Ocarina of Time Chapter 15

 Chapter 15

Lord Jabu Jabu

Navi watched as the spear shaft hit Link with a loud crack. He fell to the ground, out cold. She worried it might have caused permanent damage and her shock at the sudden change in their circumstances abruptly turned to anger. He was just a boy! How could they think he kidnapped Ruto? Did they believe the stories that the Kokiri were more dangerous than they looked? In which case, she realized, they might not think Link was only ten years old.

Once again, Navi found herself unable to do anything except try to get the attention of the nearest Zora.

"Hey! Can't you see those bulblins back there? You're making a mistake. We're trying to-" A Zora tried to swat her, and she quickly darted out of the way.

I'm not some fly, Navi thought indignantly. She would not tolerate this level of disrespect from anyone!

"Hey!" she yelled.

Navi noticed one of the Zora step towards her, their eyes intent as they reached up to scoop her in the bottle.

Navi quickly flew out of reach. There was no way anybody was putting her in a bottle!

"Hey, what should I do with the sprite?" her would-be-captor shouted over his shoulder.

"Just ignore it!" his commander ordered.

Unable to do anything, Navi watched one of the Zora haul Link across his shoulder like a sack.

Navi looked to see if Ruto could be of any help, but found her hopes quickly dashed. As Ruto continued screaming at Grop, one of the Zora reached into a satchel and pulled out a small bottle of sleeping draught. Two of the Zora forced the squirming princess to lie down and then a third dipped the potion into her mouth.

She gagged and spluttered, the Zora gazing at her and then each other anxiously, not liking what they had done. Getting to her feet when her attendants released her, Ruto swayed.

"You wait until my father hears about this!" she managed woozily.

She was even angrier now than when Link had forcibly tackled her to the ground. "You wait... wait... until... my..."

Ruto's voice slurred. She swayed dangerously and lost her balance. Her attendants caught her, easing the princess onto the ground. Her struggles ceased and Ruto went limp. With a collective sigh of relief, which Navi might have echoed under different circumstances, the Zora relaxed. Picking Ruto up, they began moving away from the camp. The Zora were still heedless of the dead bulblins lying just beyond the light of the fire. Navi hoped the wolves weren't nearby. They wouldn't attack unless the forest spirits ordered them to, but the Zora probably wouldn't take kindly to even a glimpse of them.

"Stop!" Navi yelled.

She hurried closer to the Zora, trying to gauge any movement from Link. He was completely still. Either the Zora had drugged him too, while she'd been trying to attract their attention, or they'd struck him far harder than she'd realised.

Hang on, Link.

Not quite sure what she intended to do, Navi zipped past the Zora as she caught up to her charge. The guard holding Link was only a few feet away-

SMACK!

Lights danced across her vision as one of the Zora slapped her. Too shocked to recover, she went spinning through the air and into a tree with a painful thump. Pain became her only reality as she hit the muddy ground. Her breath returned with a gasp, and she pushed herself to her feet.

This is intolerable.

Navi watched the Zora disappear into the night. She tried to fly after them, but it was like daggers were being drawn across her back. She crashed, gasping and seething that she could not fly. The pain came in waves, crippling her. It faded gradually, but by that stage, the Zora were long gone.

A familiar hoot announced Kaepora's return. He landed in the tree above her, his head tilting side to side in a perplexed manner.

"Navi? What are you doing down there?" he asked. "Where are Link and Princess Ruto?"

"The Zora took Link and the princess. They think he was trying to kidnap her."

For a brief moment, Kaepora was stunned into a rare silence. At any other time, Navi might have been amused; Kaepora was rarely quiet.

"When did this happen?" he asked her at last.

"Only shortly after you left. They can't have gone far. One of them went by the name Grop."

Kaepora hooted in dismay. "I know the one. He tried to spear me when I first offered to help find the princess. He hates non-Zora... Are you all right?" he noticed Navi clutching her side with a faint grimace.

"One of the Zora slapped me, it's nothing serious," Navi assured him. "Can you help me catch up to them?"

"Grop and the Zora with him will likely attack me on sight," Kaepora said. "Our best chance is to follow them to Zora's Domain."

"What about Link?" Navi asked, horrified at the idea of abandoning her charge.

"You can catch up to Link from there."

Navi nodded, hoping Link was okay. Although the idea of having to fly with the help of a bird was humiliating, she decided to take Kaepora's offer. There was no way she could quickly catch up to the Zora on her own.

Kaepora said something, but Navi wasn't listening until the bird plucked her in his beak. She squeaked in fright, but before she could angrily reprimand the bird for picking her up, he'd placed her gently back down on his feathers.

"Don't do that again!" she shrieked through a face-full of feathers.

Kaepora didn't reply, and Navi cried out as the owl lurched and took flight, throwing her back down amongst the feathers. The night air rushed past her, buffeting Navi's small frame as she held on for dear life.

She hated flying bird-back.

~ 0 ~

The following day...

Link had lost count of how many times in recent weeks he had woken up with a splitting headache. Pulling off his hat, he rubbed the painful lump on his head. Dry blood caked his blonde hair, and he looked down to realize none of his gear was on him. His bag, shield, and sword were nowhere in sight. He gasped.

