Legend of Zelda: Book of Mobius

Link walked down the dark corridor, the mine map folded and tucked into his belt, shield and sword at the ready. The steady flicker from the torches lit the way and the kit was settled on his right shoulder. The metal claws no longer pricked his skin, since an unexpectedly light hauberk with a fine blue sheen was one of the gifts from Darmon. The mail barely peeked from beneath the tunics sleeves, hem and collar.



A metal shield decorated with the Narein shield of arms (wings cupped around crossed bloody staff and blade) was heavy, but far more durable than the wood one Viscen had supplied. Reddish-green dodongo scaled gauntlets covered his forearms completely, but sadly he’d had to leave behind the bracers. The lock picks were safely tucked into a pouch.



Link declined the headgear.



“They’re shtill there.” Reno breathed into the long ear. They were far from the typical range of hearing, but the kit was far from normal. The thief slowed down his pace, tilting his head slightly towards the fox, showing his interest and silently appealing for the kit to continue. “Arre you sshure we should allow him to go?”



Link blinked, amused that Reno mimicked the guard’s voice so well. All the boy had to do was work out that lisp and he’d be perfect.



“I think we dissscussed thish.” There was a whisper of exhaustion, almost hopelessness touching in the repeated statement. “We prepared him besht we could. We jusht wait, now.”



“How long?” The watchman asked.



“Tomorrow afffternoon.” Darmon sighed. “Then we’ll block all zeee openingsh.”



“And Shad?”



“We’ll jusht have to tell Vishen that he hash ta find a new bed warmer. He took a chansh shending the boy here in any cashe.”



The thief grimaced and fought the urge to sigh. It was troubling to be associated with the watchman. Charging back and denying would be revealing Reno’s keen hearing. All other options stripped from him, Link was reduced to an eye twitch.



“Thanks for translating all of it, but I don’t think I needed that last bit.” His grin more of a grimace as he ground the words around clenched teeth. “If you made that last part up because I’m wearing a dress…I’m gonna hurt you.”



“At leasht ya undershtand why they shaid it.” The redhead remarked with a smirk. “Maybe if ya kick hizz asssh, no one would think yer bedden’ him.”



The teen growled at the suggestion, his body still sore from the last spar with the old man. If his hands hadn’t been full, he’d have poked the insolent punk. “Sou, sou. I’ll get right on that. I cain’ believe I didn’ think of it sooner!”



“Why didja lie about yer name?” Reno asked after a moment, tails brushing the teen’s back.



“Meh.” The teen shrugged a little helplessly. “Don’ want my reputation ta follow me. That and Viscen probably mentioned that a runaway named Mikau most likely fleeced ‘em, so I couldn’t say that. Not like blue eyes an’ blonde hair is all that uncommon.”



A warm metal paw poked his cheek lightly. “What if they find out?”



“Ma-na.” White teeth flashed in a mischievous grin. “With any luck, I won’ see half these guys without dying my hair first.”



“I wonder when they’ll get tha train goin’ agin.” The fox commented after a beat.



“Not anytime soon. I heard Errol mentionin’ it ta tha guards.” Link yawned a little, thinking how easier it would have been to get a ride up the mountain instead of trekking up it. “How taboo would it be if something were simple, anyway? ‘Sides, the Lower Levels will be kicked outta the station when it is.”



Reno nodded, remaining quiet as they continued deeper into the shaft. It was hard to contain his excitement, finally doing a job with Link. He had to fight the urge to fidget and chatter to hide his nervousness. Listening to the fights the young man had encountered daunted the boy only a small bit. Viscen seemed content with Link’s fighting style, so the kit only worried that he would be more of a hindrance than help when the time came.



“Do you shmell that?” The fox asked suddenly. Link shook his head. “Shmells like oil…”



“Could it be the torches?”



“Nah. Not tha shame.” The kit informed the teen as he braced his paw on the blonde head so he could look around.



The air steadily grew dryer, heat drying their skin. Link winced as a spark arched between the soft fur and his ear. The teen was actually in mid-curse when he had the sudden urge to stop. His chest felt tight with suspicion.



Nothing beyond the steady hush of flames met the long ears. He knelt, sheathing his blade to free his left hand. The ground looked wrong, though he could exactly pin point why. He brushed his fingers over loose grit, the corners of his lips turning down. Maybe a pit, but I don’t have much experience with traps like this…weird…it feels a little sticky…



“Behind you!” Reno shrieked.



The thief pivoted and rose at the same time, leaping back from the man-sized spider that lunged towards him. A metallic chattering crowded the passage, blade-like legs flailing at the thief. He landed a few feet away, stomach lurching as he felt the ground give beneath his boots.



That answers that…His mind produced bitterly as he fell through the well-concealed hole. Luckily, his body hadn’t been napping like his mind, and it twisted around till the shield was braced beneath his knees. He wanted to crush or forestall whatever unpleasant end awaited him. Reno clung to the mail and tunic; any sounds from the fox were snatched away before it could make the short distance to his ears.



The shield landed hard, jarring the thief and rider. There was only a brief pause before the shield turned into a makeshift sled, tilting over the edge it had precariously landed on and down the sixty-degree slope.



Hot air rushed past them, sparks flickering the their wake. The scraping hiss twined with their breathless yells of fear, eyes wide as if to pierce through the rushing darkness only broken by yellow bursts from the shield. Orange light bloomed far ahead, steadily gaining size and intensity as they streaked towards it.



They exploded from the shaft and into choking heat. Lava roiled in thick, glowing waves beneath them. Black paths and platforms were scattered about the area with no clear connection. Of course, the reluctant teen didn’t give much thought on how to escape as of yet. He was more concerned on where he was going to land.



