Inside the Great Deku Tree
They walked deeper into the Great Deku Tree's hollow, mossy interior. Link stopped...
Mido gasped, realizing he walked upon a large hole plugged with a huge web. He stepped off, sighing with relief. "Oh, good, this web isn't sticky."
"Hey!" Navi called, hovering before Link's face. "Look, look, Link! You can see down below this web!"
Link walked over, looking down the openings within the web. "Hm. Gohma must have climbed down from here, blocking the way with a web."
Mido unsheathed the Kokiri Sword. "We probably gotta go down there!" He slashed at the web, though the blade couldn't cut through.
After Mido made himself look like an idiot, Link shrugged, walking off.
"Watch out!" Navi cried—a Deku Baba protracted and hissed, headbutting Link. Grunting, he reared, Mido jumping from fright. The horrible plant clacked its mouth together, lunging again then whiplashing just before Link's face. The Deku Baba's bulb hit the ground.
Link rolled around the plant, grabbing its stalk while pushing his feet against the underside of its bulb. "Hyaaahh!" He ripped the plant asunder. Garbling odd noises, the Deku Baba disintegrated into a handful of seeds, which Link put in his pouch.
"Hmph." Mido walked around, another Deku Baba lunging, causing him to flinch.
Link took out his slingshot as the bad flower realigned, fwip fwip fwip!
The carnivorous plant grumbled heavily, retracting into the earth and breaking apart. Link looked back at Mido, who hid behind his shield. Mido's fairy emerged from behind the shield, Mido's face next.
"Yes, Mido," Link said, "it's safe to come out."
"Well, of course!" Mido powerwalked over, a third Deku Baba sprouting up and taking aim. Mido gasped, standing stupidly until the Deku Baba rammed into his belly. "Ooff!" Mido's hat fell off as he staggered.
Mido regained himself, wondering where his hat went. He saw his hat hanging from the Deku Baba's jaw, promptly gobbled up before his very eyes. Mido's face reddened. "Hey!" Teeth tightened, Mido went forth, his foe poised. The Kokiri boss haphazardly swung about, Deku Baba angling here and there to dodge.
Link rolled his eyes, walking away.
Navi flew by his ear. "Maybe you should help him?"
"He'll figure it out."
Muffled screams came.
Link spun around. Mido was upside down mid-air, kicking frantically, head inside the flower's maw, his fairy flying up and down in panic. Link rolled to action, picking up the fallen Kokiri Sword and slashing the stalk. The Deku Baba arched over with Mido's head inside it, both crashing. The bad plant disintegrated, Mido freed. Dazed, he sat up, wondering what happened, his hat nearby.
Link knelt before Mido, holding the Kokiri Sword by its blade. "You dropped this, again."
Mido put his hat on snugly, then swiped the sword out Link's hand. "Only because it caught me off-guard!"
Link stood, looking up and around. "We gotta figure what to do."
Mido's fairy flew over. "Look! A ladder's here!"
Mido picked up the Deku Shield and slung it over his shoulder. Kokiri Sword sheathed, he ran past Link, first to climb.
"There's just a ladder here?" Link asked himself.
The boys ascended, reaching a pathway along the wall. It abruptly ended, a huge branch projecting towards the center of the chamber.
"How did that branch grow inward?" Mido's fairy remarked.
"Looks like it died long ago, must have been from another tree," Navi replied.
Link jumped upon the huge branch, sturdy enough. He leapt off, landing on the next tiered section, a wooden bridge along the wall ahead, roots and vines hanging underneath. Mido jumped next, landing on the huge branch, then leapt again. He came short but grabbed the ledge. Grumbling, he pulled himself up...
Link walked forth, looking around.
"Listen!" Navi stated. "Look at this wall! The vines growing on it give it a rough surface... Maybe you can climb it, Link!"
Eager, Link tugged on the vines. They seemed tough. He pulled himself up, climbing easily enough.
Loud, scratchy noises sounded.
"Watch out!" Navi warned.
Arachnid legs twitched, carrying a...skull!? As if a spider within a skull, a strange monster emerged from beneath the vines, scuttling down. It's movement intensified, the creature charging into Link, bony body tackling him off the vines.
