Silence came like a deep exhale after vertigo. The Light dragon now flew calmly, crossing the catacombs of the abyss. The darkness, still oppressive, was faintly illuminated by the glow of its scales, a pure light that seemed to contain the last hopes of Hyrule.
Link and the sages remained silent on its back, the tension still present on their faces, though their bodies were beginning to relax after the frantic descent. Each one silently processed the magnitude of what awaited them. As they moved forward, the vast caverns of the abyss unfolded like a forgotten world, a place where time seemed to have stopped and darkness consumed everything.
The sound of the dragon's flight was the only thing breaking the deathly silence. The subterranean wind, damp and carrying a strange hum that seemed to rise from the depths, brushed against their faces as the tension continued to build with every meter they covered.
The hordes of the Demon King's monsters lurked in the shadows. Moblins and Lizalfos watched from their dens. As they saw them pass, they began to leap in vain in a futile attempt to reach them, growling in frustration. From some dark corners, bolder creatures like the Like-Likes hurled projectiles or stretched their grotesque bodies in hopes of catching them. But before they could even get close, the beam of light from the dragon struck them, disintegrating them in an instant and leaving behind a trail of dark smoke that quickly dissipated into the air.
Link, leaning against the mane of the majestic white dragon, allowed a faint smile to escape, woven with threads of pride and melancholy, like a secret that only the wind could steal from him. His fingers gently brushed the vast, silky golden mane, finding comfort in the touch, as if that connection could stop time itself. Out of the corner of his eye, his gaze met that of the creature: two living emeralds blinking with an ancient serenity, reflecting in their glow the echo of what once was.
Though Mineru had assured him that, upon transforming, the dragon had lost its essence, Link couldn't shake the persistent certainty, veiled by nostalgia. He clung to a fragile, almost imperceptible hope: the belief that some part of her still shone deep within. In the slow rhythm of its breathing or in the way its eyes seemed to search for him in silence, he sensed a familiar echo. It was like a whisper from the past, an instinctive vibration speaking to him of an eternal desire to protect them, to care for them, as she had always done.
A trembling sigh escaped Link as he felt the warmth of his tears dampening his face. He closed his eyes and, with a shaky hand, wiped them away. "I know you're there, somewhere," he murmured, his voice breaking, while his fingers continued to caress the dragon's mane, as if that touch could reach what was lost. "I'll find a way, I promise, even if it takes another hundred years."
As the tears slid down his cheeks, Link pulled a princess of calm from the stillness with the intention of gifting it to the dragon. At that very moment, one of his tears fell onto the delicate flower. Time seemed to stop. In that instant, the Hero was enveloped in a blinding light. The sound of a distant, faint droplet of water echoed in his ears.
It was then that the moment he lost Zelda came back to him with heartbreaking clarity. He saw himself, hand outstretched, consumed by malice, struggling to reach her, to prevent her from falling into the abyss. He remembered how, in a burst of desperation, he decided to leap after her. But just as he was about to do so, he felt something—or someone—gripping him tightly, pulling him upward. He tried to break free, but he couldn't; whatever held him was unyielding. From his position, he watched in growing helplessness as Zelda continued to fall. Suddenly, she began to shine, disappearing in a blinding flash, leaving him behind, alone, in the dark abyss as he ascended into the air. Exhausted and broken, Link lost consciousness.
Since then, a constant weight of guilt had accompanied him. He knew Zelda was safe, that thanks to her sacrifice, the Master Sword had been revitalized in his hands. Yet the price paid had been too high. Ten thousand years of waiting for Link to decipher her secret. He didn't want to imagine what would have happened if Impa and her ancient knowledge hadn't intervened.
The memory slowly faded, returning him to reality. His eyes landed on his prosthetic arm, a piece crafted with Zonai technology, replacing his original, lost forever due to the grievous wounds inflicted by the malice. The mechanical arm faintly gleamed under the dim light, a cold, metallic extension of his will. Though Zonai technology had granted him unique abilities, like the power to generate schematics, infiltrate, or rewind objects in time, he couldn't shake the stabbing pain that pierced his chest every time he looked at it. That arm, so different from the one that had once been his, symbolized not only the physical cost of his struggle, but also the emotional burden he carried with every step. It was a constant reminder that the battle was still alive, that the sacrifices hadn't been left behind.