The Spiritual Stones!

Desperately trying to force back his panic, Link looked around his surroundings, trying to discern where he was. He was in a dark and dank cave, and his only light was a tiny sliver of light that squeezed through a fissure in the wall. If not for Navi's bright luminescence, he probably would have walked straight into the metal grate that barred the way out. He blinked and squinted at the bars, just able to make out the walkway beyond his cell. It was made of broken stones and shells, leading off into the gloom of a tunnel.

He was stuck in a tunnel again. Trapped. A familiar fear uncoiled in his gut, stirring as he clasped his hands against the cold bars of his prison.

"Link?" Navi spoke into the gloom.

"Where are we?" Link asked. He tried to recall what had happened after he had rescued Ruto, but his memory was fuzzy. He vaguely remembered encountering a group of Zora and something impacting painfully with his head.

"The Zora locked you in one of their cells. Kaepora helped me catch up to them." Navi told him. "Don't worry. I think he is trying to get the king to release you."

"What about the stones?" Link asked, fear pitching his voice. "Where are they?"

"They are safe," Navi reassured him. "I already checked."

"What do we do now?" Link asked, a surge of frustration swelling inside of him. He was stuck. Again. Only, this time, there seemed to be nothing he could do, and even Navi seemed to accept that.

"We wait," Navi answered.

Link let go of the bars, resisting an urge to kick or shake them, and sat down against the damp wall.

"There's no point getting upset," Navi told him, as if reading his thoughts. "You'll just exhaust yourself, and if we're going to get out of here, you'll need your strength."

Knowing she was right, Link allowed himself to sink back against the damp stone. Then he wrinkled his nose, noticing a foul stench in the air.

"Navi," he asked, sniffing. "What's that smell?"

It was like...

"Rotten fish," Navi answered grimly. "A result of Ganondorf's curse."

Link slumped back against his cell, not caring that the back of his tunic was now damp. He eyed a small rock on the ground, and determined to distract himself, he started etching a line into the floor. He continued, making another line, and then paused to consider what he was drawing. Link thought of drawing Mido, the mere thought of the boy making his anger boil. Maybe he could draw Mido getting eaten by something. He paused, thinking about the times he'd nearly met a similar fate, and then decided against it.

"The king will send for you soon," said Navi, misinterpreting Link's sudden frown. "I'd sneak out and try to find something or someone that might help us, but we may just end up in more trouble..."

Navi trailed off, looking towards the cell door. "Someone's coming!"

A whisper of shuffling feet prompted Link hastily to his feet. Half expecting a guard, he was surprised to see Ruto emerge from around the corner. She wore a pendant around her neck, probably the same one Link had recovered while searching for her.

"I was wondering when you would wake up. My father will send for you soon," Ruto told him. "That owl of yours was trying to get father to release you, but I don't think he can."

"What does your father plan to do?" Navi asked. "Does he even know you're here?"

"Of course he doesn't know where I am," Ruto said snappishly. "Do you really think he would let me come and see you?"

Navi's eyes narrowed at the rude reply, and she made an angry noise of contempt.

"Why are you here, Ruto?" Link asked wearily.

"It's Princess Ruto! Honestly, don't they teach you any formalities where you are from?" Ruto asked with exasperation. "That owl said you were a messenger from the Royal Family, but no messenger would be so discourteous."

"Then we humbly plead for your forgiveness, My Lady of Zora River, daughter of the waters and princess of this realm," Navi responded, sarcastically chewing through a litany of made-up titles. Link glanced up in surprise; it was easy to forget that Navi did not have much patience for people that either annoyed or offended her.

Ruto stared as well, looking half annoyed and half-amused, "It's milady unless you're highborn, but I guess that will do."

"It better," Navi muttered, her scowl deepening at the insult.

Ruto ignored her. "My father wants to have you executed for my kidnapping. Normally that is the punishment for kidnapping or threatening royalty-"

"What-" Link's insides went cold, and there was a sharp intake of breath from Navi. "That... but we didn't do anything!"

Except I did bind her, Link thought. She had bitten and scratched him, so it wasn't entirely his fault.

He wondered if he could ask the Zora to send a messenger to Impa? She'd be able to do something.

"I told father you said you could help Lord Jabu Jabu," Ruto continued, ignoring the interruption. She avoided their gaze, admiring the silvery scaling of her hands instead.

You said what?

Link's mouth fell open in shock, and he quickly closed it again. He wasn't sure he could do anything for the Zora deity. Ruto kept talking, ignoring Link's obvious dismay, "So father has decided to clear you of all charges if you slay the creature inside Lord Jabu Jabu."

Link didn't think his heart could sink any further. Ruto noticed his expression and was less than comforting.

"You did promise to help Jabu Jabu," she said pointedly. "The owl said he would die soon unless we do something. I don't want him to die... you can help him, can't you?"

Her pitiful little puppy-eyes stared up at him, and Link felt a stab of guilt, knowing he shouldn't have made that promise. He'd only been trying to make her quiet after all.

That said, and despite how much he disliked Ruto, he couldn't help but spare some sympathy for her. The same man who had placed a curse on Lord Jabu Jabu had also cursed The Great Deku Tree, and there was no guarantee that killing whatever was ailing the Zora guardian spirit would heal him.

