Chapter 5: Trekking Through Eldin
A yawn escaped from Fledge's mouth as he stretched his arms. It was early in the morning, around nine o'clock if he had to guess, judging by the level of the sunlight peering into his dorm room. Wondering if Link was awake, Fledge walked over to the divider separating his space from Link's own. Looking through the gap, he saw Link sprawled out on his bed, deep in slumber.
Yesterday was pretty crazy for all of them. After all, they were trying to find Zelda as quickly as possible. For a moment, Fledge wondered if he should wake him up. Seeing how soundly Link appeared in his sleep, Fledge decided it was best that he should sleep.
Just as he was getting dressed, a knock echoed on his door. "Fledge, are you awake?" A voice spoke.
"Yeah. I'm coming." Opening his door revealed Eagus standing. "Knight Commander Eagus?"
"Good morning Fledge," Eagus warmly greeted. "I didn't wake you, did I?"
"No, I was already up. Are you here because I 'borrowed' the sword and chainmail. I'm sorry about that-"
Eagus lifted his hand. "Gaepora and Owlan explained everything to me. Supposedly you were the mastermind behind your and your friend's stunt yesterday, am I correct?"
"I wouldn't call myself the mastermind. I only blurted out the idea while Pipit & Karane did most of the planning."
"Still, I'm rather impressed. I know you've had your struggles before, but to make quite the suggestion and go through with it that's an achievement to be proud of."
"T-Thank you, Eagus."
"That's not the only reason I'm here. Gaepora told me you intend to accompany Link for the remainder of his search for Zelda. I want to give you something more suitable for your adventure than your regular clothes."
Reaching in a bag, Eagus pulled out a set of folded clothes to hand to Fledge. Getting a closer look, Fledge could see a tunic in the color orange with a hat that was similar to Link and Pipit. There was also chainmail and a pair of pants.
"A knight's uniform?" Fledge gaped. "But I'm not a senior knight."
"The headmaster is willing to make an exception. Figure you can be prepared like a knight while you help Link. It's an older uniform from years back, but it should fit perfectly, and I know you like the color orange. I even got the proper chainmail size because you supposedly had issues with the one you borrowed, according to Owlan."
"Dear Din...thank you, sir! I promise I'll take good care of it!"
"I know you'll do your best. And you're welcome to come by The Sparring Hall if you need combat tips." Eagus turned away to stroll down the hallway. He suddenly stopped, glancing over your shoulder and giving a prideful smile. "And Fledge, I'm proud of you for making this step. "
The student just stood speechless, feeling all sorts of feelings of happiness and pride. He glanced at the uniform in his hands. While he is not an official senior knight holding this, it felt surreal to him. Never once did he believe he would one day wear this uniform. He had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
Since he was a boy, the Knight Commander has shown concern for Fledge's physical education. The fact that Eagus went out of his way to find the proper uniform for him and got the right chainmail size at Owlan's request says a lot to him. It was enough to kick out whatever doubts he had. Not to mention how proud Eagus sounded. Link, Pipit, Karane, Gaepora, Owlan, and Eagus believed in him.
If they succeed in their quest, Fledge may become an official Skyknight one day.
It wasn't until a few hours later that Link finally woke up from his slumber. By then, it was almost midday. He had really slept in late.
"Guess I was more tired than I thought..." Link thought to himself.
"Morning, Fi." He rubs his eyes as he hears a familiar chime.
"Good morning, Master. My readings show that you are fully rested. However, you have slept in very late. It is almost noon."
"I do that a lot...It's nothing new." Link mentally rolled his eyes, having heard that comment many times before. His sleeping habits were infamous throughout the academy. It caused him to be almost late for his classes or meet up with his friends several times. It had gotten so bad that Zelda, Fledge, and even some of his teachers had knocked on his door to ensure he was awake. "I never was an early bird. No matter how hard I tried, I could never sleep early. I stay up late reading, working on my wood carvings, or keeping Pipit company when he does his night patrol. I gave up trying after a while and seemed to stick with everyone else being my alarm clock."
"It's understandable that due to yesterday's events that, you would be exhausted. But, given the circumstances, I would not recommend continuing this trend. The later we leave, the lower the chances of joining up with Zelda will. I highly recommend that you try to sleep as early as possible."
"I'll try to keep that in mind."