With the princess of calm still in his hand, he leaned toward the dragon, carefully placing it in its mane, as if, by doing so, he left a fragment of his soul in that gesture. He closed his eyes as he neared the flower, allowing its sweet aroma to envelop him, immersing him in a brief moment of stillness. "Zelda," he whispered, barely audible, as if the words vanished into the air before they could reach their destination. "If I ever manage to bring back your form... you need to know that I…"
His words faded into the air as he opened his eyes and shook his head with resolve. He wiped away the remaining tears from his cheeks and straightened his shoulders, banishing any vulnerability before it could take hold. The situation was too critical for distractions: the Demon King, the lair, the looming battle... there was no room for hesitation or personal thoughts.
It had been enough. The last time he let his emotions take over, it almost condemned them all. That would not happen again.
Fortunately, the sages seemed oblivious to the immediate pressure. After passing the entrance, they began chatting with an unnerving ease. Tulin, as impetuous as always, was the first to notice that something was off with Link. Seizing the moment when the dragon maintained a steadier speed, he fluttered around him with his typical carefree tone:
—Hey, Link, how much longer until we reach the meeting point?
—Yeah, —intervened Riju from further behind, her relaxed smile lighting up her face as she settled into the dragon's back—. We've been flying for quite a while.
—Hope we don't get lost, —Sidon joked, laughing as he gave Link a friendly pat on the back—. Though, of course, it wouldn't be the first time you and I ended up in a mess over a "small detour."
—Ha, ha, ha —Yunobo laughed, completely at ease, rubbing his belly as if he'd just had a feast, a gesture so typical of the Gorons that it was contagious.
Link, feeling the weight of all their gazes on him, rubbed the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed. At least he'd managed to position himself near the dragon's mane, which gave him some room to hide. With a smooth motion, Link straightened himself again.
—Sorry, guys —he said with a wry smile—. I was "enjoying" the scenery.
The comment triggered a round of laughter, because the underground scenery, with its perpetual twilight and oppressive atmosphere, was anything but pleasant to look at.
Now upright and relaxed by their laughter, Link refocused his attention on the path ahead. The chatter behind him continued for a few more minutes, the laughter lightening the tension as they neared the meeting point.
When they finally spotted the designated location, Link took control once more. With a shout that echoed through the depths of the underground, he called out to the sages:
—Get ready! We're almost at the meeting point. This isn't going to be a stroll!
The atmosphere, still relaxed, began to shift. The mission called them, and with the camaraderie of those shared moments strengthening their resolve, they all knew it was time to get serious. They all tensed atop the dragon as they began to prepare their gliders for a safe landing. Turning toward the sages, the hero shouted again:
—We've arrived, everyone down!
In the blink of an eye, the action was immediate. All the sages jumped at once, landing with precision in the area Link had pointed out. But the Hero, in his concentration, nearly lost his balance when he unknowingly stepped on a slippery object. The object shifted beneath his boots, and for a moment, his body faltered, but he quickly regained his composure.
Once he fully recovered, curiosity got the best of him, and he looked down beneath his boots to identify what he had slipped on. However, before he could inspect it, the object, which had seemed solid, vanished into the air with a soft *poof*, followed by a faint swirl of reddish smoke.
Confused, he glanced at the sole of his boots to see if he could identify any remnants. However, due to the lack of light, he could barely make out anything beyond a pasty, whitish smear with a strangely oily texture. He furrowed his brow, uneasy about what had just happened, but there was no time to stop.
Sidon turned to him, surprised that he had lagged behind.
—Everything okay, Link? Something wrong? —he asked, his friendly tone mixed with concern.
—Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, —Link responded, trying to sound calm—. I just slipped, but I couldn't find the cause.
He quickened his pace to catch up with the others, who were already heading toward the meeting point, leaving the incident behind, even though a faint unease still lingered in his mind.
The intangible darkness of the underground loomed over them. Sounds of unknown origin, brief but unsettling enough to raise the hairs on their necks, filled the air.
In the distance, the distant roar of the Demon King reverberated through the catacomb walls, making the air thick and almost unbreathable. Link and the sages breathed deeply to prevent the sound from affecting them, but in their minds, the warning was clear. They were too close. There was no turning back.
