A Legend of a Legend

Terror Beneath the Mountain

As the siblings made their way deeper into Death Mountain's volcanic heart, they noticed strange creatures bouncing across the surface of the magma. The oppressive heat from the Volcano Ruins made Carly's steps heavy. She glanced down at her bag, feeling its increased weight.

"That's odd," Carly muttered, then shook her head, dismissing it as weariness from their long journey.

"Tack, can we sit for a bit? I'm getting tired," Carly asked, her voice tired but determined.

"Yeah, sure," Tack replied, finding a rock nearby. He plopped down, wiping sweat from his brow.

Carly sat on his lap, resting for about ten minutes, until the sound of footsteps made them freeze. Instinctively, they darted behind a boulder. Two Vikings soon emerged-one wielding a hefty two-handed sword, the other carrying what seemed like a royal sword, encrusted with jewels.

"You know we can see you, right?" said the Viking with the two-handed sword, his voice filled with amusement.

"No, you can't! We're just a boulder!" Carly blurted out.

The two Vikings exchanged smirks as they sauntered toward the siblings. The Viking with the royal sword walked with a regal stride, clearly of higher rank.

"Hello, I'm Joseph," said the Viking with a kind smile. "And this," he gestured to his companion, "is Prince Felix of Bonanza."

Prince Felix stood tall and imposing, watching the exchange with a haughty air. Finally, he spoke, his voice clipped. "What are you doing here?"

"We... we were sent by Princess Zelda to save Hyrule," Carly answered in a small, trembling voice.

"Speak up, young lady!" Prince Felix snapped, his tone demanding respect.

Startled, Carly shrank back behind her brother. Tack, though nervous, took a protective step forward.

"Felix, don't be rude," Joseph chided. "She's just a child. Give them a break."

Prince Felix rolled his eyes and turned away, disinterested. Joseph lingered for a moment, offering an apologetic glance before rushing to catch up with the prince.

Still bewildered by the encounter, Tack and Carly continued into the next room of the Volcano Ruins, where the heat grew more intense. Despite their focus on searching for a key, they couldn't help overhearing Joseph and Felix's conversation.

"Come on, Felix. We're looking for a red stone, not a normal key," Joseph said, his voice carrying through the room.

Confused but curious, the siblings pressed on. Carly soon tripped over something, her eyes widening as she realized it wasn't just a rock. She carefully picked up a glowing object-was this the red stone the Vikings were searching for?

Without hesitation, the siblings raced back to the locked door. The red stone fit perfectly, and as they unlocked it, the ground rumbled and the massive door groaned open. Tack and Carly stepped inside, the heat hitting them like a wave. Strangely, the Vikings weren't able to follow; the door sealed behind the siblings, leaving the intruders outside.

As they ventured deeper into the chamber, Carly finally investigated her heavy bag. To their surprise, they found two red tunics. Without questioning it, they quickly donned the garments, and almost instantly, the suffocating heat dissipated.

"These tunics... they're magical," Tack whispered in awe as they ventured further into the temple.

Meanwhile, back at the sealed door, the Vikings struggled through a narrow crawl space nearby.

"Get your butt out of my face!" Joseph grunted in frustration.

"Get your face out of my butt!" Felix retorted, equally irritated.