Chapter 19 Water’s Trial….

Chapter 19

 

Water’s Trial….

 

 

 

“NOO!” Selene screamed sitting up, her head rammed into Meria’s who had been leaning over her. Meria fell back clutching her forehead. Selene laid back down on the bed holding hers.

“Gah, Meria where’s Lucius?” Selene asked getting back up. She looked around the room realizing she was in Lucius’s room still.

“How should I know? Everyone is looking for him and you. Why are you in Lucius’s bed anyways?” Meria asked her cheeks flushing slightly. Selene looked at her confused then shook her head and ran stumbling towards the door.

“Come on we have to save him!” Selene called back over her shoulder, not watching where she was going she ran head first into Gerad. She bounced to the floor and landed hard on her elbow. She cried out and clutched her elbow.

Gerad knelt to help her up, “Selene! Where have you been? We’ve all been looking for you-where are you going?”

Selene pushed past him and headed towards the stables to get her gear and then to her room to get her tunic. Gerad and Meria followed her concerned about her mental health.

“Lucius is in trouble, we have to save him. That idiot went out by himself. When I get my hands on him I swear!” Selene said over her shoulder as she kept running. Gerad and Meria followed her.

“What are you talking about Selene?” Gerad asked her increasing his speed to match hers. Zoras turned their heads to watch them run past confused about what they could be up to.

“Remember Lucius said he was going to the water temple to take care of stuff?” Selene asked them as she turned into the stables and ran to Starfire’s stall. She rushed in and grabbed her gear. Starfire sensing her urgency started neighing and bucking, ready for action.

“No, Starfire, you have to stay here this time.” Selene said calming her down. Starfire seemed to start to pout but Selene ignored her and ran back out. Gerad and Meria had gotten their things and were waiting by the entrance for her.

“What about what Lucius is doing?” Gerad asked her as they raced off to their quarters.

“He was lying. Lucius went to fight something, and he said he might not come back if he defeated it. Something about it costing his life to seal it.” Selene answered, tears started to well up in her eyes but she blinked them away and forced herself not to cry.

They arrived at the girls’ room and Selene got her tunic on, she had visited Lucius in the middle of the night and had gotten dressed then.

“What do we need to do?” Gerad asked, his tunic was already on as was Meria’s.

“We have to save him.” Selene said like it was the most obvious thing.

“Yes I know that, but how? Unless I’m mistaken the water temple is in Lake Hylia. That’s an awfully big lake. And unless you’ve been there before I don’t think you know how to get there.” Gerad said, bringing Selene back into a reasonable state of control.

“Gah! There isn’t a lot of time. I don’t know how I know, but Lucius is in trouble and we only have a certain amount of time before we can’t get him back.” Selene said rushing out of the room. Once in the corridor she didn’t have a clue of what to do next. Gerad and Meria came up behind her and watched her slump against the wall.

“Meria go find the others and tell them what’s going on. Selene and I’ll find someone to take us to the temple. If I’m correct in my memory, the Temple is under Lake Hylia Island if we can get someone to take us there we have a chance of finding it.” Gerad said turning to Meria.

Meria nodded and gathered her energy, there was a rush of wind and she was off down the corridor, ridiculously fast. Gerad turned to Selene and grabbed her by the elbow hauling her up onto her feet. She looked at her brother with thanks.

“Who do you think would know where it is?” Gerad asked her. At that time Sasha came running around the bend in the corridor.

“Where’s Lucius?” She asked her eyes wide with concern.

“He’s in trouble do you know how to get to the Water Temple?” Selene asked grabbing Sasha by the shoulders.

“Yes I do. What is he doing in the Water Temple? And why do I feel like we’re losing him fast?” Sasha demanded.

“There’s no time to stand here and explain it all out show us the way now and I’ll fill you in.” Selene replied turning Sasha around and pushing her down the corridor then following after her as Sasha took the lead. As they ran Selene filled Sasha and Gerad in on what she had dreamed and what Lucius had said, except for the kiss part. Calhan met them on the way and Sheik and Meria joined shortly after.

“Where’s Dahrin?” Gerad asked her.

“I haven’t found him yet. He was searching the northern corridors.” Meria answered.

They made it to the market cavern and the ground started shaking violently. The screams of the shoppers and stall vendors were dulled by the roar that followed. The group had been thrown to the ground by the shaking.