As they moved forward, Riju glanced toward the dragon, which was now out of reach, flying toward a gap in the ceiling. In that moment, she saw something that shocked her. She stopped and blinked several times to be sure that what she was seeing was real.
—Look! —she exclaimed in disbelief. —The white dragon is crying!
Link turned quickly, but he barely managed to catch a glimpse of the dragon disappearing into the darkness of the ceiling. A bright tear fell from its eye, like a drop of pure light. For a brief moment, the tear illuminated the abyss, but it soon vanished, swallowed by the eternal darkness of the underground.
Then, the question hit him: "Why? Why did the dragon cry? Was its pain the same as mine?"
The sight of the dragon crying stirred within him a deep longing, warm and sharp like a freshly opened wound. Feeling it so close, almost within reach of his hand, but at the same time as unattainable as a dream dissolving at dawn, amplified the emptiness in his heart to an unbearable level.
His thoughts began to cloud, and, unable to stop it, the image of Zelda falling again and again into the abyss flooded his mind, like an unstoppable storm battering his spirit.
He clenched his eyes shut, fighting to contain the whirlwind of emotions, but his heart cried out for what had been taken from him. Then she appeared. It wasn't Zelda, but something about the vision made her inevitably close to her. The puppet emerged from the shadows as a cruel response to his longing, her ethereal figure carrying an unsettling, disarming allure.
The puppet danced before him, her laughter breaking down all his defenses. He felt the soft caress of her hands, the echo of her voice whispering promises that awakened the darkest, most buried desires of his heart. Her dress, clinging to her figure, brushed against Link's hands, unleashing a pang of desire and confusion. In a reflexive act, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.
The puppet moved closer, her lips slightly parted, filled with desire, just a breath away. But just as they were about to touch, a shiver ran through Link's body. With a violent shake, he pulled away from the vision.
"No, it's not real," he repeated desperately. "I can't let myself be consumed by this darkness again. I can't surrender to the void that threatens to pull me under."
"Since when did I think about Zelda like this?" The question hit him like an unexpected thunderclap, a new and overwhelming feeling that took him by surprise. They had been friends since the Calamity, sharing battles, silences, and moments of peace, but never before had he felt what was consuming him now. Since her disappearance, each day without her felt like an eternity of emptiness. He missed everything about her: her laughter, her warmth, the scent she left behind when she passed. And in his sleepless nights, he thought about her lips, so beautiful, so close, yet so unreachable. He longed for more than her presence... he desired everything about her.
The vision of the puppet vanished, and in its place, the Demon King appeared, mocking him. His laughter echoed in his mind, stripping him of all strength, tearing apart his most intimate thoughts. How could he know? How could this monstrous being understand his darkest desires, desires he hadn't even dared to confess? A chill ran through his body, his forehead slick with cold sweat. The Demon King wasn't just pursuing him on the battlefield, but also in his mind, touching the weakest fibers of his soul.
Gasping, his heart pounding in his chest, he leaned against the wall, struggling to stay upright, to not get lost in that abyss of confusion.
—Link... —Tulin's voice, faint at first, became clearer, shaking him from his thoughts. He was flying nearby, his wings fluttering nervously. —Are you okay? Shouldn't you contact Mineru?
Link blinked several times, snapping back to reality. He forced himself to shake his head, brushing away the fog that surrounded him.
—Yeah... sure... I'm fine —he replied, his voice trembling, though he tried to force a smile that quickly faded when he saw the concern in Tulin's eyes. "You better be fine, Link..." He thought, with renewed intensity. But his hands continued to shake slightly. There was no time for more doubts. Everything was at stake now.
His breathing began to slow gradually. He looked at the sages, his companions, each one with an expression of concern and pure urgency. He had to keep his composure, stay strong. The Demon King wouldn't hesitate. Hyrule, his friends... they were all counting on him. He couldn't fail them.
—I'll contact Mineru right away; I'll gather the coordinates and create a safe teleportation point for her. —With his face still pale, Link forced himself to breathe deeply, clinging to his goal. He forced himself to focus so he wouldn't lose his mind again, pulling the tablet from his pocket, feeling the cold metal, an anchor amidst the storm of thoughts that still threatened to overwhelm him. He had to hurry.
