Chapter Six: A Taste of Truth
Link was led down the newly opened tunnel, which became brighter with every one of his tentative steps. Eventually, the path climbed what seemed to be an infinite flight of stone-hewn steps. At the top of this staircase lay the outside world. Link was guided out into the sunshine. When Link looked around, it became clear to him that they had emerged from the opposite side of the hill that he had entered seemingly forever ago. Link was taken away from the hill, through a cluster of huts, and into the trees that hemmed in the village around the hill.
Only a hundred feet into these trees and it was already impossible to see the village that lay behind. The trees were so thick that without the guidance of the men Link would surely have become entangled in its intertwined undergrowth. Their path switchbacked through the trees until it ultimately emerged into a clearing many times larger than the one that held the village. In the center of this clearing stood an awe-inspiring fortress. It stood almost five hundred feet tall, containing multiple levels of stone blocks that eventually culminated in a tremendous spire.
The spire was covered with solid gold plating, which gleamed in the afternoon sunshine. At the top was a yawning black hole that clearly held a small chamber within. One of Link's captors saw Link staring up at this window and said, "That's where we'll be takin' ya. You're going to meet the boss. Yes sir."
Link did not respond. He stared at the man with his piercingly deep sapphire eyes, shutting the man up instantaneously. Before the castle wound a bubbling moat. Instead of water filling its bottom there was a greenish acid that sizzled and occasionally erupted into the air, drenching the walls of the fortress and causing them to slowly erode. The chief of the men put his fingers to his mouth and emitted a shrill whistle. Moments later a drawbridge descended from its vertical stance on the far side of the moat. It gently dropped into place on the near side of the acid stream below. This allowed the men to push Link across the moat and into the fortress on the other side.
Once inside of the gigantic structure Link was surprised to see that the entry hall was no larger than a modestly sized hut. There was no furniture in the room and the walls were unornamented. However in the center of the room was a wooden platform with a chain rising up from each of its four corners. The four chains disappeared into a hole in the ceiling that was the same size as the platform.
"Get on," ordered one of the men. "We're going to haul you up to the boss's chamber. He'll be up shortly. Go on. Get!" The man shoved Link onto the platform. Link waited patiently as the men approached a massive lever that emerged from the wall nearby. They grabbed the lever in unison and began to turn it. As they spun it around the chains tightened and began to pull Link and the platform into the air. A few seconds later Link was inside of the hole in the ceiling. Inside there was not a single opening in the impenetrable stone walls except a speck of white light almost five hundred feet above that issued from a gap. For five minutes Link stood alone with only the clanking of the rising chains for company. The point of light grew continually larger until Link found himself disappearing into it.
Link blinked for a second to shield his eyes from the light. He looked around and saw that he was in a small chamber with a pointed ceiling. All that sat inside of the room was a bed, table, and two chairs. There was a door five feet away. Link approached it and tried to turn the knob. The sudden halting of the rotation of the handle told him that it was locked. Link looked behind and saw that the wooden elevator he had come up on was so flat with the floor that it almost seemed a part of it. On the other side of it was a window. Link hurried to the window and looked out. He saw that he was looking out of the window he had seen from the ground before entering the fortress. There would be no escaping this room. However, a moment later all thoughts of escape disappeared as the sound of a lock clicking free came to his ears. He turned to the door and noticed it creeping open.
"It's you?" questioned Link in disbelief as he saw the old man he had met in the forest entering.
"Yes," chuckled the old man as he slid into a chair with a groan.
"So this is your doing? I want my horse and sword now."
"Hush now. You are a fine young lad, but you are too quick to be hostile. Come here. Let me see your hand."
"What? My hand?" Link looked down at his hand and saw the arrow still sticking out of it from before. His skin had now turned a vivid shade of green. In the excitement of the past few hours he had completely forgotten about it.
"Come on now. I must say that I am quite gifted with healing." He chuckled again as Link warily advanced. "Ah," remarked the old man when he saw the wound. "This isn't a problem. Do not worry. I have a bottle of red potion here. I'm sure you know to what a great extent it can help." He handed the bottle to Link; it was full of a blood-red potion.
