Chapter 6: Forest Temple
The winding path leading up to the entrance appeared less and less inviting the longer Relena and I waited at the beginning of the trail. A tremendous weight suddenly settled on my shoulders. I couldn't concentrate on any one idea right now; all I could do was think about the condition my parents could be in right now. Why was I hesitating so much? Relena must have been wondering the same thing because the look of concern she wore just added to the already heavy burden on my shoulders.
"Landon, are you sure you're ready?"
"Yes." I marched passed her knowing that she would comply and follow after me. The sphere-shaped opening was dark and chilling. Most caves were dark and damp but the air that wafted from inside was warm and dry. The temple itself was also dark and extremely treacherous. Right out of the gate, man-eating plants emerged from the brush covered ground, snapping and biting at our toes as we raced by them. At the end of that small hall, a wall of green ivy massively blocked our way. Relena looked up the ivy and started to climb it. "Relena, what are you doing?"
"There has to be something up here." She grunted, slowly but surely making her way up the ivy as if she were Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk. My gut told me that it wasn't gold waiting for us up there. I hurried as fast as I could up the ivy and I somehow surpassed Relena on the way up. I lifted myself over the edge, scraping my knee just a bit on a branch. I looked over the edge again, holding out my hand to Relena. She took my hand and I helped her up the rest of the way. Suddenly, her foot caught the very branch that scraped my knee and she fell into my arms. As I held her up, she gazed into my eyes and I into hers. Her hands were clasped around my biceps, she just loosened them ever so slightly after a brief moment.
"Are you okay Relena?" I asked her. I barely realized that I was rubbing her shoulders out of concern for her. I immediately dropped my hands and nervously held them at my sides. "Sorry."
"No, it's okay. And yes I'm fine." She brushed off her pants and adjusted her tunic. "We should get going. We're not going to find your parents just standing at the entrance." I nodded my agreement and we pressed on. The torch lights glowed on either side, illuminating all around the two of us. There was an immense deck straight ahead, and three doors. "Where do we go now?"
"I don't know. Should we split up perhaps?" I suggested.
She smiled. "You're in charge."
I smirked in return. "You're funny."
"Well, I think you might be right however Landon. We could cover much more ground that way." She nearly ran towards the left door but I grabbed her hand and stopped her.
"Wait."
"What? What is it? You want to save your parents don't you?"
"That's not what I mean. I mean, what if there are…creatures? Do you think you can handle them?"
She smiled and grabbed my hand. She cradled it for a brief moment. "You've taught me a lot remember. I'll tell you what, why don't we go as far as we can on either side and then we'll meet here. If we haven't found one of your parents by the time we meet up, we'll both go through the last door."
"Okay. But hurry back." I asked.
"Okay, Your Highness." She smirked and headed back to the left door.
"Relena."
She turned back around. "Yes?"
"Call me Landon. You know I hate it when you call me that." I turned to walk away to my assigned door. We didn't speak another word, we only separated and went through our chosen doors. Once through my door, I came across a little field, and hiding in the little bushes, were more man-eating plants. I drew my sword and sliced each one through the mouth, killing them instantly. Once they were slain, I found a wooden ramp leading to the balcony above me.
"Dad?!" I called. "Mom?! Is anyone here? Mom? Dad? Can you hear me?" I called over and over again, not one sound other than my cries. I made my way up to the balcony and before me, were two more doors. I just got a major headache and the urge to return to the castle and just forget everything. I mentally kicked myself; what was I? A prince or a princess? My dad would be ashamed if he knew I wanted to give up when I had just barely begun. A gust of wind nearly blew my hat off, and I felt as if my dad was with me.
"Landon." A voice whispered. I looked around, there was no one here but me. Relena was somewhere else in the temple. I turned around, and before me appeared an apparition I never saw before. It reminded me of an animal I had seen before, almost like the goats Dad had herded before. Only this one, had a wolf's tail and its surrounding aura was a brilliant beige and too powerful for words. "Landon, I have appeared before you to bring you news."
"Who are you?" I asked.
"My name is Ordona. I am the Spirit Guardian who watches over the Ordon Province. I have come bearing a message for you young hero." I stayed perfectly still, entranced by the raw majesty of such a creature as the one before my eyes. "Son of the Chosen Hero, we Light Spirits are not unaware of the current misfortune that you face. We have been watching over your mother and your father. Your mother prayed for us to bear witness to your trials and to see you through. In answer to her prayers, we have concealed a weapon of your fathers in this very temple."