Still trembling, he activated the measurement scanner and the chat. The numbers began to blink on the screen, and the information he needed appeared before him, tracing the coordinates of the location and establishing a safe teleportation point for Mineru. The device emitted a soft beep indicating that everything was ready, but something still weighed on his mind. The urgency wouldn't stop throbbing in his chest.
As the positioning app finished setting up, Link kept his gaze fixed on the screen, his thoughts divided between the present and the past. The light emanating from the tablet reflected in his intense blue eyes, briefly illuminating the strength of his resolve. Finally, he turned toward the sages, his expression tense and his voice firm, though cracked by the shadow of his own uncertainty.
His breathing began to calm slowly. He looked at the sages, his companions, each one with an expression of concern and pure urgency. He had to keep his composure, stay strong. The Demon King wouldn't hesitate. Hyrule, his friends... they were all counting on him. He couldn't fail them.
—I'll contact Mineru right away; I'm going to gather the coordinates and create a safe teleportation point for her. —With his face still pale, Link forced himself to take a deep breath, clinging to his goal. Forcing himself to focus so as not to lose his composure again, he took the tablet from his pocket, feeling the cold touch of the metal, an anchor amidst the storm of thoughts that still threatened to overwhelm him. He had to hurry.
Still trembling, he activated the measurement scanner and the chat. The numbers began to blink on the screen, and the information he needed appeared in front of him, tracing the location's coordinates and establishing a safe teleportation point for Mineru. The device emitted a soft beep, indicating that everything was ready, but something still weighed on his mind. The urgency continued to throb in his chest.
As the positioning app finished configuring, Link kept his gaze fixed on the screen, his thoughts divided between the present and the past. The light emanating from the tablet reflected in his intense blue eyes, briefly illuminating the strength of his resolve. Finally, he turned to face the sages, his expression tense and his voice firm, though broken by the shadow of his own uncertainty.
—As soon as Mineru arrives, we'll move forward through the door at the back. Take this moment to regain your strength or take something that will protect you. We don't know what awaits us, but it's certain it will be tough. There's still a long way to go to the pit... the place where Zelda... Disappeared.
The last fragment of the sentence escaped with an involuntary tremor, betraying the pain he carried inside. Remembering that moment was like reliving it: an unbearable weight clinging to his chest, digging deeper with each word.
The sages exchanged glances, sharing a gesture full of understanding. Although they had never said it aloud—and they knew Link would stubbornly deny it if anyone mentioned it—each of them was deeply aware of how broken his heart had been since the incident, a wound that had deepened when Zelda's cruel fate had been revealed to them.
And the worst part... that moment just before, when he had felt her so close, almost within reach, only to discover that she was still irredeemably far away. That recent, fresh, and sharp pain seemed to envelop him like a dark cloak, adding weight to an already unbearable burden. It didn't just weigh on him; it marked each of his steps, like an unrelenting shadow that never dissipated.
Sidon, with his serene yet imposing presence, approached him silently. He placed a firm hand on his shoulder, conveying a mixture of support and determination. With the other hand, he clenched his fist, his eyes shining with fierce intensity.
—Brother —he said in a deep voice, but full of promise—, we'll end that monster. We'll reduce him to rubble, I promise you. Hyrule will never hear from him again.
Sidon's words resonated like a vow, not only to Link but to all the land they swore to protect. Though the pain still lingered, Link felt the spark of hope that the sages were trying to keep alive within him. It was a reminder that he wasn't alone in this fight, even if the emptiness in his heart sometimes seemed too large to fill.
Silence reigned again in the room as Link, now more strengthened, continued with his incessant tapping. Meanwhile, the sages, immersed in a mixture of boredom and unease, scattered around the room. Some began to inspect with fascination the Zonai archaeological pieces that decorated the place, admiring the intricate inscriptions and ancient technologies.
Unable to remain still, Tulin joined Yunobo, and together they approached the imposing door at the back. After a few moments of observation and a quick exchange of words, they managed to calculate the approximate distance to the pit. Concern was reflected in Tulin and Yunobo's faces as they returned to where Link was.
—Why don't you set up the teleportation closer to the pit? —Yunobo suggested, arms crossed and a tone that mixed pragmatism with impatience—. Mostly, to save Mineru some walking.
