Zelda Skyward Sword Ch 17

Chapter 17: Lanayru Mining Facility

In its prime, Lanayru Mining Facility was a full-time factory for using and transporting Timeshift Stones. In present time, some wear starts to show on it.

Link noticed this as he entered the factory. The walls and floors were all the same dull brownish color, and waterfalls of sand created rivers along the sides of the room. The air smelled of old machinery and broken wires.

It was quite pitiful, as he was expecting to see tons of robots hard at work, but he had to remind himself that he would need a Timeshift Stone for that.

He walked across the metal floor, kicking up clouds of dust and sand. He pulled the far door open, remembering the reason he was here: to find the passage leading to the Temple of Time.

The next room was very large, with conveyor belts lining the walls and traveling across the floor. However they were stopped, and sinksand filled the room. Link walked out across one of the halted conveyor belts, looking around. He then spotted the Timeshift Stone situated above him. He looked around for something to throw, and picked up a small chunk that had crumpled off one of the nearby machines. He aimed for the Stone, thinking that if he went back in time, one of the robots could guide him to the passageway.

He threw the hunk as hard as he could, and to his delight he heard a CLANG as it came in contact with the Stone, turning it blue. The whole room came to life, and he watched as the robot remains on the level above him picked themselves off the ground and return to work.

It was then that the ground he was standing on jolted. He forgot he was on one of the conveyor belts, which was threatening to carry him through a barrier of electric shock that covered the tunnel it flowed towards.

He ran against the belt, dodging the hunks of Timeshift Stones traveling past him. He wasn't really getting anywhere, as it was traveling swiftly.

"Hey! Where did that human come from?" a robot from above called out in an annoyed tone. "He's getting in the way of our production!"

"Yeah! Someone get him!" another agreed.

"Oh, let's just let him fry. The shockwave barrier will serve us well!" They seemed to cackle as they spoke, others joining in.

Link started to get tired, and he became closer and closer to the electric barrier. He poured on the speed, but it wasn't doing much.

Just when he thought he would meet his end getting shocked to death, a voice called out from above.

"Need some help?"

Link looked up to see a robot hovering above him, a propeller attached to its head. He nodded desperately, and the robot picked him up by the arms and pulled him to safety.

"What brings a human to our mining facility?" the robot asked as it placed Link down on the upper level. Link explained about the rubble blocking the entrance to the Temple of Time and how he needed another way in.

"Well, lucky for you there is a passage, and it isn't far from this room," the robot said. "I'd take you there myself, but I'm the supervisor for this room, so I can't leave. However I'll lead you to the door that will take you there."

The robot walked Link past rows and rows of identical androids, all working with Timeshift Stones. Some were carving them into smooth round rocks, others engraving symbols onto their shining surfaces. They all stared at him as he walked past, keeping their mouths shut since he was with the supervisor.

"I'm sorry some of my employees are rather rude," the supervisor said, looking sternly to one robot who was making a rude gesture in Link's direction. "We don't see humans all that often anymore, so they don't know how to act around them."

At the end of the assembly line was a door. "All right, this next room will lead you to the passage doorway. Oh! And one more thing…" The supervisor pulled out a strange looking gold object and handed it to Link. "You'll need this to open the door. Good luck!"

Link thanked the kind bot and headed through the door, out of the Timeshift Stone's reaches. The room was quite spacious, with several platforms all spaced out around a deep chasm. He wasn't sure why the factory was set up this way, as he was expecting the robots to want it to be as safe as possible. Oh well.

He looked for the door the robot told him about. Then he saw, about halfway down the right side of the room, a huge golden door. The only problem was how he was going to get over there. He decided he was going to have to resort to the only option: walking along the wall.

He went over to the wall. A trim along it extended out a few inches, giving him the room he needed to get across. He carefully placed one foot on it, and, after making sure it was solid, began shimmying along the wall.

It was quite tedious, and very nerve-wracking. Even the slightest slip could cause him to fall into the darkness below. He pressed his body hard against the wall for support, and he began to ache from effort, but he kept going.

About three-fourths of the way to the platform which led to the door, he slipped. His surprised gasp echoed around the empty room and he reached out desperately for something to grab. His fingers grasped the trim ledge, stopping his plummet. After regaining his focus, he began, little by little, making his way to the door, one hand at a time.

Finally, after seemingly endless minutes, he reached the platform. He pulled himself up and collapsed on the metalwork, regaining his breath and strength. That was close, he thought, pulling himself up.

He looked to the door and held up the carving the robot gave him. It fit perfectly into the slot. The door swung slowly open with a loud CREAK. Link headed inside, anticipating meeting with Zelda once again.

The large room was filled with sand, but thankfully it was stable and safe to walk on. He looked around for another doorway, but found nothing. He was about to start searching for a Timeshift Stone to hit when he felt the ground beneath him shift.

He looked down to see something moving beneath the sand. It seemed something had nested here since time had worn on the factory.

The ground quivered, and the thing emerged. It was a huge jet-black scorpion, complete with sharp stinger hanging from the end of its tail. Link knew that one blow from the stinger would kill him instantly.

It didn't seem very happy with Link barging into its nest, and it scurried towards him across the sand. Link held his sword out, prepared to defend himself. The scorpion swung a claw at him, but Link dodged and swung his sword, cutting the claw clean off its body.

It screeched unhappily and lunged with the remaining claw. It grabbed Link before he could dodge, and it began crushing him. He cried out and slashed clumsily at the claw with his free hand. After a few tries he succeeded in dispatching the claw from the scorpion.

He untangled himself from the jagged claw as the scorpion shrieked at him, lowering its stinger. He dodged as it lunged, barely missing the poisonous barb. He thrust his sword at it, landing a hit in one of its eyes. It let out a screech of pain and Link kicked it, wanting it to fall to the side so he could get at its underbelly.

It did just that. It fell on its side, squirming uselessly, and Link slashed at its underside. With one final shriek it died, falling to the sand with a soft thud.

It was then that the sand began to drain, and Link fought to keep his balance as he was tossed to and fro. When he reached the bottom, he saw the familiar golden door. When he reached it it disintegrated, revealing the room beyond.

It was dim, and the only thing shining was the Timeshift Stone near the doorway. He tapped it with his sword, and the room sprung to life. Light flooded in through the glass roof, shining on golden statues of robots saluting lining the walls. A lone mine cart started glowing, and Link hopped in, feeling the sunlight on his dusty face as he rode to the other end of the tunnel.

At the other end he got out and, feeling refreshed and victorious, headed out into the sun to the Temple of Time.