Notes: Okay, clearing this up once and for all, since someone asked: This is a gen fanfiction, meaning no pairings, and especially no Link/Sora. Also, the hints of Link/Ilia and Sora/Kairi are nothing more than what you see in canon-- heavily up to interpretation. Besides, we all know Link/Zelda= OTP. (Hides.)

Again: No romance. Also, I apologize for the delay on this chapter-- school starting and everything.

Chapter Five: Waterless Wonderland

In which the heroes somehow get to Zora's Domain and there is lots of filler dialogue.

"Sora, jump!"

"Are you insane?"

"Just do it! Hurry!"

So Sora jumped. Afterward, he would wonder why he would even have bothered to listen to Midna and jump off a very high bridge into a dried-up lake, far, far below.

Oh, right. The bridge had been on fire.

"But still," Sora gasped as he and Link dragged themselves onto shore, shivering, coughing, and completely soaked, "If we hadn't been lucky enough to hit what was left of the lake, we would never have survived that fall."

Midna looked even smugger than usual. "It worked, didn't it?"

Link scowled at her. "You saved our lives, and I'm not going to stop harping you about the map, you know."

"I borrowed it for a good cause! For the sake of the world, Link!"

"Midna, you stole the map! What if those knights get lost and eaten by monsters?"

"They're knights, O noble hero, not bards. And I do recall a wolf I know stealing weapons and scaring the daylights out of some poor Ordon villagers. Now, what was his name again...? "

If he were human at the time, Link would have blushed. Still, he managed to make himself look abashed, ducking his head and glancing away.

Then he shook himself vigorously, thoroughly drenching Midna and Sora, who had been nearby and was now taking in his surroundings for the first time.

Midna called Link a word not normally used in polite conversation. Link wasn't listening. He had joined Sora.

"...Wow, the lake really is dried up. How are we going to get to the Spirit's Spring now?"

There was a pause as everyone contemplated Sora's words. They were directly on the dried-up lakebed, with only a few puddles here and there to mark the fact that there had been a lake there before. The spring was at the level the water level normally would have gone up to, but since there was no water it was currently high above their heads.

"Right," Link said after a moment, his tail wagging hopefully. "Anyone got any ideas to get up there?"

"Sure. Climb thirty feet of solid rock."

The wagging stopped. "Not all of us can float, Midna."

She sighed. "Everything would be so much easier if you turned into a bird instead of a wolf."

Sora, meanwhile, had gotten distracted again. "Hey, look! Zoras!"

Indeed, three Zoras were heading toward them. Unlike the one in the bar, they were full-grown, about the same height as a human. All wore helmets made of some kind of shell entirely covering their faces and wielded wicked-looking bone spears. They also seemed nervous, jumping as one when a headless bat screeched overhead.

"Please tell me they can't see us," Sora whispered to Midna. He wasn't sure whether the soldiers-- for that was clearly what they were-- would tolerate a wolf, a lion, and a Twilight creature in their lake, and he had no intention of finding out.

Midna rolled her eyes. "Of course not, silly. Their senses aren't much better than humans'. Relax."

The first Zora pointed. "Right over there!"

"...Crap."

"I knew I heard something fall into the lake!"

The second Zora stepped forward cautiously, spear at the ready, and scanned the lake's surface. "I don't see anything. Are you sure?"

"It doesn't matter," the third snapped impatiently. "What does matter is getting back home. And with the lake dried up, we really can't go anywhere at the moment."

"I told you we should have gotten back earlier," the first muttered.

"Nayru above, I wasn't expecting this! I go on patrol for only a week and come back with the lake dried up? This is completely impossible!"

The third Zora looked like he would have rubbed his eyes wearily if he could reach through his helmet. "Clearly, something has happened to Zora's Domain. That's the only source of this lake."

"Then--" the Zoras snapped to attention. "--the Queen and His Highness may be in danger!"

The other shook his head. "I fear the worst has happened. Come, we must hurry before it's too late!"

The first Zora frowned. "But sir, I am quite positive I saw something here..."

"It hasn't attacked us yet, has it? Don't worry right now, Her Majesty is our top priority."

"Zora's Domain?" Sora frowned as the Zoras continued on, still very jumpy. "Where's that? If the water flow comes from there, there's gotta be something we can do about it."

"I wish I could ask them." Link nodded toward the retreating soldiers. "This form is very inconvenient at the moment."

Midna humphed. "I like it."

"You're the one riding me."

Midna snorted. Link growled at her, and Sora stared at them blankly.

Giggle, giggle. "Choose your words more carefully next time, Wolf Boy."

Sora blinked. "What?"

The wolf shook himself again. "Moving on... is that a house over there?"

"A house? In the middle of a lake?"

"It's on a raft, silly. It just isn't needed at the moment... Sora?"

Sora pointed at the house. "There's a clown outside."

Midna blinked. "Oh yeah. From the Lake Hylia attractions."

"Attractions?"

"There was a sign right in front of the bridge advertising some sort of flying Cucco game with some sort of cannon. I don't think you noticed it because those skull guys were chasing you with the clubs."