Link, without taking his eyes off his work, frowned with an almost inaudible sigh, as though that idea had already crossed his mind and been discarded for reasons that didn't need explaining.
—It was the first thing we thought of—he responded without looking up from the screen, focused on fine-tuning the details of the device—. But when we did the first tests to make sure everything would go smoothly, we realized there were issues with creating it. We don't know if it's because Ba'tures' root is far or if there's something interfering with the signal.
—So—Yunobo's voice took on a darker, more fearful tone—are you saying that... down there? We'll be isolated... unable to ask for help, like from Prunia, to teleport us out?
Link looked at him seriously. Although the fear had been lingering in his mind since they discovered the problem with the signal, it was the first time anyone had given voice to his concerns.
—Everything will be fine—Link tried to reassure Yunobo, turning to face him while giving him a smile and placing a hand on his shoulder—. We've brought plenty of healing supplies, and we'll be able to get out by climbing up the pit again once the battle is over.
Suddenly, his trained ears caught a muffled laugh. He quickly turned toward the sound, trying to identify its source, but just at that moment, it stopped, as if his movement had triggered its disappearance. After a few seconds, he looked back at Yunobo, who was watching him, tense.
—What...? Is something wrong?—The young Goron was starting to get nervous— I saw you staring at that wall.
—Bah, it's nothing, don't worry—Link tried to sound casual, though not entirely convincing. He added a false look of embarrassment to avoid making Yunobo more anxious—. I just saw a rodent, something from the underground, and it startled me... wasn't expecting it.
Seeing Yunobo give a slight smile, Link turned back to his task of sending the coordinates. Once he saw him move away, Link subtly glanced at the sole of the boot he had slipped on, taking advantage of the extra light. The substance stuck to his boot had been breaking apart with each step, leaving a small oily trail. Quickly, he typed a message to Mineru: "A rat has snuck into the den."
Finally, the tablet buzzed, notifying the Hero that the coordinates were valid and the teleportation would be safe. It also confirmed the time Mineru had to use it. He copied the data returned by the teleportation app and sent it to Mineru. A few seconds later, Mineru confirmed receipt and the start of the process.
As he was putting the tablet back into its case, Link turned to face the others and saw that they were admiring the content of the Zonnan murals.
The murals depicted fragments of their history. The first image showed Rauru descending from the heavens to the land occupied by the Hylian people. He knew that he had married the Hylian priestess Sonnia, a union reflected in the next mural. Continuing through the murals, the sages saw a scene where the Gerudo king, Ganondorf, killed Sonia, taking her secret stone and becoming the Demon King. Then, a depiction of the Imprisoning War could be admired.
The murals continued, but the last panels were hidden behind a pile of rubble, the result of centuries of collapse. During their excursions, Link and Mineru, with their faces tense from anticipation, tried to move some of the rocks, but time didn't allow them to stop for long.
Suddenly, a loud crash broke the silence. Link instinctively turned toward the source of the noise, his muscles tense and his heart in his throat. Yunobo, driven by impatience, had charged at the obstacle, managing to move a large portion of the stones. The room shook with the impact, and a cloud of dust filled the air. Link's combat instincts kicked in, as the noise reverberated through the walls; each sound a warning.
As the dust settled, the content of the hidden murals was now visible. With firm steps, Link moved forward, his eyes scanning the images. One of them showed a woman standing beside an altar, holding a sword with an expression of solemn surrender. The next panel depicted a dragon soaring through the sky, passing through an arch adorned with the symbols of the ancient royal family of Hyrule. Upon closer inspection, Link froze. The Master Sword rested on the dragon's head, entwined in the strands of its mane.
He felt a overwhelming vertigo as he realized that the story of Zelda, the tale of her sacrifice, had remained buried for more than ten thousand years beneath the Hyrule Castle.
They heard a noise behind him. Turning toward it, they saw a flash of blue particles as the figure of Mineru materialized at the temporary teleportation point Link had created.
The glow of blue particles surrounding her began to fade slowly, revealing a metallic figure that seemed to blend with the surroundings. The wisdom in her gaze reflected years of experience, but also the sadness of a sacrifice that still echoed within her. A murmur rippled through the group of sages as they saw the apparition, each reacting differently. Yunobo was the first to smile, though his expression was somewhat shy.
