Chapter IV: The Test

Chapter IV: The Test

He retrieved the key and used it on the door before him. It lead him to an ill-lit room. He'd left his lantern in the sanctuary, so the darkness fell upon him. Link saw two large statues standing shoulder to shoulder. They were large with a single eye each. He went over to see what was behind them. A grinding soumd came to his ears. Both statues moved towards him, thier eyes glowed with an ominous red luminance. He drew his sword and attacked. HIs blows glanced off like bb's hitting the hull of a battleship. Link kicked one in the knee, and slammed his shield into it's face. That proved to be just as friutless, as his foot began to throb. One sent a stone forearm crashing into Link's chin. He backed off, dazed. He sheathed his sword and loaded his bow. HIs first arrow, landed in the chest. That produced nothing. The second arrow, whether by chance or not, landed in the statues glowing eye. The statue fell to the floor, a pile of stones. He fired an arrow at the second statue, yielding the same results. upon his defeating of them, a door was revealed to him.
Once he entered, he was lead down another long corridor. He kept his eyes roving should there be any creatures lurking in the shadows. Soon he came to another chamber. In it he saw six statues as large as houses. They each were garbed like warriors, amoured in head to toe, each holding a large sword and shield.
They began to move, like a volcano steaming before an eruption.
'This must be what Shasrahla meant.'

Link looked at the boulder in disbelief.
He simply shook his head and went on his way. He had a job to do so he'd better get to it. Link drew his sword and equiped his shield. He was dead certain he's need them.
What was left of the Eastern Palace was till considerably large. The cyclopian corridor that he was in was about the size of a high shcool gymnasium. When he reached the end, he came to three doors. He thought about which one to take and ultimately tried the one on the left. It only lead to a large hole in the ground. He went out and tried the door on the center.
That lead him into a chamber just as large. He found himself upon a balcony which was over looking a large chest. Just behind that chest, was a short flight of stairs that lead to large door.
'I'll bet the pendant is in there. This should be easy'
He went to the edge of the balcony and looked down. Link surveyed the depth and decided against dropping down. He looked to either way and saw a door on each side. LInk chose to go left.
He entered the and saw a door in the lower left corner. When he opened the door and stepped through, the door immeadtely slammed shut behind him. Another door was to the right, which Link found it was locked. In the center of the room a single pot stood. He picked it up and hefted it at the door. A spider, about the size of a badger, lay slumbering in the pot. Irate for being awoken, it sprung at Link. He ducked behind his shield and it bounced off. Before it could strike again, Link delivered a swift strike. It fell to the ground and disintegrated before him, revealing the key.

He took the door into a hall, which led into the main chamber. He rushed to the chest and found that it was locked. He turned to go to the large door, and found it locked as well. He saw another door which he took. Link had little clue as to what he was doing or where he was going. Likewise, he'd lost track of time as he walked through the vast chambers. Link did feel a grumbling in his stomache. His eyelids became as heavy as lead. with every step he grew restless, impatient and frustraited. Why was he doing this? The nswers escaped him. His pace slowed untill he was at a complete stand still.
'I've been walking all day I just need to sit and rest.' Thought Link 'How am I supposed to find a pendant in such a huge castle? I hope that Sahasrahla isn't leading on some aimless, wild chase.'He stopped and leaned against the wall. He felt his energy leaking from his body. Link also felt the goosebumbs forming upon his skin.
'What are you doing?' Like a jack-in-the-box, The Elder's voice came into Link's head. He jumped nearly out of his skin, startled
'Don't do that! You scared the hell out of me!'
'Link you can't stop.'
'I've been walking all day, I haven't eaten since dawn.' rationalized Link
'Your personal squabbles are meaningless in the face of what threatens this land. GET UP!'
LInk took a deep breath. 'Alright alright. Where do I go?'
He got no responce.
'Sahasrahla?' he rolled his eyes.
'Link, defeat the armoured foes.'
'Damnit don't give me any of wise old sayings! Tell me where to go!'
Still nothing.
He slammed his sword in the wall in frustration.
'With such a temper, one will never be allowed to wield the sword I see there is much to teach you.'
'Look damnit--'
'No Link, you look. You have no clue here of what's at steak. And you have even less idea of what it is you have yet to face. The fact that you're tired and hungry is irrelavant compared to the fact that if someone does not act soon Hyrule will be nothing more than a cinder.' the tone of his voice remained steady; it was firm but never rose.
Link felt renewed, his eyes opened wide, and his legs, became firm beneath him. His energy returned to him seemingly from nowhere as He returned to his feet and just kept walking. He found himself in a room where He saw a circling flame on the floor. A rattling sound reached his ears from above. Link looked and saw a pale skeleton falling towards him. He jumped back as it hit the ground.
Link leapt foreward, sword arcing down like a guillotine. The skeleton staggered back. It then took off it's own head and tossed at Link. He was unable to raise his shield in time as he was struck square in the chest, abruptly taking his breath. He dodged it's blows, and with a potent stroke, the wraith fell to the ground.
Link heard a rattling from the wall to the side. He stationed himself by where it came from. As soon as the skeleton emerged from the wall, he delivered a powerful stroke, directly upon it's neck. Link heard it again coming from the floor. The instant, the bony foe appeared Link slew it. When it hit the ground, the circling flames scattered which he was careful to dodge. They revelaed a simple jar of clay. Link checked it and saw a switch under it. When Link stood on it a chest appeared. He opened it and took a large key. He smiled. Link followed the chamber into a corridor, which in tern lead him back to the main hall.
'I can't believe that. I went all this way just to get back to where I started.'
He went over to the chest, and using the key, he opened it. To his surprise, he found not the pendant, but a long bow and a quiver of arrows which he took. Link slung the quiver on his back, and kept the bow in hand. THe bow felt light, as he hefted it in his grasp. HE bent it and found it surprisingly strong for it's weight. LInk raised it and pulled the string back finding it was tight and strong as steel. He released, and the pulse resonated in his elbows. Link smiled to himself.
'Well...' He then inspected an arrow. The brazen tip flickered in the torchlight like Mars on a winter evening. He ran a finger upon the edge and tip, and found it to be as keen a guiltine's blade. He bent the shaft, and found it was as firm as walnut. He moistened the fletching and wondered what sort of bird it came from. Link wished for a deer to test his newly acquired bow and arrow.

