The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
January 10, 2015
Chapter 30: Finishing Up Loose Ends.
" What happened here?" I asked as Spike and I returned to the Death Mountain Crater via being warped from the Chamber of the Sages to the altar inside of the mountain.
" It looks like the mountain erupted just before we arrived. I guess defeating Volvagia was enough to cause the mountain to erupt for the first time in what must be centuries, and it has gotten rid of the dark clouds that were hanging above the entire area," replied Spike.
" That means things should be peaceful here from now on, but I'm worried that Ganondorf may decide to take his frustration out on me because I've been saving Hyrule from the grip that he's had for the past seven years. Lon Lon Ranch and the Kokiri Forest were small areas at best, but Death Mountain along with Kakariko Village are a much bigger landmass than the other two," I said.
" You knew this was going to be an issue when we first returned from the Sacred Realm," said Spike.
" Sometimes, I wish that the fate of this world hadn't been placed on my shoulders seeing as I was never given the option of agreeing to do this. It all just fell onto me to resolve because people kept on telling me that I was the chosen one destined to save Hyrule from a great evil," I said.
I then took a moment to look around at my surroundings to see what resulted when the volcano erupted. Everything looked the same as it did before, but I did notice that some platforms had been destroyed as a result of the lava flow, and the temperature had increased to where even wearing the Goron Tunic may not be enough.
Was this is a sign of what could have happened if Volvagia had managed to escape to burn all of Hyrule? I pray that I never find out the answer as the image would be too gruesome to envision. " I guess we have no other choice but to keep on going, and free the next area under his influence. So, where do we go from here?"
" There are two things we can do right now and one of them happens to be in the crater. A Great Fairy has taken up residence somewhere here, and I'm sure that she will be able to give you another ability," replied Spike. Another encounter with Adagio Dazzle? I know that she isn't the same person from the human world, but a small part of me was still hesitant to deal with her because of what she and her fellow sirens tried to do.
Then again, I really should get over that petty issue as she and her fellow Great Fairies have done nothing but helped me out each time I encountered her in her fountain. That's when it hit me regarding the fact that there were two Great Fairies within such a close proximity of one another. " The other thing is that I am sensing an arctic wind blowing from Zora's Domain....can you feel it?"
" Why would two Great Fairies be so close to one another in terms of location?" I asked.
" The one who resides in the Death Mountain Crater can only be reached if one were to come here wearing the Goron Tunic, or they happen to be a Goron as they can survive the intense heat of the volcano. I suggest that we pay her a visit as we can always use the power of the Great Fairy as well as embrace her vast wisdom and knowledge upon us," replied Spike. I'm not surprised that Spike is so adamant towards the Great Fairy seeing as he is a fairy himself, so it makes sense that he suggested that we see her as soon as possible, but the question was where could she be located.
I was then reminded of that one cave entrance next to Goron City which had a boulder in front of it when we first entered the crater....could that be where the Great Fairy resides? If so then that was truly convenient as I was planning on going back to the city because I needed to fulfill the promise I made to Pinkie Pie as she is now stuck in the Sacred Realm because of her Sage Status.
It didn't take long for me to make my way back to the entrance of Goron City, but I was expecting something to attack me given that something that looks simple never really is. Spike was wondering why I decided to walk past the way back to the city and instead head over to the boulder blocking the cave entrance. " What are we doing all the way over here? We should be trying to locate the Great Fairy, or we can ask a Goron if they have any idea as to where she is."
" I thought it was obvious to you," I began.
" What do you mean?" asked Spike.
" Why would there be a boulder blocking the entrance to this innocent cave, and the boulder itself can't be shattered with bombs due to being too sturdy? That's because this is the location of the Great Fairy's Fountain, and only one who has the Megaton Hammer can break this boulder in order to grant the wielder and eventually anyone else acess to it. I had a feeling that this cave was suspicious, but it never dawned on me until you brought up the Great Fairy," I replied.
Taking out the Megaton Hammer and lifting it up above my head, I smashed the boulder which did nothing, so I smashed it again which caused it to shatter to pieces and granting me access to the fountain. I walked inside and made my way over to the altar where I saw the Triforce symbol where I put the hammer away, and took the Ocarina of Time from the pouch on my belt.
" Is something wrong?" asked Spike.
" I need a moment to remember how to play the song needed to summon the Great Fairy," I replied.
" It has been seven years since you last played it, but really you should practice these more often so that you can memorize them," suggested Spike.
" With so many different things I have to do on this journey, remembering songs for an ocarina isn't exactly high on my list of priorities. Besides, I've been saying that I would practice many times in the past, and I've never done that which shows how much inconsistency I have. All I really need is a free moment to actually sit down and practice playing so that I can get used to it properly instead of making mistakes every time.
In fact, the only two songs I've played without messing it up are the ones related to Twilight and Fluttershy because they are my friends," I said. For a few minutes, I was wracking my brain trying to remember how Twilight's Lullaby went, and eventually I remembered how it was supposed to play.
As soon as I played the song, the laughter of the Great Fairy echoed throughout the fountain, and she appeared out of nowhere before floating in front of me as though she were laying down on a bed or something.
" Welcome Sunset Shimmer to my fountain. I am the Great Fairy of Wisdom, and I must say that I am surprised that you have not aged in seven years unlike the rest of the people of Hyrule. Of course, I am aware as to why you still look the same as you did a long time ago," said Adagio.