—"Mineru!" Yunobo exclaimed, raising an arm enthusiastically.
—"It's so good to see you again!" Riju, more reserved, tilted her head as she watched Mineru emerge in the air, her presence as imposing as ever.
When Mineru finally finished materializing, she lifted her gaze, scanning the room for the voices that had greeted her.
—"Wow, hello," Mineru greeted. Instantly, everyone turned toward her. —"I see you managed to remove the stones that were covering those last two murals."
—"Well, yes," Yunobo said, somewhat embarrassed, scratching his head, while the others tried to stifle their laughter. —"You see, it was a... bit of an accidental discovery."
—"And well," Mineru continued, "what do those murals tell?"
—"But don't you know?" Riju asked, surprised. —"I thought, being part of your people and knowing the events of the Imprisoning War..."
—"No," Mineru clarified, her strange metallic voice slightly modulating, expressing sadness. —"I suppose they were carved after... that battle. It's even possible that it was after Zelda made her decision about how she would get the Master Sword to Link. At that time, I... was no longer... alive, at least not in body. My spirit was inside Prunia's tablet." Link looked at her with understanding, noticing how her words revealed deep pain.
—"Exactly," Link said, softening his voice, trying to comfort her. —"It was clear that remembering that saddened her."
During the Imprisoning War, Mineru died from serious wounds in a crucial battle. Before her death, she separated her spirit from her body, locking it in Prunia's tablet. Later, when Zelda made the final decision about the Master Sword, she entrusted it to the temple butler golem of the Temple of Time, awaiting Link's return ten thousand years later.
Mineru moved toward the newly uncovered murals, and the others politely stepped aside to give her space. As she reached them, Mineru's gaze fixed on the engravings, and something in her expression changed as she recognized the symbols.
—"This symbol..." Mineru said, her voice fluctuating between awe and concern as she pointed at the engraving on the arch. Everyone gathered closer to examine it under the light of the torch. It was then that they realized it was the Eye of Truth, the emblem of the Sheikah, but enclosed within the three golden triangles that form the Triforce.
—"The Eye of Truth has been the symbol of the Sheikah since time immemorial," Mineru continued. —"Its purpose is to protect the Royal Family and, especially, the Triforce. But this emblem here shows something more: the fusion of truth and the light of the Triforce. It symbolizes how opposing forces can unite to create something greater than themselves."
The group exchanged glances in silence, understanding that their union was more than a mere act of cooperation: it was the key to restoring balance and saving Hyrule.
A distant sound interrupted their words. Link looked up, scrutinizing the shadows stretching on the walls. The sound of stealthy footsteps made him tense. His hand, tight, grasped the hilt of the Master Sword without drawing it. Mineru and he exchanged looks of understanding.
Alarmed, the others exchanged uneasy glances, while the crackling of the torches broke the calm of the chamber.
After a few tense seconds trying to locate the source of the sound in vain, Link spoke, remembering Zelda's words.
—"The Triforce represents the balance between Courage, Wisdom, and Power. The Sheikah have always protected that balance because they know it can't be manipulated by just anyone."
Mineru spoke with greater intensity.
—"Exactly. That balance is the only thing that can contain the darkness surrounding the Demon King. But that's not enough. The union of the sages, like the three components of the Triforce, is necessary to create the power capable of facing him."
—"I just remembered that this emblem was also carved into the floor of the Central Bastion, destroyed by the Cataclysm," Link said thoughtfully. —"I didn't understand its importance back then, but now it all makes sense. It was part of the seal Rauru created to contain the Demon King."
Mineru began to respond, but Link's trained ears caught another subtle sound, like someone slipping against the rock. He raised a hand to signal for silence and drew the Master Sword, noticing how its glow began to intensify slightly. The five sages turned to him, alerted by his sudden reaction.
—"What's wrong, friend?" Sidon asked with his usual kind tone, trying to calm him down.
—"We're not alone. I'm hearing footsteps," Link replied, his gaze fixed on the darkness, trying to locate the source of the sound. But just as he tried to focus, the noise stopped, as if his silence had extinguished it. After a brief pause, and trying not to alarm the sages, he added: —"I guess, since we're underground, it could be the anuront's offspring looking for zonnanium veins."