"Now, I suggest you and your companions prepare for your trek down to Eldin." Link nods as Fi retreats to the sword.
"Link, are you awake?" Fledge's voice called from the other side of the divider after Fi retreated to the sword.
"Just about." Link stretches his arms. "What about you and everyone else?"
"Karane went by Pipit's. They're gonna meet us at the dock behind The Goddess Statue. I...Also, have a little surprise."
"What kind?"
"You'll see once you get ready. I'll be waiting outside your door."
"Alright, just give me a few minutes."
Link got off his bed, dressed in his uniform & gear. In minutes he was dressed in his tunic and gear for his quest. Stepping out of his room, his sight was greeted by a figure dressed in an orange knight's uniform. For several seconds he thought it was another senior knight until he saw Fledge's face with his blue scarf wrapped around him in its ordinary matter.
"So...what do you think?" Fledge beamed as he presented himself.
"Woah. Look at you, Fledge! I almost didn't recognize you!"
"Thanks. Eagus gave it to me with the blessings of Gaepora. Says it would be more suitable than my normal clothes."
"You sure look more adventurous."
Fledge fiddles with his scarf. "Does it look okay with my scarf over my shoulders? If it looks stupid, I'll tuck it away."
"It complements the uniform. Even if it doesn't, who cares? I know much significance to you, given that it was your mom's before she passed...You wear how you want."
"I just don't want to embarrass you."
"Fledge, not once have you EVER embarrassed me. You've got to stop worrying about what people will think of you."
"You're right. Sorry, Link. I'll try not to be so negative."
"Good. Let's get going."
All four friends joined at the jumping dock behind the Goddess statue after Link quickly stopped at Beedle's Airshop to buy a bug net. Much like Link, Pipit & Karane were amazed by Fledge's uniform, stating that it complimented him very well.
Metal shields on their backs, they were all making last-minute preparations to ensure their supplies were well stocked. Link stood in a daze on the dock.
"You okay, Link?" Pipit's voice echoed in his ears.
"...Last time I was here was during the Wing Ceremony. It's where I discovered Epona was missing after I almost fell to my death."
"You what!? But you said you couldn't sense him. Why would you jump off?"
"Zelda thought I was trying to get out of practice, so she pushed me off the dock like she normally does. She quickly realized I was telling the truth and apologized after catching me. She felt awful about it."
"Dear Nayru...I didn't know that you almost fell." A mortified expression grew on Karane. "I knew Groose had pulled some shit on you over the years, but knowing that made him taking your bird more reckless. You could've been killed!"
"I'm not holding it against him. For how much Groose doesn't like me, I'm sure he didn't anticipate Zelda pushing me off. He knew I wouldn't be able to sense my bird."
Karane's expressions soften. "Sorry, Link. I didn't mean to go off like that. Aside from the obvious fact that Groose wants to have Zelda to himself, I don't understand his issue with you. It's been like that since the moment he met you."
It was a question Link found himself asking from time to time. Since the day Groose arrived at Skyloft when they were children seven years ago, he had always given Link problems, even before signs of his crush on Zelda showed up when they became teenagers. No matter what, Link could never figure it out, even when he does try to be nice to him. Right now, there are more pressing matters for him to focus on.
"We have other things to worry about, anyway."
"Right. I'm good with my stuff."
"You guys good as well?" Pipit and Fledge nodded in confirmation.
"Before we go, something needs to be done." Fi turned her head to Link's three friends. "Since you three intend to accompany Master Link on his journey, I must ask you all to grab the sword and raise it skyward."
"What for?" Fledge ask.
"In the unpredictable nature of this quest, I detect a 40% possibility that Master Link and I might get separated at some point. In that scenario, I estimate a 50% chance I will be in the presence of one of you three. The Goddess Sword is designed for my Master to use. Any other person wielding it would not use it as efficiently as he will. If you go through with it, I will recognize you three as my secondary Master's. While you will still not wield it well, you can use it at better capacity long enough for me and my Master to reunite again."
Link unsheathes the sword, holding it with the blade pointing sideways. One by one, Pipit, Karane, and Fledge wrapped their palms around the handle of The Goddess Sword. Altogether they raised the weapon skyward, watching a divine light trailing from top to bottom until it faded.
"Recognition complete," Fi confirmed with a small smile. "Pipit. Karane, Fledge. I now recognize you three as my secondary masters."
