Breaking the Curse
Water and bubbles swirled everywhere, Link submerged for a few seconds before regaining himself. Mido had sunk to the bottom, eyes big, totally confused. Link swam down, grabbing Mido's shoulders.
The Boss of the Kokiri hiccuped bubbles. "Bloop!" Link pulled him to the surface, both boys gasping for air.
The boys floating in some sort of T-shaped channel, water coming from barred-off caves in either direction. To Link's right, a tier of flooring too high to reach; to his left, a section of flooring where a Deku Baba lunged, Navi floating above it. Mouth clacking, stalk leaning over the ledge, the carnivorous plant headbutted Link then reared for another strike...
Mido's fairy tackled into the Deku Baba, then flew about dodging its bites, distracting the plant until the boys climbed upon the flooring. Mido rested his hands on his knees, coughing water. Link wiped his face, looking back as the long Deku Baba pulled its head out of the water, too short to reach them now.
Almost frowning, Link looked at Mido's fairy. "Thanks for being an extension of Mido's hands."
The fairy shrugged, recalling the time of tackling into Link's face long ago. "You're welcome."
Link shot the Deku Baba, Mido rushing forth and hectically slashing it down. It broke apart, leaving behind a large nut.
Mido turned, sword high. "Now that's how you beat a monster!"
Link didn't care. "Yeah, good job." He picked up the nut.
Navi flew in. "You got a Deku Nut! Try throwing it! It will flash and stun the enemy!"
Link stashed it. "That could come in very handy." He looked around. Immense spider webs hung from the ceiling, a scratchy sound echoing from the vines, coming from a Gold Skulltula. Link shot it dead, jumping into the vines to collect the token. He climbed down...
Mido pointed the Kokiri Sword at the door. "That way!" He power-walked forth, swinging at the webs, unable to cut through. Mido kept hacking away, puzzled why the webs were so tough.
There must be some other way, Link thought. He swam over, reaching a raised yet submerged section, where one barred-off cave gaped, a Gold Skulltula on the bars. Link shot it dead, climbing the bars to get the token. He pulled himself atop the higher tier of flooring, where a switch identical to the one in the room of three large pillars was. He stood upon it; a torch burst aflame, burning away the webs around it.
"Hmm..." Link withdrew a Deku Stick, setting it alight. He hopped down, running across the underwater flooring and jumping to the next area. "Mido! Outta the way!"
Mido looked back with his dumb face. Link thrust his burning stick into the webs; the silk burst into flames.
"There you go!" Navi commented.
"I know!" Mido assured.
The door slid up, the boys entered. Inside was a circular room, center consisting of cracked rocks, where a Deku Scrub emerged to spit nuts. Mido knelt, blocking with his shield, deflected nut flying back into the next nut. The third but bounced back while Link shot his Fairy Slingshot.
Hit a few times, the Deku Scrub squeaked, jumping out of its burrow and hopping about. Link and Mido easily cornered it.
"Yeow!" the wooden creature squeaked, facing Link. "Please forgive me, master! I'll never do it again! If you spare me, I'll teach you something cool."
Mido frowned. "How can we trust him?"
The Deku scrub looked at him. "You will ever beat my brothers up ahead unless you punish them in the proper order. The order is... 2 3 1. Twenty-three is number one! Do you think I'm a traitor?" He bounced away, leaving behind a heart-shaped container. Once he disappeared into his burrow, Mido snagged the container, pulling the lid off.
"What's this?" Mido asked, staring into the odd vessel.
"It's called a Heart Container. It restores your life energy," Link answered.
Mido downed the contents. "Oh?! I feel much better!"
Link looked around, wondering why the bars of the next door didn't sink. He noticed a diamond-shaped silver crest above the door, having a white eye with lack pupil. It seemed out of place.
Mido tossed the container away. "What do we do now?"
Link shot the eye, it closed; the bars raised. They went through the door. The next area was a large chamber, flooded halfway up. From wall to wall over the war rotated an immense spiky metal cylinder, clanking heavily. Pairs of barred underwater caves were at either side of the chamber. A square island of earth floated up and down the chamber. At the end, a high tier of floor, too high to reach.
"Where's the Deku Scrub's brothers?" Mido's fairy asked.
"They must be farther beyond the dungeon. Deku Scrubs usually speak indirectly," Navi replied.
The small floating island neared.
