The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Overworld Chapter 17 - The Sewers

…in search of the entrance to the Temple of Time. In the dank, moist air of the sewers, Link’s light didn’t go further than five feet in front of them. The smell blocked out Journey’s and Yore’s senses, making it even harder to locate monsters, or find a route through the maze. They had to trust only what they could see and hear themselves. It was hard for even Link because of the persisting echoing of the sewers.

            Monsters in the sewers were comprised many of keeses and rats. Large rats. A few skulltulas had taken residence in the twisting maze, but mainly it was the rats. The massive rats with glowing red eyes.

            The only reason Link had any concern for the rats was the fact that every time they appeared from the shadows, Zelda would panic, and fire ten or so arrows. And because Zelda’s arrows were magical, that meant recollecting them in the dark when one didn’t return to her quiver. She insisted that they should come back, but something about the darkenss of the sewers made it hard for the arrows to find their way back.

            This led to many side quests to find routes around rats’ nests when they spotted them in order to keep Zelda from panicking. She insisted that she didn’t have a problem with them, but her sudden screams usually prove otherwise. She would always flush red afterwards, and insist again that they didn't bother her.

            They had been wandering for who knows long when Link finally stopped. He understood now what Queen Rasida meant by time is different for those in the dark. His lantern was about to flicker out as they stopped. He looked back up at Zelda. “Don’t you have a light spell? The one you used in the Vault.”

            Zelda blushed. “Oh yeah…” She opened her palm and a bright golden orb appeared in her hand.

            As they were about to start again, Endeavor stopped. “We have been going in circles this whole time. We need to figure out where we are before we go any further.”

            Link hung his lantern on his belt in case they needed it again as he looked back at Endeavor. She was right. They had no idea if they were getting any closer to the temple or not. Link paused, and then looked at Journey. He asked, “Can Journey smell magical scents?”

            “What?” Endeavor asked.

            “Well, I was thinking, Zelda and Hylia-” Link began.

            Zelda finished, “Hylia is where my power comes from. I’m her reincarnation, after all. Maybe Journey can locate Hylia’s temple through my magic.” She glanced at Link. “Is that what you were thinking?” He nodded, obviously not saying anything about Zelda cutting him off.

            “It is possible,” Endeavor said. “But it couldn’t be that spell. Hylia is the Goddess of Time. A light spell would not work.”

            Zelda began to cast another spell, when she stopped all of a sudden. She put her bow away, and pounded her head. Link asked, “What’s wrong?”

            “Oh! Oh, I’m so stupid,” Zelda shouted. Endeavor and Link looked at her with concern. Zelda said, “You’re right. Hylia is the Goddess of Time. But we’ve been avoiding the obvious this whole time too. Time’s the answer for this. We just need to go back in time, to when the pathway was here, or before the path fell into entire ruin. Something says that’s the only way we’re going to get in anyway, with that attack Ganondorf launched down here.”

            “How are we going to back in time?” Link asked.

            “It would be a simple matter, if we had a timeshift stone,” Endeavor said. “But the last of those stones were carved away long ago.”

            Zelda produced a harp from her pouch. Endeavor’s face narrowed. “You have had the Goddess’s Harp this whole time!”

            “Of course I’ve had it,” Zelda retorted. “It’s an heirloom of my family. Now, with this, I can send a special prayer to Hylia and maybe she’ll grant us passage into the past. We’ll need to find an open area though. Somewhere where we wouldn’t get crushed by anything when we go back into the past.”

            They wandered for a bit longer before they found a large enough room that Zelda was confident would work. A few keeses fluttered around in it, but other than that, it seemed fine. There was a pile of rubble near the back of the room. On the sides of the rubble stood two, broken statues of soldiers, with their sword in front of them. Link had a feeling they were near some kind of gateway, maybe even the entrance. If that was the case, then the only way through it was to go back before the path had been blocked off. His bombs would not open it.

            Zelda lifted her harp up, and began to strum it. Link stood a few steps back to listen as Zelda began to play, and then sing. He knew she was singing in ancient Hylian, but he still only understood snatches of it.

            Before long, there was the sorrowful note of a violin. Link watched as Endeavor played the ballad on her violin. It give the song a sharp, solemn tone, but it was full of respect and mourning. And what Link found was that as they both sang, he began to understand the song more and more, though he couldn’t say them in the common tongue. He simply…understood them. He also felt he stood out more, as he had no way of joining them. He apologized to the Goddesses for that in silence.

            Suddenly, Endeavor’s violin picked up. The notes became faster, and livelier. Zelda struggled to keep up, be eventually stopped, and let Endeavor play alone. As the song came to an end, there was a flash of light.

            The stone hummed. Link looked up, and saw sunlight overhead, and then people walking by an opening at the top of newly formed stairs. Zelda said, “She answered us.”

            They all sent a prayer to Hylia in thanks. They had to, for Her gifting in bringing them to this time. It was only right.

            As he finished, Link turned towards the pile of rubble. It now stood clear of stone, the statues at their prime. A marble path ventured further into the mountains, in a regal white and black pattern. No one of this time seemed to venture down here, though, even if it was Hylia’s sacred temple.

Endeavor answered, “No one wants to. There is no need. Nothing evil is at work. They'll pray to the Goddesses in the peace of their homes, and not bother with their temples.” With that, she lowered her violin, and walked down the now opened path.

            Zelda lowered her harp, and looked at Link. He managed, “That was beautiful.”

            She smiled back at him. “Thank you. I’ve practiced that song as long as I’ve owned this harp. I’m glad I learned it, and played it well enough to please Hylia.”

            “Hurry up!” Endeavor’s voice echoed from down the hall.

            Zelda huffed, before saying, “Well, we best not keep her waiting. I’d hate to put her in a worse mood because of her people, wouldn’t you?” She pulled her bow back out, and went on down the passage.

            Link glanced up at the city through the temple entrance. He hoped they wouldn’t need to go there for any reason. He didn’t want to ruin anything in the past that may affect their future. So, he turned towards the tunnel, drew his sword, and headed after Zelda and Endeavor…