Ruto's expression was faltering, a flicker of hurt and anger evident in her eyes and the crease of her brow.

"I'll help," he said quickly, before Ruto could throw a tantrum. Not that it would matter if several guards came to see what the matter was and threw her out. They'd probably be keeping him from a headache, unless, of course, they decided to whack him with a spear again.

At Link's answering words, the Zora's tears vanished as Ruto wiped them away.

"I knew it!" she said with a beaming smile. "I knew you would. I will give you the Zora Sapphire, but first I need to retrieve it."

"Retrieve it?" Link asked, confused. "What do you mean, retrieve it?"

Grinning sheepishly, Ruto stared down at her feet. "Well, I had it on me when I went to talk to Lord Jabu Jabu."

"You talk to a fish?" Link asked, bemused by the idea.

"Well..." Ruto fiddled with her hands, looking more sheepish now. "I'm sure he can understand me... You see, I went to talk to him... since he's not been feeling well and all... and-"

"The stone, Ruto!" Navi said in an irate tone.

"Uhh... he swallowed it." Ruto grinned again, her smile contrasted by two equally dismayed faces staring back at her.

"What?" Link and Navi exclaimed at the same time. "He ate it?"

What are we supposed to do now? Link wondered, dismayed. Tell Impa that a fish had just eaten the stone and he couldn't find it?

"I take it your father doesn't know that bit?" Navi asked.

"No. I'm hoping to come with you and retrieve it myself."

That sounds like a really bad idea. Link looked at Navi, who appeared to be just as enthused by Ruto's idea as he was.

"Princess, I think it will be safer if we got the stone," Navi said quickly.

"Can't you just feed him something to make him throw up?" Link asked. Both Ruto and Navi shot him a look of disgust.

"It can't be that hard!" he exclaimed. "He's just a fish. I've caught fish before... they're not that big-"

Ruto's face flushed an angry red.

"What?" Link asked, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"I wouldn't say he's just a fish," Navi said with a touch of amusement.

Now Link was really confused. "Then... wait... How big is he?"

"Lord Jabu Jabu is enormous," Ruto said, the anger draining from her face. "He's larger than the central chamber of Zora's Domain-" she waved her arms out wide for emphasis. "I'm sure the sapphire is just stuck in his mouth somewhere. The trouble is, the creature inside of him is in there too, at least that's what my father said."

"Princess Ruto, come away from the prisoner at once!" a woman's voice barked in command.

Link hadn't noticed the two Zora enter the passage just beyond his cell. Ruto gasped and turned around.

"You're not supposed to be talking to him," the other Zora said sternly.

"He's only a boy... and he looked so lonely. I just wanted to-" Ruto's story did not seem to impress either Zora, and Navi made a quiet retching sound.

"Go!"

Even Ruto couldn't ignore the finality in the guard's firm tone.

She scampered off without a glance at Link or Navi.

"I'm terribly sorry for what has been done to you," said the Zora who shooed Ruto off. "I'm sure this is all just a dreadful misunderstanding. Grop can be a little heavy-handed sometimes."

"Poor boy. He looks like he's had a rough time of things," the other Zora said pityingly. Link blushed as she stared intently at his silvery scars. "We have been asked to bring you to the king. I fear, however, that he may have already made his verdict."

"He doesn't need to know about that," the first Zora said quietly, but not out of earshot. "Don't mind Grop. He's just embarrassed about the time someone caught him with a fishing line."

"Wait. You mean... someone actually caught him while fishing?" Navi asked.

"Well, I wouldn't say he was caught. More like he was hooked while the fisherman was casting his line. Shouldn't have been swimming so close to Kakariko." The Zora grinned briefly, then held out a package she'd been holding, passing it through the cell door. "You need to eat first. I won't have you passing out from hunger."

Link hesitated, glancing at Navi for guidance, and then hesitantly accepted the package. Unwrapping it, he found a small basket of dried fish and some sort of biscuit. Realising how hungry he was, his stomach aching from so little food, and not caring for the taste, he sat against the wall and devoured the small morsels. The guards spoke quietly to one and other, casting glances at him and Navi. Before he was finished, they opened the cell door and prodded him out into the passage.

They marched up the tunnel and along the edge of a gurgling stream. Other tunnels, all with rivulets running through their centre, branched off the narrow passage. It gave Link the feeling he was in an underground labyrinth, not unlike the burrows beneath the Great Deku Tree.

The passage ended in an enormous chamber. Link gasped as he found himself on the edge of a vast pool of water. Numerous small holes in the cavern's ceiling let in light from the outside world, which glistened and danced upon the water's surface. He could hear the loud gushing roar of a waterfall at the entrance of the grotto off to his left. Within the deep pool of crystal blue water, Link spotted numerous sleek white forms swimming with their fins outstretched. If it weren't for the fact he was being dragged off to stand trial before the Zora king, Link might have found the cavern beautiful. Instead, a sickening wave of unease settled in his stomach, and the rancid stench of dead fish only made it worse.

His guards steered him through a maze of tunnels. As the walls became more richly decorated with carvings of corals, shells, and murals of aquatic life, Link was sure they were getting close to their destination.

