Chapter 54: Land Without Guidance
Link's feet were more blister than foot. His mismatched shoes slid about as he walked, scraping over flesh, rubbing all the wrong ways. Often, he took them off, and that helped for a mile or so. However, trodding on the thick stones of the Hylian roads made his feet ache as if he was stomping down with every step. And if he went off the stones to the more forgiving grass and dirt, he'd inevitably step on a thorn or pebble.
So, he cycled through moving from shoes, to barefoot on the road, to off it. Walking until he could bare one pain no longer and switched to another.
"Almost there," he said to himself as he stopped to put his shoes on for the dozenth time that day. "Almost there." He had been saying that for over a day now. In truth he had little idea how far he had left to travel. The Lanayru Mountains made the road weave back and forth, rise and sink. Around some rocks, over others, with little reason that he understood. And unlike the single mighty Death Mountain, Link did not know which of the range of ridges and outcroppings hid the Zora.
One thing he could tell was that he was close to water. The mighty river roared somewhere nearby, its rushing rapids echoing across the path. He'd seen it, even crossed over a few bridges in the early parts of the trek. Passing so many times, he no longer remembered if the waters flowed to his right or left. But the sound! He could never escape the sound. For the last few hours, it had only grown louder and louder. Until he could hear nothing else. The Gerudo Army could be right behind him, and he'd never notice.
"Almost…" he rounded one more of the great pillars of rock and stopped. "There."
Not a quarter mile away, a waterfall larger than the entirety of Kokiri Village poured a wall of glistening white foam down the mountainside. His mouth dropped open. How could there be so much water above him that it could spill endlessly? How did it refill? Where did it come from?
So enraptured with the falls he did not notice the bridge that swung before it until a handful of people made the crossing. They looked so small, like toys before the rushing waters. He laughed, less out of joy than not knowing what other noise to make.
He needed to get closer. To walk across that rickety bridge. Ignoring the ache in his feet, he ran. Not stopping as he passed the few folk that trod the path before him. All moving far too slow, and not looking nearly as pleased or excited as they should. One Hylian man looked so green in the face, Link thought he'd vomit. Link sprinted past them all, ignoring their shouts. He couldn't tell what they were saying anyway with the crashing waters so close.
The wood creaked as he put his weight on the bridge. He couldn't hear it over the roar of the waterfall, but he could feel the soaked wood settle. His eyes never left the fall as he made his way to the very center of the bridge. Looking out, all he could see was an endless wave. Flecks of water splashed him, so many he couldn't feel single drops. After a few moments staring at the falls his face grew damp. Laughing as he wiped his face dry, and he sat down, dangling over the edge of the bridge. Though after a moment he took off his shoes and tucked them into his bag so he wouldn't lose them.
"Out of the way," one woman screeched somehow piercing through the din of the falls. She carried a massive backpack near as tall as she was, and not looking too sure of foot as she traveled.
"Sorry!" He yelled back and tried to slide closer to the edge, while still gripping the rope. Though he was nowhere near the woman, and she had plenty of space behind him to walk. She muttered something that Link couldn't hear. But it didn't matter.
How could anyone pay attention to anything other than the waterfall? The way it rushed down from the top of a mountain so high it looked to be falling from the very sky. How it crashed far below into a bed of foam. Was that how far he climbed the last few days? How far was that? What would happen if someone jumped down? Would it still hurt? Or would the water make the fall easier?
Memories of jumping into the ponds back home came to him. How the children would climb higher and higher to make the biggest splash. Until one day Mido dared him to leap from one of the tallest trees. He tumbled through the air and landed on his back, soaking all around. But it hurt, for hours he felt his back sting. And this fall was, what? A hundred times bigger? A Thousand times? Who could even know?
He kicked his feet out in the air and stared at the waterfall, as his entire front grew cool and damp.
Beautiful.
If there was one thing that made his time away from Kokiri Forest worthwhile, it was seeing all these wondrous things. From the great walls of Castle Town, the view from the top of the tower he climbed, the immeasurable scale of Death Mountain, and now this.
The world is beautiful.
Within the waters, something moved. At first Link thought it was only a shadow, some trick of the light. But he squinted at it anyway. A dark shape shifted within the waters, moving up the waterfall. Up it! And not only one, there had to be a dozen or more of the blackened splotches taking the full force of nature and still swimming against the current.