"I know what to do!" Mido exclaimed. He leapt upon the island as it floated away. "Look here, Link! I can solve this stupidly easy puzzle!" The island sailed just barely underneath the spiky cylinder—Mido collided with it, flying backwards into the water.
"Hey!" Navi said to Link, "After you get into the water, you can dive! I bet there are some interesting things underwater!"
Taking the hint, Link ran around the side of the floor, where a slanted section led him to the pool. He swam passed Mido who splashed about then went underwater, pushing a submerged switch flat into the floor. The water level lowered, partly flushing down the barred-off caves. Link surfaced and went back to the entranceway, Mido crawling out the water, grumbling.
Link ran past Mido and leapt onto the island, which took him across the pool. He jumped onto the higher tier of flooring. A Big Skulltula waited for him at the wall, the monster hanging next to a large block with a crescent and star symbol on each face. He shot the spider dead, yet the raised chamber was too high.
"Listen," Navi said, "Stand next to this block and grab hold of it. While holding it, you can push or pull it. If you stand next to the block you can climb on top of it. Pay attention to what action you can do!"
Link pushed the block over. He climbed atop the block then up to the doorway. Door opened, he went through, the door slamming behind him with bars over. Link stood in a room with Deku Babas and torches, two unlit. One Deku Baba arose, Link shooting through its stalk, then using it to light the torches. The bars opened, Mido entering from the previous door.
"The door wasn't opening for a while for some reason!" Mido complained.
Link looked over. "The bars were down."
"Dumb bars. Why bother making doors that just bar themselves off?"
The boys went through the next door. A Big Skulltula hung atop the entranceway, backside facing them. Link easily shot it dead and the boys moved on.
Crackle Crackle...
Link and Mido looked back, two strange monsters behind them. Something fell from the ceiling, resembling a wobbling ball which, upon hitting the ground, broke apart and a third creature emerged. The creatures were two-legged, with a round body containing a large central eyeball and ponytail-like appendage same color as its eye.
Navi flew closer. "Gohma Larva. Look out when it's ready to pounce!"
The creatures leaned forwards, cranial appendages pointed forth and turning red like their eyes. They made high-pitched ribbits and leapt. Link shot one mid-air the backflipped to avoid the second. Mido swung his sword but the third creature dropkicked him down. Link turned, shooting the two other creatures; they ran away spewing teardrops.
"Do you just not know how to use a sword?" Link asked, annoyed.
"Shut up!" Mido thrashed around, getting up, sword and shield raised as the three larvae returned. "I know how to use the legendary Kokiri Sword better then you, and probably better than anyone else, if I do say so myself!"
Link shot more Deku Seeds at the larvae, Mido charging and swinging at them. One tackled into his shield and he staggered, yet he cut back. Link flanked them, shooting point-blank. One of the creatures leapt at Link; he backflipped, shooting mid-flip into the underside of the monster then landing on his feet. The larvae flopped about like a fish out of water. It got up, lowered its pointy appendage, and charged Link.
Link kicked the appendage up and grabbed it with his spare hand. Turning, he threw the larva. "Hyaah!" He shot several seeds into the falling creature. Body pierced, it thudded dead.
Meanwhile, Mido swung, his fairy sometimes tackling into the two beasts. A larva jumped, slamming its feet downward atop Mido's shield, forcing it down then ramming its appendage into him. Mido coughed, falling back, the larvae taking turns jumping while thrusting their feet down like spears.
Mido rolled to and fro while blocking, inevitably stomped like an unwanted ragdoll.
Link charged, swinging a Deku Stick sideways. He hit a larva with such force the stick shattered, the creature flying into the wall. The last Gohma Larva reddened, jumping at Link, who dropkicked it as it arched; it fell on its back. Link jumped atop it, pinning the creature to the floor with his feet, then shooting pointblank until it died.
Link put away his Fairy Slingshot, Mido flailing about with his hat slanted over his eyes.
"They're everywhere! Hundreds! So many I can't even see!" Mido paused, breathing heavily. His fairy pulled his hat back so he could see again. Mido looked around, blinking a few times. "I didn't know how brave I was."
Link moved on without saying anything. There were two pathways blocked with spider webs. Link shot through a Deku Baba and torched its Deku Stick. He burned the first web away. It led to a crumbled wall and Deku Baba, which Link ignored. He went to the next passageway, burning the web. The wall afterwards had a series of blocks embedded in the stone, underneath a small, narrow tunnel.
