Zelda Skyward Sword Ch 39

Chapter 39: Fire Sanctuary

The inside of the sanctuary was almost as hot as the volcano summit, but not quite. Tall statues lined the walls, their red jeweled eyes staring silently at Link as he walked along. Rivers of magma flowed slowly in windy paths, reminding him of the Earth Temple.

Strange spiky plants grew on thick vines snaking down from the ceiling, and it baffled him to think that any type of greenery could survive in the intense heat. He prodded one with his sword, and it opened its hard bud, releasing a large drop of water, which splashed down and immediately evaporated upon contact with the ground.

After admiring the survival skills of the plant, he turned to face forward again. A wide lava flow blocked him from the door at the far side of the room. He tapped his chin in thought, wondering how he could cross. A few of the spiked plants hung low over the magma, their ends scorched black from its heat.

He picked up a slender stone from the ground, took aim, and threw it at one of the bulbs. It burst, dropping water into the lava, which solidified at its touch. A small scorching platform was made.

This is exactly what Link had hoped would happen. He jumped out onto it, using it to reach the other side. Once there he scraped the soles of his boots against the ground, which were smoking. He walked to the door, reaching for its shiny doorknob, when a rumbling sounded behind him. He spun around, hand on hilt, only to find a Mogma pop up out of the dirt.

“Ahhh... The exit at last...” He spoke with an old crackly voice, a long white beard covering most of his face. It took him a moment to notice Link, making him jump.

“Whoa! Don't scare me like that! I thought you were one of those monsters creeps!” the old Mogma croaked. “Who are you, anyway? Whatcha doing here?”

Link spoke briefly of his quest, mentioning the final Sacred Flame.

“Ah, I getcha. You're searching for treasure too.” The Mogma rubbed his beard. “My name's Guld. I'm the big boss of the Mogmas. No offense, pal, but you don't look like the kinda guy I'd send in here on a treasure-huntin' misson... but what do I know, ya might just surprise me.”

Guld rubbed his claws together. “So here's the deal. Word in the tunnels is there's a huge treasure hidden in these here ruins... But nobody who's ever seen it has come back to tell the tale. Countless treasure hunters have disappeared in here. Poof! Gone. As a treasure digger, I gotta warn you to just turn around and enjoy the many peaceful years of diggin' left to you, but... You're gonna do this no matter what I say, aren't ya?”

Link slowly nodded. The odds don't matter to me; I have to get to Zelda.

“All right, then... I'm gonna let you in on an ancient treasure-hunting legend passed down among generations of Mogmas.” Guld nodded seriously to Link. “Every Mogma worth a handful o' dirt knows this one... 'Ye who seek the entrance to the king's treasure, look for the two statues who face one another. Show your bravery and jump into the mouth of the sleeping statue. Do this, and the path will open before you.' You remember that, and you're golden.”

Link nodded, tucking the tale away in his mind for future reference.

“Some of my guys are searchin' around here for the treasure,” Guld continued. “If you get lost, holler at one of 'em. Good luck on your quest, young digger!” He saluted to Link before diving back beneath the earth.

Sleeping statue, sleeping statue... Link muttered in his mind as he opened the door. It led to a small balcony overlooking the vastness of the sanctuary. Several rows of stone walkways were carved into the rock faces, which reached high up into the sapphire sky. Farther along, at the other end, an inner building sat, a large golden padlock strapped to its heavily designed doors, gleaming in the sunlight.

His gut told him the Sacred Flame was behind those heavy-laden doors. He would have to cross all these paths somehow.

He started by descending the staircase to the side of the balcony. At the bottom was another door, leading back inside. The room was rather large, the lower section of the floor covered with lava, making the whole room glow.

A strangled cry made Link look up. A Mogma was dangling from a chain hanging from the ceiling. It was attached to the creature's broad back, his small paws a few feet above the steaming lava.

The Mogma was struggling, flailing its limbs about, making the chain wobble. “Yeeeee! That stuff looks HOT! I wouldn't mind a little hot bath for my sore shoulders, but this is too much!” He screeched, eyes wide, looking to Link. “What've we got here? Another new guard? Hah! You can't break me with interrogation. You'll NEVER make me talk! I'm not some sideshow for you to gawk at! Get lost!”

Link was about to explain himself, but the Mogma was no longer interested, resuming his staring contest with the lava. Link glanced to the wall, where a large switch hung. There was no way for him to get the creature down without scorching him to a crisp. He'd have to find a way to drain the room.

With one last glance at the Mogma, he headed through the next doorway to the right. It led to a raised platform overlooking a large room. Lava was at the bottom, underneath a grated floor. Movement in the scalding liquid indicated something was down there.