"Masters, huh. Kinda like the sound of that," Pipit commented.
"With that being done, I suggest we go to the red column of light. Zelda is on the move."
Once Fi was back into the sword, the students jumped off the dock, calling for their Loftwings. They all flew to the red light. Much like the green one, it left a gap in the clouds. Once close enough, they all dived down to the ground below.
Unlike the ground back in Faron, which was covered with green plants and trees, the land here is covered with brown rocks and has some orange liquid substance. The air is also incredibly hotter, which it increasingly did when they got closer.
They pulled out their sailcloths/scarves to slow down their landing. Their maps were added in a new section labeled 'Eldin Volcano.' Overseeing the area is a large mountain with an orange substance pouring out. Looking better at their new surroundings, the region is covered with rocks and more of the liquid orange substance. They also felt the intense heat piercing their skin, though thankfully, the unique fabric of their knight uniforms allows them to withstand extreme hot & cold temperatures.
"Good Farore, this place is hot!" Pipit exclaimed.
"You're telling me." Link pulled the collar of his uniform.
"And I thought summertime in Skyloft was this bad." Karane attempts to fan herself with her hat.
Fledge whipped the sweat that was already forming on his forehead. "Where exactly are we?"
"This is Eldin Volcano. It is an active volcano rich with the power of the earth. " Fi answered as she hovered near the group. "Approximately 65% of the region is covered by lava. It is inhabited by many creatures that thrive in extreme heat and direct flames. Please exercise caution with flammable materials such as wood and fabric. If you catch fire, I highly recommend extinguishing the flames by performing a forward roll or a spin attack."
"What's a volcano?" Link asks Fi.
"A volcano is a mountain in which lava pours out, along with volcanic ash and gases."
"What's lava?" Karane also asked the sword spirit with interest.
"It is the orange substance you see here. Lava is hot molten or semifluid rock erupted from a volcano. I advise that you all don't touch it at any cost."
"What happens if we do?" Fledge inquired.
"You will get severe burns and maybe melt."
All four friends got cringed-filled expressions plastered on their faces, no doubt having the same image of them melting.
"Before you go, are you familiar with how to use dowsing to search for Zelda, Master Link?" Fi continues on.
"I do."
"Of course you do. My apologies. Please continue your search for Zelda."
"What's dowsing?" Pipit questioned Link when Fi retreated to the sword.
"It's an ability Fi can do. She can detect the presence of an aura of something I wish, or in this case, Zelda, to search for using the tip of my sword. The closer I am, the stronger the sword reacts."
As a means of demonstration, Link pulled out his sword. Quickly, the end glowed slightly rapidly. A purple glow surrounded the tip of the blade.
"And Zelda is that way." Link sheathed the sword.
"That's impressive," Fledge complimented. "Finding her will be no problem!"
The quartet walked down the trail that the dowsing reacted to, jumping across some rock platforms floating above the lava. When they rounded a corner, specks of dirt erupted from the ground leaving two holes. Emerging from where two tan, furry, rodent-like creatures were. Each had a slight touch of hair on the top of their heads, one brown, the second green.
"Hey! Hey! HEY! Y-you mess with our turf, and you're gonna...pay?" The brown hair rodent spoke to the group with little confidence.
"Uh...hello," Link greeted.
The green hair rodent leaned in closer to the humans. "Whoa! You're not...Yo, Ledd, I don't think these guys are one of those red creeps."
"Y-y-yeah, I think you're right, Cobal. No reason to scare the hair off us, though." Ledd put his attention on the students. "Sorry about that, you guys. These monsters showing up and messing with our turf has got me on edge."
"Monsters? Like red pig-like monsters?" Link clarified.
"Yeah, those guys. They've been causing us problems. It's getting on our nerves. They show up here, and I'm gonna knock the red clean out of 'em! That's what I'm doing here. Yeah, me, Ledd."
"Yeah, whatever. Mr. Too Scared to Dig in the Dark," Cobal muttered quietly enough for Ledd not to hear.
"Anyway, if you're all looking for treasure, you should stay clear of those red guys."
"We're not looking for treasure. We're looking for a friend."
"Huh? You're looking for a friend? NOT treasure?" Ledd parrots, which Link nods with confirmation. "So that must have been your pal that passed by earlier, sprinting by without a glance in this direction. It was sorta a blur of movement, so I didn't get a real good look, but I knew it wasn't one of those red creeps. Your pal must have gone straight up here, so why don't you follow?"
