Chapter XII: Renewal

Chapter XII: Renewal

Link expelled a weary lungful of air and took heed the glittering sphere that hovered inches away from the back his head.
'You there' called the faerie.
'What do you want?'
'Turn and face me.'
Link did so warily. 'What--' He halted surprised to see a faerie. 'Oh'
Before him hovered a sphere of light, bright as a shooting star, and all the colors of the spectrum pulsated from its body. It bobbed up and down, fluttering on two sets of white wings.
'What do you mean, "Oh"'
Link rolled his eyes. 'I don't know.'
'Well, you're in an aweful mood.' Her voice was as high as a whistle.
'So what do you want?'
'You freed me from those monsters--' she stopped when a realization hit her. 'You're normal! How?!'
'I Couldn't tell you.'
'Alright then. Since you freed me, I'd like to repay you. What would you like for me to do?'
'Just tell me where the Palace of Darkness is.'
'Just keep going that way. It's just before the rising sun.'
'Thank you then.' Link turned and began to in that direction in which she pointed.
She noticed the manner in which he walked, it was a slow, limping, uneager walk. She looked at his frame, battered and bruised, and covered with raw wounds. 'Hey wait.' called the faerie.

Link stopped and turned around and she flew over to him. 'You look in pretty rough shape. I know there's a spring around here, Let me take you there.'
Link obliged, and the faerie led the way. As they walked, the faerie flew cirlces about him. Link's eyes wideded, and his steps became quicker, though he did not realize it. Link said very little as they walked, but the faerie spoke volumes.
'I didn't know that any normal Hylians come this way any more. Last I heard the portal between the two was closed 2000 years ago. Of course anyone that does come here becomes a monster and the Dark King enslaves them. Most of them he uses for his Obsidian Vangaurd that he's been marshalling here to take over the Light World. We faeries just keep on hoping some day a Hero will deliver us. You know he's done so much harm to us!'
It was at the end of the day when they arrived.
'Right in here.'
Link walked up to the mouth of a cave. She bade him to enter whereupon, he found a pool of clear water. Link knealt down beside it and and took in a mouthful. It circled down his pipe, and splashed in stomache, as welcome as spring's first rain. When he was finished drinking, he noticed a dozen faeries hovering about him.
They clamoured about Link being normal, but Link's little friend briefed her sisters on thier guest. Some brought him food when they were told of how he rescued her.
'Here' offered one.
He took what they gave him and devoured it ravenously, saying nothing untill his repast was consumed 'Thank you.'
'So just what are you doing here?' asked one.
'You really wanna know?'
he heard about a dozen calls of 'Yes'
'Alright then. Sit back. It'll take me a bit.'
He told them of his awakening on the vicious storm's eve, and beseiged the palace. He told his advent, and how he trekked through the sewers with Zelda's hand in his own. He narrated the tale of his test, and his meeting Sahasrahla, and winning the first pendant. He told of his fleeting moments of peace, dancing with Zelda across the sanctuary floor. Link told of his trial through the desert, the searing, relentless sun. Then the faeries heard of his battles in the tower and everything else he ednured. The faeries hung on every one of his words, many hovering within a foot of his face. They all leaned foreward to hear about how Link journeyed into the mist filled lost glades By the time he finished they all were silent, A few were in tears.
'So, so you're going to overthrow Ganon?'
'Yes.'
'He has been amassing his forces for centuries now. To face him would be most dangerous.'
'Even suicidal!'
'I know, but I still have to do it.'
'Well, anytime the battle has made you weary, just find a faerie. We'll do what ever we can to aid you.'
'Thank you.'
As Link slept, they tended his wounds. It would still be a day or so untill he'd reach the Palace of Darkness.

'Link'
'You again. What do you want from me? Who are you?'
'Link, do not fear. I am with you. Do not despair, for I have delivered your enemies into your hand. Though they are great in number, they cannot stand against you.'
'Who are you?'
'I am you shield and fortress. Though your enemies close fast about you, and the pathes you take are dark, I will be your guide. I have led you thus far, and will continue to.'
'What are you saying?'
'I have promised to be your strength. Do not be afraid Link, for I am with you. Though the earth rises against you, and the wind blows you back, I am with you. Though the waters swell above your head and the fires consume you, I am with you. I will make your foes weak. I will make them flee before you. Do not fear.'
It was Just a bit before the dawn when Link awoke. The faeries still slumbered, he bade them his gratitude, and exited. Link found that walking became much easier than it hd ever been. The thorns and nails he felt were lodged in his frame were gone, although he still did feel his ribs ache.