One of the shapes breached the water a moment, enough for Link to see a silvery-blue back. He could not keep his eyes from them as the school of splotches swam all the way up the waterfall. Bursting through the foaming white near the top, the dozen black shapes turned into people. Strange people of blues and reds and whites, all slender and slick to the look of them, with gills along their necks and large bulbous heads. Their hands webbed, and their feet were flippers. The Zora. He had seen a handful of them in Castle Town, and a few more on his journey across the Fields. But he had never seen them swim. They moved through water with all the skill the Gorons had when they worked with stone. But where the Gorons displayed their power, the Zora moved with grace and majesty.
"Did you see that!" Link yelled to the nearest of the bridge-walkers. He did not get an answer, but perhaps that was best. After an entire journey walked alone; let the joys of this little show be his.
He watched the waters until the pain in his feet turned into a dull throb. He could have spent all day there, maybe longer. But he still had his duties, and who knew how long he had before the Gerudo arrived?
Past the bridge the road split in two, a trail for those with carts and horses went one way and a massive set of stairs for those without either. He climbed the stairs, until his legs burned. The path wound around, reaching high as the waterfall. When he passed the final lip of rocks to reach the top, he stopped, staring across the horizon.
Beautiful.
What other word could describe it? In the heart of the basin floated the Crystal City. Though it looked to be made of stone, it gleamed like polished marble. The largest buildings shimmered with the blue of the skies, while its reflection swayed in the waters. And the image of it glimmering in the Zora Sea shone like the finest crystals.
Green trees and greener moss draped over walkways lit with brilliant blue twinkling lights. Link bounded to the bridge to figure out what could shine without fire. A rock, by the look of it, though as he stared the little thing grew and shrunk, as if breathing.
Was it alive?
This place seemed shaped with the guidance of the waters themselves. Mollusks latched onto the pathways and along the sides of the great platforms of the city. Crabs and snails scuttled along, as though the city belonged to them as much as anyone else. So different from the Hylians, with their blocky stone castles and towers, and houses of dead wood. Where cattle were driven into pens and the wildlife fled before the inhabitants. In a way it reminded him most of the Kokiri dwelling within still living trees.
Even the streets were strange. He strolled on the side of them, for the center held great lanes of water, that Zora swam down faster than Link could run. There was life in the city, there was movement, and wonders.
But very few people. Those who traveled across the bridge dispersed as soon as they stepped upon the main platform of the city. They rushed to wherever they needed to be so fast Link thought them fleeing from something. Other than the occasional wave as a Zora swam past the streets were empty. The only person he saw after the first minutes within the city was a Zora standing watch in bright bronze armor, with a spear in one hand, and a conch on his hip. He stared out across the waters, unmoving. A soldier or guard, Link guessed, and probably could offer directions.
"Excuse me," Link approached him, making certain to look friendly and pose no threat. After all his time spent with soldiers on campaign, he had a good understanding of them. So long as Link spoke with respect, honest and straightforward, then they would-
"Go away," the Zora barked.
"Oh," Link was taken aback. "Sorry for bother-"
"I said go away," the man tore his eyes away from the waters to glare at Link. "Don't you know anything, boy?"
"I know plenty of things, but I was wondering if-"
"Go away!" He slammed the butt of his spear into the ground. "And find someplace safe."
Link apologized and backed away from the soldier. Well, if he was too busy, Link could find another of the Zora citizens or even one of the travelers.
But after wandering past several roads and side paths he only saw three people. And each of them rushed away before he could get their attention. All he wanted to know where to find a cobbler to get new shoes, or a swordsmith to fix his blade.
He wandered the streets until he came across the main markets more through luck than anything. But even here displayed stark differences with Castle Town. There the marketplace had been bustling with more people than Link had ever seen. Everyone going to shops or watching shows. Pressing so tight, one could hardly breathe. Sure, it had been a celebration, with thicker crowds than usual. But the other towns and cities he passed on his travels had been busy as well.
This one was beautiful as the rest of the city. The shops made a circle around a pool that looked closer to a garden, with water plants and bright fish. And past the buildings on both sides holes in the platform displayed the water of the sea below. What would it be like to cast a fishing line out into the blue? Would they allow him to? That would be the perfect end to a day, getting what he needed from the shops, then casting out a fishing line and catching his dinner. Enjoying the beauty of the lake and delicious fresh fish.
Beyond the natural beauty, the Zora decorated their marketplace with art. Great paintings right on the side of buildings displayed blues, purples, and greens. Swirling around each other in spirals. A reflection of the Zora's Domain itself. As he stared at the art, it blended with the horizon behind it, forming one glorious celebration of the sea.