"AAAHH!" Link crashed on his back. "Ihh-hihih..." He sat up, regaining himself. "Wow, thanks for the great idea, Navi..."
She put her hands behind her back, one leg behind the other. "Oops, sorry... Umm... Skullwalltula... Be careful not to touch it!"
Link stood, brushing himself off. "Yeah, I figured..."
Mido arrived, cautiously looking up at the creepy spiders scratching the wall. "Do those things... Jump down?"
"I don't think so," Navi replied.
Mido gulped. "I really don't want one of those landing on my back..."
"Oh, c'mon," Link grumbled, "let's go." He walked forth—nothing happened. By the wall was a chest, which Link opened out of sheer curiosity. As the dust settled, he found a map inside. He sat on the chest and examined the map, blowing dust off. "Hmm..."
Meanwhile, Mido hesitated, drooling. Shield raised overhead, he scurried over...
Link took his eyes off the map, Mido frequently checking the wall for any jumping spiders.
"What are you reading?" Mido asked cluelessly.
Link shook the paper. "A map. It shows you where to go."
"Like where?"
"Hmm... Seems like this chamber has a few floors On the bottom is something called a Boss Room..."
"That must be where Gohma is," Navi said.
"Let's get going, then!" Mido stated.
Link hopped off the chest. "Just gotta figure out what to do with that web..."
The boys went up the next wooden bridge along the wall, which abruptly ended. Link jumped over, Link landing on the next portion of catwalk. Mido put away sword and shield, jumping next though falling short. He gasped; his hands caught the ledge at least.
Link walked into an opening, a door of planks before him yet having no handle.
"Listen," Navi said, flying before Link, "you can open a dungeon door by standing in front of it and pressing your mind to action. Pay attention to the action you intend!"
A bit confused, Link stood before the odd door.
Mido scuttled over. "It means you use your thoughts to cause the door to open."
Link though hard... The door slid upwards.
Eyes wide, Link needed a few seconds. "Just like that? How...does that work?"
"Well," Mido's fairy said, "some things just react to your thoughts, I guess..."
Link turned to the fourth wall, shrugging.
In they went. The door slammed behind them. They looked back, sharp bars sliding over the door.
Link frowned at Mido's fairy. "It's not reacting to my thoughts now!"
They were trapped in an oval chamber, another barred door at the other side, immense spider webs at an upper corner. In the center was a tiny bush, foliage rising. After twitching a bit, the foliage turned around, revealing a spherical, wooden body with red eyes and a stubby snout.
"What is that?" Link asked.
Turning yellow, Navi flew over the creature. "Deku Scrub. It will hide in the grass if you get close to it. Bounce the nuts it spits back at it!"
The creature's muzzle retracted then released, shooting a large nut at Mido.
Mido scoffed. "Pff!" The Deku Nut hit his shin. He yelped, jumping on one foot.
Link loaded a Deku Seed and released—the projectile bounced off the Deku Scrub. The creature twitched, wondering what happened.
Link frowned. "My slingshot isn't strong enough..."
Angry, Mido charged, slashing his sword about. The Deku Scrub disappeared underground, leaving Mido dumbstruck.
"Mido!" Link yelled, "Get your butt back here and let's do this properly!"
Grumbling, the Kokiri boss waddled back.
The Deku Scrub emerged, looked side to side, and spat a nut.
Link pulled the Deku Shield away from Mido and knelt, gripping the shield tightly. Eyes big, Mido skipped aside as the nut whizzed forth.
Thud!
The nut bounced off the shield, smacking the creature's face. It jumped up with a squeak. Although having a pair of little legs, the Deku Scrub had no arms. It jumped about randomly while spinning.
Link tossed the shield back to Mido then ran forth, Mido soon following to be important.
The Deku Scrub hopped upon seeing Link then stopped. It turned its head to and fro, tapping its foot against the ground. "Ow-ow-ow! Forgive me, master! If I give you a clue, will you let me go?"
Mido brandished his sword. "You better!"
The Deku Scrub continued, "When you jump off a high cliff, if you lean forward, you will roll on the ground when you land and won't get hurt from the fall. I can't guarantee it will work, though, if the cliff is really, really high, hee hee! Well, try it if you are feeling bold! Wah ha ha!" It squeaked and bounced away, returning to its burrow.
