked the Sheikah stone to connect her to the Princess.
It takes a few minutes, but eventually Sheik is connect to the Princess, who is using an enchanted and portable mirror instead of a stone, and Zelda greets her with a huge smile.
"Sheik! I was informed that Link freed Darunia, is he okay? Are you okay? No injuries?"
Despite herself, Sheik smiled slightly at the Princess. "We are both fine. Nothing beyond some burns and bruises." The Hero actually had a few cuts as well, but it was nothing major.
"Good," Zelda said. "So, where are you going now?"
Sheik shifted slightly, tugging on a loose end of her bandages. "Zora's Domain is frozen, Princess Ruto is the only person not encased in ice. We must free King Zora, then Link will go into the Water Temple," Sheik informed her.
Zelda frowned. "Do you think he's ready? The Water Temple is rather… Difficult."
Difficult, Sheik thought, was an understatement. The Water Temple was cold, and wet, and filled with small, irritating monsters. If you weren't a Zora and didn't own a Zora tunic, even just getting inside was impossible. And Zora Tunics were so expensive, even the royal family had only owned one, and that one was probably a pile of ashes somewhere right now. The temple's puzzles were also just plain frustrating. You had to go up and down, and backtrack, and it was not one of Sheik's favored temples.
"He will manage," Sheik replied.
"Sheik, I know it's not what is usually done, but I need to ask a favor of you."
Sheik nodded for her to continue.
"Please, accompany the Hero into this temple. There is a room, as I am sure you know, where one must face themselves. I know it's a lot to ask you to go in there with him since you'll have to fight as well, then, but please, go with him. Just for extra protection." Zelda gave him a hopeful look, the one she used to always get her way when they were younger.
Sheik probably would have agreed even if she hadn't used that look. "As you wish," Sheik said, bowing her head slightly.
"Thank you!" Zelda cheered, smiling brightly again.
Somewhere near by, Sheik felt a surge of holy magic, indicating the Hero's return to this realm. "I should go," Sheik said. "By your leave."
"You don't always need to be so formal, Sheik," Zelda sighed. "But yes, you may go. Take care of him for me."
Sheik nodded, sort of bowed, and then muttered a few words in Sheikah to end the call. Standing, Sheik looked around, wondering where Link had been put. Usually, it would be to one of the warp platforms, but sometimes Rauru, the Sage of Light, and the one in charge of placing Link back in this realm, made a mistake, and misplaced him. Eventually, Sheik decided to wait for him back in Kakariko. He would be fine by himself for a few hours.
-0-0-0-
Link blinked, slowly re-adjusting to the dim red light of Death Mountain Crater.
"So Darunia was actually a Sage, huh?" Navi mused. "Should we go tell Goro-Link?" The last bit was added in a more solemn tone.
Link sighed. He didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but it would probably hurt even more if the young Goron found out by himself that his father was never coming back. He nodded, and began the trek back to Goron City.
It seemed shorter this way, and Link was glad to get out of the too-warm chamber and into the only slightly cooler city. Goro-Link was waiting for him at the entrance to Darunia's room.
"Brother Link!" he greeted, catching the Hero in a bone-crushing hug, "Did you defeat the dragon? Where is my father?" He looked around Link, searching for a sign of his dad.
"Listen," Said Navi, much more gently than usual, "The dragon is dead, but…"
"Your father is a Sage," Link said, taking over. "He-he went to the Sacred Realm." Link stumbled over his words slightly. He didn't like talking to strangers. It made him nervous.
Goro-Link blinked at him, his huge, innocent blue eyes uncomprehending.
"I'm sorry, Link," Navi said, "But your dad isn't coming back here."
Goro-Link's eyes filled with tears, but he didn't cry. "Why? Why can't he come home? Is he… Dead?" The young Goron sniffled.
"No! Not dead, but, he has to stay in the sacred realm and help protect Hyrule," Navi explained.
"Your father is a great hero," Link added softly, "He helped kill the dragon, and free all the other Gorons." He looked at his feet, and said no more.
"They should be coming back soon," Navi informed him.
