The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Dungeon Chapter 30 - Twilight and Shadow

            …not sure if Dominus was following them or not. Two twilight beasts came racing in behind them into the next room, the orb tucked into one of their arms. They stopped next to Link and handed him the orb. He picked it up as Dominus came racing through behind them on his Zol horse.

            Dominus said, “It is handled. We have a little bit more time now. Now, for the challenge ahead.” He pointed ahead of them, where a series of stairs and drops curved around in front and above of them. “Only one way through this mess, and that is through this maze. Once you’re on that path, it’ll close behind you. That is, unless the guards catch up with you. That shouldn't happen though, not with the trap I set them. You should be able to get at least half way through before they stop you.”

            Epona said, “I can do it.” She stamped a hoof and snorted, ready to go.

            “You will be attacked,” Dominus added, “but you must carry that orb. We can defend you from here, as best we can. Though if all else fails from here, you will have to fight for yourself.”

            “Let Quicksilver and I take it through,” Endeavor said. “We will be able to navigate it better than you and Epona.”

            Epona’s ear flattened. “We can handle it. We don’t need your coddling.”

            Endeavor shook her head. “Then go on.”

            “Hold on,” Epona retorted, before leaping into a gallop as she charged through the course. Link bent down against Epona’s neck, trying to keep a hold of the reins and the orb at the same time. Epona raced through, climbing stairs, turning hard around the narrow path, and making flying leaps over pits. The see-through twilight walls lined the path, not letting them fall out. Monsters like twilight keeses and vermin came at them from outside, but Link’s companions handled them before they got close to Link.

            His horse took a fly leap, before sliding to a halt in front of a twilight wall. She said, “I can’t go any further. What do we do now?”

            Link turned around in his saddle. There was still no sign of the guards, which was good. But that wouldn’t last much longer. Link saw a ring in the middle of the wall. He led Epona up to it and set the orb on the mark. The wall opened up. Link brought the orb back up close to his side as Epona charged down the path. Link glanced back behind them. Another wall of shadow formed, and began to channel down the path behind them.

            Endeavor shouted, “Link! Hurry up!”

            Epona pressed on, keeping her attention on path in front of her. The shadow raced through, a low growl could be heard beneath it. Epona neighed, panicked, “What is that?”

            Dominus commanded his two minions in the twili language. They grabbed shadow from where it stemmed at the beginning of the cave. It halted its approached towards them. A voice called out after Link, its voice echoing down the course, “What are you running from, little Hero? I will find you.”

            “The creature is blind!” Endeavor exclaimed.

            “Creature?” Link demanded.

            “Near blind, yes,” Dominus added. “It has lived its life in the shadows. But it can see well enough in here.”

            Epona slid to another halt. “Link! That thing is getting closer.”

            Link hit the orb against the next ring on the wall just as the shadow pulled free of the two twilight creatures’ grasp. Epona hit a gallop in record time, racing down the corridor. The creatures charging them from the outside suddenly vanished as Yore dove in around them.

            The guards appeared behind the others. Mirum called, “Link!”

            “Come on, Epona, we’ve got to get to the other side,” Link urged.

            “I’m trying! Would you like to do the running?” Epona asked, breathing heavy. Finally, she slid to a halt as they reached the other side. Link leapt off his horse and set the orb on the pedestal.

            The pathway shattered, and reformed in a straight path. The long shadow broke free, and began to take a shape. Link dove out of the way as the shadow crashed towards him and through the next door. He stood up as he looked at the door.

            Epona collapsed as the others rode across the path. As the last of them cross, a wall formed behind him. Dominus turned back. “It stopped the guards.”

            “That thing did?” Endeavor asked. “That has control over the temple then.”

            Dominus replied, “Yes, and that seems to be a problem. As long as that creature is in control of the temple, we cannot proceed any further. So we better deal with it.”

            Link helped Epona back onto her hooves. The horse sighed. “I’m fine. That was longer than I thought it would be. What do we have to do now?”

            “We have to fight that shadow,” Link answered, patting the horse’s side. He led her over towards the others, waiting to climb into his saddle until she was really ready. “How much further after that?” He was getting worried about Epona. She needed a rest, but they couldn't affford to rest right now.

            “We’re about halfway through now,” Dominus answered. “Or at least, we appear to be, judging on the walls.”

            Link looked at the walls. He couldn’t read anything. “The walls?”

            Endeavor explained, “The walls have the history of the twili carved into them, as a reminder for what happened, what they chose to do a long time ago that brought this life upon them.”

            “We are halfway through the tale,” Dominus added. “Which would make us half way through the temple.”

            Link looked at Endeavor. “Can you read it?”

            “I can read most every language and rune system ever created in Hyrule and its surrounding countries,” Endeavor answered. “But I am not sure how much use that could be.”

            Mirum asked, “Can that wait? This temple may or may not destroy itself, depending on how quickly we can get to the other end of this dungeon.”

            Endeavor added, “She is right. Are you ready?”

            Link climbed back into his saddle and nodded. Epona snorted, restless and ready to go already. Endeavor turned her horse and rode into the next room. Patting Epona on the side, Link followed after her…