His legs were slightly bent, arms over his head and the shield still clutched in his panicked grip. There was a corner of his mind spared for the kit’s safety since he couldn’t feel Reno clamped on his shoulder anymore. The black-pitted surface of a rock sped towards him at an alarming speed.



Cripes! I don’t think I’ll survive the damned landing! I’ll break my damn legs and be stuck here till I cook! Link concluded, feeling the overwhelming urge to throw up. His stomach surged and fluttered, muscles tensing for the anticipated impact.



He carefully aimed his feet, relaxing at the last moment as his boot heels ground against the rough rock. He rolled forward to the balls of his feet, curling under to tumble around to his feet once more. Regrettably, it was the edge and the forward momentum of his landing made it impossible for him to stop completely.



“GRRAAAAHHH!” The teen allowed his body to launch over the impressive gap between rocks, giddy with hope and fear.



His boot caught the edge of the rock. White teeth clenched in concentration as the thief ran on pure instinct, long arms pin wheeled, the extra weight of the shield helping to pull him to safety. He fell forward, skidding on his stomach and scrapping any exposed skin. He groaned as the pains caught up, the abased flesh stinging in the merciless heat. His tearing blue eyes opened slowly, focusing on the hulking object just a finger length from his nose.



“RAAH!” Link shoved up and away, boots scuffing the ground until his fingers found the edge.



The wide empty sockets of a dead Goron were directed toward him, the bottom half of the body ripped away. The innards, the thief could only assume, had probably been gouged and whatever had dined upon the Goron had left the shell behind like an empty sweet packet.



A soft thud at his side caused the teen to flinch away, eyes jerking to see Reno had indeed made it. The tails flicked about his form, the soft fur gaining an orange cast from the lava light. The violet eyes turned up, flicking back and forth between the Goron and the thief.



“We faired better than him.” The fox quipped and Link couldn’t stop the nervous laughter from bubbling free.



The thief leaned back on his palms, staring up at the ceiling. Shards of precious gems sprouted through the rock, their original colors unintelligible in the strong glow. The molten rock thirty to forty feet below.



“How did I not break my legs?” He murmured to the air, brow furrowed. He rotated his jaw, popping his ears in the process. He could feel pressure all around him, constricting his lungs, but not to the point of discomfort. “How the hell are we gonna get out of here?”



“There’re doorz along tha wall.” Reno pointed out, tails flopping lazily on either side of his body. His breathing had sped up along with the lanky teen’s, tongue lolling out to relieve some of the heat he felt. The taste and smell of sulfur was heavy in the air, burped from the magma.



“Yeah, but there’s no path to them and we’re in the middle of the damn melting pot.” The lanky male stood, dusting off his seat idly as he paced the rock thoughtfully, trying to put the heat from his mind. I’m bringing water next time! Fuck, it’s hot! “We did our job, in any case. We know what happened to the Gorons. I don’t think the spiders got them. Looks like they probably fell down the same traps…there’s holes all over the ceiling.”



“Twenty-eight bodiez.” The fox added, keeping pace by the teen’s boots. He was feeling mildly discomforted by his metal bits being in such high heat. The fox hoped that the teen would discover a way to get them shielded from it soon. “Two are shtill misshing.”



“Glad someone got a better pass-down than I.” The teen muttered as he wiped the sweat beading his forehead thoughtfully.



“Heard it when we were shtill waiting.” The kit admitted and Link shot a distracted grin down at the Unknown.



“Aren’t you useful?” The teen teased, eyes flicking over the lumpy corpses sprawled on the islands. “Whoever did this is a messy eater. Are you sure some of the bodies couldn’t have fallen into the soup?”



“Coulda…but it looksh like they were held down.” The black nose twitched as it took in the scent from the dead rock man, sorting it from the gases that clung to the air. “Hey…look!”



The thief turned and felt his eyes widen at the fox pawing at a strange metal contraption still on the Goron’s hand. He pulled off the glove-like device, not considering the fact he’d just moved up from sneak thief to grave robbery. Not that he would think twice about doing it over. The Goron wasn’t going to use it anymore so why shouldn’t he?



“Heeeh…I wonder if this is a weapon?” The lanky teen smiled, looking over the claws clamped together protruding from the top. He slipped his hand in, wrapping his fingers around the thick bar. His digits brushed against two buttons and his thumb against a trigger. “I wonder if the buttons makes the claws extend….” He raised his arm, squeezing the trigger and buttons thoughtfully.



A sharp click sounded over the constant boiling gurgle, the claw snapping open and launching from the cuff in a furious rattle of chains in its wake. Link was too shocked to react; even when the claw gripped onto one of the jewels embedded in the ceiling and began to reel him in. Of course, the still growing boy didn’t have much in the way of weight and shot through the air towards the ceiling at an alarming speed.



“GAAAAAAH!!!!” The thief fought the urge let go, the thought of taking a dip in the high temperatures below him were less than ideal. Wind whistled past his ears and his eyes leaked tears from the heated air streaming against them.



The teen slammed to a stop, arm screaming in protest as it was nearly wrenched from his socket. He growl-moaned in pain, body swaying slightly from the force. He looked down, seeing the bubbling magma from between his boots, the image wavering in the heated air. He now hung eighty or so feet in the air and his options had most certainly changed, but not for the better. The blue eyes turned upwards again, giving the clawshot a look of pure malice.



“The shit I find never comes with INSTRUCTIONS!” He roared, chest heaving. “How the hell am I supposed to get down!?”



He shifted a finger off the second button, praying he wouldn’t open the claw. He began to descend…rapidly. He gripped the button once more…and flew back up until the base of the claw found home. His head met the rock overhead and stars burst before his vision.



“WHORE IN CHURCH!” He cursed, almost losing his grip. Breath hissing between his teeth, he let the button go again. Downward he went and he felt his stomach jump to his throat with apprehension. Instead of grabbing the button, he shifted his finger off the last button and came to a merciful stop twenty feet down.



