Silent Hero: a tribute to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda

by Christine E. Schulze

Chapter 16

  Goddess of the Sands

  Endless sands swirled on all sides, nearly blocking the sky and anything else from their view—though nothing else seemed to exit. For the first time in their quest, Link really felt they’d signed their death warrant. Midna began to cough and sputter horribly, shielding her face with her long cloak; the sand began to kick up into Link’s eyes, making him squint almost to the point of blindness—

  Then, a flash of blue. Perhaps a mirage, yet their only sign of possible hope. Taking Midna’s hand, he led her forward.

  They trudged through the sand storm until, as if passing some invisible barrier, the madness just ceased to be.

  Glancing behind, Link and Midna saw the hurricane of sand still blustering wildly, though even its noise had been silenced on this side of the invisible border. Looking before them, Midna gasped while Link squeezed her hand in surprise.

  A massive glass structure, adorned with golden filigree, stretched miles high against a sky as brilliant a blue as the rarest sapphires. It was a huge hourglass, the strangest yet most awing structure they’d ever beheld. An arched doorway was etched in the bottom dome of the hourglass, leading to the temple nestled within. The temple’s walls stretched high, glistening like gold, made of sand. Grains steadily trickled from the hourglass’ top dome, slowly wheedling away the temple’s glory.

  With merely a glance at each other, they knew there was only one way—forward. Though frightening to envision entering such a place where time was clearly of the essence—perhaps more so than with the other two Spiritual Stones—there was no other way.

  It was Midna who squeezed his hand this time—perhaps involuntarily, though he hoped not—as she whispered so softly, “I wonder if we truly only have an hour to find the Stone before the whole thing collapses on our heads, burying us unknown to anyone for eternity....”

  This seemed neither the time nor place for her poetic but morbid speeches. Yet, Link wondered the same, even as he understood the intense hush of her voice. Never did he hear such utter silence in all his life. Her voice, smaller than a butterfly’s rushing wings, pierced the quiet like knives scraped on an iron door. Perhaps it was more than the presence of noise amidst silence. Perhaps it was also the presence of life amidst death. For the silence in this place reflected death. Link felt they would be the last two living souls to ever grace this Temple’s shadows.

  Gliding like two wisps of cloud, they made their way across the expanse of sand. They walked under the glass archway, entering the hourglass and crossing what they knew was truly the most irrevocable threshold they had yet passed. Then, scaling the wide, majestic steps, they entered the Temple....

  And gazed about in wonder. It was a simple structure though vast; the ceiling stretched countless feet high, the walls nearly as wide, as if they’d entered the abode of an extremely large giant. The room was devoid save supporting pillars. A glass dome ceiling let in plenty of light. Three staircases ran perfectly parallel to each other up to a wide balcony above, the only semblance of a second floor, as far as they could tell. Etched into the wall above the balcony, they could just make out a Triforce carving.

  “Well then,” Midna said, a bit cheerily though wary. “At least we know our path ahead. Come, let’s each take a different staircase. If there are traps, perhaps we won’t be assailed all at once….”

  Nodding and still glancing about in wonder, Link started up the middle staircase while Midna chose the leftmost.

  It seemed an even more tiring journey than climbing inside the caves of the Gorons, perhaps because their path was so continuous, always up with no break or change. Several times they paused catch their breath and retrieve their strength. They dare not linger long, not knowing how much time the hourglass really permitted.

  About half-way up, Midna called out, “Look, Link! Isn’t it breathtaking?”

  He looked over. Midna pointed at a little alcove set in the wall to the left of her staircase. Nestled within was a large painting of seven pyramids. The golden-brown paint glistened, as if bits of diamond had been mixed inside.

  As their trek progressed, they came across two other alcoves with such magnificent paintings, one of a glittering, truly intricate spider web, the other of a butterfly formed entirely of brilliant crimson flames. No other touches of decoration existed throughout the temple.

  Upon reaching the balcony at last, Link and Midna took out their instruments, played the Requiem, and—

  Were immediately swept up in a pillar of blue light. Its warmth caressed their skin and set their weary hearts at ease. Before them floated a woman whose hair, skin, and garb all shone the purest blue, like young brides wore on their wedding day, only its purity was magnified ten-fold. Her smile was sweet, and her sapphire curls wisped about her face in gentle, child-like tendrils. Link shuddered, feeling her almost too pure to look upon....