Or at least it would, if the painting didn't have a chip in it. In fact, most of the buildings had some crack or flaw in them. Now that he looked, even the ground had dark marks and divots in the stone. That was more than passing strange. The signs of damage seemed to spread everywhere. As he went shop to shop, he continued to notice the cracks and scratches. He wished to figure out what caused them, but eventually he came to one of the shops he most needed.
It had a trident sign out front, and when Link peered through the door, he found rows of racks and tables of weapons. Though when he entered and walked through the selection, it looked picked over. What remained were mostly spears of various kinds, but a few swords and shields besides them. All polished and neat, with a great deal of intricate designs etched into them. It all made his sword seem quite plain. But a plain sword or a jeweled one worked the same. At least, when they weren't damage.
Still it took all his effort not to run down the aisles and fiddle with every single weapon in the shop. Even after all his journey, the hours he spent cleaning Bethmasse's equipment, the desire to hold these tools of battle was almost too much.
No. I have a job to do. And then I can come back and play.
"Hello," Link smiled to the shopkeeper, a thin Zora with a wide shark-like mouth.
"What are you buying?" The shark-woman asked. Though she did not seem to be giving Link her full attention, instead glancing up behind him toward the door. Link looked around to see what distracted her, but there was nothing. No one had entered, it was only him and the beautiful allotment of weapons around them.
"I'm not so much buying," he unsheathed his sword and placed it before her. "I damaged my sword, here, you wouldn't be able to fix it for me, would you?"
The Zora picked up the blade and held it close to her eyes, rubbing one of her webbed fingers over notches on the side. "What were you hitting with this? Rocks?"
"A few trees."
She frowned down at Link. "Children should not play with weapons."
Link felt his ears grow hot. "I wasn't playing," he muttered, not that it made a difference to the sword or the lady's judgment.
"See all this?" She put her finger at the deepest notch and ran it along the side of the blade. "That will never cut smooth again. I will have to reshape the blade, removing all this to make a clean edge. Then I will have to do the same to the other side or the blade will feel unbalanced in the hand."
"But you can fix it?"
"Eighty rupees and it will be done by tomorrow morning."
"Oh. Rupees? Oh," Link looked into his bag. Bethmasse had given him a few rupees while he acted as her squire. But even if he hadn't spent any on warm meals and cold drinks in his travels he doubted she'd ever given him eighty. "Uhh, I have," he pulled out all the stones he carried with him. "Twenty-three? Will that do?"
The woman's mouth spread into a grin filled with sharp teeth. "What do you think?"
"I could… I could sell you something instead? Do you… would you need? Umm." The only thing he had of value was the Ruby and there was no way he was giving that to anyone. "I have this bag, Goron made. It's a gift from the mighty Chief Darunia himself."
"Let me stop you, boy," she held out her hand. "You smell as if you have not taken a bath in weeks. You have no money to your name. You are begging for someone to fix this thing," she forced the sword back into his hands. "Which is old and frankly even if it was undamaged, I would be embarrassed to ever display it in my shop. And you expect me to believe that you've both met and been given a gift by the ruler of the Gorons? No. I have entertained you long enough. Please leave."
"But it is from Chief Darunia."
Before the Zora could respond, a deep and reverberating horn blared from outside. Then came another, and another.
"What's that?" Link moved to the entrance to see what was happening. The sound was quite pleasing. Link wasn't even certain it was a horn really. A bit lower than the ones he heard in Hyrule and the Gerudo. The two Zora that happened into the marketplace frantically dived into the water lanes to swim away. "What's going on?"
"Get away, fool," the Zora woman grabbed Link by the arm and pulled him back inside. She slammed the door of her shop shut and heaved a massive wooden beam that had been hidden behind it and lifted it to bar the door. "They're coming."
"Who?"
The Zora hushed him, ran to her counter, and hunkered behind it. Link listened in confusion, pressing his ear against the door. What is going on?
The horns went silent, replaced with the crashing of waves. "Gahh!" Water seeped beneath the door and filled his boots.
"Be silent, and hide," the Zora gave a loud whisper.
Perhaps she had a point. He backed away from the door, until he heard a hammering pounding.
"Help," came a voice from outside. "Help. Let me in. Someone! Let me in!" A man by the sound of him, Hylian.
"Someone's out there!"
The Zora did not respond.