" Then why say you were surprised?" I asked.
" It is not every day that one gets to see someone who hasn't aged who isn't an omnipotent being such as myself or one of the forest children, but seeing you retain your youthfulness did catch me off guard. The magic you possess which comes from another world has enabled you to remain the same, and I have no doubt that many people whom you have met during your most recent travels were surprised that you have not aged while they have," replied Adagio.
" It's not been easy trying hard not to explain why I still look the same as many wouldn't believe my story," I said.
" And yet you have already proven your story to be true in the eyes of your friends who have so far awakened to their destinies by becoming Sages. You should know that the trials from this point onwards will only increase in difficulty as you strive to awaken the remaining Sages who even now await you in their respective temples.
So far, you have conquered the Forest Temple, and the Fire Temple, yet the remaining temples will test your resolve in ways you cannot even begin to imagine. Your fairy partner suggested that you should make your way to Zora's Domain did he not?" asked Adagio.
" I assume that the next temple is somewhere in that area?" I asked.
" No, the next temple you seek lies at the bottom of Lake Hylia, yet you cannot enter it without something very important which you must find by going all the way to Zora's Domain. While you may be thinking that you are wasting precious time going to a place which is not deemed necessary, I suggest paying it a visit as you will be surprised as to what you can find by looking in the wrong place.
You may end up getting much more by going the wrong way which can help you when you go the right way. I suspect that my words have confused you Sunset Shimmer, but do not feel discouraged as you will see soon enough for yourself by witnessing what has happened in Zora's Domain," replied Adagio.
" What happened there?" I asked.
" The dark magic which covers the domain in an evil blanket prevents me from seeing what has happened there, but you must go there when you have finished your other errands in order to learn the truth behind the fate of the Zoras," replied Adagio.
" And what errands would those be?" I asked.
" You plan on speaking to the daughter of the Goron Chieftain as well as the older sister of the same leader in order to tell them that the one who is the Sage of Fire cannot return to Hyrule as her place is now in the Sacred Realm. You then plan on going back to Kakariko Village as it is the only way you know how to get back to Hyrule Field, yet in the village you will speak to the one who wants to know what became of her brother. Finally, when you have reached Hyrule Field, you plan on taking care of the Big Poes which frequent the field in order to assist the one who loves ghosts," replied Adagio.
" That's creepy how you know exactly what I plan on doing," I said.
" I am the Great Fairy after all dear child, so it comes as no surprise as to the kind of knowledge I possess so long as my vision is not clouded by the darkness. Anyway, I have been distracted long enough as it is, so now I shall aid you in your quest because that is the reason why you have come here to see me. I shall enhance your magical ability where you will be able to use twice as much magic as you could before.
This means that you will not exhaust yourself as easily, and you will be able to rely on the two magical spells given to you by my fellow Great Fairies. Receive this gift now!" shouted Adagio. She then cupped her hands together before blowing a magical wind which enveloped me in a rather beautiful mist which made me feel rather strange at first, but then I felt a surge coursing through my body which made me feel really strong.
I just had to raise my arms in the air because I felt like it. Adagio then folded her arms again and smiled knowing that the gift had been passed onto me. " While you are feeling a surge of energy flowing through you, you may think that I have not done anything when you next use your magic. But, you will see what I mean when I say that your magic has been enhanced as you face your future trials."
" Why do you sound like you're upset?" I asked.
" A powerful force is going to stand in your way at some point in the future, and you will need to conquer it in order to proceed with your quest. You will also need to overcome it to be able to finally close a chapter of your past, but what this means I cannot say for the darkness blurs my vision. I sense that you may know the truth yet you refuse to believe it yourself due to your heart trying to lie to your mind. When battle has made you weary, please come back to see me," replied Adagio.
She then disappeared by returning to the water in the altar leaving me to wonder what I was going to do next As I left the fountain and returned to the Death Mountain Crater, her words continued to echo in my mind as I pondered over their meaning.
" There is something I need in Zora's Domain, but I don't know what it is nor do I know what happened there," I said.
" All I am able to sense is an arctic wind," said Spike.
" An arctic wind has do with the freezing cold of winter back where I'm from, but I can't imagine Zora's Domain having become a winter wonderland. When we were there last time, it was really beautiful and the water flowed everywhere, so seeing it all covered in a layer of snow strikes me as odd," I said.
" It could be Ganondorf's doing," suggested Spike.
" Yes, I can't ignore that possibility given Ganondorf's track record from what we've seen so far. Hmmmm....I'm going to talk to Sunset Shimmer....I mean, to Link and tell her about her mother's destiny. Then I'll find Maud and tell her the same thing, and it looks like either she or Link will become the Goron Chieftain assuming that Pinkie Pie isn't able to come back," I said.
Walking back into Goron City via the entrance at the back of Pinkie's room, I began to look for Babs Seed in order to tell her what has become of Pinkie, and I hoped that she wasn't going to cry which would be the unfortunate option. It didn't take me that long to find her as she was sitting in front of a cave entrance on the second highest floor, and when she saw me coming her way, she got up and met me halfway as I approached.
" Brother Sunset Shimmer! Everybody has come back! Mom and you destroyed the dragon together, didn't you! But, how come she didn't come back with you? Did she have to go back into the Fire Temple for something?" asked Babs.
" There's something that I need to tell, and it isn't going to be easy for me to explain," I replied.