He came to the palace grounds just an hour or so before dusk. He looked over it, the entire structure looked like a stack of books which had collapsed upon it self. The walls had corroded, and were strangled by untamed tendrils of ivy. He saw that he still had a myriad rubble and shrubery to wade through before he reached the main edifice of the palace.
Using the sword to cut through the brush, Link found it was as tough as leather, and as thick as the walls of a vault. He looked at where he was, and where his destination was. He looked at the obsatcales which stood between them, and groaned. This'll take me a while
After a good hour, he found he was no better off than when he began. 'There's gotta be a better way.'
Link ran up to an over looking hilltop. After studying the scene for a good hour, he knew where to go. He found an opening between the brush which was held up by rubble, and entered in. Link was in a labrynth of stone and vines. The humidity nearly made him choke.
By the end of the day, he was at the palace's entrance. Link leaned over, hands upon his thighs, panting. He noticed he had a follower.
'Kiki! I'm Kiki' It was a monkey, it leapt up and down like a rubber ball. 'I've been stuck in there for years now. Thank you.'

Link acknowledged. 'Well Kiki, I'm Link'
'Kiki, owe Link favor.'
'You really dont.'
'Kiki insist!'
They continued through the rest of the palace ruins. Link's eyes kept roving the grounds, watchful for any beasts that may assail them.
'I'm wanting to go the palace. What do you know about it?'
'Very bad. Evil King keeps his hostages there. None ever return.'
'Alright. Thanks.'
They arrived only to find entrance into the palace impeded. He graoned. 'How the hell am I supposed to get in?'
'I can help.' with that, Kiki bounded his way atop the palace. Link watched as he climbed high upon the walls, onto a ledge. He jumped from stone outcroppings to dangling outcrops. The monkey landed upon a precipice, and slammed it's feet down. Dust kicked up as The door slid open. Link bade him his gradititude, and stepped into the palace.

Specks of dust entered into his nose when Link stepped in. The palace air was musty and reeked of moss, tickling his nostrils and throat. Link looked over three avenues in the first corridor. Link decided first upon the right one, It led him only to a dead end.
The center avenue lead him to a locked door so Link followed the left route to a long hall. This in turn led him into another corridor which He followed to a stairwell. After descending, Link found nothing.
There has to be something here
He scoured around for a good ten miniutes in vain. Link noticed what seemed to be a crack in the wall. He tapped his sword against it, then tapped another section of wall which he found rang of a differnt tone. Link reared back and charged foreward like a ram into where he thought the weak spot was.
Link thudded upon the ground, but noticed that the section of wall had crumbled. He found four statues, each of varying sizes, in the next room. Link sat back and thought then He circled them, also examining the floor tiles and wall and even the celing.
An idea struck Link, when he noticed the back of a statue compared to a section of wall. Link took one, and pushed it into the center of a wall. He did the same with the other statues. When each was put into it's place, a chest fell from the celing. Link was elated to find a key.
Link had grown to dispise these palaces. Why couldn't the pendant's and maidens be out in the open? As he figured, If these maidens truly needed to be freed, they could at least make themselves more accesible to him. Why'd they have to pick a dreary palace such as this one to be kdnapped in?
Behind the locked door of the center avenue, lead him into yet another hall. In it there was a door on each wall Two of which were locked. Naturally, Link entered the open one. Standing in the center of the room, was a statue which was stout and had only one eye. Link got an idea, from where he did not know, but he fired an arrow into the statue's eye. This released a key.

Link coughed, feeling the breaks in his ribs grow wider yet again. He lifted his eyes when a low growling reached his ears.
Oh, now this.
He let the thought trail off, when the source of the growl sprung at Link. He leapt back as it crashed into the wall. Link drew his sword, shot foreward, driving his sword into the beast. Finding that Link did no damage, He withdrew into the shadows to size up his predator.
It was a beast as large as a garage. It walked upon four legs, as wide as telephone poles with two pinching claws, that it snapped meanacingly at Link. Two bloodshot eyes sat upon its hideous face, that was armored by a heavy shield. It glared at him with nothing but contemptous loathing. It had a maw filled with jagged teeth, like the blades of an old worn out combine. A long barbed tail lashed vicously like a whip. It scoured about the room, sniffing and snorting in search of its meal.
It charged head first at him. Link sprang up, and landed upon it's back. He swung with the might of a gale, but yeilded no fruit. It bucked him off, and fired a pincher, stricking Link in his abdomen. It swung the other but Link did manage to raise his shield, but was still thrown off of his feet.
He landed in the corner, and recieved a flurry of blows. It took Link up into it's claw, and cast him across the room. He regained his composure, and spat out some blood, just to see it charging at him again. Link drew out his bow, and shot an arrow into its eye. When it reeled back stunned, Link surged foreward and unleashed a storm of sword strokes.

