Whooo! Well here's chapter 10! Yea I know I took FOREVER to get this out but I have the evil blood sucking disease known as teachers and school. And despite being the author of this story, I appear to be failing English... Ok well not really that bad (in my mind I've got over a 50% at least so that's a pass right?) but hey a low mark is a low mark which means parents 'cracking down' on my computer time. I'm not sure how fast or slow updates will come during school days but I hope to get out as many as I can.
now lets have some applause and thanks to Lupanari for looking over and editing this chapter!!!
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~~LEGEND~~ (just incase)
"words" = speaking English
'words' = thoughts
"words" = speaking ancient Hylian
"words" = great fairies or goddesses speaking **note these will almost always be in Hylian**
"Wow! Is this the place?"
"Seems like it, that thing is giving off a lot of magic..."
"I've noticed... any idea where the entrance is?"
"Not a clue." Navi fluttered out from beneath Link's hat and looked around the area. "I think there's something over here..."
"Alright," Link said taking a step forward coming out from behind the large rock. The uneven terrain made Link glad he took off his school gear when he did. "I've got a bad feeling about this place though..."
Navi snorted as she came back to Link's side. "Well of course! There's probably a dungeon or something around here," She rolled her eyes as she spoke.
"But that's not..." Link was cut off as he heard a loud creaking noise that sounded similar to a tree falling over. Looking in the direction it came from, Link's eyes widened and he quickly rolled out of the way. "Well that explains that..."
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"I wonder why Link wasn't at dinner?" Harry asked as the trio entered the Gryffindor common room.
"Maybe he wanted to eat alone?" Ron offered flopping down in a nearby chair.
"I hope he didn't get lost..." Hermione said sitting across from her friend. "It is getting late..."
Ron sighed heavily at the look the frizzy haired girl gave him. He looked desperately to Harry for an out, but was met with an uncertain shrug.
"We should go find him," Hermione declared causing the boys to sigh in unison.
"Can we at least wait until I don't feel as bloated?" Ron asked rubbing his stomach idly. This time it was Hermione's turn to sigh.
"I think this is the 'Whomping Willow,'" Navi said as Link clung to the protection the large boulder provided.
"Evil tree..." Link muttered under his breath as more leaves fell about him. He rubbed at his arm where the tree had hit him.
"Maybe I can try to distract it while you make your way to that tunnel?" Navi offered facing the direction where she had seen a small dark opening by a large root.
Link watched the tree with his eyes narrowed. It's branches swayed about and a root was smacking the dirt madly. Little grass grew around the base of the tree, there were no shrubs or flowers either. The more Link looked at the base of the tree however, the more one spot stood out.
He had run around the base of the tree several times now and yet there was only one small spot on the whole tree that had moss growing on it. "Did you hear me?" Navi said fluttering in front of his face.
Link didn't reply but instead dug through his pouch and brought out the Lens of Truth. Channeling magic through the lens as he brought it up to his eye he smiled. There was a large hidden opening with a large stone door beyond at the bottom of a small slope. "I think I found our entrance," Link said putting the lens away.
"You want me to distract it?" Navi tried again.
Link shook his head. "That thing gave me a good thrashing and I only got hit with the thinnest part of it..."
"Humph, fine. But how do you suggest we make it over there?" Navi asked snidely taking her place on the green clad teen's hat. No sooner was she settled, were the pair flying through the open space between them and the tree. Link immediately rolled as he hit the ground entering the dark tunnel. A loud crash was herd behind, no doubt from the tree trying to squash them as they flew inside. The thing groaned and creaked in a vain attempt to smite them.
Link brushed himself off but wasted no time in going through the door. The stone door was hard to move and the air that came out smelt musty. Dust and spider webs coated the interior of the newly opened corridor which stirred up as Link walked through. "Like the good old days," Link chuckled softly.
