~Chapter Nine- The Fungal Temple~
“Warro, for the last time, there are no Keese, in this tunnel.” They had spent what seemed like an eternity crossing through the dark tunnel that was made by Queen Gohma. The tunnel had begun to slop upward and the walk began to grow difficult as Warro and Kuro’s feet began to slide on the slushy ground. Was or mud, or more of that fungus? Hanging onto the wall, Kuro pulled Warro behind her up the slope, to keep from slipping. Once at the top of the slope, they finally saw light. They exited the tunnel and looked around. The grass was now a pinkish color and the walls were the same color as the walls in the chamber that Gohma was originally in.
“Wow,” muttered Warro as he and Kuro took in their surroundings.
“Eugh, what’s that smell?” Kuro pinched her nose and looked around for the source of the scent of blood mixed with another, strange and even worse smell. “Oh, and Warro, you can let go of my hand, now.”
“I already did.”
“Oh,” Kuro said, turning the same pink as the fungus on the grass, now noticing that it was she, who was tightly gripping Warro’s hand. It was the strong stench of blood that was in the air. It reminded her of that day six years ago.
“Wolfos!” Warro cried as he pulled Kuro towards two corpses lying in front of a shrine that had a wooden door, leading somewhere. He looked at them and anger lit up in his eyes. “Their insides were sucked out…” he muttered, clenching his fists. Inside of the ripped open, empty, and lifeless bodies of the Wolfos were slimy balls. They seemed to pulsate at Warro stared at them.
“Warro,” Kuro said, moving her hand that was still holding Warro’s. She had felt likes she was being watched this whole time and looking up confirmed her suspicions. “I would get away from those, if I were you.” High up on the ceiling looking down at them was a large golden eye with a red center. It rolled vertically once and then focused on Warro and Kuro, before the body, that it was attached to, dropped down from the ceiling and landed on the roof of the shrine the door was in. “Warro, we have to get away!” Warro did not move. He was paralyzed with fear.
This is the parasite that’s causing those weird things in the forest? Thought Warro, looking down at the Wolfos and back up at Gohma. As he stared, a strange, gurgling sound came from inside the Wolfos. Gohma began to climb up the wall and then burrowed into it, exiting the room. “You’re not getting away!” Warro yelled, taking out his sword and dashing to the door, when suddenly something jumped out at him and knocked him to the ground. It was some two legged mini-Gohma. Its eye seemed to stare blankly at him as it stomped around on his chest.
“Warro!” Kuro yelled as the boy cried out in pain. She ran over to him and thrust her halberd at the Gohma larva. It squealed as tears squirted out from its eye, when it closed it. It hopped off of Warro and ran away, but just then, another hopped out from the other Wolfos. “Agh! Warro, get it for me!” This larva was standing on the haft of her halberd and was leaning forward to knock her off balance. Warro quickly rose to his feet and stabbed at the larva and knocked it off her weapon and to the ground. It bounced and reared itself to pounce again. “Warro, get the one behind you!” Kuro yelled.
“Gotcha!” Warro replied. It was strange, after Kuro saved him, he felt as if he knew what she was thinking. They both backed up until their backs were touching. “One…” Warro muttered
“Two…” Kuro said after him.
“Uh…” Warro never managed to count over two, in his life—well, what he could remember.
“THREE!” Kuro shouted. The two larvae leapt forward towards them on both sides and were instantly cut down by a simultaneous strike from Warro and Kuro. Warro took deep breaths as the pain in his chest came back.
“Ow…” he groaned as he fell back, leaning against Kuro, who surprisingly was a firm support for him to lean on. He had to take some time to catch his breath and all the while, he was wondering how he and Kuro were able to work so well together just then. It was as if their spirits were one.
O’, Holder of the Pendant, one who seeks the parasite destroying our home…
“Kuro?” Warro asked.
“Yeah?” She turned her head behind her and looked down at Warro, who was slouching.
“Do you hear someone speak?”
“No, why?”
O’, Holder of the Pendant, it is you who must save the forest. Find Queen Gohma and slay her, or the new sprout will never grow.
“There it is again,” Warro said. Suddenly, the pendant around Warro’s neck began to shine. A small green orb was in the center of the Triforce charm.
Take my power and use it to aid in your quest…
The small orb floated out in front of Warro and his surroundings turned black. Standing before him, illuminating the darkness was a woman veiled in a green light. He features were hidden, but it was apparent she was looking at Warro.
You, who holds the Spirit Pendant, you cannot defeat Gohma with your power as it is. I grant you my power through this weapon.
A white boomerang appeared in front of Warro. One end of it looked as if it had the wing of a bird. He took hold of it and a great wind suddenly blew in his face. His eyes closed as the spirit said,
The power of the Forest Sage’s Spirit is yours to call upon, now.
“Warro… Warro!” Kuro shook Warro quickly as he opened his eyes. Kuro was kneeling next to him. “You passed out all of the sudden. I really don’t get you, but I suppose it’s because you are not really used to all this yet, huh?”
