Chapter VIII:  The Fire Fights Back
'I don't even want to know why this is called death mountain.'
LInk felt goosebumps ripple up and down his spine when he set foot upon the mountain trail. As he climbed higher, a chill wind pressed harder upon his skin. He wrapped his cape about him tightly. THe trail's incline rose steeply with each step he took. The air he drew in grew thin, causing him to breath twice as hard. LInk gripped fast to the staff Tellah gave him, and kept climbing.
Jagged crags flanked him, and roots and stones like daggers and tripwires protureded out like snares. Rocks jutted out, cut open his boots, and chewed up his soles. If Link was not careful, he could easily break an ankle or blowout his knee. He was sure that the mountain did not want him there. He felt the warmth upon his shoulders as the sun poured its light down upon his trail, guiding his feet, and counteracting the wind.
LInk looked back towards the beginning of the mountain's trail, and looked out over Hyrule. He looked the clouds directly at his level and THrough them, he could see the knolls wave like green silk. He could see the tops of the trees, and the meandering brooks, like streams of melted silver, that cut into them. LInk saw the patchwork fields, and crystalline lake. He saw the desert as well. It sat like an open wound in an otherwise flawless landscape.
He also the mound of ash that he once sleapt in. Link noticed the spires and ramparts of the palace. It stood like a mound of change on a green persian rug. Directly beneath him, he say the sanctuary's steeple. He half expected to see Zelda sitting on the roof, waiting and watching for him.
LInk recalled the dream he shared with Zelda. The dark tide they dreamed had enveloped Hyrule descended from the mountain. He wondered if the Wizard had entered into the kingdom from here. Link gazed up at it's peak, unable to see it.
He continued his trek. Although the air grew thinner, his legs grew heavier, and his shins felt like they were going to crack. His increased breathing, caused his ribs to ache all the more.
'I'm not going to let you keep from saving Hyrule! If this is the worst you've got to give me, it's damn poor! Your friend the desert couldn't kill me, and you won't either!'
Link took in another full breath, and let the clean, crisp air circle throughout his system. His eyes became wide, and his steps grew quicker. Not a sound was heard, save the whistling of the wind. The higher he climbed, the less daylight there was to aid him.
As Link climbed he saw the night's cloak fall across Hyrule, and the stars emerged slowly, like flames kindling in the wilderness. They burned so close, he swore he could reach them. As the moon arose, Link set his hands underneath, to guide her into it's throne. It was full and shone like a stainedglass window at dawn. Link climbed for a few hours more untill he ran out of, then tucked himself into a cleft of rock and sleapt.
When came the dawn, it spread its radiance and warmth into the fields, glades, and streams. The light burned and melted into the air and Link watched the sky become stained with crimson, as the brazen land and golden sun danced together in the morning.
He took in some of his provisions, and began climbing. LInk had no more trail to walk upon, but he pulled himself up from rock to rock, over walls, and boulders, and all that stood before him. As he continued, his arms grew stiff like his muscles were being pressed by weights. He paused to look back to chart his progress, and the fluids in his head swirled and shifted violently like a crosswind ran between his ears. Link leaned back, and closed his eyes so he could breath. Still, what little he had eaten decided it didn't want to be digested.
Even with the gauntlets on tight, it was difficult for Link to hoist himself up. The air did him no favors either, as he'd have to stop between efforts, in order to take in enough oxygen. He decided not to take in any more food untill he reached the top, and it was a day or so when Link reached the pinnacle. Once climbed as far as he could, he simply keeled over and fell asleep.
He awoke just as the dawn was breaking. The sun arose like a fledgling taking it's first flight and watched as the sky was flooded with honey-amber light that filled every inch of the land. LInk watched the sun take it's rightful place. It's warmth dispelled the mountain cold that gripped his body. He looked down through the pillowy, creamy clouds and saw the country highlighted aand framed by the morning light. Link did wish Zelda was near to share the glory.
He clenched his fists, and took in breath with little pain, and continued. Looking up, he saw clouds envelope the mountain and he even climbed into them. The mist he climbed in hung about like a court of stray phantoms. He took their whispy forms into his lungs. IN a break in the coulds, Link saw a tower. It stood like a proud oak in a desolate forest, and glared back at LInk.
A few hours past noon, LInk arrived at the apex. He stood and surveyed over all of Hyrule. He held out his hand, and fit the entire domain within his span. He took off his gloves and and cradled the kingdom in his ragged, calloused hands. Link smiled to himself.
IN spite of the pain that burned in his arms when he raised them, and the tangles in his neck and sides, he pulled on his gauntlets and explored the peak area. The Tower of Hera was imposing and haughty and looked upon LInk with utter disdain as he stood at the steps.
'You won't stop me either.'
He wondered if he was trying to convince the tower, or himself
Link's footsteps resonated throughout the mountain as he climbed to the tower entrance. Entering in, he came to a central chamber, almost as large as Death Mountain itself. It reaked of dank cobwebs. Link's attention was brought to the center where a pillar stood, that held a sealed door.
'Where's the key?' he wondered.
Walking around the chamber, he found nothing, so he popped his knuckles, pulled tight his gauntlets, and cast his fists upon the door. The resonance shook hins bones from head to toe, but the door remained unphased. Link knew better than to try again, but did so out of frustraition.
