Chapter Nine
Chasing the Sunset: “Water’s Flow”
“Good luck, Marin.” Nabooru had said, “Don’t ever forget to keep that spirit up. If your spirit falters, then you’ll start to break. Don’t forget that sometimes…you’ll have to fight to keep your spirit alive.”
Marin nodded, “I won’t forget.”
Nabooru glanced towards the southwest, “If you go there,” she had pointed, “You’ll end up at Zora’s Domain. There, you’ll find a friend of mine, Queen Ruto of the Zora people. She’s the next sage you should seek out. You’d better get going.”
Marin bows gratefully, “Thank you so much for all your help.” She then turned to leave, but Nabooru stopped her, “Wait.”
Marin turned, however, before anything was said, Nabooru gave her a tight hug, “No matter what lays ahead of you….don’t change, don’t lose sight of yourself. When that moment comes…when the end is near, know that whatever choice you make, make sure that you truly feel that it’s the right way to go.”
“I will.” Marin had said unquestionably.
So now here she was, inside the Zoran Domain a week later.
“I’m sorry, but the queen is unavailable at the moment.” A Zoran royal guard had said, using his spear to bar the tunnel-like passageway.
Marin backed away and pleaded, “Please, I was told to meet with her. It’s about the Sages.”
The Zoran said firmly, “No, her highness is currently in mourning, she cannot be disturbed.”
“…In mourning?” Marin asked.
“Have you no respect? Do not speak of the dead so-” the Zora was interrupted by a solemn voice echoing from beyond the tunnel, “Let her enter.”
The Zora paused for a moment before unbarring the passageway with his spear, “Go on.” The Zora said, not looking Marin in the eye.
Marin hesitantly entered the tunnel. The tunnel seemed to glow with a light blue aura. Marin figured that there was water on the other side. Soon, her feet began to splash on the increasingly wet floor.
She reached the other side of the short tunnel and found herself inside a large dome-like chamber. The floor was slightly lower than the water level, an inch lower. She stepped out of the tunnel and into the room, her boots splashed softly against the bright blue water. It was as if the water had its own glow. It was very depressing, yet very beautiful.
She found a lone Zora with her back to her. She was wearing a black cloak, the ceremonial funeral cloak that one wore when in mourning. The hood was down.
Marin stood there, unable to find the words to speak. The Zora spoke first, her sad, depressed voice that seemed somewhat emotionless and pained all at once, “You’re Marin, aren’t you? I know why you’re here.”
Marin responded, carefully choosing her words, “…Yes, I am. You’re the Sage of Water, aren’t you? Queen Ruto?”
Ruto nodded, “Yes…I am. It’s a curse.”
Marin was taken aback by the response, “…A curse?”
“Yes…this curse killed my little sister.” Ruto said, “She was so young…she was so happy when she found out she had the title. Her name was Laruto. She was the Sage of Earth. She was very strong willed, and knew what to do and how to do it. She was a very smart girl.” She trembled for a moment and sounded as if she were crying. Marin stepped forward behind Ruto and stopped; the water echoes throughout the chamber.
“What’s it like?” Ruto asked. Marin questioned this softly, “What is what like?”
“…To shed tears.” Ruto solemnly asked, “We Zora don’t have the ability to shed tears like Hylians and Gerudo. I heard that it helps greatly.” she trembled.
Marin didn’t know exactly how to answer this. Ruto knew she wasn’t getting an answer and continued, “This is the funeral chamber. This is where heroes of the Zoran people are laid to rest.” It was that time that Marin noticed the darker parts of the water around the edge of the chamber and in front of Ruto. She knew that those parts were where the bodies where placed in to sink below the surface. She imagined it to be very deep.
Ruto continued, breaking Marin’s thoughts, “Laruto…my sister…my beautiful, youthful sister was murdered by your father.”
This caused Marin’s blood to run cold. Ruto turned to face the daughter of the man who took her sister away. Instead of a spiteful look as Marin expected, Ruto wore a saddened expression, “Don’t worry…I bear no ill will against you. You aren’t like your father. You’re here to get stronger and defeat your kin, your father, correct?”