Link decided to keep his distance. He let one arrow loose. It sailed into the throat of one of the statues. He kept moving so as not to get caught in the middle of them. ONe came freight-training towards him. Link rushed at it, and rolled between it's legs. He sent an arrow into the back of it's head. He turned just in time to recieve a feirce blow. It's fist was the size of his entire torso. Link was sent flying back and crashed against the wall. The statues stood shoulder to shoulder like an offensive line. They charged at him, ground buckling as they advanced. Link sent one arrow into the center statue. It fell back. He rushed foreward, leapt up like frog, and sent another arrow, piont blank, into it's head. It collapsed to the ground.

Another statue took Link in hand, and threw him into the corner. before he could get up, one sent it's stone foot rocketing down towards him. He rolled out of the way and returned to his feet, just in time to recieve another blow. HE back pedaled, putting as much distance between them as he could. LInk fired more arrows. Their number's were now cut in half.
One of them delivered a devestating uppercut. Link was rattled, and found himself dazed, stoney floor biting at his knees. He arose and wheeled to his right to avoid taking on any further damage. He regrouped, and fired again. The statue he struck crumbled into a heap of stone and rusted metal in a lound crash. Now only two remained. He stood in the center of the room with The remaining two circling like vultures. They both waited for the oppertunity to strike. One came in from behind and Link turned just as it's shoulder made contact with his chest. He was sent flying back, wind taken from his lungs. He lay on the ground and above him One raised it's foot. He rolled out of the way as it came stomping down. Link, ran around, and fired an arrow into the back of it's neck.

He turned to fire at the remaining one. HIs arrows were blocked. Link reached back to notch another, but found his qiver empty. He ran over to the remains of one of the fallen statues, but was unable to pull his arrow from the stone. The rumbling beneath his feet told him distance between them closed swiftly. It knocked his sword away with a stroke that could have cleaved a mountain and shook every one of his bones loose. Link took to flight around the room, evading the attacks that were launched.
The muscles in his shins became tight, making his evasion more difficult with each step he took. As he ran, he stooped t pick up the sword of a fallen statue. it was as heavy as a mountain. He raised it only to have it knocked loose from his grasp. Link spied an arrow. He rolled beneath the swing of his aggressor, sprang up and dove to his objective. LInk reached the arrow, pivoted by his bare knees on the grinding cold stone floor and aquired his target. Link suspended his breath just as he took his target into scope, The sweat on his palms, as well as fatigue made pulling back harder with every inch.
The sweat flowed into his eyes, burning, and hidering his vision. He released, and exhaled. He prepared another arrow, ready to fire again, but it was unneeded for The next thing that Link heard was the staute collapsing. Link wiped the stinging sweat from his eyes He saw it that it began to crumble like a sand castle being washed away by the tide.

An emerald sat within the remains. HE took it into hand and admired it, his eyes as wide as television screens.
So this is it.
The next thing he knew, he was standing outside the Eastern Palace. The sun shone magnifienctly upon the ground, warming him. It took a second to get adjusted to the light. Once he did he took in a lungful of crisp yet chilly air. A cold breeze ran against him, chiling him to the bone.
Link regaurded the emerald. It was cold and heavy. He held it up and let it soak in the sunlight. It's smooth surface shone like dew-soaked grass in the new dawn's radiance. Link couldn't help but to smile.
I'd better get back to Sahasrahla.'

End Chapter