Mido stomped past Link. "I'm going first!" He knelt, doing so, Link next. Mido reached the end of the tunnel, Link emerging after him. They had reached the upper tier of the initial lower chamber. A large web blocked yet another vertical drop. Nearby was a block, each side engraved with crescent and star, identical to the previous block.
Mido scurried to the web, then looked up the vine wall. "Wait... How do we fall from up there and land here? That's impossible!"
Link saw that the torches were atop pedestals, too high to reach. He pushed the block over the ledge; it splashed into the submerged floor below.
Mido stamped his foot. "That didn't even do anything!" Mido sat, sawing the web with his sword. "Too bad I forgot my saw at your dumb place..."
Link leapt down, shooting the Deku Baba harassing him. He lit a Deku Stick and ran across the flooded flooring, then went back up. "HYAAAHH!" Link Jump Attacked, slamming his flaming stick upon the web.
Mido's eyes went big. "You idiot! We're standing right—"
The web burned away; Link and Mido fell screaming. They splashed into water once again. The boys' heads bobbed. They had dropped into a chamber, partly filled with water due to the lowered portion, patches of immense webs on the ceiling. Upon reaching the shoreline, the boys walked across the chamber.
Along the wall but separated from each other were three Deku Scrubs, sometimes popping their heads out the ground.
"I got this!" Mido yelled, running to the side, shield before him. The Deku Scrub spat, Mido's shield bouncing the nut back. The Deku Scrub went upright squeaking then went back underground. Mido ran back and forth, stunning the Deku Scrubs, but no matter what he did, they returned to fight anew.
"Mido!" Link shouted, getting the boss's attention. "Remember what their brother told us? Twenty-three is number one. Two, three, one."
Mido stared blankly. "What does that mean?"
"It means hit the second, third then first Scrub."
"Twenty-three is number one... I don't get that."
"It means you beat the middle, right, then left one."
"What does that have to do with two, three, one?"
"Ughh... How do you not get it?"
Mido drooled from confusion. "That doesn't mean anything, though." A Deku Nut hit him in the back of the head. "Ow!"
Link sighed. "Just defeat the middle Deku Scrub then don't do anything."
Mido spun around, deflecting a nut back at the center Deku Scrub. I went upright, wiggling while squeaking every second.
Link shot the right Deku Scrub just as he emerged, the left Deku Scrub spitting nuts at Link. Link was hit by a nut, the second and third nuts flying towards him, he rolling away to avoid them. Mido ran forth but the Deku Scrub hid, Mido slashing at the patch to no avail.
"Mido! Don't get close to it!" Link complained. "The point is patience!"
Grunting, Mido gave up, stomping away. The Deku Scrub peeked, shooting a nut at Mido's rear. The boss spun around, growling, charging—a nut whizzed into Mido's nuts. Eyes big, Mido toppled, writhing on the ground, groaning.
Link facepalmed. The Deku Scrub shot more nuts at the stunned Mido, so Link shot at it. Plink, plink! The Scrub leapt out his patch, hopping about randomly. Link rushed forth, pinning the wooden annoyance against the wall.
The Deku Scrub tapped his foot against the ground. "How did you know our secret?! How irritating! It's so annoying that I'm going to reveal the secret of Queen Gohma to you! In order to administer the coup de grace to Queen Gohma, strike with your sword while she's stunned. Oh, Queenie..." He squeaked, hopping away, leaving behind a Heart Container. "Sorry about that!" He headed over to his brother's patch and they descended.
Link carried the Heart Container over, Mido sitting up, breathing heavily. Link tossed it to him.
"Pick up the sword and shield. Let's save the Great Deku Tree, and break his curse once and for all!"
Mido drank the Heart Container, relieved from pain. Kokiri Sword and Deku Shield gripped, he fantasized about proudly emerging from the Deku Tree, the entire forest cheering him, Saria running towards him screaming for love. I'm so close to that! I can't wait to see Link's stupid face!
The rivals went through the door...
The passageway led them to a dark chamber, where low fog snaked over the cave floor. Four large pillars at each corner supported the chamber.
A grinding noise echoed, Mido flinching, THUD!
The rivals looked back, a large stone door blocking the passage.
"Well, looks like we're stuck here," Link remarked, resting his Deku Stick over his shoulders.
