I just watched The Chronicles of Narnia today, and I recommend that movie to anyone who has a fight scene they're stuck on! I was watching the battle at the end and just wishing I had my computer so I could type. It was incredibly inspiring. I was really kind of sad that this chapter was already getting rather long and I wouldn't be able to fit a decent battle in here, so look for it next chapter!
Also, I keep forgetting to mention this: The Christmas contest is… CLOSED! Sorry, but that's the hard truth. How many of you were honestly going to enter anyway? Because of my not having a great deal of time or entries, I am ending the contest now. Please don't send me entries, okay? A big, big SORRY to everyone who was already working on a picture or story! Here's the next chapter as apology!
Chapter 4: The Sea Dragons Attack
"Mom!" River shouted in surprise. "I thought you were meeting with those representatives from the eastern Zora clan!"
In the doorway stood a Zora woman garbed in a translucent blue gown. Upon her head was a bright amethyst set into a winged silver base. Beads followed around her head, and from those cascaded a long azure veil. She had her hands rested angrily upon her hips. River withdrew a few steps nervously.
"Uh… Zephyr, this is Queen Ruto, ruler of Seabound and the Great Sea," he introduced. Zephyr stared at the named queen for a while. "She's a fish," he murmured. "Excuse me?" Ruto inquired. The blonde boy shook his head to dismiss his comment. After all, he could presume that all Zora looked like fish. They lived in the ocean, for crying out loud!
"My son has requested that my people care for you and treat you as we would esteemed guests, for it appears you are two of the four Chosens," the queen said. "I will comply with his entreaty, but I will also warn you that there are those in my fair city that will not take kindly to foreigners. Seabound is an isolated city. We keep to our own business. Or, we used to keep to our business, until today.
"You and your sister are welcome here in Seabound for as long as you wish to stay. Be careful, though, I implore of you." Ruto took River's hand and dragged him out of the room, closing the door behind them to leave Zephyr and Maris alone. The boy crept over to his sister's bed and sat down beside it, leaning on the mattress.
"Maris… wake up," he said as he poked the girl's arm. One eye flicked open. "Are they gone?" she whispered. Zephyr chuckled. "Yeah, they left just now," he assured. Maris sat up and stretched. "Good. I was tired of playing dead," she grinned. "Brother, your clothes are different," she observed as she inspected herself to see if she had been changed as well.
Zephyr had been too concerned with Maris and River to notice that he had been changed into dry, white pajamas. His sister was clad in an ivory nightgown. He looked around to find their Snowbound garments hanging in the corner, drying. He nodded in understanding and approval and turned back to Maris. "You heard what River was telling me, right?" he asked. The girl gave her assent.
"Chosen of Water…? No wonder I've always wanted to go to the Great Sea," she thought aloud. "But what's here…? I feel like there's something here for me, and I've got to find it before I can leave… But what is it…? And where is it…? I just don't know…"
"It's okay, Sister," Zephyr smiled. "We'll find whatever it is we need to find, then we'll go back to Snowbound and tell Aine about all this." Maris nodded with a reassured grin. They ventured out of their room hesitantly, remembering the queen's warning. Zephyr scampered down the hall and gestured that his sister follow.
"Where are we going?" Maris whispered as Zephyr dragged her along by her wrist. "We're exploring a little," he winked, "'cause Queen Ruto said we could. Now stop worrying and come on!"
They passed giant tapestries and portraits. They glanced into the depths of a vast library and a bustling kitchen. They came to the center of the palace and found a huge pool of water with reefs and fishes dwelling within, a giant waterfall resting at the back. "Come on! Come on!" Maris exclaimed as she ran forward and until she was up to her knees in the water. "Brother! Over here!" she called when she saw Zephyr wasn't following.
