[EDITING] The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Overworld Chapter 19 - Into the Dark

...and out into Hyrule Field. The summer was at its full, and the heat beat down on them. Epona quivered and flicked her tail to try cooling off. Link pulled his hat off, suddenly missing his ranching clothes.

Zelda slowed her horse, Link following suit before she took the hat from him. She set it back on his head and smiled. "It doesn't look good without the hat."

"I'm burning up though," Link replied, regretfully fixing the hat back on his head.

"So am I, but we've got to look the parts, don't we? I bet it's cooler down in Hylia's Shores," Zelda offered in consolation, pointing off to the west. "In which case, we should get going, right?" She asked her horse on, leading the way towards Hylia Shores. Link followed, struggling the whole way to make sure Epona walked in pace with Zelda's horse instead of outracing her.

By sunset, they reached the slope down into Hylia Shores. The fading sunlight turned the lake golden. The life of the city had returned since they'd been in the Temple of Time. The wealthy strolled along in the late light. Knights were working on restoring their stations. If he hadn't of seen it emptied, Link would have never have guessed how barren the city had been only days ago.

Outside the massive resort, Quicksilver was tied to a post. Zelda pointed, saying, "They beat us here." She paused, and tapped her chin. "I suppose that was the point of them leaving early. But I bet they've figured out rooms already. I need to sleep after that fight."

After about ten more minutes of riding, the two of them found themselves outside of the Golden Goddess Resort. Link looked through the doors. He had never been in a place so expensive. It was almost as nice as the palace. Endeavor stood at the counter arguing with the man behind the counter. Link asked, "What do you think they're so upset about?"

"They probably don't have the right papers to get a room," Zelda replied, pursing her lips. "The Golden Goddess isn't just about being able to pay for a room. You need some kind of title to get in there."

"But, Endeavor's the ambassador for the Drex," Link said. "Isn't that a title?"

"I cannot use that title here."

Link jumped, scrambling to get a hold of his reins, but fell off the back of Epona before he managed to grab hold. The mare tossed her head, laughing at him as he landed, twisted in the stirrups instead. Link rubbed the back of his head as he pulled himself free. He tried to laugh at himself, but the smile came out all wrong. Endeavor shook their head at him.

Zelda saved him from the attention. "Why can't you use your title? Do you need me to use mine?"

"We need to avoid attention, not create it. It is a shame this is the only resort with room for the three of us," Endeavor answered, scowling as they scanned the rest of the city. "Where we are going needs to remain secret, and we must travel as quietly as we can. If we cannot stay here, we will have to camp with the refugees."

Looking back at the edge of Epona's saddle, Link saw the bedroll still tied down. Camping was less idle, but didn't seem so bad. Sleep was really all he wanted at this point. Endeavor nodded. "Very well. Take Quicksilver and find us a spot for us to camp tonight. I am going to get a bedroll for the princess. At least the knight's station will take my money." With that, Endeavor walked off towards the knight's station.

Link took Quicksilver and Epona's reins, and began riding towards the refugee camp. Zelda trotted along beside, a gloom washing over her. Link craned his head forward to try and get a better look. "Is everything ok?"

Zelda perked up, faking a smile. "Yeah, everything's fine. Don't worry about me. We're both ready to sleep, right?"

He didn't truly believe that as the smile vanished shortly after. But he didn't press the princess on it as they continued on towards the camp either.

There were probably a couple of hundred people already in the area set off for refugees. Zelda dismounted as they walked through. They were the only ones with horses in the area. Zelda leaned around Epona to see Link, before leaning back. He asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm worried someone might be upset with my family for...not solving this," Zelda admitted.

"I don't think someone would blame your family," Link replied. "You weren't the ones who destroyed their homes, and the knights are the ones making sure they have a place to stay. Since the knights serve you, I suppose you are indirectly helping them."

"Thanks," Zelda said, though she didn't seem to quite believe him on the matter.

They found a spot to set up camp near a large tree. The tree was dead, so Link was able to talk Zelda out of feeling guilty about the spot being shady. They tied the horses up to a low branch, and began setting up their evening camp. As Zelda threw out their two bedrolls, Link untacked their horses and began to groom them.

Zelda brought Link a bucket of water. As Link began wiping the sweat off Epona, Zelda asked, "Any sign of Endeavor?"

"Here."

Endeavor tossed a bedroll at Zelda. They took another brush from their pack, and began grooming Quicksilver themself. As Zelda rolled out her bedroll, Endeavor stated, "We are leaving at dawn."

Not much else was said that night. Zelda and Link talked a bit, but before long, there were asleep. Between traveling through time and fighting, the day behind them had been long. If it had been only a day.

Dawn seemed to come too soon. Link saddled Epona, and began breaking camp. Zelda woke up, with some prodding. She saddled her horse, who Link learned was named Blissful Light. Once she was awake, Zelda did her part with breaking camp. Endeavor returned with breakfast.

They ate as they rode. Endeavor led them on up along Zora's River. It was a familiar ride, much safer than the last time they'd all traveled it. The water was clear and cool. The shade from the canyon kept the summer heat back, though it was still burning up.

Ahead, Link heard the roar of Earth Falls late in the afternoon. He leaned up over the horn of his saddle. "Are we going to back to Zora's Domain?'

"No," Endeavor replied.

"Then why are we going this way?" Link asked.

Endeavor sighed. "Link, what are the four elements?"

"Fire, water, wind, and earth," Link replied, confused.

"And of those four, only earth is not represented by one of the three Golden Goddesses," Endeavor replied. "So, why do you think a waterfall would be named after an element to represented?"

"Is that why you didn't want me to look at the dark wall beneath the waterfall?" Link asked.

Endeavor didn't answer. They rode for a while longer until the trail passed underneath the waterfall. The rocks darkened until they were the black stone. Zelda said, "But that's solid stone."

Dismounting, Endeavor walked up to the rock wall, placing a hand on the smooth surface. Link asked, "Why wouldn't you want me to put my lantern to that? There's nothing there."

Looking up at him, Endeavor replied, "Then give me your lantern."

Link handed his lantern down to Endeavor. They turned it on and held it up to the rock. Purple, Hylian runes appeared on the surface. The light opened a doorway into the earth. Epona tossed her head a bit as a burst of air came out of the stone.

Endeavor handed Link his lantern back. "There are some secrets I am bound to protect, even from the two of you. Until it was time." They mounted they horse and rode down into the tunnel.

Zelda looked at him, grimacing a little. "It was supposed to be a secret from everyone." She asked Bliss on into the cavern.

Link sighed as he examined the new passage again. "Guess so."Gently, he asked Epona on. She refused for a moment, before finally agreeing ongoing into the dark, deep passages in the earth...