Again, Link walked about the room in search of anything. Merely by chance, in the blaze of torchlight, he saw a faint shimmer. Link reached in with the sword and plucked the key from its dancing fingers. He dropped it to the ground and gave it enough time to cool before he used it.
LInk climbed the spiraling flight of steps into another room, that held a locked door. Surveying the room, he found the key embedded in a stone wall. Link drew the sword and knocked it against the wall, but was unable to free it.
'How the hell am I supposed to work this?'
He stood and thought it over. He doesn't know where this idea came from, but LInk tapped the sword in different places about the key, and each producing a different tone. 'Something about that, but what?'
He tapped out different sound patterns, and the key fell out of its stony confinment.
After climbing another long winding stair case, he arrived at the next floor and knew exactly what to do. This time the key was in a floor tile. He looked at it, and then about the room. Spying a torch, LInk walked over and held the blade it's flame until was red as a pool of blood. Using the searing sword, as a crowbar, he pried off the tile and scored the key.
As he stepped up the stairs, he wondered, 'Just how much of this do I have to do?' His throat felt parched like the skin of a gila monster, and the fluids inside his head, surged and swirled, causing his stomache to quake, and his knees to tremble. Still, he continued climbing.
The stairs carried Link to another floor, where a gang of stalfos awaited. As soon as he set foot onto the floor, a bone struck him in the chest, knocking him back into the stairwell.
'Damnit!'
Two stalfos came rattling down towards him. He Lay low upon the steps, and counted their heavy footfalls. When they were within a toe's length from him, he bound up like a cobra, and drove them back into the chamber with swift, potent strokes. A third and fourth stafols, struck from behind, striking him against the other two.
Link dashed aside, as one hit his wounded side, and focused his sword.
He charged at the nearest assailant, slamming his sword down the center of its skull. Another one closed in, so Link stabbed it's sternum with the point of his shield, then rammed it into the third one, with a swing like a torndo gale, severed both heads. He could feel the fouth charging towards him. He ducked, turned and held out his shield, and as it crashed upon his defenses, he arose like a geyser, and flung his enemy into the ground. It shattered like glass upon the stone floor, and released a key which Link took and took to flight.
As he ascended, he could hear a violent thrashing, like a grindstone upon bones, or a stampede in the prairie. HIs foot steps echoed in the halls like bells, and he stepped lively, in spite of his fatigue and the altitude.
When Link entered the next chamber, he saw his adversary. It was a sphericaly segmented worm. The first segment was as large as a van, and the subsequent parts, were smaller than the ones before it. It had a set of teeth horrific like daggers, that were dripping and slick with an acrid saliva. It's eyes were like glassy, hazy basketballs.
It let free a a screetch and charged at Link like a runaway train. He leapt aside, and in the apex of his jump, landed a blow that slid off, leaving Link off-balanced. The beast whipped, swift as a serpent, at LInk. He was thrown into the ground, and it pressed the assault. Link rolled out of the way, as it skidded at him, then arose and struck it's midsection. He searched for a weakness to no avail, as his strikes were unable to penetrate it's armored skin.
It slung its tail into Link, slamming him into the floor, and leaving his sight hazy, and head foggy. It ran at him again, hoping to pin him down. He darted out of the way, but its tail cought his ankle, wrenching it. Out of anger, he dashed forward, and hit it's tail, causing it to wince and shudder. It billowed and puffed, then turned rammed into Link, head driving into his chest.
The air was snatched from his lungs, and it threw him out into an opening in the floor. He braced himself as best he could, as he fell. He gazed up at the dark opening from which he descended, and held fast onto his sword so not to fall on it, or impale himself with it. To his fortune, a few earthen pots broke his fall. HIs ribs screamed with pain, and his blood was logged in his throat as he coughed. His ankle felt like it was still beneath the moldorm. Link cought his breath then sprang up, not even bothering to pull the shattered clay from his back, and charged back up the steps.
'You just signed your death warrant!'
With each step up the staircase he was reminded just how savagly he had been beaten. The sweat pooled in his wounds, and daggers sank into his joints. The Moldorm sat waiting. As soon as he crested the final step, it charged. He leapt over it, and assaulted it's tail. After landing two blows, he backed off as it began to lash. It flailed itself like a bare tree in a tornado, and knocked Link onto the ground.
THe moment he recovered his stance, it wrapped itself about him, constricting like a vise. HIs sword fell from his hands, as his body became engulfed in pain. He pulled himself together enough to find an arrow, and plunge it into the creature's eye. It shrieked so loud, the tower rumbled. Link recovered his sword, then bidded his time. Regaining what little energy, he had left, Link surged foreward, sword cocked back, and channeled everything into one stroke. The shock of the blow caused his sword to fall, and his shoulders to wrench. He fell to the ground, completely spent.
A dozen jackhammers were pounding wildly within the confines of his skull. He swore he could feel one of his ribs was turned perpendicular to the others. Also, Link could feel the Moldorm gnawing on his ankle. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw soft, subtle shimmer. LInk turned and crawled towards it, and his eyes became wide as plates as he took it into his grasp. He let free a victorious cry that was heard in the furthest remotest corners of Hyrule and beyond.
First and goal.
End Chapter
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