The sharp bars of both doors arose. The boys went on thru. The next chamber was larger. After the entranceway ledge, there was a low floor and, oddly enough, a floating platform made of old wood.
"How does it float?" Mido asked, amazed.
"Magic," his fairy answered.
Link leapt off the entranceway, landing atop he floating platform which began shaking. Confused, Link ran forth and leapt just as Mido jumped from the entranceway ledge...
"Ah-hah! Now I did it!" Mido landed on the floating platform—it shook heavily and fell. Mido gasped as he fell with the platform, crashing into the floor, debris flying everywhere.
Mido sat up, dazed. He saw Link up above, pulling himself over the ledge...
Link approached another chest. He heaved it open, went upon the rim, and checked inside. It was filled with shiny Deku Seeds and... He grabbed something and turned around with it.
Navi chimed aloud. "You found the Fairy Slingshot!"
Link held the precious little treasure. It seemed to have stayed dry inside the chest, remaining pristine. Link tugged the sling; taut and strong, much more than his homemade one.
"Link!" Mido's voice echoed. "You up there?"
"Coming!" Link instead looked around. To the side, more vines, leading up to a room. Link climbed up there, stumbling upon a Deku Baba which he shot down in two hits, then finding a Blue Rupee.
Link went back down, wondering what to do. Up above, immense spider webs hung from the ceiling, yet no monsters present.
Navi said, "Look! Something is hanging up there! It looks like an old ladder!" She flew by a ladder stuck on the wall, above the entranceway.
Ah-ha! Link aimed his new slingshot...
Mido was down below, wondering what to do. He put his hands on the wall. "Maybe I can find a gap and climb this?"
CHNK!
Mido looked up, his fairy flying away. "Hunh?" A ladder on the wall wobbled—it landed on Mido, THUD! He was pinned to the floor.
Link climbed down the vines from his vantage point.
Seeing stars, Mido wobbled up to his feet, Link ascending the ladder...
Back at the Wallskulltulas, Link readied his Fairy Slingshot. "This'll definitely be strong enough to smash through their skulls!"
One shot, one kill; the Wallskulltula made a wobbly noise as fell dead. Link shot a second one—it landed on his shoulders, spider legs twitching down his clothes.
Mido reared. "YIKES!"
Link flailed his arms. "Ow! It's biting the back of my neck! Get if off me!"
Navi tackled into the creature, stunning it. Link curled his arms over himself, grabbing the Wallskulltula and ripping it off himself. He threw it over the ledge. The creature whirled through the air, faceplanting the large web below, bouncing off, then shattering against the wall.
Link blinked. Oh! Maybe... He scurried down the catwalk, Mido wondering why. Link jumped onto the huge branch, ran down it, and leapt. He landed amid the huge web, which briefly sunk but tightened straight up.
Mido leaned over the drop-off. "What are you doing?"
"If I fall from high enough, I can break through the web!"
"Oh?"
The boys climbed the vines, gradually scaling the wall. One Wallskulltula seemed left, pivoting ever while, Link sneaking when it's back was turned. Mido climbed the opposite side. They reached the top and landed, looking back at each other.
"OK, you go that way, I'll go this way," Link said, Mido nodded.
The uppermost tier consisted mostly of wooden walkways along the walls, separated by natural knobs. The inner circle was blocked with immense webs, openings present where walkways weren't.
A scratchy noise echoed. Link watched a huge skull surrounded by spider legs descend, blocking the opening in the web. The horrible visage had crooked teeth, and made a croaky sound.
Navi explained, "Big Skulltula. It's soft belly is its weak point!"
The horrid arachnid twitched, mouth glowing red, then it spun around. Link shot its backside. The beast arose, spinning about before returning down to threaten Link by...remaining suspended. Once it turned, Link shot it again and it collapsed, flopping around like a fish before expiring.
Link noticed a door over yonder and decided to investigate. After passing through, the door slammed behind him; Link turned as sharp bars slid over the frame. He stood in a chamber, entranceway leading to a ledge overlooking a low floor, where a few Deku Babas slept. There was a room to the upper left from the center, and another tier at the end of the chamber.