However, both Link and Mineru knew the reality was different. They were being watched. They exchanged a brief look, wordlessly, but their eyes conveyed a clear message: they knew what they had to do. They were being watched, and they would need to be ready for anything.
Mineru continued speaking. Despite showing calm to the others, she was scanning every corner, every shadow. She cursed herself for not having surveillance in that part of the abyss. "Anyway," she consoled herself, remembering the frustration of weeks of failed attempts to activate the teleporter. "I can't even get the signal to reach here."
—"A seal that couldn't last forever," Mineru continued, her tone darker. —"The Triforce alone is not enough. The balance we need to seal the Demon King requires something more: the sacrifice of someone pure of heart. Without that offering, all of this will be in vain."
—"And that someone pure of heart..." Riju's heart squeezed just thinking about it. She couldn't bring herself to say his name.
—"Yes, Riju," Mineru finished the sentence. —"That someone pure of heart is the Hero of Hyrule, the Bearer of the Sword that repels evil. That someone is Link."
Link turned his gaze back to the panels. The carvings told of the death of Rauru, the Sage of Light, a being pure of heart. His sacrifice, ten thousand years ago, was what sealed the Demon King, giving the world a chance at peace. Mineru's words echoed in his mind, full of meaning and sorrow. In that moment, certainty hit him deep inside: The destiny was sealed; he might not return from this battle.
He looked at the Master Sword and shield, now back in his hands, feeling the weight of the situation. He knew what it meant, what he had to do... The thought that he might not leave this confrontation alive gripped him, but he couldn't doubt.
Mineru watched him closely, noticing his thoughtful demeanor, but said nothing. Link averted his gaze, struggling not to let his emotions betray him. He rubbed his forehead, soaked in sweat, and silently stood up, beginning to walk. His steps were hesitant, as though he feared his unease might be too obvious to the others. The fear surrounding him was so great that it was hard to breathe normally.
—"We have to continue. Every second we waste puts everyone else in danger," Link said, trying to banish the terror that gripped him, addressing the sages. Within seconds, the others followed his lead.
Another crack broke their thoughts. This time, everyone heard the noise.
Link looked around, his warrior instincts alerting all his senses. Mineru, still lingering behind, studying the murals, raised her head, her metallic eyes shining with a darker hue.
—"What was that?" Riju asked, her voice low and filled with concern.
—"Link..." Mineru said, a note of warning in her voice.
—"I know," he replied, turning toward the entrance of the chamber. The "rat" was moving beyond, down the hallway that had led them here.
Suddenly, a barely audible sound, like the click of a mechanism activating, reverberated in the air. A chill ran down Link's spine. Someone had triggered a trap that hadn't been there when he explored the area with Mineru. Footsteps echoed again, this time quicker. *"Who's there? We're being watched,"* he thought, his heart racing.
The torches flickered, and the ground beneath their feet began to tremble, as if the very earth were cracking. A low, deep, guttural growl echoed in the distance, reverberating through the darkness.
Mineru moved closer to Link, equally incredulous. Her voice trembled, though she tried to stay composed.
—"How did we not notice this trap?"
They exchanged confused looks, but the tremor, growing stronger by the second, forced them to act. The room began to creak under their feet, and chunks of rock started falling from the ceiling as if the place were about to collapse on them. Without thinking, they ran toward the door that would lead them to the well, but before they could reach it, a crack snaked along the wall of murals, splitting them in half.
—"Nooo, the legacy of the Zonnan!" Link shouted in desperation, turning to try to save something.
—"Link, no!" Mineru shouted with an intensity unusual for her, as Yunobo grabbed him just in time, pulling him toward the hallway and preventing a colossal rock from crushing him. —"There's nothing we can do!"
The roar grew louder. The wall gave way with a bone-crushing crack, and the murals that had withstood millennia crumbled into a shower of dust and debris.
The ceiling began to cave in; massive blocks fell everywhere. Link, gritting his teeth, barely had time to cast one last desperate glance before continuing to run with the sages, dodging the falling stones. The roar of the collapse pursued them like an angry beast as they plunged into the corridor. The adrenaline burned through their veins, fueled by the deafening sound of cracks multiplying around them.
When they finally crossed into the next stretch, one last jolt sealed off the path behind them with a final, earth-shattering noise.
