LoZ: Trail of Memories - Ch7: Tear of Water

After a night full of catching up with old friends made in the caravan, Link rested in the comfort of a warm bed, awaking refreshed the following morning. He quickly dressed then headed down to breakfast in the large open area of the tavern below. Inaya directed him to a table near the main entrance and when he approached he discovered why. Seated at the table was Melody who was having a conversation with Akram and some of the other soldiers in town.

“Link! Over here!” Akram greeted from at the end of the table. “Melody was just telling me about your little adventure in the graveyard.”

Melody nodded and greeted Link with a smile, “Good morning Link, I was pleased to hear you were back in town.”

Link smiled back at his friends then took a seat beside her at the table. Over breakfast Melody informed Link that Tzila and Sheik had returned to the Hidden Village at the request of the Sheikah leader, leaving her and Akram in charge of the resistance in town for the moment. She told him of the trouble that was happening north of the town on Death Mountain; how the Goron had just suddenly disappeared into the mountain leaving the great carved city inhabited only by a few children and nobody knew why. The new information added to Link’s previous concerns and only solidified his resolve to return to Zora’s Domain as soon as possible to discover the reason for the disappearance of the Goron.

“We’re planning on making a journey into the mines to see if we can find out what is really going on,” Melody concluded. “I’d ask you to join us but you seem to have your own journey ahead of you.”

“You can only solve one problem at a time I suppose, right Link?” Akram asked as they headed out of the inn.

Link nodded regretfully, “Once I can get the Domain back in order I’ll return and see what I can do here.”

“I understand, just make sure you don’t get ahead of yourself on your own,” Melody advised. “You don’t want Sheik to have to save you again. She’ll never let you live it down.”

Link nodded sheepishly and could easily picture the lecture the Sheikah would give him if she was forced to rescue him again. “I’ll try not to, but trouble always seems to find me.”

Akram laughed at Link’s response and Melody gave him a concerned look before the two of them returned inside the inn. His friends had their expedition to plan and Link turned his attention to restocking his supplies for his own journey. He walked down the path from the inn to the busy marketplace below for a quick shopping trip. With his newly purchased food and other essential items carefully packed away Link headed to the stables to retrieve Epona.

The mare was waiting in a large corral where she was grazing with several other horses; Link could not help but stop and watch the peaceful sight. He easily climbed the surrounding fence and sat atop of it munching on one of the apples he had bought earlier in the morning. The sudden smell of fruit instantly caught Epona’s attention and she trotted over to where Link was resting. She snatched what remained of the apple out of Link’s hand; her sudden arrival almost knocked Link off of the fence as he tried to avoid her hungry pursuit. Link righted himself and gave Epona an annoyed look that was returned with happy crunching. Link sighed and hopped off of the fence into the corral beside her. He led the now pleased horse out of the gate and over to where her gear had been stored. Link saddled Epona up with ease and the two of them headed to the edge of the town to begin their return trip to the frozen Domain.

*

It was late in the morning when they entered the winding rocky passages of central Eldin, with the fate of the Zora weighing heavily on his mind Link urged Epona through the now familiar path. It did not take them long to reach the large open fields that bordered with the Lanayru province. Link reigned Epona in before they entered the vastly unprotected area in hopes of finding a safe route around the patrolling monsters that would likely be about. In the distance Link spotted two of the large warthogs that pursued him the day before, on the ground their riders were moving around unaware of Link’s presence at the moment. Link planned on keeping it that way and turned Epona to the cliffs that edge the Eldin Gorge to give the Bulblins a wide berth and to not attract unwanted attention.

When he and Epona made it safely to the Bridge of Eldin Link decided to push their luck by simply charging his way through the stone passage. They were met by two sleeping guards resting on the stone blocks at the far end of the bridge. Both startled at their approach and one fell from its post into the gorge below, the other Link took out with his raised sword as they exited the stone bridge.

Across the border they found the eastern passage into Zora’s Domain to be vacant of patrolling Blins. Link was unsure if it was good fortune or a sign of bad things to come but he urged Epona through the clear path with care. He wanted to try and make it to the Domain before night fall to save some daylight for the journey deeper in the frozen fountain.

