Chapter 18: Held by Bandits     Chapter 20: The Broken Laugh

Chapter 19: The Land of Sand

There was a huge stone in the distance, much closer now. Link staggered towards it.
“Want some more water?” Navi asked.
“I’ll hang on for a bit, thanks.”
As they got closer, Link could see the stone more clearly. There was an ancient, broken statue of a woman sitting crosslegged with her hands palm upwards that was carved directly into the face of the rock. In front of her was a rough stone arch, rising out of the desert.
There also was a Triforce pad.
Link walked past the pad and over to the entrance under the statue’s feet. He stood looking around a bit.
“Isn’t Sheik supposed to meet me here?” he asked Navi. He turned around to scan the desert.
Sheik was there, smirking. At least, Link thought it was a smirk. He couldn’t tell. The other youth’s collar was too high for him to see.
Link clutched his chest, pretending to have a heart attack. “Goodness, Sheik, where did you come from?” Continue reading →

Chapter 17: The Most Frightening Place in Hyrule     Chapter 19: The Land of Sand

Chapter 18: Held by Bandits

He was standing on the centre of a giant drum. Two huge, corpse-like hands were drumming around the edge, and in the shadows… yes, he could see it… a diseased, flower-like head with a single red eye. It reminded him of the giant spider under the Deku Tree. It vanished.
“Navi! Show me where it is!” He could hardly keep his feet with all the bouncing. He was launched into the air every fourth beat, and landed uncertainly each time. With the Lens of Truth, he could see the creature. Link grabbed his bow, slipped, hopped up again, shot, and landed unsteadily. The head was too heavily armoured, so he shot a hand, and it began shaking like it had been burned. The other whizzed at him, intent on doing him bodily harm, so quick as thought, he shot it, too. Both hands clenched, the eye in the body opened, and rushed him. He shot that, and it collapsed, very like the spider.
Putting away his bow and drawing his sword, he charged, stabbing as fast as he could. The cuts brought it out of its stupor and it reared up and away from him, closing the eye again.
Although the drumming threw him off violently, he managed to do the same thing several more times, before his magic power was drained from using the Lens.
He was still hitting it when he realized he had struck its death blow. It shook violently, and then dissolved into a black, gooey puddle that evaporated.
Waiting while the blood stopped rushing in his ears, he walked slowly towards the warp that appeared. Continue reading →

Chapter 16: The Magic Eye     Chapter 18: Held by Bandits

Chapter 17: The Most Frightening Place in Hyrule

Inside, his senses were assailed by a cold wind, distant howls, moans, and cackles, dim but steady lighting, and a horrible smell. The floor was smooth and even, but stopped after the first bend. Beyond was a terrible chasm. Navi flew forward, and pointed out a place where the hookshot might catch to reach the tunnel beyond.
“Might is a pretty awful word in this spot,” Link said to himself, but fired. It carried him safely across the pit, and he pulled himself out with great relief. Then he scolded himself.
“Only around the first bend and you’re uneasy. Snap out of it. Get yourself together. You need to save Hyrule. Saria and Zelda and Sheik are relying on you. And Ruto and Darunia and Malon and Talon. And perhaps Rana…” But there words failed him, because the idea he could not finish was the thought that Rana might be imprisoned here in this dreadful place.
In the chamber ahead, a tall statue of an eagle, surrounded by a dozen skulls on poles, sat accusingly. Another chasm separated the eagle from the door further on, shaped like a snake head with open mouth.
“Find the skull of truth, and those with sacred feet may pass,” Navi said.
“The what?”
“That’s what they said,” Navi insisted. Link shivered and gave his fairy the Lens of Truth. Then he looked at the statue. It seemed important. One majestic wing was outstretched, and the brooding beak pointed in the same direction. Link pushed it gently, and it gave a little.
“There’s a false wall here,” said Navi. “And this skull is the only real one.”
“The Lens is a far better way of determining that than touching it, isn’t it,” commented Link, revolving the statue to face the skull Navi pointed out. As the two objects moved into conjunction, the door in the snake’s mouth opened invitingly.
“You can’t jump that gap,” Navi said hastily, speeding in front of Link’s face to forestall any foolhardy attempts.
“I know I can’t. I just want a look.” The look was unpromising. After one disappointed glance, he turned back to go through the false wall. Continue reading →

Chapter 15: The Deathful Water and Avoiding Marriage     Chapter 17: The Most Frightening Place in Hyrule

Chapter 16: The Magic Eye

A few minutes later, he heard two anxious voices calling him – the light voice of his fairy, and an alto voice… was it a girl? Maybe Malon?
“Link, will you wake up already!” Navi yelled in his ear. Someone gently shook him.
Link groaned and tried to sit up, shaking his dizzy head. “You know, Navi, I appreciate the shaking more than the yelling.”
Navi half-smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry. I was worried.”
“Okay, that’s okay then. Sheik?”
“Yes, it’s me. Did you forget what happened?”
“No, I didn’t forget… it’s just for a minute your voice made me think of Malon. Nothing against you or her… just my messed up head.” He rubbed it. “Ow. So, what was that thing? Why aren’t any of the buildings on fire? Where did the shadow go? Can I fight it?”
Sheik stared stupefied at the Hylian as Navi burst into laughter. “You’re not supposed to know about that!” he exclaimed indignantly.
“About what? My memory didn’t blank out, and you asked if I forgot what happened. Answer my questions, will you?”
Sheik patted his shoulder comfortingly, face serious. “That thing is an ancient shadow that Ganondorf has been trying to free for some time now. This morning, obviously, he succeeded. The burning buildings are all an illusion caused by the shadow; it’s haunting the town now. It’s gone to the Shadow Temple. Will you fight that one next?”
“Yes. I don’t want Kakariko bothered more than necessary by Ganondorf.” Continue reading →