By this time, they had reached the house-- more like a hut with a high roof-- sitting on a raft in the middle of the lakebed. There was a short, rather ugly clown outside, complete with gaudy outfit and makeup. He was sitting on the front steps, looking gloomy and occasionally sighing.

"Nice day for business," Midna remarked cheerfully as thunder rumbled overhead. "Wonder why no one's here?"

Link opened his mouth, perhaps to make a sarcastic comment, but the clown beat him to it.

"Welcome, one and all-- I'm getting to old for this..." he called in a bored voice, not even bothering to stand up, "to Fyer and Fabi's Watertop Land of Fantastication. It's our new grand reopening at the bottom of the lake... whee."

He gazed moodily out at the landscape and right through the heroes. "Yeah, nice lake. Don't lakes have... I don't know... more water?"

When it was apparent that no one visible was going to answer him, he sighed again. "Let's see... did the Zoras over the waterfall do something, or was it something the Lanaryu spirit did? Or... maybe I'm just horribly unlucky. That could be it... wuzzat, a customer?"

Link frowned at the direction the clown was looking. "Yeah, only that thing would stop by this place now. We've got trouble."

"Eyaah! A monster!" was the helpful reiteration.

Sora was already running. "Hurry! He hasn't noticed us yet!"

Link and Midna were fast on his heels as he sprinted toward the Heartless. This particular variety they had dubbed 'skull guys' because of the gigantic animal skulls masking their faces. They had learned quickly enough that they carried clubs and bows and usually traveled in packs... but this one, luckily, seemed to be alone, and rather confused about its surroundings.

Just as Sora came running up the top of the hill, Skull Guy became aware of the fact that he was being attacked and was rather hopelessly outnumbered.

Most monsters are not known for their smarts. Skull Guy, however, was smarter than most. He snatched up a grasswhistle that was conveniently growing nearby and whistled for help.

The grass didn't summon a horse.

Link skidded to a halt and almost smashed into Sora. "Dear Goddesses above."

Sora took several steps backward, clenching the keyblade reassuringly. "Okay, we've fought lots of headless demonic bats... it stands to reason that he'd summon a giant headless demonic bat."

An arrow scratched Link on the nose as it whizzed past. Midna thwapped him. "Can we just get on with it?"

"You're sooo cute!" Midna gushed to the giant headless demonic bat, patting its gaping neck. It had quickly stopped struggling after she jumped onto its back, and was now showing about as much affection towards her as a giant headless demonic bat could.

A gleam came into her eyes. "Hey guys, I've got an idea."

Sora stopped hitting Skull Guy with the keyblade and turned to Link. "Should we run?"

"We should go to Zora's Domain to see what's going on, right? So let's just hitch a ride on this guy! He can carry you two in his claws and..."

Link checked to make sure the Heartless was dead. "That's an excellent idea."

They ran. The bat was faster.

The bat deposited them at Upper Zora's River a short while later. Midna cheerfully bid it farewell, while Sora and Link lay on the ground and struggled to regain their breath and their dignity.

Link was covering his eyes with his paws. "The Zora guards shot at us..."

"Wasn't that fun?" Midna countered. "You had fun that time we were in the Mines and we had to jump across a chasm dodging Goblin arrows."

"...I wasn't a wolf and being held by a giant bat at the time..."

Midna shrugged and hopped onto Link's back. "Well, I had fun."

Sora shivered. "I'm never doing that again."

"Wimp. Wow, it's freezing around here."

Sora shivered again. The ground was freezing under his paws, and clouds of steam puffed out when he breathed. The house nearby had its windows frosted over.

"Something's really wrong." Link padded over to the empty riverbed and looked down. "Hey! The river's completely frozen!"

"Well, that explains why the water isn't reaching the lake." Midna looked around. "Zora's Domain is probably up the river. Let's just jump down and follow it."

Reluctantly, the other two jumped down into the river, cracking the thin layer of ice between them and the freezing mud. Midna struggled to hold back her laughter as they glared at her. "I didn't mean it literally... Light Worlders! Sheesh!"

The ice thickened as they continued on; soon everything was covered in it and they were having a hard time keeping their footing. Sora tried to cast a fire spell, but the stalagmite that was his target didn't even shatter.

"It's enchanted," Midna murmured, her voice dangerously quiet. "This is Zant's work."

"Zant can freeze a river and dry a lake... Midna, is he a sorcerer?"

Midna shook her head. "No, just a borrower. He uses forbidden magic of the Royal Family to bring Twilight here. Once it's here... everything just goes wrong. Meddling with the Light World is extremely dangerous-- I would never--"

She stopped, covering her mouth, and fell silent until they reached the frozen waterfall. Neither boy decided to press her. Though she was their teammate, Midna was as mysterious as the Twilight World she came from.

Link wondered if, possibly, she would ever trust him enough to tell him everything.