When they reached the large stone formation that bridged the gap over the still river the sun was high in the sky. A familiar chill filled the air and both Epona and Link shook at the sudden temperature change but they pressed on. Knowing Epona would be tired and Link slowed their pace as they crossed the moss covered ground. They were moving a steady trot when they reached the sloping hills that outlined the still rapids that once flowed out of the Domain.

Entering Zora’s Domain Link quickly dismounted and led Epona to a safe spot where she could rest. He fed her an apple before leaving a few more on the ground beside her.

“Just stay put for now, I’ll be back soon,” he said soothingly to the horse then turned his attention to the long climb up the falls.

Link rubbed his already chilled hands together as he approached the vine covered wall; gingerly he grabbed a hold of the cold plant and pulled himself off of the ground. With caution he scaled the steep cliff wall paying close attention to his footholds until he reached the edge that was covered in a thick layer of snow.

Once atop of the cliff Link felt a sudden chill run down his spine not caused by the temperature; remembering the danger of the overhang above and he cautiously backed himself into the wall to get some support as he passed under the sharp icicles that hung above. Link’s tactics proved to be successful as even when he slipped down the wall the ice pike that fell was far enough away for him to dodge and roll to the safety of the open space at the end of the sloped curving path around the Domain.

Link passed behind the frozen waterfall near the top of the cavern feeling at ease until the eerie sound of icy wing beats caught his attention. Several glistening Ice Keese came into view and Link quickly drew his sword. The first Keese swooped down at Link several times and missed until on the last sweep it flew directly into his shield then onto the ground below. Another three flew into range and Link dispatched them with a spin attack. The last two came at him in a pair and Link had to raise his shield to keep from becoming a Hylian icicle once more. Link finished them off with two strong slashes and climbed the stone staircase up to the throne room at the top of the waterfall.

Entering the throne room Link saw that the torches in the room had long since died out, Link pulled out his lantern to relight them to see in the darkened space. With the aid of the flickering light and slight warmth they provided Link headed to the far end of the throne room where he knew the enormous red-hued ice blockade awaited him. When he approached the block of red ice he did not see any sign of the Zora from the previous day, becoming concerned Link quickly retrieved one of the bottles containing the magical blue fire. He held his breath as he emptied the contents of the bottle on the thick ice before him. To his amazement the magic infused flames engulfed the sheet of ice melting it into a large puddle on the frozen stone floor.

With the barrier gone Link passed through the new open passage in search of the missing Zora. The waterway beyond the throne room was vast and full of different tunnels; Link soon found himself lost amongst them. With only his lantern to light the area ahead of him and the noises of an unseen struggle Link stumbled onto a strange scene. Before him he saw that the Zora lady surrounded by short creatures made of ice and behind her he thought he saw another Zora partially trapped in ice. She was attempting to defend the trapped Zora from the Freezards and their freezing breath.

When he reached the fight the Zora had two of them trapped in a circle of water while the other tried to move in close to attack her. Link drew his sword rushing to the Zoras’ aid; cold steel met a body of ice causing the creature to fall forward. Link delivered an ending blow to the Freezard before turning his attention to the Zora.

“It certainly took you long enough!” she said in a miffed tone but she appeared grateful for his arrival and gave him a tired smile. The Zora waved her hand at the two Freezards that had begun to recover from her previous attack and turned her attention to the trapped Zora. “Be a good knight and take care of those two. I have to free Chelan.”

Link nodded and moved to defend the Zoras from the incoming ice creatures. One of the freezards began to blow a blast of ice at Link who dodged it by rolling to the side taking advantage of the opening in its defense. Link rushed at the preoccupied monster and hacked its large frozen body into two pieces. The second Freezard used the distraction to attack Link with its breath of ice causing him to freeze temporarily. As it moved to continue its assault it was halted by a spear made of bone that impaled it through its chest. Link quickly broke free and saw the second Zora retrieve the weapon and return to the Zora lady.

“Well, now that they are taken care of I suppose I owe you an explanation,” the Zora lady started as she placed her hands on her hips. “I had every intention of waiting around for you but early this morning those nasty things appeared in the throne room and chased me here.”