The next part was tricky, since he had to swing in order reach the next rock island. His long legs pumped carefully, waiting until he was sure of the distance before releasing the trigger. Unfortunately, the stone he was clinging to didn’t have that kind of patience was ripped from the rock it was imbedded in. Luckily, Link was at the highest point of his swing and managed to land on the small island.



The claw, having no more resistance to keep it extended, cinched back towards the gauntlet to rid itself of the sudden slack. The jewel was still caught in the claw’s grasp and met sharply against the tender spot on the blonde head as it sped past. The teen fell to his knees, grasping his aching skull with his free hand and whimpering.



“This is that karma bullshit people keep talking about…” He groaned miserably, waiting out the throbbing till he started looking around. Another Goron corpse was just a few feet away, a clawshot resting on its arm. Link scrambled up, wincing at the residue aches as he filched it and put it on his free hand.



“OOIII! LINK!”



The teen turned and snickered at the sight of the fox-Unknown settled on his haunches and waving his forepaws as if he were trying to dig air. He waved with a clawshot-equipped arm. “Gimme a sec!”



So the trigger opens and closes the claw…all three ejects it and pulls if it catches something…The second button is down and the third up. It’ll auto-reel if it’s not attached to something. Huunnnhhh. I can use this. The thief smiled and aimed the clawshot, working his way across the gap between him and Reno as if he were using monkey bars.



“I could probably get my own circus act with this.”

--------=



Reno had to ride inside of the Link’s tunic front when he used the clawshot. Convincing the kit to get in there had been the biggest issue. After Link began to use the clawshots to sling across the gap, Reno had conceded that it would be unwise to ride any other way.



The first door they tried was locked. Luckily the second door opened to reveal a long passage, giving them quite a bit of respite from the overwhelming heat. It was almost a shock to be in the cooler air. There weren’t any torches, but the ceiling glowed red and cast weak light on the pair in stark relief.



“Thish is creepy.” Reno pointed out from his perch. “Where ish tha light coming from?”



“Hell if I know.” The lanky boy admitted, eyes sweeping the overhead. The clawshots hung on his belt in a latch and hook he’d acquired from the dead Goron’s utility belts. Jamming his hand into them would free them and holstering them was just as simple. They added to the jingle that already sounded with each step, making the thief in him cringe. “Does this place feel weird to you?”



“The rocksh are glowing.” The fox replied in a bland tone. Link made an aggravated noise, that not being what he was asking. “There’re two up ahead.”



“Yes, I kin see that. I’m talken’— nevermind. Cripes.” The long-eared thief scowled, placing his hands on the door and giving it a shove so it would open. The teen paused, not liking the looks of the large, empty chamber. He could sense the fox’s curiosity at his sudden hesitation and sighed in defeat. What other damned choice do I have? Wind and Rain…I’m not doing this shit anymore.



Ignoring his instincts screaming against it, he walked into the chamber and heard the expected slam as the door shut tightly behind him. Reno started, turning sharply even as he heard the earth shift and shudder as something dragged itself from the depths.



“Reno. Get off.” Link ordered, drawing his blade with a grating hiss. The kit did as he was ordered, staring wide-eyed at the four mechanical Unknowns that trudged towards the teen on all fours.



They had the appearance of monkeys; their metallic skeleton had the appearance of melted wax. The Unknowns would have stood shoulder to shoulder with a medium sized dog. Red orbs burned hard in their sockets, teeth jagged as they were revealed in their challenge screech. They launched forward, gears and pulleys crying out.



Link bashed the first one away with his shield, boots grinding as he shifted into a crouch and slid between the opening of the center two. He groaned and swept his blade up to sever the fuel lines along the belly of one as he passed.



The injured one crashed to the ground, the other three not lingering on their companion’s dilemma before surging at the teen once more. Link back flipped once, landing in a crouch and driving his sword into the socket of one Unknown. Metal squealed in protest, colorful sparks spraying from the blade until it ripped through the back of the skull. He turned hard, slinging the blade and dead Unknown until it slid off and bashed into its companion that was in mid-flight.



The torn Unknown burst into ashes before it hit the ground, but Link didn’t even notice as he pinned the first one to the ground with his sword. He twisted it savagely, destroying the internal power supply with barely a whisper of strength. He left the blade buried in the rock, the pinned monkey ashing as he twisted with the boomerang in his grip to face the last.



He tossed it with a grunt, bashing the Unknown so hard across the skull that it snapped out of its charge completely and rolled across the ground. Link caught the weapon and re-holstered it before he jammed his left hand into the clawshot, pulling it free and launching it as the enpi mashi struggled to orient itself. The claw latched onto the spine, yanking it towards the thief. Link raised his shield and braced it with his foot just before the Unknown slammed into the steel with satisfying crunch and the spine warping when it was wrenched from the claws grip.



It burst into ashes before it hit the ground, the lanky teen dropping the clawshot and yanking his sword free; rushing the last enpi mashi that struggled despite its fluids spurting all over the hard rock. It lifted its head, howling defiantly even as Link severed the skull from its neck and sent it flying across the chamber.



“Fire and ishe, Link! That wuz shooo cool!” Reno cried, bounding foreward to dance around the blushing teen. The lanky boy scratched the back of his neck nervously, clearing his throat.



“I guess.” He allowed, hearing the doors groan and grind as they opened. He sheathed his sword and replaced the shield over it. He hooked the clawshot back onto his belt and gestured towards the open door with his head. “Let’s get going.”

---------=



It didn’t take much longer for Reno to understand why Link has asked his thoughts on the strangeness of the dungeon. The way it trapped them and the various puzzles he had to solve were positively uncanny. The maze-like dungeon was frustrating even the fox since they had to return the lava pit three times just to advance and explore the other parts. The thief made his displeasure known for having to light torches with only flint, time limits after hitting crystals or hitting switches in a specific order to open a door.