"A Hero," Goro-Link said. He sniffled, and wiped away his tears. "I'm very happy, then," he said, smiling bravely. "I know you are in a hurry, but if there is anything I can do to help you on your journey, don't hesitate to ask, Brother Link."
Link was impressed. He nodded, and smiled as well. "Thank you," he said.
Link and Navi were on their way down death mountain within the hour. It was difficult, getting down the mountain the the dark, but manageable. At the bottom of the mountain, Link saw Sheik, seated on top of the gate-post, and absently plucking strings on his lyre.
"Sheik!" Navi called, flying over to him.
"Hello," Sheik greeted. He tucked away his lyre, and jumped gracefully off of his perch. "Hero, the Zora Domain is frozen… It's Princess waits for you in the temple."
Link nodded, fairly accustomed to Sheik's way of speech and giving information.
"Wait!" Navi interrupted before Link could move onwards. "We're stopping here for the rest of the night! Link has had a long day, and he needs to sleep."
Link smiled fondly at Navi, and said nothing. She sounded just like Saria, when they still lived in the Forest. Link really missed Saria.
"Of course," Sheik agreed.
"Will you stay with us?" Link asked hesitantly. He wanted the Sheikah to stay. He always disappeared too quickly, and Link wanted some company. Maybe a friend, too, but that was a bit much to ask for. He gave Sheik a very innocent and slightly pleading look, hoping that his guide would agree.
"…Very well," Sheik agreed.
Link grinned, and Navi cheered.
"Then let's get some food and a room at the inn," Navi said. She flew into his cap, and Link led the way to the Inn.
Before they entered, Sheik pulled a cloak out of his bag, and put it on, obscuring his clothing and face. Link was a bit unsettled by how completely that cloak enveloped Sheik. He couldn't even see Sheik's red eyes.
He shoved the door open, and led Sheik to a table in the back of the room, as far from the bar as he could get. Around them, people we're talking in somewhat subdued voices, whispering about the rumored upcoming counterattack, and how Death Mountain seemed ready to erupt. The general feeling seemed to be fear, despite the large amounts of alcohol many of the patrons were consuming.
"So, Sheik," Link started, "I, um, what exactly happened to the Zora Domain? Is everyone okay?"
"You have not been there since you woke up, correct?" Sheik asked.
Link shook his head.
"While you were…Asleep, Ganondorf went throughout all of Hyrule, enslaving the various races, and trying to eliminate the Sages. When he went to the Zora's Domain and demanded they turn over the Sage of Water the Zora refused, and tried to fight him." Sheik paused for a moment, as if remembering the events, or gathering her thoughts. "Ganondorf wasn't pleased, and so he froze everything. All of the Zora's Domain is now covered in ice…" Sheik trailed off.
"All of it? The entire place is frozen?" Navi asked, tone incredulous.
Sheik nodded. "Yes. I managed to rescue Princess Ruto, but all of the other Zoras are encased in ice. The Princess is waiting for you in the Water Temple."
"Then we have to leave right away!" Link exclaimed. "We have to help them."
"No, Link! You need to rest. You just fought a dragon," Navi said, putting her hands on her hips and stressing the word 'dragon.' "You're not going anywhere else tonight. What use would you be to Princess Ruto or anyone else half asleep and exhausted, anyway?"
Link opened his mouth to reply, but Sheik cut him off.
"She is right, Hero. Rest first. The Domain can wait one more day."
Link relaxed a bit. If Sheik said it was fine, then it probably was. "Okay," he agreed. The company lapsed into a comfortable silence, each happy to take full advantage of their momentary safety and relax.
"Excuse me!"
Link glanced up in surprise, Navi ducked under the table, and Sheik turned her head in the opposite direction.
"Um, Yes?" Link asked, fidgeting uncomfortably as he realized his companions weren't going to help him speak to the waitress.
"May I take your order?" The waitress asked cheerfully.
"Er, ye-yes please…" Link stuttered. "Um, may I please have some warm Lon Lon Milk and whatever tonight's special is?" Link blushed, and dropped his gaze to the floor. He hated his stuttering. It was so embarrassing!