“I was fortunate enough to find Chelan during the chase. Of course he was stuck but that isn’t the point.” She made a gesture that rustled her delicate fins at the Zora beside her. “Everyone else is trapped in the frozen water of the fountain.”

“I’m just glad you aren’t hurt,” Link said honestly. “I was worried when you weren’t on the other side of the barrier.”

“Princess Rutari is capable of taking care of herself,” the Chelan finally spoke in a firm tone.

“Princess?” Link asked curiously, he had figured that all the Zora royals had been captured with their king.

“Ah yes, how impolite of me. I never introduced myself or even asked for your name. I’m Rutari the crown Princess of the Zora,” the Zora said in a practiced tone. “And you are?”

“Link from the Floating Village,” Link answered as she looked at him expectantly.

“Link? With that getup I thought you were just some sort of pretender, but you even share the name of the legendary hero. How interesting.” Rutari said in a contemplative tone as she looked him over. “Well Link, since you have done as I’ve asked I have a royal favor for you.”

The Zora princess held up her finned arms and summoned a glowing light between her hands. When the light faded a strange pair of boots rested in her arms which she handed to Link. The boots were heavier than Link expected and as he looked them over he realized they were reinforced by pieces of metal making them far heavier than any normal pair of boots.

“As you can tell those aren’t just any pair of boots, they are iron boots.” Rutari explained as she pointed to the soles of the boots. “They make you heavy enough to sink to the bottom of lakes and very difficult to move when you have them on.”

She gave a sad glance around at their surroundings and sighed, “Although they may be more useful once all this ice is gone.”

“Thank you, Rutari,” Link said as he slipped the boots into his pack and turned to her once more, “About this ice, maybe you should tell me how this all started.”

Rutari and Chelan shared a glance before she returned her gaze to Link, “Well, over a week ago during the festival of Jaboon a sudden chill erupted from the center of the fountain. Everyone was astonished when a column of ice formed and froze nearly everything it touched. Even Lord Jaboon is frozen at the heart of the fountain.”

“All of the Zora that had been in the fountain became trapped in the frozen water below and the few that escaped were met by Chilfos and Freezards,” Chelan continued as Rutari’s face grew quite sad. “The King and most of the royal family were captured and taken down into the deep chasm that the column had created.”

“…I had been preparing for my role in the festival when the attack happened. If I had been out there I could have done something,” the Zora princess said regretfully.

“If you had been there you would have been captured as well. We were lucky to have been safe from the brunt of the attack,” Chelan replied in a serious tone but Link could see the lingering guilt on the princess’s features.

“What matters is that you are both safe,” Link said in a comforting tone. “We just have to save the other Zora now.”

Rutari smiled at Link’s words and Chelan nodded. “Right, enough of the pity partying. We have a nasty ice problem to solve.”

*

With not one but two Zora to guide him they managed to exit the dark passageway into the open air of the Fountain of the Zora with ease.  The entire area was covered in thick layer of ice, flurries danced across the frozen fountain, and the surrounding rock and foliage were dusted with soft white powder. Link kicked away some of the snow from the water’s surface and confirmed what the Zora had told him, below their feet countless Zora were frozen in the dark water. Ahead of them was a large stone pavilion where Link assumed they performed the festivals and ceremonies, just beyond that an enormous spiraling ice pillar jutted out of the fountain’s surface. He could see what appeared to be steps carved out of the ice that descended into the chasm below.

“That’s where the monsters took my father and siblings,” Rutari explained as she gestured for them to follow her. “Whoever sent them must have them imprisoned at the bottom, so let’s get down there.”

Link nodded at her assessment and quickly followed after the Zora princess with Chelan in tow.

As the approached the coiling staircase made of ice they took a quick glance around for enemies hidden in the glistening white that filled the area. Finding it clear for the moment they began their descent into the frigid cavern below.