" Your voice sounds really sad as though something has happened to mom....gasp! Are you trying to tell me that the dragon....killed her? No! That can't be! Mom was the strongest Goron in the entire city which is why she was the Chieftain. There's no way she would have fallen as fighting is in her blood, yet only you returned while mom didn't which means only one thing. You weren't able to arrive on time to help her deal with the dragon am I right?
Before she left for the temple, mom told me what I had to do should it come to pass where she wouldn't return, and that is to lead our people in her place as the new Big Brother of the Gorons. How can I do that when I'm so young? Aunt Maud would be a much better leader as she has so much experience, but she decided to leave the city after everyone came back," said Babs.
" You don't need to cry you know," I said.
" Of course I do because my mom has died," cried Babs.
" No, she is still very much alive," I announced.
" Huh? Mom is still alive? How can that be if she didn't return with you? Oh, you're just saying this to make me feel better, but you don't need to go to the trouble as I have been prepared to assume the leadership of the tribe as it is my birthright," said Babs.
" Darunia is alive, yet she can't return to Hyrule as she has been chosen by destiny to become the Sage of Fire, and her task now is to remain in the Sacred Realm and guard the temple. I don't know if your mom will be allowed to return, but you should assume that she has to remain there forever. Your mom wanted me to tell you what has become of her as she knew that you would be affected by it," I said.
" Mom became a Sage?" asked Babs.
" That she has. Your mom and I have now become True Brothers as she herself said as I left the Chamber of the Sages where she remains with her fellow Sages....hold on a second! It just occurred to me that you said Maud left the city when everyone returned which must have been when I was fighting against Volvagia," I replied.
" Correct," said Babs.
" Where did she go?" I asked.
" Aunt Maud told me that she had a feeling in her heart that mom wasn't going to be coming back from the Fire Temple, so she decided she would leave and go on a personal journey in order to discover something. I insisted that she stay behind and become the Goron Chieftain, but she said that was my destiny and that she had her own to fulfill," replied Babs.
" How long ago did she leave?" I asked.
" I'd say that she left the city about an hour or two ago, so by my reckoning she should have reached Kakariko Village by now. Aunt Maud walks rather slowly and doesn't like to roll around like the rest of us do as she prefers to take her time so that she can experience the wonders all around her.
Aunt Maud usually doesn't let anyone know where she goes because she doesn't want anyone to worry about her, but deep down mom always worried for her safety because she looked up to her big sister so much," replied Babs.
" Thank you for telling me all of that," I said.
" When I grow up, I want to be a strong woman like you, Sunset Shimmer! Thank you, Sunset Shimmer! Thank you very much for saving us!" said Babs. That was when I decided to take my leave and make my way to Kakariko Village as fast as possible as I had to catch up with Maud, but as soon as I started to walk away, something tugged at my arm and I turned around to discover that Babs was pulling on me and pointing towards the cave she had been sitting in front of.
It was like she wanted me to go in there and see what it was about. " Before you leave Brother, you should speak to the Goron in there as he has been forging a powerful blade. He said that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Biggoron, and he feels that his work is going to make him quite famous. Maybe that blade could be of some help to you? I'll take my leave of you now and you can think it over, so goodbye Sunset Shimmer, and I hope we meet again someday."
Babs then curled up into a ball and rolled away leaving me to decide if I want to go after Maud, or see what this blade business was all about. I ended up deciding to check out the blade as something about it just piqued my curiosity. I walked into the cave which went quite a ways in before it turned to the right where I found myself staring a Goron who was larger than the average sized Goron, so I assumed that this was Bulk Biceps' younger brother in this world.
" I've worked on something really cool for the last five or six years, and it's finally completed after such a long time. Hello there young lady. My name is Medigoron, and I welcome you to Medigoron's Blade Store which has finally opened for business! For years, I have watched my older brother Biggoron work on making blades with such dexterity, that I was inspired to make some of my very own."
" What kind of blade have you created?" I asked.
" Glad you asked me, and here it is for your viewing pleasure. This is the Giant's Knife! It is a powerful two-handed sword with an incredible reach and possesses tremendous attack power, but you need to realize that you have to use it with two hands because of the weight of the weapon. How do you like the look of it?
The craftsmanship is on par with that of my brother, but I will be honest by saying that there could be a problem with its durability. I have yet to test the strength of the metal I used in the forging process, so this blade could last a really long time, or it could last a single use before it snaps," replied Medigoron.
" Then why mention it at all? I know that you're being truthful about it and I respect that, but some people may not appreciate being told that the Giant's Knife looks good, yet it breaks like a piece of glass whenever it hits something. I think you have made a pretty cool looking weapon and for that you'll go far, but maybe it's not the right time for you to open your store." I said.
" You're right young lady! However, I needed to open my store now and sell some of my blades because it cost me a lot of rupees to acquire the metal as well as the kiln and forge I needed. In fact, my plan was to sell the blade for 200 rupees, but since the durability is questionable....perhaps I should sell it at a much lower price like say....50 rupees which would be a huge blow against me. Sigh....Biggoron did say that I needed more practice when it comes to forging, but I felt that I knew enough to be able to make it work, but it looks like I've just messed things up," sighed Medigoron.
" I'll buy one from you for 200 rupees," I announced.
" You'll what?" asked Medigoron.
" I said I'll buy one," I replied.