The boy sighed and trudged forward to where his sister was crouched in front of the water. He knelt down and watched as the fish swam in circles around one another. A creature that resembled the sea dragon Zephyr had faced looped around beneath the shining surface. However, it looked far more complacent, almost domestic. Its neck was long with fin-like protrusions. Its feet were large flippers. Its body was covered in pink, blue, and sea green scales. Its eyes were wide and deep turquoise.
"What a magnificent thing," Zephyr breathed as he placed his fingers in the water. The dragon surfaced and tossed its head playfully, splashing the boy with icy liquid. He grinned and threw more water back. Maris danced backwards to avoid the water fight. In her fascination with the antics before her, she stumbled into a patrolling Zora guard.
"What where you're going, child! Hey, you! Get away from there! Leave that dragon alone! Stupid foreigners… Honestly!" the guard demanded in a flustered tone. Zephyr plodded out of the water shamefully and stood at his sister's side as they were further reprimanded.
"That is a sacred creature! You must never bother her! Stupid, stupid foreigners!"
"But that dragon started playing with me!" Zephyr explained as he cast a glance over his shoulder. The serpent had its head extended out of the water to get a better view of the scene. When it saw Zephyr was looking its way, it swung its head side to side as if beckoning for him to come back. "The poor thing must get awfully lonely…" he muttered.
"Nonsense," the Zora scoffed. "That is Lielu, the Guardian of Seabound. She doesn't get lonely. Ignorant child. She wasn't playing; she was trying to get you to go away!"
"Not true," Maris murmured under her breath. Being in tune with the water element, she found she was able to channel the emotions of sea creatures, or at least those of Lielu. When she came near, she was overwhelmed by sadness and loneliness. When she approached the water, curiosity consumed her. As her brother played with Lielu, she was ecstatic and content. And now she felt remorseful, ashamed, and wistful. Lielu was sad that she had gotten Zephyr into trouble, but she wanted him to come back so they could play more.
"What was that?" the Zora growled. Maris turned around and gave Lielu an apologetic smile. She tugged on Zephyr's sleeve, indicating for them to go. "I asked you a question, brat!" the guard shouted as he grabbed Maris' shoulder and slapped her face. Zephyr gasped and turned on the offender with fierce eyes.
"Don't ever touch my sister!" he screamed as a gale tore through the chamber, whipping his hair across his face. "Brother!" Maris pleaded, setting a calming hand on his shoulder. Zephyr growled in contempt, but he let himself be pulled away by his sister.
"You remember what River told us, don't you?" the girl whispered. Zephyr bit his lip. "If we do anything impure, we won't be Chosens anymore and the world will be doomed," he recalled solemnly. Maris nodded. "So we need to be careful," she smiled, "very, very careful."
The siblings returned to their room to change into their other clothes in hopes that they were now dry. Finding the garbs fit for wear, they quickly changed. Maris noticed that the room had an upstairs that they hadn't noticed before. "Look, Zephyr," she said airily as she ascended the spiraling staircase. The entire wall was a pane of glass through which they could view the ocean.
"Oh my… We're underwater!" Zephyr exclaimed in shock. He stared gaping as fish swam past lazily then scattered as if suddenly frightened. The enormous sea dragon that attacked them before darted past with many more like it following. Zephyr gasped and stumbled backwards as monster after terrifying monster disappeared from view. The castle began to quake violently, knocking Maris to the floor.
"What's going on…?" the girl groaned as she stood, only to have the floor tremble again. She grasped at the walls to steady herself. Through the window Zephyr could see something swiftly approaching from the distance. His eyes grew wide in fear with the realization of what was going to happen. "Run, Maris!" he shouted as he grabbed her arm and made for the door.
The sea dragon that Zephyr had spotted swimming towards them rammed into the window, creating several large cracks in the glass. Water leaked and spurted from the tiny openings as the dragon backed up for a second assault. Zephyr cursed under his breath as he tried to open the door. Maris placed a hand on his arm with serene eyes. The boy gave a shuddering sigh and calmly undid the latch. He turned the knob and pushed his sister out just as the window burst.