"What is it?"
"You must find that out for yourself. You must also know that some things are not as they appear. You must beware young hero; keep your wits about you. You have the courage and the power, and the wisdom to find your mother and your father." Ordona slowly began to disintegrate before me.
"Wait! Can't you tell me where they are?" I asked.
"I am sorry young hero, but alas, I cannot. Safe journey young one." In a burst of pure light and magic, Ordona disappeared as quickly as he appeared. What did he mean I have the courage, the wisdom, and the power? Were they words of encouragement or a hidden message that I had to discover for myself? And what did he mean some things are not as they appear? So many questions raced around my head. I pushed as many back as I could and picked a door to go through.
The next room was dark. I could make out a small body of water down the stairs from me. It had no aroma; it wasn't salt water I concluded. At the bottom of the steps, I could see four torch stands, unlit, and surrounded by…tile worms. Once again, I drew my sword and faced the beasts. I took one step on the tile walkway and the next thing I knew, I was hurled into the water. My head resurfaced and I saw a tile worm hiss at me and then return to its hiding place. I swam to the shore on the other side of the walkway, my back was a tad sore from landing on the water so roughly but it was nothing I couldn't manage.
I picked up and dried off my sword on the ground. The tile worms exploded from their spots. They were not taking me as a serious opponent and that is where they went wrong. One by one, I slashed each one across the belly, not spilling even a drop of their foul blood on my father's tunic. I killed the last one and then I tossed all of their bodies to the bottom of the water bed. Next time, they should take me seriously. I pulled out the lantern and lit all of the torches. The room began to tremble, loose dirt fell from the ceiling in crumbles. The trembling ceased; before me, stood platform after platform each one higher than the previous one. They formed a set of stairs.
At the top was nothing but an empty hatch. From the looks of it, the door had been unlocked years ago, the rusted lock just lay there. The door was even stuck in its socket. After that dead end, I only had one other door to try. On the other side was another gigantic room. This one was easier to explore because there was nothing in the center of the room. There was only another hatch that appeared just like the previous one and it too was empty. I left that room in a hurry and I traveled back to where I had started.
I reached the room where I had left Relena. I was the first one back so I sat and leaned against one of the torches and pondered my visit from Ordona. If he came here on behalf of my parents, at least I knew they were alive. Whether or not they were unharmed had still yet to be seen. I rested my fist against my face; how did my dad do this? With Relena, it was a thousand times easier because I could always count on her. Dad had no one to guide him along the way. I couldn't give up; Ordona said that I am also a hero, that I have the power, the courage, and the wisdom. I could do this; I would do this.
Relena burst through the door. "Landon!"
"Relena, are you all right?" I asked.
"Yes I'm fine. Did you find anything on your side?"
"No, nothing. How about you?"
"Well, I went through one door and then it lead me across this ravine to another room. It had about two more doors and this bridge that was facing either door. There's no way to the bridge unless you turn it and I don't know how."
"We'll figure something out." I told her about my encounter with Ordona and what he said.
"So you have the power, the courage, and the wisdom. To do what exactly?" Relena asked.
"I'm not sure. I'm trying to figure it out myself. I'm hoping that it means that I can save my parents. But the other thing he said bothers me. There's a weapon of my dad's in here but I don't know where. Have you come across anything that resembles a weapon?" I asked Relena.
"Not exactly, just a freaky little bird thing."
"What are you talking about?"
"Follow me and I'll show you." Relena took me by the hand and lead me through the door. She immediately directed us to the right and I heard a weird little chirp coming from the end of the hallway. At the end, a little jar was wiggling around on its own. I picked it up but the weight of it took me by surprise and I dropped it. It shattered into a thousand pieces with a loud crash and amongst the rubble, was a little bird. Its head was perfectly round but too big for its neck. Its body resembled that of a chicken but the strangest part was the little round head flying nearby.
"That's it right there." Relena informed me.
"Oh my, thank you for rescuing me. It seems I'm always getting trapped in there." It looked me over and said, "Hey, is that you Link?"
"No. I am not him, I am his son Landon."
"His son? Link did not tell me he had any offspring. It is so good to meet you, my name is Oocoo and this is my son Oocoo Jr. Your father helped me and my mother many times over in the past and we would do anything for him now."
"Could you show us where one of his weapons is being held here?"