“Not really,” Warro answered, sitting up. He rubbed his eyes. “You didn’t hear that voice?”
“You mentioned it before you passed out.” Kuro held her hand out to Warro, who grabbed it and was pulled onto his feet. He grabbed his sword, which was sticking out from the ground, and picked up his shield. “Anyways, we should chase after Gohma, now. If we go through that door, we may find her. I just hope she did not lay any more eggs.” They walked over to the door and opened it, but just as they were about to pass down, another one of those “spider-things” as Warro called them dropped down from the ceiling.
“Damn, Skulltula! We don’t have time for this!” She yelled as it turned around, preparing to twist its web for a quick and deadly spin. When its back was exposed, Kuro stabbed at it and killed it in one strike. “C’mon, Warro!” She held the door open for Warro and then she ran through the corridor with him. “If Gohma is not in the next room, I am so kicking your a**.”
“And if she is?” Warro asked nervously.
“Well, if we survive the encounter, I have something in mind,” Kuro said, smirking. She opened the door up at the end of the corridor. “Warro…”
“Yes?” Warro asked, slowly walking up behind her.
“Gohma’s there, so let’s go kick her a**.” She walked through the door wand Warro followed right behind her. Inside the next room, both of them could tell it was the atrium (even though “atrium” is not a word yet known to Warro) of the area. There were four torches in the center of the room and their fires were a very unnatural color. One was blue, one was green, one was orange, and the last was violet. Suddenly, one by one they were extinguished and four figures went off in different directions as whatever was in the middle of the room sank into the floor.
“What were those, Kuro?” Warro asked, grasping onto the railing as they walked down the steps.
“Those were Poes. I think we’re in the Forest Temple. I heard stories that the Kokiri had destroyed the entry way to this temple, because they were afraid of them.”
“Nah, the entrance was broken a loooong time ago,” Warro laughed, and then suddenly heard a squish. He lifted his foot and saw that he had stepped on one of the larva eggs of Gohma.
“That’s not good…” Kuro said, finally noticing why there were no eggs on the ground. They turned around and the whole wall was covered by them. “That’s really not good…” It was almost instantaneously, the larvae began to pierce their way through the eggs and drop down to the floor. “Warro, look up!”
“What?” Warro asked, looking up. He noticed that the golden eye of Gohma had turned red.
“I get it now! Gohma is able to command when the larvae are about to hatch!” She grabbed Warro’s wrist and pulled him down the steps and up onto a platform next to one of the torches. “Warro, I’ll go try and lure Gohma off the ceiling. You just keep them things off me, okay?”
“Right,” Warro said. “But it’s on the ceiling. How do you get it down?”
“It’s why I said try. You always need a plan B, remember?”
“Oh, yeah,” Warro said. Kuro stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled.
“’Oi, Gohma! Over here!” Kuro yelled. “Gohma!”
“I don’t think it understands you!” Warro yelled as the first of the larva was slashed in half. The next one pouched and he slashed again. Soon they kept on coming and Warro had to slash nonstop.
“I know, but you never know!” Kuro said, as she stabbed three larva with her halberd at once. She flicked them off. “Time for plan B!”
“What’s that?”
“Warro, you think you could run up to the top of the—“
“Agh!” One of the larva had managed to tackle him and began to stomp on him.
“Never mind! Let me do it!” Kuro yelled, hopping off the platform and kicking the larvae off of Warro and quickly killing them. “Wait a minute… if these are the larva, Gohma must share the same weakness! You notice how they’re eyes water up, when they are hit?”
“Well, you’re stabing them with a sharp object, Kuro,” Warro said as he was helped up. “I think—“
“No, we just have to take out Gohma’s eye. And then she can’t command the larvae anymore, and without their mother, the larvae will die.”
“What’s a larvae?” Warro asked.
“Warro, it’s those dimwitted remarks that will get you killed.” Kuro hopped over the platform and began to take out the larvae in large clumps. “Warro, just keep killing them. We almost thinned them out!”
Warro nodded and ran up from behind her. He was moving at that speed Kuro was so amazed by and was cutting away at the larvae. Now, that they knew the strength of them, they were able to take them out in one blow. After a few seconds, thought he suddenly dropped his sword and grasped his rm. There were only three larvae left.
“Warro, you alright?” Kuro asked rushing over to him and defending him from the three larvae. She struggled as the three of them all came at once. They hit from the sides and began to knocker her around. She swung at them and began to miss.
“The ones that lived the longest certainly have adapted to combat,” Kuro panted, clutching her side. “Warro, don’t tell me you wore your arm out.”
“No,” Warro said. The whole time Kuro was getting knocked around, something sparked in him. He hated seeing her like that, especially after she saved him several times before. He wanted to be useful. “I’m fine.” He picked up his sword and suddenly leapt up into the air and came down, with the edge pointed down at the head of one of the Larvae. Just before it pounced at Kuro again, the blade entered its body and came out its underside. He swung his sword out from the body and cut the other in half. The third tried to run away, but Warro merely muttered, “You really shouldn’t hurt my friends and think you can get away.” He dashed towards the last larva and cut it in half. After that, the fire that had ignited wavered and returned to normal. He panted and looked at Kuro. “You alright?”