Heavy scratchy noises echoed, SKLLK-SKLLK, SKLLK-SKLLK, SKLLK-SKLLK...
Mido's face paled, breath visible as his widened eyes darted to and fro. His fairy flew behind him.
Link hesitated then stepped forth, looking around with Navi, neither seeing anything.
Link frowned. "What's making that noise? Wait, is it coming from up..." Eyes lifted, Link heard Navi's aura then saw a large orange sphere glowing under the ceiling, moving around.
Silence...
Link's heart paused, Mido held his breath as his fairy peeked.
The horrible eye audibly rolled in its socket, then blinked. The large figure shuffled underneath the ceiling, SKLLKSKLLK-SKLLKSKLLK-SKLLKSKLLK
The monster dropped from the ceiling, flipping mid-air, armored legs slamming into the ground. She reared, balancing on her rear leg, forelegs raised overhead, and released a terrifying screech.
Parasitic Armored Arachnid
GOHMA
Queenie glared at her rivals, no longer making comments, this time taking things seriously. Legs grounded, eyeball and joints glowing, she crawled forth, eyelid partly closed, clearly angry.
Navi flew over. "It's one of the parasitic monsters inside the Deku Tree! Its eye is vulnerable when it's red!"
Link looked over. "I hope you can remember that, Mido!"
The boss grunted, tightening his grip.
Gohma crawled over then reared, forelimbs poised.
Mido's fairy rang aloud. "Here we go again!"
Link and Mido rolled aside as Gohma's claws came crashing down, hurling dust and dirt up.
"HAAAAAH!" Link leapt, swinging his Deku Stick two-handed...
Gohma ripped her legs out the ground and spun, swinging her rear leg around like a tail, swatting aside Link's Deku Stick and shattering it!
Link looked at his hands, pieces of Deku Stick fluttering. He ran off, Gohma crawling after him as he shot Deku Seeds. Plink-plink-plink! Her eyelid kept closing, preventing damage. Legs thudding as her strode sped up, Gohma pursued Link and Navi.
Link ran behind a pillar, Gohma's claws curling around the pillar, her neck curving around next, huge eye appearing as a paralyzing glare. She hissed, pulling herself around the corner, unblinking glare piercing Link's soul...
Or so she thought.
Frowning, Link took a single step towards Queen Gohma, ramming his feet into the earth. "I'm not afraid of you anymore."
The armored parasite paused. Eyeball rolling back, it reappeared into a harsher scowl, the queen hissing fiercely, fog swirling underneath her breath.
Link took another step, glaring back. He growled through clenched teeth, "For what you did to the Great Deku Tree... I'll rip your eye out from its very socket!"
Snarling, Gohma swung a limb sideways. Link jumped while bending his knees, claw passing underneath just as he landed atop the appendage then backflipping off. Airborne, Link shot Deku Seeds, one nailing Gohma's eye. She collapsed, twitching.
"I can definitely see this slingshot is much stronger!" Link stated, shooting a flurry of seeds upon Gohma's eye, streams of teardrops spewing out.
Queenie shook herself, closing her eye and crawling behind the pillar for cover.
Link turned. "Mido!" he snapped.
Mido reappeared, standing up from beneath the fog he was hiding in, his fairy popping out next.
Link beckoned him. "Get your butt over here! Let's attack Gohma from both sides of the pillar!"
Mido haphazardly approached the left side of the pillar, Link rushing to the right.
Gohma screeched, leaping from behind the pillar and tackling into Link.
"AAAHHHHihh-hih!" Link fell on his back.
Gohma hissed, spearing her legs one by one; Link rolled to and fro, dodging the arachnid claws. He wrapped his arm around one of Gohma's legs just as she lifted it, Link hoisted up. He kicked off the joint, Gohma looking up as Link landed on her, ramming his heels into her eye. She hissed, shaking while thrashing her limbs.
Link jumped off Gohma, landing against the pillar then kicking off it, landing on the ground. He remained kneeling, waiting for the arachnid's next move. She scuttled sideways then charged at an angle. Link leapt sideways as Gohma trudged over. She reared, claws raised—plink!
Gohma fell, wheezing gargly noises, eye blue and wet.
Mido charged. "HYAAAH!" He chopped away, Gohma wobbling from each strike, Mido's fairy joining the fight and tackling into Gohma when able.
The queen regained herself, walking backwards, frowning. She turned around, climbing up a pillar, Link shooting at her but doing nothing. She crawled around upside-down, the boys waiting for something to happen.