The throne room was a smaller chamber than Link had expected, but it was still big enough to fit a small audience of Hylians or Zora and still allow others to move about the room freely. There was a raised platform at one end of the room with a throne carved in the shape of a shell. Atop this unusual chair was the oddest-looking Zora Link had ever seen. This creature wore a coral-shaped crown and resembled a fish with long lanky limbs and a noticeable paunch. Link had never thought of calling a fish fat before, and he was sensible enough to know that voicing his curiosity out loud would not be tolerated here.

The other Zora bowed, offering greetings to the creature in the coral-shaped chair. It was then that Link realized that he was staring at the Zora king. Several Zora stood on either side of the king, their eyes on Link. They were dressed in red cloaks trimmed with golden thread and wore an ornate golden helm. Each of them held a staff and Link surmised that these Zora were either mages or the king's councilors.

Link's guards gestured for him to step onto a small dais from which the king and his attendants looked down at them. It was rather intimidating. He was so fixated upon the platform and its occupants that he didn't notice his guards kneel. Now, the king was staring expectantly at him.

"You're supposed to kneel," Navi whispered. "Just copy the guards."

Swallowing a nervous gulp, Link did so and knelt.

"Your majesty, we bring before you this boy who stands accused of kidnapping Princess Ruto," announced the guard on Link's right.

There was a shuffling of feet, and Link looked behind him to see another Zora enter the chamber.

Grop was still dressed in his sapphire-blue armour. Without so much as a glance at Link, he stepped onto the dais and knelt.

"This is the boy?" the king sounded surprised. "Grop. Are you telling me a ten-year-old child kidnapped my daughter?"

"He is a Kokiri, your majesty," Grop's voice was grave.

"A Kokiri?" the king sounded intrigued, and several of the robed Zora stared at Link, not bothering to hide their curiosity. "One of the ageless children of the forest?"

There was a flurry of murmurs, some voicing doubt at Grop's claim. The Zoran soldier coughed sharply, bringing the whispered discussion to a halt.

"If I may continue?" Grop asked.

The Zora king nodded. "Go on."

"Your majesty and esteemed members of the royal council." Grop's last words seemed directed at the Zoras garbed in red robes. "He was well armed and had the Zora Sapphire in his possession as well as a pendant owned by the princess," Grop said before explaining the rest of the equipment he had found on Link. "He also possesses the power to control wolves."

What? Link almost exclaimed out loud.

"Yes," the Zora king mused thoughtfully, scratching his chin all the while. "I've heard there are those amongst the Kokiri that can control animals..."

Link set his jaw. He wanted to tell the king that this wasn't the case. Being able to communicate with animals and asking them to do something was not the same as controlling them. Saria had taught him that, though he hadn't understood half of what she was talking about.

The king continued to study Link, his eyes narrowing as he thought of something. "Tell me then, Link of the Kokiri, did you kidnap my daughter?"

"No," Link answered, keeping a tremor from his voice. He tried to answer as truthfully as he knew how. "She was attacked by two bulblins, servants of the one you call Ganondorf."

"You will address King Zora as your majesty," Grop's voice was harsh, his eyes dark cold opals. He turned to face the king."The boy's claims are hard to believe. All know that bulblins cannot enter the woods, and powerful though this Lord Ganondorf is, his influence doesn't extend into the Kokiri's realm."

Grop spat the Gerudo king's title, his disdain clear for all to see.

"I am aware of this part of the story," the Zora king said as much to himself as anyone else. He spoke to Link next. "My daughter has made a plea on your behalf that I be lenient on you. I am reluctant to carry out any punishment, but the fact is, you were found in possession of items belonging to the Zora Royal Family."

"Your majesty, he attacked your daughter. She was found bound. He ought to be punished-"

"Be silent, Grop," the king ordered firmly. "I haven't said that he won't be punished, but nor will I allow him to be executed by drowning or exposure. I've never cared for either. No, instead, I have decided that your punishment will be to perform a task for us. If you survive, your name will be cleared."

Link already knew what was expected of him, but he kept his thoughts to himself. 

"Our Lord Jabu Jabu has taken ill. My daughter assures me you can help him by killing the creature inside of him. His attendants-" the king gestured to the red-robed Zora "-have agreed to this task."

"With respect, your majesty," Navi said when the king had finished. "Have you tried sending Zora to break the curse?"

"Yes. They were all killed."

"And you propose sending Link instead?" Navi asked.

"As it stands, the punishment for Link's crime of kidnapping the princess and the theft of the Spiritual Stone of Water is death. For all we know, he was sent by Ganondorf to retrieve it-" the king proclaimed, before Navi interrupted him.

"That's outrageous! You can't go sending us on some suicidal quest!" she yelled, almost deafening those in the vicinity. When the Zora stared at her, she lowered her voice. "How is that any different from executing him yourself?"

"Such insolence, you will address-" Grop began.

"Your majesty, I heard you the first time," Navi snapped at the Zoran captain, before rounding on the king once again. "I will be speaking to Lady Impa about this insult! The Hyrulean court will hear of the disrespect the Zora have shown to a messenger of the royal family!"

Several guards laughed. Navi scowled at them.

