The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Dungeon Chapter 37 - Upper Levels

...behind them around the rim of the room. Surprisingly, the halls were fairly empty. A few pirates lingered around the corridors, but nothing dangerous so far. It concerned Link that there was nothing there to stop them after so much effort had been placed on protecting the lower levels.

Endeavor stopped after a while and looked around, noting this as well. "Something is wrong."

Link came to a halt beside them, relieved to hear someone else voice it. "I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking that."

"Hush," Endeavor ordered, scanning the room. Link took a step back, adjusting his grip on his staff. He glanced up, regretting he had. He tapped Endeavor on the shoulder. "What?" they demanded, before looking up.

From the fissures above them, dozens on Tektites hung from the ceiling. Each had a red, swollen eyes watching them carefully from the center of the monsters' faces. Zelda covered her mouth in disgust. Lynard muttered, "It seems she's already gotten in touch with Zeal."

Link braced himself with his staff as the creature began dropping from above. He beat back each that got too close, hitting them in their large eyes as he stood defend Zelda. The monsters skittered across the floor, crumpling to ash. No more point in hiding, Zelda summoned her bow back, drawing back one of the golden feathered arrows. The light stunned the monsters, curling back and covering their eyes.

Endeavor pulled out their dagger. The helix blade carved through the row of fiends as they sped forward. Link swung his staff, cracking one of the beasts over the head before dodging to give Lynard's cane sword room. As they found some room again, Lynard asked, "Where are you leading us, Endeavor?"

"I would think you know already, Lynard," Endeavor answered. "There is only one place Sayyida would trust that key to be hidden."

Lynard replied, "Her first mate's quarters." He paused as the waves began to ease off. "What do you think she's done with the place?"

"I can hardly imagine," Endeavor stated. The last Tektite was vanquished. The Drex let out a relieved sigh. "At last."

Zelda inquired, "How does Zeal already have such impressive control over this place? They couldn't have made that deal more than a few minutes ago. This infestation would take years!"

Endeavor answered, "I would not doubt Zeal. There is much you do not know about her. Link." Link looked up from his final scan of the room at the call for him. "Do you recall the first time you and Zeal met? I warned you that she was a corrupted sorceress." Link nodded. "That was not the entire truth."

Lynard asked, "What is she then?"

"Zeal is the Sage of Soul, one of Reechka's elements," Endeavor replied.

Link said, "That means she has a Guardian too, right? Like Mirum."

There was an expression on Endeavor's face then, one that Link never believed he would see expressed by the woman. They looked distraught. Endeavor explained, "I have removed any alliance I have with that Drex, but no. No, her Guardian failed in the line of her duty."

"Failed..." Link started to ask, before it dawned on him. "Oh..."

"But we have other things to consider," Endeavor stated. "There is the matter of the first mate's quarters."

Link asked, "Where is Omar's quarters?"

Lynard pulled out the map as he muttered, "Across the shipgr-ahem-yard."

"The what?" Zelda pressed, insisting now on that the sailor clarify himself.

"The ship graveyard," Lynard stated flatly at being caught. "It's a secondary harbor that's proven a little less than hospitable to docking vessels. The water beneath it is broiling, heated by the volcano itself. The steam is so close that the water is pink, and even red when the volcano is active.

"Of course, the heat from it caused the metal supports to melt, and the wood to erode more quickly than could be repaired," Lynard finished. "Old ships were retired there, ones that could be no further use to the navy."

There was a rumbling from above them. Link looked up as the horde of Tektites began to appear again above them. He suggested, "Maybe we should press on."

When the others noticed the reappearing creatures, Zelda agreed, "Let's."

Keeping their weapons at the ready, the group moved around the edge of the upper level. There were some armories and storerooms, but nothing was in them of use anymore. All of the pirates must have left during the fight with Omar. Link pulled out the map for a moment. He saw the icons for their weapons all on the lower level. They would have to go back down if they needed anything else. Link was starting think they would have to. He figured his clawshot would be of some use inside this room they were headed towards.

A Tektite soared over his head. Link tucked the map away as he switched back to the offensive. His staff crushed the monster down to the ground, its spindly legs spreading out beside it.

The mass of monsters continued after them until finally they reached another passage. It arched off around a bend, and eventual Link lost sense of altitude and direction. He had to slow down as the winding hall began to make his head spin. It was good that he did.

Just as Link came to a halt, a massive sword cut around the corner. Link leapt back, tumbling into his companions. Endeavor began to say something, just as the massive form of a Stalfos came around the corner. The skeletal figure wielded two scimitars, blocking its front with the wide, curved blades. It was much too close for Link to feel comfortable about fighting this undead swordsman, particularly without a sword himself.

Raising his staff, Link waited for the first onslaught to end. The chatter of Tektites came up behind them, but Link had to focus on the fight at hand. The Stalfos stumbled back at step, leaving itself open just long enough for Link to drive his staff home in the monster's rib cage. It rattled from the wound, but did not fall.

Link put his staff back up in defense as the Stalfos began to repeat its attack, when something bound over Link's head. The head of the creature snapped off as a brown blur passed overhead. The vixen dropped the head as the boney figure dropped to the ground.

Tilting her head, Echo said, "I see you found that tunnel. Thanks for getting it open."

Lynard demanded, "Where do you keep popping up from?"

"Couldn't tell ya," the fox replied, before she darted off around the bend.

Link hurried to put his arm out as Lynard started to charge after her. He said, "She's not hurting us."

"She's a little creep, is what she is," Lynard retorted. "I don't trust her one bit."

Endeavor inserted, "She has helped us for the moment. Let it be for now." They passed the two men, and hurried on further down the hall.

Zelda commented, "I don't like it either, Lynard, but what are we going to do? We have too much of a time crunch to go chasing after foxes."

Lynard sighed in agreement, before he and Link continued down the hallway. There was a large door ahead of them. Lynard said, "This would be it."

Another wave of chirping came down the hallway. Link commented, "Sounds like more are coming. Those waves are getting faster."

"We are getting closer to our goal," Endeavor noted. "It would be foolish not to stop us, from her perspective."

"Let's get this over with," Lynard said, pushing the dooropen. Link came up beside the man, and began pushing along with him, until theyboth tumbled through the doorway...