"If you don't mind us asking, what are you guys?"
"You don't know what we are?! Why, we are the highly civilized mole race known as the Mogma. All of us have a deep and abiding love of treasure."
"Us Mogmas have claimed this territory to search for riches. We're what you all call treasure hunters," Cobal added enthusiastically. "There are loads of these red, blue, and green stones called Rupees around here. If you get lucky, you may even find silver and gold ones. And while they ain't technically treasure, you can find these tough mineral chunks we call Eldin Ore. I bet you could use'em to make stuff. I know you're all looking for your friend, but since you're here, you might as well look around, right?"
"We'll take note of all that. Thank you," Link said.
"No problem. Good luck with finding your friend!" Ledd waved them before going back underground, as did Cobal when the humans walked down the path leading away.
"Think they can be trusted?" Link asked his friends.
"They don't look dangerous," Karane stated.
"Those guys seem friendly to me," Fledge gave a shrug.
"Not sure if I believe that whole thing about Rupees. Wouldn't that be nice…" Pipit faltered on. "I'll believe it when I see it."
"My analysis shows that those Mogmas do not intend any harm. Perhaps they could be helpful allies in future events," Fi's voice echoed through the sword.
The gang soon found themselves in a cave with a narrow trail, surrounded by a pool of lava that frequently rises and falls. They had to wait for the right moment to dash across the path before the lava rose again. More difficult when Fire Keese was divebombing them.
In the next section, they all found themselves in a large pile of rocks blocking the path. A patch of blue, large, round flowers lay in the middle. There was another creature resembling Ledd & Cobal in the room, though this one had red hair slicked to the side.
"That another Mogma?" Link asks Fi.
"This one is indeed another member of the Mogma tribe. He is identified as Kortz."
"Let's go say hello to him."
"Huh?" Kortz turned around once footsteps echoed off the cave wall. "Who're you guys supposed to be? Never seen you around here before…Whoa, hold it right there! Are you friends with those red creeps?"
"Do we look like we are?" Karane deadpanned, but the Mogma just stared at them skeptically. "Of course not!"
"You're not, huh? Well, you don't look like 'em, that's for sure. You're all not THAT ugly."
"What did you say they were? I certainly can deal with it, but you don't call her or any of my friends that." Pipit stepped forward, his hand clenched into a fist before Fledge stopped him
"So what then? You're here to pick bomb flowers?" Kortz questions the group.
"Bomb what?" Link tilted his head.
"Bomb Flowers. You're joking, right? Those are them growing right over there." Kortz gestured to the strange blue plants. "You pick one up and the fuse lights. Ten seconds later...BOOM! You don't wanna stop and sniff this flower. Dangerous plants, believe me. But once you learn how to use them, they're a powerful weapon. Us Mogmas are crazy about 'em! You can also roll them the same way you do with any rock or jars. See what you can do with those bomb flowers over there. Um...You guys do know how to roll and throw stuff, right?"
"Umm...yes," Fledge replied, confused about why the Mogma would ask that.
"Of course you do! You can lift things up to throw them and hold things below you to roll 'em. I mean, hey, everyone knows that!"
Link stepped forward to pick up the flower, eyeing the plants and cluttered rocks. The fuse instantly lit up. Link threw the bomb into the rocks. Seconds later, the plant explodes with the cluttered stones, which now reveal a path in its place.
"You guys saw that, right?" Link said in astonishment, with his three friends nodding in agreement.
"Seems like you got the hang of it!" Kortz declared.
"I want to try!" Karane picked up one of the bomb flowers. She threw it on a pile of rocks on the ledge above. The flower exploded several seconds later, with Rupees flying around everywhere.
"That is so cool!" Fledge exclaimed.
"And look. Rupees!" Pipit picked up a small cluster of blue Rupees.
"You guys don't have a Bomb Bag, do ya?" Kortz's voice snapped them out of their excitement.
"I don't think we do," Link answered the mole.
"Well, that's a shame. Without a Bomb Bag, you can't safely carry bomb flowers when you're out and about. You won't find a Mogma without one." Link gave an inquisitive glance at the Mogma. "What? Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Can you lend us a bag?"