"Help!" The voice drew closer. More hammering, more shouting. "Help! Help me! Please! There's still time. Please don't leave me out here!"
"He can hide in here."
"Be silent, child."
Something sloshed through the waters outside. The door shook on its hinges as a heavy fist slammed against it.
"Help me! No! No! Please help! Hylia! Help!"
The water beneath Link's feet rumbled, rippling about. The man's scream turned into a wordless bellowing cry. Heavy noises slammed against the ground. Something screeched. It sounded more massive than a Goron.
"I'm coming!" Link shouted through the door. He grabbed the wooden beam and pushed it up. It crashed to the ground and splashed water up to Link's knees.
"What are you doing? Stop you'll let them in!"
Link ignored her and yanked open the door.
Wind and water smashed into him. Somehow the sky had grown dark since the shopkeeper shut her door. For the first time, the marketplace looked full, but not with Zora nor Hylian. Purple and green squids as big as a man squelched over the paths. Beside them translucent sacks of flesh with tendrils that flailed beneath them.
One of the strange fleshy creatures gripped a Hylian in its tendrils. The man tried to get away, half crawling, half swimming to break free, all the while screaming. The sack glowed, pulsing with energy, and as it grew brighter the man's screams grew louder. His body contorted, as though he tried to flex all his muscles at once. The light died and the man went limp.
"I'm coming!" Link rushed through the ankle-deep water and started hacking at the creature. Careful to use the only sharp edge he had left, he stabbed at it. Cutting at the tendrils, trying to get the unconscious man free.
Then the monster glowed again.
Link stabbed.
Pain shot up his arm. His fingers clenched around his sword so tight it stung, his arm felt ablaze and then went numb. He pulled away from the creature as the man still in its clutches thrashed about. This wasn't working. He couldn't get close to it, not when it was using this painful magic.
Link sheathed his sword and reached for his slingshot. But by then other monsters noticed him. A squid-beast turned to him, and from its round pulsing mouth came a gurgle of water. Then a stone whipped past Link, smashing into the weapon shop. Link tried to take aim at the translucent creature that still held onto the wounded man, but as he did another stone came for him. He jumped away, but it still managed to scrape his thigh, sending him spinning into the water.
He scrambled back to his feet, positioned so that the faceless creature was between him and the squid. He took aim and released one shot then another into it. Though Link saw no mouth, it screeched and released the man. But after a moment whirling its tendrils about, it moved toward Link.
Link dived for the man, grabbing him under his arm and tried to lift or drag him through the water into the shop. "Get up." The man twitched but did not help. "Come on! Come on!" He was heavy, and the water made it no easier. Another stone clipped his arm, cutting through his shirt.
He dropped the man, took quick aim and loosed a rock of his own at the squid. The creature made an angry squelch. Link grabbed the unconscious man's arm and dragged him the rest of the way to the door. Only to see the shopkeeper closing it.
"Wait!" Link screamed. "Stop!" He forced his shoulder inside, just as the door pressed against him.
"Get out of the way!" the Zora screamed. "Get out! Get out! You'll get us all killed!" She tried to shut the door again, only for it to press against the bag and the ruby within. The door bounced open. She then tried to put her hand on Link's head, pushing him back out into the streets.
"Get off!" Link pushed forward himself. Managing to slip under her arm and slide inside. "I would have been through already!"
A stone smashed into something overhead. The Zora screamed then fell backward. Link pulled the man the rest of the way inside. But before he could shut the door, tentacles and tendrils glowing with that painful bright magic wedged themselves around the door. Clicking and slurping the monsters squeezed through the opening. Link dropped the man's arm, pulled his sword free and went toward the squid.
That one attacks at range. And thus far hadn't used magic to make it painful to even touch. That's the one to engage first. Just try to avoid contact with the other thing.
A fine plan, but in the cramped corridors of the shop, not as easy to do. When he got close, his sword sliced through the squid. Its skin burst as blue blood welled up. It blubbered and spewed frothing water from its mouth. Trying to retreat from Link, just as the other creature started to glow, and its tendrils reached toward Link's neck.
Link backed away, switching back to his slingshot. But as he took aim, his leg batted against something and he fell. His shot went wide as he collapsed over the Zora's shaking form.
"You've killed us," she cried as she clutched her bleeding face. "You killed us."
Link scrambled back, barely dodging the tendril that flopped down where his leg had been a moment before. He reached into his pouch for the next stone to fling, but found it empty. Why was it empty? He always carried plenty.
