Two Heroes, One Destiny - ch. 7

It took quite a bit of dungeon crawling, but eventually the group managed to free all eight monkeys.  “Still no sign of Ook,” Link remarked.

“Is there any place in here that we didn’t look?” Sora asked.

“There’s a large room deep in the temple,” the hero answered.  “In that room, there was a large plant monster, cursed by the Twilight.”

“But you took care of it, right?” Locke asked.  “It shouldn’t hurt to look in there.”

“Don’t be so sure about that,” Midna’s voice piped up before she herself appeared in front of Locke.

“Gah!” Locke exclaimed, jumping at the sight of the Twili imp.  “What the heck?!”

“Oh sorry Locke, we didn’t introduce Midna to you,” Sora apologized.  

“Uh, that’s okay,” Locke said, still glancing nervously at Midna.  “Nice to meet you.  I’m Locke.”

“So I heard,” she replied with a grin.  “Anyway, I’m still sensing that darkness in this temple.  For all we know, that monster could’ve been brought back somehow.”

Link let out a sigh.  “Great… Well, we should be fine as long as those Bomblings are still in there.”

It didn’t take them long to reach another large chasm.  All eight monkeys they had rescued were waiting for them and quickly made a chain of monkeys for the group to swing across on.

Link went first, stepping up before making a running dash and leaping off the edge, catching the last monkey’s hand before swinging across and landing safely on the other side.  

Taking a deep breath, Sora psyched himself up a bit as he approached the monkey chain.  Then he ran up and did just as the hero did before.  “Whoo-hoo!” he shouted as he swung across the chasm.  After he landed, he looked behind him.  “C’mon, Locke!  What are you waiting for?”

“J-Just give me a second!” he called back, looking a little nervous as he watched the monkeys swing back and forth.  He knew that if he mistimed his jump, it was a long way down.  Finally, he leapt off the edge.  “WHOOOOOAA!!!”  he yelled as the monkeys swung him to the other side, where he landed safely beside the other two.  “Wow that was a rush!”

Midna couldn’t help snickering from Link’s shadow.  “For a thief, you’re not exactly the bravest, are you?”

“Treasure hunter,” Locke corrected through clenched teeth.  “And for your information, I’m plenty brave when I have to be… granted, that was the first time I swung on a chain of monkeys.”

“Okay, I’ll give you that one,” the imp said with a shrug as the group approached a large door.  The door had chains in front of it with a huge lock.  

“Alright, here goes!”  Summoning the Keyblade again, Sora held it out in front of him, sending a small beam of light into the keyhole and unlocking the door.  “Yes!”

“Alright, is everyone ready?” Link asked the other two.  When they both nodded, the hero opened the large door and the group charged in.

Once they had gotten through a short tunnel, the door slid shut behind them.  They had ended up in a large room with several small waterfalls running into a small swamp.  Link’s heart started pounding: he remembered what had happened the last time he was in this room, and if Midna was correct, he was going to have to face that monster again.

The sounds of a baboon reached his ears and Link looked up at a platform to see Ook trapped in a cage.  “There you are!” he exclaimed.  “I was looking all over for you!”

Sora’s eyes widened as the water turned purple and started to bubble.  “Link, look out!” he shouted just before two large plant heads burst out of the water.

Locke backed up a few steps.  “W-What are those things?!”

Link’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the monster.  “Diababa… so Midna was right; this is the source of the darkness!”  Noticing the nearby Bomblings, he said, “Sora, use the Keyblade to grab one of those Bombs!”

“Got it!” Sora said as he prepared his weapon.

Gale Raid

Using the Keyblade and Gale Boomerang, the two warriors threw their weapons to grab a Bomb, each one hitting one of the heads and causing them to sink back into the water.

Cocking an eyebrow, Locke commented, “…So that’s it?  Didn’t seem so tough.”  

“It’ll be back shortly, and it’ll be much more deadly,” Link warned.  He then looked back at his companions.  “Locke, can you get up to that platform?”

“Given enough time, yeah,” the thief/treasure hunter answered.  However as soon as he said that, the two heads came up again, this time attached to a much larger plant monster with a large yellow eye glaring at them all.

Having a good idea what Link had in mind, Sora shouted, “Locke, go get Ook!  We’ll take care of this thing!”  

“Sora!  This thing’s weak spot is its eye!” Link shouted as he blocked one of the heads lunging at him.  Now that the Bomblings were no longer an option, having been destroyed when the real monster showed itself, the two warriors would have to improvise in order to hit the weak spot.

Meanwhile, Locke pulled a grappling hook out of his bag and managed to grab hold of the platform, climbing up while the heroes kept Diababa busy.  As soon as he reached the platform, Ook noticed him and started screeching at him.  “Ah!  Easy, boss,” Locke said as he grabbed the bars of the cage to steady it.  “I know you’re mad, and I apologize.  Just sit tight; I’ll have you out before you can say banana!”  Taking out a lock pick, he got right to work.

Link and Sora weren’t having much luck getting to Diababa’s eye; the two were flat on the ground just barely avoiding a spray of acid from the main head.  Quickly getting up, Sora finally came up with something.

Blazing Wind

“Link!” The hero nodded in response and threw the Gale Boomerang.  Sora shot off a Fire spell which hit the boomerang, causing an explosion of wind and fire that hit Diababa’s main head.

The head shrieked before toppling onto the ground, its big yellow eye exposed.  Taking advantage, Link drew his sword, leapt towards the monster and thrust his sword down onto the weak spot before flipping away.  The monster writhed in pain before shriveling up, its eye falling out of its socket before exploding.  The triumphant hero finally sheathed his sword with a flourish.