One by one, a few wobbling masses fell, breaking apart and a Gohma Larva emerging from each.
"She's laying eggs!" Mido's fairy cried, more eggs falling.
Link was shooting at the Gohma Larvae, Mido attacking the eggs to gain the upper hand. One hatched larva leapt at Mido, who blocked with his shield then slashed wildly everywhere. After hitting some larvae a few times, a smart one jumped over his sword and dropkicked his face, Mido falling backwards. Several larvae pounced upon Mido but Link shot them all off; they ran away squeaking.
Mido got up, grumbling, flapping his sword and shield. "I would have easily defeated them by myself if you didn't bug me!" Gohma landed on him, pinning him to the floor. Mido's tongue rolled out. "Uncle, uncle..."
Gohma walked over Mido, approaching Link, who aimed his slingshot—a larva tackled into his legs and he tripped. Several larvae charged, thrusting their legs and cranial appendages at Link! However, he was underneath the fog, able to evade the simultaneous attacks. He disappeared, Gohma and her larvae wondering where he went.
Slithering beneath swirling moisture, Link burst up, spinning mid-air while shooting Deku Seeds, Navi flying from target to target as Deku Seeds nailed glowing eyeballs. Gohma collapsed as her larvae ran away crying.
Large charges, clubbing the bottom of his slingshot into the parasite's eye. "Hohh! Hyah! Hyaaaahh!" Although the handle could only do so much damage, Gohma was hurt enough to crawl backwards while closing her eye.
Larvae scuttled from all directions, heads lowered, points presented. Link aimed then Mido's dumb face reappeared in front of him. Mido swung his sword about, Link jumping away to avoid being hit. As larvae jumped, Mido cut some, Link shot others, though Mido was tackled in the back and fell.
Link ran forth, dropkicking a larva away then spinning around as more jumped. He dropped his Fairy Singshot, grabbing a larva's cranial appendage with both hands then whirling it around and around, flailing it into other larva. After beating them all back, he threw the larva at one that jumped.
Link picked up his slingshot. "Where did Gohma go?" He looked up, Gohma on the ceiling again, about to lay more eggs! Link aimed, shooting her red eye. She hissed, falling down. Link grabbed Mido under the arms and pulled him back, Gohma crashing where he once was. Stunned from the fall, Queenie needed a little time...
Link dropped Mido, hearing his head thud. Link waved his arms through the fog. "Where is the sword and shield?!" He looked over his shoulder; the boys' fairies twirled above Gohma's eye, confusing her. Link searched harder, hearing the larvae feet tapping as they scuttled back.
Link felt something, pulling up the Deku Shield just as a few larvae leapt. He raised his shield underneath an airborne larva, deflecting the creature's momentum so it went overhead somewhere. He then rammed the shield rim straight into a descending larva's eye, impact throwing it back, though the third larva dropkicked Link's back and he fell facedown.
The few other larva waddled over, kicking at Link as he got up. He blocked with his shield, gripping his slingshot by its sling and flailing the handle about, hurting the larva enough to make them flee. He then flipped his slingshot to proper grip and shot the larvae, piercing a few of them and they flipped over dead.
Link spun around, Gohma crawling after him, glaring. She leapt, lunging all her legs forth! Link hid behind his shield as the parasite avalanched...
"AAAAHHHHHH!" Deku Shield flying off from such a mighty attack, Link was thrown across the chamber, back and head smacking into a pillar. He crashed to the floor. "Ihh-heehih..." He sat up, shaking his head to regain his senses.
Gohma trudged over the fog, her larvae accompanying her.
Link grunted and ran off, larvae jumping after him, Gohma hot on his heels. Link sought his shield, wondering where it landed.
"Hey!" Navi called, flying up and down where the Deku Shield was.
Link ran over and rolled, grabbing his shield. He blocked some diving larva, shield-bashing the next critter down. He held his slingshot in the same hand holding the shield, aligned perpendicularly so he could shoot whenever holding the shield out. He did so, shooting a few larva back while blocking others' attacks, Gohma closing her eye as she charged.
Link leapt sideways as Gohma launched, keeping her eye closed; she slammed into the pillar. Queenie bounced off, landing on her rear, eyeball rolling backwards. Link held his slingshot in his free hand and ran away, creating distance between him and his pursuers. The larvae ducked under the fog, hiding from his aim.
