The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Overworld Chapter 36 - Weighted Steps

...only to have to step back as the orb took shape. The Zol snorted and tossed its newly formed mane. Mirum grabbed Link's hand, and looked it up and down with an intense inspection. Link gently pulled his hand away, saying, "If something happens, I'll tell you."

Dominus loomed over Mirum, saying, "He will be fine. Panicking doesn't help us though. Keep your nerve about you, or something may happen."

Mirum flushed, replying, "I'll try."

"Very well," Dominus said, before walking up to the horse. He brought a second Zol up to him, then placing his hand on the Zol. The burst of magic transformed itself into a larger horse, closer to the size of Epona. Link felt like Dominus knew more about this that he was admitting to, but held on to Endeavor's comment about trusting the man.

Endeavor rode around the side of the building, guiding Epona and Quicksilver. The mare was discontent about being tacked up again in her muddy gear, but there was no way Link could get it any cleaner. He patted the horse, before swinging into the saddle, still not sure what all the rush was about. But then again, everything had been a rush since Endeavor had come to find him.

As Dominus helped Mirum onto her horse, Endeavor rode up next to Link. They threw a dark black wrist guard into his saddle. As he caught it, they said, "Best to not frighten anyone. Or let anything watching know."

Link picked up the wrist guard, only to find the beginnings of the Twili markings on his left arm. There wasn't any pain, but he didn't think that was a good sign. Now the rush felt more warrented. He pulled on the brace, asking quietly, "Why is she so panicked?"

The Drex raised a brow. "Have you honestly not..." They stopped and looked over at Mirum. Endeavor answered cryptically, "That woman has saved your life already. Twice now, I believe."

"What?" Link asked, but the Drex rode over beside Dominus as the man climbed onto his magic Zol-horse. Link sighed and asked Epona to trot forward, sure he wasn't going to get anything clearer from anyone for now. He was getting tired of all these half answers.

Dominus inquired, "Are you ready?" Link nodded, resolved to follow along as the markings ebbed up his arm. "Then follow me," the man said, before asking his Zol on into the marsh.

Link glanced at Endeavor. They didn't wait before riding after Dominus. Epona hesitated for a moment, not keen on diving back into the mud. Link said, "We're going to be alright." He patted the horse on her neck.

Epona snorted. "If you say so."

With Dominus in the lead, and Mirum at the rear, they made their way through the marsh. The path Dominus followed was mostly solid, but a few portions they had to take through the thick, swamp water. Link looked ahead, not wanting to see anything beneath him as they rode. Epona shared the same sentiment when they were riding through water, her ears pinned to her head for most of it.

The landscape began to change. The orange tint to the brackish water began to turn green. The further they went, the more drastic this change became. It wasn't a lush green though. It was a festering green, something that just made Link think of an infestation or sickness. The whole landscape made him think of some unnatural illness consuming the land.

A few Kargarocs circled the waters. Link kept his sword out, wishing that they had Zelda's bow with them, or that he had a bow of his own. Other than his slingshot, and the Sage's Rod he supposed now, Link was short on ranged weapons. And definitely not ranged weapons that could reach all the way to where the monsters were hovering just yet.

When the Kargarocs did come close to them, Link had to wait for them to charge him before he could slice them out of the air. Epona trampled them after that, wings buckling them into the weight of the water and the mare eager to end the fight. She was the most efficient fighter of them all.

Yore circled the air, challenging the massive bird-creatures himself. The hawk was successful so long as he kept them from forming groups. Journey was hanging over the back of Quicksilver's quarters. The wolf wasn't going to have much luck keeping up with them in this landscape. Mirum and Dominus provided some magical support, but it seemed they were limited to keep their Zols in horse form. Eventually, the flock cleared and they pressed on further into the swamp.

Eventually, Dominus came to a halt at the edge of a hill. He pointed down to the base of the slope. "There is the Mire, our destination."

Link stopped beside the Twili. The land below them was a soggy excuse for a swamp. Huge spires of rock came up out of the deep pools, creating a labyrinth in the middle of the narrow, water covered paths. Link said, "We can't navigate that on foot."

"We never planned to," Dominus replied. "Walking into the Mire would be ridiculous. It is why we rode here in the first place."

"You mean we're going to be fighting on horseback?" Link inquired.

Dominus nodded. "You can fight on horseback, can't you?"

Link answered, "Yeah, just...I wasn't expecting it. I don't think Epona has ever been into a dungeon with me before."

"She has not," Endeavor added. "Not until now, though this is no dungeon. This is a mere trifle compared to the rumors I hear are coming from the Mirror Hall." Dominus's face darkened at that, a grim confirmation of the fact.

"What is in there, anyway?" Link asked, not able to see far into the mesh of stone.

"Something from your past, one of them," Dominus answered. "It is a wonder we found it. It doesn't even come from the era that we do. But it has the same effect on twilight that it does on darkness."

There was a pulse in Link's left hand. He asked, "Anything other than that?" He had a bad feeling about this place.

Dominus glanced at Link. He asked, "You mean do I know what evil lurks within the Mire?" Link looked out at the basin, before back at Dominus and nodding. Dominus shook his head. "I don't know the nature of these creatures. They are beyond me, but I presume that they would like you to be consumed by the marshes rather than reach your goal at the end of the Mirror Hall."

Mirum shuddered, before saying, "But we're not going to let that happen."

"Of course not," Dominus replied. "Why would we let something so terrible occur? This is our home. I have every intention of driving this threat out as you do, Hero."

Head held high, Dominus asked his horse down the hill. Mirum trailed after her leader. Endeavor held Link back for a moment, saying, "This place had another name a long time ago, Link. This place will test you mentally to your edge. Particularly with the developments occurring due to the marshes, you will find this place pushing you to the full length of your morals. And where Dominus does not understand what rests here, I do. Remember, young Hero, this is a deceitful place, and it means to drown you in it."

With that, Endeavor rode down the hill. Journey jumped off the back of Quicksilver, and trotted closely beside to stay in Quicksilver's wake. Yore flew low overhead, a bright gleam of light in the otherwise oppressive air.

Epona tossed her head. "I do not like this place."

"Neither do I, but we have to go through it," Link said.

"Then we go to the beaches," Epona whinnied. She pulled on her bridle.

Link snapped the reins lightly, saying, "Then the beaches." Epona trotted after the others, and they walked into the mangled maze...