A Zora on the king's right cleared their throat and spoke, "How is it that you are a messenger of the royal family? It is my understanding that Kokiri cannot leave the woods."

"They can leave," Navi answered. "It's just... discouraged."

"Hmm..." the king gazed at Link thoughtfully. "That is what Kaepora said. An emissary has been sent for, as per his wishes," the king said firmly. "If your story is true, then the gods will see your friend's innocence and protect you."

Navi scoffed quietly and muttered in an undertone that only Link could hear, "They didn't protect your own."

"Link, will you help us rid the curse on Jabu Jabu?" the king asked. "He does not have much time."

It's not like you're giving me much choice, he thought, glancing from Navi to the king.

Link took a deep breath and spoke as confidently as he could. "Okay, but I just have one question. How am I supposed to kill a curse inside a fish?"

One of the Zora guards laughed and then tried to hide it with a cough.

"You will have no problem," the Zora King said, ignoring the guard. "His shrine can be found at the lake, through the passageway behind me."

He gestured to the passage behind him.

"With your permission, your majesty," Navi spoke up. "We would like to retrieve Link's belongings. I do not believe it would be fair to send him to whatever creature is inside Lord Jabu Jabu without protection."

"I will allow this." The king held up a hand to stave off a protest from Grop. "You will be escorted to Lord Jabu Jabu. If you try to escape, you will be executed."

Like I would be trying to fight my way out of here, Link thought. The idea was so absurdly stupid, he almost laughed.

"I understand, your majesty," he said, kneeling again.

They waited while two Zora left and then returned with no less than ten guards dressed in armour. They handed Link his gear, which he quickly donned on. A couple of the Zora fidgeted with their spears as Link fitted his sword belt in place and secured his shield behind him.

He was led up the stairs on either side of the throne and onto the ledge above the pool of water. The monarch addressed him, "Go on through, and you will find Jabu Jabu's shrine. I hope you can end the curse on him. Good luck."

Link thanked him. The guards, who did not seem very pleased to have an armed boy so close to their monarch, led him up the tunnel. They turned around a corner and out into the warmth of an enormous pool of water. The light reflecting off its surface left Link squinting as he adjusted to the daylight. They were by a lake surrounded by rocky outcrops and steep hills that marked the beginning of the Goron Mountains. There was a dock nearby with a stone obelisk at its centre. Link's mind was far from the obelisk though as he realized the enormous mound in front of the dock was, in fact, a giant fish.

That must be Lord Jabu Jabu, Link thought.

It took him a while to process what he was looking at, as it was the most bizarre fish he'd ever seen.

It had a horizontal tail, which wasn't so odd compared to the black eyes that were as big as a Goron's head. Stranger still was the presence of two nostrils and the puffy lips around its mouth.

"What kind of fish is that?" he blurted out loud.

The guards scowled at him, and Link cringed. "Sorry."

Are they really worried about me hurting a fish's feelings? Link wondered, before deciding that probably wasn't the case.

As they got closer, Link could make out the intricate details of a crown adorning Jabu Jabu's head. It was a beautiful golden crown encrusted with an array of sparkling sapphires.

"Hey, I think that's Ruto," Navi whispered. Link turned his eyes from the mesmerizing sight of the gigantic fish as he reached the stairs and climbed onto the pier.

Ruto was indeed standing in front of Lord Jabu Jabu, holding what appeared to be a big fish in one hand and a boomerang in the other.

"Now, stop being so stubborn and open your mouth. Look, I even brought you something nice!" She waved the fish in front of Jabu Jabu, but he was too busy staring at the Zora behind her. A cough made Ruto whirl around in surprise.

"Princess Ruto, we must ask you to leave," the Zora in front addressed her.

"What? I am not going anywhere," she said irritably. Link was quite sure she was not used to being ordered around. By the vexed looks she was getting from the guards, this wasn't the first time they had tried to do just that.

"Princess, we are here to make sure this prisoner fulfils the task the king has set him. He is dangerous."

Not for the first time that morning, Link nearly burst into a fit of laughter. They really don't trust me.

"I already told Father he wasn't the one who attacked me, what are-"

Behind them, the aroma of the fish was apparently getting too much for Lord Jabu Jabu to bear. He opened his enormous maw to reveal two rows of sharp teeth. Link's mouth dropped open as well, but unlike Jabu Jabu, it wasn't because he was feeling peckish.

"Princess, get back now!" the guard shouted.

Then everything happened at once.

A strange breeze ruffled Link's hair. Something about it seemed wrong. The startled looks on the faces of his guards and Navi's cry of alarm told him something was amiss.

Link realized that Jabu Jabu was breathing in through his mouth. He didn't have time to contemplate how strange that was for a fish.

Navi gave a squeak and started flying towards Lord Jabu Jabu.

No, not flying, Link realized, a second too late. She was getting sucked into Jabu Jabu!

"Navi!" Link screamed, darting forward, holding out a hand to grasp Navi.

Ruto looked around in astonishment, paying no attention to the guard running forward to grab her. Another two attempted to grab Link. He sidestepped them and ducked beneath the shaft of a spear. He stretched out a hand towards Navi.

Navi tried desperately to fight the current of air pulling her into Lord Jabu Jabu, but she disappeared into his jaws before Link could reach her.