To his left, a crude but tall unlit standing torch, made of crisscrossing sticks tied together in an elongated figure eight. To his right, a lit standing torch with proper sidings. Some sort of cube slightly narrowing upwards sat nearby. Atop the cube was an engraving of a crescent and star, a strange symbol Link had never seen before. He stepped upon the cube and it flattened. From the lower level arose three large pillars.
"What a strange contraption..." Navi remarked.
"But what?" Link asked, Navi shrugged. "You know those pillars Fado likes to stand on? They kinda look like ruins."
"Hmm... I guess they were structures built long ago."
"This underground area...also seems like they were part of something long ago."
"I think you're right. It's like the underground of Kokiri Forest used to be part of something else entirely..."
A grinding sound echoed as the pillars descended.
CLUNK! The cube arose.
"I guess I better activate the switch and get jumping!" He did so, jumping to the first pillar, then the second—a Big Skulltula descended, blocking the way to the left room. Link leapt to the next pillar then onto the higher tier, where a Deku Baba arose straight up in defiance. Link ignored it, hoisting the chest open. He checked inside, pulling out a...
Navi cheered, "You found the Compass! Now you can see the locations of many hidden things in the dungeon!"
Link stared into the Compass, the arrows moving around, revealing tiny lights under the glass, creating outlines of objects. He smiled. "This'll come in handy!" Compass pocketed, Link jumped over to the second pillar.
The Big Skulltula reappeared, croaking angrily. It turned, Link shot it, it arose twirling. The pillars grinded as they descended; Link leapt off the sinking pillar, arching underneath the Big Skulltula and reaching the room. A small chest waited for him, a metallic Skulltula on the wall behind it. He kicked the chest open, inside a heart-shaped container.
Navi flew in closer, wings tilted back as she examined the object. "It smells like medicine. I think it's made from forest mushrooms."
Plucking the cork off, Link gulped down the contents. "I feel better already!" He examined the metallic Skulltula and shot a couple Deku Seeds. It perished into flames, a strange, pale effigy with a blue aura left behind. Curious, Link scurried over and touched it. The effigy vanished into him...
Navi flew over, turning green. "You destroyed a Gold Skulltula. You got a token proving you destroyed it!"
"That must be its soul or something," Link remarked. "I wonder what it's for?" He jumped down, running past the Deku Babas as they snapped at him. He climbed up to the entranceway, the remaining barred.
Navi flew over to a simple torch...
Link hopped down, shooting a Deku Baba dead. He took its stalk which had dried up into a Deku Stick, climbed back up, and stuck it in the lit torch. The stick ignited. Link lit the other torch; the bars slid up. "What does lighting a torch have to do with making the bars slide away?"
Navi shrugged. "The Power of Din is part of this world, maybe it has something to do with that?"
"I guess so." Link exited the chamber. "Hey, Mido! I found the Compass!"
Mido was on the other end, hacking away at a Big Skulltula's face. The arachnid swayed to and fro, sparks flying off its skeletal visage, Mido progressing nowhere.
Link sighed. "Too bad he and his fairy aren't as smart as you, Navi." Link approached the opening, another Big Skulltula descending, croaking in defiance. It turned, trying to swat Link with its spindly legs. Link shot it, it ascended spinning, Link shooting it as it arose and killing it.
Link stood on the ledge, looking down, Mido still chopping away at his foe, both equally stubborn.
Navi made a whine. "Be careful, Link."
Link balanced on the drop-off...
Grunting and grumbling, Mido swung away wildly. Frustrated, he got tired, the monster slowing to a halt. It twitched then turned.
Mido's eyes narrowed. "Ah-hah!" He leapt, sword brandished. "Hyahh!" The Big Skulltula spun, knocking Mido back. The boss of the Kokiri stood angrily. The Big Skulltula turned...
Sword gripped so tightly his knuckles whitened, Mido charged. "HYAAAAH!"
The Big Skulltula angled itself sideways, Mido flying past it.
Link leapt. "Hih!" Mid-air, he realized Mido was flying right towards him.
They screamed.
They collided.
They fell.
They screamed.
They smooshed into the web.
They broke through the web.
They screamed again.
They fell again.
They splashed into water...