“Warro, if you were that badass from the beginning, why did you pretend to suck so bad?” Kuro asked, laughing and patted him on the back. “I suppose I should give you a reward force saving me kind of. I mean, I sure wouldn’t have gotten out of the defensive soon.” Warro rubbed his arm and had noticed that it no longer felt as if it had been encased in a boulder. He looked up and saw Gohma, whose eye was now golden and fixated solely on him and Kuro. She dropped down from the ceiling and leaned towards them to intimidate the two. It stood its ground and then suddenly roared.
“Wait a second, Warro, have you noticed anything?”
“What?”
“The only thing that has the fungus on it are those vines on the ceiling. Gohma’s only able to harm plants! It explains why those larvae were only strong in groups.” Kuro gripped her halberd tightly as said. “Aim for the eye, it has to be the weak point. If not, well, it makes the battle all the easier if she’s blind. I’ll back you up. You seem like you have enough energy to spare.”
“A-alright.” Warro nodded and took several steps forward.
“If you go faster the reward will be even better,” Kuro said, prodding him with the butt of her weapon. Warro nodded and picked up the pace, running towards Gohma with his blade down at his side. “Heeeyah!” he cried out slashing diagonally across Gohma’s eye, but he felt it hit something harder that that large, juicy, golden eye that was before him. Suddenly he got thrown back and Kuro jumped up from above him and stabbed it. Gohma roared out in pain and immediately went in a rampage. She tossed and turned and Kuro kept a firm grip on her weapon. She hit agains the exosketon of Gohma hard with each movement. “I’m… so… going to feel… this… tomorrow…” She grunted between each hit. “Warro’ you better… hurry... up!”
Warro had slammed into the platform and the wound on his head had reopened. He was bleeding and was dripping onto the ground as Gohma climbed up the wall and onto the ceiling. Her eye turned red and then he heard Kuro yell,
“Warro! I really would hate to die right now! I can’t hold on much longer! Catch me!” The suddenly, Warro noticed that he would have to kill Gohma right away. He stood up and noticed that he had broken his leg. “No…” He needed some way to kill Gohma, destroy those eggs, and save Kuro all at once.
My power… use my power…
“Oh, yeah, you said we couldn’t defeat her,” Warro muttered. “Fine… Give me it.” Warro put his sword away and a green light shined. As it faded, the Gale Boomerang appeared in his hands.
If you wish to multitask, charge up enough gust to save your friend…
“O-Okay,” Warro muttered, extremely nervous, knowing had little time. The eggs were beginning to hatch and Kuro was hanging just barely. He focused and a little tornado appeared around his hand as he brought it back and got ready to through.
I’ll guide it to your targets. Don’t you worry.
“I’m not worried, I’m scared,” Warro said. He most definitely was. This was a lot of pressure and Kuro was his first friend from outside the forest. He’d hate to see her go. He threw the boomerang with all his might and it shot off towards Gohma and hit her right in the eye. She cried out in pain as she fell to the ground, while the eggs were shattered, killing the larvae, and the it went to Kuro, who was falling and used the last of it’s strength to carry her back to Warro. She landed in his arms the same time he caught the boomerang.
“It’s also wrong to not tell me you had another weapons,” Kuro laughed. Warro winced and said, “Heavy…” Kuro gasped and cracked him right across the face.
“I’ll deal with you after I finish her off. Give me your sword. My halberd is kind of stuck.” Warro nodded and leaned his right shoulder down and allowed Kuro to pull his blade out. She ran towards Gohma and just as it was beginning to recover she stabbed it right in the eye and it fell limp. The body began to burn up in a blue flame and then as the eye melted away, a heart shaped gem, much larger than the one that had healed Warro’s leg earlier appeared. “’Oi, Warro! Here’s your reward! I heard these things make you stonger!”
“What is it—agh!” Warro limped and stumbled. Kuro came over to him and helped him over to the gem.
“Pick it up and it will heal you,” she said, helping Warro down. He picked up the gem and suddenly all of his wounds were healed as the gem exploded into dust. As he got up, Kuro collapsed and leaned against Warro.
“Kuro!” Warro said, catching her and laying her on the ground.”
“It’s fine, I’m just a bit tired, that’s all. I’m a bit curious about those Poe, though. So, you mind if we stay here until we learn what they are guarding? It was a little too perfect that they extinguished those torches just as we entered.”
“Fine, fine,” Warro said. “How’d I do in battle?”
“You suck, you know that? Stop changing your skill!” She laughed. “Anyways you, like your reward?”
“Yeah!”
“I’m glad.” Kuro said adding a mutter so inaudible that Warro couldn’t hear it. “I was afraid you’d want something else.”