" Why would you do that knowing that my blade isn't as durable as that sword you have in that scabbard?" asked Medigoron.
" It's just that I feel bad for you knowing that you spent so many years working on making that Giant's Knife, and you discover that it isn't as good as you were hoping. To top it all off, you don't have the funds with which to continue making blades, and you need the rupees to be able to continue with this business of yours.
Say what you will about my way of thinking, but I want to buy it because it looks really cool, and I want to help you out. I usually don't use the sword that I already have, so the chances of me using the Giant's Knife are pretty slim, but still I want to have it," I replied.
" Your way of thinking along with the reasons behind them are strange to say the least, but if you really want to purchase the Giant's Knife, I will sell it to you for half price at around 100 rupees," said Medigoron. I paid him my money and he handed over the Giant's Knife which did look really beautiful, but I knew that it was a faulty weapon. The important thing for me was that I helped Medigoron out which is better than having a sword which can break with just a single whack.
Having placed the Giant's Knife in a scabbard Medigoron provided and placing it behind my shield, I thanked him and took my leave to begin the long trek back to Kakariko Village as I had to find Maud before she would disappear. If I run as fast as I can without any major distractions getting in my way, I should be able to reach the village in about an hour or two, and catch her in time.
So while I was running towards the entrance of Goron City so that I could get back on Death Mountain Trail, something else was taking place far away which involved someone else I happened to know....two people in fact who were the complete opposites in every way.
" Hello there! Where are you off to in such a hurry?"
" I'm sorry, but I cannot chat with someone who is as vulgar as you are. I mean no offence, but I must make my way to the Water Temple immediately if I hope to save my people from the terrible fate which has befallen them."
" You must be the famous Princess Ruto, the daughter of the ruler of the Zora tribe yes? I am surprised that you would travel all across Hyrule Field in order to get down here to Lake Hylia, for you are clearly exhausted from your arduous journey. Perhaps you should have taken a more scenic route such as through the waterways which go down through Gerudo Valley, and ultimately the lake?"
" I'll have you know that I would never set foot in that awful Gerudo Valley as those thieves are ruffians and scoundrels whose king has taken over Hyrule, and made it a miserable place to live for my people....in addition to the other tribes. That evil Ganondorf had no right to do what he did to Zora's Domain by transforming it into a place where my people cannot thrive, so I have come here in order to set things right by destroying the evil that infests the Water Temple. That location is a place of worship for the Zoras, and only we are permitted to enter there according to the treaty my father signed with the old king," replied Rarity.
" Such a treaty no longer exists you know."
" Due to the change in the monarchy which is ludicrous! Look, I'm sorry but I really must be on my way as I need to save my people before its too late, so if you'll excuse me....ummmm....whoever you are, I must go to the temple now," said Rarity.
" My name is Sonata Dusk, the Happy Mask Saleswoman, who travels about the kingdom selling masks in order to make people happy. These days haven't been very fruitful for me because there is so much misery as a result of Ganondorf's influence spreading to every corner of the land, yet I have managed to do what little I can to bring smiles to people's faces. You know Zora Princess, you could do with some cheering up yourself as you are definitely feeling miserable."
" No! I don't have time for such foolishness!" shouted Rarity.
" You won't like what you will see when you reach Lake Hylia," began Sonata.
" Pardon me?" asked Rarity.
" The lake has changed a lot since Ganondorf first became the ruler of Hyrule. It used to be such a beautiful location with crystal clear water, but now it looks more like a puddle than an actual lake, and those dark clouds certainly don't improve on things. If I were you, I'd consider not going there, but I can sense that you are determined to go there anyway. You know, you remind me of my old assistant who helped me sell some masks many years ago, yet she disappeared the day Ganondorf appeared," replied Sonata.
" My intention was not to make you remember something from the past," said Rarity.
" I wonder whatever became of Sunset Shimmer?" asked Sonata.
" Huh? You know of her as well? And you say that she was your former assistant? I remember her from seven years ago when she helped me to save Lord Jabu-Jabu from a rather nasty parasite which plauged him so, yet I assumed she was an adventurer given she had a sword and shield....which she never really used. While you have piqued my curiosity about your connection to Sunset Shimmer, I simply do not have the time to continue on with this conversation.
If what you say is true about Lake Hylia, then the situation is far worse than I had imagined. The lake and Zora's Domain are connected, so if one place is affected then so is the other....I must hurry if I am to save everyone before they are lost forever....oh how I wish Sunset Shimmer were still here as I could do with her aid," replied Rarity.
" Perhaps I can be of some assistance?" asked Sonata.
" You? You are merely a seller of masks, and not a brave heroine like she is," replied Rarity.
" Maybe so, but I am certain that I can give you a small bit of help even if it isn't as significant as you're used to your highness. Besides, I was actually heading back to the lake after having last been there about a year ago, for I need to see someone about a mask that she wanted off of me that has to do with her research," said Sonata.
" I do not have much choice in the matter do I?" asked Rarity.
" You don't," replied Sonata.
The journey back to Kakariko Village wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I was expecting the trail to be full of boulders that were rolling down the mountain impeding my progress, but there were none to be seen which had to have been due to the volcano erupting while I was in the Chamber of the Sages. The dark clouds had disappeared returning the sky back to a clear crystal blue, and the ring of fire above the peak had changed back to a ring of smoke.