Finally, the ceiling gave way, and the last passage to the exit was blocked.
---
From his hideout in the abyss, surrounded by a pile of tough bananas and two vigilant soldiers, Master Kogg watched with malicious satisfaction. The mask covering his face, adorned with the symbol of an inverted Sheikah eye in crimson, added a disturbing aura to his presence. Though no one could see his face, the mask seemed alive, amplifying the intensity of his gaze, which pierced the darkness like a ray of malice.
His eyes, hidden behind the mask, seemed to glow with an unsettling light, as if the crimson eye engraved on the metal were transmitting dark energy that resonated with his own will. In his hand, he firmly held the button of the mechanism that activated an artifact of his invention, crafted with Zonnan technology and meticulously recorded in one of his schematics.
Kogg licked his lips with satisfaction. The mechanism, created from meticulously adapted Zonnan technology, worked perfectly. High-frequency waves fractured the ground with precision, turning the earth into chaos with cracks and collapses. The walls trembled as though made of paper.
Setting the mechanism aside, he asked one of his minions to pass him a tough banana from the pile. As he savored it with growing delight, he settled into his seat. "Ah, the beauty of ancient science applied to modern chaos..." he thought, wiping a trace of juice from his chin.
"Or, as I call it... *FRAC-KOGGING*!" he exclaimed with a suppressed laugh, enjoying his own invention while taking another bite of the banana.
The cracks multiplied, the ground roared like a beast, and the tremor reached its peak. Rocks and chunks of walls and ceiling fell at great speed. "They'll be crushed," Kogg licked his lips. "And those who aren't will die trapped in this catacomb forever."
Kogg watched with growing enthusiasm as the heroes fought to keep their balance, dodging falling chunks of ceiling and leaping over stone blocks that threatened to trap them.
When a huge rock nearly crushed the Gerudo witch, Kogg burst into laughter. But it was the next moment that nearly made him lose composure to the point of dropping his banana: One of the heroes — the walking fish — clumsily tripped and fell face-first onto the ground. In his disastrous fall, his side collided with a sharp rock that had broken loose from the terrain.
The dry sound of the impact echoed in the air, and Kogg watched with delight as the hero remained on the ground, writhing in pain. His smile widened as he saw the so-called "Hero of the Weak" turn to his companion, ready to help him, in a gesture that Kogg only saw as another pathetic attempt at heroism.
"Fools! Did they think they could escape my genius?" he said, leaning forward to look better through the crack, enjoying every second of the chaos he had unleashed.
"The Demon King will be so impressed... Ha! He might even name this trick in my honor... *Kogg-quakes*, sounds good, right? Yes, sounds perfect!" he added, licking his lips as he savored the last piece of banana.
But what he saw next filled him with rage: The huge Goron, with his charge, had cleared the path of rocks, watching with considerable dismay as they were getting closer to the well. He had saved them more than once. His size made him perfect for protecting them from his traps.
"Damned Goron!" he hissed through his teeth, tossing the banana peel over his shoulder with disdain. "Always ruining my plans."
He rubbed his hands together as a twisted plan began to form in his mind. "Malice... oh, yes. He will be the first to fall."
With a growl, he grabbed the mechanism again, twisted the gear to maximum intensity, and pressed the button once more. This time, the earthquake intensified. Rocks fell with even greater force, and the air filled with thick dust, obscuring their vision.
"That's it! Run, hero, run! No one escapes Master Kogg," he said with a mocking laugh. As the hallway collapsed completely behind them, Master Kogg reclined in his seat, enjoying the final show. With a distracted gesture, he signaled to one of the soldiers to pass him another tough banana from the pile. Satisfied, he licked his lips as he slowly peeled the fruit.
Finally, the last tremors before the mechanism ceased to work made a massive rock fall, sealing off the hallway behind them and the hole they had descended through, leaving the heroes trapped for life in the abyss.
"They won't get out," Kogg muttered in the darkness. "The electromagnetic pulses of the *Frac-Kogging* also cancel out the root signals." His voice filled with satisfaction. "They won't be able to contact the surface for help. They're completely isolated."
The final vibrations shook the place, and darkness enveloped the hallway. Kogg closed his eyes, relishing both the destruction and the taste of the banana.
"Victory is mine..."