Only for his eyes to be drawn to the water, and the rocks and seeds that must have spilled out when he fell. Link groaned and grunted as he backed away further into the shop. His back knocked into one of the rows of weapons. Without thinking he grabbed whatever was at hand and hurled it at the creature. Thankfully it had been a knife rather than a heavier spear or sword. His aim was true, the monster hissed and sloshed about. Moving slowly aside, making room for the squid to take aim as its tendrils flapped about the knife poking from its skin.
Link grabbed the next weapon, this one a spear. He hurled it with all his might, but it was too big for him. And there was no space to make a good throw. The weapon batted against the writhing creature harmlessly.
The squid's mouth constricted. Link dived behind one of the empty racks just before it released another stone. Where were they all coming from? He threw a sword, another knife, even a mace. Some struck true, but most only nicked one creature or the other.
The last item on the table looked more like a toy than a weapon. Still with nothing else in reach, he grabbed the boomerang and threw it with all his might at the squid. It struck the creature in the mouth, causing it to reel back. But the boomerang did not fall to the ground, instead it whipped away, bouncing off the squishy sack of a head of the translucent creature then back toward Link. He caught it and threw it again. And again. Each time hitting one or the other or both.
Gritting his teeth, Link threw it with all his might at the translucent creature. The living sack Link assumed was its head burst open. The monster quivered and fell, as the bright magic spasmed through it one last time, before collapsing onto the squid. The surviving creature squeaked and gurgled, in as much pain as Link had been when he tried to stab the now deceased monster.
The squid slithered out from the corpse and retreated through the door. Link jumped after it. Yelling and waving the boomerang as he charged.
A horn sounded. Then another. Just as it had to signal the creatures arrival. Throughout the marketplace Zora soldiers waving spears and tridents rushed into view. They hacked at the monsters, some few of them seemed to be able to call the water itself to lash at their enemy.
Link breathed a sigh of relief. They were saved. He pulled back into the store. Leaving the squid he wounded to the professionals. They'd make quick work of it, for certain.
The shopkeeper had done little but hide herself away from the fighting. Link went to the Hylian man, dragged him out of the water as best he could. Propping his head up against one of the tables. He was still breathing, thank the Goddesses. But where the monster's tendrils wrapped around his torso, legs, and neck remained blackened burn marks.
Link held the man, so he wouldn't slink back into the water and watched the fighting. There were more Zora guards than there were monsters. They were going to win, that much was clear. But Link frowned as he watched them. They fought without discipline, and no organization. Sloppy, as though they had never practiced arms together. If Commanders Nabooru or Bethmasse had seen this display, they would strip the officer in charge of their duties, and the rest would be drilling every morning for hours on end.
Through numbers they managed to drive the monsters back toward the waters. Though some still fought, more of the creatures slipped into the openings of the city platform and swam to safety in the seas below. Link's eyes went wide. As beautiful as they were, those views of the water provided no protection. And he'd seen them throughout the entire city. There were no defensive walls, not anywhere. These creatures could ride waves to assault any part of the city at any time.
It didn't make sense.
He heaved the unconscious man on top of one of the tables scattering the remaining weapons it held. Once he was certain that the two inside the shop were safe, he trudged through the now dwindling waters. Sword in one hand, boomerang in the other. "Look after him," he called to the shopkeeper, though she didn't respond.
In the chaos of the conflict, one of the last squids grabbed a soldier. Link flung his boomerang, striking it in the eye. The creature burbled, and its arms thrashed about, granting the soldier the opportunity to slay it with a trident.
Instead of thanking Link, the soldier shouted, "Get back!" Though his unsteady voice betrayed any attempt at authority. Fear and confusion twisted his face, and his hands shook.
"What is going on here?" Link shouted back to the man. "How long has this been happening?"
The soldier again tried to order Link away, but when he didn't move, the soldier's shoulders slumped. "A few weeks," he managed to say. His weapon lowered as his companions drove the last of the enemy off the platform.
"Weeks?" How could so little have been done to manage the assaults? "Weeks! You should have built a barricade! The enemy is swimming straight into the markets! Why has no one mustered civilians to take up arms or build defenses? You could have brought the population back to somewhere easier to defend. Something! Why hasn't anyone done anything?"
The soldier didn't have a response. He looked as if he was grasping to find answers to the same questions. "I don't know," his voice quivered in terror and sorrow. He looked out across the dangerous sea. "Our guardian is gone."