"No! No way, no how. You are not getting my bag. You'll have to be satisfied with blowing up stuff right around here."
"Sorry for asking. Let's go, guys."
They went down the newly uncovered trail. They found themselves back outside. There was a strange rock formation with a hole on the top, surrounded by lava. Another Mogma, known as Merco thanks to Fi, lay ahead.
"Huh? More strangers? You're not one of those red creeps, either. I swear this neighborhood's getting crummier every day," Merco muttered.
"Did you say something?" Link called out to the Mogma.
"Huh? Oh, nothing, just talking to myself. Hey, I saw this funny-dressed character go into that hole over there." Merco pointed to the hole on top of the rock. "It might be that friend you're all looking for."
"You know about that?" Fledge questioned.
"Word travels fast among us, Mogmas. You want to know what this kook was wearing?"
"Uh, sure," Link responded.
"Let's see...Yeah, I'm pretty sure the getup was blackish. Other than that, I don't remember much." Merco shrugged. "If you four intend to follow them, you'll have to find a way up there."
"Thank you." Link turned away from the Mogma. "I don't remember Zelda wearing black at Wing Ceremony."
"Let's find a way to get through that hole," Karane suggested. "Maybe we can find something if we look around."
The group continued down the trail. They soon came across an orange fish-like creature with large eyes and an antenna dangling from its forehead. When the beast caught sight of them, it crawled into a hole in the wall.
"What the hell was that thing?" Pipit wondered.
"Fi, could you identify that." Link ordered.
"That is a Pyrup. This skittish monster prefers to hide in small holes or inside the skeletal remains of deceased creatures. Once the cowardly Pyrup finds a small space to spit flames, it becomes unapproachable. You will need to employ a clever strategy to defeat it. Inflicting damage from a distance may be the only way."
"Can we still get past it?" Fledge took several steps forward. Once he got close to the hole, the Pyrup let out a trail of flame, giving Fledge little time to get out of the way, though thankfully, he did not receive any burns. "Okay, definitely need to kill it somehow. But with what?"
"Those bomb flowers." Link pointed to a small batch of explosive flowers.
"Huh, convenient, but I'm not complaining," Karane commented with a shrug.
Pipit stepped forward. "Let me get this. You and Link got the last ones."
Pipit picked up the flower. Getting close enough to not alert the fish monster, he threw the bomb flower in the same matter as a bowling ball. It rolled into the hole, followed by an explosion and the sounds of the creature's cries.
"Nice throw!" Link praised his friend.
With the monster gone, they proceeded up the trail. They soon found themselves in the presence of another Pyrup, two of which this time. They fled into large skulls with gaps on the top.
"Okay, we need to take out those guys." Link picked up a nearby bomb flower, throwing it into the opening above the skull, killing the Pyrup. "Alright, just one more. Fledge, why don't you take out the last one?"
"Me?" Fledge questioned Link's suggestion.
"You're the only one who hasn't thrown a bomb flower. Give it a shot. And if you can't make the shot, just throw it."
"Okay. If you insist."
Fledge picked up the bomb flower. He lifted it above his head, trying not to worry about the few seconds he had left. Taking his chance, he threw it into the Pyrup's hiding spot. It barely managed to land, but the explosion was close enough to kill the monster.
"I did it!" Fledge pumped both his arms in the air in victory.
"Good throw, buddy!" Link patted Fledge's shoulder.
The quartet all went to where the monsters once stood. They all looked around for a clue to advance. Karane noticed a bone bridge with a crack on a wall on the other end, pouring out bits of lava. It took a moment to realize it was the same wall that surrounded the large rock with the hole on top.
Taking notice of the bomb flowers, she picked one up and threw it across the bone bridge. The flower rolled to the other side, exploding next to the large crack. Upon impact, the hole opened up in the wall, lava pouring all out.
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Link cheered.
"Nice one, Karane!" Pipit's compliment was enough to make the female senior knight blush.
Running across the bone bridge, they climbed up back on the wall. The lava pool that filled the space is now gone, revealing solid ground. Just below the hole were more air vents. All four floated up to the hole with the air vent's support. Looking down below revealed an underground cavern.
They all jump down below, using their sailcloths to slow their landing. The air in the underground caverns is cooler than the overworld above. The walls are also blue rather than red-brown seen above. A path with a wooden archway caught the corner of their eye. They came across another Mogma named Nackle, according to Fi. Just ahead of the Mogma were more Bokoblins.