Floods of sea water rushed towards him as Zephyr pulled the door tightly shut and locked it. He clutched Maris' wrist and raced down the hall, occasionally tripping as the castle sustained yet another blow, presumably from the dragons. They eventually came to the main chamber, where the younger sibling wrenched herself free from her brother's grasp. "Lielu!" she shouted as she ran towards the pool of water where the gentle creature resided. She was cut off by the Zora guard from earlier.
"No, children! It's not safe that way! Come on; the Queen's quarters will best protect you," he said as he guided both the Hylians up a long flight of ornate stairs and through a pair of lavish ivory doors. He closed the passage off before they could protest to help defend the city.
"Brother! Lielu! I think she's in danger!" Maris explained in an upset manner. Zephyr shook his head. "How do you know that?" he asked skeptically.
"Your sister is right," chimed a voice that the two recognized to be River's. The young prince of the Zora emerged from behind a dressing curtain. "Sorry I didn't make my presence known sooner, but… yeah. Lielu, Guardian of Seabound, is in grave danger. At the first sign of battle, she left her sanctum to help fend off the invaders. She's still young, and she's up against fully-grown Dread Serpents. She won't stand a chance. And if Lielu dies… all of Seabound will collapse."
"Okay, first off: Dread Serpents?" Zephyr inquired. River nodded hurriedly. "Yeah, those dragon things that are attacking us. We call 'em Dread Serpents. Lielu is one of them, but she's got a way better temper, and she's more interested in protecting us than destroying us," he explained.
"And why does Seabound's survival depend on Lielu?" Maris asked curiously. "Look, I don't know where you guys are from," River began in an annoyed tone, "but every capital has a guardian. Seabound is capital of the oceans, so we have Lielu. She's a huge source of magic energy. Her tears are said to be able to revive the dead. I've never seen it myself, but I know people who have been brought back by her. As long as she's well, Seabound will flourish with her power. Should she die, though, our city will wither and die. It's like this with every capital and guardian."
"And that's why Seabound is capital of the seas," Maris concluded, "because this is where Lielu lives."
"She won't be 'living' here for long unless we can find some way to help!" Zephyr shouted in aggravation. How could they stand around and chat about such things when the endurance of an entire city was at stake? "Well, what do you suggest, Mr. Know-It-All?" River scoffed as he placed one hand angrily on his hip.
"Uh, I might be able to do something," Maris interrupted. She pointed to a staff hanging decoratively over Queen Ruto's bed. It was built from a gnarled piece of driftwood with a moon shape at the top. Set into the crook of that crescent was a rather large sapphire orb. Tied around the base of the head was a cerulean ribbon. She could sense a great power in it. "Your mother wouldn't mind if I borrowed that, would she?" River shrugged and removed the item from the wall. "Don't see what good it'll do. It's just a pretty stick," he muttered as he placed the rod in Maris' waiting hands.
"What are you planning, Sister?" Zephyr questioned. His sibling grinned.
"I'll be back, Zephyr. I'm going to go and lead the army!"
Before the boy could even comprehend the words, Maris was out the door with her new staff in hand. "She's going to what!" Zephyr exclaimed when the statement finally sunk in. River stared at the door in cynicism.
Oh, and is it just me, or does anyone else see the resemblance between that William Moseley guy who played Peter (in the movie) and Link? Slap some pointy ears on the guy and voila! He's already blonde and blue-eyed. And eliminate the accent, too. It was a great movie, but I couldn't help thinking he looked almost exactly like Link!
Um, um… I don't really… have much… to say. The OC thing has been decided. Angel of Atonement's, and not just because of all he's done for me. It looks as though he put a lot of thought into making Doroki extremely compatible with the story, and I can't wait to introduce him. And… and… Uhhh… Oh, we're getting a high speed connection soon, so I'll be able to update my website! YAY!
And… I think that's all. Don't forget to check my blog every now and then to see if I replied to the reviews. And… please leave a review on your way out! Thank you!