  Then, she spoke, in a voice so rich and warm it nearly sang, melting even the tracest possibility of uncomfortableness from his heart,

  “Welcome, Hero of Light and Princess of Shadow. And, no, do not think I judge either of your hearts. For Shadows always prove the Light’s existence; there can be good or evil in either..

  "I am Nayru, goddess of wisdom and mercy. I apologize that my sisters could not meet you in your quest, but their power and courage has been needed to fight the forces of evil inasmuch as they can; I alone could spare reprieve.

  “I grant you now that which you so ardently and humbly seek....”

  The gold-gilded ruby hovered before them for a few, humbling moments before vanishing. Midna felt the extra weight in her pocket and placed a hand over her heart, savoring the Stone’s warmth.

  “Now,” Nayru said. “Let me grant you a few, last words of wisdom before you make the final stretches of your quest.

  “Remember that there is a natural order to all things. Our world of Hyrule was founded upon certain laws and perfect order. When that order is disrupted, chaos will ensue. However, when order is maintained, there is peace. There may be trials before the peace—some life cannot be spawned without death—but even still, order with challenge is healthier than a lack of order altogether.

  “Follow the ways of order and wisdom, and you will find your way....”

  The sapphire brilliance engulfed her, and in a blinding flash, it vanished, leaving them to stare at the sandy stone wall.

  “Well,” Midna sighed, “that was surprisingly, pleasantly, and suspiciously easy—”

  As soon as they turned, both stopped short. They stared first in unbelief, then, as reality dawned on them, with horror.

  “Of course,” Midna muttered, “definitely suspiciously....”

  The three long staircases no longer sloped down in three, easy paths to the exit of the Temple. Instead, they’d twisted themselves into a confusing maze which looked like a spaghetti heap of endless stairs with no beginning, middle, or end.

  With a deep sigh, Midna said, “Well, come on then. Let’s figure this out....”

  Of course, there was nothing else to do. Still, Link glanced skeptically at the glass domed ceiling. He could see the pillar of sand raining gently upon its surface from high above inside the hourglass. The waves slid gently off the glass, so lightly and innocently, yet Link wondered what might happen if the sand all of a sudden gushed down in torrents, especially if they ran out of whatever time the hourglass was set to....

  After wandering about the endless twists and turns of the stairs for a while, Midna and Link found themselves scaling the steps back up to the balcony.

  “Hm...”

  Midna fidgeted. Link sympathized with her discomfort. This was the most dangerous puzzle they’d encountered. It wasn’t straightforward, for one thing. For another thing, time was of the essence—and neither could tell how much time.

  Link began doing the only sensible thing. Taking in his surroundings. Some clue, however small, always existed that could trigger some thought of what they were to do or where to go—

&
nbsp; “There!”

  Midna pointed across the room. Link looked too and saw the painting of the pyramids nestled in a small alcove several feet down.

  “If we can figure out the path there, maybe it’s some sort of clue.”

  Link nodded. He didn’t remember seeing anything else of importance in the room before.

  Carefully deciphering the path they should take, they wound along until stopping to rest not upon the balcony again, but inside the alcove with the painting.

  Side by side, they stared at it.

  “Hm...” Midna’s fiery eyes burned intensely at the painting. “Seven pyramids...seven could be a hint of some sort. Or maybe...I don't know....”

  Even as Link’s mind remained completely blank, his body felt an urge to reach out and examine the painting more closely....

  As soon as his fingertips graced the golden frame, the ground rumbled violently beneath them. Midna cried out, falling against Link who caught her while falling against the wall for support.

  Just as violently as the quake began, it stopped, nearly lurching them off their feet.

  “Well, that was productive,” Midna muttered. “But let’s go see if it opened a secret door or something....”

  Link followed her from the alcove onto the staircase. Their feet echoed with an innocent thud, thud, thud—

  “Oh, sh—!”

  Glass shattered with all the deafening force of a supernova as a thick, black mass of cloud plummeted from above, bursting the domed ceiling open. The cloud swarmed then dispersed into thousands of shrieking keese. Link and Midna barely dodged a thick pillar of sand which dropped fast and hard like a boulder, raining steadily into the temple through the wide open space above.

  “Come on!” shouted Midna. “Come on, before the sand piles up and we’re trapped in here!”

