Sorry about the late update. I was gone for a week and it threw off my schedule. Anyway, here's the next chapter! Hope y'all enjoy!
Chapter 12: Missed Meetings
Medli sat on the ledge, fanning her wings to help dry them. Ralis sat beside her with his head cocked.
"Wings are pretty cool," he said.
Medli smiled. "So are fins and gills."
"Haha! I suppose so!" He dipped his toes in the lake and gazed out across the water's surface. "So, if you're looking for some friends, you should probably start at the Hyrule Castle Town. There's lots of people there, and you can ask if they've seen anything. Telma could probably help you. She has a lot of people come through her bar. She might have heard something. She's a nice woman too, if a little strange."
"All right. I think I will start there. Thanks, Ralis."
"No problem. Do you want me to show you how to get there? Since you're new to this place? It's not too close to the water, but I'd like to go and visit Telma anyway. She was a big help to me a while ago."
Medli nodded.
"There's a few ways to get there," Ralis said thoughtfully. "You could use the cannon, you could swim, or I guess since you're a bird you could fly too. But I'd have to swim up there even if you flew."
"Cannon," Medli repeated, looking completely bewildered. "Um, yeah. Fly, I guess. I don't think a cannon would…"
Ralis gave a small laugh. "It doesn't sound too appealing to me either. All right then. When your feathers are dry, I'll show you how to get to the Castle Town. Uh, but first I should tell the other Zoras where I'm going. I don't want them to be worried. I'll be back in a minute."
Ralis dove into the lake and disappeared from sight.
Medli waited, taking the opportunity to dry her feathers out some more. She glanced behind her to the cave that led to the spirit's spring. She looked back in the direction of the lake, then stood up and walked into the cave. Tael fluttered after her.
The tunnel opened up into a chamber lined with snake carvings. There was a crystal clear pond in the middle of the room with a pathway winding around it. In front of her was a little jut of land that looked down onto the water.
Medli stepped out onto the ledge and looked down. The water made gentle swishing sounds as it lapped against the stone.
Suddenly a loud voice rang out, making Medli fall over in surprise. Tael gave an alarmed ringing.
"You are not from here, child of the skies."
Medli gulped and got shakily to her feet, looking around for the source of the voice.
"I am the spirit that watches over this region of Hyrule," the voice said. "My name is Lanayru. You are here to try to correct the imbalance that is spreading across the eras. The rips in time. Correct?"
"Y-yes. That's right. I was helping someone… but we got separated. Uh, Shadow Link. Do you know about him? He had the Ocarina of Time. Only now I have it, and I don't know where the others are. Or if they're even in this same time period."
"They are. You got separated by distance, not by time. You will find your companions."
Medli heaved a deep sigh. "Thank goodness."
"Whew!" Tael exclaimed. "I haven't lost Tatl! That's good." He drooped slightly. "But that means that Shadow Link is here also."
"Beware of Shadow Link," said Lanayru warily. "They are never to be trusted. Keep a close watch on him and make sure that he doesn't flee with that which is most valuable."
Medli gulped. She gave a small nod.
"Good luck in your search. Our fate rests with the success of your group." The voice faded.
Medli and Tael remained there for a minute before turning and leaving the spring.
Just as they exited the tunnel, Ralis surfaced, flanked by two adult Zoras. The three of them pulled themselves onto land. The two older Zoras bowed graciously. "We wish you the best of luck on your search," they told Medli. "And prince Ralis, do take care. Don't let yourself get too dry. Are you sure you don't want an escort?"
Ralis shook his head. "That won't be necessary. Thank you, however. I will take care. Come on, Medli. And Tael too. I'll show you how to get there."
…
Epona galloped across Hyrule Field. Din sat on the horses back, her body flowing easily with the motions of the speeding mare. Tatl hung onto her hair.
"Wow. Epona wasn't this fast when she was little!"
Din smiled. "I would imagine not."
"So, where are we going?"
"I don't know."
"Oh."
"I'm just giving Epona her head."
"I see. So, in other words, you got no plan?"
"Not specifically," Din admitted.
"There's a castle on the horizon," Tatl pointed out. "Probably Hyrule Castle."
Din nodded. "Maybe the others will make their way there. Although I doubt that's where Shadow Link would head if he had the choice."
"We might find the others though. At such a big land mark."
Din leaned down over Epona's neck. "Will you take us to the castle? You know the way better than us."
Epona gave a nod and tossed her mane happily. She galloped on.
They swept through a small valley and into another part of the field. Din glanced sharply to the side.
"Whoa!" she exclaimed, leaning back in the saddle. Epona snorted and skidded to a halt.
Din was staring off to the side. She'd seen something floating low in the sky. At this distance, she could barely make out its long orange and black shape.
