Chapter 9: The Humpback Divine Beast

Link, Ash and Pikachu managed to enter Vah Naboris. After taking back the Thunder Helm from Kohga, they used sand seals with Riju to reach the rogue Divine Beast. Now inside, they proceeded to a pedestal where Link brought out the Sheikan Slate. He placed the slate onto the pedestal where it registered. A circle of blue emerged. It illuminated behind the group. "So now, we can leave and come back when we need to if we get tired?" guessed Ash. Link nodded.

"Well, well, well…" a woman's voice sighed. The boys looked around for the voice. "You sure do know how to keep a woman waiting." The voice made Ash wonder.

"Who's there!?" he asked.

"Oh, I didn't realize you had company," the woman voiced. "This may help bring Vah Naboris to our control. I can't wait to see you take the Divine Beast back from Ganon." Looking ahead, Link, Ash and Pikachu saw the platform since they were below the underbelly of the Divine Beast. "One thing at a time… You'll need a map to find a way around. There's a Guidance Stone close by within this beast. Sounds easy, right? Beware of the malice that infects its control." The voice became silent as Ash and Pikachu wondered who spoke.

"Do you know who that was?" asked Ash. Link nodded. He chose not to answer and walked across the walkway. Ash and Pikachu followed before Link brought out an arrow with a glowing blue tip. There was one mechanical beast that looked like a rusted black bulb. It was aglow with several lights, including a spherical eye in the center. Link shot the new arrow, striking the eye. It wound up before exploding. The machine was now in pieces. They reached the next level upward where the inside of Vah Naboris was seen with all sorts of blackish sludge and bars of green electricity in what looked like cylinders connected and slanted platforms strewn like a maze. Link shot an arrow at a glowing eye that was connected to the sludge. The eye popped before the sludge vanished.

("We have access,") Pikachu squeaked. They ran down the large body and guided by the green line. They ran through the body to the end and Link had Ash and Pikachu climb ramps to another pedestal. There, Link put the Slate on the pedestal into the hole. The pedestal's hole spun, showing the Slate's other side. It then turned to the side. The pedestal was glowing orange. The blue eye appeared on the Slate.

SHEIKAH SLATE AUTHENTICATED. DISTILLING MAP OF DIVINE BEAST.

The orange lights turned blue. "Good work on getting the map of Vah Naboris," the woman's voice returned. Ash and Pikachu looked around again. "The terminals that control Naboris are noting by a series of glowing points on your map. Take Naboris back by activating all of the terminals." Ash had to ask the voice.

"Are you by any chance Urbosa?" he guessed. The voice snickered to the guess.

"So you've heard from the other Gerudo," she voiced. "I could show you, but only after you take control of Naboris. You're ready for this." The voice stopped before Link removed the Slate from the pedestal. Ash and Pikachu came to see the layout of the Divine Beast. There were five glowing spots.

"Those must be where the terminals are," he guessed. Link nodded as he saw another feature. He tapped on one cylinder of the Divine Beast's sections. It caused the portion of Vah Naboris's body to spin.

("That's new,") Pikachu shuttered. Link spotted something in the farthest cylinder. He waived Ash and Pikachu to follow. After getting down, the team returned to the other side of the body and up a ramp before Link activated the cylinder. They spun around until the ramp was under their feet. In front of them was another pedestal with a large erected stone. They leaped over an opening and reached the pedestal.

"So, is this one of those terminals?" asked Ash. Link placed the Slate on there before the stone emitted a blue light as did the pedestal. Soon enough, he removed the Slate.

SHEIKAN SLATE AUTHENTICATED

"That's one terminal," the voice told. "Four more remaining. I'm counting on you." The voice became silent again.

"I'm guessing you know your way around this," Ash believed. Link nodded as he rotated more of the body around. "Also, what's with the embers flying upward?"

"That is malice," the voice spoke up. "The Divine Beasts were taken control by Calamity Ganon, leaving behind the malice that infects Hyrule. It would be best if you do not make contact with it. The malice flying up is harmless, but it tells the level within. Once Naboris is reclaimed, the malice will disperse. It would be best to listen to Link, young one." Ash and Pikachu blinked to the advice.

("Listen to Link?") repeated Pikachu.

"Yeah, he hardly says anything," Ash shrugged. Link urged Ash and Pikachu to follow. They followed Link back down to the bottom and to the rear entrance as he moved the cylinders. After a few minutes for the rollers to set themselves. Link waived Ash and Pikachu moved through the body again and reached the rotating wall. There was a hole in the middle and one rolling at the end. They rode the hole up to the top. They leaped out to which they were outside. There was a wheel with bars attached to them.

("Looks like we're pushing.") Link waived them over before they pushed the bars to turn the wheel counterclockwise. After a minute of spinning the wheel around, an electrode emerged and started to po1wer up with electricity. Link spun his finger clockwise before pointing to both sides.