  Grasping Link’s hand so tight it pinched, she dragged him along down the stairs. They tried to go fast, but they had to pause here and there, skipping over sharp shards of glass. There was no time for faltering, and the slightest stumble could lead them plunging to their deaths....

  Midna hissed as they skidded to a stop before the pyramid painting, coming full circle once more.

  Link cast her what he hoped was a hopeful look, and she sighed, “Yes, I know, at least we didn’t end up back at the very top.... There must be something else we’ve missed....”

  As Midna prattled on, pacing, Link craned his neck, peering around her and suddenly catching a glimpse of—

  Leaping forward, he grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

  “What, Link—? Oh!”

  Her eyes followed his eagerly pointing finger to the painting nestled in another alcove below, so cleverly hidden it was almost completely concealed.

  Turning a sharp bend, they skidded into the alcove and looked up.

  This time, the painting of the glistening web met their eyes.

  After a brief but glance at one another, they silently agreed that touching another painting was not on their agenda. At least they’d reached another landmark. Zooming down the stairs, they headed for the door—

  And ended up right back at the painting of the looming web.

  Link and Midna glanced at each other again, then down below. Much time had been wasted already, and an uncomfortable amount of sand pooled on the floor below, creeping towards their only means of escape. Regardless of what they wanted, there was no time to mess around with fears and doubts. If this was the puzzle, they must initiate the next piece or never move forward.

  Link darted forward, touched the painting, then grabbed Midna’s hand and rushed her down the stairs. Gigantic skulltullas swung down from the ceiling on thick ropes of silk, landing with thunderous rumbles upon the staircases. Link pulled Midna along so that they just dodged the huge spiders' pinchers and the long-reaching curl of their legs. The spiders closed in, but there was no time for a long, noble battle....

  When almost all the beasts surrounded him and Midna so that they could not move without being jabbed by a massive pincher or leg, Link drew his blade. He grabbed Midna’s arm and pulled her towards the floor. Understanding, she ducked down, and then he swung the blade in a mighty, wide-reaching arc. Flame blazed from its tips, creating a circle of red and blue embers whose reach extended half-way across the room, consuming any spider in its path. One chilling crescendo of their dying screeches assailed Link’s and Midna’s ears before only the rush of sand met their ears once more.

  Leaping down the steps and dispatching a straggling skulltulla, Link led her along a winding path until his eye caught on the final painting. Link again touched the picture’s frame and rushed with Midna from the alcove and along the final stretch towards the exit.

  Nothing seeming to happen, and for a moment, Link feared he’d done something wrong. Maybe they missed a hidden painting, off-setting the pattern, and now they wouldn’t be able to reach the exit but would keep going in mindless circles again....

  The final stair soon came in sight. Then, they were zipping down, eyes focused on the doors—

  As soon as the tips of their toes graced the sand-covered floor, a wall of flame burst between them and the doors. From the ground rose six skeletons armed with helmet, gauntlets, breastplate, sword, and shield. Despite being dead, their eyes were filled with a fierce fire.

  “Stalfos,” Midna growled.

  Link felt her shudder beside him. Drawing his blade, he suppressed a shiver himself as the Stalfos slowly but steadily advanced. One of the fiercest and most skilled types of warriors in the legends of the ancient Hero, Link knew they were one enemy not to be trifled with.

  As the Stalfos slowly drug the long, bony toes of their feet across the sand towards Link and Midna, Link stepped forward, gently pushing Midna back and giving her a sharply forbidding look.

  Then, he turned back to the Stalfos. His heart rushed not so much with fear but with adrenalin as the Stalfos closed in tighter and tighter. It seemed ages ago since his last, intense battle, even though it had been only days since his encounter with the Codiya; all the lines of time seemed blurred beyond recognition these days....

  Link focused on what he must do. He had just enough strength left in him if he focused hard and released at just the right second.

  The Stalfos surrounded him, so close he could hear the rattling bones created by their sharp, wheezy intakes of breath. Awkwardly raising their swords high, they prepared to bring them down in a fatal swoop—

  With a triumphant cry, Link spun three-sixty, slicing the blazing blade through all six foes. Shrieking, the Stalfos burst apart, their bones scattered and motionless, save the skulls which hopped about, teeth snapping at Link’s heels. Midna stumbled back, eyes wide with disgust as one chattered after her. Link quickly speared it, and it dissolved into dust.