Link jumped, landing with a CLANG on the floor. Through the grate not one but two creatures rose up to greet him. They were made completely of molten magma, forming the shape of hands. One made a grab for him, but he dove out of the way.

Ow!

Link let out a cry. When he dove he rolled into some withered vines hanging on the wall, which were concealing a small hidden room. Inside were tons of the spiky green plants from the entrance, and Link had run into some of them.

He grimaced, freeing himself from the barbs. He pulled a large spike from his arm, gritting his teeth. His scratched face looked beyond the doorway, where the lava creatures sat, awaiting his return so they could scorch him to death.

I need a plan. He looked to the plants surrounding him, remembering their affect on the lava near the entrance to the sanctuary. An idea struck him just then, and he smiled.

But how to carry them? He unsheathed his sword, jabbing one the bulbs with it. It stuck to the tip, and he pulled it free from the vine. He then ran out onto the grated floor, holding the plant out in front of him.

One of the magma hands rushed at him, and he flicked his wrist, causing the bulb to soar and splash down against the creature. It writhed before becoming a solid statue of solidified lava.

He hit it repeatedly with his sword, making large cracks in its surface. After a few more strikes it shattered, small brown shards flying everywhere.

Link hadn't been paying attention to the second monster, and it took this opportunity to grab him. It hadn't been for the Fireshield Earrings, he would have died right then. But instead he broke free, running back to the room with the plants, patting down his burning tunic. He jabbed another bulb, flinging it at the monster. Just as the first, it became a solid chunk. After repeated hits it too crumbled to pieces.

Once both hands were dead the lava drained from under the grate. A cheer was heard. Through a grate in the wall, the captured Mogma could be seen, clapping. The magma underneath him, too, had been sucked away.

“I was watchin' ya, pal!” he said to Link. “Ya really socked it to those lava thingers! Amazing stuff!”

He began to struggle again. “And if ya don't mind one more thing while you're at it, how about ya get me down from here!”

Chuckling, Link headed back into the previous room. He hit the switch, slowly lowering the Mogma to the floor. He unhooked him, and creature let out a happy yip, bouncing on its red tail.

“Oh yaaah! I'm saved!” he cheered. “I don't know who ya are or where you're from, but I owe ya big-time! Are ya here looking for treasure too?”

Link decided to just go with it, and nodded.

“Ha ha! You're totally caught up in that too, pal!” the Mogma laughed. “I can see it on your face! You're here because of the 'legend of the sleeping statue', right?”

He pointed a claw at himself. “The name's Silva. I'm here lookin' for the treasure too. Come to think of it...” he looked around. “...My brother's in here too, but I haven't seen him in a while...”

Silva shrugged. “Eh, I'm sure he's fine. But listen, you seem to know what you're doing. Do you think I could tag along and look for the treasure with you? I know you just saved me and all, but I REALLY want to get my claws on the treasure!” He clasped his hands together. “Please?”

Link smiled, rolling his eyes. He looked to the pleading Mogma and nodded.

“Yeah! I'm gonna be RICH!” Silva exclaimed, punching the air. “I promise I won't be a burden! I can even dig us a shortcut to get there faster! I've heard gossip from the older Mogmas that the treasure is being kept at the very north end of this sanctuary, so we can just dig a tunnel there!”

He began digging in a soft dirt patch, sharp claws quickly making a hole. “C'mon, follow me!”

He quickly disappeared beneath the ground, and Link followed hesitantly.

The smell of soil burned in his nostrils as he descended into the earth. Silva was already far ahead, singing an out-of-tune ditty about treasure. Link began to crawl slowly through the tunnel, groping the walls for guidance. He couldn't see a thing in the darkness, so he had to rely on Silva to know what he was doing. He didn't want to think about what would happen if the tunnel caved in.

“Aw dang! AGAIN?” Silva's voice got closer as Link crawled along. Eventually he could make out the shape of the Mogma in the darkness.

“This stupid rock is in the way! Man, this ALWAYS happens to me!” Silva let out a huff. “I'll just break through it, that's what I'll do. Stand back,” he waved to Link.

Link backed up a few feet as Silva began smashing his claws against the rock. He made a crack, and a tiny stream of red-orange liquid began squirting out.

“What the...” Silva said, craning his neck. The crack spread across the rock's surface, more liquid spewing out.

Suddenly Silva gasped, wheeling around. “RUN!” he screamed to Link, who yelped and turned around, crawling as fast as he could back the way they came.

The rock gave way, and a stream of lava came oozing out after them. “Aw man, this is not good! Can't you got any faster?! “ Silva prodded Link's back, making him cringe and crawl faster.