In the village itself, there were no dark clouds, so it too had returned back to normal which was nice as it meant the villagers could finally move on with their lives. That's when I noticed Scootaloo in the distance attending to her cuccos, and I did need to speak to her regarding the fate of her brother....which is what Adagio knew I was going to do. Sometimes it feels so creepy when someone knows your every thought even before you could think of it.
" Hmmmm? It's you again Sunset Shimmer! I honestly believed that you had been killed when Death Mountain erupted," said Scootaloo as I approached her.
" I avoided the eruption due to being in a place which protected me from the intense flames. You and the rest of the villagers no longer need to worry about the Gorons, for they have all returned safely to Goron City after having been imprisoned within the Fire Temple for many months. The crisis is over now, and everything has returned to normal," I said.
" That's good to hear because I was on the verge of asking someone to send a message to the Gorons to go into the Death Mountain Crater to retrieve a burned up corpse which I thought was going to be you. Well, since you are alive and well, there's no need for there to be a body recovery as well as a funeral. By the way, I was wondering if you ever managed to find my brother Grog? It just dawned on me that you no longer have Cojiro with you, so am I correct in assuming that you returned him to my brother?" asked Scootaloo.
" I did find him," I replied.
" Where has he been all of this time? Will he be coming back to the village any time soon?" asked Scootaloo.
" I found him in the Lost Woods where he had been exposed to the curse that presides there for quite some time. In fact, he was half-way through the transformation that causes non-forest folk to transform into Stalfos. I wanted to help him out somehow, but he said that it was too late for him, and he asked me to let you know that he always cared about you despite what happened between him and your father," I replied.
" My brother....will become a Stalfos? I....I guess that I should have expected something like this given how when he was living here seven years ago, he did mention about having gone to the Lost Woods several times in order to find something. He must have contracted the curse back then as he only allowed himself to be seen at night in the village. Thank you Sunset Shimmer, for telling me about the fate of my brother," said Scootaloo.
" There is one thing I want you to see which he said I could have," I said.
" What is it?" asked Scootaloo. I then reached into another pouch on my belt and pulled out the Poacher's Saw which I had been carrying around all this time ever since I acquired it from Grog before he disappeared into the Lost Woods. I handed it over to Scootaloo who spent a few moment looking at it before realizing what it was.
" This....this is the saw that belonged to my father! He was trying to find it before he left the village with Mutoh and the others years ago. While this would be a wonderful memento to keep of my brother, I can't accept this for it rightfully belongs to my father, so I'll give it back to you and you can deliver it to him."
Scootaloo then paced about for a few minutes before realizing that I have never met her father, so I would have no clue as to who was meant to receive the Poacher's Saw, and I could end up giving it to a complete stranger for all I knew. " Actually, I suggest that you give this saw to Mutoh whenever you find her as she will make sure that my father gets it back."
" Where is she these days?" I asked.
" Mutoh said that she along with the carpenters were taking a trip to Gerudo Valley which was about seven years ago, but they were going to visit some other places first before heading there," replied Scootaloo.
" Guess I'll end up running into her much later, so I'll keep the Poacher's Saw until then. Speaking of running into people, have you seen a Goron come by here recently?" I asked.
" Yes, I have seen a Goron not too long ago. She said that she was leaving Death Mountain in order to go on some kind of journey because her sister isn't around anymore, and she feels like she will be a burden on her young niece. If you were hoping to talk to her at some point, then I'm afraid that you're out of luck as she left the village about ten minutes ago.
Who knows where she is out on Hyrule Field, but you may yet be able to catch up with her as she does walk rather slow for a Goron, and she doesn't curl up into a ball and roll around either. That Goron is without a doubt one of the most unusual of their tribe I've ever seen, and yet I can't help but feel sorry for her as she has lost someone close to her like I have. In any case, I hope that you manage to find her before it's too late," replied Scootaloo.
Thanking her for the tip, I ran as fast as I could until I had exited the village, and Epona neighed happily over my return after being gone for such a long time. That's when I noticed Maud was standing right next to her, but I thought she would have made it at the very least to the destroyed drawbridge by now given her huge headstart. Maybe she was so intrigued by Epona, she just had to learn as much as she could....and that was just plain weird.
" I knew you would catch up with me," said Maud.
" Young Sunset Shimmer....Link, said that you had left Goron City in order to go on a journey," I said.
" That is correct," said Maud.
" Who are you trying to kid here?" I asked.
" As usual your wisdom is beyond your years Sunset Shimmer which does not surprise me. My little sister isn't going to be coming back to Goron City not because she is dead, but because she was chosen to become the protector of the Fire Temple. I know this because she confided in me many years ago that she had these visions in her dreams where she was in a place that was beyond this realm, and it was here that she would be joined by five others to fulfill some kind of destiny," replied Maud.
" Then you need to go back and lead your people as they need you," I said.
" No, my niece has been raised to become the next Goron Chieftain when the time had come, for that is her birthright. My place is no longer there among my people, and my sister has known this all along. While she may be young and inexperienced, the others will be able to guide her along as she strives to carry on the legacy of my sister in addition to building one of her own.
You may not wish to accept this way, and you no doubt wish to yell at me for choosing to leave, but it is my decision to make and I will not change my mind," said Maud.
" So you plan on never coming back either?" I asked.