It wouldn’t have been that bad if the keys could be used more than once. Glory to those who knew what happened to the bits of silver after Link unlocked a door. Reno figured that they were warped to another part of the dungeon to occupy another chest, waiting to be found again. Kind of like a magical hide and seek. Sadly, the teen he rode found no humor in his comments about the subject.



“Who designs these places? What kinda sick bastard goes through this much trouble?” The blue-eyed thief growled while he dove through a door before it slammed, the crystalline chime sounding behind him as the switch turned from yellow to red.



His long body slid on the dirt, slipping through before it slammed completely. Reno licked the new sets of abrasions on the teen’s chin; the thief just laid on the ground and basking in relief.



“Let’s go home. I don’ wanna play this game anymore.” He grumbled, laying a hand on the fox’s back and closing his eyes.



“And missh thish fun?” The kit teased, tongue lolling as he panted a laugh.



The long-eared young man cracked an eye open to reveal a sliver of blue, lips tugged down in a grimace. Reno’s violet eyes were snapping with good humor, plume tails raising clouds of reddish dust as they beat the ground. He closed his eye again and sighed in defeat. “Yers is a happy nature.”



The thief finally pushed off the ground, dusting off the front of his tunic as he inspected the new room. Soft crackling of flames and rustles announced the fire keese presence; their forms across the room on the ceiling, still unaware of the pair’s existence. He tiredly pulled out his slingshot from the small of his back and a handful of rocks from the pouch.



At least it isn’t any more clockwork Unknowns. Where did they all come from? They aren’t even mixed with anything alive.



He aimed and shot them down in rapid succession, glancing about the chamber as the ash settled onto the floor. He could see silver bars imprisoning a large chest across the way, the design and colors far more vivid then the ones previously encountered. He frowned; slipping the slingshot back into his belt, wondering what puzzle awaited him this time.



“Link…” Reno’s voice cut through his thoughts, their distress making his brows jump together as he turned to see what was upsetting the boy. The fox was frozen in mid-stride, his flesh paw the only thing keeping him from falling on his face. “A little help here?”



The teen grinned and fished the wind-up key from his pouch. He knelt down and placed it in the hole in the kit’s chest, turning it to wind the makeshift engine back to life. The thief paused, senses screaming before he could complete one turn. He scooped up the heave fox and rolled to the side as the ground shuddered. Link stopped in a crouch, winding the kit up as he took in the new arrival with wide eyes.



It was a robotic wolf; standing taller than the last one he fought by at least a hand, the casing matt black. Its scruff was plates of jagged armor fringing the large, wedged head. It moved with surprising grace, the body much the same as Reno’s in design. Its head turned towards the teen, jaws opening to reveal saw-like teeth and emitting thick clouds of steam.



“Mercy…someone’s been enhanced a bit…” He mumbled through numb lips.



“I’m sssenshing a theme with all theze machhinezz.” Reno commented as he wiggled free. Link didn’t get a chance to wind him up all the way, but he’d have enough movement left to run from the Unknown if it came to it.



The green clad teen was already moving, drawing his sword and donning his shield. The Wolfien thundered forward to meet him, growls rolling from it like thunder. It snapped its jaws at the lad, who deflected the attack with his shield. It sat back on its haunches, slamming a massive metal paw against the barrier, knocking the teen a few feet in the air to land hard on his left shoulder.



Link grunted in surprise and pain, rolling onto his back in time to see the Unknown flying towards him. He rolled out of the way, jumping to his feet as the heavy Wolfien landed hard in the space he’d just occupied.



“Link! He’z gotta pilot light! He’z gonna spit!” The fox yelled as the Wolfien jerked its head around. Jagged lines raced over the metal casing towards the skull, the yellow eyes flashing orange before a jet of flame erupted from its throat.



Link didn’t waste any time scurrying out of the way. He ran from the fire, feeling his body lag under the wounds he’d gained previously. The thief could tell he was failing, body protesting as he tried to force more speed to keep a few paces ahead.



He sheathed his blade, grabbing a flask of potion and flicking the top open and sucking down the scarlet, scolding liquid as quickly as he could without chocking. The warm spread through his limbs, the cramping muscles loosening to a pleasant stretch and the burden melting from his limbs. Fatigue was burned from his mind, thoughts tumbling at a free flow and his focus sharpening.



“Hiz hide’z too touph! Go for the opening!” Reno yelled. The Wolfien stopped spewing fire, growling roars spilling from his throat as he turned on the smaller Unknown. The redhead bristled, growling just as fiercely as his ears laid back.



Link placed his shield on his back, jamming his right hand into the clawshot to free it from his belt. His trembling body was wash with energy and he couldn’t help but bare his teeth in a half grimace, half grin. He thumbed the trigger as he took aim, the world slowing down to a crawl as the Wolfien turned his tail towards him, determined to attack Reno. He cocked back his sword arm, the blade parallel with the ground and even with his shoulder. The other two buttons squeezed, the claw surged forward and flew towards the metal appendage.



It gripped onto it roughly and jerked the teen off his feet to reel him into the heavier Unknown. Link kept the sword level, eyes squinted to avoid most of the rushing air. The aggressive beast felt the jerk and whirled around, unknowingly dragging the thief closer even faster. The world resumed its normal speed as the blue eyes stared down the open jowls at the blue pilot light playing at the back of the throat behind the jagged teeth.



Too late, the Wolfien guessed the filcher’s intentions. The blade cut through the air easily and as it passed the teeth, Link extended his arm fully to give it more momentum as it severed the small flame and punched through the delicate machinery at the back of the throat. The cross guard caught at the corner of the great jaws and jamming there.