With Rutari leading the way and Chelan at the back they reached the first sub-level where they were met by several Ice Keese lining the wall and a trio of Freezards. Rutari jumped ahead the Freezards through a small portal of water and appeared on the other side where she began attacking the flying pests. That left the animated chunks of ice for Chelan and Link to handle. The Zora guard moved to the left swinging his spear at the Freezards ahead of him while Link held his shield out and bashed the approaching monsters knocking them back leaving them open for a well-timed spin attack. With his enemies dealt with Link turned to see that Chelan had been temporality frozen by a blast from the last freezards and rushed to intervene with a jump attack that split the frozen monster into tiny pieces.

When Chelan recovered he nodded his thanks to Link and both turned to Rutari who was awaiting them near the top of the next set of the stairs.

“I think this thing is holding back a geyser or something.” She pointed to a large chunk of red ice that appeared to be blocking a powerful force beneath it. “We should melt it and find out right?”

Link nodded and retrieved his second bottle still full of blue fire. As he approached the block he could feel the ice beneath him give off a slight shudder. He emptied the magical flame onto the sphere of ice and as soon as it melted the built up pressure sent a towering column of water far above them. The steam that accompanied it confirmed that it was a natural source of water and should begin melting the surrounding ice.

 “Hmm, if we can find enough geysers like this one we may be able to get rid of all this ice,” Rutari said as she observed the effect of the uncorked geyser. “Well, we don’t have all day. Let’s go find the rest of them.”

There was truth to her words as the little light that had filtered into the chasm had begun to fade and temperature was dropping once more. The three of them continued their descent once more with Link hacking at the occasional Keese that appeared to hinder their journey.

At the second level they stopped when they found a large gate made of red ice blocking their way down further down the chasm; beyond the gate they spied another large ice blocked geyser. Closer inspection of the area revealed two alcoves carved into the ice wall each with a pedestal. The right held a treasure chest and the left a large sealed urn. As they moved to inspect the find they were thrown back by the sudden arrival of three Chilfos that appeared from the icy wall and moved to defend the alcoves.

“Well, if it’s important enough to defend then it must be something good,” Rutari said as she gracefully got to her feet and moved to attack the closest guard.

Link intercepted the second one that attempted to swipe at him with its javelin and Chelan did the same with the last until only broken pieces of frozen bone were left melting on the floor. With the guards dispatched Link approached the closest pedestal and lifted the treasure chest’s lid, out of the chest Link pulled out a large blue boomerang. It had a cloud carving at the larger end and golden inlay on the other.

“A boomerang huh? Not what I was expecting but not bad, also not my style,” Rutari said as she looked at the prize Link had found. “Maybe you should hold on to it instead?”

Link nodded and stashed the new weapon on his belt before turning to the second pedestal. He approached the strange urn and cautiously opened its covering. A powerful blue flame erupted from inside the jar and filled the area with its light.

“Seriously? They just keep that stuff lying around?” Rutari asked in disbelief. “Why would an ice monster keep blue fire in its keep?”

Link was confused by the find as well but decided to be grateful as he had a feeling they would need the source of magical fire and filled both bottles once more. Armed with their new treasure the trio set their attention on the gate and the geyser beyond it, bottle in hand Link used the fire to melt the barrier blocking their path. Link poured out the last of his blue fire on the second ice block and another powerful surge of water filled the chasm. With the barrier removed the two Zora continued further into the dark unknown. Before Link followed the Zora he returned to the pedestal to refill his depleted bottles for any ice they encountered ahead.

*

With bottles full of blue fire Link hurried down the spiraling staircase to catch up with his companions, once he reached the sub-level he found it suspiciously empty but the signs of a struggle visible on the icy floor. Beyond the red ice covered geyser large spikes of ice lay broken on the floor, sharp footprints headed to another part of the area with deep drag marks trailing behind.

Link followed the tracks carefully to a new section of chasm that cut further into the ground. Above him large icicles hang precariously from the ceiling of the cavern and Link did his best to avoid dislodging them. His efforts proved futile after the sudden appearance of a gigantic Freezard that dropped from above and caused a massive ring of icicles to encircle them. The shockwave sent Link stumbling backwards on the frozen floor temporarily stunned by the force.