Link gulped it down quickly and then handed the empty bottle back to the man. "Thank you."
"Oh, you are welcome. Now, I will have to remove that arrow." Link turned away as the man grabbed the arrow. A moment later he could feel the tearing of his flesh as the arrow was ripped free. He bit his tongue to fight back the screams that desired nothing more than to be released from his mouth. "There you are. The potion will now be able to heal your hand fully. Now, maybe with that out of the way, we can talk."
"Yes. Let's talk. I want to know why this is happening. And if you don't tell me now and then give me my sword and steed then your punishment will come swiftly."
"Now, now. This is only a misunderstanding. If I had only known sooner what my men were doing to you I could have stopped it. In fact, if it wasn't for me there would have been even more tortures for you after the maze. I came upon my men minutes after they had sent you into the labyrinth. I told them to rescue you and that when they had found you I wanted you sent to me."
"They told me the maze was a test."
"It is to them. It was a test to see how long you could survive. However, with this test, the victim will always fail eventually. But I saved you. Believe me when I say that the maze was only the beginning."
"Well then, I thank you. Now, will you tell me who you are?"
"My name is Astralose. I run this village and fortress. It serves as a place for young men to gather and prepare themselves to be able to survive in the harsh world of today. I train them to use the many weapons that they will need to defend themselves outside of my land. Also, I teach them history and language so they can gain an understanding of their culture. Many of these men I found myself in the Forest of Gormoth. Many of them had lost their families when they were attacked my the numerous monsters that call the forest home. Here they are safe. Actually, I was hoping to recruit you into my family."
"And why didn't you?" asked Link, even though he knew that he would have denied the offer anyway.
It seemed that Astralose had to think of the answer for a moment, as if he was struggling to put it into words. "I suppose I just sensed that you did not need me. As awful as that maze is it did prove your strength in battle. A fine young lad, I believe it now even more than I did before."
"I have to ask, if you don't want your men to send people into the maze, then why did you build it?"
"Oh, I didn't build it. It was here long before I was. Along with the creatures that inhabit it. I actually forbid my men from opening the gateway into it. But that hasn't stopped them from sending nearly every person they've ever found in the woods into it."
"So now that this is all settled can I have my horse Epona back? And my sword too of course," Link added. Now that he had discovered that Astralose was not an enemy it did not seem nearly as important to have his blade by his side.
"I'm afraid not, at least not quite yet. There are still some things we must discuss."
"What?" questioned Link, instantly becoming distrustful again.
"I know what you seek in the Forest of Gormoth." Link did not reply. "The fairy Navi."
Link was immediately startled. "How do you know that?"
"I am sure you remember the wizard that you spoke to in the desert between the Forest of Gormoth and the land of Termina."
"Yes. How could I forget? He told me he knew where Navi was. Then he made me give him all of my items except my sword for the information. Because of him I no longer even have a shield."
"Well, he is an old friend of mine. And he told me of your plight during a visit I had with him not too long ago. It was when I was returning from this visit that I ran into you actually."
"Well, all he could tell me was the description of the area Navi was living in. Within an ancient temple without a roof that strides a wide river above a roaring waterfall. He could not even tell me the name of the old temple, or even the river or the waterfall. And unfortunately, since I am unfamiliar with this forest, I do not know where this place is."
"Tell me Link. Why is it that you wish to see Navi?" asked Astralose, changing the subject.
"Because, she was with me from the beginning. Through all of my battles she was there by my side. I feel naked without her. That is the best that I can explain it."
"Well then, it will please you that I know this area that you speak of."
"What!" exclaimed Link, unable to control his happiness.
"It lies no more than a day's journey south of here."
"Then I must leave immediately."
"You will, and I will come with you," said Astralose.
"Why?"
"You will never be able to find it on your own, so I will show you the way."
"So be it. When will we leave?"
"Immediately. I have already had my men prepare your steed. Your blade will be down there also. Is there anything else that you would like to say before we leave?"
"Only thank you." Astralose smiled. Then he opened the door for Link and followed him out as he left to find his most missed companion Navi before it was too late.