The Oocoo thought about it. "As a matter of fact, I do. Follow me and I shall show you." He lead us back the way we came. Afterwords, he took us to the middle door that we had not tried yet. "Across that bridge, there is a room where the head monkey resides. He kept the Gale Boomerang safe there for years. When your father took it, he released the head monkey from an evil parasite. Now for some odd reason, I had seen that very weapon returned to that room. Just cross this bridge and you'll find what you seek."
I allowed Relena to cross the bridge first. Immediately, I wished I hadn't. Out of nowhere, a gust of wind or something of the like broke the bridge from its place. Relena let out a horrible terrified scream and she dropped.
"Relena!" I cried out for her, sliding to the edge of the ravine.
"Landon!" She cried back, clinging to the half of the bridge that flew back against the cliff. "Landon, help me! I can't hold on."
"Don't worry Relena, I'll get you."
"Landon, I'm scared." She cried.
"Don't worry." I reached my hand down to her. "Just grab my hand and everything will be okay."
"I don't think I can."
"Yes you can. Just take my hand and I will help you up. You trust me right Relena."
"Yes." She cried. "Yes I trust you Landon. Please get me out of here." She reached for my hand and luckily for the both of us, I was able to grasp her wrist and pull her up. Once her feet touched the ground, I pulled her in for a tight hug. She cried against my shoulder, burying her head in my arms. "Oh Landon, I was so scared."
"I'm sorry Relena. Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine." She sighed, relaxing at my touch. My breathing slowed tremendously the longer I held her. She was safe again and we were both going to be fine. We broke apart and searched for Oocoo. He was nowhere to be seen, the little coward must have run off when Relena fell. Suddenly, he came back accompanied by several little monkeys. "Who are they?" Relena asked him.
"These are the monkeys that live in the temple. They will help you across the ravine." Four of the little monkeys each took turns jumping onto a remaining rope going across the ravine. They hung off of it by their feet and clapped their hands. "They want you to jump."
"What?!" I asked, outraged. "They want me to jump across the ravine?"
"Yes. They will catch you and swing you onto the ledge."
I turned to Relena. "I'll go, you stay here."
"But.."
"Relena, please don't argue. I just almost got you killed. I will go alone and come back with my father's weapon and then we will continue the search for them together. Okay?" She only nodded. I took a deep breath and launched myself over the edge of the ravine and felt warm fuzzy hands around my wrists. Each monkey swung me back and forth until the last one swung me just over the ledge for me to let go and land safely on the other side. I walked up the stairs and opened the door.
In the middle of the room, rested a chest. Inside it, was my father's Gale Boomerang. I took the weapon in my hands and went back outside to the monkeys. They didn't jump me over the ravine again, this time they took me around on the bridges to the other side of the ravine. The door they lead me to took me directly back to the room I had already searched. I went down the familiar stairwell until I found the door again to take me to the main room. Relena and Oocoo waited patiently for me on the center platform.
All together, we went back through Relena's room and this time, we rounded the left side. We jumped across the platforms that resided in the water below us. The first door we came to was the one Relena said lead to the other room she mentioned. We crossed the same ravine again, on the same kind of bridge and climbed the hill to another door. All of us split into different groups; Relena and I took the first room on the left along with Oocoo. Four of the monkeys took the room to the right, and the other four took the two rooms ahead of us.
In the room Relena, Oocoo, and I checked, there was nothing but spider holes. Oocoo said that my dad destroyed them years ago when he purified the temple the first time. With nothing else to check, we met up back in the other room we came from. Oocoo asked the monkeys if they found any trace of my dad or my mom. They all shook their heads no and disappeared into the temple.
"Then I guess there's only one thing left to do." Oocoo said. He began to fly and flap around Relena and I, creating a vortex of energy. The next thing I knew, the vortex had taken us to the entrance of the temple.
"How did you do that?" I asked him.
"It's something I learned from my mom. It was great to meet you and thank you for your help. Until we meet again, have a pleasant journey my friends." And with that, he flew off into Faron Woods.
"I'm sorry that we didn't find your parents in there Landon." Relena said after a long, awkward silence.
"I'm sorry that I nearly got you killed."
"No you didn't Landon. I wanted to come on this adventure remember? You're not putting me in any danger." Relena said.
"Yes I am. I'd rather that you go home and let me do this on my own."
"Not a chance. I'm with you Landon. Period."
I was too exhausted to argue with her and besides, she had that serious look on that said she would not be changing her mind. So I gave up and said, "Well then, it looks like it's one down and only five more to go."