Selene looked around the cavern and saw Dahrin and G-Link on the opposite end; she stood and waved to them. Dahrin caught sight of her and nudged G-Link then they both ran over.

“What is going on?” Dahrin asked.

“I don’t know what that was but Lucius is in trouble.” Selene replied. Another tremor rocked the cavern and they had a hard time keeping their feet.

“Flee in fear pesky mortals!” a great voice said out of thin air. An image of Lara appeared hovering over the whole market filling the empty space above.

“The true ruler of Zora’s Domain is me, Lara. Be devoured by my minions!” She said spreading her hands then clapping them together. Monsters with teeth and claws that resembled the guardian Lucius had defeated in Selene’s vision arose from the shadows and started attacking indiscriminately.

Zoras, Gerudos, Gorons, and Hyliens alike ran for their lives away from the monsters. The guards fought back against the tide of monsters but the monsters kept coming.

Lara’s image solidified and she sank to the floor of the cavern though she was still thirty feet tall.

“We don’t have time for this! We have to save Lucius!” Sasha screamed whacking a monster across the face with a pole.

“Dahrin, Calhan, Aerica, and G-Link, you four help the guards and defend the citizens. The rest of us will go get Lucius.” Gerad yelled to them. They nodded and fought their way to where the guards were, picking up innocents along the way and helping them.

Gerad, Selene, Meria, and Sheik followed Sasha in the opposite direction towards the underground lake Lucius had shown them earlier. It was slow going due to the tides of monsters that came against them but they made some headway, Lara either didn’t see them or just flat out ignored them as she watched her minions attack. This didn’t bother them a bit as they didn’t have the faintest clue as to how to beat her. Turning into the corridor that led to the underground lake they ran into Kelith.

“Kelith! Why are you coming here? Go back to the healing ward.” Sasha said catching her as she stumbled.

“I have to find Ferloth. Where is he?” Kelith asked, she was panicked, Sasha just held her as she started to cry.

“I hate to be the heartless one here but we don’t have time for this.” Selene said starting down the corridor. Sasha nodded her head and tried to get Kelith to let go. Kelith clutched at her as she moved away. Sasha ignored her as they continued down the corridor.

They ran down the corridor with Sasha in the lead and Sheik brining up the rear. They heard Kelith scream in fear and Sheik turned to see one of the monsters about to attack her.

Sheik stopped and felt his Sage energy gather, he knelt and slammed his hands flat onto the ground where his shadow fell. As the monster jumped at Kelith it seemed like her shadow swelled up and swallowed her. The monster landed on the ground confused as to where his prey had gone.

Sheik’s hands fell through his shadow up to his elbows, “Gah, Gerad! Help!”

Gerad came up and grabbed him across his chest and pulled back with all his might. It seemed like Sheik was holding onto something heavy and the weight of it was pulling him into the shadow portal. Selene and Meria came and helped the two boys pull.

Sheik’s arms came out of the shadow portal and in them was Kelith. The two girls grabbed onto Kelith and pulled her out. Sheik pulled his hands out of the shadow and fell back into Gerad.

“Ah, thanks Gerad.” Sheik said smiling up at his friend. Gerad shook his head and patted Sheik on the arm.

“Don’t do that again without a little warning.” Gerad said getting up and heading off down the corridor. Sheik chuckled and followed after him.

“Kelith, go back to the healing ward and stay there, Ferloth will find you.” Selene said. Selene had her hand on Kelith’s temple and the point of contact glowed. Selene felt the panic in Kelith transfer to herself and saw Kelith calm down.

“Ok, you’re right.” Kelith stood and headed to the healing ward as fast as she could. Selene almost couldn’t stand the panic inside her building faster and faster, feeding on itself.

Selene clutched her hands into fist and held them to her temples trying to calm herself down.

“Selene? What’s wrong?” Meria asked her kneeling down next to her.

“I-i-i-I c-can’t control….mm…the…fear.” Selene gasped.

“What do we do?” Meria asked. The monster had wandered back out into the market cavern to find someone else to devour, but sensing Selene’s panic it returned.

Selene caught sight of it out of the corner of her eye and shoved Meria out of the way when it jumped. The monster landed on Selene who held the monster’s head away from her with all her might. Selene transferred the fear into it and it left squealing.

“That works.” Meria said giving Selene a hand up. Selene chuckled and they raced off down the corridor after the guys who had started to double back to find them.

“What were you two doing?” Gerad asked matching his pace to theirs.