  The next bits of work were the most challenging. His strength already spent, he had to push himself to race after the bouncing heads, destroying one by one. When the last one lay silent then withering away into sand before his eyes, he looked up at the fire, waiting—

  Then frowning. The flames did not cease. Why...?

  “Link, look!” Midna shrieked, pointing.

  He followed her fervent gaze to the far wall where one of the skulls hopped towards the remains of its body. Link could have sworn he got them all; scolding himself for such sloppiness, he raced towards the Stalfos, breathless and stumbling—

  But there was no way he could reach it in time. Head joined shoulders which reassembled with torso, arms, legs—and shield and blade.

  Link halted before the foe, slicing slowly but purposely through the sand towards him. Looking down, Link noted the sand crawling above his ankles. Then, looking up, he ducked the pillar of raining sand just in time. He couldn’t fall now; he’d be blinded by the sand then speared by the Stalfos before he had the chance to rise again.

  Slowly, the Stalfos and Hero circled. Link sloshed carefully through the sand, all the while forcing himself to keep his eyes locked on his ene
my’s. Those hate-filled hollows and the expression in his eyebrows gave signals of his slightest jumps, lurches, and sword swipes.

  As the Stalfos furrowed his brow low, Link stepped aside. The Stalfos leapt clumsily and crashed into the sand. As piles of sand rolled on top of him, Link speared the sword into his ribs, shattering them. The other limbs fell apart, but Link cared only for the head. Spotting it, he stabbed it hard.

  The head disintegrated, but Link fell, flailing and sputtering sand. A firm hand grabbed his arm, pulling him to his feet. Even as he stumbled against Midna, the flames vanished. He and Midna waded towards the door where piles of sand already grew high.

  Link grabbed the handle and pulled. Not the tiniest budge. Panting hard, he nodded towards Midna, certain she possessed far more strength than he for the moment.

  Midna yanked hard on the door. It budged half an inch or so—or perhaps Link’s panicked, hopeful mind just imagined it did—but after that, nothing. Still, Midna kept pulling until finally stumbling back in defeat.

  “It’s jammed,” she huffed. “Too much weight from the sand, too much pressure. Now what..?”

  Her eyes trailed to the swirls of sand already pooling high above their calves. Mounds of it sloped gently up, consuming the first third or so of the stairs and quickly crawling up the rest like a plague creeping upon an unwary and helpless victim.

  Link breathed deep, trying to calm his mind. He felt Midna’s eyes staring at him. She was out of ideas as well as the heart to conjure any. He’d seen the real fear illuminated like consuming flames in her crimson eyes. It was up to him to save them both. He had to push past his exhaustion which made him long for her to take the lead....

  His eyes scanned the whole of the place, looking for any small key or tool they could use. His gaze lingered upon the strands of spider silk strung from the shattered ceiling. They would be as thick as small ropes, not to mention sturdier than any rope. If only they could get up to the steps where the silk fell to, maybe they could climb the silk the rest of the way....

  His eyes trailed next to something glinting in the distance. The glow stopped, and as he strained to see what the object was, the glitter started again. Looking down at his sword, he realized the light glinting off its edges reflected upon the mysterious object. He tilted his sword until his eyes locked on the object's location. Wading forward into knee-deep sand, he discovered a shard of glass, fairly thick and large enough for one to stand upon.

  After struggling and sinking several times, he managed to pull himself atop. Kneeling down, he scooped his hands through the sand, slowly pushing himself. It was like gliding across freshly-fallen snow using a giant snow-shoe. Now, if only he could find one for Midna....

  He located several shards, all too small to hold human weight. But then, against the wall, two pieces smaller than his own but which should accommodate if she could place one foot on each and walk across that way.

  Grabbing them, he made the long trek back to Midna, and none too soon. Her back pressed close against the door, eyes wide with a terror she tried to contain but could not quite destroy; the sand crawled up towards her knees.

  Gently laying the pieces of glass before her, he glanced from them to her, and she nodded understanding. It was too much of a struggle to get her to climb on them atop the high sands; they were small enough that they tipped right over when she tried to grab hold. So, he hefted her onto his giant shard, and from there, helped her slip her delicate feet onto the smaller shards, avoiding the jagged edges.

  With that, they turned towards the steps and, taking a deep breath, began the long shuffle across.

