Gerudo Forest

Chapter 27

The further in they traveled the more overwhelming the feeling of dread got. How could they not feel it? A couple times she had to resist the urge to cling to Ganon and hide under his cape. She figured he would probably find that amusing but it would only make them think her weaker. Instead she stuck as close to him as she could without making her fear so obvious.  

The tunnel was dark and she had to refrain from putting her hand to the wall to guide herself due to the heat radiating off. Even Darunia made a comment to how hot it was starting to get. Where was this leading them and what would they find once they got there?  

As they rounded a bend in the tunnel they could see a red glow at the end. Entering the next chamber seemed to have brought them to the very center of the volcano. An old unsafe looking rope bridge connected to a lava ringed island of rock that rose from the middle. Ganon put his arm out halting her and Darunia. Melissa could then see the source of all the unease she was feeling. Agahnim and a few nervous looking guards stood in front of a statue that looked reminiscent of the statue she had seen in the Spirit Temple. Instead of a woman this time it was a goron holding the dragon like snake.  

"Get back into the tunnel." Ganondorf whispered to her. 

She was more than happy to oblige. From her hiding spot she could see the wizard searching the surface of the statue.  

"It's just like the other." She could here Agahnim say more to himself than the three guards that stood behind him. "I am so close but how do I retrieve the piece?" 

Melissa guessed the wizard must have liked to hear the sound of his own voice because he was doing a lot of thinking out loud.  

"How did he get here before us?" Darunia whispered with a incredulous look on his face. Melissa had a guess at how. She remembered seeing the drag marks on the ground the other night. It didn't take much for her to figure out there had been something hidden there. Agahnim could have snuck in at anytime from last night to this morning.  

"Sir shouldn't we hurry? What if the gorons figure out we got in?" said a soldier uneasily.  

"Silence your prattling. I am almost done." Agahnim said hovering his hand over the statue.  

With out warning the wizard punched the statue shattering the goron portion from the chest up using the strange purple energy he had used to send Darunia flying. The saute's head flew and almost landed on top of one of the soldiers. Melissa could feel the sensation of fear worsen as Agahnim searched through the wreckage . The little voice that had lightly called to her mind on the way here was now screaming for her to find what they were here for before the wizard.  

" How dare you!" Darunia shouted coming out of hiding blowing their chance of taking them by surprise.  

"Ah! Here for round two? Well I'm afraid you will have to wait. I have more pressing matters at the moment." Agahnim said turning giving the goron a cold stare before turning back to his search.  

"Stay." Ganon said to Melissa pushing her further down the hall and out of sight before joining Darunia who was now fuming at being ignored.  

Melissa inched back to the opening of the hall to watch. As the two made their way across the bridge where the soldiers rushed to meet them. Ganondorf and Darunia made short work of them and threw their unconscious bodies to the side. The commotion had drawn the attention of the wizard once more. She like the wizard were now watching as Ganon strode to the center of the island followed by the goron. No words were spoken. Agahnim just let the most evil smile spread across his face.  

Darunia was the first to charge with Ganon backing him up shooting balls of energy at the wizard. In the chaos her perception of the events unfolding slowed down as she watched. It was almost like watching a scene from the Matrix. Agahnim was incredibly fast and Ganon seemed to be keeping up with him fairly well. Darunia on the other hand was having difficulty even landing a blow. If anything the goron's presence distracted the wizard enough to help Ganon land a few well placed punches. Agahnim seemed to be catching on to this though.