“Nothing, just had a mishap with a monster.” Selene answered.

“We’re fine.” Meria said looking at Sheik before he could get worried.

“Hurry, the lake is this way.” Sasha called to them from a tunnel that branched off from the main corridor. Keeping a grueling pace towards the lake Sheik started to fall behind with his shorter stature. Meria slowed her pace to match his and he smiled at her as they raced on.

Sasha turned into the cavern with the lake and didn’t break stride as she dived off the edge into the water. Selene and Gerad followed less gracefully, jumping off the edge they kept their legs straight to break through the water. Plunging into the water Selene gasped at the temperature, which had to be near freezing. Her Zora tunic compensated and she warmed to just slightly chilling temperatures.

Selene and Gerad swam through the water towards Sasha who waited at the exit for them. They heard splashes and Meria and Sheik joined them.

“Goddesses! Its freezing!” Sheik said wrapping his arms around himself.

“It’ll pass, hurry this way.” Sasha called. They followed Sasha out the exit into an underground tunnel. It was pitch black in the tunnel and they soon lost sight of her.

“Sasha.” Gerad called to her. His voice echoed around the tunnel bouncing back to himself twisted and garbled.

Gerad sighed and let himself sink to the bottom of the tunnel, then using what light he had from the entrance found the left side wall. He placed his hand on it and started walking forward keeping his hand on the wall the whole time.

“Gerad, where are you?” Selene called out to him.

“I’m on the left wall. Meria? Sheik?” Gerad called out, he felt someone’s hand on his shoulder.

“Is that you Gerad?” He heard Sheik ask.

Gerad shrugged, “Did you feel me shrug?”

“Yeah, ok good, Meria’s got me and I have you and you have….the wall.” Sheik said chuckling.

“Who’s got Selene?” Gerad asked.

“She’s got me.” Meria answered from down the line.

“Yeah, I got you.” Selene said.

They started down the tunnel, slowly. It wasn’t easy walking through pitch black water Gerad’s imagination started to churn up horrifying images of bottom dwelling creatures, with huge teeth, or getting lost in a maze of tunnels that led nowhere but to themselves endlessly twisting and turning.

“Ok this is ridiculous!” Selene said as she gathered her energy. Immediately she started glowing and Gerad found he could see.

“Why didn’t we think of that earlier?” Gerad asked turning to look at her. He dug in his pouch and pulled out the little glow ball she had made in Kokoriko village. He passed his hand in front of it and it turned on. Selene let her energy fade and Gerad led the way with the light ball.

They swam as fast as they could manage being weighted down with their weapons. Finally they made it through the tunnel out into Lake Hylia. Sasha was waiting for them impatiently treading water.

“What took so long?” Sasha asked them.

“Well considering we can’t see in the dark and can’t swim as fast as you…” Sheik left it at that as they came up to her.

“I apologize. The temple is this way.” Sasha said pointing to what Gerad guessed was the northwest. Gerad nodded and turned the globe off. The light from the sun filtered down into the water enough for them to see. They followed Sasha as best they could, but with her pace they quickly fell behind.

“Sasha, slow down. It doesn’t do any of us any good if you leave us and we get lost in here.” Gerad called to her. He barely saw her stop and wait for them. They caught up and continued on this time with Sasha matching her pace to theirs.

They finally made it to a wall in the lake. Looking up Gerad could make out the fact that it was Lake Hylia Island. They circled the island to the entrance of the temple. Treading water they stared at the entrance.

“What’s the plan?” Sheik asked.

“Well, we go in, find Lucius and get out….alive.” Gerad said swimming toward the door.

They followed him in through the door into the main cavern then swam to the surface and climbed onto the stone landing spreading out and drawing their weapons.

A rumble sounded behind them and they turned to see the entrance close and lock. Sasha ran to the water and swam to the door. The others watched her struggle to open the door to no avail. She came back up out of the water and they helped her onto the landing.

“It wouldn’t unlock. We’re stuck in here until we find out how to get it open.” Sasha said standing up.

“Ok, new plan, find Lucius, get the door open, then get out alive.” Gerad said.

A horrible roar came from one of the corridors that branched out from the caverns and was echoed by another roar and that one followed by another. Something with tentacles snaked its way out of a corridor into the water that surrounded their landing. The monster surfaced and screamed a challenge at them.

Sheik sighed, “Why do things never go according to plan?”