As Link walked further down the long corridor the light slowly disappeared. After a few minutes of walking Link came upon another door which, he noticed with a sad smile, was adorned with a large symbol. A bird. Sharp angled and rather blocky it was chiseled, or rather engraved into the solid door.
Grunting Link pushed the door open and stepped inside the damp room. As soon as the door shut itself behind him torches lit illuminating the area. "Oh!..." Navi started but stopped as a gasp escaped her throat. The room was littered with bones.
"Gannon's minions no doubt..." Link said as he kicked away a skull that resembled a Dodongo. "Obviously they were here a while," he said looking out at the sea of dead monsters. Glancing around Link spotted another door, but as he got close to it bars came down barricading it shut.
A high pitched giggle that echoed from everywhere made Link draw out his trusty sword and shield. The torches dimmed as a bright green light appeared in the middle of the room. The cackling laughter continued as a Poe appeared waving it's lantern tauntingly. The thing looked similar to the Poes Link was used to seeing, but this one had a green garb of rotting fabric and it had the body shape of a flare dancer.
The thing spun showing off its lantern before it giggled and placed its feet on the ground. Link stood there watching it waiting for the Poe to make it's move, knowing full well how unpredictable they could be. Suddenly the ghost launched itself towards Link who immediately brought up his shield to guard against its lantern.
The Poe didn't slow as it approached Link, passing right through the shield as well as himself, only to strike from behind. Link fell forward from the force of the strike unsure of what just happened. As Link rose to his feet the Poe giggled and hovered back in forth, swaying tauntingly as Link stood dumbfounded.
"That's new..." Link said as he locked eyes with the ghost. Readying his bow he launched an arrow towards the Poe, only to have it lodge into the wall behind it. Not waiting for the enemy to make it's move Link ran towards the Poe with a horizontal slash. The Poe moved forward as Link's sword passed right through it. Catching him off guard the Poe went through his arms only to whack him in the head with its lantern.
"Link, wait until it's about to strike!" Navi said fluttering above the teen's head. Link huffed as he watched the Poe wind up for another hit, and just as it struck out Link parried and went for a slice to its torso. The Poe giggled as Link's sword went straight through it... just as it whacked him in the head. "I guess this guy can choose what parts are solid," Navi explained.
"Fantastic..." Link growled out rubbing his head.
"I can help... I think," Navi said fluttering over in front of the teens nose. "I've never tried on an actual enemy before, but I think this will work." Not waiting for a reply she flew off to the cackling Poe.
Navi fluttered around the Poe's head and locked on to it's aura long before the Poe turned invisible due to her presence. Link watched in fascination as Navi began to glow a bright blue. When the ghost realized the fairy could do nothing against it, the Poe reappeared and approached Link again. "When I say so, fire an ice arrow," Navi said, her voice ringing with power.
Nodding Link nocked and readied the magical arrow. When the Poe came within a foot of Link Navi have her signal and the arrow was released. It hit the ghost dead on, freezing it in a rather familiar casing of blue ice. "Whoa!" Link said as he admired the crystal.
Navi beamed and fluttered excitedly around the ice. "I can't believe it worked!" She exclaimed.
"So is that the same stuff I need the blue fire to melt?" Link said running his gloved hand down the side of the crystal.
"Ordinarily yes, but mine is special," Link could hear the smirk through her voice. "Just whack that thing into oblivion. This ice will break through force, but only by your force." Navi explained. "And just like the other stuff it won't be melting on its own anytime soon."
"Looks like you've been busy while I was away," Link couldn't help but laugh, as he easily dispatched the Poe. Once the last bits of 'Poe smoke' cleared the barred door opened allowing Link to continue down into the depths of the tree.
The next few rooms were relatively easy with hardly anything in them. Even the Lens of Truth revealed nothing. A few more Green Poes appeared here and there, but with Navi's new skill they made short work of them. It wasn't until about the sixth room they entered that they discovered something. A bright green orb was hovering within what appeared to be a wooden cage, in the middle of an underground water basin.