" No, I do intend to return to Goron City one day in the future when I have figured out the answers to my questions. I want to know what my true purpose is! If Darunia were standing right here in front of me this very minute, she would insist on saying to me that I should go on my journey, and never return until you have found what you are looking for.
If there was one drawback to my decision, it would be that I will be away from my people for at least 20 years at the very minimum because of how slow I can be," replied Maud.
" Where do you think you'll end up?" I asked.
" I don't know," replied Maud.
" You mean you haven't thought that far ahead?" I asked.
" I just go with it and see what happens," replied Maud. That response caused me to slap my head in frustration because I forgot that dealing with Maud can give you a headache because of her lack of an ideal response to any questions thrown at her. I was thinking of maybe convincing her to change her mind and go back to Goron City in order to assist Babs Seed, but that wouldn't be fair to Maud as she is determined to carry out this choice.
" This is where I must take my leave of you Sunset Shimmer as I have my own journey to go on, and you must continue with your own. I have a feeling that your journey is going to be wrought with danger, but as long as you keep doing what you have been doing, you shall be fine." Maud then slightly bowed her head before starting to walk off in her slow fashion which did look awkward.
" She certainly is a strange Goron," commented Spike.
" I just wish that she didn't have to go and do this," I said.
" Maud knows what she needs to do because her heart is dictating this, and you of all people should know what it means to follow your heart. While it does look like everyone you've spoken to since coming back from the Chamber of the Sages has been afflicted with unfortunate news affecting both them and you, you need to get over it even if what I say does sound mean," said Spike.
" Guess that's what I get for caring too much," I cried.
" Your heart is in the right place Sunset Shimmer, but you need to understand what it means to focus on the task at hand. Your kind heart is surely going to be our salvation, but at the same time you need to fulfill your destiny. Anyway, we're back in Hyrule Field now, and with Epona on hand, it should take about 15 minutes for her to gallop over to the entrance of Zora's River," said Spike.
" We should continue on with my quest," I began as I climbed up onto Epona where I rubbed her muzzle with my hand before starting to think about something. The vast expanse of Hyrule Field reminded me of those Big Poes which the owner of the Ghost Shop said that he wanted. It had been some time since I last spoke to him, and he might think I've gone and abandoned the notion of being a Ghost Hunter as he called it.
As I recall, those giant ghosts move pretty fast and I can't catch them on foot, but Epona should be able to catch up with them. So now the question is how do I attack them in order to defeat them and claim their souls? Wow....that sounds really creepy in that line of context. I don't think my magic would be effective as it doesn't move through the air fast enough, but maybe an arrow would make for a better projectile.
I don't know where these ghosts are supposed to be, and it will take some time to figure out the exact locations, but I could do with something that provides little in the way of frustration given what I had to go through in the Fire Temple. Besides, this will give me the chance to bond with Epona, and even catch me some sleep as I've been up practically all night.
" Are you daydreaming again?" asked Spike.
" No, just thinking about going after those Big Poes," I replied.
" Do you think you'll have time to track them down?" asked Spike.
" I don't know, but I think I do seeing as we're not in a race against time," I replied.
" You're also doing it because you want to relax a little after the intensity of the Fire Temple?" asked Spike.
" Bingo!" I replied as I gently kicked Epona in the ribs which she responded by galloping off towards the direction of the destroyed drawbridge, but I told her to turn to the left as I didn't want Maud to accuse me of stalking her. As soon as Epona started going to the left, a Big Poe appeared out of nowhere which did startle me, and I almost let go of the reins before quickly regaining my composure.
Putting my idea to the test, I took out the Fairy Bow in order to aim it when I realized I needed to have a lot of balance as I wasn't going to be holding onto the reins. The Big Poe was getting away, so I kicked Epona to give me some speed, and that's when I let loose with some arrows that completely missed their target by a mile. I must have fired at least a dozen arrows before the ghost disappeared leaving me feeling very humiliated.
" Not used to shooting on horseback are you?" asked Spike.
" There's a lot of things in this world I'm not used to doing," I replied.
" I can help you with this sort of thing you know as that's my role as your partner," said Spike. My blushing reaction was enough for him to know that I did need some assistance with this, and that I was way too embarrassed to say anything. " Aiming on horseback can be difficult as you are moving, or rather your horse is moving, but it can be done if you're patient enough.
When aiming the Fairy Bow, Epona is going to be locked into galloping in a specific direction, so she will keep on going until she stops at a wall, a body of water, and so on. Whipping her will let you catch up to a Big Poe where you can fire arrows at it, but it will vanish if it gains too much of a lead, or if it runs into a wall," said Spike.
" How many arrows will it take to bring one down?" I asked.
" Two arrows will do the trick although if you hit one once, it disappears and then reappears later, you'll have to start all over again as it will count as the ghost having regained its health. Despite being evil in nature and possessing a lot of power, they are pretty cowardly in nature which contradicts everything about them," replied Spike.
" Guess we'll just have to ride around until we run into another one," I said, and that didn't take very long for a Big Poe appeared within ten seconds of me saying that, and Epona knew that I needed to catch up, so she galloped faster, and I fired arrows once again with them completely missing which was a waste. I needed to rely on patience, and also because I have about six arrows left due to firing so many in a mad rush.
Aiming carefully, I fired two more arrows and each hit the Big Poe which was enough to make it burn apart leaving its soul behind which did look evil. After bringing Epona to a stop, I climbed down from her and walked over to the soul which was just floating there. " So I need to use an empty bottle in order to carry this thing around? It sounds a little inconvenient for the soul, but I suppose it's the only means with which to transport them around."