"It's Volvagia!" She exclaimed.
Tatl followed her gaze. "You're right! But he's flying strangely. I wonder what's wrong?"
Din urged Epona in the direction of the dragon. Epona snorted again and broke into a canter.
Suddenly, Volvagia dropped out of the air and disappeared beneath a rise.
Tatl gave a cry and Din tensed.
"Epona, we need to get there," Din shouted.
Epona quickened her pace, her hooves thundering along the ground.
The ride seemed to take a painfully long time. Finally they neared the place where they'd seen Volvagia disappear, and Epona began to slow down. She trotted out onto a bridge and came to a halt.
Din and Tatl peered over the edge of the bridge. There was a long drop below them, and then water. Lake Hylia.
"Volvagia fell down there," Din said.
"How do we get down there?" Tatl asked, eying the long drop uncertainly. "If you jumped from here, you'd probably break your bones."
Din nodded. "You're right."
Epona turned and walked off the bridge. She stopped at the edge of the cliff and pointed with her nose. Din dismounted and looked at what Epona was pointing at. There was a ladder there. A new ladder leading all the way down to the lake.
Din began to climb down. When she made it to the bottom, she peered out across the lake.
"There he is. He's floating in the lake."
Din dove off the ledge into the water and began to swim towards the floating dragon. He was unconscious, but at least his head was above water.
Then Din saw red in the water. He was bleeding.
"He's hurt!" Tael exclaimed.
Din looped an arm around the dragon's neck and tried to tow him back to land. But the dragon was too heavy. The two of them barely moved at all.
"He's sinking!" Tatl exclaimed. "What do we do?"
Din took a deep breath and shut her eyes. A cold wind brushed past them, making Tatl shiver. Then the water began to change, solidifying beneath the dragon. It was freezing, creating a floating platform for Volvagia's head to rest on.
Din opened her eyes and gave a tired gasp. "Manipulating the seasons takes a lot of energy," she muttered. "We have to get him to shore and see where he's hurt."
"Oh!" Tatl exclaimed. "Oh! I see Zoras! Two Zoras in the lake!"
Tatl sped off and rang excitedly as she neared the Zoras.
"Help!" she exclaimed. "Help! The dragon! We need help with the dragon!"
The Zoras looked alarmed. "A dragon? Here? We must call the warriors and drive the beast out!"
"No! No! He's our friend! He's hurt and we have to get him out of the lake! Please help us!"
The Zoras exchanged glances, then swam after Tatl. The two of them drew level with the floating dragon and began to push him towards the shore. The ice was slowly melting beneath Volvagia's hot body, but by then they were able to pull the dragon's head onto the platform in front of the spirit's spring.
Din found the arrow lodged in Volvagia's side. She inhaled sharply and took a ribbon from her costume. She placed her hand very carefully next to the wound and gripped the arrow with her other hand. She paused for several moments, then with a sharp jerk, she tugged the arrow out.
Volvagia opened his mouth and let out a snarl of pain. His eyes squinted shut and he turned his head to the side. But he didn't fully wake up.
Din quickly wrapped the ribbon around Volvagia's middle to stem the flow of blood.
"I hope he'll be all right," Tatl said, drooping slightly. The two Zoras watched on.
"I hope we can find the others as well." Din looked at the two Zoras. "Have you seen a boy dressed in black? Or a girl with wings? Or any other fairies?"
"A purple one and a blue one," Tatl chimed in.
The Zora's looked startled. "Why, Prince Ralis left with a bird girl and a fairy only minutes ago. They're heading towards Hyrule Castle.
…
Shadow Link draped the cloak over himself and stepped out of the tunnel onto the rocky mountain face. The sun was beginning to sink.
"This is stupid," he muttered. "Why do I have to keep doing this? I don't care what happens to the stupid world. I just want to be left alone."
"You'd be happy to abandon everyone, wouldn't you?" Navi muttered very quietly.
Shadow Link didn't seem to have heard. He continued walking down the mountain trail.
Suddenly a rumbling sound made them both glance around. A moment later, Shadow Link hurled himself to the side as a large boulder spun past them, bouncing down the trail. Shadow Link squinted after it. It wasn't a boulder at all, but a rolled-up Goron.
"Stupid rock monsters," he muttered, getting to his feet and brushing his cloak off. "Watch where you're going for a change."
He continued down the side of the path, out of the way of anymore rolling Gorons. He hopped down several ledges and past small hissing vents of hot air. He was nearing the base of the mountain.
Finally as night fell, he reached the bottom.
He glanced around as the path forked. He wasn't sure which way to go.
His night vision was excellent. He could make out the outlines of houses off to one side. He deliberately turned away from the town and walked in the other direction.