The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Mini Dungeon 4 - The Mire

            …that was the Mire. Epona trotted cautiously around the corners, hoping to not find anything around the corners. Link kept his sword out, sitting up right in his saddle. The others had vanished from his sight. In the damp air, he couldn’t even hear their hoof steps.

            Voices whispered in the mists. Link couldn’t make out what they were saying, but they sent chills down his spine.

            The two came out in a large opening. Endeavor stood in the center, carrying a lantern. Link asked, “Where did you find that?”

            “Oh, laying around,” Endeavor answered. “What’s it to you?”

            “Who are you?” Link demanded, holding his sword out.

            The person sighed, before shifting back into a vague figure. She was a ghost of a figure, with long white hair that faded into mist. She looked like the foam of the swamp water, but with a face. “Oh, I should have picked a better face, shouldn’t have I? Though, I suppose no one could fool you, could they? The Hero, after all. Now, what would you possibly want with a place like this?”

            “You didn’t answer my question,” Link replied, not lowering his blade.

            She smiled. “Ah, you are a smart one. Clever, clever boy. I’m a spirit of the swamp. I have no interest in the world outside, that is…unless it means to harm my swamp. I’d like to be around a little longer.” She twirled her lantern around her finger. “I used to live in a forest, but you’re always confused for poes in those places.”

            Link kept his blade up. “What are you saying?”

            Mounting a shaggy looking mist pony, the spirit said, “Well, if you can keep up, I just might be able to lead you through this maze. You’re already terribly lost, and as much as I’d like your company, I’m afraid having it would mean that we wouldn’t be around for that much longer.”

            Epona snorted at the ghost pony. The short horse snapped its tail at Epona, before trotting off into the fog. Sitting backwards and leaning on the pony’s neck, the spirit waved. Her eyes remained in sight for a while longer, before disappearing as well. “Keep up.”

            “Come on,” Link urged Epona.

            “I don’t like this,” Epona whinnied. “This place in unnatural.”

            Link replied, “I don’t like it either, but we don’t have much of a choice. Going back now would be the end of us in the marshes.” He looked around. He figured that if they knew the way that they wouldn’t need this spirit’s help, but they didn’t. There would be no exploring inside the Mire today.

            Most of the time, Link only caught the tail of the spirit’s pony’s tail as it turned around a corner. Epona kept up a canter to keep up with the pony’s trot. The mare was discontent with the pony’s faster pace than hers, but she just kept up as best she could.

            Eventually, the voices started again. Link kept his sword out, waiting for something to appear. The spirit’s voice called back, “Ignore them.”

            “I was told that there were unfriendly creatures hiding here,” Link said.

            “You’re as likely to find them as you are to find your way out of here on your own,” the spirit answered for ahead of him.

            There was a shriek from deeper in the swamp. The spirit suddenly appeared ahead of Link again, staring off into the heart of the swamp. Even for a ghost, she looked pale after the noise. She said, “Then again…”