The long-eared boy released the trigger, the claw opening and returning as he shoved away as the Unknown began to thrash. He stood up, hooking the clawshot on his belt and grabbed the shield from his back, grabbing it on both sides on the widest part. It didn’t take long for the Wolfien to figure out that how to remove the sword. It settled onto its stomach and braced its paws against the cross guard and steadily drew it from its throat.



Link stepped up behind it, calculating when the Unknown had most of the blade out. He aimed the pointed bottom of the shield just beneath the neck ridges fold. Teeth bared, he sharply jammed it into the weak joint. The Unknown started, but Link jumped all his weight onto the top; as if he were using a shovel and snipping through the fragile innards that the blade hadn’t severed until it met the bottom plating.



The Unknown stilled before bursting into ash. The thief lost his footing and fell on to the powdery remains, having the sense to avoid landing on the shield. He felt drained mentally and physically for a moment, closing his weary eyes and breathing hard.



Reno watched him for a moment, his fur slowly laying flat once more. The soft triangles twitched when the purr of oiled steel slipping through stone teased his senses. He couldn’t believe that Link had handled it as well as he did. It’d been like watching a dance, well choreographed and executed flawlessly. He could smell the blood from the cuts on his fingers, Tris’s potion still tainting his breath, and the nervous sweat coating his grimy skin.



“Link?” The fox padded over, the key still stuck in his chest. A blue eye opened lazily and slowly focused on the kit. The teen groaned and pushed his body up, finding his feet and beginning the tedious task of dusting off.



“Cripes. Why do I always hafta lay in the damn ash?” He complained to no one in particular, squinting as he noticed that the elaborate chest was now accessible. The cobalt gaze flicked back to the fox. “Are you ok?”



“Fine. He only got a chanssse ta yell.” The kit assured him.



“What’d he say?” The filcher asked curiously.



“That I wuz a fffilthy traitor and he’d have my head fer hiz mashter.”



“That’s not much in the way of creative. We sure showed him, didn’t we?” He trudged over to the chest, trying to lift the lid. “Damnation!”



“What?” Reno settled onto his haunches, watching the teen try to pry the top off with no success. “Maybe we hafffta find a key?”



“Of course I need a curst key!” Link kicked the chest furiously and fought the urge to tear his hair out. He glared at the chest, blowing heavily from his nose before kneeling before it and removing his picks. “Fuck the key!”



“Link.” The redhead stated tiredly, body drooping tiredly. He’d already tried picking the locks and failed miserably.



The determined boy ignored him, pressing his ear near the lock and closing his eyes. Inserting a pick and carefully moving the pins one at a time, he listened for each click before moving on. He’d judged the lock to have four pins and the design wasn’t too difficult, unlike the others that’d been near impossible to even find the pins. All pins were held up and the plug moved freely, clicking unlocked.



“A whore in church!” The fox used Link’s favorite curse and trotted forward. “Ya got it opened!”



The lock-pick gave a rakish grin and opened the lid and looking into the chest. His smile died just as fast as it’d been born, the corner of his eye twitching.



“What iz it?”



The thief picked up the item from the gravel bed and showed it to the four-tailed fox. The large purple eyes blinked before he chortled tiredly and shook his wedged head.



“A key.” The blonde sighed, falling onto his ass and wondering why he bothered to begin with.



“It’z different, though.” The fox pointed out. “Bigger and gold-looken.”



The filcher rested a gloved hand on the furry head to forestall anymore talking. The key was heavy, embedded with an unnaturally red stone and framed by curving horns. Both Link and Reno could tell that it couldn’t be a ruby, since they’re usually of a pinker cast than the rich bloody hue. The blasted thing had to be six inches long and though it was gold color, it was too dense to be pure. The mudlark suspected that the metal had been treated to gain the yellow finish.



“Maybe this’ll open the door that leads out of here.” The teen said aloud, but he didn’t sound as if he believed it for a moment. He’d only had limited experience, but it’d taught him that nothing was that simple when running an errand for the Sages.

----------=



The tired pair found the lock belonging to the key an hour and two potions later. Just as the coltish teen had been afraid of, it didn’t give way to a route to the outside.



It revealed a living Goron just on the other side of a sheet of red film, a gold scimitar outlined in gold in the middle.



The black rock shuddered beneath their feet, a deep rumbling causing the air to tremble and their bodies to ache. Link lost his balance, the ground pitching him through the scarlet glow, which disappeared upon contact, and against the Goron. The door slammed shut with a resounding thud as soon as his body passed it, throwing them into darkness before their eyes adjusted to the dim red light emitting from the overhead. The quake continued for a few more breathes before the earth settled once more.



Link pushed off from the Goron, slamming his forearms and fists against the closed door in aggravation. A scowl decorated his long features as he took in their current predicament.



“Perfect. Curst typical.” He gave it a final kick to ensure his dissatisfaction was known and turned back to the Goron, a sigh in his voice. “I’m Shad. I’ll be your madcap on this rescue. I don’t suppose the other missing Goron is alive?”



The pause that followed answered the question and Link felt his face soften just a touch. Just the hint of pity had the Goron putting up his hackles and he straightened.



“No, he’s not.” The Goron replied dryly as he massaged his temple and prayed for patience. “Corbin.”



“Rude.” Reno introduced himself, his own tolerance falling low. Link couldn’t fight the smile that teased his lips and scratched the jaw affectionately before turning back to Corbin.



The trio inspected on another, keen eyes taking in the details. The Goron was short, barely taller than Link, but just as thick as his brethren. He had rough steel patches along his spine and arms. The long, spiked wiry threads had a dark navy sheen to them and angled over the round silver eyes. He looked worse for wear, mustard colored blood smeared over his rocky skin. The thief couldn’t help but notice that he had a pair of clawshots on his belt.



