…and to find out what this monster was really like. When he came out on the other side of the tunnel, Link found himself in a large, well-lit room. There were huge stain glass windows, with sunlight filtering through. Link figured they must have gone deep into the mountains, beyond the castle, in order for there to be sunlight It was a nice change from the torch light though.
There was many silver candelabras heading towards the back of the room. Some of the candles were still burning. Others had their lights blown out. Still others at been damaged by some terrible creature.
It was a large room. Its ceilings were even higher than that of the main room of the temple. Spider webs hung from almost every corner. Link heard Zelda whisper behind him, “There couldn’t be babies, could there?”
Endeavor answered, “There could, but without a male pureblood Gohma, they would be like the Gohma hatchlings that already live in this world. That is how the line fell before.”
There was a rustle in the wind, and Link resisted the urge to look towards where the sound had come from. The sound of rapid, tapping feet raced across the floor, the noise echoing around the room. A chill ran down Link's spine, his nerves on edge.
Link stopped and looked up. He dreaded what he saw. From the ceiling, the beast lowered itself by a silk thread. The torso was that of a massive spider. It was black and hairy, and the four legs attached to it kept the rest of the body from swaying on its thread. The upper half of the body was that of a woman. Much like of the young purebloods, the Gohma had long pincers extending from its jaw. It had four arms and the same long hair of its younger self.
The whole creature must have been the size of a small dragon. Link thought it was about the same as Queen Dodongo. The beast’s head swayed back and forth, its six yellow, silted eyes watching Link intently.
It broke its thread and twisted around in the air. Landing on its four spider-like legs, and pureblood Gohma looked down at Link with distant and gluttony. It shrieked at them, its pincers vibrating from the sound. Poison dripped off its fangs, spraying across the room. Link raised his shield to block some of it.
Two fists came down at Link. He rolled out of the way to dodge the attack. Pounding legs followed as it turned to find Link. The shrill noise of the monster echoed around the room, vibrating everything.
The monster dropped its hands down and leaned over Link. Link kept his shield between him and the beast. As the head dropped down towards him, he jabbed the monster in its chin. The monster cried in pain, and pulled its head back, but the wound was small overall.
Enraged, the Gohma scuttled across the floor after Link. It leaned back onto its very hind legs, about to flatten him. Zelda fired at the monster’s stomach, but the spider kept its top hands planted on the ceiling to keep it balanced until it was ready to let go and fall ontop of Link. Realizing this, Link tried to think of some other way to knock the creature over.
Link pulled out his ocarina. It was a strange urge that had caused him to do it, but he did. Without much thought, he just started playing notes. The Gohma grabbed its head with both sets of hands. It wobbled on its back legs and fell over on its back.
Drawing its sword, Link rushed towards the monster. Beneath its bulging abdomen was a large yellow eye with a roving red pupil. It glared at Link as he approached. Link drove his sword into it, cutting away at the orb as quickly as he could.
After a long enough beating, the abdomen began to retract. Link rolled out of the way just in time as a web shot out from the monster’s end. Using its web to pull itself up, the monster returned to its feet. The monster lowered its head and let its toxic ooze out from its mouth. Link kept his shield between him and the poison.
Finally, the spray stopped. Link ducked swinging limbs, flying jumps, and a few more poisonous mists. Eventually, the Gohma raised itself up again to squash Link. From behind him, Link heard the sound of a harp being played. As the Gohma screamed in pain from the sound, Link turned to Zelda. She said to him, “Mine’s divine too! It was Hylia’s Herself!”
Link took the chance and returned to beating the yellow eye again. The creature’s body began to lurch with each hit it took. As soon as Link saw the abdomen coil, he hurried to get out of the way of it.
The web shot out and brought the Gohma back to its feet. Link raises its shield, as moments later a downpour of toxin came down. There was the sound of skittering feet. Link looked down beneath his shield and saw little Gohmas pulling their shells along as they came to nibble away at their prey. Unable to drop his shield, Link had to wait as they crawled up his legs.
As soon as the mist ended, Link executed a spin attack. The little hatchlings went flying across the room. Dozens more filled their place.
With the Gohma hatchlings, Link had a hard time watching for the pureblood Gohma’s attacks. Endeavor appeared by his side suddenly and with her helix dagger sent a wide, sweeping stroke towards them. From the swipe came a huge beam that cut through the hatchlings like grass.
Link looked at her and saw she was still having a hard time recovering from their duel earlier. Still, there was determination in her eyes as she sheathed the dagger.
Several more waves of hatchlings came, usually followed by a downpour of mist. Endeavor drew her cloak up to block it. Zelda had some kind of light spell that kept the poison away from her. Between Endeavor and Link’s swords, and Zelda’s arrows, they kept the hatchlings at bay.
Finally, the pureblood Gohma stood on her hind legs once more. Both Link and Zelda reached for their instruments, but the noise that pierced the Gohma’s defenses was that of a violin. The sharp note sounds as if it had split darkness with a stroke of light.
The Gohma reeled in pain. Link and Endeavor drove their blades into the eye. With one last downward strike, the eight legs curled up into a ball. The Gohma blackened, and then broke into purple dust. The great eye rolled down in front of Link, before it broke and revealed a heart container.
Link lifted the crystal heart. As it broke into light, he felt reenergized. His whole self was renewed, even the soreness from both of the battles he had just endured.
After that, Link turned to Endeavor. She said, “That was a creature of the Demon Lord then…”
“Indeed.”
All three heads turned. From above, a golden haired woman in a flowing white gown walked down from the sky. A circlet sat on her head, and purple bands wrapped around her wrists and ankles. Her eyes shone gold, without any pupils, terrifying, but…not…
Endeavor knelt. “Goddess Hylia.”
Shock filled Link’s face. Both he and Zelda dropped down in respect for the divinity before them. There was a laugh. “Rise, bearers of my sisters’ holy gift.”
Link stood. He saw Zelda stand, and then Endeavor. He looked back at her, confused. He wasn't one for leaving people out, considering his youth, but before a Goddess...Hylia laughed again. It was a soothing laugh, and reminded him a lot of Zelda’s. She said, “It seems you do not know Endeavor’s secret, my Hero.” She beckoned to Endeavor. “Child, why not tell them?”
Endeavor stood before Hylia and bowed. “Yes, my Goddess.”
Zelda asked, “Tell us what?”
“The true legend of how this world was created,” Endeavor answered. She pulled the glove on her left hand off.
Link saw a Triforce marked on the back of her hand. His eyes widened. “That was your hand! Your Triforce piece then, when we saw the King, that was glowing beneath your glove.”
Hylia chuckled a bit at the comment. “Yes,” Endeavor said. “I did not expect that gracing light to extend to me as well, but it was. I am glad you did not ask me about it though. It would have been before the time that you needed to know.”
“You have a piece of the Triforce?” Zelda asked. “But how? There are only three...aren't there?”
“There are some things lost in this world, Princess,” Hylia stated, before looking down at Endeavor.
Endeavor closed her eyes. “I suppose, since you know, that I must tell you this legend. That, and my Goddess has commanded me to do so.” She sighed and looked at them both. “Very well, it is time you knew the story of the Goddess of Secrecy…