" Just take out the bottle, and scoop it up like you were trying to fill up your bottle with some potion," said Spike.
" This should take only a moment," I said as I produced one of my two empty bottles and scooped up the Big Poe soul without any trouble. The soul made no reaction, so I breathed a sigh of relief. " We should make our way over to the Ghost Shop and turn this in for some extra rupees as well as 100 points on that card the owner said he was carrying for me."
" Why not catch another Big Poe and give him two at the same time?" asked Spike.
" Good idea as that way we don't waste as much time," I replied.
" Just don't attempt to drink them or anything," said Spike.
" Excuse me!!!!" I exclaimed.
" Some people who catch Poe Souls have a tendency to drink them thinking they are a potion, or because they're weird and want to know what it tastes like for curiosity's sake. All that ends up happening is you get wounded as the soul damages you from within, and you feel like a complete freak for even considering it," said Spike. People actually drink the souls of ghosts because they're curious? What is wrong with some people in this world?
May I hope that I never have to deal with people like this. As I proceeded to finding another Big Poe, something was taking place in the Gerudo's Fortress; the one area in Hyrule I have not been to yet. It seems that in the seven years I was trapped in the Sacred Realm, the Gerudo have been living peaceful lives compared to everyone else, and their second-in-command was enjoying her new position.
Yet, she was about to have an encounter with two people known quite well among the Gerudo, and feared by them because of the power they wielded.
" Now let me see here....hmmmm....our supplies remain consistent and that means we won't be starving any time soon! See people? You can get so much done when you decide to use inventory lists as you'll always know what you have, what you need to get, and what you need to get rid of. The weapons storage is up to date with all of our gear polished, so that's good as we need to always be on guard. Finally, those men we captured have all been isolated from each other, and are being guarded by our finest warriors."
" Are you pleased oh great Spitfire?"
" Everything on the list has been checked off, so I'm more than pleased with this. Before we introduced inventory lists, we always struggled figuring out what was around the fortress, but now we always find what we're looking for. I suppose that was one good thing the former second-in-command implemented before she was stripped of her title, and I took her place as the great Ganondorf's most trusted and faithful follower," replied Spitfire.
" Whatever became of Nabooru anyway?"
" She left here to go to the desert seven years ago for reasons of her own, but she never came back. My theory is that she wanted to stay there as the temple was her headquarters at one time before she left it, so I guess she wanted to go back there again in order to resume whatever she was doing," replied Spitfire.
" Do you really believe that madam?"
" Nabooru was exposed as a traitor by the great Ganondorf, and therefore was exiled as a result of her actions. She was lucky that expulsion from the tribe was what she ended up receiving as punishment from our glorious king, for execution would have been so much better. But, I won't dare question the great one's decision, for his word is law in our society, and we must respect his command.
Maybe one day Nabooru will return to us by begging the great Ganondorf to allow her to rejoin, but I fear that she would have to degrade herself to the role of an animal. Sigh....if only she hadn't decided to turn against him like she did. While I did have some personal grudges with her because of how she was favoured over me, I've long since gotten over it, and now I wonder how she's doing.
Oh well! The great Ganondorf forbids us to venture forth into the desert, and we must obey his edict without question. This meeting has now adjourned, so all of you return to your posts," replied Spitfire. Everyone then left the room leaving her to wipe her head with her hand due to being exhausted over how tedious and boring the meeting had been. Unfortunately, she wasn't about to have a moment to relax for two strange figures had appeared from the shadows when the rest of the Gerudo had left.
" Spitfire...."
" Huh? Who's there? Oh, it's you two old witches from the temple," said Spitfire.
" You should watch what you say around us dear child for you know how we stand in the eyes of the great Ganondorf yes?"
" My apologies for the remarks towards the pair of you, but you are much older and wiser than the rest of us, so my assumption was that being referred to as such would be seen as a compliment," said Spitfire.
" Your assumption is wrong! If you wish to remain as second-in-command of the Gerudo as well as continue to be viewed as a worthy follower in the eyes of our king, you shall refrain from speaking until you have heard what my sister and I have come here for."
" What do you want to talk to me about?" asked Spitfire.
" It has to do with two things with the latter being of great concern to you Spitfire. First of all, you will continue to enforce the decision as made by the great Ganondorf that none shall enter the desert beyond the wastelandAnyone who violates the command of the great one shall be punished by execution courtesy of you as that is your duty as the one in charge of the fortress.
The other thing is that the one who has been breaking the curses on the temples has proven to be much more of a threat than originally believed. Already she has broken the curse on the Forest Temple and the Fire Temple, and currently seeks to make her way to the Water Temple to break the curse there. She may eventually come here to the Gerudo's Fortress, and that is where you come into the picture Spitfire. You shall be tasked with making sure that she is killed thus putting an end to this heroic bravado."
" Why me?" asked Spitfire.
" Should she manage to overcome the trials placed before her and come here, you shall kill her without fail! Should you not succeed in this simple task, then you shall be killed yourself as punishment for your failure. Do not bother to ask us any questions, for we must return to the temple in order to finish our little pet project we've been working on for the past seven years.