The lava continued to flow, nearly upon them at this point. “This won't do!” Silva cried. “Up! UP!” He reached up, digging a hole in the ceiling of the tunnel.

Link yelled, trying to stop him, afraid the tunnel would cave in. But Silva made a successful hole, pulling himself from the tunnel. Link tried to follow, but found himself unable to climb the walls leading straight up. He shouted to Silva, sweat forming on his forehead as he watched the lava flow towards him. Silva poked his head in the hole from above.

“Grab my arm!” he called, reaching a large arm down the tunnel. Link grasped it, pulled up just as the lava came by. His feet were inches from its surface.

“Whew! I guess that's why I don't ever seen Mogmas diggin' round here,” Silva gasped once he pulled Link free from the tunnel. “'Cause there's flippin' lava pits everywhere!”

Link lay heaving on the ground, so sure he was about to die. He knew he had the Fireshield Earrings, but he wasn't sure if they worked if he was totally immersed in lava. And he didn't want to find out.

“Hey! A little help up here!”

Link and Silva looked up. They hadn't even noticed the Mogma dangling from the ceiling in the room they'd surfaced in. He was struggling hard, just as Silva had.

“Bronzi!” Silva called to him. “You got captured too!” He gestured to the hanging Mogma. “This is Bronzi, my brother.”

“You might not be my brother for long!” Bronzi called down. “'Cause I'll disown you if you don't hurry up and get me down from here!”

“All right, all right, sheesh! Calm down, bro.” Silva padded over to the wall, where a switch was.

“I'll be calm when I'm not danglin' off the ground!” Bronzi protested, folding his large arms.

Link hid a smile as he watch the brothers bicker. He was reminded of himself and Groose, in a way.

“I'll let you down when you say 'please',” Silva said, one hand on the bar switch.

“I'll never plead to you, you ungrateful prairie dog!” Bronzi spat.

“Well then I guess you'll just hang there forever.” Silva shrugged.

“Aw c'mon!” Bronzi cried.

“Nope.”

“Please?”

“HA! There ya go!”

Bronzi clapped a claw over his mouth, not even meaning to have said please. Silva hit the bar switch and watched as Bronzi landed safely on his paws.

“FINALLY! I'm not even gonna say 'thank you'!” Bronzi scoffed.

“Whatever.” Silva rolled his eyes.

“And who's this?” Bronzi sniffed at Link, making a face. “He smells like dirt and lava.”

“This is my friend. He's a great fighter; he completely destroyed those magma hands!” Silva exclaimed.

Bronzi's eyes went wide. “Whoa, seriously? That takes some skill!” He looked up to Link. “Sorry I said you smell. We could really use you on our treasure huntin' team!”

Link modestly rubbed the back of his neck, blushing.

“Are ya crazy, Bronzi?” Silva said. “I'm DONE treasure huntin' here! We nearly got scorched tryin' to dig our way through here!”

“Aw, don't be such a sissy!” Bronzi sneered. “You're just jealous that a human can fight better than you!”

“No I'm not!”

“Uh-huh.”

“Nuh-uh!”

While the Mogma brothers bickered, Link quietly slipped out of sight and down the next hallway. He'd be better off without them, anyway, and it looked like they would be awhile.

“Well you're the one who got captured!”

“What're you sayin'? YOU got captured too!'

“Oh yeah... but at least I didn't dig in a lava pit!”

“Oh come on, how could I have POSSIBLY known that was there?”

The argument faded away as Link opened the next door. It led back outside, right in front of the inner building he'd seen earlier. A platform sat overlooking a lava lake far below.

Link swallowed, looking down. Two statue faces were carved into opposite walls. However the one on the right had its eyes open wide, and the other's were closed.

Jump into the mouth of the sleeping statue...

Link then dove left, jumping out over the lava. He angled himself towards the statue, ignoring all fear. As he got closer, a blue platform materialized in the statue's mouth. He landed roughly on it, sliding on its slippery surface. He slid down into another chamber, where a large white chest sat in an alcove.

He walked over to it, raising its lid. Inside lay a curious object; it was a golden color, completely transparent. It shined in the torchlight as he held it up. This must be the treasure, he thought excitedly.

He carried it through a doorway and up a tall staircase, which led back up to the inner building. He walked to the padlocked doors, frowning slightly. It was then that he found that if he manipulated the treasure the correct way, it fit into the keyhole, resembling the shape of a key.

The heavy lock clanged to the ground, the doors creaking slowly open. Link braced himself as he ran inside, practically jumping out of his skin at the idea of finding the last Sacred Flame and finally reaching Zelda.