Link didn’t look much better. The exposed skin of his throat and jaw were scrapped bloody, heavy circles were under his too-wide azure eyes. His wild, oily hair was now grayish-brown from the ash, the mail peeking from the rips and tears in the canvas tunic. He was beaten and battered, the exposed fingers spattered with blood and machine oil. He held his shield, which should have all of the design scrapped off, but didn’t for some reason unknown to the teen. The duel clawshots didn’t go unnoticed to the Goron, nor the make of his gauntlets and mail.



Not to mention there was an Unknown settled on his right shoulder.



“It wouldn’t be too much to hope that you’re here to lead us out of this hell pit?” Link asked after a moment, digging his fingers through the dirty locks and combing them into more disarray.



“That’s promising. You must be the rescue party.” The Goron replied mildly, hiding the fact that what little hope he had of surviving just plummeted to zero. The adolescent couldn’t help but wonder why he even bothered to try to escape the inevitable. “An Unknown and a human.”



“Wind and rain. I shwear if I hafffta deal with both yer bad moodz, I’m gonna tosshh my lot in with Ganondorff. He cain’ bitch nearly ashh much ashh y’all.” Reno scowled, tails beating the lanky thief’s back in annoyance. He wouldn’t admit his own fear; he could hear the deep-throated murmuring of an Unknown. Whatever the Unknown was, it was big and powerful, commanding the Unknowns inhabiting the dungeon to obey its commands…including him. It took most of his concentration to not fall under the compulsion, violet eyes dark slits and profile stiff.



“There’s somethin’ nasty back that way, huh?”



“You’re correct in your assumption. You’ve done this before?” Corbin asked sarcastically. The teen wasn’t even paying attention to the obviously disturbed Goron.



“Cripes. Like that should matter. This damned pit doesn’ shut me in ‘less there’s something hellish it wants me ta kill.” Link muttered darkly, his body beginning to tremble with barely restrained terror and dread. He didn’t want to fight whatever lay at the end of the darkened passageway. One that could break a Goron’s rock hard skin and keep it cowering in the darkness.



He’d known, deep down, that it’d happen no matter what Errol said. He’d ignored the signs from Darmon and the other Gorons, disregarding his intuition. Nothing was simple in a mad world twisted by magic loosed by his own hand.



The air was suddenly too heavy to drag into his aching lungs, his blood pounding too hard through his sore head. The teen tried his best to contain the panic and resentment welling from the depths. The teen grabbed his last potion and chugged half, wincing as the bitter liquid cloaked his tongue and mouth. He replaced it as he stepped past Corbin, expression set as he unsheathed his blade.



Reno could feel the resolve in the teen, finding comfort and strength in it. He sat up a little straighter, trying to still his thoughts as the calling roaring between his ears. If Link continued to fight against the Dark King, even if it wasn’t exactly his intention as of yet, the fox would follow.



“Where the hell are you going?” Corbin asked dubiously.



“What tha hell does it look it?” Link tossed back, eyes locking onto the silver eyes over his shoulder. “I’m getten’ outta here. The only place I haven’ been in this foredoomed abyss is down there…” he pointed with his sword. “I’m not gonna just cook here. I’ll go down fighting. I know tha exit’s somewhere ‘round there.”



The resolute teen trudged forward, glancing back only when he heard the heavy footsteps as Corbin caught up with him. “Oh? Yer comen’ then?”



“It’s just a little shaming when a weak human is willing to fight that.” The Goron replied, blunt fingers rubbing a wound on his bicep lightly.



The thief slowed to a stop. “Ya’ve seen it?”



“Unfortunately.”



“What’s it look like? How’d ya get away?” The coltish thief asked with a slight frown. He suspected, but he would wait to have them confirmed.



“It’s a mole.” Corbin admitted, ignoring the burst of amusement at the disbelieving expression the human threw at him. “It must have been caught by a cat in the middle of the Shift. It has a mole’s front…the massive paws for digging and the head. The back part is a cat’s haunches, tail and all. The claws, teeth are steel. There’s a metal mask over most of the face, so it makes it damn near impossible to take out the eyes.”



“How big?”



“On all fours…larger than a horse by a couple of hands. Standing…hell if I know. A lot taller. It’s not fast, but it doesn’t have to be. Its legs eat up a lot of distance.” Corbin finished, not bothering to answer the other question of his escape.



The thief leaned against the rough stone; shield and sword limp in his grip as the cobalt eyes became distant. The fox and Goron remained respectfully silent, their attention towards the distant snuffing noises in the actual chamber.



“Ok. I think I gotta plan.” The thief spoke up, causing them both to jump in surprise. “That is, if yer game Corbin.”



The Goron smirked. “Let’s hear what the pink one has to say.”



The teen grinned and told them his plan. Reno immediately agreed to his part, the Goron not so anxious and staring at the shorter male.



“I guess asking if you’re serious is pretty pointless…” Silence was the only answer and he groaned. “You’re cracked. Better get on with it, then. It’ll be done with…soon.”

-----------=



The trio walked around the corridor’s bend, all quiet and stewing on their own thoughts. Link wasn’t sure if his plan would work. It was simple, but the simplicity would only carry it so far. Strategies had a nasty reputation for never surviving the first few beats of battle. His mind was still riding the after-effects of the potion, chasing possibilities endlessly and planning for the unavoidability of some piece falling apart or varying.



—“Schemes are funny things, Hero. If ya miss an element, its life is even shorter. The more people ya lead, tha more difficult it gets ta keep tha facts straight. Are they good at thinkin’ on their feet? Are they mindless grunts? Do they think they should be in charge?” Gramps lectured as he cupped his tea to warm his hands. The tawny orbs were locked on the green liquid.



“Ya act like I’m gonna lead a task force one day.” Link pointed out, azure gaze flickering from the sewing in his lap to the older man.