Climbing the frozen waterfall was easier than Sora would have thought. They climbed onto the ice, Midna floated over to a higher section, and when they jumped, she simply caught them with her hair and pulled them to safety. Link had apparently done this not only to get over poisonous mists in the forest, but climb Goron Mountain as well. Sora was not quite as experienced, and there were several near misses and ice kept falling down on their heads, but they eventually made it to the top of the waterfall.

At the top was a huge, ornamented gate, leading into a cave.

"Zora's Domain?" Link guessed.

"Well, what do you think?"

Sora started forward. "Come on, let's get rid of this ice before my paws freeze to the ground."

They walked into an enormous, high-ceilinged chamber decorated with beautiful ornamented pillars and fences that seemed to be made out of coral. Everything was covered in sheets of clear ice, giving the area a quiet, delicate air similar to that of a crystal palace. Sora was strongly reminded of the basement of Hollow Bastion Castle.

In the center of the room, crawling aimlessly around the ice, were three of the same Heartless they had seen on the other side of the Eldin Bridge.

One of them noticed the intruders. Its eyes glowed yellow, and from its unseen mouth spilled a terrifying shriek.

The keyblade appeared almost without Sora willing it. With Link and Midna at his side, Sora focused on his target and sprang forward.

They'd fought together long enough to know what to do. Snarling, Link darted around the two nearest Heartless, avoiding their clumsy attempts to swipe at him. Sora charged for the third one, unleashing a flurry of swings on its flat head. It staggered, unable to defend itself against the constant onslaught; finally it collapsed to the ground, unmoving.

"Stay there, Sora!" Midna called as Link was nearly sent flying by a well-aimed strike. "They have to all die at once or they'll all regenerate!"

The two monsters circled Link, pinning him against the wall. Midna closed her eyes. She focused.

Her hair formed a giant hand. A red force field began to grow rapidly from it, freezing the monsters in their tracks.

Like an arrow, Link lunged. In two quick, short bursts he hit the unmoving monsters and sent them to the ground. They burst apart into Twilight particles as the force field disappeared.

Behind Sora, the monster that he had defeated disintegrated too. Above them, a portal opened, looking the same as the one at Eldin, and the disintegrated monsters were sucked up and disappeared.

Midna sighed. "Glad that's over. Be more careful next time, all right?"

"Sorry." Link glanced around the empty chamber, looking for signs of life. "I wasn't expecting the force field around that last one."

"Midna, that hand thing was awesome," Sora gushed. "Wait... why have you never used it before?"

"You guys never needed it."

Link glared. "Midna, does the phrase 'five Skull Guys and a flock of giant bats' mean anything to you?"

"Oh, come on. You got rid of them in the end, it was all good."

Sora coughed, breaking up yet another argument. "Where are all the Zoras?"

"I don't see any. You don't think those Heartless--"

Midna stiffened suddenly. "Look, below the ice!"

The ice, it turned out, was not the floor of the chamber. Underneath their feet was a deep, frozen pond.

Trapped in the pond--

"The Zoras... they're all down there!" Sora whispered, horrified. "How--"

"They didn't even have a chance," Midna whispered, her fingers gripping the fur around Link's neck tightly enough to make him wince. "I bet they were just down there-- minding their own business-- then Zant--" Her voice caught, and she stopped.

"Zant's gonna pay for this." The snarl in Link's voice indicated that he would follow up on his threat personally if needed.

Sora said nothing, but backed away, trying to get the images of glowing blue-violet forms frozen in place out of his head. It looked even worse when they were all in spirit form. Something about the place frightened him, now. Everything was wrong, cold-- dead.

"Melt the ice," he whispered.

"How?" Link gave him that helpless look again, like the one in Telma's bar. "What in Hyrule could melt something like this?"

"That portal the Heartless left is still there," Midna began slowly. "I don't know what we can do around here... but first let's use the portal to see if we can find anything that can help us."

Link nodded. "Better than sitting around here doing nothing."

Sora forced a smile. "Yeah, let's get out of here. Preferably to someplace warmer, my paws are all numb."

Midna grinned. "All right! Death Mountain, here we come!"

In a rush of energy, the heroes were sucked up into the portal and disappeared.

In the frozen, silent tomb, something waited patiently for their return.

End Notes: Sorry for all the plot exposition, guys. Lots of stuff happens in this part, and I had to include details for people unfamiliar with the game. That part with the frozen Zoras... it depressed me at first, and then I had no idea what to do so I was just warping around for a while going Ahh where do I go? And then when I figured it out it was just funny.

We're almost to the Light Spirit! That means the rest of the plot will basically revolve around Link and Sora running around killing giant Twilight bugs. Hopefully that won't be as boring as it was in the game. (Also: Lanaryu dream sequence and the escort mission, gah. Have to figure out how to do that without just rehashing the game itself...)

On another note, my characterization is all screwed up, since I haven't played either game in... a long while. Oh well, school is eating my life so I'm just lucky I was able to finish this chapter.

Last Note: This whole thing is 40 pages. I'm so proud of myself. Of course, I can't submit any of this to a college, so in the end it's basically worthless. Sigh.