By the time Link had gotten back on his feet the giant ice beast had created trio of smaller Freezards that began to seek him out. Link met the first two with his sword and smashed them into small pieces of ice before he was hit by a chilling blast of air from another. Two more of the smaller Freezards moved to ram him into the spiky rim of the ice prison surrounding them. The impact freed him of the ice but left him winded with several stinging cuts on his back. Link shook off the injuries as angry determination pushed him to get his head back into the fight on hand, the three Freezards had begun their pursuit once more and Link was ready for them. When the first two unleashed their icy blast Link gracefully ducked under the cold gusts and slid between them sword drawn smashing his way through the third in the center; he spun around to face the other two that had turned their single red eyes and Link decided to try a new tactic. He pulled the new boomerang from his pack and threw it at the Freezards sending them sailing across the floor in a powerful gust of wind. The force of the gale smashed them into the wall and crushed their icy forms much to Link’s relief.

Finding himself once again alone with the giant ice beast Link prepared for the worst; he figured the creature had the same weak spots as its smaller counterparts despite its size. He began to plan his attack when the beast raised its head back and unleashed a far more powerful gust of frozen air that sent him colliding into the wall of ice once more. Link realized that the giant Freezard had far more power behind it and no shield would be able to keep him in his place; and then he remembered the gift that Rutari had given him. He dodged another blast of cold and moved to retrieve the heavy iron boots from his pack and slipped them on over his current ones.

Deciding it was time to test out his theory Link raised his shield standing his ground when the giant once again blasted him with its frigid breath and found himself able to stay on his feet; he used the opportunity to move closer to the beast. When the gust ended Link lowered his shield and aimed his boomerang at the large glowing red eye of the giant. The impact was not as dramatic as it had been with the smaller ones but the gale the boomerang created left it stunned long enough for Link to launch a fierce attack with his sword that severely cut the beast down to size. The giant Freezard had been reduced to half of its previous size but had retained its ferocity as Link found when it attempted to bash him into the wall; he was fortunate enough to dodge at the last second. It didn’t take long for it to turn around and rear its head in preparation for an attack and Link was ready for it. Fighting the cold blast with his shield raised high Link trudged forward to land an attack of his own. Using the same tactic as before Link waited for the break in the Freezard’s defense and threw his boomerang into the single eye stunning it then rushed forward to finish it off.

When the beast finally fell the circle of icicles that had trapped him suddenly disappeared and he could see where the trail he had been following ended. Amongst the ice Link found Chelan fully encased in a large block of ice; wasting no time Link went to free the frozen Zora. Link struck the ice surrounding the Zora with a measured force shattering it, the guard collapsed onto the ground and Link struggled to catch him.

“Th-they’ve got her. We were ambushed by a large group of Chilfos,” Chelan said as he struggled to catch his breath. “They froze me and captured the princess.”

“They took her deeper into the chasm,” Chelan continued as Link looked at the far end of the passage where the Zora pointed. “We have to get her back.”

Link nodded and helped the Zora to his feet. “I’ll go after them; you need to recover your strength and find the geyser on this level.”

The Zora gave him a hard look but nodded when Link handed him one of his bottles of blue fire then allowed them to part ways.

*

Once again on his own Link followed the descending staircase that only appeared to grow darker and deeper the further he went down. The added weight of the iron boots on his feet made his progress slow but he was unsure what awaited him at the bottom and he wasn’t about perform another change of shoes if he didn’t have to.

When his metal tipped boots finally hit the last stair he glanced around the vast open area searching for a clue to where Rutari had been taken. It did not take him long to spot the Zora princess across the room, her finned arms and legs had been frozen to an enormous mass of red ice that seemed to rest on what appeared to be a large geyser at the very floor of the fountain itself. Link figured that it must be the main source of the water and as soon as it was uncorked the built up pressure and warmth would set the environment straight. All around the room several Zora were frozen in ice; Link spotted six that resembled Rutari, a young boy, and one that could only be the missing king.

Hearing the clanking metal on the stone floor Rutari looked up and gave Link a frightened glance, “Link! Watch out, the monster causing all this trouble is lurking somewhere!”

Link disregarded her warning and began to make his way over to her and a powerful blast of cold air filled the space. Link shielded his eyes trying to find the source, before his eyes the air encircled a glowing crystal core that formed a large glistening body made of ice. The ice took the form of a large knight that towered over him in its crystal hands it held a long frozen spear.