"Grr...Those creeps just shimmied in and took over our territory," Nackle muttered.
"Hello…" Fledge greeted.
"Yeow!" Nackle faced them in shock. "What're you doing? Don't be sneakin' up on me like that!"
"Sorry, we're just looking for our friend."
"Huh? You're looking for your friend? Sorry, can't help you there. Nobody's come through here, so...Maybe they went up the mountain from over that away." Nackle pointed over to a ledge several feet away. A large exhale escaped the mole's mouth when he looked back at the room beside him. "Ahh...Wish someone would chase these clowns outta here."
Looking at the room ahead, several Bokoblins armed with their cleavers standing around. Some wore blue bandanas and had large-looking maces.
"You guys ready for this?" Link asked.
"Had no problem last time," Pipit stated.
"We can take down those red freaks," Karane followed.
"I'm not so sure about the ones with the large maces," Fledge commented with concern. "Those look like they can pack a punch."
"Just keep blocking them with your shield until you find the right moment," Link suggested to him. "From what Pipit & Karane told me, you seem good with that."
"Alright, let's do this."
The Bokoblins were quickly on alert when the four humans entered the room. They all charged toward them. Each of the four took out the red monsters. Link struck the side they were not blocking. Pipit took them down with no problem. Karane waited to strike before delivering a fatal blow to her opponent. Fledge found himself standing against the ones with the large maces. After failing to get hits, Fledge pulled out his shield. Once the Bokoblin took a swing, he parried back, thrusting his sword straight into the monster's chest.
The room was cleared of the monsters in mere minutes.
"Whoa…You took out every last one of 'em." Nackle's voice echoed from the other side. Once they cleared the room, the students returned to the Mogma. "You four are tough customers! Thanks for all your help! I don't blame you for not knowing this, but we Mogmas always honor our debts. Let me give you something to prove it. Any special requests?"
"A way forward would be nice," Link requested.
"Oh, right. You're trying to find your friend, aren't cha? In that case, take these things! They're something pretty special if I say so myself." Nackle pulled four pairs of gloves, all of which had sharp claws. "These are Digging Mitts! I got one for each of ya! Use these sharp claws to dig through patches of soft earth. With these, you should be able to get to the top of the ledge right behind me. Just try digging in the hole below the ledge. You're in for a surprise!"
All four students examine each glove, clearly astonished by their design.
"Thank you so much," Link said to the Mogma.
"Anytime, pal. I just hope your friend hasn't been captured by those red guys. Here's hoping everything's okay!"
The humans walked to the ledge. Sure enough, there was a patch of soft dirt just below. Link dug up a hole using his Digging Mitts, revealing an air vent that helped them get onto the ledge.
Traversing through the caves, everyone got a chance to try out their Digging Mitts. Most of the time, they just found mere Rupees. Sometimes they would dig up something Fi confirmed, as the Eldin Ore Cobal mentioned before, which Fledge seemed the most interested in.
Eventually, the group found themselves at the end of the cave, where a giant pit of air was blowing out. They use it as an exit, finding themselves above ground. Once again, their sights caught another Mogma Fi identified as Zanc, on the trail ahead.
"Whoa! Now there's a green one! And a light green, a yellow, and an orange one! One of you people just came charging through here. Dressed in all black! That a friend of yours?" Zanc points over to a path that appears to be missing a bridge. "See that up ahead? That's, what we call, a drop-dead end, but this character danced right over it. Seriously? Jumping over a gap like that? My jaw hit the dirt."
Zanc buried himself back underground, leaving the students alone to their thoughts as they walked to the gorge.
"Dressed in black. Jumping over a large gorge...I'm starting to think it's not Zelda we're after," Link implied.
"Are you sure?" Pipit asked.
"I think Link's right. Zelda isn't capable of jumping over a large gorge. I don't think Skyloft's best knights could even do that," Karane affirmed.
"Then who are we chasing after?" Fledge wondered.
A stone platform emerges from the other side of the gorge, connecting both ends of the ledges. The group standstill as they watched the stone move slowly to their side. Then a voice called out to them.
"You four! The goddess's chosen hero and his companions!" Standing atop the arch lies a tall, slim, brown-skinned woman. Her hair is golden, with a single braid on the side of her head. She was dressed in blue and wore a large black cape. "Zelda is ahead. Please hurry." The woman spoke urgently before jumping away out of their sight.