"Sure thing! I'll get it right away." The waitress made a note on her little note pad. "And for you?" she asked, turning to Sheik.
Slowly, Sheik glanced at her. Or Link thought Sheik did. It was hard to tell where he was looking with the cloak on.
"I will just have some tea, thank you," Sheik said softly.
"Alright!" The waitress quipped, not at all unsettled by the all encompassing shadows Sheik's cloak cast. "Will that be all?"
Link nodded, and the waitress thanked them for their orders and left.
"Sorry, Link," Navi said, flying back out from under the table, "But I don't think I should be seen by these Hylians."
Link shook his head and smiled, indicating that it was fine. He didn't like talking to strangers, but it was better that nobody saw Navi.
Shortly after, the waitress returned with their drinks and Link's food. "Here you go!" she said, smiling all the while.
Link muttered a thank you and payed for their meal, despite Sheik's subtle protests.
"Shut up and be thankful!" Navi snapped at Sheik when she tried to give Link the rupees for her tea.
"… Alright. Thank you," Sheik replied, a little shocked by how pushy Navi could be.
Link said a quick prayer to the Goddess thanking them for the food and their survival, and then dug into his meal with enthusiasm.
Sheik turned away from Link slightly so that there was no risk of him seeing her face, and drank her tea slowly while eavesdropping on the other customers' conversations.
"Hey! Sheik!" Navi zipped in front of her face, and Sheik jerked back, pulling up her cowl quickly.
"Yes, Navi?" Sheik asked, sounding calm despite her reaction.
"There's a guy staring at us," Navi informed Sheik.
Sheik looked in the direction indicated by the little fairy and frowned. A tall figure in a dark red cloak was staring at them. The only part of the person that was visible was their glowing eyes, everything else was obscured in the darkness of what was no doubt an enchanted cloak.
"I'll go find out why," Sheik offered, slowly standing up, "You and Link stay here." Sheik checked to make sure her cloak covered her completely, and then walked deliberately towards the mysterious person.
"Hey! Wait! Are you sure you should go alone?" Navi asked, flitting around Sheik's head.
"It is fine. I can take care of myself," Sheik assured her. "Now go stay with the Hero, and come find me if anything dangerous occurs."
Navi hung by her shoulder for a moment, then bobbed once, and flew back to Link.
Sheik returned her attention to her target and met their odd, glowing eyes. When Sheik was only a few feet away, the cloaked person turned and hurried out of the Inn, glancing back occasionally, as if checking to see if Sheik was following.
She was. Sheik followed the person out in to the cool night air, and then across town into the silent Graveyard, where the person stopped.
"Hee hee! Hello again, Little Sheikah!" There was a particularly strong gust of wind, the cloak vanished, and the person split in half, each half reshaping itself into a person in a vortex of fire and ice.
"Hello," Sheik said, instantly going into emotionless servant mode, "to what do I owe the honor of this visit?"
"Hee hee! Always so polite, we like that about you!" Koume said.
"Indeed. But we must wonder, is that really how you are?" Kotake agreed, leaning close to Sheik's face, then abruptly pulling back to float in the air next to her sister.
"You completed your mission," Koume said, "but-"
"-the Hero still lives, oh dear." Kotake finished.
"Lord Ganondorf will not be pleased!"
"No, not pleased at all. He will also be… Disappointed-"
"-yes, most disappointed -"
"To learn how friendly you've become with the Hero and his little fairy." The witches spun and giggled, and then refocused on Sheik with serious expressions.
"Could it be, that our Little Sheikah is secretly hoping for the Hero's victory?" Kotake hissed. The two witches circled slowly around Sheik.
Sheik didn't move.
"Could it be, that our polite Sheikah is a traitor?"
"Perhaps, if the Hero survives the Water Temple…"
"We should kill the Little Sheikah!" the Twinrova chorused.
Sheik felt fear slowly rising, and struggled to repress it. Memories of her time in Ganondorf's dungeon, and of the cruelty she'd seen the Twinrova commit, all the horrible things she'd tried to forget, pushing their way to the forefront of her thoughts.
