The Legend of Zelda- Ocarina of Time

Darkness Within

He stepped onto a wooden bridge that ran over a pool of water. Ramps extended down into a basin where statues lined the walkways. Each figure resembled some aquatic creature with ghoulish faces, all of them seated within an alcove, all with small stone benches upon which rested an array of offerings from glittering rupees to jewellery.

Link didn't spare more than a momentary glance at the statues, for there was more blood on the bridge, with green splotches leading straight towards a door at the far end of the room. At least one of the monstrosities lurking in the temple was injured.

One less to deal with, Link hoped, unsheathing his sword to be on the safe side. He immediately noticed the glowing gemstone in his hilt, which sent his heart racing. Did that mean Dark Link was close or was something nearby?

Pushing open the gilded double doors in front of him, Link froze at the threshold. Green blood stained the cold blue stones, pooling around the corpse of a serpentine creature. Its sinuous body vaguely resembled a two-legged dragon, but the tusks protruding from either side of its mouth and its arms ending in long webbed fingers set it apart. Its muscular arms and long claws bespoke a terrible strength, more than capable of causing the carnage Link had seen.

What sort of abomination is it? Link wondered. Was it even native to Hyrule? It vaguely resembled the creatures that formed one of the temple's many murals.

Link continued, reaching a chamber featuring a series of five obelisks jutting out of a pool of water, their surface decorated with runes. Benches lined the borders of the room, suggesting this was a place for prayer and reflection. Link walked on, and as he approached the edge of the passage, he noticed a strange slurping sound on the edge of his hearing. Something else caught his attention, too—an all-too-familiar stench that made his gut turn to ice.

Blood.

The stench grew heavier as he approached the door. Link gripped his sword tightly and shoved open the heavy frame to reveal a grisly sight.

Just feet away lay another dead Zora, abdomen torn open, innards spilling onto the floor. The creature, still hunched over its gruesome feast, ignored him at first. Tensing, Link took a cautious step...then another.

The wet, ripping sound ceased abruptly. Link stumbled to a halt, sword wavering in his hand.

His chance was gone.

With impossible speed, the creature spun to regard Link with its large black eyes. A heartbeat later, it sprang towards him like a snapping serpent.

Having expected the creature to be slow and clumsy on land, Link barely responded in time. He let the beast's claws scrape against his shield, his sword slicing in a moment later to slice through the monster's arm. The creature hissed and wriggled back out of range of Link's thrust, his momentum drawing him closer to the creature, a mistake that nearly proved fatal.

The creature opened its mouth before Link knew what was happening, a spray of green mist spraying forth. Having witnessed similar behaviour from a Deku Scrub, Link instinctively let the noxious liquid strike his shield. Even then, a tiny drop struck him just below the eye. White-hot pain flared across his cheek, and Link staggered back, resisting the urge to drop his shield and wipe away the venom.

Sensing an advantage, the serpentine beast followed Link, raising its head to spit again. Not wanting to be sprayed with the nasty toxin again, Link leapt back, dropped his sword and quickly seized Fire, willing its power into his veins. Fire burst in front of him as if from a dragon's maw, engulfing the monster in a flaming pyre.

The monster stumbled forward, screeching and clawing the air with its remaining arm. Braving the blistering inferno, Link lunged, ramming his sword deep into its belly, cutting off the creature's death rattle.

Only then did the full horror sink in as Link stumbled back from the corpse. He tripped over the Zora's remains, landing hard beside the devastated body.

The sight, the smell... The monster's burning flesh. It all became too much.

His stomach heaved. He scrambled away, breath ragged. Memories of a burning city flickered into his mind.