Remember that your own life hangs in the balance Spitfire, so kill that forest girl! Go! Kill her! Kill the forest girl!" The two shadows then disappeared leaving Spitfire feeling really nervous about what they had just told her. She had been ordered to kill the one person who posed a threat to Ganondorf, and failure to do so would be her own life instead.
It took me a very long time to finally capture all of the Big Poe souls, and I was completely exhausted as I had to constantly resupply myself with arrows due to missing so many times, and Epona had grown tired of galloping around so much looking for something that was so elusive. It didn't help that I only had two bottles with which to capture the souls although it was better than having to bring them to the owner of the Ghost Shop one at a time. In fact, it took me so long that I had to stop just to get some sleep as during the chase, I was constantly falling asleep while riding on Epona.
" And here I thought you were going to give up," said Spike.
" Once I start something, I don't stop until it's finished no matter how long it takes," I said.
" It took you about an entire day to catch all of those Big Poe souls with only this last one left to sell to that creepy Sombra guy. I hope that all of this running around and galloping around for your horse is going to be worth it, for I can imagine your reaction if you end up getting something pretty bad for a reward. Once you've taken care of this last soul, we're heading straight for Zora's Domain as I think we've delayed things long enough," said Spike.
" Admit it! You had fun chasing down those ghosts," I laughed.
" Maybe just a little, but I had more fun laughing at all those times where you nearly fell off of Epona due to falling asleep. One thing about you which I always admire is how you end up turning a dangerous situation into something comedic which causes nothing but merriment. I don't intend to sound mean or insulting to you, but it's just that you do cause some kind of blunder whether intentional or not.
It's a welcome change of pace given this nightmare of a world we've been exploring," said Spike. I can't help it if I end up making a scene as I'm still getting used to how this world works, and believe me when I say that it hasn't been easy. Sighing yet again, I had Epona gallop all the way back to the entrance of Hyrule Castle Town where I climbed off of her, and went straight for the Ghost Shop to deliver the tenth and final Big Poe where hopefully I'll end up getting something good in return for all of this nonsense.
" Hey young lady! I see you've come back yet again!" said Sombra as I came through the door.
" It took me practically forever, but here is the last Big Poe soul I could find out there in Hyrule Field," I said.
" Well then, come on over and let's see what you have," said Sombra. It felt like I was going to fall over due to how exhausting I was, but I managed to make it over to him without causing a blunder, and I handed over the bottle containing the soul in it. " Hmmmm....yes, this is indeed the final Big Poe soul which is ten in all, so as before allow me to buy it off of you for 50 rupees. On top of that, I will put 100 points on your card, and if you manage to make 1,000 points, you'll become a very happy woman.
Well now, it looks like you have acquired 1,000 points! Thanks to you young lady, I now have an extra large inventory of Big Poes, so I'm afraid this will be the last time I can buy a ghost off of you." Sombra then reached out behind him in order to grab something from the shadows which I couldn't see him doing, but I did feel rather nervous that this was either a trap, or he was going to give me some kind of lousy reward. Since you have 1,000 points, here is the item which I promised you."
" Is this what I think it is?" I asked.
" Indeed, it's an empty bottle which you can use to store all kinds of items inside of it. I originally was going to give you 200 rupees as your reward, but I figured that would have been insulting as you've made more money than that selling Poe souls to me. You struggled with my favour as you only had two bottles to rely on, so now you have a third to use in whatever way you want," replied Sombra.
He handed over the bottle to me and while you would think I'd be furious about being given a bottle, I was pretty happy with this as I now stand a better chance of surviving future trials. I carefully put the bottle away before turning my attention back to Sombra who looked as though he had something else he wanted to say. " I heard that the Gorons have all recently returned from their mysterious disappearance, and I sense that you had something to do with it."
" More of your mind-reading?" I asked.
" Yes, and I can sense that you desire to go to Zora's Domain....but I would advise you not to do that," replied Sombra.
" How come?" I asked.
" While I have not seen it with my own eyes, people from Kakariko Village say that Zora's Domain has become a winter wonderland during these past seven years. This may sound pleasant, but it isn't as the snow continues to fall and refuses to stop. What was deemed as an unnatural occurrence has become a nightmare where the freezing cold is enough to make most freeze to death, yet you are determined to go there yes?
It has to do with your quest to save this world," replied Sombra. He then looked down at the ground for a few moments without moving a muscle, and for a moment I thought he had suddenly collapsed, or had gone into a deep sleep, but he soon raised his head back up before smacking the cage containing the Poe souls with his stick to get them back in line. " I have one piece of advice for you."
" What is it?" I asked.
" There is a large cavern located in Zora's Fountain which was formed from the snow and ice which has plagued Zora' Domain, and it is said that a treasure is hidden there which can add a lot of weight to one's own being. I don't know who would leave something like that in such a cold and desolate place, but perhaps it's something you might want to consider seeing as you plan on going there anyway.
At the bottom of the pool of water that exists within Zora's Fountain lies a beautiful heart-shaped object, but unless you can gain a lot of weight and somehow be able to breathe like a fish, it shall forever remain there. That's all I have to say to you young lady, so good-bye and good luck on your quest as you will need as much of it as you can get," replied Sombra.
As I walked out of the Ghost Shop to make my way back to Epona, I started to think about what he said regarding what had become of Zora's Domain as well as this treasure which can add weight onto me. It all sounded pretty weird to me, but it was something which I had to consider as I prepared to make my way over to the domain....
To Be Continued.