"Slowly…"
"Painfully…"
"Yes, it will be much fun! Hee hee hee!" The witches cackled and spun, spiraling into the starless sky, until they disappeared in a flash of red light.
Once they were out of sight, Sheik dropped to the ground in front of a grave stone and took a deep breath.
What now? That was as good as a kill order. And Sheik would not kill the Hero.
In her memory, the witches voices echoed alongside images of her torture at Ganondorf's hands, and the many long days spent in the darkness of the dungeons, of death, and slaughter, and fear so strong it was almost tangible.
"I can't go through that again," she whispered. She dropped her head onto her knees. Sheik couldn't kill the Hero, and couldn't let the Twinrova capture her.
That left only one option.
-0-0-0-
"Princess, the riders are ready, please give us your orders."
Zelda looked up from her make-shift desk and considered the man before her. He was the commander of one of her mounted units. He was middle aged, and had served her father before Ganondorf's attack and the King's subsequent death. He was a good man, and a reliable soldier.
"Very good. Please gather them all to the clearing," Zelda commanded.
"Yes, Ma'am!" The soldier saluted and jogged out of the tent.
Moments later, Zelda heard a horn being blown, and the sound of a dozen horses and their armored and armed riders gathering in the clearing outside. Zelda stood, smoothing the wrinkles from her elegant pink dress.
"Impa, please accompany me," Zelda said, knowing that Impa was very close and would hear her even though Zelda could not see her. Then she gathered up the pile of scrolls in her desk and pushed aside the tent flap.
In the clearing, twelve knights waited, silent and grim. Their horses shifted and pawed at the ground.
"My knights," Zelda called, "You are all honorable men, and more than capable warriors. But this task requires more than just combat." She looked around them, trying to gauge their reactions.
Their faces were unchanging, as if carved out of stone.
"This mission will require all speed and stealth. You cannot be caught." She paused to emphasize this point. "After seven dark years, the time has finally come for us to strike back against Ganondorf!" Zelda motioned to Impa, who was standing at the entrance to the tent behind Zelda, and gave her the scrolls.
Impa walked through the rows of knights, handing each one the scroll Zelda had assigned.
"Ride with all haste to your assigned destination, and deliver these messages to their rulers. It is time to raise our army, and recapture our kingdom!" Zelda looked over the still grim, but now determined knights, and nodded, satisfied that they understood, and would get the job done.
"Go, and may the Goddesses protect you."
The knights turned, and spurred their horses, riding off in multiple directions, all headed to different locations. Zelda smiled. It was time she took some action against Ganondorf's dark forces. The Hero was the only one that could kill the King of Evil, but she could help clear his path, and protect him.
Princess Zelda turned and re-entered the tent. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she was doing something useful, had the power to do something.
The Hero would not fight alone.
A/N
Hello anyone who is still reading this!
First of all, thank you infinitely much for reading this, and continuing to read it, even with my horrible updating habits, bad formatting, and occasionally plain awful updates. It's very gratifying to know that people read what you write, and you aren't just writing for yourself, and publishing for no reason.
So thank you everyone!
Second, extremely special thanks to all who reviewed last chapter. I hope I was able to respond to all of you, and if I didn't, know that I am very thankful for your review, and have done my best to take into consideration any complaints or suggestions you have.
Third, I apologize for how short my chapters are, and what a mess I've made. But I'm trying to make it better, and will continue to do so. Also, if there are formatting issues, please tell me. and I really don't get along in that respect.
Last, Thank you very, very, very much KPGirl1227! For the past few months I've been working on my NaNoWriMo novel (I got over 50,000 words! Yay!) so that's kind of my excuse for taking such a long time to update. But when I got your wonderful message, I decided you (and everybody else) really deserved another chapter, so I've been working on it, and I hope it's satisfactory. I know it won't make up for my laziness, but this chapter is dedicated to you. Thank you! I'm really lucky to have such an awesome reader.
That's it for now, I think. In three words: "Sorry," and "Thank you!"
~ Lyn