"Who was that?" Pipit kept his eyes glued in the direction the woman went.
"I don't know, but she sounded urgent. Like Zelda is in trouble." Karane said.
Hearing the woman's voice echo in his head, Link could hear the urgency in her tone. If Zelda is in any trouble...
"Let's get going."
The hike up the mountain took quite a while. It was a longer trek compared to everyone's trip through Faron Woods yesterday. They had several more encounters with Bokoblins and some Fire Chuchus, but those fights were resolved relatively quickly. Even with that, the hike had taken up more time than any of them thought.
"You know, I don't think Eldin Volcano is a suitable name for this place," Pipit said after a while, hoping to break the silence.
"Why do you think that?" Link questioned.
"Given the atmosphere here, I think it needs a more...intense name."
"What would you call it?" Karane pressed.
"Uh...Grumble Volcano…?" Pipit suggested unsurely.
"Seriously? You're talking about giving an intense name, and that's the best you can come up with?"
"What would you call it then?"
"Oh well…" Karane place her fingers on her chin. "What about Corona Mountain? 'Corona' is often associated with the sun, which is hot like this place."
"That's... a much better suggestion than mine. What would you call Link?"
"Lethal Lava Land. How does that sound?"
"It's creative, but kinda sounds childish," Karane replied.
"What about Death Mountain?" The group turned their heads to Fledge, surprised that he would suggest that name. "This mountain can be a death trap if you're not careful. One wrong move, and well, you know..."
"That's not bad, actually. I vote for Death Mountain," Link declared.
"I second that," Karane affirmed.
"Me too," followed by Pipit.
A large steep sandy hill came into their view. Instantly Fi appeared before them.
"Masters, as you can all see, a large slope is ahead."
"Yeah, we can see that," Karane stated with a hint of sarcasm.
"These slopes are not easy to transverse. On slippery slopes, you may lose footing and slide down on your backside. Quite gracefully, I'm sure."
"Did-did I just get sassed out by a sword?" Karane muttered, earning a chuckle from Pipit.
"Your best option to travel is to run nonstop to the top. Even stopping briefly will cause you all to slip and slide back to the bottom." With that, Fi went back into the sword.
"How are we doing this?" Pipit turned his head to Link.
"We'll go one at a time. That way, they'll be someone at the top to help the other. I'll go first."
Link made a mad dash to the very top of the very steep hill. By the time he made it, he was almost entirely out of breath. After several minutes he signaled for the others. One by one, Pipit, Karane, and Fledge made it to the top of the hill, with Link assisting them. Like him, they were out of breath.
"I don't think I ran that fast in my life..." Pipit had his arm leaned against a small stone pillar.
"You're telling me," Karane agreed, sitting on the ground.
"Losing health units. Must rest..." Fledge panted as his back lay flat on the ground.
"Hmm...I'm sure they buried it around here someplace, but I can't find it."
All four turn their heads in the direction of the voice. Several feet away appeared stone ground covered by a blue path leading to a large red door with two golden dragons on each side. The pavement has several chunks of it missing, exposing patches of dirt. In one of the dirt piles, they saw Ledd talking to Cobal. Both Mogmas appear to be in search of something.
"Yo, Ledd! This is the place, ain't it? So what is it they buried again?" Cobal questioned his friend.
"A key! K-E-Y! KEY!" Ledd answered firmly. "They took the key from that door and buried the two halves around here."
"Hey, that reminds me...That strange blonde girl in the weird clothes got taken away too."
"That's right! I bet they got something really valuable stashed in there. And that blonde girl they took is probably part of their master plan too. I'm telling you. I can smell the riches from here!"
"So what're you saying we do once we find the key?"
"Whaddya think, igneous? We sneak inside and take all the treasure we can carry!"
"Hey...Why are we so worried about a key when we can just dig our way in?" Ledd just stared at Cobal in bafflement. "Just sayin'."
"You ain't as dumb as you look!" Ledd complimented before he and Cobal went back underground.
"Masters, I require your confirmation on critical information obtained from that Mogma conversation," Fi addressed the group. "The oddly garbed figure taken deeper into the region must be."
"Zelda!" Link responded quickly.