"Oh, there are two sides…" They pushed the wheel clockwise before the other electrode emerged. With the electrodes powered up, the tail of Naboris rose. It stood straight up and a platform slid down. Link told the two to stay put before he jumped onto the platform and it ascended. A minute later, blue glow appeared.

"That's two terminals," the voice noticed. "Three remain… Boy, help Link as much as possible."

"We're doing all we can," Ash spoke. Link glided down before joining back up with Ash and Pikachu before going back into the Beast. With quick feet, Link and Ash leaped across the top of the platforms near the ceiling. They reached the other side where there were two blocked attached to steel bars to the side of the wall. Link pointed to the block at the bottom. "You want us to pull or push that?" Link had both palms facing out before making a pushing gesture.

("Push it is,") Pikachu squeaked. Ash reached the block and pushed while Link used the Slate to tag the upper block. He pulled the block with the Slate's help while Ash pushed the lower block. The two blocks on the side remained. Using the Slate again, Link pulled the upper block on the side to connect the block above.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail on that block over to here." Pikachu leaped and used Iron Tail, smacking the tail to the block to push it forward. It connected to the bottom block. This caused the head to rise up. When it set, Link motioned Ash and Pikachu to follow. They nodded as they made a cylinder move, activating the head to lower. They sprinted to the platform. After going behind the wall, Link rotated the center cylinder. It rose the head back up after connecting to the rest. They saw more sludge and another eyeball. Link shot an arrow that pierced the eyeball. It squealed before it vanished with a poof, along with the sludge.

("More malice gone…") They entered where Link shot another arrow at another eyeball. Link motioned Ash and Pikachu to stay as he climbed up the side. He reached the next level and spun another wheel. An arm by Ash and Pikachu moved to align with another electrode. This caused an elevator to activate. Ash and Pikachu rode it down to where they found another glowing eyeball.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" On command, Pikachu zapped the eyeball. It exploded and the malice dissolved. They stepped off while Link journeyed beyond the elevator to another one by crossing a gap. There was another machine like what stood under Naboris. It sprung to operation and swung a glowing blue ax, but Link flipped backwards to avoid the strike. In a flash, he slashed at the machine before it stopped operation and fell to pieces. There was another terminal after that which Link used the Slate to bring it to operation.

SHEIKAN SLATE AUTHENTICATED

Three of the five terminals were activated. "Link has the third terminal activated," the voice reported. "All three of you, stay focused."

"We will," Ash replied. They waited for the elevator to bring them back up. After a couple of minutes, Link returned to Ash and Pikachu with an orb that had electricity inside. He lifted the orb and carried it to the door where a charger was red. Link waived his hand to back away. Ash nodded before stepping back.

"He knows of the guardians that Calamity Ganon took over," the voice asked. Curious, they watched Link slash away at the machines inside. After a few minutes, the machines crumpled into heaps of scrap metal. After that, Link pointed to the orb he brought. Ash picked the orb up and Link pointed to a small circular platform by the door.

"Here?" Confirming, Link nodded. Ash put the orb down. Link had another orb and put it across the room. The orbs powered up a hidden door. Inside was another terminal. "So that's the fourth." Link used the Slate to activate it.

SHEIKAN SLATE AUTHENTICATED

"One more terminal remains," the voice reminded. "You're almost there. I know you can achieve it." Link showed the Slate and the map, telling Ash and Pikachu to return to the body of Naboris.

"Alright, you can do it," Ash encouraged. He and Link bumped fists before they split. It took a while for Ash and Pikachu to return to the body as Link glided around the Divine Beast. When they arrived, they wondered what to do.

("Now what?") wondered Pikachu. Link arrived at one more terminal before using the Slate to turn the cylinder he was on. After it lined up, he used the Slate once more. The terminal activated.

SHEIKAN SLATE AUTHENTICATED

All five terminals were activated. "You three were able to activate all the terminals," the voice praised. "Now, you'll need to start up the main control unit. Boy, you seem to be nearby. I can see you taking command. You're doing well, but overconfidence can be a deadly foe." Ash shyly nodded.

("We've been victims of that before,") Pikachu recalled. Ash started to climb up with Pikachu on his shoulder. Soon enough, he reached a giant bulb that was glowing red. It had the same eye emblem as before. Link soon arrived and gave Ash a glowing blue blade.

"Preparing me for battle?" he guessed. Link nodded before he put the Slate on the pedestal that stood in front of the bulb. Nothing happened. Suddenly, a mist of malice sprayed out. Link, Ash and Pikachu stood back as the malice swirled like a tornado. Soon, light emerged behind the three. Something came out of the malice. It was something afloat. One arm had a glowing blade. One arm had a glowing shield. It appeared with long flowing red hair, but it looked ghostly and mechanical. Link, Ash and Pikachu were about to be in for the fight of their lives.

TO BE CONTINUED...