"The water's dried up..." Link looked shocked, as we climb off Epona and walk down to the lake bed where there was a little bit of water left.
"That's Ganondorf's doing." I said
"I hope when we destroy that monster the water will return." Link said
"Maybe..." I said
"Link!" I hear as a Zora woman emerges from the water, "Is that really you?"
"Um..."
"It's me, your fiancée, Ruto!" she said and I blush, "I never forgot the vows we made each other seven years ago..." she said, but I was there ... no vows were made... "You're a terrible man to have kept me waiting for these seven long years... but now is not the time to talk about love... I need your help saving the Zora domain. A young man named Sheik saved me from the ice, but everyone else.. I want to save them!"
"That's why we're here, Ruto." I said
"Pura? Sorry, I didn't see you there." she said and her tone made me angry, "Link, why are you traveling with another woman?"
"She's helping me save the world..." He looked at her confused,
"We're just friends Ruto, pull the claws back," I said and she pouts.
"Okay..." She said
"Can you lead us to the water temple?" Link asked
"Yes, but most of the temple is full of water and you're the only one wearing the Zora tunic Link..." Ruto said
"Could you swim Pura to the area where there's no water?" Link asked
"I can if she can hold her breath for that long." Ruto said
"My wind magic can create a bubble for me to breathe underwater, it lasts about six minutes." I said
"Then let's get going," Link said as we get in the water and Ruto grabs onto me while I cast the bubble and we dive into the water and enter the water temple. we get to the surface a lot quicker than I was expecting,
"You should be okay here, Pura," Ruto said as I climb up the ledge,
"Don't forget to come back and get me." I joked
"I won't " Link said, "Can you take me to the monster?" Link asked
"We need to change the water levels before we get to the monster, I'll show you the way." Ruto said diving underwater,
"Have fun with your soon to be wife." I teased and he blushes then dives after her. After a half an hour the water disappears, one of the panels that was in the water sunk to the bottom, it must be a floating platform. I look down and can see Ruto and Link running around before they disappear again. after a few more minutes the water come back to my level. I move over to the platform that floats just in case the water rises more and sit down, after a while it does just that and rises close to the ceiling, Link walks out of a nearby door. He looks at me confused doing a head tilt then looked like he figured it out,
"Using the platform that floats, smart." Link said
"Thanks," I said
"Ruto found the monster and I found a way to get there without you drowning." he said jumping over and holding out his hand,
"Then what are we waiting for?" I said as he pulls me to my feet,
"I'll be using the hookshot a lot is that okay?" he asked
"It's fine, I'm used to it by now." I said and wrap my arms around his shoulders and we shoot off. We climb up a waterfall and some strange stairs to a door with a strange marking above it, I've never seen that making before..."What a strange place..." I said
"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure all of the temples we've been in are strange." Link added
"True," I begin to laugh as we enter the room. It almost looked like we were outside, the room looked like it went on forever no walls in sight besides the door behind us.. in the center was a little sand island with a withered tree.
"What is this place?" Link asked
"It looks like an illusion," I said
"I think there's a door on the other side of that tree," Link pointed out and sure enough it looked like a small building was across from us.
"Let's check it out, but be careful this could be a trap." I said and he nods then walks in front of me.
"So Sheik seems to know a lot about our adventures..." Link said
"He must know something..." I said
"I wonder what it was like for you two to grow up..." he said, wait, that makes no sense... Link doesn't know Sheik and I grew up together ...
"It was difficult," I played along,
"I wonder if it makes him jealous that you and I are traveling together." he said and I quickly grab my dagger and point it at Link's neck, "P...Pura! What are you doing?"
"You're not Link!" I said
"Y... yes I am!" He pleaded
"Link doesn't know that Sheik and I know each other." I said and he just stops, his body calms...
"Man! This close and we would be in Ganon's Castle." he said turning to me and I see his eyes turn red, I jolt back.
