Link's Arc

Chapter 3 of 5

Link rode Epona up the stone path to the serpent castle gate. The gate stood open. He climbed down, drew his sword, and stepped inside. Cold air hit his face. Green light seeped from the carved snakes on the walls. Somewhere ahead, chains dragged over stone. A thin figure shuffled from the shadows. Its skin was gray. Old cloth wrapped its arms and legs. Two red eyes burned in its skull. This was the castle's mummy, Kha-Sekhem, one of the master's guards. It lifted a bandaged hand and hissed. Link did not wait. He charged and swung. The blade tore through dry wrappings. Kha-Sekhem stumbled back, and Link struck again. The mummy folded to the floor and lay still. Dust rose from the torn cloth. Link pushed deeper into the hall. Then heavy feet pounded toward him. Three of Skeletor's monsters blocked the way. First came Beast Man, orange fur bristling, claws out. Beside him stood Klawfull, his red crab head snapping. Behind them walked Trap Jaw, blue and muscled, his purple helmet low. "The master wants your head," Trap Jaw said. His metal jaw clicked. "We will take it for him." Beast Man lunged first. Link ducked under the claws and slashed his leg. The beast roared and fell to one knee. Klawfull rushed in, pincers wide. Link rolled aside and drove his sword into the crab's side. Klawfull screeched and crashed against the wall. Trap Jaw swung a heavy fist. Link caught the blow on his blade. Sparks flew. He shoved back, spun, and cut across Trap Jaw's chest. The big monster staggered and dropped. All three lay groaning on the cold floor. A voice croaked from a side cell. "You. Boy." Green fingers gripped the iron bars. It was Merman, fish-faced and thin, locked in the castle's lowest cell. Link had never seen him. The prisoner pressed his sharp teeth to the bars. "They trapped me too. The master fears one thing. The grimoire. It holds his true name. Burn it and he burns." Link lowered his sword. "Where is it?" "Gone. The boy in the city holds it now." Merman's yellow eyes gleamed. "You cannot beat the master here. Not without it. Go back. Take the book. Then return." Behind the last door, the green light pulsed brighter. Link heard the master rise, its long fingers scraping stone. He gripped his sword and stepped toward the door. Then he stopped. Merman was right. His blade had cut cloth and fur and bone. It would not cut the thing waiting behind that door. Link turned and ran back through the hall, past the fallen monsters, out to the gate. Epona waited. He swung onto her back. "We ride for the city," he said. "We take the book first." He turned her toward the far lights and kicked hard. The castle roared behind him as he rode into the dark.