  It was hard work, especially as the sand kept piling up, spilling down in little waves which almost swamped their vessels several times. They had to stop to scoop the sand out before continuing. Even then, as they neared the steps, their work became more difficult as their upward slope steepened. As they stood nearly before the stair, a huge wave of fresh sand rippled towards them. Midna cried out as the sand knocked her off her feet, but Link leapt to the bottom step, whirled, and caught her hand just in time. After pulling her from the thick sand, they grabbed up their glass shards and raced for the top steps.

  Reaching the balcony, Midna glanced at Link with question. Though still visibly scared, the fire in her eyes had calmed some. He had gotten them this far, and she held faith in him seeing them the rest of the way.

  He held out his hand, and she gave him her glass shards. Midna helped him strap them to his back with some rope as best he could, then scanned the ceiling for what he sought....

  The closest silk strands fell a couple feet from the balcony, running from the shattered ceiling to the far wall. Walking over, he leaned forward, grabbed it, then took a leap of faith—

  Midna shrieked, and Link’s heart lurched as he felt only free air beneath his feet. But then, his feet touched against the wall, and, still gripping the silk rope which held firm, he pulled himself up a bit. Casting Midna an encouraging though urgent glance, he began his ascent.

  Midna swung out on her rope, her feet landing inches from his. With painful slowness, they scaled the silk ropes, pressuring their feet against the walls for support—or trying to. The walls themselves began to crumble. At times, their feet would fall right through the sand. By the time they reached the ceiling and helped pull each other onto what remained of the glass roof, the sand had nearly joined them there.

  “Now what?” Midna asked. Overhead, the upper dome of the hourglass still stood in tact, and a steady stream of sand trickled from its opening, landing right at the edge of the temple’s crumpling roof. Link looked up and understood: when the sand ran out, the whole structure would likely collapse....

  Peering off in the distance, his eyes caught a glimmer of blue. He pointed, and Midna gasped, “The warp crystal....”

  Yes. The warp crystal. If only they could survive that long. He felt like someone lingering on a sinking ship until the last moment, hoping to make a break for it when the ship went completely under, hoping to not be sucked under by the pressure....

  The glass shards. The smaller ones would be useless now, but he and Midna could squeeze onto the larger one.

  Taking it out, he climbed aboard, and then motioned to Midna. She looked at him skeptically, but he pointed behind him. After another questioning look, she clambered onto his back. It was one of few ways they might fit so that he could still steer them.

  Midna held so tight it hurt, only adding to the agony of the minutes ticking by with painful slowness, despite how fast the sand rushed with a steady whoosh from the hourglass.

  But then, abruptly, the sand stopped pouring from above. All lay silent for a few moments, so quiet that Link marveled if Midna could not literally hear his heart pound. Then, the Temple shook beneath them, more and more violently so that Link had to grip the glass hard, its sharp edges scraping his hands, making streams of blood flow—

  The walls of the temple fell inward and the ceiling tumbled after, creating a great, rushing slope which sucked the glass shard forward with all the force of a giant mudslide sweeping along a tiny tree. Midna squeezed his shoulders painfully as they slid downward, rocketing faster and faster towards the arched doorway of the hourglass.

  As they sped forward with the mounds of sand, Link’s heart lurched again. Would they even clear the archway, or would all the sand pile up so high they could not escape? Yet, as they reached it, he and Midna ducked, just passing under.

  The sand careened them faster and faster until the glass began to spin out of control. Midna and Link were swept off the glass, becoming two of the tiny grains swirling madly. Still, the sand carried them towards the warp crystal....

  “Link!” Midna cried. “Don’t let go!”

  One of her hands slipped from his, but he grasped the other firmly. His palm was slick with sweat, and the rolling waves rushed bumped them along. Sand swirled up, creating clouds of blinding dust. But he could not let go. Not when he’d led her this far, and not now that
she depended entirely upon him to make things okay—

  “Link!”

  Link’s heart lurched towards Midna as he felt her hand slip so swiftly from his, but his body was helpless to leap towards her. In a swirl of choking sand that blinded him from all else, he catapulted towards the warp crystal. Then, enveloped a brief moment in sapphire blue and walls of sandy brown, he inhaled, coughed, and spluttered, suffocated by the sand’s mercilessly throttling hands until they made his world turn black.