Panting, Link looked around, seeing the larvae's glowing eyes as they scuttled from pillar to pillar. Gohma and her kin reorganized, approaching Link head-on together.
Mido's fairy rang aloud. "The Kokiri Sword! It's right here!"
Link ran across the chamber, evading Gohma's limbs and her larvae's leap attacks. Link slung his shield over his shoulder, slingshot held in his right hand. Link picked up the Kokiri Sword with his left hand. He spun around, Mido's fairy flying off as Gohma and her larvae approached. Two larvae flanked Link, the center one leaping at him, Gohma looming over him.
Link slashed his sword sideways, felling the leaping larva. The two others at his flanks lowered, charging with their heads down. Link lunged his sword to the left while kicking to the right, killing one and staggering the other. All remaining larvae leapt at Link—he threw his Deku Nut down while covering his eyes, ensuing flash stunning the larvae. Gohma had closed her eye then drove her claws down. Ground shaking, the impact killed her own larvae, though Link was hurled flat on his back.
Gohma jumped forth, slamming her forelegs upon Link as he sat up. He raised his shield right as the claws came, shattering the shield then ramming into Link. He convulsed, grimacing, impact knocking the wind out of him, sword dropped.
Queen Gohma realigned her forelimbs...
Link coughed blood out, feeling around for his sword, unable to find it.
Gohma reared, eye red and glaring, ready to slam her claws once more. Navi flew around Gohma's eye, though Queenie wasn't fooled. Claws clacking, she speared her claws...
Link withdrew his Fairy Slingshot, rolling to and fro, shooting in-between incoming appendages. Plink-plink-plink!
Gohma screeched; a Deku Seed had found its mark. Groaning, Link was unable to stand. Swallowing his own blood, he struggled to breathe.
The armored parasite pushed herself up, glaring intensely. She raised her left forelimb, all others pressing against the ground to lift her. She aimed her claw at Link's throat. "HEH HEH HEH..."
"HYAAAAH!" Mido leapt over Link, driving the Kokiri Sword into Gohma. The edge cleaved Gohma's eyeball asunder, blue haemolymph oozing out as she twitched and wheezed. Her front lower legs kicked about, parrying Mido's consecutive slashes until she knocked him aside, crawling towards Link.
Withstanding pain and injury, Link knelt, blood leaking from his teeth. "Last Deku Seed..."
Queen Gohma raised her claws; Link leapt, screaming with defiance as he shot pointblank into her torn eye.
She howled, falling down. "HRAHHH! Hwwua-hwwua-wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh!"
Link pulled his arm back. "HyyAAAHHHH!" He punched Gohma's pupil, arm entering up to the elbow. He ripped his arm out...
Gohma looked up, straightening her legs, streams of goo and teardrops spewing out. She collapsed.
PS
SS
SSHH
CRUMBLE CRUMBLE
Gohma was disintegrating into a mess of blue flames and falling pieces.
Mido stood back, holding the Kokiri Sword, other arm over his chin. Link stayed put, holding his slingshot, the boys observing Queen Gohma breaking apart. Even as she crumbled, her eye and joints remained glowing. Eventually, all that was left of the parasitic armored arachnid were a few small piles of steaming bits. Yet, a strange beetle appeared, one that seemed a bit familiar.
"So that's what Gohma really looks like?" Link asked, Navi observing carefully.
Mido added, "Just a tiny bug." His fairy shooed it away.
Link watched the critter scuttle away. Is that the same bug that fell out of the Baga Tree? Looks so much smaller this time...
Once Gohma's remains into nothingness, a heart-shaped aura with a silver outline emerged, merging into Link's body. He gasped, stepping back, wondering what happened.
Navi chimed. "You got a Heart Container! Your maximum life energy is increased. Your life energy will be totally refilled."
All of Link's wounds knitted themselves closed; he was back to normal.
Mido stared with big eyes. "No fair..."
Amid silence and darkness, a gentle, whirring sound came. The boys noticed blue light emanating from the center. They cautiously approached.
"And now what is that?" Mido asked.
The light pulled the boys and their fairies in, flashing brightly, its sound increasing in pitch and volume. Link looked around, slowly being lifted up. Eyes shut, he looked up, raised into the light... ...Mido was turned upside-down mid-air, thrashing as he ascended alongside Link.
They disappeared into overhead white light.