“Alright, we did it!” Sora cheered, holding up his hand for a high-five, which Link quickly returned.

Suddenly, Diababa’s body exploded into particles of Twilight which suddenly seemed to go straight towards Link!  The hero held up his shield, but Midna quickly appeared and absorbed the Twilight.  “Relax, hero.  It was going for me, not you!”

“Oh…” Link muttered sheepishly, a light blush tinging his cheeks.

“Hey, anybody would’ve thought it was after him!” Sora said, glaring at the Twilight Princess.  “You’re in his shadow, after all!”

Ignoring the keybearer, Midna seemed to realize something.  “…This power… it’s mine.”

“What?  What are you talking about, Midna?” Link asked.

Before the Twili imp could answer, Locke walked up to them.  “Hate to interrupt, but I got Ook out of his cage and he just took off.  Guess he’s not one for conversation.”

Link couldn’t help chuckling a bit.  “Nice work, Locke.  Midna, can you get us out of here?”

“No problem!  I’ll explain everything once we’re outside.”  And within seconds, Midna teleported all of them out of the Forest Temple.

Once they had regained their bearings, Sora turned to their new ally.  “So what do you plan on doing now, Locke?”

“I’m gonna go ahead to Ordon Village,” the thief answered.  “I still need to find Rusl.  After that, I might head back to Hyrule Castle Town… unless something else comes up, that is.”

“Just try not to fall under someone’s control again, alright?” Link said with a smile.

“I’ll do my best!” Locke replied with a grin.  “Well, good luck you guys!”  And with that, the self-proclaimed treasure hunter left the two heroes behind.

Once Locke was gone, Link looked down at his shadow as Midna came out of it.  “So Midna, what were you saying back in the temple?  Is there something you’re not telling us?”

Her expression turned serious.  “Diababa was brought back using my power over the Twilight.  That cloaked man must have sapped more of my power than I first thought.  I can’t even go back to my true form like this!”

“That’s terrible!” Sora exclaimed.  “Now we really have to find this guy.”

“And how do you plan on doing that?” the Twilight Princess challenged, earning a glare from Sora.  “Look, I want to find him as much as you do, but the most we can do right now is dispel the Twilight and restore my power.”

Link’s eyes widened.  “You think other monsters could’ve been brought back?”

“It’s more than likely,” Midna said with a nod.  “And if we defeat those monsters, some of my power will return.  But one thing at a time, heroes.  Next stop, Eldin Province!”

As the group left the Forest Temple behind them, Sora’s thoughts drifted to his friends:  Riku, still trapped in the Twilight by an unknown foe… and Kairi, still waiting for them to return.

…

A loud whistle caused Kairi to stir.  “Hmm?  It’s morning already?” she mumbled, reaching out for her clock.  Her eyes flew open when she realized that she was running late.  “Oh no, I forgot to set my alarm!” she cried as she hopped out of her bed and rushed to get ready for school.

“Hey, Kairi!  You awake?” a voice called, and Kairi looked out the window to see her three school friends Tidus, Selphie and Wakka.

“Guys?  So that was you whistling, Tidus!” Kairi said with a smile.  “I’ll be down as soon as I can!”

“Okay, hurry up!” Tidus called back before Kairi closed the window.  Sighing, he turned to the others.  “It’s not like her to sleep in like this.”

“She’s been pretty distracted lately,” Selphie commented.  “I’ll bet she misses Sora.  He and Riku left the island again, right?”

“Whoa, hold your chocobos!” Wakka said, placing hands on his friends’ shoulders.  “If something’s bothering her, she’ll tell us when she’s ready.  So no more gossiping, ya?”

“Fine,” Tidus and Selphie said simultaneously.

“?  Hey guys, does that guy look familiar to you?” Tidus asked, pointing down the road where a tall man in a black hooded cloak was standing.

Selphie gulped at the sight of him.  “I’ve definitely never seen him before.  He’s huge!”

“Doesn’t look very friendly, though,” Wakka muttered, already suspicious of the figure.

“Okay, I’m going in,” Tidus said, cracking his knuckles.  “You guys back me up.”  The confident athlete walked right up to the hooded figure.  “Um, can I help you?”

The figure turned in the boy’s direction.  “I’m looking for the princess of this world,” he replied, speaking in a low gravelly voice that made Tidus’s skin crawl.

What is he talking about? the blonde thought as he regained his composure.  “Sorry, no princess here.  You’ve got the wrong island.”  

The figure responded by grabbing Tidus around the neck and lifting him off the ground.  “Do not lie to me.  I know that a Princess of Heart resides on this island!”

Struggling to breathe, Tidus tried in vain to pry the figure’s hand off his neck. Who is this guy?!  He’s bad news…

Suddenly, a Blitz Ball hit the figure on the side of his head before bouncing back to Wakka’s hand.  “Drop him!” the older boy shouted as Selphie readied her nunchucks.

Under his hood, the figure grinned evilly before throwing the helpless Tidus towards his friends, sending all three of them tumbling to the ground.

After a short coughing fit, Tidus took some much-needed deep breaths before glaring at Wakka.  “Drop him?!”  The older boy shrugged with a guilty smile before realizing that the hooded figure was coming closer, a long silver sword now in his hand.

“This is not good!” Selphie said as she scrambled to her feet.

At that moment, Kairi dashed out of her house.  Seeing her friends in danger, she instinctively shouted, “Leave them alone!”

“Kairi, get out of here!  This guy’s crazy!” Tidus shouted.

The figure immediately turned towards Kairi, and grinned once again.  “Well well… it seems you know the princess very well indeed!”