Chapter 27: Battle of Courage

After changing the water level Link made his way back to Faith who was waiting across from the dragon statue.

She hadn't noticed before that the statue rose and fell with the water level, but now she had and she knew that would be how they would get across. On the dragon's neck was a target for the long shot. Faith waited until Link Reached her before she pulled out her long shot. She went first and was pulled by be long shot to the other side.

Link followed quickly and opened the door behind the statue. He couldn't think of anything to say, nor did he feel anything really needed to be said. The door led to a slope with three sliding spikes. The spikes were moving so that the first and last were always at the same point while the middle was at an opposite point. Link walked to one side. "Let me go first, watch how I do it and then follow."

Faith nodded and watched as link climbed the slope. Once he was at the top she followed. It was harder than she had thought it would be but she made it safely and without sliding back.

"I'm not sure if it'll be the same but either way, be on guard," Link warned as he undid the lock on the door.

Faith nodded and followed Link through the door.

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It was nothing like what Link had expected. The walls were covered in gorgeous drape in different hues of blue. Instead of four platforms surrounded by water there was only one long platform that had water on three sides that lead to a girl, about 17, with long blonde hair and blue eyes that threw Link back into his childhood memories. It was her, he couldn't believe it but it was really her. "Princess Zelda?"

The girl smiled warmly at Link and nodded. "It really has been a long time hasn't it?"

Faith couldn't believe what was going on. There was no way she could be here. Zelda had died fighting. And even if she was alive she should look old and wrinkled. Something was really wrong.

Link started to move toward Zelda, he still couldn't believe it was really here. He suddenly felt something very cold move past his ear. He blinked after it passed him. When he opened his eye Zelda was a frozen pillar of ice. He turned and saw Faith holding her bow as though she had just let an arrow fly. "Why did you do that?" He yelled wondering what was running through her mind.

"That is not Zelda, there's no way she could be alive. Link, you have to trust me that it's not her. Back away from her before she thaws." Faith lowered her bow but didn't take her eyes off the frozen girl.

"How do you know if it's really her or not?" Link stepped closer to Faith as he spoke. When he heard the ice begin to crack he turned.

Faith raised her bow and pulled out another arrow, it started to glow a light blue and it also made the air around it colder.

The ice shattered like glass, but the form inside it was no longer in the form of Zelda. Instead the creature had no true form. The only thing that had from was the small circle that beat like a heart in the creature of water.

Faith shot her arrow again but this time the creature avoided it. A tentacle of water launched itself at Faith and wrapped itself around her. This caused Faith to drop her bow and to scream in pain. It felt as though the creature were trying to crush her. The tentacle then began to shake her until it let go throwing her at a wall. Faith hit a corner just as all the drapes disappeared giving up the illusion of a palace. Faith hit the wall hard and toward the middle height. She hit head first and fell to the floor wear she once again hit her head hard.

Link, who was finally pulled back to reality, ran to Faith. She was out cold but she was still alive. Link stood and drew his sword.

"Link, it won't matter if you hit anything but the heart! Be careful, it might try to trick you by shape shifting again!" Navi warned.

"If it tries I won't be fooled again." Link rushed toward where the creature's main body stood with the heart in full view.

The creature dodged and leaped into the water. "You won't find me that easy to defeat hero," the creature hissed.

This creature reminded Link of facing his dark form, and the dark form of Faith. It taunted the mind in an attempt to weak its opponent. Link pulled out his long shot and took aim at the heart. However it moved to fast for him to hit.

The creature once again took form as a person, however this time it was still just water. "You really don't get it do you?" The creature's arms turned to tentacles and lashed at Link.

Link flipped over the tentacles and pulled out his bow. He aimed for the heart. The arrow hit its mark causing the creature to scream. "Now I do."

The creature took shelter back in the water where its heart didn't stay still.

Link borrowed Faith's idea and shot an ice arrow at the water. It froze right around the heart. Once it thawed the creature screamed again. "Arrows and ice, I'll have to thank Faith for the idea."

The creature sent tentacles out at Link, but once again he dodged them. Link noticed the heart had gone into one of the tentacles so he shot an ice arrow at the tentacle that held the heart. The tentacle froze and fell next to Link. He drew his sword and pierced the heart with his sword.

The creature let out an earth shattering cry as the heart exploded letting out nothing but water. All the water in the room rose to the ceiling and fell as only a single drop of water. A portal of light appeared where the drop fell. Link ran over to where Faith still lied.

She was beginning move a little. "I wasn't much help, was I?" Faith said as she turned so she could sit up.

"Actually you were. If you hadn't shot that fake Zelda I would have been an easy target. Also if it wasn't for your idea to use an ice arrow I wouldn't have defeated the creature." Link helped Faith to her feet. "Come on, we have to go meet the new Sage of Water." Link helped Faith keep her balance as they walked over the portal to the Chamber of Sages.

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Link looked at the girl who had come from the blue portal and wondered who she was. Link had never met this girl before, however she reminded him a lot of Ruto when she was a child.

"I thought it would be you Maria," Faith said smiling at the girl.

Maria smiled and nodded. "I'm glad to see you both. Thank you for saving the water temple. I know that Ruto would be thankful to. The only thing I can give you as thanks thought are these," Maria tossed two coins, one for Link and one for Faith. They were blue coins with the emblem for water on them. "Keep these as a token of the all the Zora's thanks. Now Zora's Domain will once again will thaw and be a safe place to live."

Faith and Link nodded as light started to swirl around them.

"Travel safely and give Dogan a good kick in the rear for me!"

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Faith and Link found themselves once again at Lake Hylia. This time however water filled the lake. Faith looked at the water and smiled. "This is what I had expected from this place. It's amazing!"

Link looked at Faith. "I forgot to ask you this before. If you hate magic so much then why did you use an ice arrow on that creature?"

"I just knew I needed to. I'd found out how to use them at the Gerudo Training Ground. And I knew with out it you'd have gotten hurt. I like magic really, I'm just afraid to use it."

Link finally understood something. She knew the price and didn't want others to have to pay it; that was why she didn't use magic. "Look here at this stone," Link said pointing to an old stone that had been their before Link had first come here. He then looked to make sure the sun was still rising instead of setting.

"When water fills this lake shoot for the morning light. What does it mean?" Faith asked looking at Link.

"Why don't you try it?"

Faith looked at him curiously as she pulled out her bow. "Alright," she said as she pulled out an arrow and shot at the sun. To her surprise a crystal fell on another small island just beyond them. Without needing to be told she swam to the island and picked up the crystal. It was in the shape of a small flaming arrow, just like the one she had for ice. She laughed and swam back to Link. "You used a fire arrow in the temple didn't you?"

Link nodded in reply. "Now come on. We had a long ride ahead of us. We have to head toward Kakariko."

Faith nodded and started to head toward where they'd left the horses.

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As I said, quick update! I was just waiting for at least two reviews!