"No! Navi... Navi!" Link screamed after her. Before he could do anything else, or dive recklessly into the fish himself, the currents of wind increased as Jabu Jabu drew in more air. Ruto was lifted off her feet with a squeal of horror. One guard grabbed Link, but as the suction of the giant fish threatened to overwhelm him, the Zora's grip slipped. Then Link's stomach dropped as he was sucked into Lord Jabu Jabu's enormous maw.

Thump!

He hit the ground, or what constituted as the ground, landing on a dry soft surface that reminded him of a drum skin, only much rougher. Then there was a soft crunch as the fish deity's mouth shut, and darkness descended on him. Link picked himself up off the strange surface. It was oddly dry for the inside of a fish, and the Zora deity's hideous breath nearly made him gag. It smelt like Jabu Jabu had been munching on rotten fish.

A faint squeak caught his attention. Navi was clutching a clump of muscle, which dangled above the opening of a muscular tube. Link had no desire to find out just where that tunnel went, but he already had a good idea.

Navi's wings were trembling from shock as she released the folds of muscle she'd gripped.

"Are you okay, Navi?" Link asked.

"Aside from nearly becoming fish food, I'm fine. Where is Ruto?" she asked between gasps.

They heard a soft cry of surprise. Ruto had landed near the tube Navi had been desperately avoiding. She was sitting up and looking rather dazed.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, sounding less than thrilled to see them.

"Getting eaten apparently," Link told her.

"No one is ever going to believe this," said Navi. "I'm wondering if the Zora will come after us."

"Jabu Jabu has never done this before," Ruto murmured, her eyes darting about their dark surroundings with no small measure of uncertainty. "I'm not sure that they will know what to do."

"Didn't you say you wanted to come and retrieve the stone yourself?" Navi asked her.

"Well, yes, but being eaten alive wasn't my idea of helping him," Ruto said. "I just wanted him to open his mouth so I could retrieve the stone. It has to be here somewhere."

"If he hasn't swallowed it," Navi muttered.

"Let's hope not," Link said, not relishing the thought of finding the sapphire if he had. Would it even survive if it was digested? He didn't fancy retrieving it from the bottom of the lake covered in...

"Where's my boomerang?" Ruto demanded.

Without waiting for an answer, she gave a triumphant shout as she spotted it.

"Right, now help me find the stone!" she snapped with the distinct air of someone who expected to be obeyed without question.

Link and Navi stared in disbelief. A fish had just eaten them, and Ruto was still ordering them around.

Muttering something about royal brats, Navi flew off and found the Zora Sapphire first. It had slipped partway down Lord Jabu Jabu's throat. Before he could retrieve it, Link nearly fell over as the enormous surface he was on trembled.

"Eek!" Ruto screamed. "Quick, grab the stone! I think he's going to swallow us."

"I don't think he can swallow with his mouth this dry," Navi shouted.

"I don't care how dry it is! How about let's get out of here!" Link bellowed, but that was no longer possible. It seemed the Lord Jabu Jabu had reached his verdict. Regardless of their innocence, or guilt, Link and Ruto were edible, and he was hungry.

The surface of Lord Jabu Jabu's tongue began to slope steeply downwards as the thick muscular organ curled towards Jabu Jabu's gullet. Link stumbled, rolling across the tongue. He slammed into Ruto, she screamed again, and they both went tumbling into the tube which Link was quite sure led to a very unpleasant demise in the fish god's stomach.

I don't want to die this way! Link desperately screamed inwardly.

An idea sprung to mind, but he wasn't sure how Jabu Jabu would react. Seeing no alternative, Link drew his sword and heaved it into the soft surface of the tube, holding onto the hilt and grabbing Ruto in the other hand. A moment later, this proved to be a very bad idea.

A deep groan rumbled through the fish god. Then, the ground trembled, and everything began to shake wildly.

"What did you do?" Ruto yelled. She looked up and saw the sword embedded in Jabu Jabu's gullet, now resting in a shallow pool of blood. "You hurt him! How dare you hurt Lord Jabu Jabu!"

She smacked him across the side of the face, Link winced at the blow but did not retaliate when a warning shout from Navi brought his attention to the sound of rushing water. It was getting louder. Lord Jabu Jabu was trying to dislodge whatever had pierced his throat by washing it down.

"Navi, hang on!"

Navi dashed over to the stone, picked it up, and then flew over to Link. Everything went dark as she took refuge in his pocket. The wall of water struck with enough force to knock the breath out of him. Mercifully, he kept hold of both sword and Ruto as the water surged over him.

Link shivered, gasping and spluttering as the last of the water crashed around him. Ruto was not so shocked, and she rounded on Link in a heartbeat.

"You moron!" she snarled.

"Hey, I just saved your life," Link retorted, spluttering. "Again!"

Ruto scoffed, "You nearly ended it... again! Some kind of rescuer you are. And you hurt Jabu Jabu-"

"I will humbly ask him for his godly forgiveness later," Link said sarcastically.

"Hey, can you two hear that?" Navi interrupted.

Link glared at her as she came out of his pocket, thinking she was trying to break up the argument. She looked worried, prompting Link to pause and listen. He didn't hear anything except Ruto's angry mutterings.