"What are you?" I said
"I'm a shadow," I took on Link's form to trick you. I should of just relied on the boys memories..." He said completely turning black except for his eyes,
"Where's Link!?" I said
"He's still trying to figure out how to get to Morpha with the Zora princess." he said with a shrug. "Now..." he disappears from in front of me as I feel my waist being grabbed from behind, he pulls the dagger out of my hand and drops it "Let's get going..." he smiles as he pulls me up off the ground.
"Get your hands off me!" I said
"If you hadn't been so clever we'd already be there." he said walking us towards the door. It must use teleportation magic.
"I will never go with you!" I said trying to get free.
"Why can't you just be a good little bird." he laughed and I cast a blade of wind,
"I am not a little bird!" I yell swinging the blade but he just catches it with his hand before it strikes his head, than the blade dissipates.
"You'll have to try harder than that!" he said tightening his grip around my waist.
"Hey!" I hear and the Dark Link turns around and we see Link and Ruto at the entrance of the room looking shocked,
"Link he looks like you..." Ruto said as Link's expression changes to anger.
"Let her go!" he said using the hookshot to shorten the distance between us,
"We were just leaving," he said about to turn back around as Link aims the hookshot at him and strikes him in the feet making his loose his footing and we both fall to the ground, I elbow him in the face and pull away from his arm and run towards Link, "You're not getting away!" he said reaching for me but Link wraps his arm around me and points the Master Sword at Dark Link.
"No one is taking her!" he said holding me tightly.
"We'll see about that." Dark Link said as a black sword and shield appear in his hands.
"Pura, go to Ruto." he said letting me go
"Okay..." I said, the amount of anger emanating from Link is nothing I've seen before, it was terrifying. I run over and grab my dagger before getting over to Ruto.
"You can't beat me, I am you!" he said charging at Link and they begin to fight, Link takes a wide swing at Dark Link but he jumps up and stands on the sword,
"Get off!" Link said as Dark Link gets in his face,
"Some Hero! You can't even protect the people closest to you," Dark Link taunted
"I will protect her!" Link said taking another swing
"How? You couldn't protect Saria, or Daruina... oh and don't forget you couldn't protect Zelda." He laughs as he strikes Link in the shoulder. Ruto grabs onto me out of fear.
"I..." Link began to question himself...
"Don't listen to him!" I call out, "I'm still here aren't I?" I said as he smiles at me.
"I will keep Pura safe, and I will save Hyrule!" Link said as Dark Link disappears and reappears behind him.
"Link, behind you!" I yell as Link uses a spin attack and he strikes Dark Link in the chest,
"T...that's cheating..." he said staring to disappear.
"You cheated from the very beginning." Link said
"True," Dark Link looks at me, "You can struggle all you want but you belong to him, little bird..." he said disappearing completely. my body shakes from fear at his words.
"Are you okay Pura?" Ruto asked as Link walked over to us,
"Y... yeah..." I said and Link grabs me and hugs me tightly,
"It's okay, you're safe." Link said and I couldn't hold back the tears, I was feet from being in that mans hands, "I'm so glad we made it to you in time." he said
"I'm sorry... He... he looked just like you at first... but I almost didn't figure it out in time..." I said looking at the door and the illusion in the room disappears and it just looks like a room in the water temple.
"How did you figure it out?" Navi asked
"I didn't notice at first because we we're moving so quickly, but you weren't with him." I lied. "You two are always together." I said
"It's true," Ruto said as Link lets go of me.
"Don't let his words get to you, I won't ever let Ganondorf get his hands on you." Link said
"Thank you," I said wiping away my tears, I hold out my hands and heal Links arm.
"There's only one thing left to do." Ruto said "Kill the monster Morpha and save my people."
"Let's go," Link said grabbing my hand and we head to Morpha's Lair.
We cautiously enter the room but all we see is a empty pool with platforms in it. It just seemed like a regular room,
"Where's the monster?" I asked as Link jumps onto one of the platforms and looks around,
"Link be careful! That's not ordinary water!" Navi said as the water rises like a tentacle with a red eye floating inside.