“Ya won’ be filchen’ forever, Hero. Trust me. Tha time fer our last job iz soon. No more dancin’ wi’ gillies either.” A smile touched the aged, cracked lips for a moment. Link only snorted.—



I can only hope that Corbin is up to listening to orders. He made it away once, so I don’t see why he couldn’t do it again. Mahn-ya. Too late.



They were at the opening to the chamber, the Unknown in the middle crouched over something and making slurping, growling noises. A nervous twitter ran through his stomach, his nerve beginning to falter.



Do or die!



The thief ran into the open just as the Debaneko caught their scent. His clawshot was over his right hand and it didn’t take long to find his first flaw. One, the rock ground was scarred with deep trenches from the Unknown’s claws. It made the terrain chancy and he spent more time watching his footing and jumping the gouges than the thundering Unknown.



Second screw up, the gems don’t scatter over the overhead…they’re spread out. Crap. That means they’re going ta hafta lead the bastard till it’s right under me—FUCK! The filcher’s boot caught in the lip of a furrow, causing him to fly forward from the momentum. He threw himself onto his back, watching the beast gallop ungracefully towards him. A crest, much like the one Link discovered back in Kakariko, was embedded in the breastplate of the beast. The metal platting has the appearance of a champron, not protecting the eyes but making it difficult to reach. He wuz right about the running…



The Unknown lowered its head, a hissing screech grating from the throat and bloody incisors bared. It shuddered and flew sideways, as if it’d been blindsided by a rig. The thief didn’t hesitate, scrambling up as Reno flitting from ridge to ridge of the trenches towards the sprawled Debaneko.



Link aimed the clawshot and cursed, realizing that the ceiling was too high. He equipped the left and started running, making better time than the fox in his panic. The Unknown was still struggling to his feet, Corbin rolling away at a high speed to gain more power if he was needed again. The teen set sights on the facemask, ready for the whiplash as he was jerked from his still moving feet and slammed into the beast’s forehead.



Debaneko screeched, rearing up in shock. The teen’s stomach didn’t bother following, staying behind with his common sense on the ground where it was safe. Link allowed the Unknown to throw him, aiming even as he flew through the air.



Click and release, the claw surged forward and flew true to latch onto a jewel as he soared past. His body followed grudgingly when the chain recoiled, dislocating his shoulder. White light burst in his vision, followed by darkness as pain chased its heels. Link would have screamed, but he actually blacked out for the space of a few heartbeats until the gauntlet slammed into the base of the claw and jarred him awake with a fresh wave of pain.



Sweat dripped from his sodden bangs and temple. He panted hard as he hung from his hurt shoulder. He felt feverish for a moment, his body far too hot…like he was burning alive. Sapphire eyes flicked along the chamber, looking for distraction as his mind tried to cope.



Reno was facing off with the Unknown; slowly backing away as they traded insults in whatever tongue they spoke in. Corbin was lying on his stomach, arms extended and it was impossible to tell if he was still alive.



His eyes burned, the thief blinking rapidly to clear the sweat that was dripping into them. He carefully holstered the clawshot and reached up with his left arm, trying not to move enough to jostle his right shoulder. Unsheathing his sword, the teen counted his unsteady breathes as the fox led Debaneko beneath him.



The larger Unknown had obviously lost patience with the kit and Link watched the muscles tense as he prepared to leap. The injured thief bit back a sob, not knowing how much longer he could stand it. He’s close! So fucken’ close! Just a few more paces! Come on! Come on! Come ON! COME ON!



Debaneko went into his leap, but only made it airborne before it stopped short and flopped back to the hard earth. It yowled and screeched, head snapping back just as the teen’s gaze followed the same direction to confirm.



Corbin had his feet braced on the wall of a gouge, one clawshot latched onto a wall and the other on the Unknown’s long tail. The Goron was slowly reeling the Unknown towards him, the creature stubbornly digging his claws into the ground and fighting the pull.



A more perfect chance wouldn’t arrive anytime soon and Link focused his will on his dislocated arm. It was the hardest and most excruciating feat he’d ever done. His body fought the order and his jaw groaned from the force as he focused all his might on those fingers and thumb.



It snapped open and Link was free-falling, blade pointed down in his left hand. His mouth hung open, eyes too wide as tears poured from them to be swept from the passing air. It was the longest five seconds of his life. He landed blade first, the point tearing through flesh and muscles along the base of the neck, scraping bone and coaxing a matching scream of pain from the Unknown. His feet were next, his right arm flopping down and causing him to pass out once more, body falling onto the sword hilt and forcing it deep until the cross guard met resistance.



The thief was thrown from the back and landed hard, air knocked from his lungs. Link rolled, braced his right shoulder against the ground and jammed his arm home. The relief was so intense he was tempted to swoon. The ground began to rumble, demanding the teen’s attention. He scrambled to his feet, casting a glance back to see Debaneko thrashing around wildly as it tried to remove the weapon nestled from its reach.



The thick, shovel-like claws ripped into its owner’s flesh, leaving deep tears in the shoulders and throat. It reared up and a bronze projectile slammed into its chest and threw it onto its back. Link charged towards the Unknown, breathing hard but thinking clearly through the residue pain.



Reno was already there, riding the struggling head until it burrowed beneath the champron. Green tinted scarlet fluid sprayed from the eyeholes, the beast rolling onto its stomach to beat its head against the ground to try to rid itself of the fox.



Link leapt onto the creature’s back, holstering the clawshot just before his fingers tangled into the thick hair. He scaled the body, panting and whimpering softly. The body bucked and shuddered under his feet. The spry teen didn’t allow it to throw him, scrambling from the still buried blade.



He clutched onto the blood slick hilt, yanking it out and nearly losing his footing. It went to stand, but was jerked short, giving proof to Corbin’s interference.