“Y-yes…I am…” she bowed slightly, unsure. “Then,” Ruto said without changing her mournful tone, “let’s not keep you waiting.”
She stepped forward and walked past her, “Follow me.”
Marin watched Ruto for a moment before turning back to Laruto’s grave, Marin bowed slowly and paid her respects, she whispered very softly, so that no one else can hear, “…Please give me your strength, Laruto. I want to be strong like you.” She finished and turned to face Ruto, who looked away. Marin walked to her and stopped beside her, waiting for Ruto to lead.
“Thank you.” Ruto softly said before walking onward into the passageway. Marin followed.
Around ten minutes later, Ruto resurfaces with Marin on her back in Lake Hylia; they had gone through the underwater tunnel that connected Lake Hylia and the Zoran Domain. It stretched for miles.
Marin coughed violently, still holding on to Ruto. Zoras swim very fast. That, and coupled with the strong vacuum effect of the tunnel that literally sucked them in, made the trip go for only three minutes.
Marin had almost drowned. She couldn’t die, but her lungs burned from inhaling the water.
“Are you okay?” Ruto asked. Having the ability to breathe underwater helped. Marin couldn’t respond as her lungs continued to try to expel the water.
Ruto took this as a no and headed for dry land to give Marin some time to rest.
Half an hour later, Marin, along with Ruto surfaced inside the Water Temple. Ruto was the first to climb onto the surface. She extended her hand to Marin, who had kept only her Mirror Shield and short sword to help ease the process of swimming. The rest of her supplies were on dry land. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail to keep it from covering her eyes while she swam.
She accepts Ruto’s hand and is pulled up. Her green tunic was drenched, but it didn’t matter. Ruto turns and looks around at the Water Temple, “…so many memories…” she murmured.
Ruto turned back to Marin, “Go on.” She said. Marin stepped forward, “Aren’t you coming?”
Ruto shakes her head, “First you’ll have to solve this temple. I’ll meet you later on.” Marin knew it was going to be just like her and Nabooru.
Marin nods and treads into the water. As soon as the water reaches her neck, she looks back up to Ruto. Ruto was gone. Marin turned around in the water and looks around quickly for any sign of her. Soon, she gives up and dives below the surface.
Hours later, using the Longshot she acquired inside the Water Temple, she made her way to the final door. The Longshot was an extending and retracting grapple that helped her cross large distances…sorta of like a better version of a grapple hook.
She pushed the doors open.
As she expected, she found Ruto on the other side of the room. Marin stepped forward and the doors behind her shut, causing the sound to echo throughout the large square room. In the middle of the room was a square pool full of water. Dotted around the water were platforms to jump from one to the next.
Ruto nodded to Marin, “You made it…and it only took you three hours. You’re faster than…him.”
Marin knew who she was talking about.
“I know you’ve done this before…” she raised both hands and pointed both palms at Marin. The water in the pool began to stir. Ruto spoke, her voice echoing around the room, “In order to defeat your father, you must be adaptive. You must be able to change given the situation and survive. Like water.”
The water in the pool began to stir around quicker now; it grew less steady and more chaotic as the waves slammed into each other. “Water can change its form. From rain, to snow, to ice…and anything in between…”
Ruto drops one hand to her side and keeps the other pointed at Marin, “Water gives life and revitalizes thirst, it also serves as a home for millions of living things.” An orb of water materialized in her hand. The water in the pool crashed around wildly, drenching Marin. It had an aura that was threatening to pull her in, “But water can also take lives, flood homes, and wash away the wicked and innocent alike! With enough force, it can topple buildings and pierce through the strongest of armor!” Ruto said, her voice growing louder and more defining,
“Now, Marin…it’s time for us to clash! Take what I said to heart, because I swear, I won’t be holding back!” Ruto fired the orb. Marin leaps to her left.
The orb slams into the wall behind where Marin was moments ago, shattering the marble wall, leaving a crater in its place. Marin stands back up and her eyes widen as three blasts of water flies her way, “She’s definitely serious.” Marin muttered to herself after dodging more blasts of pressurized water.
If she had gotten hit, the water would’ve blown a hole through her. She drew her sword, built up her strength and charged.