Gauging his new opponent Link attempted to think of a plan of action; his thoughts were interrupted when the Icenut moved to begin an attack of its own. Link took a few steady steps back and braced himself for the approach of the much larger creature. When the knight finally came into range it lifted its large spear and swung in a sweeping motion attempting to knock Link off of his feet. Link barely managed to dodge the attack with a hasty roll around the side of the knight. Seeing an opening Link launched a jump strike at the knight’s unprotected back. The impact of Link’s sword on the icy form caused a few pieces of the Icenut’s armor to fall away.

Link’s small victory was short-lived as the frozen knight quickly recovered and began a violent spin with its spear that created a powerful cyclone of ice that drove Link back several feet despite the weight of his iron boots. Stunned by the sudden flurry Link was unprepared for the secondary attack that came in the form of a running charge that had him pinned against the side of the chasm’s walls. Unable to move, Link found himself helpless against the much larger knight. Link closed his eyes and waited with bated breath as the Icenut raised his spear once more. When no blow was struck Link cautiously opened one eye and then the other until he saw the familiar bone spear impaling the large frozen knight through its neck breaking another chunks of its armor.

With the distraction Link quickly made his escape by rolling out from underneath the Icenut. Chelan awaited him on the other side appearing to be mostly recovered.

“I took care of the geyser on the upper floor just one more to go,” Chelan said in a bitter tone. “And I see you found the monster responsible for this mess, wonderful.”

“The last one is on the other side of that Icenut and Rutari is with it,” Link said as he caught his breath. “We just have to take care of that thing first.”

The Zora guard seemed to agree and retrieved several carved bone daggers from his side. “Then let’s get started.”

Link and Chelan both took either side of the approaching Icenut; Chelan took to the knight’s right side and began to assault it with a barrage of knives distracting it while Link moved safely behind the knight and slashed at its failing armor. The double attack successfully removed the Icenut of the last pieces of its heavy ice armor.

With the loss of its armor the Icenut proved to be far swifter and performed another violent spinning attack that created a storm that engulfed the room with its power. Both of the warriors were thrown to the walls behind them but something in Link urged him to get up. His thick eyebrows drew together in his frustration with the offending Icenut but it pushed him to raise his right hand to the gauntlet on his left. He engaged the green stone on his gauntlet instantly feeling a rush of magic cascade over him as Farore’s Tear added to his natural speed. Link stood and fought against the barrage of wind and ice held in place only by the metal boots on his feet and magic flowing through his body. When he reached the knight the storm began to die down; looking up at its source Link saw the same glistening crystal that the ice had formed around, only now it was exposed. Link retrieved the boomerang from his belt and carefully aimed it at the bright crystal causing it to crack across the center and stun the knight. Seeing an end to the battle Link targeted the fragile crystal and rushed forward to land two slashes before finally impaling it through the center. The crystal core shattered into tiny pieces causing the unarmored body around it to melt away until the only thing that remained was a large heart container.

With the Icenut’s defeat the ice encasing the eight other Zora in the room shattered. The previously trapped royals now free of their prisons began to look around in confusion.

Seeing little point in keeping his heavy boots on anymore Link slipped them off placing them back into his pack before he rushed to Chelan’s side. He was relieved find that the Zora was only a bit stunned by the last attack. Together they approached the remains of the frozen knight; Chelan pointed to the shining trophy. “I believe you’ve earned that. Pick it up and I’ll check on the rest of the royal family.”

Link nodded tiredly and reached down to collect the heart container and instantly healed the injuries he had received throughout the ordeal. He would be sure that the Zora was healed once they returned to the surface but that would have to wait until the final geyser was unblocked.

“What are you guys waiting for? Do you think I enjoy being stuck here all uselessly?” Rutari exclaimed as they finally reached the large formation of red ice where she was still trapped. “Can’t you see my family is free so why am I not?”