“KILL IT!” The Goron roared, the deep-throated bellow causing the teen’s adrenaline to spike.



He straddled the spine with his knees, holding the sword with his left and bracing the blade with his right forearm to keep it straight as he drove it home. It ripped through the spinal cord and ground to a halt between two vertebrae. Link twisted the blade deftly, severing the neck from the back. Reno appeared over the top of the ridge of the mask, jumping and using the blonde head as a stepping-stone to escape the death throes.



Debaneko screamed, body going limp. Still alive, its terror fueled cries made the teen’s teeth ache. He pulled the blade free with a slurping rasp and tumbled down. He ran to the still twitching head almost as long as his body and dragged his blade along the throat. Blood gushed, hot and sticky, all over the mindless teen. The swipe wasn’t a clean cut, but a sawing hack since the edge was no longer as sharp as it started out. He slashed wildly, set on his task long after it became gratuitous.



His body hurt, mind numb, soul crying as he hacked away with his good arm. He didn’t even realize that the continuous, senseless scream he heard came from his own throat till he recognized the pain. The sword slipped from his grip, clanking loudly to the ground. He panted harshly, staring down at it and trying to focus his degrading vision. Everything seemed to double and shiver before him. He fell to his knees in the gore, body tired.



“Shad?” Corbin ventured softly, sounding unsure.



“I shoulda ashked ya ‘bou’ tha…ta…ta…grounds…Shhhhtupid missshhhtake…” He mumbled distantly. The Goron slowly picked up the sword and sheathed it. When Link didn’t respond, he pulled the teen up by his left arm and draped it over his shoulder.



“I think…that’s the least of our worries.”



“Get…tha…cresssshhht…” The tired teen muttered, right arm reaching for the gory piece despite the pain. He winced at the twinges racing up the arm and fumbled at his belt until he found the last bit of potion. He suckled from the flask gratefully and felt some use flow back into his body. “Damnation, that hurt…”



Corbin’s eyes shot to the teen, a little surprised as he tugged free of the rock man’s grip. He watched the coltish swordsman unsheathe his sword and wedged the tip in the small crack between the breastplate and crest. It popped out with little effort on the human’s part, which tucked it inside the front of his tunic with a satisfied grunt. The cerulean orbs had a feverish cast as they met silver, the sword raised in a mock salute.



“How ‘bout we get outta here? I dun think I can keep it up fer much longer.” The teen admitted. He wiped the blade and sheathed it as the remains of the Debaneko began to burn with jade edged ruby flame until it was nothing but ash.



“Oiii-ya.” Reno sounded, padding up the to the teen and tugging at the leather trousers lightly for attention. Link paused and glanced down, kneeling to scratch the soft ears.



“Ya did good, R…Rude.” The thief hesitated a little at the fake name, his voice slurring.



“Shhad…Lookit!” The fox turned and scampered back to the mound of ash, assuming a pointer position at a glowing circle of blue light. It shone brightly through the thick coating, the remains slowly swirling and settling away.



“Looks like our way out.” Corbin pointed out, taking long strides to the circle. “It’s a magic portal.”



“I wuz thinken’ there wuzn’ a way asides from tha enterance.” The thief mumbled, unsure of the Goron’s assessment. “How would ya know ‘bout that? You’ve used ‘em before?”



“I don’t think you’ve been swinging that sword all your many years.” Corbin pointed out blandly, mussing his stiff spikes with blunt fingertips. “I just know it.”



Link didn’t reply, but understood. He was better at the sword and fighting in general, far better than before the Shift. Considering that he’d been out for five months and just recently started sparring again, his ability was phenomenal.



“Why’z it that magic makes all common sense null?” He grumbled, eliciting a chuckle from Corbin and Reno.

-----------=



A/N: This has got to be my longest chapter, yet. I’m curious about what everyone thought of the fights. Too long? Too detailed? Not detailed enough? Too vague on descriptions?



I’ve really made a mess for myself, haven’t I? I can’t keep it simple, can I? Gotta go all the way. Hopefully I haven’t started a trend with 10+ page dungeons and betweeners…I’m sure y’all don’t mind, but it takes longer to write. -.-;;;



I was wondering who would comment first. I know it’s hard, but try not to equate it to modern day. ^-^ Religion isn’t something that guides the men and women in Link’s world; you’ll notice the lack of much reference to God, churches, chapels and temples. Religion is a very private thing for these people and they don’t flaunt or press it on others.



I think I chased off most of my readers with it. However, I did it to show a couple of things about Link: first, that he’s emotionally vulnerable. Disasters, natural or man caused, alter people to one of two extremes: strengthening a person’s spiritual beliefs or crushing them completely. Link’s bitter and confused; there’s a lot of survivors guilt boiling inside him and he’s unsure on how to handle the stress. He was raised to take care of his Gramps and rely on no one. His choice isn’t the right or wrong one, but it defiantly isn’t healthy.



Two is his lack of faith expands to everyone but Reno and himself. He doesn’t say that about Reno, but he confides with the boy about things he wouldn’t with anyone else. This reaffirms the degree he’s turned independent.



I’m not going to be posting a chapter for a long bit. I’m sorry, but due to the amount of thought that’s going to have to go into the next eight chapters…yeah. We have what we want happening worked out, but I need to get all the details for each chapters down. After that, Bob and I will work on making sure that it moves smoothly.



Why wait so long? Because I’ll probably need to go back and refine previous chapters in case Bob and I miss something (an example is in the Rat Chapter, I forgot to mention the crest at all. I felt a little foolish…-.-;;). That and we’re having creative differences that are halting the progress of the current chapter. That shouldn’t take too long to resolve…I’ll work around it until we’re able to agree on something.



No fear! We will get the story out! ^-^



Please have patience with us!