"No, what?" he asked.

Navi was looking down the tube, dread creeping across her face. "Something's coming, and it doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard."

"How did it survive getting swallowed?" Link wondered. He looked further down the tube to see a strange blue light flickering off the wall. Now he could hear something- a strange mix of slurping and hissing sounds that was drawing steadily closer. 

Link withdrew the sword from Jabu Jabu's throat, ignoring the blood that spurted from the wound, even as Ruto shrieked in alarm.

"Whatever that thing is, there is very dark magic emanating from it," Navi warned them.

The curse.

The tube was at least as cavernous as the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern, but Link was not going to risk fighting on the slippery surface when Jabu Jabu might try to swallow him again.

"Ruto, move!" Link yelled, tugging on her arm.

The princess flinched at the fierce look in the boy's eyes. She looked frightened and for an instant Link felt ashamed for yelling. He pushed the thought aside, sheathed his sword, and picked her up. She did not struggle this time, but rather clung to his back like a spooked animal, nearly strangling him in the process.

He ran towards the front of Jabu Jabu's mouth. The shimmering blue light emanating from whatever was coming up the tube began to illuminate the giant fish's mouth.

They reached Jabu Jabu's jaw.

"Hey, open up!" Link yelled.

"That's not going to work, dummy!" Ruto chided him.

Link snarled and shoved a kick at the fish god's jaw.

"What are you doing?" Ruto shrieked. "You're hurting him!"

"I don't care!" Link said, shoving a final kick into a tooth.

Link helped Ruto off his back. She crossed her arms and glowered at him. Link ignored her and contemplated how he might encourage Jabu Jabu to let them out.

That was before Ruto let out a deafening scream and pointed back the way they came.

Link turned around and saw what was coming towards him.

Reaching the end of the tube was the most bizarre and grotesque creature Link had ever seen. Its body resembled an urn-shaped coral draped in pale grey flesh and oozing sores. Attached to its body were numerous glowing creatures that resembled transparent gelatinous mushroom heads. The creatures were pulsing with an azure light, not dissimilar to Navi's. Crowning its head- if it could be called that- were three tentacles that attached themselves to the roof of Jabu Jabu's mouth. Three other long tentacles dangled along the sides of the creature, pulsating with arcs of lightning.

"What is that thing?" Link asked, aghast at the sight.

"It's an enormous barinade, a fish parasite," Navi affirmed. "Those tentacles look like they are drawing power from Jabu Jabu's life force. They might be controlling him even."

Link had never stopped to consider whether Jabu Jabu was acting on his own accord. Perhaps he had never intended to eat either himself or Ruto.

"Umm... do parasites normally have weird lightning flickering around them?" Ruto asked.

"No," Navi replied.

Link was just wondering how to attack it when one of the tentacles not attached to the wall began to rapidly pulsate with electricity. It pointed towards Ruto and unleashed an arc of lightning. Link threw Ruto out of the way, and the electrical discharge went straight into him.

Pain. Total unadulterated pain coursed through Link's entire body as the arc of lightning struck his chest. His muscles seized, and for a moment, he was blinded. The pain subsided as quickly as it had begun, except for a pulsing throb in Link's chest. He looked down groggily to see a hole scorched into the front of his tunic, the skin beneath blackened and burnt.

Navi screamed something, and Link looked up in time to see another one of the tentacles aiming at him. He was too weak to move. The barinade was going to kill him.

From somewhere beside him, Ruto's boomerang sailed by, striking the tentacle before spinning around and returning to its owner. Link struggled to his feet, knowing that if he valued his life, he had to make sure she returned to the Zora king unharmed.

"Link..."

"No worse than being fried by a dodongo," he managed weakly, not quite believing his own words.

Navi looked like she wanted to say something else, but she fixed her attention on the parasite as it went to attack again.

A dazzling streak of lightning shot towards Ruto. She jumped out of the way with a frightened squeak. The lightning burnt the wall of Jabu Jabu's mouth, and the enormous fish shook from pain. Link tumbled sideways and slammed his sword back into Lord Jabu Jabu to stop himself from falling towards the barinade.

Once Jabu Jabu stopped thrashing, Link was able to clamber to his feet. As he looked up at the barinade, panic flooded him. He reached into his bag, desperate for something that might help him. He tried a bomb first, hurling it towards the parasite as hard as he could. An arc of lightning struck the bomb, and it exploded with little effect. He found his slingshot next, but it wasn't any help without ammo.

Link's hand went to the Kokiri Emerald. No, that wouldn't help him. It did give him an idea, however. Elisia had explained to him that the stones were a reservoir within which magic could be stored.

Before he could give much thought to this, Link scrambled out of the way of another blast of lightning. It arced towards Ruto, forcing her to leap away. As she landed on her feet, she swung the boomerang, letting it spin towards the barinade and straight into one of the tentacles attached to the wall. By whatever magic the boomerang possessed, it managed to slice through the parasite's appendage and stun the horrid creature.

This moment of reprieve lasted for a heartbeat. Then, all the tentacles not attached to Lord Jabu Jabu's mouth began shooting lightning in random directions. The fish-god thrashed again sending Link crashing into the wall, his sword and shield sliding away from him.