The roots of the protective cage twined up around the green orb like an angry dragons claw, refusing to relinquish its treasure. Navi fluttered out in front towards the orb almost as if she was entranced by it. "T-this is," Navi swallowed hard "A great fairy's power... well half of it anyway"
"Half?" Link didn't like the sound of that. "The fairy was split apart?" He asked nervously taking a cautions step into the knee deep water. Navi didn't reply but instead flew over to examine the green orb, which seemed to glow more brightly as she neared it.
As Link took another tentative step he brought out his sword into the ready, knowing full well this trek to the orb was going along too easily. Navi saw this and immediately flew to his side. Taking a few more cautious steps towards the orb the water became deeper, to his chest now, but still nothing coming to attack him. When Link was within an arms length of the fairy's power he stopped, scanned the area once more before reaching out to the orb.
As his fingers neared it the orb seemed to twitch with anticipation, and jumped up surrounding his arm as soon as he touched it. The green glow grew thicker until it was all Link could see. His hands burned as a soft but shaky weak voice entered his ears. "Allow my power to aid you. There are spirits in this temple who wish to help, while others wish you harm... for those with ill will, the playing field is now level..." Links whole body began to burn, but as quickly as it started it was over. The bright light faded but Link needed his eyes to adjust before he could take in what the fairy had given him.
"Now I have a headache..." he said blinking. Once he was able to see however all his previous complaints vanished.
"Oh!" Navi was the first to speak.
The dark room where the fairy's power was had now become illuminated and various figures were moving about it. "See what can not be seen...." the voice whispered taking the images with it as it faded away. Link caught on immediately, and channeled his magic, causing the images to reappear.
At one end of the room standing on a small platform was a Stalfos. Its shield has a large crack in it, and its sword had long since rusted, both were laying at the skeletal figures feet. Its eyes were locked on Link, however they looked bored. Link turned to face it walking quickly over to stand a few meters away from it. The Stalfos turned to face Link who tensed and raised his shield.
"Peace friend, peace!" the Stalfos raised a bony hand as it walked forward.
Link raised a brow but did not lower his shield. "I'm listening," he said eyeing the Stalfos wearily.
"I have been down here many, many years," it said placing its hand on the top of Link's blade pushing it down. "And for what? Our leader has forsaken us," it stated with a growl.
"Gannon?" Link asked placing the sword in its scabbard.
The Stalfos nodded. "We were supposed to guard the orb for that retch, we give ourselves to him... our bodies and our souls." He held up a bony hand for emphasis "And our great reward? We are locked in here, in this prison, doomed to spend eternity."
Link nodded in understanding. "So you would like a way out." Link sighed more of a question then a statement.
The skeletal figure signaled for silence. "We are tied to this place, forever to poison the surrounding land with our resentment and spite. We worshiped that foul man as if he were a God, and for that we must atone. If we step outside of this temple, we become no more then mere shadows." Link turned and saw more skeletal figures coming to surround him, and couldn't help but feel a little sorry for them.
"We will help you through this area, but we ask that you vanquish our sorrows." Another Stalfos spoke.
"The darkness that resides within us created it, but we can not put a stop to it," one from behind Link said.
"Alright," Link spoke calmly "is there anything you can tell me about it?"
"It absorbs the shadows, and thus fears the light. Bring the monster above ground as the morning sun rises. We will keep him on the surface," without waiting for another answer the Stalfos grabbed onto Link and in a swirl of shadows he found himself in a pitch black room.
There were only three things Link could make out; one the glowing eyes of the Stalfos that brought him here, two a small crack in the wall that let a little light in, and three... the giant red glowing eyes of what ever monster he was supposed to slay.
Well there you have it chapter 10, questions? Comments? Suggestions? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Again sorry for the long wait, but I'm not sure when the next one will be out either... but at the very least I'll have another chapter out during the Christmas break... but until I manage to get enough computer time to get the next one written... SEE YA!
BURNING CLUTCH OUT!
