The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Dungeon Chapter 29 - The Shadow Gauntlet

...into the newly formed hallways that waited beyond. Already, the room was filled with monsters that hadn't been there before, released as the chambers had shifted to make a new arrangement. As the door shut behind them, Link heard the wall shift to release what had been waiting behind. The guards were awake.

Link gripped the reins with one hand, the other wrapped around the orb to keep it steady. They needed to get moving. The large twilight beasts turned their attention towards Link and his companions as if they sensed the key, and likely did. Link flicked the reins, urging Epona on. Epona leapt over a row of the smaller beasts as they tried to surge, only to have to slide to a halt as a second row appeared behind them.

Endeavor rode by, their rapier cutting through the shadow beasts. They called, "Running into the fray is not going to help us get anywhere."

Epona turned back around towards Endeavor. "There are too many, and they're gathering togther."

The wall rippled behind them. The shape of a hand started to come through. Endeavor ordered as Link was lost for a moment for action, "Get to the door. We will deal with this later."

Link turned Epona around as the line thinned from his companions' support, and started riding towards the door. Endeavor remained close to protect him, Dominus and Mirum close behind. The next door rolled open and Epona rode through into the next room without hesitation.

More twilight creatures filled the room. A dark fog filled the air, save where they were standing as it had been displaced. The door ahead was barred shut. Link saw a pedestal above the door, guarded by two twilight beasts. There was a medallion overhead. Link shouted, "Mirum! Catch!"

Mirum turned around as Link lobbed the sphere at her. He quickly pulled out his clawshot, and sent himself flying towards the ledge. Epona reared, kicking two creatures as they came towards her, free to act as she saw fit for the time.

Link pulled his sword out, and cut down the creatures that raced for him. With the ledge clear, Link turned around. He called again, "Mirum!"

At the sound of his voice, Mirum looked up. He had his clawshot out still. She held the orb up so it was in range of his clawshot. Link launched his clawshot and pulled the orb back up to him. He set it in the pedestal just as the two guards came through the door. The bars blocking their path forward swung open. Link grabbed the orb and shoved his clawshot back into his pouch. He whistled for Epona, before dropping down into her saddle. Epona raced on through the next doorway.

Link looked around as they passed into the next chamber, counting off how many creatures remained in the room and how close they were to him. There were several immediate threats, but what concerned Link more was the series of moving platforms above them. He looked behind him and saw the pedestal behind them at the end of the chain of platforms.

Endeavor rode up passed Link, extending an arm out, "Handle these creatures, I will get the orb into the pedestal." They took the orb from Link's hands without any other asking, and rode Quicksilver through the swarm. Link pulled out his sword and helped Journey defend their friend's flight. Above them, Endeavor leapt from platform to platform, teleporting briefly from landing to landing if the jump grew too far. Not the teleport Mirum or Dominus had, but enough to save them a few close calls. Twilit keeses came at them from all sides, but none of them could get through Yore's defenses as the hawk circled and distracted.

The two hands came in behind them as Endeavor made it to the other side. They set the orb down that door swung open. The guards started to climb up towards Endeavor. They shouted, "Link!"

Link turned his clawshot towards the orb and pulled it out of the alcove. He rode through the opened with it as Endeavor jumped down beneath the guards as they turned to follow Link again, Quicksilver galloping across the chamber to catch his rider.

Epona skid to a halt on the other side of the room. A heavy fog covered the floor still. "What is that?"

Dominus rode into the room next to them. "That is shadow magic. Give me the orb."

"Can't we ride through it?" Link asked.

"You could, but it would hurt you, and I would rather not deal with trying to heal you so far from any healers," Dominus answered. "Now quickly, the orb."

Link paused the orb over to the Twili. The man dove into the dark mist. Creatures appeared on the edge where Mirum and Link were waiting. Endeavor rode up behind them as they defended the edge of the shadows. The guards pushed passed them, and dove into the darkness to follow their query. Endeavor pulled Quicksilver about. "That is not good."

"What's that?" Link asked.

"That is shadow magic," Endeavor said, repeating Dominus's statement. "Shadow and twilight magic do not mix well, and I do not believe that this will end well if those creatures remain in that kind of magic for long."

There was a flash of light as a burst of twilight magic burst through the chamber, and then the floor beneath it. The shadow fog dispersed, revealing Dominus atop a ledge with the hands racing towards him. He commanded, "Get through the door! When I remove this, that fog is going to come back. You can get through while I have the way cleared, then I'll follow."

Endeavor took off, again more than ready to follow Dominus's command. Link knew that there would be no point in questioning the orders, so he rode on as well, his trust in Endeavor and their trust then in Dominus. Mirum stayed closed to Link and the two rode through the door...