He opened The next room and saw a row of stone blocks, each the size elephants. They were too immense for him to scale so Link pulled his gauntlets in order to ensure a tighter grip. He selected the one in the center, and stationed himself towards the bottom, and pushed. When he moved it as far as he could, he moved two blocks over. With a fair amount of strain, he was able to move it as well. Link shoved the block between them, and found a key.
He was in there for what felt like hours. Every passage way looked the same as the one which preceded it. He'd follow one extended hall, only to be led into another. It wore quite thin upon his patience.
The next room held a stairway. Atop it, was another long hall. Link was no less than two steps away from the stairs, when he felt the the floor shift. He looked behind him, and saw the floor begin to fall away. Link took off like a rocket. He felt air just behind the edge of his heels, so he extended his steps. It seemed as though the hall had no end. It seemed even longer when a cramp made it's presence felt in the upper reigon of his left thigh. His steps accelerated when he saw a door up ahead. Link leapt and crashed through it like a baseball hitting a window.

He decided against a frontal assault, so he flanked it and struck one of its legs. However, the time it took him to begin his strike was enough time for it to recover. It kicked him aside. Just as soon as Link struck the wall, he took three swift savage blows from its thorny tail. He hit the ground and hunkered down, coughing up blood. Another flurry of strikes came sailing towards Link. He rolled aside, nocked an arrow, and fired it into the other eye. Ignoring the pain and fatigue, Link arose and shot foreward, sword descending upon its armored face.
His initial blows did no damage upon its shielded face. As his sword grew heavier, he swung it harder, as though the Master Sword was swinging itself. He felt it wince as his blade cut into it, cracking the shell.
It regained itself, and took Link again into it's vise like claws. It tossed him again, and immeadatly let free a volley of strikes. All of which found there targets. It did not relent pinning Link against the wall, unable to defend himself.
It grasped Link again into it's claws, thightening like an anaconda. His breath was fleeting, and he soon saw black for his vision. Just before the darkness over whelmed him, the arose sword with LInk still grasping its hilt and sank into the arm which gripped him.

Link hit the floor, but was still in the grasp of a now severed claw. He pried it off, and took it into his grasp. Link swung, targeting its remaining arm. He cought it directly where the arm attached itself to the rest of the creature.
Link plunged his sword into creature's eye and pryed off its shield. ONce removed, the monster's faceplate protected an even larger third eye. After pulling the blade free, he drew back the Master Sword, scoping his newly exposed target. But LInk was so focused on offense, he did little to defend himself and just before the sword fell upon it, the creature puffed out a fireball that landed directly at LInk's feet, blasting him across the room and upon the wall. He cursed at himself for being so foolhearty.
THe beast stomped over to him, slashed him with its remaing claw, and pinned Link onto the wall. Just as it removed its cage of a hand, it waylaid Link with a volley of unforgiving tail strikes. He hit the ground, and rolled just as it snapped its dagger filled maw as him.
Link arose, and lunged foreward, driving the Master Sword into its middle eye, effectively stunning the creature. He removed his sword and prepared for another barrage.
It knew what lay in store and within less than a heartbeat's time, the creature was silent and still.
Soon after it expired, a crystal, as large as a phone booth, descendedonto the floor. It shone like a lighthouse beacon on a foggy night. Link shielded his eyes as the light which eminated, grew in intensity. Then the crystal shattered, shards flying out like shooting stars. Link felt an energy flow into him that was like a fresh breeze on a spring morning. It made every fabric of him effervese and exilerate him, as it worked it's way into his sinews and bones; into the very core of him.

'Thank you. You must be the Hero.' Said a young girl, not much older than Link. 'Yes I am.'
She was fair with a pleasant complection, and a pleasant frame. Her voice was filled with a hope which had at that instant been reborn.
'Because of you, I can escape the Dark King's clutches.'
'Think nothing of it. Could you explain something to me though?'
'Yes. What do you want to know?'
'Why did Ganon take you? I know you're a descendant of the wise men and all, but still, why? What do you have to do with his plan?'
'Being of the Sages' line, we have the power to seal Ganon in this realm. By taking us he can undo that seal, and enter into Hyrule.'
'So by freeing you what have I accomplished?'
'Now that I am free, I can return to Hyrule, and reinforce the Sages' binding upon Ganon. Also by freeing us, you will be able to enter his citadel.'
'So where do I go now?'
'Head south to the frozen lake. There you will find the next of us.'
'Can you tell me where Zelda is?'
She closed her eyes, and concentrated, Link watched eagerly. 'No. Sorry Hero, I am unable to.' Link sighed.
'That maybe her at the frozen lake. I cannot tell for certain.'
'Thanks for helping me.'
'No, I must thank you Hero. By freeing me, I can help protect Hyrule. But I must now return to Hyrule.' She kissed him graciously upon the cheek. 'I shall see you again when you have won the day. May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.' She smiled serenely and stepped within the shattered fragments of crystal. With a bright flash, she was gone. Link stepped into the fragment's and found himself at the palace's entrance.
He let free an exasperated sigh.
'Whoever you are, I'm coming'

End Chapter