Chelan and Link shared an unimpressed glance but decided it was best not to answer the angry princess; instead Link retrieved the final bottle of blue fire and went about melting the ice block. The moment that Rutari’s bonds were broken and the geyser’s opening was exposed a violent force shook the rock and ice surrounding them. They realized too late what it was and suddenly the cavern was flooding with warm water and the built-up pressure behind it. It did not take long for the water level to rise above their heads and while it was no problem for the Zora in the room Link knew he could not make the swim to the top in time. In the rush of the flowing water Link lost sight of his companions, blindly he made his way upwards but soon began to panic quickly losing his remaining air.

The touch of slick hands on his face caught his attention and when he opened them Rutari was in front of him with a smile. He gasped at her sudden appearance and she took the opportunity to meet his open mouth with hers; air forced its way into his mouth and he realized she was breathing for him. He was sure his face was flushed but had little time to react when she moved away grabbing his hand and began to pull him to the surface behind her.

The rush to the surface was frenzied and Link closed his eyes for most of it, a sharp tug on his arm alerted him that they were only a few feet from the top of the fountain. Link opened his eyes and threw back his head as soon as his head was above water. The sky above them was dark and the other Zora treaded water gracefully while Link struggled to catch his breath. Link tiredly trailed behind them to the stone pavilion at the heart of the fountain and that is where it finally dawned on Link that the Zora that had once been trapped in ice were now recovering in the shallows. Chelan took pity on the young Hylian and pulled him from the water onto the stone surface.

Link breathed easier once on solid ground and when he rolled over to his side he was greeted by the pleased face of a large blue fish. Startled Link quickly stood up and began to back away until his back was met by a plump belly he turned to find himself face to face with the Zora king himself.

“And just who might you be, lad?” the king asked as he looked over the sopping wet Hylian with a discerning eye.

“Father, this is Link. He is the one who came to rescue us,” Rutari said in a placating way. “He defeated the icy monster that froze our Domain.”

“Did you now?” the king asked in a less suspicious tone.

“Only with the help of your daughter and Chelan, your majesty,” Link answered sheepishly not used to dealing with royalty.

“Well then, that makes you the hero!” a much smaller voice exclaimed from behind the king. The small Zora prince from before appeared and moved between the king and Link. “And heroes deserve a reward.”

“Yes he does little brother,” Rutari confirmed with a nod and moved closer to Link, “Saving us wasn’t the only reason you came to the Domain was it Link?”

“I was already on my way here when I heard what had happened.” Link shook his head and answered honestly. He lifted the golden gauntlet on his arm up for the surrounding Zora to see, “I’m on a quest to collect the three Goddess Tears and I was told that the royal familiar kept the Tear of Nayru.”

“Well, you were mostly correct. Lord Jaboon actually holds the tear you seek,” Rutari said as she gestured to the enormous fish behind him. Link turned to look at the enormous fish that made a rumbling sound. “Considering that you saved him along with the rest of us I believe you have earned that tear. Don’t you think so too, my lord?”

The fish in question sunk below the water before returning with a large tear shaped sapphire in its mouth. When Link approached the gem appeared in his outstretched hands only smaller. He placed the second jewel into the bottom left slot of the gauntlet and watching it glow along with the emerald tear.

“Link,” Rutari said as she caught his attention, “I hope you will take that Tear as a sign of our thanks. We would have been lost without your help.”

“Thank you Rutari,” Link answered his attention still on the princess. “I’m just glad I could do something to help.”

“Of course you are,” she said with a smile and shake of her head. “Knowing your urge to rush into adventure the Tear of Nayru should help keep you safe. It has the ability to create a protective spell that can make you invincible for short periods of time.”

Behind Rutari several other female Zora appeared with curious and excited looks on their faces. He recognized them as the other princesses he had rescued and was unprepared for their sudden appearance.

“He’s pretty cute for a Hylian,” one said as she closely inspected his face. Another two moved in a circle and giggled as they passed around him causing him to flush at the attention. “Definitely, big sister knows how to find the cute ones.”

Rutari gave the other princesses an annoyed glare, interrupting her younger sister’s assessment she began to pull the young hero away from them. “As a matter of fact I do and finder’s keepers.”

Link heard the frustrated sighs and collective awes of the other Zora princesses behind them as they passed through the opening leading back into the Domain. Despite the urge to flee Link was too exhausted to protest the attention of Rutari and followed after her with little resistance.