"Link, do something! We're all going to die otherwise!" Ruto yelled.

"Do what?" Link shouted back. His sword and shield had slipped out of reach. He doubted they'd be much help against this thing, anyway. He'd seen lightning strike a tree before. It had shattered an entire limb and brought it crashing to the ground in a smouldering heap. His shield would be even less fortunate.

"Anything!" Ruto screamed.

Link's hand went to the Goron Ruby. He looked at the red glow emanating deep from within the gem and sucked in a breath. He prayed to the forest spirits and the Goddesses that this would work.

He focused on the glowing ruby, opened his mind and reached out toward the swirling currents of magic. Whether it was his panic, the ruby, or a combination of both, Link managed to seize the threads of fire that wove through the current. Its power surged into him, and all trace of the pain from his injury vanished.

A wall of hot solid flame shot out from in front of him and weaved through the air, striking the barinade. The beast let out a deep roar, its tentacles trembling, and then it sent out more arcs of lightning. A rancid stench of burnt flesh hit Link like a wave, just as he sent out a second wave of fire.

The smell was overpowering, and Link's concentration broke. The ruby dimmed, and Link feared he had exhausted its power. Then he lost his hold on the power coursing through him. As it faded, fatigue washed over him, and he fell to his knees, exhausted.

Navi looked at him in astonishment. So did Ruto.

Then Navi spotted an arc of lightning pelting towards Ruto. She shrieked a warning, and Ruto heard her. They both leapt clear of the deadly tendrils of light. Ruto stumbled, and her boomerang fell from her grasp. Link's second blast of fire struck the barinade's charred flesh, preventing it from striking again. As the parasite burned, its roar reached a crescendo. Some of the fire missed the monster and struck Jabu Jabu's now severely injured mouth.

Seeing the fallen boomerang, Link scrambled to his feet and reached it. He drew it back and pumped his arm, letting the boomerang fly. The weapon struck the second tentacle and returned. With one final throw, the boomerang hit the last tentacle, and the barinade's smouldering corpse splattered onto Jabu Jabu's tongue.

Link collapsed, feeling weaker than he had since Dodongo's Cavern. When the boomerang came back, it narrowly missed his head. Ruto snatched it from the air, looking at Link with shock.

"You are a mage?" she gasped.

Link shut his eyes, the pain in his chest unbearable.

"Why couldn't you use that weird fire spell the first time... are you...?" Ruto stopped talking, and then Link could hear her stepping closer.

"Definitely worse than a dodongo," he rasped, opening his eyes to meet Ruto's worried gaze.

Lord Jabu Jabu started trembling again. The fish's tongue jerked, sloping down again to the back of Jabu Jabu's mouth before Link could react. Standing on the edge of the tongue, Ruto just in front of him, Link went tumbling backward. He hit the soft wet squelchy swollen tissue beneath Jabu Jabu's tongue, Ruto landing beside him.

"Link, get up!" Navi yelled. "I think Jabu Jabu's about to be sick!"

"What?" Link barely registered what that meant before Jabu Jabu opened his mouth just enough to take in water.

Ruto grabbed him. Link struggled upright as water surged around him, nearly sweeping him off his feet. No sooner had the water come in, it stopped moving. Jabu Jabu convulsed, and within moments his jaws snapped wide open. A second, more powerful surge of water sent Link and Ruto sailing through the air.

Navi barely managed to grab hold of Link's tunic before she too went flying. She screamed, the world spun, and she let go. Both Link and Ruto slammed into blessedly solid ground, the contents of Lord Jabu Jabu's belly, including the burnt mass of the Barinade's corpse, went washing over and around them.

Link groaned again, hardly able to believe what had just happened. He was on the shore of the lake, covered in globules of spit, slime and the entire contents of Lord Jabu Jabu's stomach. He was also coated in what resembled chunky bits of soup, and he had no desire to know what they were.

"That is so disgusting," Ruto muttered as she looked at Link's tunic.

A fish just threw up on me.

Link looked at his sodden tunic and laughed. "Hey, Navi, a fish just threw up on me!"

It sounded so ridiculous that he fell over in a fit of hysterics. Navi just looked at him, apparently concerned for his sanity.

"You're weird," Ruto remarked without malice.

The expression on her face only made Link laugh harder. It was infectious, and soon she couldn't help but join in too.

Next Chapter

Reviews

SunPraiser31 chapter 16 . Nov 17, 2016 Well that was... pretty disgusting. But I suppose that's what can be expected from fighting inside a giant fish god. Seems Link just can't catch a break when it comes to being assigned deadly tasks can he? Well hopefully the Zora will actually trust him after that. Good work as always!

Cyan Quartz chapter 16 . Jun 21, 2015 Oh yeah, meant to tell ya ya had nabooru shatter the poison twice a few chapters ago. Nice job, see your taking a more realistic attempt to these not-temples-temples.

Lord Darth Yoda chapter 15 . Aug 30, 2014 Link how dare you injure the great BARINADE? This will not be forgotten! This was a good one, you made Jab Jab more simply and ignored why he has doors and floating platforms inside him. Probably a good thing. I like the boss fight, I assume you're combining the Stones with the Goddess spells? Good idea, never heard of anyone using that idea before.