"Zelda? Why not the woman in black that we saw?" Karane suggested.
"My calculations agree with Master Link's suggestion. There is a 90% probability the figure in question was indeed Zelda. As for the woman in black, there is only a 10% probability that it is her." Fi turned over to the door, which had the outline of a gear-like object. "Additionally, I calculate there is a 95% probability that the key to this door is made of the same material composition as this mechanism that bars it. I have detected two objects of the same material in the surrounding area. Ascertaining the location of these objects will aid in our search for Zelda. I have registered them as dowsing targets. I suggest we start looking for the two pieces."
Once Fi went back into the sword, Link unsheathed it with the blade pointing out.
"Alright. Let's see where the pieces are." Moving it around, the blade's tip glows rapidly at one-half of the area covered by rocks. It did so again once Link pointed it to the other half, which trails into a cave. "Looks like that's where they are. We'll have to split up. Two of us will look over in the rocks while the rest look around the fences."
"I'll go look around the rocks," Karane volunteered.
"I'll go with you." Fledge went by her side.
"Looks like it's gonna be you and me again, buddy." Pipit patted Link's shoulder.
"Right. If any of us need help, yell."
The groups then split into their teams. Karane & Fledge looked around their area, looking for any patch of recently buried dirt. Most of the ones they found had bugs, Rupees, or Eldin Ore. Fledge found himself near a slope. Down below appear to be something large and round. Curious, he went down to investigate. It was some sort of large propeller which strangely looked familiar to him. Its shape did not make the key, however.
Just when he was about to return, Fledge saw a small patch of dirt that looked as if it's been recently moved. Using his Digging mitts, he dug through the soil, revealing a shape that matched half of the key slot on the door.
"Hey, Karane! I think I found the one half," Fledge stated excitedly as he ran back up the hill, showing the part of the key to his friend.
"Good find!" Karane praised. "Let's hope Link & Pipit are doing well."
The senior knights traverse through a tunnel, taking out more Fire Keese. They crossed a small stone bridge next to the large gust of wind pouring out. Link's sword let out a large chime, indicating Fi needed to speak to them.
"What's wrong, Fi?"
"Masters, I am detecting extremely high temperatures from the area directly ahead. I calculate that your clothing will immediately combust upon entrance. Please proceed with caution. You both may be able to pass through safely if you run. I recommend confirming your direction by dowsing before making an attempt." Fi explained before she quickly retreated into the sword.
"Is it through there?" Pipit clarified with Link, who pointed his sword forward. The tip rapidly glowed.
"It is. We'll have to run for it."
Slowly, Link & Pipit walked through the small path. The area is covered with very bright molten rock. They could feel their clothes on the brink of catching fire as soon they entered. They dash over to the path on the side, leading them to a slope.
They stopped running once they saw a small section of stable ground ahead. Once they were safe, they all took a moment to catch their breaths. And to make sure they're not on fire.
"I'm never...complaining...about...Skyloft's summers...ever again," Pipit grumbled in between his breaths, pulling out his waterskin to drink out of it. "Are we close to finding that key piece?"
"I think we might be on top of it." Link pointed to a small section of dirt that looked disturbed. Link used his Digging mitts to uncover the earth. There lies the other half of the key to the door. "Lucky us, huh."
"Except we're gonna have to find another way back up."
They had no choice but to travel back to the bottom of the large hill. Thankfully with their map's help, they found a shortcut back to the top, which was the source of the large wind vent that had passed by earlier. They found Karane and Fledge standing by the large door, with half the key already in the slot.
"You guys found it?" Karane asked them.
Link pulled out the piece he & Pipit found. "Got it right here." Link placed his half on the slot, fitting in it perfectly.
The key slot turned, lifting a latch that previously kept the door locked. Slowly the large doors opened, revealing a set of stairs leading downwards with an orange glow at the end. A wave of heat struck the group as they stepped to get a closer look. One by one, Link glanced at his friends.
Slowly, Link took a step forward, leading his way toward the area below with his friends behind.
*Entering Dungeon Music plays*
I hope you like the idea of Fledge having his own Knight's Uniform, even though he's not Senoir class. Just thought it would be suited well for him.
Anyways, the gang has arrived to Death Mou-I mean Eldin Volcano. Out next stop is the Earth Temple. What wonders await our heroes there?
Favs, Follows, and Reviews are appreciated.