"It's the water itself!" Ruto said as Morpha grabs Link and starts swinging him around.
"Link!" Ruto runs up to help but then she's surrounded by a giant water bubble,
"Ruto!" I said pulling out my dagger and stabbing the bubble. But instead of the bubble popping the water pulls the dagger out of my hand and into the bubble.
"Stay back Pura or you'll be pulled in too! Help Link!" she said
"Alright!" I said running onto one of the platforms and I use Din's fire to attack Morpha and it let's go of Link,
"Link! The eye!" Navi said as he shoots the hookshot at the eye and it destroys Morpha. the water bubble collapses around Ruto and the rest of the water returns to normal.
"That was a lot easier than Volvagia..." I said as princess Ruto begins to shine as we're enveloped in the light and brought back to the sacred realm. and Ruto appears on the blue platform for the sage of water.
"Link... I would have expected no less from the man I chose to be my husband, Zora domain and all its people will eventually return to their original state. As a reward... I grant my eternal love to you." she said and we both blush. "Well that is what I want to say, but I don't think I can offer that now. I have to guard the water temple as the sage of water... And you... You're searching for princess Zelda aren't you?" she asked as a light glows in Link's eyes, "Ha! You can't hide anything from me!"
"I'm sorry Ruto..." Link said
"Princess Zelda... She's alive, I can sense it... so don't be discouraged. I can tell nothing will stop you in your quest for justice and peace. Take this medallion," Ruto hands Link the coin and his strength increases again and we're engulfed by light. "If you see Sheik, please hive him my thanks, Ok?" we appear above Lake Hylia which is now full of water. I see Sheik looking over at us.
"Sheik!" Link runs over to him "Ruto gives you her thanks," he said
"She wanted to thank me? I see... we have to return peace to Hyrule for her sake too, don't we?"
"I'm so glad the water's back." I said walking over to them
"All is as it was," and we all look out at the beautiful lake not glittering with the reflection of the sun. I feel Sheik put something in my hand then he backs away, Link turns around.
"He's gone!" Link said as I hide the thing in my pouch.
"Mysteriously disappearing again." I said
"I don't get it... if we're on the same side why stay away?" He asked and I shrug. We only have two Sages left to free so just be patient Link... You'll see Zelda soon... I look at Link more closely, he looks a bit pale.
"Hey Link, why don't we make camp and rest for the night, the sun's going to set soon anyway." I suggested,
"What? But we're so close!" Link said
"I know but you won't be any use to the people of Hyrule if you collapse form exhaustion." I said
"Am I that easy to read?" he asked
"Yes," I smile, "Now let's get back to land and set up camp." I said and we take the bridge back to land and we set up camp for the night and I take the first watch so Link can get some rest. an hour passes after Link had finally fallen asleep and I pull out the think Sheik handed me earlier, it was a letter, I open it up and begin to read it.
Pura,
I might of found a way to become separated from Zelda, I'm still doing some research but the next thing I find out I'll let you know, Burn this letter after you finish reading,
Sheik,
I was shocked as to what I just read but I followed instructions and burned the letter to ash. I couldn't believe what it said ... separated from Zelda? How? I'm excited and worried at the same time, I spend the rest of the night contemplating my thoughts. Day breaks and Link wakes up looking very refreshed,
"Did you have a good rest?" I asked
"Yeah, thanks." Link said rubbing his eyes,
"Don't mention it," I said "Hey do you mind if we head back to Kakariko Village?" I asked
"Sure, why do you need to go there?" Link asked
"I want to re supply our food before we head to the next temple." I lied... I really wanted to fink Sheik and ask him what that letter meant.
"Then let's get going." he said standing up and stretching. we pack up out camp and climb on Epona's back and head towards Kakariko village, Death Mountain seemed more smoky than usual... I'm getting a serious case of Déjà vu...
"Kakariko Village is burning!" Link said